Hot Topics—How tech can personalize the guest experience

As traveler expectations evolve and technology reshapes every touchpoint of the stay, hotel leaders are under pressure to make each interaction seamless, smart and satisfying. During a recent Hotel Business Hot Topics discussion, “Modern Hospitality, Measurable Results: Using Tech to Drive Loyalty and Spend,” in partnership with DirecTV Hospitality, a panel of industry experts explored how innovation—when guided by strategy—can drive the guest experience and the bottom line.
Moderated by Glenn Haussman, founder and host of the No Vacancy Live podcast, the panel included Tristan Gadsby, cofounder/CEO, Alliants; Dawn Gallagher, president, hospitality, Crescent Hotels & Resorts; Scott Strickland, chief commercial officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; and Kim Twiggs, VP, business development, DirecTV Hospitality.
For Gallagher, whose company manages about 120 branded and independent hotels, technology must serve each hotel and guest differently. “From our perspective, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution,” she said. “We have to look for providers that give us deeper insight and actionable information. Connecting with guests through technology to drive ancillary revenue is critical. Each time we take over a hotel, we integrate its systems into our platform to ensure consistency and growth.”
One way hotels can meet guests’ preferences is by offering “frictionless” travel, according to Strickland. From check-in to checkout, the guest journey increasingly revolves around the mobile device.
“You check in, pay, stream music or movies, maybe even tip housekeeping—all from your mobile,” he said. “It’s about allowing the guest to move through the hotel seamlessly. Every mobile device must interface smoothly with property systems.”
That interoperability, he noted, is easier said than done. “It requires standardization, but it’s also about giving guests choices—whether they want to text, stream or call, all from one platform.”
Gadsby noted that the key to frictionless travel is personalization built on a deeper understanding of every guest, not just the primary occupant.
“For too long, hotels only knew the person who booked the room,” he said. “Now, we need to understand everyone—who’s visiting the restaurant, who’s on a leisure trip, who’s blending business and leisure. When it’s easy to connect with the property, guests spend more.”
That simplicity also empowers staff. “Technology helps employees work more efficiently, giving them information at their fingertips,” he added. “Seamless, contactless experiences benefit both guests and teams.”
As digital touchpoints multiply, reliable WiFi has become the invisible infrastructure behind every guest interaction. “Everything starts with strong WiFi,” said Twiggs. “It’s the upgrade that powers everything—mobile, in-room tech, streaming and ancillary revenue. We live in an always-on world, and you need the bandwidth to support it.”
She pointed out that broadband quality directly impacts the guest journey. “Strong WiFi enables the right mix of live linear TV and app-based on-demand content,” she said. “There’s nothing more important from a technology standpoint than making sure the infrastructure is strong enough to deliver those experiences.”
Gallagher agreed. “Internet connectivity is like breathing for a guest,” she said. “It’s more important than food or air-conditioning—if you don’t have it, guests leave. When we open new hotels, we try to anticipate what’s needed five years ahead. You can’t just meet today’s standards; you have to think long-term.”
For franchisors like Wyndham, it is important to guide your franchisees toward the technology that matters to guests and what works financially for the hotelier.
“Our owners are small business owners—they’ll invest in tech when it makes business sense,” he said. “We show them that technology improves guest satisfaction and reviews, which supports higher ADR. We’ve also built a standardized platform that lets them monetize connectivity, like tiered WiFi access through a branded portal. It’s a win-win.”
That kind of discipline extends to data strategy. “We moved to the cloud seven years ago, before it was fashionable,” he said. “Unified platforms and centralized data repositories have given us hundreds of use cases. One major initiative is our enriched guest profile. We already know a guest’s preferences, loyalty tier and lifetime value before they call. It’s a triple win: faster service, higher revenue and more loyalty.”
Laying the groundwork for AI
Haussman asked the panel about how they are thinking about new technologies that help hoteliers connect with their guests.
Gallagher said looking ahead means preparing for what’s next. “It starts with asking: Where is technology going, and which partners are thinking that way?” she said. “You can’t have this conversation without mentioning AI and chatbots, but before anything else, leadership must align on priorities.”
For Gadsby, AI’s potential hinges on the foundations hotels lay now. “AI only matters if you have complete, high-quality guest profiles and systems that talk to each other,” he said. “We sit on vast amounts of guest information—data that, in my view, belongs to the guest. We’re just custodians of it. Our job is to connect those dots so we can truly personalize service.”
Twiggs agreed that personalization represents hospitality’s next frontier. “It begins with understanding the guest profile—preferences, communication style and behavior,” she said. “Contactless technologies collect data seamlessly through digital transactions and in-room interactions. When hotels use that information to delight guests, they build loyalty and stay competitive.”
Look for more coverage of this Hot Topics session in the 2026 Green Book, coming in December.
Download the audio version from the No Vacancy podcast channel where you get your shows.
Watch the session
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