By 2035, most hotel discovery and bookings are expected to take place through a single AI-driven conversation, with at least half of back-office work automated and routine guest requests largely handled by AI agents.
Human staff—according to a new industry outlook from Amsterdam-based hospitality technology provider Mews—will increasingly focus on high-impact, emotional guest interactions that technology cannot replicate. Those projections are outlined in Mews’ newly released 2026 Hospitality Industry Outlook, which positions the coming year as a critical inflection point for hotels.
“Hospitality is at a tipping point,” Wouter Geerts, director of market research at Mews, said in a statement. “Hotels that treat 2026 as a planning year will lose ground. The ones that use it to clean up data, content and systems will be the ones AI can actually find, trust and send business to.”
The report argues that 2026 represents a narrow window for operators to prepare systems, data and teams for a rapid shift toward conversational search, AI-powered booking and autonomous agents. Drawing on input from 18 industry experts across hospitality, technology, investment, consulting and media, the Outlook evaluates a series of future scenarios using a Delphi-style research method.
According to the report, generative AI is expected to transform hotel discovery and booking from a fragmented, multi-step process into a continuous conversation. As a result, hotel visibility may depend less on advertising spend and more on structured content, system connectivity and open APIs that allow AI platforms to access accurate, real-time information.
The Outlook also highlights a potential shift in the balance of power between hotels and online travel agencies. AI assistants could reinforce OTA dominance, but they could also enable hotels to reclaim more direct guest relationships if properties invest in connected systems and AI-ready content that algorithms can confidently surface and recommend.
Operationally, the report suggests the earliest gains from agentic AI will occur behind the scenes, particularly in back-office workflows, guest communications and housekeeping coordination. Routine tasks are expected to be handled increasingly by AI agents that can operate across systems, while surfacing insights and exceptions for human teams.
Rather than eliminating hotel jobs, the report predicts a redefinition of roles. Transactional processes such as check-in, payments and standard guest inquiries are likely to become more automated, while staff responsibilities shift toward empathy, problem-solving and brand storytelling.