Artificial intelligence conquers tourism: growing reservations and hi-tech services in the hotel, from virtual concierge to cleaning and check-in robots
At first glance it seems science fiction, yet it is already reality: artificial intelligence is redesigning tourist hospitality, transforming hotels and resorts into places where technology is not a simple plus, but an integral part of the travel experience. There is not only talk of a few more gadgets, but of a structural change that affects the same way to think about the welcome. The numbers are clear: the global market of AI applied to tourism and hospitality, today just below 3 billion euros, will reach 36 billion within the next nine years. A leap of +1100%, with an annual growth rate of 29%, which speaks volumes about how the holidays of the future will be increasingly connected, customized and guided by the data.
A revolution that is confirmed in the words of Ernesto Di Iorio, CEO of the Tech Company Quest by Vetion Technologies, a cutting -edge Italian reality in the creation of avatar and digital solutions for travel addicts: “There is no better support support in the form of cutting -edge technologies to guarantee tourists unforgettable stays”.
The concept of refuge evoked by George Bernard Shaw – “The advantage of a hotel is to be an excellent refuge with domestic life” – today is enriched with a new meaning. Next to the search for relaxation and comfort, a silent innovation enters the scene that makes the living room more fluid, intuitive and tailor -made. Ai insinuates itself in every phase of the experience: from the choice of the destination to the booking, up to the reception in the structure and the management of activities.
The AI Boom in travel reservations
It is not only the hotellerie that believes in artificial intelligence: even Italian travelers choose it more and more to plan their holidays. According to the Hospitality & Travel Report 2025 of Adyen, 29% used the AI to discover destinations and book the summer holidays, with an increase of 77% compared to 2024. The most significant surge is among the boomers (+111%) and the X generation (+85%), a sign that technology is conquering each age group, reducing the stereotype that the innovation is an exclusive land. of young people.
The Z generation (52%) and Millennial (40%) remain the most active, but the surprising aspect is that 57%of the boomers who rely on the AI do it to “filter the noise” of social media, tired of advertising, sponsorships and influencer content. The Ai, in this sense, becomes a sort of discreet guide, capable of cutting the superfluous and showing only what matters. As Phil Crawford, Adyen’s Global Head of Hospitality explains: “AI technology has become incredibly important for guests looking for inspiration on rapid, fun and personalized destinations and itineraries, especially with the arrival of summer holidays”.
Safety and payments: the hidden role of artificial intelligence
The report also underlines a concrete challenge: 35% of the Italian structures recorded an increase in the attempts of fraud in payments, and 62% signal difficulties in the management of fragmented payment systems. Here the Ai is not only a creative ally, but also a silent guardian, with anti -flavor solutions capable of reducing the positives by 86% and simplifying the reconciliation processes. It is the demonstration that, in hospitality, technology does not only serve to amaze but also to protect.
Queen, the virtual concierge that welcomes in Puglia
If the data of Insightaceanalytic speak of algorithms capable of assigning up to 1.2 million rooms in record time, in Italy there are already those who have decided to go further. In Puglia, the Apuliarè hotel introduced “Regina”, a virtual concierge developed by these: a multilingual conversational avatar, available 24 hours a day, capable of welcoming customers, managing check-in and becoming a digital guide to explore Bari and surroundings.
Ernesto Di Iorio tells it as follows: “In the case of the Hotel Apuliarè, managed by the former Volley International Coach in Serie A1 Vincenzo Di Pinto and his family, we have created a latest generation virtual assistant capable of communicating in multiple languages and supporting the tourist at 360 ° both within the accommodation facility and outside, providing specific advice and suggestions, for example on the best restaurants, on the experiences to live and LOSE”.
Regina lives in a totem at the entrance of the hotel, but can also be downloaded on its smartphone: a discreet presence, but always ready to give an answer, just like the staff in flesh and blood – which, freed from repetitive tasks, can focus on true and human attention to guests. It is the example of how the Ai can work, and not replace, to the warmth of traditional welcome.
Robot in the hotel: from check-in to cleaning
Not just avatar. In the halls of some hotel chains they already move “assistance robots” that welcome guests, manage check-in and check-out, or deliver what has been ordered in the room, as also confirms the Swiss Hotel Management School. Some robots are even able to clean the rooms independently, detecting the dirt level with precision scanner. In some cases, these robots move silently along the corridors with an integrated tray or trolley, delivering snacks, towels or even cocktails, without disturbing guests’ privacy.
Dynamic prices and invisible management: the AI behind the scenes
And then there is the invisible part, the one that is not seen but feels: platforms to that analyze reservations, competition prices, weather, sentiment on social media and even local research on flights and hotels in real time. As Medium explains, the result is a dynamic pricing, ready to vary day by day to maximize employment and adapt to customers’ needs. In practice, a virtual hotel manager who works tirelessly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The future of the Hotellerie is already here
In short, technology does not replace the pleasure of travel, but amplifies it. Like an invisible concierge who knows the tastes of each guest even before I cross the door, the Ai in the hotellerie is destined to become a silent travel companion, precise and – if well designed – surprisingly human.
