More than half of hoteliers plan to implement AI in the next year

More than 50% plan to introduce AI in the next year

The goal of SabeeApp’s research was to examine how different accommodation providers relate to artificial intelligence and its use. The respondents represented 7 accommodation types: hotel, guesthouse, campsite, private accommodation, holiday home complex and community accommodation. Although there are of course differences between the views of accommodation providers with different profiles, certain trends are also emerging across the sector.

Nearly 60% of respondents are not currently actively using AI, however, more than 50% plan to introduce it in the next one or two years. According to 60%, the use of AI software is currently limited mainly by the lack of expertise and experience. They see the greatest potential in artificial intelligence in the areas of marketing, customer communication (chatbots, automated emails), and pricing and revenue management. Although hoteliers are still just getting to know the possibilities offered by AI, it is clear that the use of artificial intelligence has become a strategic focus in the sector.

“AI will never replace human added value in hospitality, and that’s a good thing. The role of AI is to make people’s work easier and more valuable by performing repetitive, routine tasks that often slow down the team. We understand that changing proven workflows is not easy, but there is no progress without change. That is why at SabeeApp we integrate AI-based solutions directly into our products so that hotels can seamlessly introduce innovative solutions that bring real value to their daily operations.”

– said Herman Szabolcs of SabeeApp founder.

Will AI replace human work?

More than half of respondents are concerned about the rise of AI due to the quality of personal connections. Respondents fear that automating tasks would have a negative impact on the guest experience: guests arriving at the accommodation can rightly expect to receive personalized service, whether it is the quality of online communication or meeting the staff. In contrast, more than 65% believe that the use of AI in the right quantity and quality could support the human workforce, even in a way that frees up resources to further improve the guest experience. According to respondents, Hungarian tourism players are best prepared to integrate AI in the areas of guest communication, guest complaints and booking management, and marketing communication. The future therefore does not belong exclusively to people or technology, but to strategies based on a precisely put together combination of human labor and artificial intelligence.

They trust artificial intelligence more in data analysis

The questionnaire shows that in certain areas they are already more willing to turn to AI than to human labor: 47% of respondents trust data analysis performed by artificial intelligence more than human calculations. The main reason for this is speed and the ability to make more objective decisions. According to SabeeApp experts, this duality is not a contradiction, but a balanced state full of opportunities: we can perfectly combine the accuracy and speed offered by technology with a human-centered approach, as they do not exclude, but rather reinforce each other. According to nearly half of the respondents, AI will become commonplace in Hungarian tourism in 3 years.