As the hospitality industry accelerates into a new era of innovation, two trends are redefining commercial strategy across the Middle East and Africa: the rapid rise of AI-driven personalisation and the transformation of loyalty programmes into lifestyle-centric ecosystems. Both trends are reshaping how travellers discover hotels, how they engage with brands, and ultimately, how loyalty is earned.
These are not subtle shifts, they are foundational changes that require hospitality to rethink the digital journey, elevate their offerings, and strengthen their commercial infrastructure. And they will be core to discussions at HSMAI’s 8th Annual Commercial Strategy Conference MEA on 25-26 November 2025 at Conrad Dubai.
Trend 1: AI-driven personalisation Is rewriting the rules of hospitality
AI adoption is moving from optional to essential. “The rapid adoption of AI is reshaping hospitality, and hoteliers are on board,” says Bryan Michalis, VP of Marketing at Canary Technologies, noting that 73% of hoteliers believe AI will transform the industry. But the transformation is happening across multiple layers of the guest journey.
Hotel discovery
Generative AI search, from Google’s AI Overviews to emerging conversational platforms, has become a new gateway to travel planning. According to Richard Grant, Performance Director at 80 DAYS, hotels must now “think beyond traditional SEO” as visibility increasingly depends on structured content, consistency, and digital clarity.
Sam Weston, 80 DAYS’ Head of AI & Marketing, highlights the rise of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), ensuring hotels surface when travellers ask AI tools for recommendations like “best spa hotel in Dubai” or “boutique hotel with Michelin dining.”
This is a major shift: hotels that fail to optimise for AI-driven discovery risk falling off the shortlist entirely.
Personalisation is becoming the expectation
Travellers want content and offers that match their real interests and timing. “Nearly 90% of consumers prefer personalised ads,” says Evgenii Pavlov, General Manager for Yango Ads MEA, adding that personalised engagement can lift conversions by up to 40%. Planning behaviour is also shifting: 60% of emerging-market tourists now plan trips just 2-3 months in advance, making timing more critical than ever.
AI enables hotels and destinations to activate campaigns at the exact moment travellers start searching, whether around Eid, school holidays, or seasonal travel spikes.
Strengthening operations and service quality
Hotels are increasingly using AI not just in marketing, but in operations and guest communication. Canary’s Omnichannel AI responds to guests 24/7 across calls, text, and webchat, continuously learning from every interaction. Michalis shared an example of how AI should be acting as an extension, not a replacement, of the guest-facing team.
“We’ve seen hotels use Canary AI to proactively communicate with guests, resolve issues and turn frustration into moments of delight. For example, two brothers staying at the hotel messaged the front desk asking for adjoining rooms minutes apart.
The front desk associate answered the first brother because the AI didn’t have a known response. Minutes later, the AI instantly responded to the second brother modeling the response based on the associate’s message.” – Bryan Michalis, VP of Marketing, Canary Technologies
Reshaping advertising and demand forecasting
Yango Ads uses real-time signals, from search spikes to mobility data, to predict demand peaks and adjust creative content dynamically. This has enabled partners to capture crucial booking windows, achieve immediate uplift in reservations, and even pivot in response to shifting travel flows. “Static, one-size-fits-all campaigns won’t work,” Pavlov emphasises. “The winners will be the hospitality brands that use data and AI to stay relevant at every stage of the traveller journey.”
Trend 2: Loyalty programmes are evolving into lifestyle ecosystems
The second major shift is the reinvention of loyalty itself. The historic “points-for-nights” model no longer resonates with modern travellers, whose expectations span relevance, flexibility, emotional connection, and sustainability.
From transactional rewards to personalised recognition
“Travellers are looking for loyalty programmes that are easy to understand, generous, and enhance their stays,” explains Jelena Kezika, VP Strategy at Global Hotel Alliance. Their research shows guests want simplicity, relevance, and emotional connection, not complex points charts.
GHA DISCOVERY, built with direct input from members across six months of global dialogue, reflects these expectations. Its digital rewards currency, DISCOVERY Dollars (D$), valued 1:1 with USD, allows members to redeem instantly for room, dining, spa, or curated experiences, with no blackout dates. Research shows GHA’s D$ currency delivers three times the value of traditional competing hotel loyalty points systems.
Loyalty must follow the guest, not the stay
Guests increasingly expect loyalty to continue across platforms and touchpoints. With nearly half of travellers influenced by targeted ads, personalised loyalty engagement can extend into post-stay reactivation turning one-time visitors into repeat guests.
“Our insights show that 51.9% of emerging-market tourists travel with families, often choosing four- and five-star hotels and spending over $2,000 per trip. Loyalty programs that recognise these behaviours with bundled family packages, seasonal experiences, or personalised upgrades will resonate more than generic discounts.” – Evgenii Pavlov, General Manager for Yango Ads in MEA
Partnerships are driving the next generation of loyalty value
GHA DISCOVERY’s strength lies in its scale, 850 hotels across 45 brands in 100 countries, but also in its partner ecosystem, including cruise lines, car rental companies, restaurants, and retailers. This makes loyalty a lifestyle proposition rather than a hotel-only reward.
“Sustainability is also a defining pillar of hospitality today,” Kezika adds. GHA’s Green Collection, now 470 hotels strong after 150% growth in two years, helps members identify sustainable stays certified by organisations like Green Globe and EarthCheck. Meanwhile, Donate D$ empowers travellers to support local charities worldwide.
AI is also reshaping loyalty
As Michalis notes, AI enables hotels to deliver “tailored rewards that reflect each guest’s preferences,” from surprise upgrades to curated local experiences. The future of loyalty is therefore data-driven, personalised, and experiential, mirroring broader transformation across the industry.
Why these trends matter for 2025 and beyond
Across both AI and loyalty, the same forces are at play: shorter planning windows, rising guest expectations, real-time decision-making, and the demand for meaningful recognition. With Dubai welcoming 9.88 million international visitors in H1 2025 and DXB Airport handling a record 46 million passengers in the same period, competition for traveller attention has never been more intense.
Hotels that embrace AI-enhanced discovery, dynamic personalisation, and lifestyle-driven loyalty will lead the next wave of hospitality growth.
HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference MEA in November remains the region’s premier platform for exploring the future of hospitality. Attendees can expect:
- Expert-Led sessions on revenue optimisation, marketing, sales, AI adoption, and loyalty innovation
- Unparalleled networking with industry leaders, GMs, marketers, sales and revenue teams
- Innovative solution showcases featuring cutting-edge technologies powering tomorrow’s guest experience
- Deep-dive discussions with contributors such as 80 DAYS, Yango Ads, Canary Technologies, and Global Hotel Alliance
Since 2018, HSMAI MEA has been the go-to hub for unpacking the forces shaping commercial strategy. This year’s edition, covering the key emerging trends of AI disruption and loyalty transformation, promises some of its most impactful conversations yet.
