In September, Abode Worldwide brought together leaders from across the global hospitality technology sector for the launch of Tech-Enabled Hospitality Live! — a new event series exploring how technology is transforming the future of hospitality.
Hosted at the Art’otel Hoxton in London, the inaugural event marked the official launch of Abode founder Jessica Gillingham’s new book, Tech-Enabled Hospitality. Drawing on conversations with hoteliers, short-term rental operators, and technology pioneers, the book explores how businesses can embrace innovation without losing their humanity.
Across three panels, nine speakers shared perspectives on how technology is reshaping the industry — from balancing automation and warmth to building trust, advancing sustainability, and developing the tech stacks of tomorrow.
Can Hotels & STRs Balance Innovation With Warmth?
Speakers: Jeremy Slater (COO, Bob W), Philippa Wagner (Founder, PeoplePlacesSpaces), and James Lemon (Global Lead – Travel, Leisure, Transport & Automotive, Stripe)
The day opened with a question at the heart of modern hospitality: can innovation and warmth truly coexist?
For operators like Bob W, whose 44 aparthotels across Europe run largely through automation, the answer lies in balance. Technology can remove friction, but the feeling of hospitality must still come from people.
Across the discussion, one theme became clear: when technology quietly handles what’s predictable, teams gain space to focus on what’s personal. Automation and AI should be tools for restoring time and presence, not replacing them.
Even systems guests never see, such as payments and backend integrations, can influence how connected they feel. The best technology, the panel agreed, is invisible: it builds trust, removes stress, and allows the human moments to shine through.
That focus on humanity set the tone for the day. If innovation and warmth can coexist, the next challenge is how technology can strengthen the most fragile element of hospitality: trust.
Innovation or Interference? Tech, Trust, and the Evolving Guest Journey
Speakers: Steve Collins (VP Digital Marketing, Access Hospitality), Nils Mattisson (CEO & Co-Founder, Minut), and Jessica Matthias (travel sustainability expert, formerly Sabre)
The second panel explored how technology is reshaping discovery, reputation, and responsibility across the guest journey — and what that means for transparency and trust.
Discovery is evolving fast. With the rise of AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s new AI Mode, travelers are no longer relying solely on traditional search engines to find where to stay. The focus is shifting from keywords to intent, changing how travelers discover and evaluate accommodations.
Trust is built through transparency. For companies like Minut, which develops privacy-first noise and occupancy sensors, the aim is reassurance rather than control. Used responsibly, data can protect communities, respect guests, and strengthen relationships between operators and neighbors — with significant reductions in noise complaints reported.
Integrity drives impact. The discussion turned to sustainability, where technology’s role in accountability has become crucial. Tools like Winnow’s AI-powered food waste system have helped major hotel groups cut waste at scale — including a reported 1.5 million meals saved across a six-month period at
Iberostar — turning measurement into meaningful action.
Together, these perspectives pointed to a clear direction: technology isn’t just changing how guests find or interact with a brand; it’s reshaping how they decide whom to trust.
And that trust, in turn, demands that innovation be purposeful. As the conversation moved from concepts to operations, attention shifted to how hotels can build systems, and cultures, that support lasting progress.
Future Proofing — Building a Tech Stack for Tomorrow’s Hotel
Speakers: Rachel Fearon (Director of Sales & Marketing, Living Rooms, The Hotel Alternative), Olivier Delaunoy (Technologist, formerly Bloc Hotels), and Stephan Wiesener (Co-Founder & CTO, Apaleo)
The final discussion turned to the practical side of innovation: how hospitality businesses can build technology foundations that evolve alongside their teams and guests.
Flexibility over scale. Working with smaller, adaptable partners, such as Optimiser CRM, can make it easier to iterate and collaborate closely on improvements, rather than being constrained by rigid legacy systems.
Integration and experimentation. At Bloc Hotels, technology has been embedded across operations — from smart environmental controls designed to reduce energy use to custom booking tools that streamline the guest experience.
Continuous improvement. The panel emphasized the importance of open, connected systems and a culture of ongoing iteration. Technology should support teams and evolve with the business, not replace people or lock operators into static solutions.
The conversation ended on a clear point of agreement: the hotels of the future will be built not just on strong systems, but on empowered, tech-literate teams.
Hospitality’s next chapter
Across every discussion, one message resonated: technology’s greatest contribution to hospitality is its ability to enhance humanity. Used with intention, it builds trust, simplifies complexity, and returns time to the people who make hospitality special. It transforms operations not into a digital process, but into a more consistent and personalized human experience.
As Jessica Gillingham reflected at the event, the future of hospitality will be defined not by how much technology we use, but by how thoughtfully we use it.
For Abode Worldwide, Tech-Enabled Hospitality Live! marked the beginning of an ongoing conversation about how empathy and innovation can evolve together — and how the most forward-thinking brands are already showing the way.
About the book
Tech-Enabled Hospitality by Jessica Gillingham draws on more than 38 interviews with leading figures across hotels, STRs, and travel tech. It offers a blueprint for how businesses can embrace innovation without losing the warmth, trust, and human care that define hospitality. Learn more and buy yours here.
