IHG, Hyatt, and Accor lead the discussion on the new hotel paradigm at the Hospitality Tech Forum at TIS2025

The application of artificial intelligence, automation, integrations, emerging technologies, personalized experiences, as well as new tools that simplify hotel operations, along with examples of applied and real-life sustainability, will fill the agenda for hoteliers who don't miss the TIS-Tourism Innovation Summit 2025, taking place from October 22 to 24 in Seville. The event also includes the Hospitality Tech Forum, which is consolidating its position as one of the key agendas within the Tourism Innovation Global Summit, the largest innovation and digitalization forum for the tourism industry, where the foundations for the tourism of the future are laid. Leading executives from national and international hotel chains—such as IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Accor, Barceló Group, Minor Hotels, Sercotel, SmartRental Group, and Intelier Hotels & Suites—will meet to reflect on the profound changes the hotel industry is undergoing.

One of the main topics of the forum will be how major international hotel chains adapt their global strategies to the local market. Experts such as

Helena Burstedt, Regional Vice President of Development at Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Coré Martín, VP of Development Spain & Portugal at Accor; and Diego Álvarez, Director of Development Iberia at IHG Hotels & Resorts, will discuss how to adapt their offerings to the specific context of their national clients without losing brand consistency or innovation. This challenge of balancing standardization and personalization has become a key lever for offering authentic experiences that connect with their surroundings and, at the same time, strengthen the international positioning of the chains.

Another major topic to be addressed is real operational sustainability, beyond slogans. The Hospitality Tech Forum, led by speakers such as Jean-Baptiste Roussel, CSR Project Director for Europe and North Africa at Accor, will discuss how to translate ESG goals into concrete decisions and actions within the hotel: from effective waste reduction to the design of efficient energy systems, including staff training, the involvement of local suppliers, and the need to communicate progress honestly, avoiding greenwashing and building trusting relationships with guests.

In the technological arena, artificial intelligence will be the focus of several sessions that will analyze its practical applications beyond marketing: tools for demand prediction, price optimization, process automation, and service personalization are transforming not only the customer experience but also internal operational efficiency and the quality of decision-making at hotel establishments themselves. In this way, the more than 8,000 professionals attending TIS2025 will be able to compare implementation models that go beyond the isolated adoption of solutions and propose integrated and sustainable technological strategies.

To boost profitability in less favorable environments, the forum, featuring leaders such as Iker Llano, CEO of Intelier Hotels & Suites, will simultaneously explore innovative ways to boost demand during periods of lower occupancy, sharing approaches to turn these periods of low demand into opportunities to explore new niches. From attracting digital nomads and local travelers to creating products focused on wellness, health, and cultural tourism, the goal is to diversify audiences and strengthen the connection with the region, gaining resilience against seasonality.

Among the most sensitive topics, we cannot ignore certain problems in the sector, such as absenteeism. This should not be treated solely as a temporary symptom, but as a warning sign in the face of outdated organizational models, requiring a thorough review of corporate culture, employee well-being, and operational flexibility. Experts such as Javier Tausía, CEO of DeLuna Hotels, and Rodrigo Fitaroni, CEO of MarSenses Hotels & Homes, will discuss this issue.

Special attention will also be paid to the hostel renaissance, a phenomenon that is transforming the traditional image of this type of accommodation, historically associated with low cost, to position it as a booming lifestyle category. Through new approaches to design, community, coliving, and events, hostels are attracting a young, dynamic, and global audience. In this context, Carlos Escoda, CEO of SmartRental Group; Ramón Jiménez, CEO of The Loft House; and Carlos Cano, Managing Director of Latroupe Hostels (Azora), will share their vision of how this model is consolidating itself as a scalable proposal, with its own identity and diversified sources of income.

In addition to these major thematic sections, the Hospitality Tech Forum will provide spaces for reflection on emerging issues that are gaining ground on the industry's agenda. It will address the convergence between hotels and tourist accommodation, at a time when the lines are blurring and both models increasingly share challenges and tools. It will also explore how to humanize the digital experience, restoring the value of emotional contact in a context of increasing automation.

Likewise, innovative experiential accommodation models, the pursuit of true efficiency in sustainability (especially in water, energy, and waste management), and the strategic role that associations and collaborative networks play in the competitiveness of independent hotels will be discussed.

With this latest edition of the Hospitality Tech Forum, TIS2025 consolidates its position as the essential event for leaders shaping the future of tourism and hospitality, and as an international benchmark for anticipating trends, sharing real solutions, and building a smarter, more humane, and sustainable industry model.

Source: TIS.