The hospitality industry is undergoing rapid transformation through the adoption of robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain technologies. This article by Leonard A.
Jackson synthesizes existing research and proposes an integrative conceptual framework that links these technologies to three critical hotel management domains: revenue management, sustainability and operations, and real estate asset management.
Robotics and AI are increasingly used in hotels to automate both front-of-house and back-of-house processes, augment guest service experiences, and enhance data analytics capabilities. Service robots, such as delivery or concierge robots, impact guest perceptions and trust, which in turn influence willingness to pay and price sensitivity.
AI-driven analytics enable more precise demand forecasting, dynamic pricing, and personalized offers, moving revenue management beyond traditional yield management to a more holistic total value management approach. However, dynamic pricing and personalization raise concerns about fairness, transparency, and customer trust, which must be managed carefully.
Sustainability is another key focus area where AI and robotics can optimize resource use, reduce waste, and enable predictive maintenance to improve environmental performance without compromising service quality.
Blockchain technology complements these capabilities by providing immutable, auditable records of resource consumption and sustainability claims, helping hotels avoid greenwashing and build stakeholder trust. Additionally, blockchain can enhance supply chain transparency and incentivize circular economy practices through tokenization and smart contracts.
From a real estate and asset management perspective, hotels are unique assets where operational decisions directly affect property value. AI and robotics can improve operational efficiency and asset longevity, while blockchain can facilitate transparent owner-operator governance through automated contract enforcement and performance verification.
Tokenization enabled by blockchain may also open new financing and investment models. The proposed conceptual model suggests that AI, robotics, and blockchain together build digital operational and market-intelligence capabilities that drive improved financial outcomes (e.g., RevPAR, GOPPAR, net operating income), sustainability metrics (carbon and resource intensity), and long-term asset value.
The article identifies important boundary conditions including governance structures, ethical considerations, privacy and cybersecurity risks, organizational readiness, regulatory environments, and market contexts.
For hotel professionals, this research underscores the strategic importance of integrating emerging technologies not only to automate and optimize operations but also to enhance transparency, trust, and sustainability credentials.
Revenue managers should consider how robotics and AI influence guest perceptions and price elasticity, while sustainability officers can leverage blockchain for credible environmental reporting. Asset managers and owners should explore blockchain-enabled smart contracts to improve governance and explore tokenization opportunities.
Overall, the article calls for a holistic approach to technology adoption that balances innovation with ethical and organizational factors, and it encourages further empirical research to validate and refine the conceptual model in diverse hospitality contexts.