What’s Changing in Hospitality Leadership in 2025?
Walk into a hotel in 2025, and you might not see a front desk. Order at a restaurant, and you might not interact with a server or even a counter person. Rent a car, and you might never speak to a human being. Automation is reshaping hospitality at a staggering pace, some of it for the better, and like all progress, some of it for the worse.
The shift toward self-service kiosks, mobile check-ins, and AI-driven customer interactions is undeniable and most likely unstoppable. Business travelers often appreciate the efficiency, I know I do, no waiting, no unnecessary upselling (“are you sure your don’t want added insurance?”). But what happens when a family on vacation arrives at their hotel after a long flight only to realize their room isn’t what they expected? What about the guest who needs a warm welcome, not just a QR code? Or even the common enigma, a guest is not even sure what they do want, they just don’t want what they have been offered.
The Leadership Challenge: Knowing When Tech Helps and When It Hurts
The role of hospitality leadership in 2025 isn’t about resisting automation; it’s about mastering its balance. The best leaders will develop the ability to distinguish between where technology enhances service and where it erodes the guest experience.
Ten years ago, we were discussing this “check-in-less check-in” where guests just went to their rooms. It was more of a conceptual thing, but now it’s everywhere. But we need to start working with some of our front-line managers and supervisors because they will make it or break it for our hotels and restaurants.
And you know what I am talking about; don’t pretend you don’t. Most of us have battled an AI bot just to speak to a real person. We’ve shouted “Representative!” or “Agent!” into the phone after endless loops of automated options. Hospitality can’t afford to go in that direction.
Where Automation Works
Speed and Convenience: Mobile check-ins at hotels, self-ordering kiosks in restaurants, and contactless car rentals eliminate friction for guests who prioritize efficiency. But this should not be a replace for all human staff.
Labor Optimization: In a labor-strapped industry, automation can free up staff for more meaningful interactions rather than transactional tasks. But lets not rely on this. Otherwise we turn into one of those services that say “due to unexpected call volumes….” Even though its been that same way for years.
Data-Driven Personalization: AI can analyze guest preferences, ensuring frequent travelers get the room they like without having to ask.
Where Hospitality Still Needs Humans
Emotional Connection: A friendly face matters when someone is celebrating an anniversary or dealing with a travel disruption. Hospitality is making people feel welcome. And I do not care how friendly Siri gets with her “Good Morning” it will never take the place of a human when I am 500 miles from home without a toothbrush.
Problem Solving: When something goes wrong, like a lost reservation, a dietary request, or a room issue, guests don’t want a chatbot; they want someone who can fix it. Sometimes, its just someone to listen to for a moment while the guest vents.
Memorable Experiences: Luxury and high-end dining still thrive on human touch, storytelling, and personal engagement that tech can’t replicate. We do not even need to go further with this one.
Our elderly guests: Our oldest generation is spending so much money. Often, they are also the least technologically savvy. We need to make tech convenient for our guests, not an obstacle. I have been trying to help my mother lately. Wow, I cannot believe the obstacles she faces in the name of technological convenience!
The Skills Hospitality Leaders Must Develop
Hospitality leaders in 2025 won’t just be overseeing operations; they’ll be curating the balance between automation and authentic service. And this will will be our front line leaders. This requires:
Situational Awareness: Understanding when automation adds value and when it frustrates guests.
Empathy & Emotional Intelligence: Training teams to recognize moments when human interaction is irreplaceable.
Tech Fluency: Not just adopting new tools but integrating them in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, the hospitality experience.
Patience: Our younger workforce needs to remember that not all of our visitors have the tech fluency we wished they had. And with that patience is needed.
What Corporations Must Provide for Frontline Leaders
For automation to enhance hospitality rather than diminish it, corporations must empower their frontline managers with the tools and authority to step in when needed. This includes:
Override Capabilities: Frontline leaders must have the ability to override automation systems when necessary. A guest who booked a king suite but was assigned a double needs a quick human solution, not a tech dead end.
Training & Decision-Making Authority: Managers need training to recognize when automation is helpful and when it becomes a roadblock to service. They should have the autonomy to resolve issues on the spot rather than escalate everything to corporate.
Blended Service Models: Companies must invest in a hybrid approach—leveraging tech where it enhances efficiency but ensuring human support is always accessible. Guests should never feel trapped in a digital loop.
The question isn’t whether hospitality will continue to automate. It will. The question is whether leaders will have the foresight to ensure guests never feel like they’re just another transaction. The industry that prides itself on service must remember: convenience should never come at the cost of connection.
What do you think? Is automation making hospitality better, or are we losing something essential? Let’s talk.