IHG Chief Commercial Officer on Making Hotels Legible to AI

Key points

• IHG Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer Heather Balsley will speak at Skift Global Forum in New York on September 22-24, 2026, explaining the content overhaul.
• She argues AI tools are only as helpful as the content they draw from, so hotel content must go beyond basic descriptions and amenities to be rich, accurate and relevant.
• IHG will introduce a new platform later this year to transform how hotel content is structured and managed, making it easier for hotels to showcase their properties.
• The platform aims to ensure the right hotel information appears on the right channels at the right time, strengthening digital signals that help hotels be surfaced and recommended by AI tools.
• The platform will also give IHG greater flexibility in how content is created, delivered and personalized as traveler expectations evolve.
• She frames AI as a new discovery channel after OTAs, mobile booking and super apps in markets like China, changing discovery but not replacing direct brand relationships.
• She says long-term trust comes from personalization and recognition through loyalty plus consistently great stays, not from any single discovery channel.
• Her decision test is whether a move improves the guest experience while also delivering value for owners, otherwise it is a distraction.