Cutting through the AI noise: Hospitality's next era

At HITEC 2026, hospitality executives discussed AI's impact on the relationship between hotels and distribution platforms. Keryn McNamara of Aimbridge Hospitality believes AI can remove middlemen and provide frictionless, customized experiences; Scott Strickland of Wyndham sees AI as an additional booking channel; Floor Bleeker of In2 Consulting thinks AI will democratize distribution and change loyalty; Lennert de Jong of Another Star is more conservative. The discussion also covered changes in the hotel experience by 2030.