As the hospitality industry faces a confluence of rising operational costs, shifting consumer expectations, and growing OTA dependency, how can hotels use data and personalisation to protect profitability and rebuild direct guest relationships? In this episode of Setting the PACE, Tim Davis speaks with Bryson Koehler, CEO of Revinate, to explore how hotels can move beyond broad segmentation towards truly one-to-one marketing, and why the stakes for doing so have never been higher. Bryson shares insights on Revinate's evolution from a guest feedback platform to a direct booking powerhouse driving over $5 billion in annual revenue for hotels worldwide, and what it takes to build a 360-degree view of the guest that powers personalisation across every channel. The conversation examines the structural shifts redefining hotel economics post-COVID, from cost inflation to OTA commissions, and why simply waiting for conditions to revert is no longer a viable strategy. Bryson also offers a candid assessment of where the hotel industry sits on the marketing maturity curve, the mounting pressure on traditional loyalty programmes, and how AI can augment rather than replace the human connections that lie at the heart of hospitality. Drawing on experience at IHG, IBM, The Weather Company and Equifax, he brings a distinctly data-led lens to some of the industry's most pressing commercial challenges.

As hospitality grapples with fragmented systems, rising operational complexity, and rapidly evolving guest expectations, what technology foundations are needed to enable truly connected, experience-led travel? In this episode of Setting the PACE, Tim Davis speaks with Paco Pérez-Lozao Rüter, President of Hospitality at Amadeus, to explore how the industry can move beyond isolated “tech islands” towards cloud-based, data-centric ecosystems that support personalisation and digital merchandising at scale. Paco shares insights on the shift from transaction-centric models to traveller-centric journeys, the importance of unified data architecture, and how next-generation core platforms are enabling new use cases across distribution, operations and guest engagement. The conversation examines the realities of technology adoption in hospitality, the balance between building, partnering and acquiring capabilities, and how AI-driven models could reshape how travel is discovered, planned and booked. Paco also provides a global market perspective, discussing regional growth trends, changing traveller behaviour and what distinguishes industry leaders from those struggling to keep pace.

As hotels accelerate their digital transformation journeys in an era of rapidly evolving guest expectations and operational demands, what are the critical technology foundations required to innovate at scale? In this episode of Setting the PACE, Tim Davis speaks with Michael Leidinger, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Hilton, to explore the strategic imperatives behind one of the industry's most ambitious technology transformations. Michael shares insights on Hilton's transition to cloud-based infrastructure, the shift from legacy systems to API-driven architecture, and the practical implications of AI for both guest experience and operational efficiency. The conversation examines the build versus buy dilemma, the importance of data architecture in enabling personalisation, and how privacy regulations are reshaping technology decisions. Michael also offers candid perspectives on the challenges of prioritising technology investments across a global portfolio.