Face-to-face experiences are making a comeback, and Mark Cuban says it’s just the beginning. Is your hotel ready?
If you’ve been in this business a while, you know trends come and go. However, this one is worth paying attention to.
Why Mark Cuban’s Prediction Matters
Mark Cuban, yes, that Mark Cuban, recently said something that’s been on my mind ever since. He believes that AI will become so advanced and fast that people will crave in-person experiences more than ever.
“There will be so much AI… people won’t know if what they see or hear is real. Which will lead to an explosion of f2f engagement, events and jobs.”
He calls it the Milli Vanilli Effect. A nod to how convincingly fake things can be, and how that makes the real stuff even more valuable.
Events Will Get Stronger
If Cuban’s right, this could be a massive tailwind for all of us in hospitality.
I ran a poll last month asking if remote work might boost hotel demand, such as for annual team offsites, conferences, and leadership summits. The results were quite mixed. But, remote workers traveling more for a corporate mandate was the least common.
Now Cuban’s comments only reinforce that idea: if AI makes remote work easier and digital content harder to trust, face-to-face connection becomes a must.
What This Means for Hotels
Here’s what this could mean for our industry:
- A surge in group stays and offsite bookings
- More demand for event-ready hotel spaces
- Increased interest in business travel with a personal touch
Think fewer cubicles, more conference rooms with ocean views. Fewer all-hands Zooms, more beachfront brainstorms. Then again, hotels farther from the beach are more likely to have larger conference spaces, Southern California isn’t cheap! Good news for non-destination hubs too!
How to Prepare Your Property
If you’re not already thinking about how to position your hotel for group events, now’s the time:
- Are your meeting spaces flexible and well-equipped?
- Are your team rates and group packages easy to find?
- Are you reaching out to companies planning retreats in your area?
Hospitality is all about staying one step ahead. If Cuban’s right, a wave is coming. I’d rather be ready early than scrambling to catch up like we did with technology. Yes, sorry hoteliers, we have a habit of behind a bit behind in that sector.
See More: Hire a hotel robot to vacuum and deliver room service.
Stay Ahead of the Curve
If you want to keep tabs on trends like this, I write a newsletter just for hotel owners and operators. It’s free, once or twice a month, and packed with insights to help you run a smarter property.
???? Sign up for HotelGuru’s Hospitality Innsights newsletter here.
The next chapter of hospitality is being written right now. I’d love for you to be part of that conversation. To a great summer season ahead!
