Hotels now need to win over both humans and AI agents, says study

Artificial intelligence agents are reshaping how hotels must approach customer loyalty, moving beyond traditional brand awareness to algorithmic optimization, according to new research from Florida Atlantic University. The study reveals that as AI agents increasingly handle travel bookings on behalf of consumers, hotels face a fundamental shift from winning human hearts to earning the trust of algorithms that filter and recommend options.

What you should know: Hotels must now design loyalty strategies that appeal to both human guests and the AI systems making decisions for them.

• Traditional marketing approaches like emotional branding and search engine optimization are becoming insufficient as AI agents act as “new gatekeepers of loyalty.”
• The decision-making process is shifting from human consumers to algorithms that evaluate hotels based on data-driven criteria rather than brand recognition.
• Florida alone welcomed over 34 million visitors this summer, highlighting the scale of potential disruption as AI adoption accelerates.

How AI agents are changing the game: These autonomous systems are becoming the primary interface for travel decisions, fundamentally altering the booking process.

• AI agents search for hotels based on specific criteria like budget, amenities, and reviews, then make recommendations or bookings directly.
• Consumer loyalty may shift from hotel brands to the AI agents or ecosystems they trust for travel planning.
• Hotels that don’t surface in AI recommendation sets may never be considered, regardless of their traditional marketing efforts.

What they’re saying: Industry experts emphasize the need for hotels to adapt their strategies for both human and algorithmic audiences.

• “AI agents will be the new gatekeepers of loyalty,” said Anil Bilgihan, professor of hospitality management at Florida Atlantic University. “The question is no longer just ‘How do we win a customer’s heart?’ but ‘How do we win the trust of the algorithms that are advising them?'”
• “Imagine a traveler asking their AI agent to book a hotel in Miami within a certain budget, with a pool and strong reviews,” Bilgihan explained. “The AI is not swayed by traditional advertising; it sorts options based on algorithmic criteria.”
• “AI agents are no longer behind-the-scenes helpers; they’re becoming the architects of guest experience,” noted Melanie Lorenz, associate professor of marketing at Florida Atlantic University.

The strategic framework: Researchers suggest hotels must balance emotional resonance with algorithmic relevance in their loyalty programs.

• Hotels should use customer data to tailor experiences while maintaining strong digital visibility for AI systems.
• Loyalty programs need to be designed with dual appeal—meaningful to humans and algorithmically attractive to AI agents.
• Operational excellence remains crucial since “no algorithm can cover up for a disappointing stay,” according to Bilgihan.

Potential concerns: The research highlights several risks as AI agents become more prevalent in travel booking.

• Algorithmic bias could occur if AI systems are trained on limited or skewed datasets.
• Consumer understanding of how AI agents make decisions remains limited.
• Brand visibility challenges may emerge as traditional marketing becomes less effective with AI intermediaries.

Why this matters: The hospitality industry must prepare for a future where guest preferences may be determined before humans even begin their search process, requiring a fundamental rethink of customer acquisition and retention strategies.