How hotels can plug hidden profit leaks with AI and smarter technology
How hotels can plug hidden profit leaks with AI and smarter technology
https://hotelsmag.com/news/how-hotels-can-plug-hidden-profit-leaks-with-ai-and-smarter-technology/
Publish Date: 2026-07-10 18:21:00
Source Domain: hotelsmag.com
As hotel owners contend with slowing revenue growth, rising labor costs and persistent inflation, profitability has become the industry’s defining challenge. During the latest episode of HOTELS’ Magazine Webinar Series, “System Fix: Plugging Hidden Profit Leaks in Hotel Operations”, executives from Remington Hospitality, Keytel and Hotel Sync discussed how operators can uncover hidden profit leaks and use technology—including AI—to improve margins.
Moderated by HOTELS’ editor-in-chief David Eisen, the discussion examined where hotels are losing money, how technology should be evaluated and why AI is becoming less of a buzzword and more of an operational necessity.
Profitability requires more than growing revenue
Adrian de Gortari, EVP of Revenue Strategy at Remington Hospitality, said improving profitability requires hotels to simultaneously maximize revenue while controlling expenses.
“It’s about growing ADR through the right customer segments and the most profitable channels while finding incremental revenue streams and staying disciplined on expenses,” he said.
Technology, he added, helps operators make faster and more informed decisions through predictive analytics, allowing teams to anticipate demand shifts and identify cost pressures before they affect the bottom line.
Djordje Jevtic, co-founder and CEO of Hotel Sync, cautioned that simply purchasing more technology does not automatically increase profitability.
“Bad technology can become another cost center,” he said.
Instead, he argued that hotels should prioritize three areas:
- Automating repetitive operational tasks.
- Improving commercial decision-making by measuring net profitability—not just room rates.
- Increasing revenue per guest through upselling and cross-selling opportunities such as room upgrades, parking, spa services, breakfast and late checkout.
Looking beyond RevPAR
The panel agreed that RevPAR remains an important benchmark but no longer…
