Forbes Travel Guide Summit: Exploring AI in the Luxury Hospitality Space

Monaco is one of those places where luxury becomes the default new normal rather than that part of town that’s different or special. As such, it’s the perfect setting for the Forbes Travel Guide Summit, an invitation-only gathering where, from 24 to 27 February, the leaders from old-school brands convened with a handful of innovators and trailblazers to write the next chapter of luxury hospitality. Stepping away from the superyachts and into the Grimaldi Forum, the real focus was not on the artifice of the luxury lifestyle but the ideas being exchanged. Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere was charged with a single, transformative question:

How do we weave the seemingly cold world of AI and technology into the deeply personal, human fabric of luxury hospitality?

This wasn’t just a hypothetical debate, it was a strategic navigation of the now. The Future Laboratory came armed with fresh insights from our proprietary research; our recent Future:Poll survey of 2,000 global luxury travellers shows we’re poised at a fascinating crossroads. In one direction lie the cherished traditions of high-touch service; in the other, a future of hyper-personalisation powered by intelligent, predictive technology. The challenge isn’t choosing a single path but artfully navigating them both.

Our Future:Poll data reveals a shift in guest psychology, identifying some key emerging luxury mindsets, including a move from ownership to experiences and a desire for relationships that remember. Today’s luxury traveller doesn’t just want a beautiful suite; they want a story, a memory, a moment of genuine connection that feels uniquely theirs.

So, how does technology deliver that without feeling sterile?

Our research explored the concept of the TravelVerse – a precursor to a more immersive internet where spatial computing allows for a new kind of discovery. Imagine being able to step inside a destination, to feel its texture and mood, before you even book. This isn’t about replacing the real thing, but about enriching the anticipation and ensuring the reality exceeds the dream.

This seamlessness extends to the entire journey; we’re moving towards a world of frictionless travel, where your needs are anticipated before you’re even aware of them. It’s AI as the ultimate concierge, working silently in the background to handle the logistics so you can focus on the magic. This is intelligent personalisation, where the hotel remembers you in a way that forges a real connection. But – and this is the critical point our Future:Poll data brought to the main stage – technology must augment, not replace, humanity. An overwhelming  63% of luxury travellers told us they still prefer human-first service. They crave the warmth of a genuine welcome, the empathy of a recommendation made with a smile, the irreplaceable touch of human care.

63% of luxury travellers told us they still prefer human-first service

This is the balancing act that luxury brands must master, and The Summit felt like a global team of architects designing the hospitality paradigm of tomorrow, focusing on four key innovation areas: immersive discovery, seamless mobility, personalised service and operational efficiency. The goal is to create a system where technology empowers staff to deliver an even higher level of intuitive, human-centric service. Leaving Monaco, the question hanging in the crisp Mediterranean air was clear:

In this new era, will brands be the architects of this change, leading with courage and foresight? Or will they lag behind, trying to catch up with a future that has already arrived?

The conversations started at the Summit are the ones that will define the next decade of luxury. It’s not just about adopting new tools, it’s about fundamentally rethinking what it means to host, to connect and to create unforgettable human experiences in a world that’s more digital than ever. The future isn’t about choosing between high-tech and high-touch; it’s about finding that perfect, satisfyingly exquisite balance.

To learn more, download our New Codes of Luxury report for Together Group, Elevating the Hospitality Guest Experience with AI