As HITEC 2026 gets underway in San Antonio, Texas, hospitality technology providers are doubling down on AI, automation and guest-facing digital tools designed to improve both operational efficiency and revenue generation.
Amadeus and Oracle’s AI domination
Oracle Hospitality introduced additional AI capabilities within its OPERA Cloud platform to automate tasks, personalize guest interactions and help hotel teams work more efficiently.
The new AI capabilities simplify complex processes, automate routine tasks and help hotel teams increase productivity, make faster decisions and deliver more personalized service throughout the guest journey. By bringing AI into familiar workflows, Oracle enables hospitality organizations to accelerate productivity, standardize best practices across global operations and improve business performance without adding separate systems, integrations, overhead or training.
Meanwhile, Amadeus expanded its hospitality portfolio with new AI-powered booking and workflow tools aimed at streamlining operations and enhancing the guest booking experience.
The AI commerce solution connects hotel distribution across AI assistant channels and hotel-owned touchpoints. It leverages existing Amadeus products, including the Amadeus Central Reservation System, Amadeus iHotelier and the company’s Global Distribution System platform, and enables end-to-end booking experiences within conversational flows and extends beyond room bookings to destination activities, group business and meetings and events through Amadeus Delphi and Amadeus MeetingBroker.
Tipping solutions by GratifID
Among the new offerings, GratifID launched TIPMO, an NFC-powered cashless tipping platform that enables guests to tip hotel employees with a tap while providing operators with real-time analytics and direct-to-worker payments.
With TIPMO, guests can securely send tips to housekeepers, bell staff, valet attendants, food and beverage teams and other service professionals without downloading an app, scanning a QR code, or creating an account. Employees receive funds directly into their TIPMO Wallet, while operators gain visibility into service performance, guest engagement and workforce trends through real-time analytics.
Next-level guest experience tech with Innspire
Innspire unveiled an app-free guest journey solution that allows hotels to communicate with guests through channels such as SMS and WhatsApp without requiring a mobile app download, reflecting the industry’s growing focus on frictionless digital engagement.
With Innspire’s Guest Flow, guests can complete check-in using facial recognition, receive a digital room key, order room service and more. The system also handles F&B ordering, upgrades and an AI concierge function.
New commercial strategy tools by IDeas
On the commercial side, IDeaS Revenue Solutions showcased new commercial strategy tools designed to help hotels manage revenue opportunities beyond guestrooms, as operators increasingly seek technology that can optimize total hotel profitability across multiple revenue streams.
The announcements highlight a clear trend at HITEC 2026: hospitality technology vendors are moving beyond traditional property management and revenue management functions, leveraging AI, automation and integrated guest engagement tools to help hotels drive revenue, reduce manual work and deliver more seamless guest experiences.