As 2025 comes to a close, one thing has become unmistakably clear: the global hospitality industry isn’t simply adopting more technology, it’s now rethinking how technology, people, and purpose come together.
From Berlin to Indianapolis, Denver to London, conversations at this year’s defining industry gatherings revealed a sector in transition. The travel and hospitality industry is moving beyond isolated tools and point solutions, searching instead for systems that connect, insights that guide, and platforms that enable smarter, more human service.
At Sirma, we spent 2025 immersed in these conversations. And what we heard - across continents, contexts, and customer types - was remarkably consistent: hospitality is ready to move from fragmentation to orchestration, and so are we.
А year of conversations: key moments
Our team’s presence at key industry gatherings throughout the year gave us a unique vantage point on how the sector is evolving.
ITB Berlin in March set the tone early. The energy was palpable: reconnections with long-standing partners, new faces exploring new ideas, and a shared sense that this year would demand more than incremental change.
As Darko Bosancic, Senior Vice President of Travel & Hospitality at Sirma, reflected: “ITB has consistently provided real value, not just in business but in the relationships, it has nurtured over the years. It’s where partnerships, friendships, and professional bonds continue to shape our journey.”
By June, HITEC in Indianapolis brought those early conversations into sharper focus. The theme that emerged? Pressure meets possibility.
Rising labor costs, supply chain constraints, and escalating guest expectations are no longer future concerns, rather they’re present realities driving urgent innovation. Operators aren’t looking for buzzword solutions; they want practical, guest-centric technology that delivers measurable impact.
Darko’s interview with Hospitality Net captured it well: personalization in hospitality is no longer optional. And in a digital-first world, delivering meaningful guest experiences requires infrastructure, intelligence, and intention.
The Hospitality Show in Denver reinforced this North American perspective. With over 350 exhibitors and 50+ education sessions dedicated to technology and operational excellence, the event showcased a market ready to invest, but selective about where. AI and automation dominated discussions, yet the most engaged conversations weren’t about replacing people; but about empowering them.
Rodd Herron, Regional Sales Director for North America at Sirma, framed the challenge clearly: “The balance between investing in AI for automation and preserving the human touch will define hospitality’s next chapter. We can’t lose sight of the personal connection that makes travel memorable.”
He added, “Hotel design and operations are evolving together. The way we use public spaces and staff resources will increasingly be guided by data, but still led by people.”
By November, WTM London brought the year full circle. This time, Sirma took a different approach. Instead of jumping straight into the exhibition floor rhythm, we started with a conversation, gathering voices from across the hospitality and travel tech ecosystem to discuss the real challenges shaping the industry: fragmented systems limiting innovation, disconnected guest experiences, and the constant need to balance technological efficiency with genuine human service.
That dialogue reminded us why collaboration matters more than ever. When we listen first, innovation follows naturally.
Darko reflected on the experience: “AI has reshuffled the cards; everyone is searching for their own version of the ‘holy grail’ of automation. But hospitality has always been about people, and that balance between technology and the human element remains the defining trend to watch.”
What 2025 taught us
Across these events, three themes consistently rose to the surface.
First, infrastructure matters. Mobile contactless tech, API-first architectures, and cloud-native platforms are operational necessities. Properties that can’t connect their systems effectively struggle to deliver the seamless experiences guests now expect.
Second, AI’s promise must meet practical need. The industry has moved past the initial hype cycle. Operators want to see how AI improves guest satisfaction, reduces operational friction, or enables teams to focus on higher-value interactions. The question shouldn’t be “Can AI help?”, it’s “Where does AI help most?”
Third, personalization has become table stakes. Guests expect recognition, relevance, and responsiveness. Delivering on that expectation requires more than good intentions; it requires connected data, intelligent systems, and teams equipped to act on insight.
But here’s what became even clearer throughout the year: these aren’t isolated challenges that can be solved with point solutions. Success requires a complete ecosystem; one that brings technology, integration, and service together as a unified whole.
For Sirma, 2025 was a year of deepening our position in this landscape. We strengthened our standing and visibility across the T&H sector. We deepened key partnerships and expanded collaboration opportunities with clients and technology partners alike.
We advanced our messaging around integrated orchestration in hospitality, showing how platform, AI, and connectivity work together to drive real transformation. We engaged actively in industry discussions, helping shape how operators approach not just individual technologies, but the complete ecosystem needed for integration, legacy modernization, and intelligent guest experiences.
Because across every conversation, one truth held firm: the future of hospitality isn’t about technology replacing people, but on enhancing the ‘human element’, enabling people to do what they do best.
Looking ahead: 2026 and beyond
As we turn toward 2026, our focus shifts from shaping narrative to embedding a more comprehensive, customer-focused approach: one built on nearly a decade of deep travel and hospitality expertise.
Over the past eight years serving this industry, we’ve learned that success doesn’t come from isolated solutions. It comes from complete ecosystems that connect technology, service, and strategy into one unified experience. That’s why we’re bringing everything together under 360 Connect - Sirma’s end-to-end service framework designed specifically for travel and hospitality.
360 Connect combines four technology pillars with three service pillars, all working together to help hospitality organizations move from fragmented systems toward orchestrated intelligence.
Four Technology Pillars:
- Bespoke Build Solutions - Custom digital solutions that bring your vision to life, from concept to code and beyond
- Integrations - Expert-built middleware and API connectivity tailored to your specific business needs
- Integration Hub - Plug-and-play power for startups and fast-movers with prebuilt, tested connections
- Sirma.AI Enterprise - AI that adapts to you, powering smarter workflows, knowledge bases, and guest-facing services
Three Service Pillars:
- Managed Interface Services (MIS) - Proactive monitoring, maintenance, and incident resolution to keep your integrations secure and stable
- Client Success & Operational Enablement - Dedicated support for continuous optimization, training, and measurable impact
- External Integration Support - Long-term maintenance and improvement for systems we didn’t build, so your entire stack performs as one
This integrated approach means working alongside our clients not just to implement tools, but to reimagine how systems, teams, and guest touchpoints work together. It means turning the insights and positioning work from 2025 into real activation and measurable outcomes.
And it means staying true to the principle that has guided us all year: intelligence works best when it feels human.
The thread that connects
Around the world, the conversations we had this year shared a common thread: hospitality is looking for partners who understand that technology is only as valuable as the outcomes it enables.
Rodd captured it well when he said, “The global hotel industry is feeling the same no matter the location.”
The challenges are universal. The opportunities are real. And the organizations that succeed will be those that find the balance between efficiency and empathy, between automation and attention, between intelligence and intuition.
As 2025 closes, we’re grateful for every conversation, every partnership, and every chance to learn from an industry that continues to inspire us. Here’s to a year of connection, growth, and forward momentum, and to the work ahead in 2026.
Because globally, and across every guest journey, intelligence works best when it feels human.
