Things move incredibly fast in hospitality technology. Every week there seems to be a new platform promising to solve staffing shortages or completely change how guests check into their rooms. It can be a lot of noise to filter through to find out what is actually happening in the industry.
At Q Concierge, we spend a lot of time studying this landscape. Because our focus is on providing conversational Voice AI that helps hotels automate guest requests, we need to know exactly where the market is going. We don't just want to follow trends; we want to build the tools that support the future of operational efficiency.
To do that, we rely on experts. We look for the people who aren't just repeating buzzwords, but are actually analyzing data, implementing new systems, or leading the strategy for major hotel brands. These are the people trying to figure out the real impacts of AI in hospitality, hotel automation, and improving the guest experience through digital tools.
We did the research to pull together a list of 20 influencers in hospitality tech that we think are worth your attention. We checked their recent activity to make sure they are currently contributing real insights to the conversation.
Here is who we are watching right now, grouped by their general focus area.
The Strategists and Futurists
These individuals spend their time looking at the big picture of travel and how technology will shape the next five to ten years.
- Jonathan Lei: Jonathan is the CEO and co-founder of Q Concierge. With a background as a software engineer and tech lead at Google, he brings a deep technical perspective to the hospitality industry. He focuses on the practical use of Voice AI, specifically how large language models can be used to handle guest phone calls and requests reliably. His work centers on building technology that supports hotel staff by managing routine tasks, allowing teams to focus more on the guests in front of them. You can follow his professional updates on his LinkedIn profile here.
See Jonathan present at ALIS 2026
- Simone Puorto: Simone is a journalist and consultant who focuses heavily on emerging technologies like Web3 and the metaverse in the context of travel. He often writes detailed analyses on how these concepts might actually apply to hotels in the real world. You can see his professional focus on his LinkedIn profile here.
- Max Starkov: Max is a veteran in hospitality and online travel. He frequently posts detailed articles analyzing the state of hotel digital marketing and the impact of major tech players on hotel distribution. His deep dives into industry challenges are highly detailed. You can read his recent articles on his Hospitality Net author page.
- Loren Gray: As the founder of Hospitality Digital Marketing, Loren has been in the industry for decades. He hosts a popular podcast where he discusses current digital trends and practical applications for hoteliers. You can see his current projects and content on his LinkedIn profile.
- Robert Cole: Robert is the founder of RockCheetah, a consulting firm focused on travel technology strategy. He often provides commentary on travel distribution and how technology affects the connection between hotels and guests. His professional background is available on LinkedIn.
The AI and Tech Leaders
These are the people directly involved with implementing artificial intelligence and major technology shifts at hotel companies or major tech firms serving the industry.
- Shane O’Flaherty: As the Global Director for Travel, Transportation & Hospitality at Microsoft, Shane is right at the center of the current push toward generative AI in hospitality. He frequently shares updates on how Microsoft's AI tools are being applied in travel scenarios. You can follow his updates on LinkedIn.
- Floor Bleeker: Floor is the Chief Technology Officer at Accor. Given Accor's size, his decisions on technology strategy have a significant impact on the industry standard. His role involves overseeing massive digital transformations. His professional details are on his LinkedIn profile.
- Andrew Evers: Andrew serves as the Group IT Director for Red Carnation Hotels. He provides the perspective of a luxury brand implementing technology while trying to maintain high service standards. He shares his professional milestones on LinkedIn.
- Alex Bainbridge: Alex focuses specifically on the idea of "autonomous agents" in travel—AI that can execute tasks on behalf of a user. This is a very specific, forward-looking area of hospitality tech. He writes about these concepts frequently on his Substack publication.
Operations and Guest Experience Experts
Technology is useless if it doesn't help run the hotel better or improve the guest stay. These influencers focus on that practical intersection.
- Adele Gutman: Adele is a recognized expert on hotel reputation management and creating a service culture. She often speaks about how operational excellence leads to better online reviews and revenue. You can learn about her work on her LinkedIn profile.
- Sarah Dandashy: Known as "Ask A Concierge," Sarah has a background in luxury guest service. She evaluates travel technology through the lens of the actual guest experience and frontend staff. Her content can be found on her website.
- Adam Mogelonsky: A partner at Hotel Mogel Consulting, Adam writes frequently about practical technology applications for hotel properties, focusing on things like asset management and operational software. His articles appear frequently on industry sites like Hotel Executive.
- Larry Mogelonsky: The other partner at Hotel Mogel, Larry is one of the most prolific writers in the hotel industry. He covers a vast range of topics, including how specific technologies impact hotel operations. You can see his author profile and list of books on Amazon.
- Ben Jost: Ben is the CEO of TrustYou, a company focused on analyzing guest feedback data. His work centers on using data to understand what guests actually care about during their stay. His professional background is on LinkedIn.
The Analysts and Media Voices
These are the journalists and researchers who track the money, the mergers, and the data trends defining hospitality technology.
- Rafat Ali: As the CEO and founder of Skift, Rafat leads one of the most influential travel media companies. Skift covers the business of travel, including major technology shifts and investments. His professional activities are tracked on LinkedIn.
- Sean O'Neill: Sean is the Senior Hospitality Editor at Skift. He reports almost daily on hotel tech news, startup funding, and strategic moves by major hotel chains. You can read his latest reporting on Skift's website.
- Charuta Fadnis: Charuta is the Senior Vice President of Research and Product Strategy at Phocuswright, a leading travel research firm. She presents data-driven insights on travel trends and technology adoption. Her professional focus is visible on LinkedIn.
- Patrick Bosworth: As co-founder of Duetto, Patrick comes from the revenue management side of the business. He often shares insights on how data and technology drive profitability for hotels. His profile is available on LinkedIn.
- Henri Roelings: Henri is the Founder and CEO of Hospitality Net, a massive hub for industry news. He curates much of the conversation happening in hospitality technology today. You can see his profile on Hospitality Net.
- Kathleen Nagaraj: Kathleen is a research analyst focused on hospitality and travel technology. Analysts like her are crucial for providing unbiased data on market adoption of new tools. You can find her professional profile on LinkedIn.
Keeping Up with Change
Following the right people can help make sense of the constant changes in our industry. At Q Concierge, we use these insights to ensure our Voice AI technology is solving real problems that hoteliers face today.
If you are looking to see how conversational AI can help your property automate tasks and improve guest communication right now, we are ready to show you.