At a time when technology is moving faster than the industry can keep up, the future of direct distribution and loyalty in hospitality is set for sweeping transformation.

In a discussion moderated by Li Hawkins, Partner & Managing Director, Hospitality & Travel at Insight Out, senior leaders from across global and regional hotel groups offered a clear-eyed look at what’s next and what must change.

Joining the conversation were:

• Kerry Healy, Chief Commercial Officer, Premium, Midscale & Economy, Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific, Accor
• Jitendra Jain, Vice President, Strategic Loyalty, Partnerships and Commercial Intelligence for Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International
• Nicolas le Roux, EVP Marketing, Global Hotel Alliance
• Dominic Carr, Chief Information Officer, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC

AI will redefine direct booking but only if the industry catches up

When asked what the biggest disruptor in direct bookings and loyalty over the next decade will be, the panellists unanimously pointed to Artificial Intelligence.

“It will be AI, from scrolling and searching to curated, personalized responses,” said Healy. “Hotels must have content ready for AI to serve, but legacy tech could slow us down.”

Jitendra added a cautionary note: “AI alone won’t fix the travel industry’s tech debt. Without modernizing legacy systems, we can’t unlock AI’s full potential.”

Carr captured the urgency: “Every one of our core tech applications now needs to answer: What’s your AI and automation strategy? If you don’t have one, you’re not our partner in two years.”

Kerry Healy (Chief Commercial Officer, Premium, Midscale & Economy, Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific, Accor): It will be AI, from scrolling and searching to curated, personalized responses. Hotels must have content ready for AI to serve, but legacy tech could slow us down.

Social media: From inspiration to instant booking

Beyond AI, the panel flagged social media as the next major disruptor. Platforms like TikTok could soon move travellers from inspiration to instant booking without ever visiting a hotel’s website.

Healy warned: “If TikTok figures out bookings, they’re going to take some share. Hotels need to rethink how they capture that scroll-to-book moment.”

Loyalty: Moving beyond points to emotional bonds

The panellists agreed that loyalty is evolving from transactions to emotions.

“Great brands and loyalty programmes are two sides of the same coin,” said Jitendra. “True loyalty is built through memorable experiences, not just points.”

le Roux emphasized simplicity and utility: “Our customers want simplicity. Beyond stays, they want to use their loyalty across broader ecosystems, not just inside hotels.”

Adding a different lens, Healy said loyalty programmes will increasingly become community-driven: “People seek belonging. Points alone will be the flip phones of loyalty – emotionally-driven ecosystems are the future.”

Jitendra Jain (Vice President, Strategic Loyalty, Partnerships and Commercial Intelligence for Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International): Great brands and loyalty programmes are two sides of the same coin. True loyalty is built through memorable experiences, not just points.

Brand expansion: Balancing growth with clarity

Both Accor and Global Hotel Alliance, a grouping of independent, regional hotel brands, manage vast brand portfolios, leading to concerns about brand dilution.

Healy defended the model: “Strong brands, positioned with clarity and consistency, drive direct performance. But you must avoid brand creep and continually evolve legacy brands to stay relevant.”

le Roux agreed, noting that distinct positioning, not volume, is the goal: “You don’t create brands for volume. You create them to meet consumers where they are.”

OTA and meta search: Still vital, but the balance must shift

While loyalty and direct strategies are a focus, the panel acknowledged that OTAs and meta platforms will remain critical.

“It’s about balance,” said Healy. “OTAs introduce us to new markets where our brands aren’t strong. They’re partners but we’re happy when our direct channels grow faster.”

Jitendra echoed the sentiment: “The real opportunity is in how we use data and co-create experiences with partners.”

Carr was pragmatic: “We’re not going to have a golden age of 100% direct bookings. OTAs spend billions. We can’t match that, but we can win on loyalty and experience.”

Nicolas le Roux (EVP Marketing, Global Hotel Alliance): “You don’t create brands for volume. You create them to meet consumers where they are.”

Partnerships and ecosystems: Loyalty beyond the hotel stay

Looking forward, loyalty programmes must expand beyond hotels into broader lifestyle ecosystems.

Carr advocated for super apps: “Apps that integrate travel, dining, shopping, that’s where loyalty can flourish.”

Jitendra added that partnerships, especially those that remove friction from the travel experience, will be critical: “Loyalty should help take the pain out of travel.”

Healy pushed the vision further: “In the future, guests will curate their own loyalty journeys, picking what matters to them.”

Dominic Carr (Chief Information Officer, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC): We’re not going to have a golden age of 100% direct bookings. OTAs spend billions. We can’t match that, but we can win on loyalty and experience.

What must change: Killing the old ways

The panel didn’t mince words when asked what outdated practices must go:

• Static rates
• Rigid loyalty tiers
• Complicated points systems
• Pay-on-arrival hotel bookings (called “absurd” in the modern e-commerce world)

Instead, fluidity, simplicity, transparency and personalized value exchanges must define the next decade.

Final word: An emotional, tech-enabled future

Across all themes, one idea kept resurfacing: The future belongs to brands that know their guests intimately, personalize effortlessly, and connect emotionally.

Said Healy: “Strong brands plus strong loyalty, powered by tech, will win the future of direct distribution.”

Jitendra reinforced it: “True loyalty isn’t about points. It’s about relationships that last – just like a great marriage.”