AI Episodes

In this episode, Paul Mengacci, Chief Financial Officer at Desert Hospitality Management, shares a finance leader's view of where AI fits in a hotel business. He explains why his team is adding AI Insights for Hotel Effectiveness, why the bigger payoff with AI is getting hotel managers away from their computers, and how more time with team members and guests shows up in bottom-line results. Learn more about Paul Mengacci on LinkedIn More with Paul: How We Turn Hotel Revenue Into Bottom-Li...

Today in Washington, DC, I shared findings from the State of Hotel AI research I ran with Nazpari Aydin for Destination AI. We surveyed hotel company leaders about how they feel about AI, where it's paying off today, and what's holding them back. The research State of Hotel AI: Fall 2026 findings Take the survey to get the full benchmarking data set Related episodes Destination AI: How I Built the #1 Hospitality AI Event From Scratch (Nazpari Aydin) Stop Guessing About AI. See What Hotel Leade...

In this special bonus episode, Josiah Mackenzie and Nazpari Aydin, Founder and Managing Director of Destination AI, introduce the State of Hotel AI survey, a study designed to reveal what's really happening with AI across the hotel industry, where it's delivering results, and where it still falls short. They discuss why an honest look at AI adoption matters, how the findings will help you benchmark your organization against your peers, and what attendees will learn from the research at this year...

In this episode, Ben Campbell, the President and CEO of Hospitality America, shares how he's navigating flat demand and rising costs by investing in data foundations and doubling down on both AI and human-led sales. You'll hear why he believes every piece of business has its own profitability, how his revenue management background shapes his strategy, and how the company's PEACH culture creates accountability and performance from the top down.

In this episode, Sloan Dean returns to the show after completing MIT's AI Strategy and Leadership program to share how he's applying AI in his work daily. The conversation covers two practical use cases for hotel GMs: using Claude as an executive assistant for email and communication, and as a financial analyst for P&L benchmarking and cost analysis. Sloan also walks through the power and limitations of "vibe coding" and why the hotel leaders who lean into AI now will be the ones leading ...