Innovation in hotel tech with Jordan Hollander and Nadine Boettcher

Hello! Daniel, back again with another podcast episode for you! In our February episode of The Spotlight, I had two fantastic guests, both influential voices in hotel technology: Jordan Hollander, co-founder of HotelTechReport.com, and Nadine Boettcher, Head of Product Innovation here at Lighthouse.

In this episode, we'll give you a deep dive into the evolution of hotel tech, the rise of AI, and bold predictions for where the industry is heading in 2025. Continue reading for the key takeaways, or watch the full episode below!

A changing landscape for hotel technology

Jordan kicked things off with a look at how the perception of hotel tech has shifted. Where once the space was seen as too niche or slow-moving for venture capital, it has now become a hotbed of innovation and investment. He outlined three major catalysts that helped spark this shift:

1. Cloud Computing & SaaS: Cloud infrastructure made implementation faster and cheaper, removing geographic limitations.

2. COVID & Contactless Technology: The pandemic forced operators to reevaluate their operations, boosting digital transformation.

3. AI Adoption: AI is unlocking underused features and making software more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly.

Nadine added a great point as well by mentioning the generational shift in hotel ownership and management. As younger, more tech-savvy individuals take over, expectations for digital tools and automation rise. “I didn’t sign up for spreadsheets!” is a universal cry of the new generation of hoteliers, underscoring the demand for smarter, simpler tools.

Innovation in action: How Lighthouse builds products

As Head of Product Innovation here at Lighthouse, Nadine gives an inside look into Lighthouse’s approach to identifying problems and building solutions. Whether sparked by shifting customer needs or emerging technologies like AI, Lighthouse uses rapid prototyping, customer feedback loops, and tight collaboration with customer advisory boards to vet and launch new products.

One standout example is Lighthouse’s Pricing Manager. It doesn’t just recommend a rate—it explains why in natural language. This transparency is key to building user trust, especially among smaller hotel owners who don’t have revenue managers on staff.

AI: The great equalizer

Speaking of AI, both Jordan and Nadine agree that AI is transforming the hotel tech stack, making once-complex tasks more intuitive and accessible. Jordan likens modern AI tools to having a "coach" built into the platform—someone who can answer natural language queries and guide decisions. Nadine echoes this sentiment, emphasizing how AI shortens time to value for both experts and non-experts alike.

A major theme throughout this part of our discussion was trust. Whether it’s understanding how rate recommendations are calculated or how tech stacks are suggested, transparency is essential for AI adoption. It’s so much easier to trust an AI recommendation when we get to see the “why” behind the fancy calculations and decision making!

The skills of the future

Jordan also touches on a powerful quote that I first heard from him at HSMAI 2024 :

“AI won’t take your job—but someone who knows how to use AI will.”

In a world where no-code platforms and AI integrations are rapidly emerging, those who can wield these tools will have a serious edge. He predicted that success will belong to the “non-technical ninjas” who can think technically, even if they aren’t engineers.

Also, in this part of our discussion, Nadine highlighted how AI is helping hospitality professionals offload tedious tasks and return to the parts of the job they love—like creativity, strategic planning, and guest engagement.

What’s Next? Predictions for 2025

Looking ahead, here’s where Nadine and Jordan think hotel tech is headed:

• Consolidation in Hotel Tech: With so many fragmented solutions, expect M&A activity to ramp up. Fewer, more powerful platforms with deeper resources will lead the way.

• More Innovation from Established Players: Due to the need for deep integrations and proprietary data, new startups face an uphill battle. The most exciting innovations will come from companies already embedded in the ecosystem.

• Outsourcing of Revenue & Marketing Functions: As tools become smarter, expect a rise in centralized services for hotels, allowing properties to scale up and down more flexibly and affordably.

Key takeaways

• 💡 Hotel tech is hotter than ever, thanks to cloud, COVID, and AI-driven transformation.

• 📊 AI is democratizing data, enabling even non-experts to make smarter decisions.

• 🧠 Trust and transparency in AI recommendations are essential for adoption.

• 🛠 The future belongs to no-code operators who can leverage AI tools strategically.

• 🔮 Expect consolidation and outsourcing to reshape how hotel operations are run.

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