The Crucial Role of AI and Machine Learning in Hospitality.

by Kevin D'Costa | Jun 1, 2021

The wellness and health tourism market is undergoing rapid transformation, with the continuous integration of digital and intelligent technologies into everyday guest experiences. The global spa and wellness hospitality market has evolved, going from a luxury add-on into a core pillar of the wellness economy and a key revenue driver for modern hospitality properties.

While technology in wellness is not unheard of, the accelerating tech adoption rate is reshaping the industry. From AI-powered personalisation to smart spa systems and data-driven guest experiences, innovation is elevating traditional wellness offerings into more sophisticated, high-end, and luxurious experiences. Wellness hospitality is no longer just about relaxation. It is becoming a more connected, tech-enabled journey that redefines modern well-being and guest expectations.

Technology vs tranquillity: Finding the right balance

At the same time, many hoteliers and wellness travellers continue to value environments that promote relaxation, mindfulness, and holistic health without the visible presence of technology. Today's guests increasingly seek personalised experiences while maintaining a sense of calm, privacy, and digital disconnection during their wellness journey.

In this article, we explore how technology and artificial intelligence can play a vital role behind the scenes through carefully designed guest-facing solutions without disrupting the wellness experience. By operating seamlessly in the background, these technologies enable hospitality providers to deliver highly personalised services, optimise operations, anticipate guest needs, and enhance overall well-being, while preserving the tranquil, technology-free atmosphere that wellness travelers expect.

The potential in wellness tourism

Resort market icon Wellness real estate is growing rapidly, with a projected value of $1.8 trillion by 2030.
(Global Wellness Institute)
Resort market icon The wellness tourism market alone is expected to grow from $830.2 billion in 2023 to over $1.3 trillion by 2028.
(Global Wellness Institute)
Resort market icon A 2025 report estimates that digital wellness services and technologies already account for approximately 20–25% of the $6.5 trillion global wellness economy.
(Gitnux)
Resort market icon Around 40% of regular exercisers now use fitness trackers or smartwatches to monitor steps, heart rate, and sleep.
(European Alliance for Innovation)

What’s driving the rapid digital shift in wellness hospitality

Wellness—like other hospitality sectors such as F&B—has traditionally relied on a highly hands-on, in-person approach, with guests preferring familiar, low-tech experiences. So what is driving the rapid shift toward wellness technology today?

For a multi-location wellness brand, the guest journey is rarely linear. With the rise of the mobile-first economy, Gen Z market dominance, and increasingly complex wellness expectations, legacy systems and processes are struggling to keep up. Siloed reservations, manual operations, limited resource visibility, and one-size-fits-all offerings no longer meet evolving demand.

How technology is transforming wellness tourism

Modern wellness and health tourism is data-driven, focusing on thoughtfully curated journeys shaped by technology.  From wearable devices to AI-powered wellness assessments, smart systems are redefining how travellers experience care, recovery, and relaxation.

Personalised wellness journeys

Over 50% of wellness hotel guests prefer personalised wellness programmes based on fitness and health data.

Solutions such as IDS Next’s FX Spa enable your wellness resort to seamlessly manage comprehensive guest profiles, capturing and analysing data from reservations, past service preferences, and medical or Ayurvedic practitioner prescriptions, and AI to identify behavioural patterns and automatically suggest optimal, custom wellness services.

Access to guest data enables properties to design customised programmes that can immediately hook wellness lovers. Think: yoga, mindful meditation, hydrotherapy, traditional treatments, nutrition plans, and spa treatments aligned with individual goals such as stress relief, fitness improvement, or recovery.

This level of personalisation makes your guests feel seen, significantly improving satisfaction and increasing repeat visits.

Remote monitoring and safe recovery

Wearable devices and remote monitoring tools are especially valuable in medical and rehabilitative wellness tourism. Guests can track vital signs, sleep quality, and activity levels, while practitioners receive real-time alerts when intervention may be needed.

Remote monitoring and wearables particularly benefit international patients, individuals with mobility challenges, and younger guests (under 50) who prefer wellness experiences enhanced by technology. With devices such as wearable trackers, mobile engagement apps, and health platforms, your wellness centre can provide instant access, continuous support, and greater autonomy for guests.

Digital booking, guidance, and feedback

Mobile apps and digital platforms make wellness tourism significantly smoother, from booking holistic retreats to navigating on-site experiences. This allows your guests to reserve spa sessions, explore wellness menus, share preferences, and receive data-driven personalised recommendations through integrated apps.

Post-stay, digital feedback systems allow you to refine your offerings. Whether you're a wellness retreat or an independent property, this level of connection can turn guest journeys into a continuous improvement cycle that enhances service quality and experience design.

Automated services, smart rooms, immersive environments

A recent survey of over 1,770 wellness travellers found that nearly half are open to automated spa services, such as massage robots and smart hydro jets. And more than 70% prefer on-site experiences tailored to their personal interests.

In response, many resorts are already adopting smart technologies that enhance not just services, but the entire environment. Smart lighting, climate control, and personalised soundscapes can be adjusted to promote relaxation, improved sleep, and deeper meditation. Some properties now integrate circadian rhythm lighting systems and air-quality sensors to naturally support guests’ physical and mental well-being.

Transparency, trust, and long-term engagement

Technology also plays a crucial role in building trust. Guests can access therapist credentials, certifications, and anonymised success stories online, helping them make more informed and confident decisions.

Post-trip, wellness apps and follow-up programmes support guests in maintaining their progress at home, transforming a short stay into a sustained, long-term wellness lifestyle while encouraging repeat visits.

Is your spa ready for the modern guest? Explore how IDS Next solutions can improve your operations. Book a demo today..

Wellness technology is amplifying service delivery across the industry

By combining care, culture, and connectivity, tech-enabled wellness destinations create experiences that are not only relaxing but truly transformative.

Whether you are operating a spa retreat, a medical wellness resort, or a holistic wellness centre, integrating smart technology can turn your property into a modern sanctuary for the health-conscious traveller.

Nandika Udupihilla | IDS NEXT

Author

Nandika Udupihilla

Vice President & Country Head, Indian Ocean – Sales

Nandika is responsible for the Sales and Operations of the Indian Ocean Region, looking after Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius. His years of expertise in IT and strategic management have helped contribute to streamlining the technological needs of IDS Next's global clients.

What we perceived the future to be like back in the day might not exactly resemble what is happening today. We certainly didn’t expect the globe to be battling against a pandemic. Whilst flying cars that zipped along aerial highways might not be the reality right now, we are still bombarded with innovations in technology we have never seen before. From selfie sticks to aerial drones and Twitter wars and hashtag politics, the world around us is morphing into a digital universe. The automation growth is exponential. What does this mean for the hospitality industry? Keep scrolling to learn more about how AI and machine learning play an increasingly significant role in hospitality.

Contextual Personalised Services

Tailoring your offers and giving guests what they need is what builds their loyalty towards your brands and services. Personalisation requires data, and data requires analysis to make it more meaningful. Collecting relevant data from several disparate systems and creating meaningful inferences from it is often the challenge, and this is where AI and machine learning comes to the rescue. Machine learning can help hoteliers gather various data sets, analyse patterns, and understand guest behavior, while AI can help create refined personalised services, increasing the hotel revenue. Service offerings can be tailored as per customer preferences as machine learning allows you to predict and promote the right product to the right customer at the right time.

Intelligent Digital Assistants

Keeping in touch with customers and attending to their needs is a vital aspect of hospitality. Chatbots have proven to be highly effective when it comes to direct messaging and online chat services. Chatbots can understand and respond to simple questions or requests almost instantaneously, and they can do this 24/7. Communication is key when it comes to any relationship, and AI powered chatbots are the most effective when it comes to the hotel industry.

AI-powered Concierge

Hotel industries have come to realise that in-depth customer service with properly harnessed customer insight is the best key to increase brand value. This is why we have begun to see a rise in realistic robot concierges. The idea of robots is not a seemingly surprising one and has been implemented in many hotels in order to get the busy work done and help staff concentrate on improving the guest experience. These concierges can be used to interact with guests and provide them with tourist information.

Hotel Software Systems

Having a window into the customer’s life is of great importance, and cloud-based hotel software systems have not only helped staff understand their guests better, but also helped guests begin to experience their services right when they book rooms through different online channels and check rates, room amenities, and comfort, availability, etc. AI systems can help hoteliers by providing relevant insights into the occupancy patterns of the area they’re located. The integration of a PMS can offer real-time booking confirmation and tracking for hoteliers. In addition, it can dynamically adjust pricing rates daily. The doors that open if AI is incorporated are endless. As mind-boggling as it sounds, machines that match human intellect are helping hotels give a memorable experience to their guests. AI is not only working far beyond imagination for hotel systems, but is also lending a hand to the industry given the current pandemic situation. Leverage a range of dynamic tools from IDS Next to realise the true value of AI and Machine learning at your hotel.
Kevin D'Costa IDS NEXT

Author

Kevin D'Costa

Senior Vice President- SAAS Engineering

An extremely driven and dedicated personnel, Kevin is currently the Senior Vice President - SAAS Engineering at IDS Next. He has the unique ability to be a strategic leader looking over the entire new development concepts and making them a reality. He works extremely focused in an intense environment and is a result-oriented person. He is responsible for planning, creating and implementing the overall new products strategy. Besides that, he is responsible for setting up the overall strategy for creating company’s products and offerings for the future.