AI is essential for three restaurateurs and hoteliers out of four, according to an exclusive study carried out at the Food Hotel Tech 2025 show on AI trends, tech and CSR in the CHR sector.
At the end of its latest edition, organized on March 19 and 20, 2025, Food Hotel Tech, leading exhibition for innovation in the CHR sector , conducted an exclusive study aimed at measuring the impact of artificial intelligence on the hotel and catering professions, as well as identifying the major trends in tech and CSR that are shaping the future of the sector. Based on qualitative and individual interviews carried out in person during the show, this survey collected testimonies from nearly 900 professionals in the sector. This format made it possible to collect concrete and representative data from the field, offering a precise overview of uses, perceptions and technological priorities that are shaping the future of hospitality today. Result : artificial intelligence is now establishing itself as an essential tool in the hotel and catering sectors, with 75% of hoteliers and 77% of restaurateurs already using it within their establishment. Common uses include content and image generation tools (used by 46% of hoteliers and 36% of restaurateurs), as well as automated management of online reviews (35% and 34% respectively). Appreciated above all for its operational efficiency, AI allows significant time savings on administrative and repetitive tasks (80% of hoteliers, 72% of restaurateurs), while contributing to cost optimization and improving the customer experience.
Questions about the future
If the benefits are widely recognized, professionals remain lucid in the face of future transformations : about half anticipate that AI will replace some jobs (51% of hoteliers, 49% of restaurateurs), while a significant portion sees it as a support tool for existing teams. The main concern remains the dehumanization of customer relations (41% among hoteliers, 32% among restaurateurs), much more than questions of cost or training. Only 5 to 10% of professionals consider that AI brings no value, proof of growing enthusiasm and adoption that is lastingly anchored in sector practices.
Technology, a strategic investment
In 2025, the technological transition is accelerating in the CHR sector, driven by targeted investments and widespread awareness of its strategic role : 93% of hoteliers now consider digital technology a necessity, including 61% as an absolute priority. Tools already well established such as PMS establishment management systems (82 %), digital marketing solutions (77 %) and customer review management (76 %) continue to attract investment. Loyalty programs are among the top 5 hotel priorities. (41 %), CRM and digital concierge tools (40% each), as well as yield management (38 %). Catering side, operational digitalization is intensifying around reservation management, des stocks, click and collect and loyalty. Solutions still little adopted, such as anti-waste or energy optimization tools, are the subject of strong interest : 38% to 47% of restaurateurs plan to invest in it in the coming months. Digital management of reservations already attracts nearly one in two restaurateurs.
Marked gaps between structures
These are the channels that most perceive tech as a major issue, 71% versus 47% of independents. Nevertheless, budgets follow : more than 50% of hoteliers plan to invest more than €20,000, while an independent restaurateur allocates on average €15,800 per year to his digital equipment. The dynamic is clear : technology becomes a lever for sustainable performance, combining efficiency, environmental commitment and quality of service.
The challenge of cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is becoming a growing priority for restaurateurs and hoteliers, aware of its central role in customer trust and the continuity of their activity. Nearly 72% of restaurateurs plan to invest in this area over the next 12 months. On the side of hoteliers, future investments also confirm an awareness, particularly around payment security (37 %), data protection (35 %) and prevention of cyberattacks (31 %). Priority is often given to securing customer touchpoints, but areas of vulnerability persist : training staff to deal with phishing, access management or the security of connected objects (IoT) remain underinvested, while they are perceived as weak links. Training, long neglected, starts to
emerge as a priority (28% of hoteliers plan to invest in it), sign of a rebalancing. However, 26% of hoteliers say they do not want to invest in cybersecurity this year, a worrying figure at a time when digital threats have never been more present.
