The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), India’s most globally acclaimed hospitality education brand, celebrated World AI Appreciation Day with two groundbreaking initiatives, cementing its position as a leader in the global AI-hospitality revolution.
On July 16, IIHM introduced the world’s first AI Awards for the hospitality industry and organized a high-profile roundtable themed ‘AI and Human Touch – Redefining the Hospitality Sector.’ Both initiatives highlighted IIHM’s commitment to blending technology with human empathy to shape the future of global hospitality.
Dr. Suborno Bose, Chairman of IIHM and CEO of the International Hospitality Council (UK), unveiled the inaugural AI in Hospitality Awards, a global initiative aimed at honoring groundbreaking innovation at the intersection of AI and hospitality across 10 categories.
- AI Champion – General Manager (visionary leadership in AI integration)
- Tech-Forward Hotelier (Emerging Leader)
- Hospitality Data Strategist
- AI Educator/Trainer of the Year
- Smart Hotel of the Year
- Customer Experience Innovation
- Sustainable Tech Implementation
- HR & Training Tech Leader
- Destination Marketing (Tourism Boards)
- Smart Travel Experience Innovator
Describing the awards as a “global benchmark for AI-driven excellence in hospitality,” Dr. Bose said, “They will inspire a new generation of hoteliers to embrace technology as a tool to enhance—not replace—human service. These awards are not just a recognition; they are a global call to action for the industry to embrace AI responsibly, with empathy at its core,” he added.
The announcement also marked the release of a preview of Dr. Suborno Bose’s upcoming book, High-Tech, Higher Touch—The Dr. Suborno Bose Way, the second installment in his series that delves into AI’s transformative impact on the hospitality industry.
On the same day, IIHM organized an insightful AI-Hospitality Roundtable, uniting prominent industry leaders to discuss how AI can elevate guest experiences while retaining the emotional essence of hospitality.
The panel included Kush Kapoor, CEO of Roseate Hotels; Shantunu Som, CEO of Somnetics; and Dr. Arnab Majumdar, CTO of Entiovi Technologies, with the discussion moderated by Sujay Gupta, Group Director, Communications & Media, IIHM.
Opening the discussion, Kush Kapoor stressed that while AI can streamline operations, emotions remain the true differentiator in hospitality. “Emotions that come from the heart can never be copied. AI should only make hospitality warmer and more efficient,” he said.
Kapoor showcased Roseate Hotels’ AI-driven innovations:
- Contactless check-in journeys (luggage transfer directly from aircraft to rooms).
- Real-time service alerts that auto-send personalized apology messages for delayed orders.
- AI-enabled virtual banquet tours and training modules improving staff efficiency.
He warned that hotels failing to adopt flexible, AI-ready property management systems (PMS) risk obsolescence.
Shantunu Som emphasized that the key challenge lies in making AI intuitive for staff and invisible to guests. “AI should remain in the background, enabling service, not overwhelming it. The success of technology will be measured by how natural it feels,” he said.
Som highlighted the move to microservice-based architectures, which make systems future-proof, reduce training requirements, and allow for seamless upgrades.
Dr. Arnab Majumdar, a key architect of NamAIste HospitalityGPT, described how AI has evolved from reactive large language models to proactive agent-based systems: “These are like sentient microservices that anticipate guest needs. If your flight is delayed, the system can reschedule your transfer or suggest alternative activities.”
Dr. Arnab Majumdar emphasized the importance of developing industry-specific AI solutions, such as NamAIste, instead of relying on generic platforms. He also highlighted the need for hospitality education to incorporate AI literacy, enabling students to seamlessly integrate technology with guest service.
In his Vision Address delivered across IIHM campuses, Dr. Bose reaffirmed his mantra: “While technology is important, touch is more important. AI may be the new brain of hospitality, but the heart will always remain human.”
He also announced Phase II of the NamAIste Project, which will develop scalable AI business models for hospitality, solving real-world operational challenges. He explained, “This is not just about AI adoption. It’s about building a purpose-driven, people-first global hospitality ecosystem.”
In a symbolic finale, he introduced TAIGER—the AI Tiger, India’s official mascot for innovation in hospitality tech, representing the blend of tradition and forward-thinking AI.
With pioneering initiatives like NamAIste HospitalityGPT, the AI in Hospitality Awards, and its dedication to future-ready hospitality education, IIHM is leading a global movement where technology enhances, rather than replaces, the warmth and empathy that define exceptional guest experiences.
“Hospitality students must learn to speak two languages with equal fluency—the language of human emotions and the language of intelligent machines,” Dr. Bose emphasized.
