AI is no longer a question mark for the hospitality industry, it's a reality. Properties around the world are putting it to work in their day-to-day operations, and if you haven't taken the plunge yet, there's no better time than now. At this year's Hospitality Maine Lodging & Restaurant Show, Wendy Zapach, Chief Revenue Officer at Optii, and Bri Leclerc, Director of Marketing, delivered a session designed to meet you where you are and show you exactly how to get started, what AI actually means for hotels and restaurants, and where it's already showing up in day-to-day operations.
Wendy walked through the evolution of hospitality technology, from the rise of online booking and mobile-first websites to the post-pandemic push toward AI adoption, and broke down the key concepts: machine learning, generative AI, and how tools like these are being used right now for a variety of things from predictive maintenance to ticket creation. Her message was clear — none of this replaces the human element that makes hospitality great. It just gives your team more time to focus on it.
Bri then took the stage with a hands-on look at five areas where any property or restaurant can start using AI today: content and copywriting, social media, review management, email marketing, and SEO. She walked through live demos using Claude, showing just how quickly you can go from a blank page to a polished first draft — whether that's a seasonal promotion, a response to a tough review, or a week's worth of social captions. The best part? You don't need a big budget or a dedicated marketing person to make it work. Watch the full session, and grab your handout below for a list of prompts, tools, and tips to help you get started.
Want to see how properties are practically applying AI throughout their operations? Optii's platform is built from the ground up with AI at its core and we'd love to show you what that looks like for a property like yours.
Book time to speak with our team and see firsthand how Optii can give your team the tools to work smarter, move faster, and focus on what matters most!