Hospitality IT Executives Convene in Vancouver to Navigate Economic Challenges and Embrace Technological Advancements

‍

Earlier this month, Vancouver welcomed a dynamic group of hospitality CIOs and leaders for a few days of networking, whale watching, and deep dives into the industry's evolving landscape. Each CIO Summit is an important week to focus on issues and challenges of the day and provide peer-to-peer discussions. Below is an excerpt from the upcoming 2025 Fall/October issue and provides a sample of the insightful program sessions presented this year.

Be sure to subscribe to Hospitality Upgrade magazine or pick up your copy at The Hospitality Show to read the full report.

Economic Outlook and Industry Impact

Nicole Nguyen, SVP at CBRE Hotels, opened the event with a sobering economic overview. Trade tensions and persistent inflation are weighing heavily on both the Canadian and U.S. economies, with GDP forecasts revised downward. Inbound international travel remains below pre-pandemic levels, and corporate travel is still sluggish.

AI’s Transformative Potential

A standout panel featuring Tim Kinsella (Canary Technologies), Michael Lederman (The Leading Hotels of the World), and Nick Price (NetSys Technology Holdings) explored AI’s disruptive potential. A recent survey of 325 hoteliers revealed rising IT budgets, with 77% planning to allocate up to half toward AI. Efficiency, guest experience, and revenue growth are driving adoption. Panelists predicted AI-powered search agents will revolutionize travel booking, posing both a threat and opportunity for hotels.

Cybersecurity in a Hostile Landscape

Bob Flores of Applicology addressed the growing threat of nation-state cyberattacks. Actors from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are targeting critical infrastructure and intellectual property. Flores emphasized a Zero Trust approach, and key defenses include multi-factor authentication, strict vendor controls, and eliminating remote admin access for critical systems. The goal: become a hardened target that deters attackers.

Legal Insights for CIOs

Greg Duff of Foster Garvey shared a legal update with conversations ranging from junk fees, guest surveillance to artificial intelligence regulation. His session underscored the importance of staying ahead of evolving legal standards in hospitality technology.

Redesigning Hospitality Workflows for AI Success

Michael Goldrich of Vivander Advisors emphasized that successful AI adoption in hospitality requires more than new tools—it demands a complete workflow redesign. Drawing parallels to the industrial revolution, he argued that productivity gains only come when processes are reengineered, not just upgraded. CIOs must evolve into "Chief Intelligence Orchestrators" to avoid the high failure rate of AI projects. Goldrich also warned of the "Invisible Discovery Crisis," where AI-driven zero-click searches threaten hotel visibility, urging leaders to adopt new optimization strategies like AEO and GEO.

Please pick up your copy of the Fall/October 2025 issue of Hospitality Upgrade at The Hospitality Show for a thorough summary the 2025 CIO Summit.

To request a copy delivered to your mailbox or inbox, please subscribe at www.hospitalityupgrade.com/subscribe.

‍