IIHM Reveals First-Ever Hospitality AI Awards, Hosts Landmark Debate on Tech & Human Touch

KOLKATA, India, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), India's most internationally recognized hospitality education brand, marked World AI Appreciation Day with two pioneering initiatives that have positioned it firmly at the forefront of the global AI-hospitality movement.

On July 16, IIHM announced the world's first AI Awards dedicated to the hospitality industry and hosted a high-profile roundtable on the theme 'AI and Human Touch – Redefining the Hospitality Sector.' Both events underscored IIHM's vision of harmonizing technology and human empathy to shape the future of global hospitality.

World's First AI Awards for Hospitality Announced

IIHM Chairman and CEO of the International Hospitality Council (UK), Dr Suborno Bose, unveiled the inaugural AI in Hospitality Awards, a global initiative recognizing innovation at the intersection of AI and hospitality across 10 categories.

These include:

• 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 coincided with the launch of the precursor to his forthcoming book, High-Tech, Higher Touch – The Dr Suborno Bose Way, the second in his series exploring AI's transformative role in hospitality.

AI and Human Touch: The Landmark Debate

On the same day, IIHM hosted a thought-provoking AI-Hospitality Roundtable, bringing together industry leaders to explore how AI can enhance guest experiences while preserving the emotional core of hospitality.

The panel featured Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels; Shantunu Som, CEO, Somnetics; and Dr Arnab Majumdar, CTO, Entiovi Technologies, moderated by Sujay Gupta, Group Director, Communications & Media, IIHM.

Tech as an Enhancer, Not a Replacement

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.

Humanizing Technology Through Intuitive Design

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.

Proactive, Industry-Specific AI Systems

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."

Majumdar stressed the need for industry-specific AI solutions, like NamAIste, over generic platforms. He also urged hospitality education to embed AI literacy so students can seamlessly integrate tech with guest service.

Dr Suborno Bose's Vision: AI With a Human Heart

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.

IIHM's Global Leadership in AI-Hospitality

With initiatives like NamAIste HospitalityGPT, the AI in Hospitality Awards, and its commitment to future-ready education, IIHM is steering a global movement where technology amplifies human warmth.

"Hospitality students must learn to speak two languages with equal fluency – the language of human emotions and the language of intelligent machines," Dr. Bose emphasised.

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