A new research report, based on a global survey of more than 250 hotel IT decision makers, reveals that the hospitality industry’s much-talked-about “data problem” is still far from solved. The research was conducted by Starfleet Research, the IT market research arm of Starfleet Media and a leading source of best-practices content for hospitality technology decision makers, and underwritten by IBS Software, a global provider of SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. iStay, from IBS Software, is a cloud-native hospitality management platform that unifies reservations, revenue, operations, sales and distribution, marketing, and loyalty functions on a single system to support the entire guest journey.

According to the report How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins, only 24% of hotels report full integration of their core systems—PMS, RMS, POS, booking engines, distribution platforms, and loyalty programs among them. Just 34% manage guest data centrally, while 42% rely on disconnected systems and 16% still use manual methods. When systems don’t communicate, operational and commercial decisions are often delayed or based on incomplete information, leading to missed revenue opportunities and inconsistent guest experiences.

The Gap Between Data-Rich and Data-Smart

The research found that top-performing hotels—those reporting measurable gains in revenue, guest satisfaction, and operational efficiency—are far more likely to operate on fully integrated, cloud-native platforms. These platforms unify reservations, guest profiles, pricing history, and service requests into a single source of truth, enabling:

• Real-time, role-based dashboards for GMs, revenue leaders, and front-line staff.

• Automated updates across all channels and departments (critical given that 20% of hotels still manage inventory manually).

• Faster staff onboarding and streamlined workflows (only 20% of hotels currently onboard staff in under a week).

One large resort, for example, replaced its fragmented tech stack with a unified data architecture. The result: a 22% increase in per-stay ancillary spend, driven by automated F&B upsell campaigns tied to real-time occupancy and guest profile data.

Real-Time and Predictive Intelligence on the Rise

While nearly one in four hotels lack real-time visibility into basic KPIs like occupancy, ADR, and labor productivity, the leaders are pushing live insights to every team. This includes:

• Detecting demand surges and adjusting pricing within minutes.

• Rerouting housekeeping priorities based on live room status.

• Monitoring IoT sensor alerts to address maintenance issues before they impact guest comfort.

The next wave is predictive analytics. The survey found that 45% of hoteliers plan to invest in AI-powered forecasting and decision support tools within the next year. However, only 15% currently use predictive models for labor planning—even though nearly 50% cited labor costs as their top operational challenge.

One upscale urban hotel that implemented predictive analytics to forecast meeting space demand boosted event revenue by 27% quarter over quarter.

Personalization at Scale Still Lagging

Despite clear benefits, personalization remains underutilized. Only 32% of hotels integrate loyalty and engagement data with their PMS and CRM. Hotels that do personalize at scale—using behavioral and contextual data—are seeing:

• Upsell conversion increases of 17-25%.

• Higher ADR and RevPAR from tailored package offerings.

• Loyalty program enrollments up to 3x more likely.

Seven Steps to Data-Driven Excellence

The research outlines a roadmap for hotels looking to close the gap:

1. Audit and consolidate the tech stack.

2. Centralize operational and guest data.

3. Deliver real-time insights to every role.

4. Deploy predictive analytics for staffing, pricing, and demand.

5. Automate manual processes wherever possible.

6. Personalize guest engagement at every touchpoint.

7. Build data fluency across all departments.

In a market defined by rising costs, labor shortages, and shifting guest expectations, the ability to anticipate, personalize and act with precision has become a big competitive advantage.

The research findings in How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins go well beyond headline statistics. The report offers in-depth analysis, real-world case examples, and a practical roadmap for unifying systems, unlocking real-time intelligence, and personalizing the guest experience at scale. It also highlights emerging trends in AI-powered forecasting, predictive analytics, and cross-functional data sharing that are shaping the next generation of hotel performance.

The full report (now available for complimentary download) provides hotel leaders with the insights and best practices they need to close the gap between data-rich and data-smart operations.