If the last decade of booking has been defined by mobile-first, the next will be about AI-first - not as a gimmick, but as a serious revenue driver for pubs with rooms.
Mobile optimisation still matters, but AI will increasingly become the differentiator in a market where operators are filling rooms but finding it harder than ever to make profit on them.
Selling a bed for a night is no longer enough, auxiliary spend is where the real growth is and those pubs with AI-powered functionality built directly into the booking journey, based on guests’ needs and preferences, will have the best chance of increasing conversions and profit through personalised upselling.
The booking battle is no longer won on room type and rate alone. Guests are now choosing experiences - yet many pub’s online booking systems don’t easily showcase this to the user, resulting in lost potential revenue. This gap is where AI will unlock real value.
Today, many booking journeys are built around availability, not persuasion. Whether that’s dates, guest numbers or payment details - the process does very little to showcase what a stay might look, and feel, like. This results in friction: guests drop off, average spend remains flat and pubs miss the opportunity to upsell an experience.
If AI is integrated into the booking journey, that changes. AI will transform a static booking journey into one that is visual, curated and personalised. And one that feels more like scrolling on a social feed than filling in a form.
AI can turbocharge the booking journey in real-time, based on who is booking, when they’re travelling and what they actually care about. A couple booking a Friday night in Autumn might be shown a fireside weekend package with seasonal tasting menu. A family booking during the Easter weekend might be prompted with a Sunday roast slot, local walking routes or nearby activities. A group booking around the World Cup may be offered pre-match food bundles or reserved bar tables.
Like a ‘discovery engine’, it will let guests scroll, explore and select experiences. It makes them feel like they’re building their ideal stay, rather than just booking a room.
In most cases, before they even choose their accommodation, guests will have already researched destinations and activities and pictured what their trip might look like. A pub can come into its own by helping to make their vision come to life. They will also see higher conversion rates, because guests feel guided, not overwhelmed, and a higher average booking value through highly relevant upsells.
The reality is that most pubs already have everything they need at their disposal to increase guest spend - great food, drink, atmosphere, local knowledge - they just need to increase its visibility.
If you only offer a room, you limit both conversion and revenue. However, AI-driven booking journeys that let pubs generate personalised recommendations within the booking flow and respond to guests’ needs and motivations in real time, when guest intent is high, will open themselves up to these revenue streams.
An AI-first approach to booking that meets guests’ needs when they are excited and ready to spend provides huge opportunities and can boost the bottom line.
Without it, they risk competing on price alone. But with it, pubs can increase experience-led revenue per stay, drive more direct bookings, reduce reliance on third parties, and build loyalty through better, more memorable experiences.
AI won’t replace what makes pubs special – but it can amplify it.