Rise of the ‘Hospitality Engineer’ as disconnected systems costing operators hours every week

LONDON, 23 April 2026 – Businesses across the hospitality industry are losing hours every week to disconnected systems, failed syncs and data issues, as increasingly complex tech stacks force operators to think more like “Hospitality Engineers”.

That is according to a new joint research report from RMS, a leading global hospitality technology platform, and RoomPriceGenie, the award-winning revenue management system.

The research reveals that hospitality businesses are now managing up to 10 or more systems simultaneously, with even smaller properties running four to six solutions. But the findings show the real problem is not the number of tools. Even properties using as few as one to three systems report ongoing tech issues such as incorrect rates, missing data and failed synchronisations, highlighting that weak integrations, not system volume, are driving operational friction.

The impact on teams is significant. More than 80% of hospitality professionals say technology is causing operational stress. Meanwhile, 42% spend one to three hours each week fixing system and data issues, and one in five spend four or more hours. For five percent, that rises to more than seven hours every week resolving tech issues.

Despite growing reliance on technology, many hospitality businesses still lack the expertise to manage it effectively. Nearly 70% of operators say success now requires both service and technical skills, yet 25% have no dedicated resource overseeing system connectivity. Staff skills, integration complexity and fear of operational disruption were all cited as key barriers to achieving improved operational outcomes and broader business goals.

These statistics point to the need for hoteliers to adopt the “Hospitality Engineer” mindset, now crucial in today’s increasingly challenging and competitive travel marketplace. Rather than focusing on individual tools, this approach combines service-led hospitality with a practical understanding of systems, integrations and data flow to reduce manual work, improve performance and create more resilient operations.

Sandrine Zechbauer, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at RMS, said: “Being great at hospitality is no longer enough. Operators need a technology mindset. The real issue is not how many systems a business uses, it is how well they are connected.

“That is where the ‘Hospitality Engineer’ mindset comes in. It is about combining service instinct with a practical understanding of integrations and data, so teams can reduce manual work and remove the operational friction that holds them back.”

Chas Scarantino, CEO of RoomPriceGenie, said: “Most operators don’t realise how much revenue is lost in the gap between systems. Every delay means revenue is left on the table, and too often that loss goes unseen.

That is what is driving the shift toward a ‘Hospitality Engineer’ mindset. Teams must go beyond just using technology and start considering how it works, how it fails, and how to optimise its outputs. By eliminating the need to manually reconcile data, troubleshoot issues and manage disconnected systems, teams are empowered to spend more time executing on the decisions that drive sustained profitability.”

The challenge is becoming even more urgent as hospitality businesses look to embrace AI and automation. Nearly 70% of operators rate their data accuracy at just two or three out of five, while almost 20% give it the lowest possible score. Without clean, reliable data, businesses risk falling short on the automation and AI ambitions many are now prioritising.

The full report, The Hospitality Engineer: Why every operator needs to think like a hospitality engineer, is available to download here. The report uncovers where disconnected systems are costing operators time and revenue, what’s driving the growing tech skills gap, and the practical steps needed to build more connected, efficient, and future-ready properties.