IHG Bets on AI Visibility and Loyalty as New Discovery

IHG is rebuilding its hotel content to be readable by artificial intelligence. The company's Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, Heather Balsley, stated this ahead of her appearance at the Skift Global Forum in September 2026.

AI assistants can only recommend hotels whose information they can understand. Balsley explained that travelers are now asking AI more detailed questions about where to stay. This requires hotel content to go beyond basic descriptions. It must be rich, accurate, and relevant for AI to match a property with the right guest.

Investing in Structured Content

IHG is making significant investments in this area. Later this year, the company will introduce a new platform to transform how it structures and manages hotel content. The goal is to ensure the right information appears on the right channels at the right time. This aims to strengthen the digital signals that help IHG hotels be surfaced by AI tools.

The platform will also provide greater flexibility in how content is created and personalized. Balsley said this will help IHG provide more relevant information as traveler expectations evolve. The company needs to clearly communicate the value each hotel offers. It must make it easy for travelers to find the right stay.

The Evolving Guest Journey

Balsley sees AI quickly becoming a new front door to travel planning. Travelers use it to generate ideas, build itineraries, and narrow down hotel options. They are looking to simplify decisions and reduce planning effort. More travelers are also discovering, researching, and booking within a single mobile experience.

What hasn't changed is the traveler's desire for confidence in their choice. Expectations for convenience, personalization, and speed continue to rise. For IHG, meeting this demand means investing in a broad portfolio of brands and a powerful loyalty ecosystem. The goal is to deliver offerings in a way that feels relevant and personalized.

Loyalty as the Enduring Asset

Balsley argues that new discovery channels do not replace direct relationships with travelers. She cited the past rise of online travel agencies and mobile booking. Those shifts created new opportunities but did not diminish the importance of strong brands or direct customer relationships.

She sees AI following a similar path. People may rely on AI assistants for inspiration and recommendations. IHG must be present wherever travelers are making decisions. However, Balsley believes what drives long-term trust is personalization and recognition through the loyalty program, coupled with consistently great stays.

AI may transform how guests find us, but brands that consistently deliver meaningful experiences and strong relationships will continue to earn their business in the long run, Balsley said.

Her test for any new initiative is simple. It must create a better experience for guests while also delivering value for hotel owners. If a technology helps travelers make more confident decisions, reduces friction, strengthens loyalty, or improves hotel performance, it is worth pursuing. If it does not, she views it as a distraction.

Balsley will discuss these topics at the Skift Global Forum in New York from September 22 to 24, 2026.