Why Conversational AI Will Change Hospitality

A conversation with Adrien Mathieu, Co-Founder & President of Kleio

Starting Kleio and the “aha moment”

Adrien and his team founded Kleio in 2023, just as generative AI reached a tipping point. They realized that travelers often begin with vague, natural-language requests such as “a quiet hotel by the beach near Barcelona with a spa,” but websites could only respond with rigid filters. This gap between how people think and how digital systems respond was the spark for Kleio. Conversational AI could finally bridge that gap by matching intent with tailored solutions.

Challenging assumptions in hospitality

Kleio’s first major client was Havas Voyages in France, a leading European travel agency with a customer base primarily aged 50 to 70. At first, leadership doubted that AI could add value. Yet once deployed, results told a different story. Customers found the experience seamless, adoption exceeded expectations, and interviews confirmed that booking was easier than ever. Long-held assumptions that older customers only wanted to be guided by humans were proven wrong. Data now shows that travelers of all ages are comfortable with AI, provided they still have the choice to connect with a person when needed.

Where AI creates value for hospitality brands

Adrien points out that for hotels, end-to-end travel providers, and premium brands, AI adoption is a strategic necessity. Conversational AI delivers measurable benefits including higher conversion rates, double-digit engagement improvements, and personalized sales conversations that feel natural. It also offers differentiation. Brands that fail to adopt risk being disrupted by OTAs or more agile competitors. Looking ahead, conversational AI will become a main digital channel, guiding travelers not just through booking but also through their stay, answering questions and recommending personalized services.

The future of agent-to-agent journeys

Adrien envisions a future where customer agents and brand agents interact directly. Instead of visiting multiple websites, a traveler’s personal AI agent could negotiate with hotel or airline agents, reviewing all available options in real time. Every brand will need a digital ambassador that can represent it in these interactions.

SEO, GEO, and the new rules of visibility

Another shift Adrien highlights is the rise of GEO, Generative Engine Optimization. As search moves beyond traditional SEO toward AI-driven discovery, content must evolve. Brands that invest in meaningful, high-quality content designed for LLMs will be far more visible than those relying on keyword strategies alone.

Building AI agents that convert

Kleio’s approach to training its AI agents is focused on sales conversion. Agents are designed to keep customers engaged by providing added-value content throughout the conversation. The more personalization and relevance delivered, the warmer the customer remains and the closer they move toward booking.

Practical advice for travel brands

Adrien advises hospitality leaders to start small. Choose a single high-value use case, validate it, and then scale across other parts of the journey. Travel brands already sit on rich datasets that can fuel personalization, but the key is feasibility and traceability.

Advice on AI use cases

For those looking to kickstart their company's first AI project, Adrien emphasizes focusing on initiatives that drive measurable impact. Industries with underutilized digital channels such as real estate, cosmetics, and premium travel offer some of the largest opportunities for disruption.

A dream project for Kleio

Asked about his vision for the future, Adrien shares a dream scenario. He imagines partnering with a brand that has retreated from digital, bringing it back online as a primary channel, and enabling it to compete directly with larger players by focusing on its niche.

The takeaway

Conversational AI is not about replacing humans. It is about enhancing hospitality with personalization, efficiency, and scale. The opportunity is clear. Brands that embrace conversational AI will reclaim ground from OTAs, deepen customer relationships, and set the standard for the next era of travel.

Connect with Adrien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-adrien/

Follow Kleio on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kleio-ai