In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Kunal Shah, Managing Partner of Travel & Hospitality at ZS, to explore the future of the hotel industry in 2026, key revenue strategies, and how technology is reshaping guest experiences.

Kunal shares insights from his global career—starting at United Airlines, earning an MBA at London Business School, and now leading ZS’s travel and hospitality practice. He breaks down the biggest opportunities and challenges hotels face today, including RevPAR pressure, AI adoption, guest personalization, and new revenue streams beyond rooms.

Whether you’re a hotel operator, GM, revenue manager, or hospitality investor—this episode is packed with practical strategies and industry foresight.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

2026 hospitality trends & industry outlook
Why RevPAR growth is plateauing
How hotels can improve guest engagement & incremental revenue
The most promising new revenue streams beyond rooms
Why relationships & intellectual curiosity matter in hospitality leadership

This episode is sponsored by ZS: https://www.zs.com/

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NLZyqGGBZjw

Links:
Kunal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksshah/
ZS: https://www.zs.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/245

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Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

#245: How Hotels Can Leverage Assets & Technology in 2026 | with Kunal Shah

The Modern Hotelier

#245: How Hotels Can Leverage Assets & Technology in 2026 | with Kunal Shah