Building an AI platform to unify guest data

Minor Hotels is building a new data and AI platform, with support from Google Cloud, Salesforce, OneTrust, and Deloitte, to bring guest information, marketing, and service systems into one place.

Minor Hotels is building a new data and AI platform as it looks to change how it manages guest relationships and operations across its global portfolio. The move reflects a wider shift in hospitality, where companies are trying to use data more effectively to understand guests and shape their experiences over time.

The group runs and develops more than 640 properties worldwide. Its new platform aims to bring together guest data, marketing, and service systems into one setup. By doing so, Minor Hotels hopes to recognize guests more consistently across brands and locations, and tailor offers based on past stays and personal preferences.

The system is being developed with support from Google Cloud, Salesforce, OneTrust, and Deloitte. It is expected to be fully deployed by 2026.

Unlike many large IT projects, this platform is not built on top of older systems. Instead, it is being created from scratch, allowing the company to use newer AI tools from the start, including generative AI and automated agents. This approach may also shorten development time and make it easier to update the system later.

“AI is becoming the front door to travel – and with it, control over demand is shifting,” said Ian Di Tullio, Chief Commercial Officer of Minor Hotels. “The brands that win will not be the most visible, but the most intelligent: those able to respond in real time, own their data and shape the guest relationship directly. At Minor Hotels, we are building that capability at scale, ensuring we don’t just participate in this new landscape, but define our position within it.”

At the technical level, the platform will run on Google Cloud's infrastructure, using tools such as BigQuery and Vertex AI to manage and analyze data. This setup is meant to connect guest data across brands and regions, so that preferences carry over between stays. A guest who stays at an Anantara hotel in Thailand, for example, may have similar preferences recognized at a Tivoli property in Portugal.

Minor Hotels also plans to introduce AI agents that can handle tasks during the travel journey. These agents could manage bookings, suggest itineraries, or respond to guest requests in real time, using a single, unified data source.

Mark Micallef, Managing Director for Southeast Asia at Google Cloud, said the industry is moving toward "context-aware AI agents" that can anticipate needs and act across the travel journey. He noted that building on an open, integrated cloud setup may help avoid the challenges seen in older, fragmented systems, while supporting more responsive guest experiences.

Salesforce will support guest communications and marketing workflows, helping the company segment customers and adjust messaging based on real-time data.

"In the AI era, the margin for error in customer experience has disappeared," said Apisit Kuparatana, Country Leader and Managing Director of Salesforce Thailand. He added that guests now expect interactions to feel instant, intuitive, and personal, and that automation based on relevant data can help connect different touchpoints into a more consistent journey.

Data privacy is another area of concern. OneTrust will help manage consent and ensure that guest data is handled in accordance with global regulations. Privacy controls are being built into the system from the start, rather than added later.

“Consent is the foundation of lasting customer relationships and durable data strategies,” said Arran Mulvaney, Regional Director for ASEAN at OneTrust. “With privacy and governance embedded in its platform from the outset, Minor Hotels demonstrates a clear commitment to its guests by making responsible data use a priority, not an afterthought.”

Deloitte is leading the design and rollout of the platform, working to align the technology with business processes across more than 60 countries where Minor Hotels operates. The aim is to ensure that the system is used consistently and supports day-to-day operations.