Overview
Stellagent released a survey on July 7, 2026, examining AI adoption across the official booking sites and digital channels of 15 major Japanese hotel chains and groups. The findings show that domestic AI and chatbot use remains centered on answering questions and handling inquiries, while major global groups are beginning to use AI to understand stay requirements and help guests choose hotels.
For more information, see the press release on PR TIMES.
Official digital channels of 15 major Japanese hotel groups and seven major global groups were assessed on the same five-phase scale
Background
Travelers are beginning to give generative AI their stay requirements and ask it to compare options and guide them toward booking. For hotel operators, the next competitive question goes beyond whether a chat function exists: it is whether AI can understand a guest's conditions and suggest candidates across properties, rooms, and rates.
Stellagent reviewed the official websites, apps, announcements, case studies, and booking flows of 15 major Japanese groups and seven major global groups to determine how far their AI implementations have progressed.
Key Findings
- AI or chatbot use was found at 12 of the 15 Japanese groups. However, none offered a flow that understood stay requirements and suggested candidates across multiple properties, rooms, and rates within the scope of the survey.
- Six of the seven global groups — Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Accor — had implemented or were piloting AI-assisted hotel selection through official websites, apps, ChatGPT apps, or other official channels.
- No domestic or global group in the survey offered a flow that completed both booking and payment within the conversation.
Survey Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Primary subjects | 15 major Japanese hotel chains and groups |
| Reference set | Seven major global hotel chains and groups |
| Survey date | June 26, 2026 |
| Method | Desk research of official sites, announcements, case studies, booking flows, and AI/chatbot flows |
| Conducted by | Stellagent Inc. |
Implications for Hotel Operators
In Japan, AI adoption currently focuses on making FAQ search and inquiry handling more efficient. The next step is to make property, room, rate, availability, and membership information comparable by AI and to design a path from a guest's stated needs to the official booking flow.
The detailed results, five-phase framework, and company-level findings are available in the survey of AI adoption across 15 major Japanese hotel booking sites.
Looking Ahead
Stellagent will continue researching how AI agents are changing travel and booking, while helping accommodation providers build digital foundations that AI can understand, select, and connect to official booking channels.