The Institute of Hospitality's Northern Ireland region will host a free breakfast networking event on 18 September at The Bedford in Belfast. Adam Hamadache FIH, founder and CEO of Formula, will deliver a session on how AI-powered search is reshaping hotel visibility and direct bookings.
The event runs from 8:00 am to 10:00 am at 15-16 Donegall Square South. Hospitality professionals can attend at no cost by emailing the region to reserve a place. The session follows a well-received London event Hamadache led last year.
What the session covers
Hamadache will explain why traditional hotel marketing faces disruption from AI-powered search, recommendations, and "zero-click" discovery. He will outline how platforms like Google, OpenAI, and AI assistants are changing the way guests find and choose hotels.
A central concept is the hotel's AI Shadow - what AI tools currently say about a brand's reputation and guest experience. The talk will cover new visibility rules: reviews, authority mentions, structured content, and brand consistency across the web. Hamadache will also share practical steps to improve a property's chances of being recommended by AI tools before competitors.
On the commercial side, the session addresses a shift in website traffic patterns. Hotel websites may receive fewer visits in future but convert at higher rates. Hamadache will identify what leaders should prioritise now to protect direct bookings, reduce OTA dependency, and stay competitive over the next three to five years.
Speaker background
Hamadache has been an Institute member for a decade. His career sits at the intersection of marketing and hospitality, with years of experience helping hotel brands transform their digital presence and increase conversion rates. His agency, Formula, focuses on exactly the visibility challenges the session addresses.
Why this matters for hospitality professionals
AI search tools are already intercepting the guest research journey. A traveller who once browsed hotel websites directly may now ask ChatGPT or Google's AI for recommendations and never see a booking page until they click to reserve. Understanding your property's AI Shadow - and actively managing it - is becoming a direct revenue concern. This event offers a practical starting point for teams who want to stay ahead of that shift. For those interested in broader applications, AI for Hospitality & Events training covers related skills, and the session's marketing focus aligns with AI for Marketing resources.
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