On November 9, at the "2025 Trip.com Group Global Partners Summit" held in Istanbul, Lu Yun, Vice President of Trip.com Group and CEO of Rezen Group, participated in an industry leader dialogue on "How AI Empowers New Growth in the Hotel Industry." He shared insights on leveraging AI to navigate the multiple challenges currently facing the hotel industry.

Amid widespread industry anxiety and expectations, Lu Yun emphasized, "The industry needs to rethink the essence of AI—it is not just a technological tool but a restructuring of organizational frameworks and management processes." He stressed that without deep alignment between AI and a hotel’s organizational structure, even the most advanced technology would struggle to deliver its full potential. Only by establishing a more rational framework can the industry better adapt to future market uncertainties.

**AI Is Not a Panacea: Organizational Alignment and IT Infrastructure Are Key** Lu Yun first addressed the current "AI hype" in the market. He noted, "A common misconception in the industry is viewing AI as a magic bullet that can instantly solve all problems. However, if AI cannot deeply integrate with a hotel’s organizational and management processes, its efficiency advantages will remain unrealized." He further highlighted that adopting AI often requires corresponding organizational adjustments; otherwise, even the most advanced systems may become ineffective.

Currently, many hotels still lack robust IT infrastructure. In such cases, AI adoption tends to be limited to isolated scenarios without structural support. These fragmented attempts fail to generate synergies and thus cannot fundamentally improve operational efficiency. "For Rezen Group, AI’s current value lies more in enhancing B2B operational efficiency—such as revenue optimization, contract efficiency, and operational improvements," Lu Yun explained.

**'HarmonyOS for Hotels': Reshaping the Industry’s Development Path** Discussing how the hotel industry can tackle current challenges, Lu Yun highlighted the advantages of platform-based collaboration. He introduced Rezen’s "HarmonyOS for Hotels" ecosystem model, which offers small and mid-sized hotel groups a low-risk, high-reward path to sustainable growth.

Independent hotels often struggle to withstand market volatility and rapid technological changes alone, whereas platforms can leverage technological advantages, economies of scale, and resource-sharing to provide stronger support. Lu Yun advised hotel investors to conduct rational assessments, rigorously calculate ROI, and adopt reasonable investment models to mitigate risks.

"In today’s market environment, hotel investors may benefit from partnering with large platforms or groups to enhance risk resilience. Rapid technological advancements pose significant challenges for small and mid-sized hotel groups lacking expertise in tech and data—Rezen offers a viable solution. Leave specialized tasks to professionals and focus on core business growth," he said. Through its technology platform and modular application ecosystem, Rezen enables smaller hotel groups to build digital capabilities—previously exclusive to large chains—with minimal investment, akin to assembling Lego blocks, fostering healthier growth for partners.

**Co-Creating the Industry’s Future: Digital Empowerment for Sustainable Growth** Concluding the dialogue, Lu Yun expanded the discussion to the industry’s broader development. He stated that Rezen aims to collaborate with more hotel investors and brands to drive China’s hotel industry toward a shift from "scale expansion" to "sustainable growth" through technological empowerment and innovative models.

"We believe healthy development is not about uniformity but enabling each brand to retain its uniqueness while gaining access to large-platform benefits like technological upgrades, operational efficiency, and risk resilience." Rezen seeks to build a digital- and AI-driven, symbiotic ecosystem, offering a replicable path for small and mid-sized hotel groups to achieve sustainable growth through its ecosystem philosophy and technological practices.