Exploring the Future of Property Management Systems: Learnings from Hotel Tech Report
Property management systems (PMSs) have been around since the 1970s. Fifty years on, those early pioneers bear little resemblance to today’s cutting-edge PMSs, and now the rate of innovation seems faster than ever.
So let’s look forward a little to 2025. What should be top of mind for hoteliers as they re-evaluate their key technology?
The knowledgeable folk at Hotel Tech Report produced a recent guide that explores trends and predictions for property management systems. Three key themes emerged and they’re worth exploring in more detail. They are:
- Revenue beyond rooms
- Humanizing hospitality with smart technology
- Working with partners, not vendors
1. Revenue beyond rooms
The first iterations of PMSs were built to manage hotel rooms and hotel rooms only. In fact, that’s how most systems remained until the last decade or so, when the changes in traveler habits and expectations – coupled with better technology – allowed hoteliers to more easily diversify revenue streams.
The importance of capturing revenue from various services beyond room nights – whether it’s F&B, co-working spaces, parking spots or gym memberships – will only grow in the coming months and years. As more hoteliers choose software that enables this, those who provide a more traditional offering will be left behind.
Guests today expect more than just a place to sleep; they want memorable experiences. A cutting-edge PMS integrates these offerings seamlessly into a hotel’s operations, helping maximize ancillary revenues and create personalized experiences, upselling everything from a yoga class to a curated city tour at the point of booking.
Hoteliers need to think holistically about their property as a dynamic venue for experiences rather than just a set of rooms. A forward-thinking PMS helps unify these offerings, driving revenue beyond traditional occupancy.
Richard Valtr, Founder of Mews, believes change is being driven by the transformative power of AI in hospitality.
“From building complex and actionable guest profiles to enhancing operational efficiency, AI and smart technology will continue to drive the industry forward. This means that the days of traditional, room-centric PMSs are numbered. Instead, hoteliers will require a true property management system – one that allows them to easily manage and sell any type of space, service and experience from the same platform.
“Whether you want to turn empty spaces into co-working desks, offer rooms for everything from day-use to annual rentals, or apply automated rates to parking spaces, embracing this new generation of cloud-native, smart technology will drive innovation and be a prerequisite to lasting success.”
2. Humanizing hospitality with smart technology
As technology advances, the challenge for hoteliers will be to use it in ways that enhance the guest experience rather than detract from it. While automation and AI are becoming staples in modern hotel operations, the key is to leverage these technologies to make guests feel more cared for, not less.
Tomorrow’s PMS is evolving into an intelligent hub that manages the delicate balance between efficiency and personalization. For instance, automated check-ins and smart room controls save guests time, but personal touches, such as remembering a guest’s preferences from previous stays or offering tailored recommendations via AI, enhance their experience.
Forward-thinking PMSs will leverage data-driven insights to enable more thoughtful and meaningful interactions, from the moment a booking is made to post-stay engagement. It’s not just about removing friction from the guest journey, but using technology to create deeper, more genuine connections. For hoteliers, this means selecting a PMS that goes beyond operational efficiency and enables a truly guest-centric approach.
3. Working with partners, not vendors
The third theme explored in the Hotel Tech Report guide is the move from transactional relationships with technology providers to true partnerships. As the pace of change in hotel tech continues to accelerate, hoteliers will need more than just vendors. They’ll need trusted partners who offer continuous support, insights, and integration capabilities.
This shift is reflected in the way modern PMSs are built to be open and flexible, allowing seamless integration with other technologies like CRM systems, revenue management tools, or guest messaging platforms. Switching to a new PMS is not an easy decision, nor something hoteliers want to do often, so it’s vital to look for a partner that can evolve with their business, providing customizable and scalable options.
The future of hotel technology will be about collaboration and co-innovation. Hoteliers should prioritize working with PMS providers that listen to their needs, help them navigate new challenges, and ensure their technology stays relevant as the industry evolves.
How to choose your next PMS
Now you know some of the important things to consider when thinking about selecting a new PMS partner. If you haven’t already, draw up a checklist with key steps, including business goals, research and key stakeholders to involve.
One of the first items on your checklist should be to read Hotel Tech Report’s Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to Property Management Systems 2025, sponsored by Mews. As well as these trends and predictions, it covers all the essential information, including:
- The business value of PMSs
- Insights for selecting your ideal PMS
- Thoughts and feedback from hoteliers and industry experts
- Key questions and essential success metrics
- Pricing and implementation
About Mews
Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering over 5,500 customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include BWH Hotels, Strawberry, The Social Hub and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024) and listed among the Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024) by Hotel Tech Report, as well as World's Best Hotel PMS Provider (2023) and World's Best Independent Hotel PMS Provider (2022, 2023, 2024) by World Travel Tech Awards. Mews won the Top 250 Golden Scaler Award in 2024, given to the fastest growing company in the Netherlands, and most recently, was awarded the Tech Hero 2024 Award at CIODAY. Mews has raised $335 million from investors including Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Revaia to transform hospitality.
