Over the past decade, I’ve been fortunate to meet with hundreds of Hospitality and Entertainment Executives to understand their priorities regarding Entertainment and Technology.
Today’s conversations are consistently focused around these three (3) needs…
Ancillary Revenue Generators
This topic is nothing new, but the list of solutions for owners to consider is both growing and improving.
On one hand, you have ROI projects, which I will get to next.
On the other hand – you can find technologies that are either inexpensive or free to implement, generate revenue, and create a value-add for guests. EMERGING, as a Growth Fund, is constantly assessing this product category.
Two of my favorite and easiest to implement technologies are Taiv, which replaces TV commercials with custom content you can monetize and Tablz, which allows guests to pay a premium for restaurant seating with desirable views.
At the ALIS Conference last week, Hotel Owners were loving Taiv and Tablz!
My takeaway – the tech is here, but market education is lagging.
Multi-Concept Entertainment
Hotels and other hospitality sectors are increasingly viewing Entertainment as a strong ROI opportunity vs. being thought of as another amenity.
So how does Entertainment move the needle? When the attraction is compelling enough for consumers to give it a shot and the experience quality leaves guests wanting more.
Achieving Strong ROI in 3 Steps:
1. Creating a compelling experience
While building Topgolf Swing Suite for 8 years, I saw the shift from simple entertainment to premium experiences with marketable brands, which led to an increase in group sales, guest capture, and overall spend-per-visitor.
The next shift for on-property entertainment will include of variety of premium concepts within 3k SF or less.
2. Getting people in the door
Multiple concepts, with great tech and strong IP, allows Operators to get creative with marketing and programming. Top performers will apply the necessary resources and follow proven best practices.
3. Creating repeat visitors
This is a challenge for even the best single-concept venues, as today’s consumer is more susceptible than ever to feeling that once they’ve had an experience, they don’t need to again.
I strongly believe having multiple best-in-class concepts helps solve this challenge.
To expand on that premise, in 2026 we will also see a surge in multi-concept retail experiences.
Think…
- 15k+ SF
- 4-8 Premium Concepts
- High-Quality F&B
- AI-First Operating Technology
My takeaway – that’s EMERGING’s Licensing Business!
Efficiency Gains in Operating Systems
Operators manually monitor too many systems, which creates fragmented and unreliable data capture.
EMERGING’s LP’s are mostly Hospitality Founders & CEOs – we feel this pain point and have been aggressively seeking solutions.
One of our LPs told us to look at ServeAI, saying it was the most interesting tech he’s seen in a decade.
ServeAI connects fragments systems (POS, scheduling, payroll, inventory, PMS, guest feedback, etc.), automates routine Ops, and gives you a single source of truth across your operations without replacing existing systems.
Email me your thoughts on the trends I outlined above!
Peter Kratsios
PK@EMERGING.com
Managing Director, Experiential Growth