He believes authentic experiences, resilient business models, and technology that supports human connection can strengthen Malaysia’s competitive edge.
The hospitality industry is changing quickly, and this transformation is credited to technology, shifting traveller expectations, sustainability, and talent that are all reshaping how businesses compete.
These changes come at an important time for Malaysia as it prepares to welcome greater attention through Visit Malaysia 2026.
For Florian Kittler, Managing Partner and Global Practice Leader for Hospitality, Travel & Leisure at Cornerstone International Group, the opportunity lies in understanding where technology can add value whilst keeping people at the heart of hospitality.
Kittler boasts more than 30 years of experience in luxury hospitality and executive search, having worked with global brands including Shangri-La, Mandarin Oriental, and Hyatt. Within his decades in the industry, he has lived and worked across 10 cities in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. This has given him an edge and broad knowledge of cross-cultural perspectives on hospitality and leadership.
He currently advises hotel management companies, property owners, and investors on executive search, leadership development, and the changing capabilities needed across the industry. Moreover, his expertise extends into AI and digital-driven roles, supported by professional coaching certifications and an AI Manager & Consultant designation. He headed HVS Executive Search’s Europe and APAC business as well before joining Cornerstone International Group.
As a returning judge for the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2026 - Malaysia, Kittler brings this combination of hospitality, leadership, and technology expertise to the judging process. He shared his insights on how Malaysian tourism can build stronger experiences, prepare for disruption, turn sustainability into a competitive advantage, and use AI without losing the human side of hospitality.
As traveller expectations become more sophisticated, how should organisations rethink the way they design experiences to remain competitive?
For me, the biggest change is that the guest experience no longer starts when someone walks through the hotel entrance. It starts much earlier, when they discover the property, look at the images, read reviews, compare alternatives and decide whether the experience is worth their time and money. And it continues after departure, through the memories they take away and, increasingly, the stories they share with others. Hotels therefore need to look at the entire journey rather than concentrating almost exclusively on what happens during the stay.
There is another important change. Travellers are increasingly looking for something beyond a functional hotel experience. They may be looking for wellbeing, recognition, connection, discovery or simply a sense of place. That is particularly relevant in Asia, where travellers are becoming more experienced and have an enormous range of destinations and products to choose from.
This is where I believe Malaysia has a real opportunity.
A hotel that gives me a genuine sense of the region has something that cannot simply be copied by another international hotel brand. A heritage property or an experience rooted in the culture and nature of Malaysia can create an emotional connection that a standardised product simply cannot.
Technology has an important role to play here, particularly through data and AI. But technology should help us understand and serve the guest better. It should not make the experience feel more automated. The best operators will be those that combine technology with a strong human connection.
What strategies do you believe travel organisations should prioritise to prepare for future disruptions?
I think we have to accept that disruption is no longer something that happens every few years. It has become part of the operating environment.
We have seen a pandemic, geopolitical tensions, extreme weather, changing travel patterns and significant currency movements. None of these things can be predicted perfectly. What organisations can do is become better at responding to them.
One area I would focus on is diversification. If a hotel or destination depends too heavily on one source market, one airline connection or one particular type of guest, it becomes vulnerable very quickly when circumstances change
Malaysia has a good opportunity here because of its domestic market, its regional connectivity and its position within ASEAN. Developing a broader mix of markets gives operators more options when one market slows down.
The second area is speed of decision-making. Having data is one thing; actually, using it to make decisions quickly is another. Revenue management, marketing, staffing and distribution all need to become more responsive.
And finally, I would put more emphasis on relationships. Strong relationships with airlines, DMCs, travel partners, local communities and other destinations can be extremely valuable when circumstances change.
Resilience is therefore not just about having enough cash in the bank. It is also about having information, options and relationships that allow you to react quickly.
How can tourism businesses turn sustainability from a responsibility into a competitive advantage?
I think the industry has moved beyond the point where sustainability can simply be presented as a nice statement in a brochure.
Guests, investors and employees increasingly want to know what a company is actually doing.
For a hotel, that can mean sourcing more products locally, reducing food waste, managing energy and water consumption properly, protecting the surrounding environment or working meaningfully with local communities. These are operational decisions, but they can also have a direct impact on the guest experience and the bottom line.
Asia has a particular advantage here because so much of the region's tourism appeal is connected to nature, biodiversity and living culture. If we damage those things, we are effectively damaging the product we are selling.
I also expect technology to make sustainability claims more transparent. We are moving towards a world where it will be increasingly possible to measure energy consumption, water use, food provenance and other environmental impacts much more accurately.
That creates an interesting shift. Sustainability becomes much more credible when a guest can see evidence rather than simply being asked to trust a claim.
For me, the real competitive advantage will come from operators who make sustainability part of how they run the business, rather than treating it as a separate initiative.
The travel and hospitality industry continues to evolve rapidly. What major shifts do you believe will redefine the sector over the coming years?
There are several, but I would highlight five. First, AI. I don't see AI as a passing trend. It will increasingly become part of the basic infrastructure of hospitality — from revenue management and forecasting to marketing, guest communication and back-of-house processes. The question is no longer whether hotels will use AI, but how intelligently they will use it.
Second, wellness. Wellness has moved well beyond the traditional spa concept. Guests are increasingly interested in sleep, nutrition, fitness, mental wellbeing and healthier ways of travelling. This will become relevant across more segments of the market, not only at the high end.
Third, food and beverage. F&B is increasingly becoming part of a property's identity rather than simply an additional revenue department. In some hotels, the restaurant can be as important to the local community and the hotel's reputation as the rooms themselves.
Fourth, existing assets. I expect to see continued investment in repositioning and upgrading existing hotels rather than simply building new ones. In many parts of Southeast Asia, construction costs, land prices and the time required to develop new projects make existing assets increasingly attractive.
And fifth, loyalty. The traditional points-based loyalty model is being challenged. I expect to see more membership and subscription concepts that give people access to experiences, restaurants, wellness, travel and lifestyle benefits rather than simply accumulating points for a free night.
But underneath all five of these trends is one issue that I think deserves much more attention: people.
The jobs in hospitality will change. Technology will take over more repetitive tasks, whilst the value of people who can create experiences, solve problems, build relationships and lead teams will increase. That requires a different approach to talent.
Looking ahead, what skills do you believe tomorrow's hospitality leaders will need?
Leaders don't necessarily need to become technology experts, but they do need to become technologically comfortable.
A general manager who doesn't understand data, analytics or what AI can and cannot do will increasingly find themselves at a disadvantage. They need to be able to ask the right questions and challenge the output rather than simply accepting whatever appears on a dashboard.
At the same time, I believe the human side of leadership will become even more important.
If technology takes away some of the repetitive work, what remains is the work that requires judgement, empathy, cultural intelligence and human connection. Those are not soft skills. They are increasingly hard commercial skills.
Leaders also need to become more commercially versatile. The traditional separation between operations, revenue, sales, marketing and people is becoming less useful. A strong hotel leader needs to understand how all of these elements influence each other.
And there is another quality I would add: self-awareness.
The environment is changing too quickly for leaders to have all the answers. The ability to say, "I don't know yet, but let's work it out," can be more valuable than pretending to have certainty.
Across Asia, the leaders who impress me most tend to combine strong local cultural understanding with an international perspective and a genuine curiosity about what is changing around them.
As a returning judge for the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2026 – Malaysia, what improvements or new trends are you hoping to see from this year's nominations?
As a judge, I always enjoy seeing what is happening across the industry. This year, I would particularly like to see more evidence behind the stories.
A beautifully written submission is certainly enjoyable to read, but what really interests me is what happened as a result.
Did guest satisfaction improve? Did the business achieve measurable commercial results? Did a sustainability initiative actually reduce energy or water consumption? Did an investment in people lead to better retention or stronger internal career development?
Those are the things that make an entry stand out.
I would also like to see the diversity of Malaysian tourism reflected more strongly in the nominations. Malaysia's hospitality story is much bigger than Kuala Lumpur and the country's flagship luxury hotels.
There is enormous potential in Penang, Langkawi, Sabah and Sarawak, as well as amongst independent hotels, boutique operators and businesses that are building experiences around Malaysia's heritage, food, culture and natural environment.
And I would like to see more recognition for people. Hospitality is ultimately a people’s business. Technology can make us more efficient, but it cannot replace the importance of leadership, service culture, talent development and genuine engagement with local communities.
Finally, I am particularly interested in seeing how this year's nominees are approaching AI. I am less interested in an entry simply because it says "AI" and much more interested in what the technology has actually achieved.
Has it helped employees spend more time with guests? Has it improved decision-making? Has it removed unnecessary administration? Has it allowed the business to personalise the experience without losing the human touch?
That, to me, is the real test.
Malaysia has an important year ahead, with Visit Malaysia 2026 putting the country's tourism industry firmly in the regional spotlight. I hope this year's awards show shows not only how much Malaysian hospitality has changed, but also where it can lead.
For me, the most exciting question is not who is following the future. It is who is helping to define it.
