Harnessing Advanced Technologies: Benefits and Challenges in Hospitality Design, Both in Industry and Education

The integration of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and the Metaverse, is revolutionizing hospitality design in both industry and education. The primary aim of this paper is to explore beneficial uses, collaborative methods, strategies, and inherent limitations of the implementation of advanced technologies in Hospitality design. The paper seeks also to identify how these technologies can enhance the learning experience, the design processes, and the engagement of Hospitality Design students. The impact of this on professional practice will be more creative, innovative, dynamic, functional and problem-solving proposals. However, the new ground is not without challenges: significant limitations in virtual environments, real-world constraints such as availability, durability, and installation challenges of certain materials, need for training and infrastructure, as well as potential ethical concerns related to privacy and security and potential job displacements are among them. This investigation refers to the implications in both educational and industry contexts and aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on the role of advanced technologies in the design process and specifically in hospitality design.