“Automate the predictable to humanise the exceptional” was a phrase used at our recent European Tour Destinations annual Conference by Ben Martin, Director at market intelligence firm HKS.
It points to the importance of human connection, the value of face-to-face contact in a world that’s increasingly digital and how – perhaps conversely – embracing Artificial Intelligence can help increase that connection.
We spoke to Ben, to find out why and how golf clubs and resorts should be using AI, exploring:
– AI’s role as an “invisible operator”
– The systems AI can help automate
– Why AI is crucial for searchability
How should golf clubs and resorts be embracing AI?
“AI can have a role as being an invisible operator,” said Ben.
“What we should be striving towards is if we can automate the predictable, it allows us to humanise the exceptional.
“A real life example of this starts with identifying the daily tasks within a business that are repetitious. For example, in the world of hospitality, it could be things like laundry or managing orders – those tasks are predictable.
“Then, if we’re able to use AI to effectively manage those areas, it will free up people who may actually be desperately good at communicating with other human beings, to step out from behind the door to interact with the customer and have that personal communication.
“And one thing is certain: today, humans are longing for more contact because we’re all on our phones, on Teams, Zoom or on WhatsApp. We’re actually lacking human connection, and so AI can have an important role in fostering that as well.
“So, whilst there’s a lot of excitement about chat-bots and AI tools, there’s actually a whole layer of things that a business should be doing to run more efficiently behind the scenes, like using AI to reduce their use of water, manage bookings or optimise scheduling.
“All of those systems can now be embedded in the design and infrastructure of our operations to make it more efficient, before we start thinking about the interaction with the customer.”
Why has AI become so critical for search ranking?
“Today, there are about a billion people that are using AI on a daily basis,” Ben continued.
“If we’re searching for a new restaurant, for example, we’re not just searching for a name.
“Now we’re actually saying, ‘I’d like a restaurant that is by the waterfront. I’ve got a party of 12. I’d like something a bit French, but a bit modern’ – and it becomes a paragraph.
“All of a sudden, a search engine is trying to figure out how to answer your query in a list, and it can’t.
“For a golf resort, this means that if you have a product, service or a destination to offer, you need to think of things differently.
“The old ways of doing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) are gone. We have to think of new ways of doing it, where our searchability is much more attuned to the world of AI than it used to be.
“And if AI can give the customer the full-worded, descriptive answer, with options and links to websites all in one go, it saves them the hassle of going to page 30 on the list.
“Nowadays, it’s all about providing the consumer with ultra bespoke personalisation.”
Ben Martin is an Economics Practice Director, Advisory and a Principal at HKS. Based in London, Ben’s work focuses on helping businesses make informed strategic decisions on real estate development and investments. He is a real estate economics expert, with a particular emphasis on resorts, residential, leisure and mixed-use properties.
Ready to adapt your 2026 strategy?
If you’re wondering how to incorporate AI and other technologies into your business, we can help.
Get in touch: Ian Knox
