The purpose of the present study is to trace the most significant modern transformations in hotel service worldwide, which could also find application in the Bulgarian hotel industry. The first part of the publication examines the factors, as a result of which significant changes occur in the way hotel organizations interact with their customers. The first factor that has had an important impact on the development of the world hotel industry in recent years is the change in the characteristics of hotel consumers and their expectations about hotel service. The second factor, the impact of which in the last two years has radically changed not only the hotel sector but also socio-economic life in general, is the global spread of COVID-19 and the efforts the world is making to contain it. The second part of the paper examines innovative intelligent solutions based on self-service technologies, service automation, and artificial intelligence, which significantly accelerate the adaptation of the hospitality industry to new realities. It is completely realistic to claim that these technologies are also applicable in the Bulgarian hotel industry, especially since some of them are already being implemented in Bulgarian hotels, although still as isolated cases.
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