Radisson Hotel Group

Miguel Molina is the Director of Conversion Rate Optimisation and Personalisation at Radisson Hotel Group, with a background in digital marketing. From managing CRO to directing CRO and personalisation, he has been serving at Radisson Hotel Group for almost eight years now.

Through this interview, Miguel emphasises how data-driven personalisation can humanise digital experiences in hospitality. His goal is to show that personalisation is not just about algorithms or A/B testing. It’s about understanding guest needs and creating meaningful, locally relevant and emotionally resonant interactions at every digital touchpoint.

Creating Relevance in Every Guest Experience

Personalisation only matters when it feels personal. After joining Radisson Hotel Group, one of my key goals was to make sure that our digital experience was truly customer-centric across all regions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). Since we operate a single website for guests worldwide, the first step was to tailor it through geo-targeting, adapting content and offers based on the user’s location. This helped us make the experience more relevant, even when we knew very little about the customer

As we gathered more insights, our strategy evolved from simple localisation to behaviour-driven personalisation. For example, if a user includes children in their booking, we highlight family-friendly rooms and amenities. If the guest travels frequently for business, we showcase facilities such as express breakfast options or airport transfers. These small, data-driven actions make the website feel intuitive and responsive to each visitor’s intent.

For our loyalty members, personalisation goes a step further. By using their stay history and preferences, we create more tailored digital experiences that reflect their habits and expectations. Whether someone travels for business or leisure, my focus has always been on turning data into meaningful moments that make every guest feel recognised and understood, no matter where they are in the world.

Thoughtful Personalisation Leads The Way

Personalisation isn’t just about recommending what’s popular, but about making each guest feel understood and valued. Before rolling out any personalisation rule, I make sure to test it thoroughly to ensure it truly meets our guests’ needs and enhances their experience.

“My most important realisation was that personalisation isn’t about doing everything possible for a guest but about focusing on what truly matters for them. Putting myself in the guest’s shoes helped me see what would make an experience memorable.”

For instance, when identifying the most likely destinations for a guest, I go beyond serving trending options; I assess whether those suggestions are truly relevant. Travel behaviours differ sharply across markets. In Dubai, preferences are diverse and often international, while in India, domestic travel dominates. Understanding these distinctions ensures that every recommendation feels intentional and personalised, rather than generic.

I set data-driven thresholds, showing recommendations only when at least 70 percent of users would find them useful. This careful approach ensures personalisation feels helpful rather than intrusive, balancing relevance with respect for the guest.

By testing carefully and using data smartly, I turn insights into meaningful, guest-focused experiences. Every interaction on our website and app feels personal, thoughtful and engaging, making each guest feel truly seen and cared for.

Making Technology Complement Human Hospitality

Small actions make a big difference in how guests connect.

At Radisson Hotel Group, we experimented with what we call ‘local flavours,’ small touches on our website that reflect the culture and celebrations of each region.

For example, during March, we highlight ‘St Patrick’s Day’ in Ireland on our website, while in Islamic countries, we showcase ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ greetings. These are the simple ways to make our guests feel seen and connected.

The results surprised me. Just by acknowledging local culture, the bookings increased. It proved that thoughtful personalisation can create real human connections.

Bringing Human Warmth To Digital Intelligence

Most of our personalisation work has been manual, from testing rules to measuring impact, applying them one by one. It works, but it’s slow and limited, especially when most guests stay only once a year. Understanding a guest’s needs from such data has always been a challenge.

What excites me most is how AI is helping us think differently. I can now look at signals – like where a guest is connecting from, the device they’re using or even the first page they visit – and get a sense of what they might be looking for. It’s like reading their intent without asking, and it lets me create experiences that feel personal, natural and genuinely helpful.

This gives me a vision for the future of hospitality, with highly personalised experiences for every guest, even if they rarely interact with us. What excites me most is knowing that small, data-driven insights powered by AI can now scale across all our platforms, making each guest feel recognised, cared for and genuinely understood, whether online or in our hotels.

Small Details, Big Impact On Experience

Putting myself in the guest’s shoes helped me see what would make an experience memorable. Even small details, like highlighting a family-friendly room or noting a travel preference, can make a guest feel recognised and valued, which in turn strengthens their trust and connection with the brand.

The breakthrough moment came when I saw how context changes what’s possible. In a boutique hotel, we can surprise guests with small gestures, like leaving a guest’s favourite snack or drink in the room. These small gestures feel deeply personal. But in larger hotels or chains, not every idea is feasible. This taught me to think creatively within constraints and find ways to make personalisation meaningful for all guests.

I have learnt that the key to great personalisation is relevance and intent. Identify the attributes that truly impact the guest experience, then connect them to thoughtful actions or services. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters. Always ask yourself, “Would this matter to the guest?” When you do, every interaction feels intentional, personal and memorable.