On April 15, I made a day trip to Paris for the Food Hotel Tech B2B trade show at Paris Porte de Versailles. It was an intense day, leaving at 6 a.m. and returning at 11 p.m. This B2B event is dedicated to technology solutions for the hotel and restaurant industry. I had wanted to attend in 2025 but hadn’t been able to make the trip. This year, one of my regular clients was exhibiting, which made it the perfect opportunity to catch a few talks and connect in person with hospitality tech industry professionals I had already been in touch with. Artificial intelligence held centre stage throughout the conferences.
A Show Spanning Startups to Enterprise
The exhibitors ranged from startups to large and mid-sized companies, all showcasing solutions designed to streamline daily hotel and restaurant operations, grow revenue, simplify workflows, and reduce costs, packed with advanced features and, of course, AI.
Visiting a Client in Hospitality Tech
My priority was to visit one of my clients. It felt natural to stop by their stand, and I had given the team I work with advance notice so they could pass the information along. My work for them involves adapting marketing content into French: PowerPoint presentations (decks), press releases, case studies, blog articles, product marketing, and more. Check the client case here.
I introduced myself at the stand, and since it was particularly busy, the team suggested scheduling a short demo at a time that would work for everyone. While I waited, I had the chance to listen to professionals speak.
Conferences Worth Attending
A wide range of talks and pitches were on offer, each more compelling than the last replays are available on the show’s website. I attended sessions including one hosted by Nicolas Suissa (Country Lead at Apaleo), as well as a talk on luxury hospitality as a source of inspiration for reinventing guest experience.
Conversations That Matter
The conferences were fascinating, but I was also there to connect with companies as I had already been in contact with some of them for months before the show. During my demo, I got a hands-on look at a PMS interface and a POS system, tools I would have genuinely appreciated back when I co-managed a hotel restaurant in Costa Rica. For those of us who translate and adapt marketing content for a product, seeing that product in action and getting expert explanations in person makes an enormous difference.
I left happy, tote bag in hand (though as a proud Breton, I prefer to call it a beach bag).
How Do Hoteliers Choose Their Tech Ecosystem?
Walking the aisles, I found myself wondering: how does a French hotelier make their technology choices? Product performance clearly matters most, as does intuitiveness and ease of use. But are there other deciding factors? The welcome received at a stand, perhaps? The quality of the marketing content?
When choosing a foreign brand, what tips the scales? Brand identity and DNA, certainly. But above all, feeling understood in their own language, with their day-to-day challenges acknowledged. French buyers look for reassurance through social proof: client testimonials, case studies with tangible results.
Content clarity also plays a major role. The confidence that they will be able to master the product, unlock its full potential, optimise their processes, and access support in French when they need it.
How Do Hospitality Tech Brands Stand Out?
Beyond their product offering, how do these brands differentiate themselves? Switching property management systems (PMS) is often a source of anxiety (perceived as a major ordeal), which is why many hospitality professionals stick with outdated legacy systems. Is tech jargon actually the language of an independent hotelier? Is it clear enough for them?
Among the key needs I identified:
- A brand identity to assert and strengthen
- Editorial guidelines to define for the French market
- Content adaptation processes to structure and optimise
- AI translations that fall short, currently corrected by already-stretched sales teams
- A pressing need to free up those teams so they can focus on their core business
I met several people who were handling their own brand content adaptation. They update AI-generated translations on top of their regular responsibilities. It’s not their area of expertise, and it’s not necessarily something they enjoy. Being a native speaker with a commercial instinct doesn’t automatically mean mastering the craft of written content adaptation for sales. These professionals need to focus on what they do best: developing strategies, selling, especially face to face at trade shows. But strong, market-adapted marketing content for hospitality tech makes that selling even more effective.
Balancing Technology and Human Expertise in Content Adaptation
It was no surprise, at a tech show, to hear talk of tools replacing human translation: ChatGPT, Claude, and DeepL Pro all came up. I heard everything from « ChatGPT is rubbish » to « DeepL Pro is impressive. » I’ve written a dedicated article on the praise for DeepL Pro I heard at the show, especially relevant since I was approached about working with them. Did I accept? Read the article to find out (only available in French for now).
My background working in a hotel restaurant sparked genuine interest and enriched several conversations, particularly around breakfast ticketing, an old-school system that raises smiles today, especially at a hospitality tech show.
My translation qualifications also caught the attention of someone who had already been looking at my profile, my Master’s degree in particular, which I no longer highlight as much as I perhaps should. My second working language, Spanish, also emerged as an asset: several companies have offices in Spain as well as English-speaking markets.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Conversations have continued since the show, by email and across social networks. If you were at Food Hotel Tech and we didn’t get the chance to meet, feel free to reach out to discuss your needs in marketing content for hospitality tech, localisation, and transcreation.
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