Berkshire State of Work Summit

AI for Hospitality and Tourism

Signature Series

AI for Hospitality and Tourism

Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
BCC Koussevitzky Arts Center, Room K111
Fee: $75

AI for Hospitality and Tourism summit overview and programming
Overview

Practical AI Strategies to Elevate Guest Experience, Strengthen Operations and Drive Innovation and Efficiency

This half-day summit exploring how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the hospitality and tourism industry. As the Berkshires continue to thrive as a premier destination, renowned for world-class arts and culture, wellness retreats, outdoor recreation, farm-to-table dining, boutique lodging, and luxury spa experiences, this event will explore how Artificial Intelligence can help local businesses elevate guest service, strengthen operations, and remain competitive in an evolving marketplace.

Programming

Kate Fox: Opening Keynote
Kate Fox will share ways in which the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism is using AI for destination marketing, as well as trends and practices that are evolving in the tourism industry. Whether it’s helping bust through writer’s block, contribute to a concept brainstorm, or enhancing targeted content creation, AI has become an asset to productivity for MOTT.

Dennis Iodice: Build a Custom Business App with AI
Dennis will guide the audience through his hands-on journey of building a custom operations app using the AI-assisted platform Base44. Faced with time-consuming manual workflows, he leveraged AI to design a solution tailored specifically to his team’s needs. The result was a streamlined system that significantly reduced repetitive tasks and improved overall efficiency. Remarkably, Dennis accomplished this at a fraction of the cost of implementing a comparable SaaS product. In this session, he will break down each step of his process, from identifying operational pain points to deploying a working solution. Attendees will gain practical insights into how AI-powered tools can unlock faster, more cost-effective application development.

Robert Botto: Automate Customer Responses with AI
Dive into practical AI implementation with a session focused on automating customer support responses for small-to-medium businesses (SMBs).This presentation demonstrates how to leverage cloud technology, specifically Claude Desktop, to draft automated replies through Gmail accounts. Attendees will watch a live, step-by-step demo showing how to connect Claude and set up routines to draft responses to dummy support information. The session includes a valuable, beginner-style section on prompting methodology, introducing the "three C's" framework to help attendees contextualize their prompts for better, more iterative outputs. This will be an interactive workshop, encouraging participants to follow along collectively and build their own automation using an example prompt displayed on a projector. Finally, participants will receive a handout with contact information to aid in troubleshooting and ongoing reference after the session.

Samuel Pascual: This session addresses the critical tension between rapid AI adoption and the preservation of local character, specifically highlighting the concerns of municipal economic development committees regarding job displacement in the hospitality sector and the confabulations of local travel data. Former Dalton Redevelopment Vice Chair, Samuel Pascual will discuss strategies for implementing AI-driven tourism tools that prioritize the economic resilience of small businesses and maintain public trust through transparent, community-centered governance frameworks.

Matt Mervis: Closing Keynote
AI for Hospitality and Tourism summit sponsor

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AI for Hospitality and Tourism summit speakers

Kate Fox

Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

Kate Fox is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, where she leads statewide tourism marketing and industry strategy for the Commonwealth.

Since joining the agency in June 2023, Kate has revitalized key initiatives, including enhancing the agency’s domestic and international marketing strategy, bringing back the Massachusetts Conference on Travel and Tourism, and restoring the state’s presence in the group tour and sports marketing sectors. Kate also oversees the Massachusetts 250 campaign, which commemorates the history of the American Revolution in Massachusetts by amplifying lesser-known stories and celebrating the state as a revolutionary place to live, work, and visit today.

Prior to her statewide role, Kate spent nearly 20 years as Executive Director of Destination Salem, guiding one of the country’s most recognized cultural tourism destinations, an experience that continues to shape her leadership at MOTT. She lives in Beverly with her husband Matt and is a proud mom to grown sons George and Nicholas.

Dennis Iodice

Director of Operations at Berkshire Mountain Bakery

Dennis Iodice is the Director of Operations at Berkshire Mountain Bakery, a wholesale and retail sourdough bakery serving a diverse regional market. He brings a multidisciplinary background to his work, having previously built a career in interior design with projects across the country. For the past nine years, Dennis has lived in the Berkshires with his family, where he has become deeply engaged in the local food and business community. At the bakery, he oversees daily operations, sales channels, and process optimization, with a focus on efficiency and sustainable growth.

His perspective bridges craftsmanship and systems thinking, offering practical insight into how emerging technologies like AI can support workforce development and operational resilience in hospitality and tourism. Dennis manages the Great Barrington Farmers’ Market and has a digital marketing consultancy. He also serves on the board of directors for Community Development Corporation South Berkshire and as board president of BerkShares, our local Currency.

Samuel Pascual

Digital Navigator and Digital Equity Advocate, Pittsfield Community Television

Samuel Pascual is a Digital Navigator and Digital Equity Advocate at Pittsfield Community Television, where he works to bridge the digital divide through education and strategic infrastructure. Backed by funding from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute and the AI Hub, Samuel has become a leading voice for AI literacy in Western Massachusetts, delivering specialized training to both the next generation youth entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders.

Samuel’s approach to technology is rooted in ethics, safety and respect for human experience. He champions the use of locally hosted, specialized AI models to ensure community solutions remain secure and contextually relevant. His unique perspective is shaped by his tenure on the Dalton Redevelopment Authority, where he navigated the intricacies of municipal growth and business recruitment. An experienced community organizer, Samuel also co-founded the Berkshire Waterfront Festival, coordinating with regional athletic organizations to transform Pittsfield's Lake Onota into a New England-wide tourism draw.

Today, he joins us to explore how AI can be harnessed as a catalyst for creative tourism, powered by human-centric innovation.

Robert Botto

Robert Botto is Sr. Product Manager at Adly, a Private Equity firm that has completed 13+ acquisitions and $300M+ in deals across a portfolio of SaaS, and content businesses spanning 20 countries. In that role, he leads product across multiple businesses and the integration of AI across product, engineering, and the entire organization.

He's also the founder of WellNotes AI , a clinical documentation platform built for therapists, social workers, and behavioral health clinicians. Building gave him a hands-on understanding of what it actually takes to ship AI-powered products — from prompt design and data privacy to getting skeptical professionals to trust the output.

Robert speaks at the intersection of practical AI adoption and business operations – focused on what works for real teams, not just startups with unlimited runway.

Matt Mervis

Director of AI Strategy, EdAdvance

Matt Mervis is the Director of AI Strategy at EdAdvance and the creator of "The AI-Powered Hospitality Leader" in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University. As a consultant and instructor, Matt specializes in leveraging AI for routine tasks so teams can focus on high-value guest interactions.

Known for his wit and expert presentation skills, Matt is a sought-after speaker who makes complex technology accessible and actionable for every role in the industry. He balances technical expertise with a commitment to responsible innovation, ensuring that AI enhances rather than replaces the personal connections that make hospitality special.