Advanced Hospitality Technology: Integrating AI and Machine Learning – January 2026

Dale

Dale Gomez is an Associate Teaching Professor, McKibbon ’75 Professorship in Technology, and Director of Information & Instructional Technology at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. With more than 20 years of experience in Information Technology, Mr. Gomez provides leadership in the implementation of desktop computing, networking, enterprise systems, and instructional media services. He played a pioneering role in designing and launching the very first AI and Machine Learning course tailored for the hospitality industry, a 10-week online program that equips professionals with practical tools to personalize guest experiences, improve operational efficiency, and make data-informed strategic decisions. As the holder of the McKibbon ’75 Professorship in Technology, Mr. Gomez advances research, teaching, and industry partnerships at the intersection of hospitality and innovation. His areas of expertise include hospitality information systems, enterprise resource management, AI and machine learning applications in service industries, data analytics for decision-making, and the integration of emerging technologies into guest and employee experiences. Mr. Gomez is also the founder and host of TIED @ the Bay, FIU Hospitality’s signature Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Day. The event brings together industry leaders, educators, students, and innovators to explore how emerging technologies are shaping the future of hospitality, while fostering collaboration across academia, industry, and professional associations. Expanding his national leadership in hospitality technology, Mr. Gomez serves as a member of the HFTP AI Council, an industry council launched by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals to help guide the hospitality industry in understanding and applying artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively. The council brings together global experts and forward-thinking leaders to support AI education, governance, best practices, ethical standards, data privacy, and practical adoption across the hospitality sector. Mr. Gomez serves on the Faculty Senate Technology Committee, is the chairperson of FIU’s Information Technology Administrators Committee, and is the vice president of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) South Florida Chapter. In these roles, he contributes to shaping technology strategy in both higher education and hospitality practice. His leadership in the field has been recognized nationally: in 2014, he was named one of the Top 10 Heads of Higher Education by Tech Decisions and received the BEST Integrators Award for his work on the School’s Wine Spectator Restaurant Management Lab. Mr. Gomez is a proud two-time graduate of FIU’s College of Business, earning his Master of Science in Management Information Systems in 2006 and his Bachelor of Business Administration in 2002. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, he now resides in Cooper City, Florida.

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