Sandi Lesueur, founder and CEO of Virtu Resorts & Residences, is set to attend Hotec Operations, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for May 19-21 at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Florida—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up to date on emerging trends.
Ahead of the conference, Lesueur talked about sustainability, wellness and overcoming challenges in hospitality.
1. What are you most excited about for your company in 2025 (and beyond)?
As the founder and CEO of Virtu, what excites me most about 2025 and beyond is the global recognition of our vision: creating regenerative, wellness‑focused communities that honor culture, nature and sustainability. Virtu, we’re not just building resorts—we’re setting a new global standard for luxury wellness real estate that integrates [environmental, governance and social] principles, Indigenous partnerships and circular design. I’m especially inspired by our upcoming developments in various countries across Europe and one in Canada—beginning in British Columbia, with additional locations in the works. Each project is grounded in deep collaboration with local communities and powered by renewable energy. These are more than destinations; they are living ecosystems that prioritize well‑being, biodiversity and economic reconciliation.
Looking forward, I’m energized by our growing impact network—from our potential presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos with the World Indigenous Business Network.
2. What are some of the biggest operations-related changes you’ve seen in the hotel industry over the past year?
- Challenge: GDPR/CCPA compliance. Solution: AI guest engagement chatbots handle ~70 percent of inquiries and personalize offers in real time.
- Challenge: Inflation and demand swings require anomaly detection. Solution: Dynamic revenue forecasting ML models reprice rooms multiple times daily, lifting revenue per available room ~10 percent.
- Challenge: High upfront costs push “as‑a‑service” adoption. Solution: Smart energy and ESG IoT‑powered AI cuts energy use ~20 percent and auto‑generates ESG reports.
- Challenge: Cybersecurity in OT networks. Solution: Predictive maintenance AI forecasts equipment failures with >90 percent accuracy, cutting emergency fixes ~40 percent.
- Challenge: Balancing automation with human touch. Solution: Robotics and contactless service delivery robots and voice assistants are now visible in lobbies and hallways.
- Challenge: Ensuring staff acceptance and preventing burnout. Solution: AI workforce optimization smart scheduling and skill‑matching improve staffing efficiency.
3. How has your business adjusted to these changes?
Although Virtu has not yet opened its first property, we’ve built our operational model with AI and innovation at the core:
- AI guest experience: Chatbots and preference engines will drive seamless, personalized service from day one.
- Dynamic pricing: Simulations using local and global market data help us forecast and optimize revenue strategies pre-launch.
- Sustainable energy modeling: Digital twins of each site guide energy design and future performance through AI.
- Predictive maintenance: Early telemetry planning allows us to prevent issues before they arise, increasing efficiency.
- Robotics Integration: Delivery robots and voice assistants are built into our service flow, balanced with human interaction.
- AI staffing models: Workforce planning tools help us train and schedule efficiently, even before operations begin.
- Wellness-focused hiring: As wellness is central to our brand, we’re addressing staffing challenges by offering on-site housing.
4. What are some trends you think will have staying power beyond 2025?
Here are additional trends with staying power beyond 2025—especially relevant to wellness, sustainability, and industry accountability:
- Wellness Standards Frameworks like WELL and RESET will become essential—tracking air, light, sleep, nutrition and mental health.
- Regenerative development moving beyond sustainability to projects that restore nature, culture and community.
- Verified ESG metrics hotels will be expected to report real data—carbon, water, waste, biodiversity—not just claims.
- Circular design modular, low-impact construction and material reuse will become the new normal.
- Local sourcing bioregional ingredients, wellness products and materials will drive authenticity and reduce emissions.
- Nature as core infrastructure green roofs, food gardens and water systems will serve both guest wellness and ecosystem health.
- Cross-sector alignment hospitality, Indigenous partners, academia and clean tech will co-create global standards for accountability.
5. How are you incorporating new technology, especially AI, into your business?
At Virtu, we are integrating advanced technology—particularly AI—into the foundational design of our hospitality model to enhance operational performance, guest personalization, and sustainability tracking:
- AI-powered personalization: Intelligent systems will tailor wellness experiences to individual guest preferences, informed by behavioral patterns and, where appropriate, biometric data.
- Smart building and ESG optimization: AI-driven energy and environmental systems will continuously monitor and optimize utilities, air quality, and resource use—while generating real-time ESG reporting to meet international standards.
- Predictive maintenance: Machine learning tools will anticipate equipment needs, reducing operational disruptions and extending asset longevity.
- Wellness technology integration: We are exploring partnerships to integrate health-focused technologies, such as wearables and sensor-based feedback, to deliver highly personalized and measurable wellness outcomes.
6. What steps are you taking to improve sustainability in the industry?
At Virtu, sustainability is at the core of our operations. Here are the key steps we’re taking:
- Regenerative design: We focus on building projects that restore and enhance the environment, integrating green infrastructure like energy-efficient systems, renewable energy sources, and water conservation technologies.
- ESG reporting and transparency: We implement robust tracking systems to measure carbon footprint, energy use, and waste management, ensuring full transparency through real-time sustainability reporting.
- Sustainable materials: We prioritize the use of locally sourced, low-impact materials, with a focus on circular construction practices to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of resources.
- Wellness integration: By creating environments that promote physical, mental and environmental health, we support regenerative tourism and wellness practices that align with our sustainability goals.
- Collaboration with Indigenous & non-Indigenous communities.
7. What is the biggest challenge you have overcome over the past year? How did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced this past year at Virtu has been navigating global uncertainty—shifting economies, geopolitical instability, and evolving travel patterns. These factors made it essential to re-evaluate where, when, and how we launch. In response, we conducted deeper due diligence in each target region, refining our model to ensure alignment with local market conditions, regulatory frameworks, and long-term demand trends. This process reaffirmed that our chosen locations—in Europe and Canada—are well-positioned for profitability and sustained global interest. We believe the unique, wellness-driven guest experience we offer, combined with strategic regional placement, positions Virtu for long-term success in a rapidly changing world.
8. What is the value of meeting hospitality suppliers one-on-one?
Meeting hospitality suppliers one-on-one is invaluable—especially as we build Virtu from the ground up. These direct conversations allow us to align on values, quality, and sustainability standards from the start. It’s not just about pricing; it’s about building trust, ensuring transparency, and forging long-term partnerships with suppliers who understand our wellness-driven, regenerative model. These meetings also give us insight into innovations, materials, and technologies that align with our brand—and allow us to co-create solutions tailored to each location. In a global landscape shaped by supply chain volatility and rising guest expectations, that personal connection is key to resilience and excellence.
9. What do you hope to accomplish at Hotec this year?
At Hotec this year, I’m seeking creative, forward-thinking partners who understand that each of our Virtu locations—across Europe and Canada—is entirely unique. We’re not building replicas; we’re building legacy projects rooted in place, culture, and wellness. I’m looking for collaborators who bring innovation, integrity, and a shared vision to help us shape transformative spaces that will stand the test of time.
Hotec Operations will take place May 19-21 at the Caribe Royale Orlando. Applications are open for buyers and suppliers.