For over twenty-five years, Saro Spadaro has played a key role in the evolution of the hospitality and real estate industry across the Caribbean. As the head of The Maho Group, he has transformed the island of Sint Maarten into a dynamic hub that integrates luxury resorts, high-end residences, and tailored services. His entrepreneurial journey, built from the ground up after graduating in Business Administration from Bocconi University, reflects a rare balance of vision, pragmatism and strategic consistency. Today, that journey enters a new chapter—one marked by the transformative power of artificial intelligence.
To Saro Spadaro, AI is not just a technical resource, but a strategic driver poised to reshape the hospitality industry. In an increasingly competitive landscape, where service excellence depends on both efficiency and personalization, AI represents a true game changer. Yet it also poses a challenge: operators who fail to adapt their digital presence and customer interfaces to integrate intelligent tools risk fading into irrelevance.
In his view, the challenge is twofold. On one hand, businesses must rethink how they present their services online—making them more fluid, more intuitive, and more compatible with AI-driven interactions. On the other, there is immense untapped potential in new-generation language models, capable of supporting guests throughout the decision-making process by anticipating needs and streamlining choices. However, this technology must be used responsibly: the models need to be secure, customized, and built around real user expectations and destinations.
What remains central in Saro Spadaro’s approach is the human element. AI should not replace interaction but enhance it. Guest experience, in his view, cannot exist without human contact. The real opportunity lies in equipping teams with tools that allow them to understand, anticipate and serve each guest more accurately. It’s about building a smart alliance between people and technology: one that raises service quality, reduces operational costs, and supports environmental sustainability.
There are practical examples of this already taking shape: predictive maintenance for resort infrastructure, intelligent inventory management for food service, optimized use of cleaning agents and laundry operations. These innovations don’t just improve internal processes: they directly benefit guests while promoting greener operations and cutting waste.
His definition of leadership has always been grounded in accountability and presence. That was especially evident in 2017, when Hurricane Irma devastated Sint Maarten. Rather than step away, Saro Spadaro remained on the island, leading emergency response efforts, organizing evacuations, and overseeing rapid reconstruction. It was a defining moment that demonstrated his belief in leading from the front, especially in times of crisis.
Today, as The Maho Group strengthens its global footprint, Saro Spadaro is focused on the path ahead. Artificial intelligence, sustainable growth, and human-centered management are the cornerstones of his entrepreneurial philosophy. For him, vision, words and actions must always move in unison. And it is precisely in the consistency between these three dimensions that his leadership finds its power: tangible, forward-looking, and rooted in a deep sense of responsibility.
