Born and educated in Canada, John Burns began his career managing university conference centers in Ottawa and then in Vancouver.

In 1980 he joined Hyatt International Hotels, initially as assistant director of sales at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and later in the corporate HQ in Chicago as director of reservation services. He subsequently held increasingly senior positions at Ramada, Inc., THISCO (later Pegasus Solutions) and at technology-innovator INTRICO.

Burns founded Hospitality Technology Consulting in May 1992. Since then as HTC's president, he has headed this international consulting service specializing in assisting hotel chains and independent hotels in optimizing their central reservations, electronic distribution and revenue management programs.

Burns was inducted into the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. He has also received the ISHC Pinnacle Award and the HEDNA Outstanding Contributor Award.

An AH&LA Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and a co-founder of Hotel Technology-Next Generation (HTNG), Burns is active in HEDNA, HFTP, HTNG, and HSMAI.