Tripadvisor Summer Travel Index Shows East Coast and Florida Beaches as America’s Most Sought-After Summer Destinations

NEEDHAM, Mass. - Tripadvisor , the world's largest travel guidance platform, today released initial findings from its upcoming Summer Travel Index revealing the top and trending summer destinations for U.S. travelers in 2026. The data reveals a preference for East Coast beach destinations, with Myrtle Beach leading domestic travel searches. These accessible coastal destinations offer family-friendly appeal and activities that cater to travelers of all ages, from water parks and beach activities to cultural attractions and local entertainment. Internationally, Mexico and the Caribbean continue to dominate, with Cancun as the top summer travel destination for the third year in a row, offering world-class diving and snorkeling experiences as well as proximity to iconic cultural heritage sites. Destination preferences shift across holiday weekends in the U.S., with the data revealing that travelers are choosing long-weekend trips to destinations like Anaheim, California , and Orange Beach, Alabama , for Memorial Day, and to beach hotspots like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Clearwater, Florida for 4th of July. Summer Travel Index: 2026 Top Summer Destinations Summer travel searches reveal a balanced mix of beloved beach getaways and iconic urban destinations. While the well-loved Myrtle Beach takes the lead this year along with three top Florida beach destinations, city icons also top the list, with top cities including New York, Chicago and Vegas all included. Internationally, Cancun takes the lead with U.S. travelers, with Paris and London rounding out the top three, reflecting strong demand for European cultural hubs throughout the top 10. Top 10 Domestic Destinations for U.S. Travelers Myrtle Beach, South Carolina New York, New York Chicago, Illinois Las Vegas, Nevada Ocean City, Maryland Key West, Florida Panama City Beach, Florida Seattle, Washington Clearwater, Florida Nashville, Tennessee Top 10 International Destinations for U.S. Travelers Cancun, Mexico Paris, France London, United Kingdom Rome, Italy Bavaro, Dominican Republic Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Barcelona, Spain Palm - Eagle Beach, Aruba Vancouver, Canada Oranjestad, Aruba Top 10 Fastest Growing Destinations Based on YoY Growth Year-over-year comparisons reveal that Florida coastal towns and Caribbean islands are gaining popularity with travelers this summer, while international travelers are discovering new destinations across Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. Top 5 Trending Domestic Destinations Orlando, Florida Longboat Key, Florida Pensacola Beach, Florida Baltimore, Maryland Charlotte, North Carolina Top 5 Trending International Destinations Green Island, Jamaica The Bight Settlement, Turks and Caicos Kyushu, Japan Bilbao, Spai n Tropea, Italy Memorial Day Weekend Travel Trends Memorial Day weekend trending destinations showcase new favorites gaining traction with summer travelers. Coastal destinations like St. Pete Beach and Orange Beach, and cultural destinations like Rome and Toronto are seeing increased search activity, while Anaheim – home to top-rated Disneyland Park – looks set to be a popular choice for extended weekend getaways. Top 5 Trending Domestic Destinations for Memorial Day Weekend Anaheim, California Orange Beach, Alabama St. Pete Beach, Florida Reno, Nevada Virginia Beach, Virginia Top 5 Trending International Destinations for Memorial Day Weekend Rome, Italy Toronto, Canada Porto, Portugal Bavaro, Dominican Republic Grace Bay, Turks

Hotel Equities (HE), a best-in-class hospitality operator and developer, announces three Focused Service portfolio additions across North America. The company has assumed management of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Woodstock, Ontario; Reflections Hotel, Ascend Collection by Choice Hotels International in Kissimmee, Florida, scheduled to open in Fall 2026; and the Courtyard by Marriott Dallas DFW Airport North/Irving . These additions demonstrate HE’s sustained momentum across strategic markets, further highlighting the depth, versatility, and strength of its operating platform. In focused service hotels, success comes down to how well you execute. As we expand in key markets across the Americas, we bring the same disciplined, hands-on approach, focused on the fundamentals and closely aligned with ownership to drive consistent, measurable results at the asset level David Rosenberg, President, Focused Service at Hotel Equities TownePlace Suites Woodstock TownePlace Suites Woodstock recently opened in Ontario on March 26, 2026, and marks the first Marriott-branded property in the Woodstock market. Located adjacent to the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Woodstock plant, it sees strong demand resulting from corporate and extended-stay travelers. Owned by Gary Singh of KRS Group, the property expands HE’s presence in Ontario and builds on its position as a leading third-party operator for Marriott in Canada. The property joins HE’s growing collection of top-performing TownePlace Suites hotels in the region, including Red Deer, Edmonton South, Medicine Hat, and Belleville. Reflections Hotel, Ascend Collection by Choice Hotels International Located in Kissimmee, FL near Celebration, the property is owned by Bonnet Creek Village SPE, LLC and is expected to open in Fall 2026. Situated near Walt Disney World and Orlando’s major attractions, the hotel will introduce a locally inspired hospitality experience in one of the most visited leisure markets in the U.S. The property will feature modern design, flexible indoor and outdoor event space, an elevated food and beverage concept, and a resort-style pool. Courtyard by Marriott Dallas DFW Airport North/Irving Following the completion of a comprehensive renovation, the hotel in Irving, Texas features upgraded guestrooms and refreshed amenities, positioning it to better serve both business and transient travelers. Located near Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the property benefits from strong corporate and travel demand within one of the region’s most active submarkets. The addition brings HE’s Dallas-Fort Worth portfolio to seven properties, enabling more localized support and enhanced operational oversight across the market. These three additions highlight HE’s strength across its focused service portfolio, combining scale, operational consistency, and an owner-first approach. With an extended-stay property in Ontario, a new development in Florida, and continued expansion in Dallas-Fort Worth, these new additions reflect the company’s ability to deliver results across a range of focused service environments, further reinforcing HE’s position as a leading third-party management company. For more information about partnering with Hotel Equities, visit www.hotelequities.com/development .

Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based third-party hotel operator and investor, announced the continued growth of Elevate Renovations + Development , its third-party project management and asset lifecycle services platform for hotel owners. Elevate recently completed the public-space renovation of Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection by Marriott, and is supporting five additional projects ranging from full renovations to targeted technical services. Elevate reflects the evolution of HVMG’s long-standing development and project management expertise into a dedicated, third-party services platform for owners beyond our portfolio. Elevate has overseen $80+ million in hotel renovations, including the renovation of the Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection by Marriott. Our active pipeline includes seven hotel projects, and we look forward to continuing this momentum as owners invest in upgrades. HVMG has provided development and project management services since the company’s founding more than 25 years ago, generating $500+ million in revenue Robert Cole, founder, president and CEO of HVMG Castle Hotel, Autograph Collection by Marriott, Case Study Ownership engaged Elevate midway through an ongoing renovation project during a critical transition phase. To protect the budget, Elevate partnered with ownership to realign scope, schedule, and financial parameters to reflect market conditions and operational requirements. The renovation focused on transforming the hotel’s food and beverage venues and outdoor leisure areas. The bar received custom millwork, stone bar tops and work surfaces, complete FF&E replacement, and upgraded interior finishes. An outdoor patio was added, complete with outdoor seating and dining furniture, decorative hardscape, and paving. Additionally, the hotel’s pool area was fully revitalized with new furniture and custom touches. “The transformation reflects a strategic investment in high-impact public areas that strengthen both brand identity and revenue performance,” said Suzanne Saunders, chief elevation officer, Elevate. “We were able to work with ownership to get a complex project back on track and refine a vision that worked for everyone. We believe this collaborative approach sets us apart and benefits hotel owners who need experienced third-party management services to bring projects over the finish line.” About Elevate Elevate partners with hotel owners on individual, short-term projects and can also serve as a long-term partner across the life of an investment, bringing hotel-specific development and renovation expertise to each engagement. The firm provides a full suite of development and project management services, from pre-purchase due diligence through disposition, ensuring every detail aligns with ownership’s vision and investment goals. Learn more about Elevate and contact Suzanne Saunders through https://elevatebyhvmg.com/

I was invited to a review session not long ago where the numbers weren’t great. Not terrible, not catastrophic, just… underwhelming. The kind of performance that makes everyone slightly uncomfortable but nobody wants to say anything too direct. You know those meetings....a tough question gets asked and everyone sheepishly looks at everyone else to reply. So to break the silence we went through the usual routine. Pickup was discussed. Competitors were mentioned. Someone pulled up STR. Someone else talked about market conditions. There was a lot of nodding. A lot of “yeah, that makes sense.” And then someone said it: “We probably need to be a bit more aggressive on price.” F* me....really??? I knew exactly what was going on. Literally no-one had a clue. So...what happens when people don’t really understand what’s happening!?!?! They reach for the one lever they think they control: Price. (PS: Regardless is it makes sense or not!) the comfort of the obvious lever Price feels like control. You move it, something happens. Up or down, there’s a visible action. It gives the illusion of progress. But most of the time, it’s just noise. Really doesn't move the needle to where it needs to be. And you know why? Because price only works properly when everything around it makes sense. If your demand isn’t clear, your segmentation is fuzzy, your positioning is weak, and your distribution is messy, changing price is like adjusting the volume on a broken speaker. Louder or quieter doesn’t fix the distortion. It just changes how obvious it is. Revenue Management has a branding problem It sounds technical. It sounds complex. It sounds like something that lives in spreadsheets and systems and needs a lot of formulas to work. So people treat it that way. They focus on the outputs: rates, forecasts, reports! Without really understanding the inputs. The behavior behind the numbers. The why behind the patterns (Hi, Simon Sinek 😍🤘). It’s like trying to get fit by only looking at the scale. You keep stepping on it, hoping it moves in the right direction, but you’re not actually changing what drives the outcome. the illusion of being data-driven Everyone says they are data-driven. What that often means in reality is that they have access to data. Here me loud and clear: Data access does not equal data understanding!!! You can have dashboards, reports, AI insights, and still make bad decisions if you don’t know what you’re actually looking for. Data rarely provides 100% certainty. It generally gives you more confusion and that's when you start guessing. More is not better.... PS: YOUR RMS IS NOT YOUR STRATEGY!!!! you suck because you stopped thinking Most people don’t suck at revenue management because it’s too hard. They suck because they skip the thinking. They jump to decisions before understanding the situation. They move levers before understanding what those levers actually influence. They react to outcomes instead of analyzing causes. And then they get really emotional when it works....you know what comes