Market Trends

🏨 Sleeping Bear Hotels reduced OTA reliance from 60%, boosting profitability and guest engagement. Tudor Hopkins streamlined operations, focusing on room bookings and partnerships with local businesses. This shift enhanced pricing strategies and occupancy rates, counteracting high OTA commissions. Partnering with local restaurants and attractions further drove revenue. Hotel owners can adopt these strategies to increase direct bookings, retain profits, and strengthen guest relationships in a competitive market.

📅 SMERF groups—Social, Military, Educational, Religious, and Fraternal—represent a significant, often overlooked hotel market, valuable for maximizing occupancy during off-peak seasons. These groups, including family reunions, military shore leaves, student teams, and pilgrimages, offer high booking reliability due to emotional investment. Hotels can attract them with group discounts, themed amenities, and targeted marketing. Data insights help identify demand patterns and local events, fostering long-term relationships and repeat business.

📊 There were 98,609 outlets at the end of March 2026, marking a reduction of 305 since December 2025. This translates to an average of 3.4 net closures per day. The report by NIQ, powered by CGA intelligence, indicates a second consecutive quarter of decline, fueled by rising costs in labor, energy, and food and drink, alongside weakening consumer confidence.

Most hospitality marketing still operates on a simple assumption. If the product is good and the message is clear, demand will follow. Entertain or Die 3.0 challenges that assumption head-on.…

📅 In 2025, Canadian travel to the U.S. fell by 28%, with 22.9 million visits compared to 31.9 million in 2024. Automobile travel dropped by 30%. International travel to the U.S. decreased by 6-9% due to economic factors, border issues, and geopolitical tensions. Youth sport travel grew significantly in 2025, accounting for 40% of the sports travel market. Families often drive up to 8 hours for tournaments, benefitting hotels with family-friendly amenities.

🏡 Unique properties are accommodations distinct in features, location, or service, such as historical buildings and eco-friendly cabins. They offer personalized experiences, integrating with local culture and traditions for authentic immersion. Located in memorable spots, they enhance travel narratives, providing bespoke amenities and host expertise. This growing trend caters to travelers seeking meaningful adventures beyond standard hotels, offering more than just a place to sleep, but an enriched storytelling experience.

🏨 In 2025, €1.9 billion was invested in the hotel sector, with 75 hotels and 6,075 rooms changing hands, marking an 86% increase in hotel trades and a 100% rise in room numbers. Paris was the hotspot, dominated by mid-sized deals and private investors. Prime yields in Paris stabilized between 4.75% and 5.25%. Supply growth was limited, focusing on transforming existing buildings. Greater Paris achieved an ADR of €160, occupancy of 72.3%, and a RevPAR of €115.7. Inner Paris saw a 4% RevPAR rise to €180.4.

📈 Revenue per available room (RevPAR) surged by 5.1% in the first quarter of 2025, predominantly due to strong pricing strategies in the luxury and lifestyle segments.