Market Trends

💵 Marriott International reported a 25% increase in net income to $728 million for Q3 ending on 30 September. Operating income rose to $1.18 billion while adjusted EBITDA increased 10% to $1.35 billion. Global RevPAR grew by 0.5%, with luxury hotels seeing a 4% increase. Marriott added 17,900 net rooms, reaching over 9,700 properties and 1.75M rooms globally. The development pipeline includes 3,923 properties with 596,000 rooms, mostly outside the US and Canada.

✈️ Global travel industry to grow 3.5% annually over the next decade, surpassing global economic growth of 2.5%, according to WTM report at WTM London. By 2035, the industry will reach $16tn, nearly 12% of global GDP. In 2025, arrivals will exceed 1.5 billion. Growth driven by Asia Pacific demand, experiences, and events. Challenges include sustainability costs and geopolitical factors. Northern Europe sees a “coolcation” rise. AI, digital platforms boost demand. US inbound travel to fall 6% in 2025, rebounding by 2029.

📰 Pauline Oster, Vice-President & Executive Director Europe & North Africa for TRIBE, highlights the essence of the brand. Launched in 2019 in Australia, TRIBE focuses on creating modern, hybrid, and connected midscale hotels that integrate into local communities. As of now, the brand is riding high, emphasizing its commitment to innovation and connectivity within the hospitality industry.

📍 South Korean hospitality group Sono International is set to acquire Cross Hotels and Resorts from Flight Centre Travel Group. Cross manages 28 hotels in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan. This acquisition merges Cross's lifestyle and luxury focus with Sono's regional travel expertise. The alliance aims to innovate and expand further, maintaining Cross's Bangkok headquarters. Chief Executive Harry Thaliwal emphasizes the partnership's potential for sustainable growth and enhanced offerings across key markets.

🏨 Located on the ground floor of Hilton Berlin, Mindspace's new flexible workspace spans 1,100 square meters, offering 170 workstations. Guests can access wellness and dining facilities, merging productivity with comfort. Mindspace now has eight sites in Berlin, fourteen in Germany, highlighting the hotel-workspace convergence trend emphasized at MIPIM 2025. The project aligns with Hilton’s growth strategy across EMEA, exemplifying adaptive, mixed-use hospitality.

📈 Hotel managers are urged to focus on future trends, not just historical data. Key strategies include identifying future travel reasons, analyzing on-the-books pace against benchmarks, tracking guest behavior changes, and attracting the right guests. Challenges include data silos and manual processes. A Hotel Business Intelligence tool, like Demand Calendar, can streamline data aggregation and insights, essential for modern hotel strategy. Future success hinges on proactive demand generation and predictive analytics.

🛫 In 2025, 47% of travelers chose multigenerational trips, a 17% increase from the previous year. Hotels like Grano Hotels Solmarina and Hotel Napoleon leverage personalized marketing to attract families. Offers include themed adventures and discounts, such as 50% off a second connecting room. Hotel C Stockholm promotes kids' rooms at 500 SEK with breakfast. These strategies enhance appeal, engagement, and direct bookings, aiming to foster lasting customer loyalty.

📅 October saw significant developments in hotel openings worldwide. The monthly recap highlights the most active regions and countries with strong momentum in the hospitality sector. This strategic overview helps identify emerging trends and dynamics, crucial for informed decision-making and staying competitive in the industry. Keep an eye on this essential analysis to navigate the future of hospitality effectively.

🏨 Luxury and mid-market hotels in the UK saw growth in August 2025. Room rates rose from £380.30 to £405.18 for luxury hotels and from £136.33 to £141.57 for mid-market hotels, while budget hotel rates fell from £103.94 to £98.21. Occupancy increased to 76.9% and 83.6% for luxury and mid-market hotels, respectively, but dropped to 78.6% for budget hotels. Profit per room rose to £157.67 for luxury and £58.66 for mid-market hotels, yet declined to £37.24 in the budget segment. Chris Tate and Robyn Duffy of RSM UK highlighted the trend towards luxury experiences amidst economic uncertainty.