Market Trends

🍴 In the hospitality industry, there's a shift away from curated, polished experiences towards authenticity. Guests now prefer genuine, believable brands. This change reflects a demand for real, relatable experiences over performative hospitality.

🍴 European foodservice is undergoing structural changes. Operators are shifting from daily, on-site food production to central production, acknowledging that preparing food from scratch in each kitchen is unsustainable at scale. Success hinges on execution, emphasizing efficiency and consistency in food preparation processes.

📰 The age of paid hospitality advertising is faltering due to self-inflicted issues. Brands are shifting focus from increasing ad spend to transforming into media companies.

📈 In today's luxury market, "good life" priorities have evolved. The trend has shifted from extravagant dining and ostentatious experiences to emphasizing wellbeing, meaning, and connection. The once sought-after opulence is now replaced with a focus on personal fulfillment and interpersonal bonds.

🌎 In 2026, Fullstory's survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers reveals 70% traveled recently or plan to this year, despite rising costs. Hidden fees frustrate 61%, while 33% cut budgets. Alternate travel options appeal to 20%. Traditional planning tools dominate with 53% using search engines. Key booking factors are price (77%), service (51%), and convenience (48%). Personalization should offer savings, with 55% favoring discounts. 70% might switch brands after poor experiences, highlighting the need for seamless service.

📈 In 2026, U.S. hotels are grappling with a 20% labor cost rise since 2019. Labor now consumes 43% of revenue at unionized properties. Revenue from occupancy growth yields just 30% to the bottom line, whereas rate growth (ADR) achieves 60% profit flow-through. GOPPAR shifts twice as much as RevPAR per unit change. Amidst rising distribution costs, the industry must pivot from RevPAR to profit-centric metrics like GOPPAR and CPOR to ensure profitability.

🛋 Revo Hospitality Group's bankruptcy highlights critical lessons for independent hotel operators, like Odyssey Hotel Group. Rapid growth through integrations increases execution risks, while the lease model poses challenges for owners, requiring scrutiny on profitability. Operators must decide between focusing on a single jurisdiction for economies of scale or diversifying risks across regions. Odyssey Hotel Group aims to diversify risk with HMA and HLA contracts, focusing on operational excellence and expanding into Benelux, DACH, Iberia, and Italy.