Market Trends

🏨 At the end of Q2 2025, U.S. hotel construction pipeline has 6,280 projects/737,036 rooms, up 3% YOY. 1,120 projects/138,776 rooms are under construction. Upper midscale leads with 2,282 projects/219,875 rooms. Extended-stay brands make up 39% of projects. By 2025's end, 293 new extended-stay hotels/30,341 rooms will open. 329 hotels/39,628 rooms opened in H1 2025. 2025 forecasts 735 new hotels/84,788 rooms, a 1.5% growth. 2026 anticipates 823 hotels/89,073 rooms, and 2027 forecasts 902 hotels/96,242 rooms.

🏨 Sweden-based First Hotels partnered with HotelREZ in 2023, expanding their collaboration to include all 57 properties in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. This partnership with HotelREZ, a leading hotel representation company, involves the integration of 20 new franchise properties, enhancing GDS connectivity and marketing support. First Hotels aims to boost direct and corporate bookings by leveraging HotelREZ's booking technology and marketing programs, including REZBooker and metasearch coverage across platforms like Trivago and Google.

🏖 Solo summer holidays to Spain, the Canary Islands, and Portugal have surged by 19%, with Benidorm seeing an 80% increase in single holidaymakers. The trend, reported by loveholidays, highlights Benidorm's appeal for its beaches and social scene. Other popular destinations include Playa de las Americas in Tenerife and San Antonio in Ibiza. Agadir and Albufeira also attract solo sunbathers. Al Murray from loveholidays notes the blend of relaxation and nightlife at these locations.

📰 At Arabian Travel Market 2025, executives from Minor Hotels, Fairmont, and Marriott explored the trend of hyper-personalisation in luxury travel, leveraging AI-driven customisation and chatbots to boost guest experiences. 85% of hoteliers see this as crucial for adding up to 5% in revenue. The global personalisation market is projected to hit $620.71 million by 2032. New luxury projects like the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea highlight this shift. Arabian Travel Market 2026 is set for May 4-7 in Dubai.

🌎 According to WeRoad’s survey of 5,000 travellers, only 0.37% choose destinations for their 'Instagrammability'. Astonishingly, 26% avoid social media while traveling, and 61% have tried or plan a digital detox. The focus has shifted to meaningful experiences: 14% travel to relax, 45% seek challenges, and 15% escape the digital world. WeRoad's Justyna Chlopecka highlights a move towards purposeful travel and personal growth, marking a departure from superficial travel trends.

📈 Parsippany, New Jersey—Wyndham Hotels & Resorts reported Q2 2025 results: system-wide rooms grew 4%, with 229 new contracts (+40% YoY). The development pipeline hit 255,000 rooms (+5% YoY). Net income rose to $87M (+1% YoY), and adjusted EBITDA grew 10% to $195M. EPS increased 6% to $13. The company returned $109M to shareholders and revised reporting due to compliance issues in China. Global RevPAR fell 3%, but EMEA and Latin America saw growth.

🏨 Jessica Werner, Chief Creative Officer at Sage Hospitality Group, leverages her operational experience to create innovative hospitality spaces. Her design approach merges business strategy with creativity, enhancing both profit and community impact. Sage's placemaking fosters meaningful connections and consistently yields measurable returns. Werner emphasizes the importance of integrating creative design with strategic business objectives to drive success. For more insights, explore conversations with Sage's CEO, Walter Isenberg.

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🗺️ 69% of travelers engaged in tours lasting three hours or less in 2024, reflecting a trend towards shorter durations. Half of UK, European, and US travelers booked at least one private tour. Germany led with 55%, followed by France with 50%. Tours with groups of six or fewer were preferred by 43% of Europeans. Real-time booking is vital as 61% of Europeans booked tours less than seven days in advance, emphasizing convenience and flexibility.