Market Trends

1347 posts

Hospitality market trends and data: analysis, figures and insights to understand where the hotel industry is heading.

‘Maximalism’ emerges as top 2026 travel trend

🌍 HBX Group, 2026: Maximalism is the standout travel trend with spending splurges and multi-stop adventures. Key trends include coolcationing, nature, entertainment, and fandom tourism. Javier Cabrerizo, HBX's AI officer, highlights ultra-personalized itineraries influenced by AI and social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. There's a gap between online content and booking trips, urging businesses to offer transaction-ready solutions on social media to streamline the TikTok-to-booking process. Effective AI and social media use can attract new audiences.
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IHG Launches Regent Spa and Wellness Concept as Core Luxury Pillar at Regent Bali Canggu

🏨 InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) launched a new Regent Spa and Wellness concept on February 26, 2026, debuting at Regent Bali Canggu. The concept integrates spa design, rituals, and services as a core luxury brand pillar, responding to the demand for personalized wellbeing experiences. The initiative aims to enhance average daily rate (ADR) potential, attract high-spending leisure travelers, and establish a standard for future Regent properties, focusing on wellness as a revenue and brand differentiator.
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  • 1 min

There’s an undeniable mystique about Orient Express: Agatha Christie set a murder on it; James Bond escaped it. It’s more than just the eponymous train after Accor acquired 50% of the brand from… | David Eisen

🚄 In 2017, Accor acquired 50% of the Orient Express brand from Groupe SNCF. Six years later, Accor’s chairman & CEO, Sebastien Bazin, appointed Gilda Perez-Alvarado as chief strategy officer and CEO of Orient Express. Perez-Alvarado is steering the brand into new ventures, including trains, hotels, and yachts. Recently, discussions in Los Angeles highlighted her intense passion for hospitality, ignited early on, continuing to drive Orient Express forward.
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  • 8 min

The Hotel That Actually Makes You Feel Better

🛌 The American hotel industry has prioritized aesthetics over genuine wellness, evident in hotel amenities like $9 gummy bears and sugary drinks. The global wellness tourism market hit $894 billion, yet most hotels fail to offer true wellness services. Sleep deprivation affects immune function and cognitive performance, emphasizing the need for better hotel sleep environments. The Six Senses, Equinox Hotel, Aman, and SHA Wellness Clinic are leading by integrating wellness into their core services, enhancing guest recovery and experience.
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  • 3 min

SODA transforms art deco landmark into contemporary workspace

🌆 SODA designed Nineteen Wells Street office in Fitzrovia, London, commissioned by Great Portland Estates. The office, located in a heritage-listed art deco building from 1929, features a raspberry-red spiral staircase and a two-storey bookcase. The design blends art deco influences with modern elements, creating a welcoming and timeless space. Custom rugs were designed with Floor Story. The lower ground floor features a snug for collaboration, with a moodier palette centered around deep green hues.
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Why Hotels Are Choosing Independence Over Brand Affiliation

💰 In 2025, Sonder's immediate wind-down raised concerns about brand affiliation security. With brand fees weighing on low growth, hotels are reconsidering independence. By 2026, RevPAR growth is projected at just 0.6%. Independent hotels, valued at $281.7 billion in 2025, are expected to grow at 11% CAGR, reaching $800 billion by 2035. Brand affiliation costs include 2-6% royalty fees. Independence offers strategic flexibility, creativity, and agility, enabling hotels to adapt quickly and innovate freely.
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Hotels expand residential offerings to compete with Airbnb

🏠 Feb 23, 2026: Global hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton are strategically entering the residential-style accommodation market to compete with platforms like Airbnb. Increasing demand for multigenerational travel and extended stays is driving the shift. These brands offer apartment-like products combining home comforts with hotel services. Hotels aim to capture Airbnb's market by providing similar flexibility with reliable services. Airbnb faces pressure as quarterly profits decline amidst intensifying competition.
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  • 4 min

How to Build a Cult-Status Hotel: The Fashion Marketing Playbook—Part 1

🏨 In San Juan, the Independent Lodging Congress hosted the INDIEConfab event discussing fashion-hospitality crossovers. Participants included Galli Arbel of Hotel Anna & Bel and Alexander Buchholz of Bar Rêve. The hotel industry faces challenges in escaping commodity status, unlike fashion, which creates brand loyalty. The $990 difference between Hanes and Prada tees exemplifies fashion's branding success. The hospitality sector needs to leverage its unique "escape" offering to avoid stagnation and remain financially viable.
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  • 4 min

New Perspective: Thom Geshay Brings Management Expertise to His Role as AHLA Vice Chair

🏨 Thom Geshay, CEO of Davidson Hospitality Group since 1988, shares insights on hospitality trends and his role with AHLA. He highlights a divergence in industry performance across segments and emphasizes sustainability. Davidson focuses on specialized, full-service properties. AHLA's advocacy will gain momentum with events like the 2026 World Cup. Geshay’s leadership principles include passion, inclusivity, and risk-taking. His outlook for the industry is optimistic, with major events set to boost engagement and economic impact.
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