Market Trends - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 9

1 min

What Hotels Get Wrong About Wellness – Emily Johnson

🏨 Emily Johnson, founder of Elevate Wellness Collective, explains why hotels often misinterpret wellness, focusing beyond spas to include mental and emotional well-being. She argues for integrating wellness into design and operations strategies, not as a standalone amenity. This discussion is part of Hospitality Daily, supported by Mews, a hospitality operating system. For more on AI and hotel tech, listen to Richard Valtr's insights. Transform these ideas into actionable strategies for your team!

2 min

Report Preview: Phocuswright’s Travel Innovation and Technology Trends 2026

🛫 In 2026, agentic AI transforms travel: 39% of U.S. travelers use AI for trip planning, up from 28% last year. General search usage drops from 51% in 2024 to 36% in 2025, while ChatGPT use triples. 83% of travel businesses use generative AI, with 88% seeing benefits. 61% of executives are scaling agentic AI, shifting from exploration to execution. Major platforms race to capture agentic bookings, as AI becomes a core competitive driver.

Hotel reward programs are losing their grip on guest loyalty

🏨 Feb 11, 2026, according to Phocuswright, travel loyalty programs don't ensure brand loyalty. Travelers prefer value, flexibility, and fit, often choosing non-preferred brands. Though points influence choices, they don't make up for poor pricing or experiences. Many guests join loyalty programs but switch for better pricing or location. Younger travelers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, seek variety. Operational excellence, like consistent service, transparent pricing, and reliability, drive repeat bookings over loyalty incentives.

Live tourism becomes a structural growth driver for hotels

🏅 Feb 11, 2026: Marriott emphasizes consistent travel demand from global events such as the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. These events are now structural demand drivers, boosting revenue. The World Cup is expected to generate $55–65 million in hotel fees. The Milan-Cortina Olympics enhance European hotel performance. Leisure travel remains strong at 45% of global room nights. Marriott forecasts 1.5%-2.5% RevPAR growth in 2026, with potential uplift in U.S. inbound travel.

6 min

The Myth of Hotel Loyalty

🏨 Hotels, over 30 years, equated loyalty with transactions, using points and tiers rather than genuine recognition, leading to a transactional, not loyal, relationship. Independent hotels, like John Sutton's Journey, focus on genuine guest understanding, not just data collection. Loyalty should be about recognition and care, not just points. Sutton, previously from a $10B tech firm, promotes hospitality's original promise: making guests feel known. Points attract; care retains.

Cannes takes control of its off-season narrative

🏠 Cannes is deploying its “Cannes in Winter” strategy for the second year, from November 2025 to April 2026, targeting France, the UK, Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia. With 374 panels aiming for over five million impressions, the campaign spans Paris metro and airports like Geneva and Frankfurt. Partnering with Booking.com, it taps into 30 million monthly visitors. A special focus includes Valentine’s Day, with Staycation and VeryChic to bolster hotel performance in the off-season.

4 min

Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report Investigates the Rise of the ‘Whycation’

🗺 Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report surveyed 14,000 travelers across 14 countries. 27% of business travelers seek solitude during work trips. 74% of travelers prefer trusted hotel brands, 48% cook meals on the road, and 77% explore local grocery stores. 71% of Americans plan to drive on their next vacation. 33% plan group trips for shared passions, and 73% traveling with children involve them in planning. 66% are influenced by parents’ hotel choices, with 52% exploring family roots.

2 min

Europe’s Hotel Pipeline Reaches Record Highs in Early Planning, Upper Upscale, and Luxury Development

🏨 Europe, Q4 2025: The hotel construction pipeline includes 1,717 projects with 252,600 rooms. Under construction are 754 projects with 115,289 rooms, while 375 projects with 54,097 rooms will start within 12 months. The UK leads with 274 projects/39,515 rooms, followed by Germany and Turkey. Record highs noted in early planning and luxury development. In 2025, 255 hotels opened. Projections for 2026 and 2027 are 315 and 320 new hotels, respectively.

5 min

U.S. Hotel Forecast Assumptions – February 2026

🛌 STR/Tourism Economics forecasts a 0.6% RevPAR growth for 2026, after a 0.3% decline in 2025. Demand dipped 0.5% in 2025, expected to rebound by 0.4% in 2026. The 2026 World Cup will boost U.S. RevPAR by 0.4%. U.S. inbound travel is expected to rise 3.7%, with outbound travel increasing 4.6%. Supply growth is reduced to 0.7% for 2026, and ADR growth remains below inflation. Group demand fell 1.8% in 2025, offset by 4.0% ADR growth.

2 min

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City Announces $50 Million in Capital Investments & Reaffirms Commitment to Atlantic City

🎸 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has launched a $50 million capital improvement plan for 2026, renovating 700+ rooms and eight penthouses. By 2026, the resort will introduce Sitar, an East-Indian restaurant, and Federal Donuts and Chicken. Enhancements include 16 EV chargers and new carpets. Since 2018, nearly $700 million has been invested. Upcoming 2026 performances feature Rod Stewart and more. The resort won its third USA Today Top Workplaces Award in 2026, supporting 500+ local organizations.

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