Analyzing Restaurant Sector Growth Data for 2026

Currently, LLMs lack rich images and material, such as images of the spaces and features, that consumers typically demand when making hotel reservations, Kletzel stated. When this is enhanced, consisting of by brands exposing their content to LLMs, that will be "a big leap forward to getting customers comfy." Hotel visitor loyalty and brand trust, on the other hand, has quickly expanded recently.

Beyond the guest experience, agentic commerce has the potential to shift the method hotel business' client service groups run and are structured, Klein said. Yes," Klein stated.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

This year, several collection brand names that released in 2025 will continue to expand. Additional new brand names and partnerships, particularly in the way of life sector, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality experts. In 2025, Marriott introduced two collection brands: Series by Marriott, playing in the upscale area in the U.S., and Outdoor Collection, exclusively concentrated on outdoor lodgings in destinations near nationwide parks, deserts, ski locations and coastlines.

Marriott's Outdoor Collection provides distinct lodgings in locations near nationwide parks, deserts, ski locations and coastlines.

Will Fast Casual Franchises Be Profitable in 2026?

Hilton's Outset Collection, specifically, has more than 60 hotels in the works across the U.S. and Canada, Kevin Osterhaus, president of way of life brands at Hilton, told Hotel Dive. Beginning is currently checking out possible new locations in San Diego, Los Angeles and Virginia Beach, Virginia, along with markets in New Mexico and Colorado in 2026, Osterhaus said.

"Collection brand names are appealing because they use the finest of both worlds: Owners keep the unique DNA of their home, while unlocking international distribution, revenue management, loyalty and support. Kevin Osterhaus President of lifestyle brands at Hilton From the guest perspective, independent boutique hotels are desirable since they use genuine experiences, Gabriel Perez, chief running officer of accommodations at The Indigo Roadway Hospitality Group, informed Hotel Dive.

Nevertheless, when it comes to why the hotel companies are chasing independents in the way of life section, "it's not about the guests. It's about creating sub-brands within their own brand names to satisfy financiers' requirements and to please owner and designers' objectives," Perez said. JLL's Davis echoed that sentiment, informing Hotel Dive that the industry is at the point of, if not past the point of, brand name saturation, as "public companies [are] under a tremendous quantity of pressure for net unit development." This, in turn, puts even more pressure on hotel business "to produce brands, micro brands and subsets of brands in order to broaden their footprint of existing assets," Davis said.

Hilton's collection brands' "distinct positioning and storytelling continue to drive interest throughout chain scales," Osterhaus said. According to Bobby Molinary, Marriott's chief advancement officer for select brand names, interest in Marriott's new collection brand names comes amidst a difficult high-cost-of-construction environment that has actually made it "significantly challenging to develop brand-new hotels." Series and Outdoor Collection, both conversion-friendly offerings, relate to an ownership neighborhood and developers who "are continuously searching for ways to grow, and conversions represent a course for growth," Molinary said.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

This year, Hilton prepares to remain "very active in the way of life area through strategic collaborations, new signings and ongoing growth of our current brand names," Osterhaus said. Another growing space is the luxury segment.

Identifying High-ROI Hospitality Ventures in 2026

That trend is expected to continue in 2026 as luxury customers drive travel costs and hotel reservations amidst a wealth bifurcation at play in the market. "High-net-worth travelers are anticipated to stay one of the most trustworthy chauffeurs of global travel spending next year," Giray Boran, handling director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.