Targeting High-ROI Hospitality Investments in 2026

Presently, LLMs lack rich images and content, such as images of the rooms and features, that customers typically require when making hotel reservations, Kletzel stated., on the other hand, has quickly expanded in current years.

Beyond the guest experience, agentic commerce has the potential to move the method hotel business' client service groups operate and are structured, Klein said. "Will there be some corporations that find the opportunity to lower staff? Yes," Klein stated. Brand names that think in great consumer experience and service will find out that AI might help their representatives "get included in more complex, more business-critical conversations that help grow the service." In 2025, Hyatt lowered staff by around 30% throughout its guest services and assistance groups "in reaction to the progressing nature of visitor inquiries and shifting service needs," per the company.

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This year, a number of collection brand names that introduced in 2025 will continue to broaden. Additional new brand names and partnerships, especially in the way of life section, will likely debut too, according to hospitality specialists. In 2025, Marriott introduced two collection brands: Series by Marriott, playing in the upscale area in the U.S., and Outdoor Collection, solely focused on outdoor accommodations in locations near national forests, deserts, ski areas and shorelines.

Marriott's Outdoor Collection uses special lodgings in locations near national parks, deserts, ski areas and shorelines.

Key Regional Shifts in Brand Development

Hilton's Start Collection, particularly, has more than 60 hotels in the works throughout the U.S. and Canada, Kevin Osterhaus, president of way of life brand names at Hilton, informed Hotel Dive. Start is currently checking out possible new locations in San Diego, Los Angeles and Virginia Beach, Virginia, in addition to markets in New Mexico and Colorado in 2026, Osterhaus stated.

"Collection brand names are appealing due to the fact that they offer the very best of both worlds: Owners keep the unique DNA of their residential or commercial property, while unlocking international distribution, profits management, loyalty and support. Visitors get one-of-a-kind stays with the reassurance of a relied on brand name." "As long as brand names are purpose-built and distinct in experience and rate point, they include clearness instead of confusion." Kevin Osterhaus President of lifestyle brands at Hilton From the guest point of view, independent shop hotels are preferable since they provide authentic experiences, Gabriel Perez, primary operating officer of lodging at The Indigo Roadway Hospitality Group, told Hotel Dive.

As for why the hotel business are chasing after independents in the way of life sector, "it's not about the guests. It's about creating sub-brands within their own brand names to satisfy investors' requirements and to satisfy owner and designers' goals," Perez stated. This, in turn, puts even more pressure on hotel companies "to create brand names, micro brands and subsets of brands in order to expand their footprint of existing assets," Davis stated.

Hilton's collection brand names' "distinct positioning and storytelling continue to drive interest across chain scales," Osterhaus said. Series and Outdoor Collection, both conversion-friendly offerings, pertain to an ownership community and developers who "are constantly looking for methods to grow, and conversions represent a path for growth," Molinary said.

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This year, Hilton plans to stay "extremely active in the lifestyle space through strategic partnerships, new signings and continuous development of our current brand names," Osterhaus stated. Another growing area is the high-end segment.

The Future of 2026 Corporate Expansion Strategies

That trend is expected to continue in 2026 as luxury customers drive travel costs and hotel reservations amid a wealth bifurcation at play in the industry. "High-net-worth travelers are anticipated to remain among the most dependable motorists of worldwide travel spending next year," Giray Boran, handling director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.