Analyzing Restaurant Sector Growth Trends for 2026

Currently, LLMs lack rich images and content, such as images of the spaces and facilities, that customers normally require when making hotel bookings, Kletzel said. When this is boosted, consisting of by brand names exposing their content to LLMs, that will be "a huge leap forward to getting customers comfy." Hotel guest commitment and brand trust, meanwhile, has rapidly broadened in the last few years.

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

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This year, numerous collection brand names that launched in 2025 will continue to expand. Additional brand-new brand names and collaborations, particularly in the way of life section, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality specialists. In 2025, Marriott released 2 collection brand names: Series by Marriott, playing in the upscale area in the U.S., and Outdoor Collection, exclusively focused on outside accommodations in destinations near national forests, deserts, ski areas and shorelines.

Marriott's Outdoor Collection uses unique lodgings in locations near nationwide parks, deserts, ski areas and coastlines. Courtesy of Marriott International Wyndham Hotels & Resorts revealed its Dazzler Select brand extension targeting independent hoteliers in the economy way of life section. And IHG Hotels & Resorts touted its own forthcoming upper-tier collection brand name throughout third-quarter incomes.

Key Global Shifts in Hospitality Expansion

Hilton's Beginning Collection, specifically, has more than 60 hotels in the works across the U.S. and Canada, Kevin Osterhaus, president of lifestyle brands at Hilton, informed Hotel Dive. Outset is currently exploring possible new places 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 due to the fact that they use the very best of both worlds: Owners keep the distinct DNA of their residential or commercial property, while opening international circulation, earnings management, loyalty and assistance. Visitors get one-of-a-kind stays with the peace of mind of a trusted brand name." "As long as brand names are purpose-built and distinct in experience and rate point, they add clearness instead of confusion." Kevin Osterhaus President of lifestyle brands at Hilton From the guest point of view, independent store hotels are desirable due to the fact that they provide genuine experiences, Gabriel Perez, primary operating officer of lodging at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, told Hotel Dive.

As for why the hotel companies are chasing independents in the way of life section, "it's not about the visitors. It has to do with creating sub-brands within their own brand names to satisfy financiers' requirements and to please owner and designers' goals," Perez stated. JLL's Davis echoed that sentiment, informing Hotel Dive that the industry is at the point of, if not past the point of, brand saturation, as "public companies [are] under a remarkable amount of pressure for net system growth." This, in turn, puts even more pressure on hotel business "to produce brand names, micro brand names and subsets of brands in order to broaden their footprint of existing possessions," Davis said.

Hilton's collection brand names' "unique positioning and storytelling continue to drive interest throughout chain scales," Osterhaus stated. Series and Outdoor Collection, both conversion-friendly offerings, pertain to an ownership neighborhood and designers who "are constantly looking for ways to grow, and conversions represent a course for growth," Molinary stated.

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According to Osterhaus, "As long as brands are purpose-built and unique in experience and rate point, they add clarity rather than confusion." This year, Hilton plans to stay "really active in the lifestyle area through tactical collaborations, new finalizings and continuous growth of our present brands," Osterhaus stated. Molinary anticipates Marriott competitors to start providing some type of branding solution in the outdoor space, particularly, as "it's a truly popular and growing area" with "a lot of interest." Another growing space is the luxury segment.

Why Fast Casual Market Share Will Be Surging

That trend is expected to continue in 2026 as luxury customers drive travel spending and hotel bookings amidst a wealth bifurcation at play in the industry. "High-net-worth tourists are expected to remain one of the most trusted drivers of global travel spending next year," Giray Boran, handling director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.