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Currently, LLMs do not have rich images and material, such as photos of the rooms and features, that customers usually require when making hotel bookings, Kletzel said., meanwhile, has rapidly expanded in current years.

Beyond the visitor experience, agentic commerce has the prospective to move the way hotel business' client service teams operate and are structured, Klein said. "Will there be some corporations that find the chance to lower staff? Yes," Klein said. But brands that think in great customer experience and service will learn that AI could help their agents "get associated with more complicated, more business-critical conversations that help grow the business." In 2025, Hyatt lowered staff by approximately 30% across its guest services and assistance groups "in action to the evolving nature of guest questions and shifting business needs," per the business.

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This year, numerous collection brands that introduced in 2025 will continue to broaden. Extra brand-new brands and partnerships, especially in the lifestyle segment, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality experts. In 2025, Marriott launched 2 collection brands: Series by Marriott, playing in the upscale area in the U.S., and Outdoor Collection, exclusively focused on outdoor lodgings in destinations near national parks, deserts, ski locations and coastlines.

Marriott's Outdoor Collection provides distinct lodgings in locations near national forests, deserts, ski areas and shorelines. Thanks To Marriott International Wyndham Hotels & Resorts unveiled its Dazzler Select brand name extension targeting independent hoteliers in the economy way of life sector. And IHG Hotels & Resorts promoted its own forthcoming upper-tier collection brand during third-quarter incomes.

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Hilton's Beginning 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, informed Hotel Dive. Outset is currently exploring possible brand-new places in San Diego, Los Angeles and Virginia Beach, Virginia, in addition to markets in New Mexico and Colorado in 2026, Osterhaus said.

"Collection brand names are appealing because they offer the finest of both worlds: Owners keep the distinct DNA of their home, while unlocking worldwide distribution, revenue management, commitment and support. Kevin Osterhaus President of way of life brands at Hilton From the guest viewpoint, independent shop hotels are preferable since they provide authentic experiences, Gabriel Perez, primary running officer of accommodations at The Indigo Roadway Hospitality Group, informed Hotel Dive.

As for why the hotel companies are going after independents in the lifestyle sector, "it's not about the visitors. It has to do with creating sub-brands within their own brands to please investors' needs and to satisfy owner and designers' objectives," Perez stated. JLL's Davis echoed that belief, 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 significant quantity of pressure for net system growth." This, in turn, puts even more pressure on hotel business "to create brands, micro brands and subsets of brand names in order to broaden their footprint of existing possessions," Davis stated.

Hilton's collection brand names' "unique 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 continuously looking for ways to grow, and conversions represent a path for growth," Molinary said.

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According to Osterhaus, "As long as brand names are purpose-built and distinct in experience and cost point, they include clearness instead of confusion." This year, Hilton plans to remain "really active in the way of life area through tactical partnerships, brand-new signings and ongoing growth of our current brands," Osterhaus stated. Molinary expects Marriott rivals to begin providing some kind of branding option in the outdoor area, specifically, as "it's a really popular and growing space" with "a great deal of interest." Another growing area is the luxury section.

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That trend is expected to continue in 2026 as luxury customers drive travel spending and hotel reservations amidst a wealth bifurcation at play in the market. "High-net-worth tourists are expected to remain among the most reputable drivers of international travel spending next year," Giray Boran, managing director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.