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Currently, LLMs lack abundant imagery and material, such as photos of the rooms and amenities, that consumers generally demand when making hotel reservations, Kletzel said., on the other hand, has rapidly expanded in current years.

Beyond the guest experience, agentic commerce has the possible to shift the way hotel companies' consumer service teams run and are structured, Klein said. Yes," Klein stated.

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This year, several collection brand names that introduced in 2025 will continue to broaden. Extra brand-new brands and collaborations, particularly in the lifestyle segment, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality specialists.

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

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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 brand names at Hilton, informed Hotel Dive. Beginning is currently checking out possible brand-new areas in San Diego, Los Angeles and Virginia Beach, Virginia, in addition to markets in New Mexico and Colorado in 2026, Osterhaus stated.

"Collection brands are appealing because they provide the best of both worlds: Owners keep the special DNA of their residential or commercial property, while opening worldwide circulation, profits management, loyalty and assistance. Guests get one-of-a-kind stays with the peace of mind of a trusted brand." "As long as brands are purpose-built and unique in experience and price point, they add clarity rather than confusion." Kevin Osterhaus President of lifestyle brands at Hilton From the visitor point of view, independent shop hotels are desirable since they provide authentic experiences, Gabriel Perez, primary running officer of lodging at The Indigo Roadway Hospitality Group, told Hotel Dive.

As for why the hotel companies are going after independents in the way of life sector, "it's not about the visitors. It has to do with producing sub-brands within their own brands to satisfy financiers' requirements and to satisfy owner and developers' objectives," Perez said. JLL's Davis echoed that belief, telling Hotel Dive that the industry is at the point of, if not past the point of, brand saturation, as "public business [are] under an incredible quantity of pressure for net system growth." This, in turn, puts even more pressure on hotel companies "to develop brand names, 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 stated. 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 course for growth," Molinary said.

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This year, Hilton plans to remain "really active in the way of life space through strategic partnerships, brand-new finalizings and continuous development of our current brand names," Osterhaus stated. Another growing area is the luxury section.

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