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Currently, LLMs do not have rich images and content, such as photos of the spaces and features, that consumers usually require when making hotel bookings, Kletzel said., meanwhile, has quickly expanded in current years.

Beyond the visitor experience, agentic commerce has the prospective to move the method hotel companies' customer support 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 learn that AI might help their representatives "get involved in more complicated, more business-critical discussions that assist grow the service." In 2025, Hyatt lowered personnel by around 30% throughout its guest services and support groups "in response to the progressing nature of visitor questions and shifting business needs," per the company.

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This year, several collection brands that introduced in 2025 will continue to expand. Extra brand-new brands and collaborations, especially in the way of life sector, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality specialists.

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

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Hilton's Beginning Collection, particularly, has more than 60 hotels in the works throughout the U.S. and Canada, Kevin Osterhaus, president of lifestyle brand names at Hilton, told Hotel Dive. Outset is presently 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 brands are appealing because they offer the very best of both worlds: Owners keep the unique DNA of their home, while opening international distribution, earnings management, loyalty and support. Visitors get distinctive stays with the reassurance of a trusted brand name." "As long as brands are purpose-built and distinct in experience and price point, they include clarity rather than confusion." Kevin Osterhaus President of way of life brand names at Hilton From the guest point of view, independent boutique hotels are desirable because they offer authentic experiences, Gabriel Perez, chief running officer of lodging at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, informed Hotel Dive.

Nevertheless, as for why the hotel companies are chasing independents in the way of life sector, "it's not about the guests. It's about developing sub-brands within their own brand names to please investors' needs and to please owner and designers' objectives," Perez stated. JLL's Davis echoed that belief, telling Hotel Dive that the industry is at the point of, if not past the point of, brand name saturation, as "public business [are] under an incredible quantity of pressure for net system development." This, in turn, puts a lot more pressure on hotel companies "to develop brand names, micro brands 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 community and designers who "are continuously looking for ways to grow, and conversions represent a course for development," Molinary said.

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

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