Market Trends

📱 Nov 26, 2025, AI is transforming hotel search by replacing comparison grids with conversational interfaces. Visibility now relies on trustworthy data rather than bidding, benefiting larger platforms with structured content. AI prioritizes guest intent over price, altering discovery order and favoring hotels with clear, personality-driven content. Independent hotels risk exclusion without data quality upgrades. The hotel website becomes crucial for accurate representation, as metasearch evolves into an invisible, AI-driven process prioritizing relevance and trust.

🏨 Nov 26, 2025—Hotels globally are redefining experiences and revenue models as wellness becomes a core guest expectation. McKinsey highlights five dimensions shaping the wellness economy: physical health, mental balance, appearance, sleep quality, and nutrition. Guests prefer personalized wellness options and are willing to pay more for tailored services. Technology, including wearables and AI, enhances these offerings. Wellness integration into everyday hotel experiences can boost loyalty, repeat business, and create new revenue streams.

🏨 Stéphan Croix, Vice President of Brand Management at Hilton, addressed the Hospitality Asset Forum. He highlighted how a strategic brand approach can drive value for hotel assets. Croix emphasized the importance of agile, differentiating brand strategies in today's market, where identity and positioning rival operational performance. By adapting to changing habits, hotel portfolios can boost their attractiveness, resilience, and upside potential.

🏨 Willemijn Geels and Michael Struck at the Hospitality Asset Forum discuss IHG's and Ruby Hotels' partnership. They analyze strategic drivers like scaling, operational optimization, and balancing independence with brand power. The conversation underscores value creation levers and integration challenges in a rapidly consolidating market.