Industry experts discuss muted RevPAR growth, challenging financing conditions, and renovation projects dominating activity over new development.
The author argues that hotel development stagnation stems from financing constraints and regulatory barriers, calling for renewed collaboration between developers, operators, and local governments.
Hotels across regions are under pressure to operate efficiently despite persistent labor shortages, cost inflation, and global instability. In the US, political tensions, evolving immigration policies, and a slowdown in international tourism have added pressure to the labor market. These challenges have been compounded by the recent government shutdown, which has led the FAA to reduce flight capacity at several major airports, creating further uncertainty for travel and hospitality operations.
A major decision for any hotel owner or investor is whether to affiliate their property with a brand. As ever so often, the trade-offs are as comprehensive as they are complex. We do note that the comparison is between the general independent vs branded hotel. There certainly are independent properties who do very well, yet those remain few and far. We shed light on the key considerations.
Hotel tech looks simple from the lobby; but as we know, behind the front desk it’s anything but. Recently, Otelier’s Distinguished Architect Lex Raleigh sat down with SnapLogic CMO Dayle Hall to explain why hospitality’s data problem is unlike any other – and how progressive hoteliers are solving it with a mix of pragmatic integrations. Below is a recap of the conversation focused on how innovative hoteliers have already turned to automation, including AI that actually answers questions to help you drive real-life demand.
HVS was pleased to sponsor this fall’s pinnacle event for our industry, a highly-attended and hopeful Lodging Conference, despite the challenges currently facing our industry. HVS President, Rod Clough, MAI, CRE, MRICS, helped open the conference during the Speed Stats session, followed by a presentation later that day. Neil Flavin, COO of HVS Asset Management & Advisory, also participated on a panel. Our suite was bustling with meetings all week, held by leaders from the HVS Design, Executive Search, Brokerage & Advisory, Asset Management & Advisory, and Consulting & Valuation divisions.
In 2024, the fees a hotel owner paid to support their brand’s guest loyalty program continued to grow at a relatively strong rate. During the year, the annual growth of guest loyalty program fees exceeded the increases in brand royalty payments, as well as the brand marketing and reservation assessments. Further, the pace of growth for guest loyalty program fees was greater than the increases in both rooms occupied and rooms revenue, two factors that influence the guest loyalty program fees charged to hotels.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World 2025, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from 27-29 October, we asked several industry partners about what's next for hospitality investment in line with this year's event theme: "Where Vision Leads, Investment Follows."
CEE hotel investment volumes reached €682M in H1 2025, marking a 364% year-on-year increase and the highest volumes since 2019. This rise was primarily driven by heightened activity in the Czech Republic, which led the region in hotel investment, followed by Poland and Hungary. Most transactions within the region involved Upper Upscale properties, followed by Luxury assets. The positive momentum is expected to continue throughout the second half of 2025 and into 2026, with numerous deals advancing through various stages of the sales process, and additional opportunities anticipated to enter the market soon.
In the competitive world of hotel development and acquisitions, few incentives capture an owner’s attention more quickly than key money. This upfront payment, offered by a hotel brand or operator, can feel like free capital. However, behind the allure lies a complex set of trade-offs that can significantly impact profitability, flexibility, and asset value for years. Understanding how key money works—and the strings attached—is critical for making a sound business decision.
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World 2025, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from 27-29 October, we asked several industry partners about what's next for hospitality investment in line with this year's event theme: "Where Vision Leads, Investment Follows."
In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World 2025, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from 27-29 October, we asked several industry partners what's next for hospitality investment in line with this year's event theme: "Where Vision Leads, Investment Follows."
From tech-driven budget brand partnerships to midscale acquisitions, strategic deals are fast emerging as a defining trend in India’s hospitality sector. As global and domestic brands double down on the Indian opportunity, many are moving beyond organic growth to accelerate scale, reach, and distribution networks.
Property taxes represent a substantial expense for hotels, significantly impacting profitability. A recent analysis of over 6,000 hotels, using CBRE’s Trends® in the Hotel Industry database, reveals dramatic disparities in property tax burdens based on both location and hotel type. This article explores these critical variations, providing insights into how these differences can impact hotel valuations.
On the global property market, hospitality real estate stands out as one of the most multifaceted segments. Hospitality assets sit at the intersection of real estate, service, and consumer culture, as in addition to being physical properties, they are operating businesses that generate revenue through offering guest experiences.
This year marks a milestone for us at The Bench as we celebrate 20 years in the UAE. Over the past two decades, Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) has evolved into the region’s most influential hospitality and tourism investment event, serving as a vital platform for leaders, innovators, and investors to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of the industry.
Engaging a professional hotel management company can be a wise strategy to leverage operational expertise, benefit from brand recognition, and enhance market competitiveness. However, many owners are unaware of the significant risks these agreements can pose to the long-term value of their assets. Without careful negotiation, a hotel management contract can favor the operator's interest at the owner’s expense.
The first half of 2025 witnessed a complex interplay of geopolitical shifts, natural disasters, and continuing global challenges that led to significant whiplash in the U.S. stock market and unusual swings in the bond market. The return of Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Presidency has led to a reigniting of trade tensions, particularly with China, that are impacting global commerce. Furthermore, with peace talks proving unsuccessful thus far, wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan are each entering their third or fourth year. In May, India and Pakistan engaged in a brief but intense military conflict, marking their most serious escalation in decades. During June, the Iran–Israel War, also referred to as the Twelve-Day War, was an armed conflict during which Israel launched surprise attacks on key military and nuclear facilities in Iran, culminating with the U.S. taking offensive action by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. Finally, during the first half of 2025, the U.S. experienced a record $126 billion in losses from natural disasters, including California wildfires, Midwest tornadoes, and Mississippi River floods.
The pall in the air surrounding the near-term future of the hotel industry for the first half of 2025 has unsurprisingly centered around the disruption caused by one word: tariffs. It’s led to erratic travel behavior making forecasts less predictable, the reshuffling of international flight routes (mostly into and out of the United States) and lots of investment dollars in a wait-and-see pattern that we so often call ‘dry powder’.
Tucson’s hotel supply and investment interest have evolved in the past few years. From the addition of boutique hotels in the downtown area to new extended-stay options near hospitals and office parks, the city is experiencing one of its most dynamic hotel development cycles in decades. Over the past several years, many economy and midscale hotels have been converted to other uses, including multi-family and affordable housing, as well as shelters and transitional housing; this trend has been prevalent in several major markets, including nearby Phoenix. On the other hand, high-end hotels have been either built new or converted from other uses.