Global Hospitality Industry Review - First Half of 2026
H1 2026 global hotel performance shows continued RevPAR growth at 3–4% for major chains, but occupancy has plateaued in most markets, while the Middle East saw declines of up to 43%.
Markets & Performance
Birmingham hotel bookings race ahead for European Athletics Championships
Birmingham hotels saw 62.5% more room nights and a 60.1% ADR spike for European Athletics Championships week, with guests booking 169 days ahead vs. 58 days in 2025.
Bangkok named world’s best workcation city for 2026 in IWG’s annual Work from Anywhere Index; Singapore and Kuala Lumpur rank among Asia’s top cities as flexible working reshapes travel and work
IWG's 2026 Work from Anywhere Index ranks Bangkok first globally, with Singapore (17th) and Kuala Lumpur (32nd) also featured, as 48% of workers plan to extend trips by working remotely.
Expedia: Fall lodging prices are 20% higher and flight prices are 2% higher on average in the top 10 U.S. destinations compared to summer
Expedia data shows fall 2026 lodging prices are 20% higher than summer in the top 10 U.S. destinations, eroding traditional shoulder-season savings, though six cities still offer 15-45% combined discounts.
TOURISE and Oxford Economics Release New Global Report on Tourism Resilience in an Era of Permanent Disruption
Analysis of 85 major crises over 20 years finds proactive destinations recover up to 1.5x faster, with recovery times falling from 24 months to 10-12 months since the early 2000s.
Europe Captures One-Third of Global Leisure Travel Spending as Southern Europe Dominates the Summer Travel Season
WTTC data shows global leisure travel hit $6.15TN in 2025, with Europe capturing $2TN (one-third of total); Southern Europe leads growth, with Italy, Spain and Türkiye forecast to outpace global averages in 2026.
Tourism 2030: A Better, More Accessible Travel Experience for the Middle East
Market Managing Director at Wyndham argues that midscale and lifestyle hotels, not luxury, will form the backbone of Tourism 2030 delivery across the UAE and Saudi Arabia as demand shifts toward domestic and regional travellers.
By Mohamad Haj Hassan, Market Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Wyndham
Eventful July drove Cologne hotel performance
Cologne hotels hit record July occupancy of 72.1% and RevPAR of EUR76.64, boosted by Cologne Pride and a Romeo Santos/Prince Royce concert driving single-night peaks above 90%.
São Paulo hotel performance lifted by AI Summit Brazil
São Paulo recorded its highest-ever July ADR (BRL706.65) and RevPAR (BRL436.60), with the AI Summit Brazil driving peak occupancy of 83.9% on July 23.
U.S. hotel results for week ending 8 August
U.S. hotels posted a 7.2% RevPAR gain for the week of 2-8 August 2026, with Philadelphia and Chicago leading Top 25 Markets while Miami and Nashville saw notable declines.
Two-year comparative survey by ITB Berlin highlights new developments in perceived safety for queer travellers worldwide
The 2026 ITB Berlin LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Survey, covering 46 countries, finds US social acceptance ratings dropped sharply while Canada, Netherlands, Spain and Austria rank highest among safe destinations.
CHTA Selects Florida International University to Conduct Caribbean Tourism Demand Study
CHTA has commissioned FIU's Chaplin School to conduct a six-month, multi-destination study quantifying tourism demand, economic leakages, and local sourcing opportunities across at least six Caribbean jurisdictions.
What H1 2026 tells us about APAC hospitality's next chapter
HotStats H1 2026 data shows positive TRevPAR and GOPPAR growth across Japan, Singapore, Australia, and Southeast Asia, but aggregate figures mask significant divergence between markets.
By Shikha Menon, Global Sales Director, HotStats
U.S. Hotel Forecast Assumptions – August 2026
STR and Tourism Economics raise 2026 U.S. RevPAR growth to +4.4%, boosted by World Cup premiums, with 2027 growth moderating to +2.1% amid macroeconomic normalization.
Diving deeper: Hidden insights from Travel Dreams 2026
Amadeus surveyed 6,000 travelers and 500 hoteliers for Travel Dreams 2026, uncovering key trends in AI adoption, loyalty program innovation, and user-generated content as a demand driver.
By Jesus Olivares Sanchez, SVP, Hospitality Portfolio Strategy & Product Marketing, Amadeus, Amadeus Hospitality
Volume reassures the rankings. Value transforms balance sheets.
As five hotel groups surpass one million rooms, the author argues that volume metrics obscure the real competition: per-key value creation, driven by management contracts, upscale positioning, and lifestyle brands.
By Vanguélis Panayotis, CEO MKG Consulting & Hospitality ON / MRICS, Hospitality ON
Guest Experience Benchmark Report Q2 2026 Overview
Global GRI hit a record 87.3% in Q2 2026, with 3-star hotels improving fastest, Asia leading regionally, and review response speed emerging as a core reputation driver.
How the 2026 FIFA World Cup Changed US Hotel Markets
A counterfactual analysis of all 11 U.S. host cities finds the 2026 World Cup generated $680M in incremental rooms revenue, driven by ADR gains in every market even as occupancy fell in seven.
By Thomas Hazinski, Managing Director of HVS Convention, Sports, & Entertainment Facilities Consulting in Chicago, HVS
U.S. hotel results for week ending 1 August
U.S. hotel RevPAR rose 7.3% year-over-year for the week ending 1 August 2026, with Philadelphia and St. Louis leading Top 25 Markets while Las Vegas posted the steepest declines.
CoStar, Tourism Economics upgrade U.S. hotel growth forecast
CoStar and Tourism Economics raised their 2026-27 U.S. hotel outlook at the Hotel Data Conference, lifting RevPAR by 1.6 ppts and ADR by 1.1 ppts, with GOPPAR forecast to rise 4% in 2026.