Travel & Data Trends

Artificial intelligence has hovered on the edges of hospitality for years. Chatbots answered simple questions. Revenue tools nudged prices up or down. Automation handled a few routine tasks. Useful, but hardly transformative.

When Marriott International announced it would acquire the citizenM brand for $355 million in cash, the easy take was to call it "another lifestyle acquisition" in a long list of soft brands and hip logos.

The Middle East and Africa remain among the most dynamic frontiers for hospitality investment. Three trends stand out. First, diversification of economies- particularly in the Gulf, has positioned tourism as a strategic growth engine. Governments are deploying sovereign funds to anchor mega-developments that will redefine destinations. Second, leisure-led mixed-use projects are gaining momentum. Investors are prioritizing integrated resorts, branded residences, and lifestyle experiences that extend revenue streams beyond room sales. Third, capital discipline is sharper than ever. Investors are scrutinising feasibility with a global lens, comparing risk-adjusted returns across asset classes. This reflects a wider global trend: capital is flowing toward projects that demonstrate resilience, scalability, and alignment with long-term ESG priorities. The common denominator is value creation through differentiation, whether cultural authenticity, wellness, or immersive experiences that positions hotels as anchors of broader destination ecosystems.

In the past year, a surge of hotel consulting work in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina and northwestern Georgia has called attention to this market’s growth. The concentration of investment and development in this region indicates an opportunity hotspot, as the hotel supply is adapted to the increasing demand from travelers seeking high-quality properties.

When FIFA announced that North America would host the 2026 World Cup—describing it as “the largest World Cup in history”—the hospitality sector began preparing for a seismic shift in travel patterns across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Sixteen host cities are expected to see extraordinary visitor influx, new booking behaviors, and intense rate compression. At Hospitality America, we have built a disciplined commercial strategy that integrates revenue science, brand alignment, and local market intelligence to meet this moment.

For the past few years, the conversation around artificial intelligence in hospitality has been dominated by a single question: Will AI replace the people who run our hotels, inns, and operations? It is an understandable concern. The industry is grappling with persistent staffing challenges, and many vendors promise fully autonomous systems that can “take work off your plate.” The subtext is clear. You hand over decisions to the machine and trust that the black box will get it right.

Read the latest edition of the HVS ANAROCK monthly industry update, MONITOR (Monthly Overview of National Industry Trends and Hospitality Report), for the key trends in the Indian hospitality industry.

With the opening of our new office in Tel Aviv, we’re doubling down on our commitment to be a driving force in the future of Israel’s hospitality sector. The country has consistently demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity, including the most recent war. As we explore the evolving landscape of global hospitality in this report, we also focus on how these broader trends will shape the Israeli sector in the years ahead.

Based on extensive industry research and expertise from EHL faculty members and the EHL’s renowned network of industry leaders, the EHL Insights Report: Hospitality Outlook 2026 offers an in-depth perspective on where the industry is heading in the coming years.

Earlier this week, I found myself at Expedia Group’s Roman offices, seated across from Elisa Ragno for Guess the Guest. The plan, at least on paper, was simple: talk about AI and hospitality. What happened instead was closer to a dérive, a drift across the borderlands where travel, technology, and human complexity leak into each other. Elisa had the admirable courage to ask real questions and the even greater courage to let me answer them without a safety net.