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Currently, LLMs do not have rich imagery and material, such as photos of the rooms and amenities, that customers normally demand when making hotel reservations, Kletzel said., on the other hand, has rapidly broadened in current years.

Beyond the guest experience, agentic commerce has the potential to shift the method hotel business' customer care teams run and are structured, Klein said. "Will there be some corporations that find the chance to lower personnel? Yes," Klein said. Brand names that think in terrific customer experience and service will discover that AI could assist their representatives "get included in more intricate, more business-critical conversations that assist grow the company." In 2025, Hyatt reduced staff by around 30% throughout its guest services and assistance teams "in action to the progressing nature of visitor inquiries and shifting company needs," per the business.

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This year, numerous collection brand names that launched in 2025 will continue to broaden. Additional new brand names and collaborations, especially in the lifestyle segment, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality professionals.

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

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Hilton's Outset 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. Start is currently checking out 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 since they offer the very best of both worlds: Owners keep the unique DNA of their property, while opening international distribution, profits management, loyalty and assistance. Guests get unique stays with the peace of mind of a trusted brand name." "As long as brand names are purpose-built and distinct in experience and rate point, they add clearness rather than confusion." Kevin Osterhaus President of lifestyle brand names at Hilton From the guest perspective, 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.

As for why the hotel business are chasing independents in the lifestyle sector, "it's not about the guests. It has to do with creating sub-brands within their own brand names to please financiers' needs and to satisfy 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 companies [are] under a significant amount of pressure for net unit growth." This, in turn, puts much more pressure on hotel companies "to develop brands, micro brands and subsets of brands in order to broaden their footprint of existing assets," Davis stated.

Hilton's collection brands' "unique positioning and storytelling continue to drive interest across chain scales," Osterhaus stated. Series and Outdoor Collection, both conversion-friendly offerings, pertain to an ownership neighborhood and developers who "are continuously looking for methods to grow, and conversions represent a course for development," Molinary stated.

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This year, Hilton prepares to remain "very active in the lifestyle area through tactical collaborations, new signings and continuous development of our current brands," Osterhaus said. Another growing area is the high-end section.

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That pattern is anticipated to continue in 2026 as luxury consumers drive travel spending and hotel reservations amidst a wealth bifurcation at play in the market. "High-net-worth tourists are anticipated to stay one of the most reliable drivers of global travel costs next year," Giray Boran, handling director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.