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Currently, LLMs lack abundant imagery and content, such as images of the spaces and amenities, that consumers typically demand when making hotel bookings, Kletzel said., meanwhile, has actually rapidly expanded in current years.

Beyond the visitor experience, agentic commerce has the potential to shift the method hotel companies' customer support groups operate and are structured, Klein stated. "Will there be some corporations that find the chance to lower staff? Yes," Klein stated. But brands that think in excellent consumer experience and service will discover that AI might help their agents "get involved in more complicated, more business-critical conversations that help grow the organization." In 2025, Hyatt minimized personnel by roughly 30% throughout its visitor services and support teams "in action to the progressing nature of guest questions and moving company needs," per the business.

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This year, numerous collection brands that launched in 2025 will continue to expand. Extra new brand names and partnerships, particularly in the lifestyle segment, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality experts. In 2025, Marriott launched 2 collection brands: Series by Marriott, playing in the high end space in the U.S., and Outdoor Collection, exclusively focused on outdoor accommodations in locations near national parks, deserts, ski areas and shorelines.

Marriott's Outdoor Collection offers distinct accommodations in locations near nationwide parks, deserts, ski locations 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 brands at Hilton, informed Hotel Dive. Start is presently checking out possible new locations in San Diego, Los Angeles and Virginia Beach, Virginia, as well as markets in New Mexico and Colorado in 2026, Osterhaus said.

"Collection brand names are appealing due to the fact that they offer the finest of both worlds: Owners keep the distinct DNA of their home, while opening global distribution, income management, commitment and assistance. Visitors get distinctive stays with the reassurance of a relied on brand." "As long as brand names are purpose-built and distinct in experience and price point, they include clearness instead of confusion." Kevin Osterhaus President of way of life brands at Hilton From the visitor perspective, independent shop hotels are preferable due to the fact that they use genuine experiences, Gabriel Perez, chief running officer of accommodations at The Indigo Roadway Hospitality Group, informed Hotel Dive.

As for why the hotel companies are chasing independents in the way of life sector, "it's not about the visitors. It's about developing sub-brands within their own brands to satisfy investors' needs and to satisfy owner and designers' objectives," Perez said. This, in turn, puts even more pressure on hotel business "to develop brands, micro brands and subsets of brand names in order to expand their footprint of existing assets," Davis said.

Hilton's collection brand names' "unique positioning and storytelling continue to drive interest across chain scales," Osterhaus said. Series and Outdoor Collection, both conversion-friendly offerings, pertain to an ownership neighborhood and designers who "are constantly looking for ways to grow, and conversions represent a course for growth," Molinary stated.

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This year, Hilton prepares to stay "very active in the lifestyle area through tactical collaborations, brand-new signings and continuous growth of our existing brands," Osterhaus said. Another growing area is the luxury section.

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That trend is anticipated to continue in 2026 as high-end consumers drive travel spending and hotel reservations amid a wealth bifurcation at play in the industry. "High-net-worth tourists are anticipated to stay one of the most trusted drivers of international travel costs next year," Giray Boran, managing director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.