If you manage revenue for a hotel in the United States, you already know that 2026 is not going to hand out easy wins. The days of wide open demand and generous rate growth are over. Now it is about clarity, discipline, and knowing exactly where opportunities hide.
NB: This is an article from TakeUp
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This is the year when smart revenue managers outperform. Not by guessing. Not by using the same playbook from 2015. By reading the market with precision and reacting faster than everyone else.
Here is the outlook for 2026 in plain English, with the data you need and the takeaways that actually matter.
U.S. Hotel Demand Forecast: What Will Actually Fill Your Rooms
The demand story is shifting
Leisure demand is no longer carrying the whole industry. Corporate transient and small group travel are beginning to reclaim their relevance. CoStar reports a stronger recovery in business travel while leisure performance becomes more uneven across markets (costar.com).
International inbound is still lagging. Visitor volumes remain below both last year and 2019, which keeps downward pressure on big city and gateway markets (costar.com).
And booking windows? They are shrinking again. More travelers are booking later, which adds volatility but also opens pricing opportunities for those who know how to work short lead demand.
What this means for your strategy
- Expect flat occupancy to be the norm
- Expect higher volatility and more last minute changes to your pace
- Expect more value driven behavior from guests, even when they are willing to spend
- Expect the hotels with stronger segmentation to win
If your strategy depends on predictable leisure weekends or year round rate strength, 2026 will challenge that. The smart move is to shift your lens toward demand pockets and stay agile.
Hotel Pricing Trends: Where Rate Still Works and Where It Will Not
The price story for 2026 is simple. Rate growth is slowing. CoStar and Tourism Economics revised ADR expectations downward. Many properties will see only 1 to 3 percent growth next year (str.com).
RevPAR growth is projected between 0 and 1 percent for a large share of the country (hotel-online.com).
At the same time, your costs are not slowing down. Labor, utilities, insurance, and supplies keep rising. That is the pressure cooker every revenue manager will be cooking in next year.
