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Presently, LLMs lack rich images and content, such as pictures of the spaces and features, that customers usually require when making hotel bookings, Kletzel said., on the other hand, has rapidly broadened in current years.

Beyond the guest experience, agentic commerce has the potential to move the method hotel companies' consumer service groups operate and are structured, Klein stated. Yes," Klein stated.

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This year, numerous collection brands that launched in 2025 will continue to expand. Extra new brands and partnerships, particularly in the lifestyle sector, will likely debut as well, according to hospitality professionals. In 2025, Marriott launched 2 collection brand names: Series by Marriott, playing in the upscale space in the U.S., and Outdoor Collection, specifically focused on outside lodgings in destinations near national parks, deserts, ski locations and shorelines.

Marriott's Outdoor Collection provides distinct lodgings in locations near national parks, deserts, ski locations and shorelines. Thanks To Marriott International Wyndham Hotels & Resorts unveiled its Dazzler Select brand extension targeting independent hoteliers in the economy lifestyle sector. And IHG Hotels & Resorts touted its own upcoming upper-tier collection brand during third-quarter revenues.

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Hilton's Start Collection, particularly, has more than 60 hotels in the works across the U.S. and Canada, Kevin Osterhaus, president of way of life brand names at Hilton, told Hotel Dive. Outset is presently exploring possible brand-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 brands are appealing because they offer the finest of both worlds: Owners keep the unique DNA of their property, while unlocking international distribution, income management, commitment and support. Kevin Osterhaus President of lifestyle brands at Hilton From the guest viewpoint, independent store hotels are desirable since they offer authentic experiences, Gabriel Perez, chief running officer of lodging at The Indigo Roadway Hospitality Group, informed Hotel Dive.

However, when it comes to why the hotel companies are chasing after independents in the lifestyle segment, "it's not about the guests. It's about producing sub-brands within their own brand names to please financiers' needs and to satisfy owner and developers' goals," Perez stated. JLL's Davis echoed that belief, informing Hotel Dive that the industry is at the point of, if not past the point of, brand name saturation, as "public business [are] under a remarkable quantity of pressure for net unit development." This, in turn, puts a lot more pressure on hotel business "to create brands, micro brands and subsets of brand names in order to expand their footprint of existing assets," Davis stated.

Hilton's collection brand names' "distinct 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 developers who "are constantly looking for ways to grow, and conversions represent a course for development," Molinary said.

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This year, Hilton prepares to remain "very active in the way of life space through tactical partnerships, brand-new signings and continuous growth of our present brands," Osterhaus said. Another growing area is the luxury sector.

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That trend is anticipated to continue in 2026 as high-end customers drive travel costs and hotel reservations in the middle of a wealth bifurcation at play in the market. "High-net-worth travelers are anticipated to remain one of the most trusted motorists of global travel spending next year," Giray Boran, managing director of BLG Capital, told Hotel Dive.