2025 review and 2026 trends in hospitality and restaurants

2025 was a turning point for hotel and restaurant professionals. Between rising costs, changing guest behaviour, mounting pressure from platforms and staff shortages, the models that still worked yesterday showed their limits. In this context, carrying out a 2025 review and analyzing 2026 trends in hotels and restaurants is no longer a forecasting exercise. It is a strategic necessity to secure revenue, protect profitability and keep growing in a more demanding, more competitive market. In this article, we draw on what we observed in the field and on the lessons of 2025 to identify what really worked, what held performance back and, above all, how to turn 2026 trends into concrete operational levers.

2025 review: what the market really penalized and rewarded

2025 was not a smooth year of transition. It was a harsh wake-up call. The properties doing best are not necessarily the most visible or the most “Instagrammable”, but those that took back control of their sales and marketing, reduced friction and stopped flying blind. Three major lessons clearly stand out.

The end of “all platforms”: in 2025, margin took back control

For a long time, the logic was simple: more platforms = more bookings. In 2025, this equation showed its limits.

Between rising commissions, the constant price war, last-minute cancellations and the loss of the guest relationship, many properties realized they were selling more, but sometimes earning less. Those that came out ahead made a strategic choice: rebalance their distribution mix, without cutting the OTAs, but without handing them the keys to the business.

In practice, what worked in 2025:

• a website upgrade (clear, fast, conversion-focused);
• a high-performing booking engine, designed mobile-first;
• real thinking about the added value of the direct channel (and not just a price cut).

Direct was not sold “cheaper”, but better: more flexible conditions, exclusive perks, clear information, a smooth booking path.

Concrete actions to take right now:

• list your sales channels and calculate their real cost (commission + time + tools);
• compare them with your direct channel: conversion rate, cancellations, average spend;
• identify 2 differentiating direct offers (flexibility, included services, experience).

But taking back control of distribution is not enough. In 2025, another factor made the difference: speed. And above all, guests’ zero tolerance for complicated booking paths.

Zero friction: in 2025, every unnecessary click cost bookings

In 2025, guests were not “less keen to travel or go out”; they simply had less patience. Slow pages, too many steps, unclear information, complicated payment… The result is immediate: abandonment.

In both hotels and restaurants, high-performing properties understood one thing: booking must be simple, fast and reassuring, especially on mobile.

The major changes observed in 2025:

• an explosion in mobile bookings;
• more abandonment when conditions are unclear;
• the rise of card guarantee and deposit policies (especially in restaurants).
  

What really made the difference:

• clear rules (cancellation, opening hours, groups);
• smooth, secure and confidently presented payment;
• transparent communication that prevents disputes and no-shows.

Concrete actions to put in place:

• test your booking path as a guest would, on a smartphone. If it takes you more than 2 minutes, there is a problem;
• spell out in black and white: cancellation conditions, payment policies, and opening hours and specific constraints;
• automate confirmations and reminders to secure arrivals.

Less friction, more bookings: that’s great, but in 2025, those who really pulled ahead went one step further: they learned to use their data, even in simple ways.

Data is no longer a luxury: it has become vital

2025 put an end to a myth: “I don’t need data, I know my property”. The professionals who held up best are those who stopped steering by instinct alone and started relying on a few clear indicators, tracked regularly. Good news: this is not about becoming an analyst. It is about asking the right questions of the right numbers.

In 2025, the truly useful data was:

• the channels that generate the most cancellations;
• the periods when pricing is under-optimized;
• the guests who come back and those who are never followed up;
• the ancillary services that are actually profitable.
  
  

Concrete actions to put in place:

• create a simple dashboard, checked every week (no more than 7 KPIs);

• segment your guests at a minimum (new guests, returning guests, inactive guests);
• automate 2 key messages: confirmation + useful information, and a post-experience message (review + next visit).

This groundwork on data directly prepares for the challenges of 2026, particularly personalization and loyalty. The 2025 review is clear: less improvisation, more steering, more control. The real question now: what will really matter in 2026? That is exactly what we look at in the next section, with the 2026 trends that will directly affect properties’ sales and organization.

2026 trends: three shifts that will transform sales performance

In 2026, hotels and restaurants will not enter a new “marketing” era. They will enter an era of smart industrialization. After the 2025 review, one thing is clear: growth will no longer come from a single lever, but from properties’ ability to structure their processes, use their data and manage overall profitability, without making their teams’ daily work more complicated. Three major trends clearly stand out for 2026.

Useful AI: fewer promises, more operational gains

In 2026, artificial intelligence will no longer be an “innovative” topic, but a productivity tool. The best-performing properties will not try to “do AI”, but to save time and gain consistency thanks to it. The use that is taking hold is not spectacular, but pragmatic.

The most relevant applications observed in the industry:

• help handling recurring guest requests;
• automating operations (for example: the guest journey);
• summarizing sales performance and making it easier to read.
  
  

AI is becoming an internal assistant, able to structure information, speed up decision-making and relieve teams of repetitive tasks. What will make the difference in 2026 is not the tool chosen, but the method:

• a clear framework (brand tone, sales rules, operational constraints);
• uses defined in advance,
• systematic human validation.
  
  

Best practices to adopt:

• formalize standard answers to the most frequent guest questions;
• centralize key information to avoid inconsistencies;
• use AI as a support for analysis and preparation, never as an autonomous pilot.

While AI saves time, it does not create value on its own. In 2026, a property’s real wealth remains the same: its direct relationship with its guests.

CRM and loyalty: the return of the repeat guest

In 2026, attracting new guests will keep getting more expensive. Conversely, building loyalty and bringing back existing guests is becoming the most profitable and most stable lever. This trend is not new, but it is taking on a strategic dimension: CRM is no longer a marketing tool, it is a sales management tool.

High-performing properties will not try to communicate more, but better:

• fewer messages;
• more relevance;
• a real guest lifecycle approach.
  
  

Effective loyalty in 2026 relies on simple scenarios:

• a useful, personalized post-experience message;
• a consistent follow-up based on seasonality and past behaviour;
• perks designed as an experience, not as a discount.
  
  

This model is particularly relevant for smoothing out activity during off-peak periods, reducing dependence on platforms and increasing guest value over time. Concrete actions to plan for:

• build a usable guest database (clean, segmented data);
• set up a few well-targeted automated scenarios rather than mass communication;
• treat loyalty as a service provided, not as a promotion.

Building loyalty is essential. But in 2026, it is no longer enough. Performance is no longer measured only by occupancy, but by overall profitability.

Total revenue: selling better rather than filling up at any cost

The third major trend of 2026 is a change of perspective. Properties no longer manage only their occupancy rate, but their total revenue per guest.

This approach is gaining ground for a simple reason:

• a full property can be barely profitable;
• a slightly less full property can generate more margin.

In hotels, this means taking all revenue into account: accommodation, food and beverage, breakfasts, services, activities, options. In restaurants, it means better controlling table turnover times, strategic time slots and average spend per cover.

In 2026, the winning approach is based on:

• clear, easy-to-read combined offers;
• better anticipation of demand;
• sales rules consistent with margin targets.
  
  

The priority areas of work are:

• design simple packages that are easy to understand and sell;
• identify high value-added services and integrate them into the guest journey;
• adapt booking and welcome rules to spread demand more evenly.

These 2026 trends have one thing in common: they only work if they are turned into concrete actions. The next section is therefore decisive: how to turn these trends into a clear 90-day action plan, without disrupting your internal organization.

2026 action plan: 90 days to secure revenue and take back control

Trends are only valuable if they translate into concrete decisions. In 2026, the properties that perform are not those that launch ten projects at once, but those that structure a few priority projects and execute them properly. This 90-day action plan lays solid foundations, without operational overload, and with a direct impact on sales and profitability.

Step 1: bring the booking path up to guest expectations

The first priority in 2026 is not visibility, but conversion. Before investing more in communication or distribution, it is essential to make sure that every guest ready to book can do so without friction. Properties need to ask themselves a simple question: is the booking path clear, fast and reassuring on mobile?

This means reviewing the essentials:

• readability of offers and rates;
• clarity of conditions (cancellation, payment, opening hours);
• smoothness of the booking engine;
• consistency of automatically sent messages.

In many cases, a few adjustments are enough to significantly improve performance: removing unnecessary steps, better highlighting key information, clearer messages.

The goal is to secure existing bookings, reduce abandonment and lay a sound foundation before any further sales action. An effective booking path converts. But in 2026, converting without controlling distribution weakens your margin. The second step is therefore strategic.

Step 2: take back control of distribution and sales

Once the booking path is optimized, the priority is to take back control of the distribution mix. In 2026, it is not about pitting direct sales against platforms, but about defining a consistent, controlled balance.

This step aims to:

• identify the channels that really perform;
• understand their impact on profitability;
• put the direct channel back at the centre.
  
  

The most advanced properties are working on:

• differentiating direct offers (added value rather than slashed prices);
• clear communication about the benefits of the official website;
• a specific strategy for off-peak periods.

This work not only reduces dependence on platforms, but also helps better anticipate activity and align sales decisions with financial goals. The goal is to build a more balanced, more predictable and more profitable sales strategy. Controlled distribution protects margin. The last step is to make existing guests and the data collected work for you, without complicating your organization.

Step 3: automate guest relations and grow additional revenue

The third step is often underused, even though it is one of the most profitable. In 2026, performance depends on a structured guest relationship, intelligently automated and value-driven.

The goal is not to multiply communications, but to:

• send the right message at the right time;
• offer genuinely useful services;
• extend the relationship beyond the first booking.

This step relies on:

• a few well-defined automated scenarios (before, during and after the experience);
• better highlighting of additional services;
• a simple, consistent loyalty approach.

When well designed, this system generates additional revenue while improving the guest experience, without adding to teams’ workload. The goal is to increase the value of each guest and create a lasting dynamic of repeat business.

The 2025 review is unequivocal: hotels and restaurants have entered a phase of strategic maturity. Growth no longer relies on piling up channels, tools or trends, but on the ability to structure, prioritize and manage every sales decision. The 2026 trends confirm this shift. Pragmatic artificial intelligence, controlled guest relations, overall revenue management: these levers are not passing fads. They outline a more sustainable, more profitable model, better suited to realities on the ground. The properties that come out ahead in 2026 will be those that have turned these trends into concrete processes, aligned with their business goals and their teams’ operational constraints.

Preparing for 2026 starts now. To secure your revenue, take back control of your distribution and sustainably improve your profitability, it is essential to make a clear diagnosis of your current organization: booking path, sales channels, guest relations and use of data. Relying on proven solutions that can support this structuring lets you move from a reactive approach to a truly controlled strategy. At Reservit, we have been supporting hotel, restaurant and activity professionals for more than 20 years in this transformation.

Julie
Communication Manager
In partnership with Jennifer Therond