HOTEL TRENDS •
1
GLOBAL HOTEL GUEST TRENDS
HOW GUESTS SEARCH
26 %
Start hotel searches on OTAs Overtaking search engines at 21%
KEY TAKEAWAY OTA hotel searches have
overtaken search engines for the first time, but travellers are switching to hotel websites to book direct, seeking more control and better service.
18 %
Start on an OTA but book direct Up 3.3 percentage points
14 %
Begin with word-of-mouth recommendations Double previous levels
SMARTER BOOKINGS
PREMIUM, BUT PURPOSEFUL
58 % Choose superior or luxury rooms Up 4 percentage points 65 % Accept dynamic pricing When demand is high 63 % More likely to travel for special events In 2026 KEY TAKEAWAY Travellers are trading up on room category and showing greater acceptance of demand-led pricing and event-driven travel, as they prioritise more elevated, memorable experiences.
8 in 10 Want AI help during booking Nearly 4x growth year on year
44 % Want AI price monitoring
39 % Want AI scam detection
35 % Want AI spending habit tracking
PROTECTION PRIORITY SiteMinder says travellers increasingly want AI to protect their wallets first, with price alerts, scam detection and spending monitoring ranking above itinerary support.
HOTELS AS EXPERIENCES
54 % Would “hotel hop” in one destination
35 % Hotel hop to unlock better deals
+194 % Search rise for a former school turned hotel
+110 % Search rise for a converted prison hotel
50 % Hotel hop to
explore different neighbourhood s
ATM YEARBOOK 2026 | 81
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator