As the hospitality industry looks ahead to 2026, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: success will be defined less by occupancy alone and more by how effectively hotels turn guest relationships into sustainable profitability. Economic pressure, evolving guest expectations and ongoing operational strain are accelerating a shift in how performance is measured, how technology is deployed and how value is created across the guest journey. 

For hospitality’s specialist leaders, the next phase of growth will depend on smarter measurement, deeper insight and systems that work together rather than in isolation 

Moving Beyond RevPAR  

For decades, RevPAR has been the industry’s benchmark. However, as hotel business models become more complex, its limitations are increasingly difficult to ignore. RevPAR focuses solely on room revenue, offering little visibility into the full value a guest brings to a property. 

By 2026, more hotels will be adopting broader metrics such as Revenue Per Available Guest (RevPAG) and Gross Operating Profit per Available Guest (GOPPAG). These measures capture profitability across the entire stay, including food and beverage, wellness, experiences and other high-margin services. 

This shift reflects a wider redefinition of performance. Rather than asking how many rooms were sold, forward-looking hotels ask how effectively they maximised the value of each guest. Today, a significant proportion of guest spend remains untracked due to fragmented systems and disconnected departments. As a result, profitable revenue streams are often underutilised. Closing that gap will be a critical focus in the years ahead. 

Unified Guest Data Is Essential 

The move toward RevPAG and GOPPAG depends on a hotel’s ability to see the full picture of guest behaviour. Siloed data across property management, point-of-sale, loyalty and mobile platforms prevents teams from understanding guests in a meaningful, actionable way. 

A single, unified guest profile changes this dynamic. It gives commercial and operational teams shared visibility into guest preferences, history and value, enabling informed decisions in real time. Just as importantly, it creates the foundation for personalisation that is both scalable and commercially relevant. 

With unified data in place, hotels can move away from retrospective reporting and toward predictive profitability, identifying high-value opportunities earlier and responding with experiences that resonate. 

Personalisation Extending Beyond the Room 

As travellers become more deliberate about where and how they spend, personalisation is extending far beyond the room itself. In 2026, performance will increasingly hinge on how effectively hotels personalise food and beverage, wellness, recreation and on-property experiences. 

Despite clear revenue potential, many hotels still struggle to measure ancillary spend on a per-guest basis. Smarter systems and automation are now helping to remove operational friction that has generally limited coordination between departments. From the moment a stay is booked, intelligent platforms can begin shaping tailored itineraries in real time, recommending dining reservations, spa appointments or experiences based on known preferences and behaviours. 

The result? Higher spend alongside stronger loyalty, as guests feel recognised and valued throughout their stay, even within large or complex properties. 

Automation That Supports People, Not Replaces Them 

AI will play a central role in enabling this shift, but its value lies in empowerment rather than replacement. In 2026, intelligent systems will increasingly support teams by highlighting revenue opportunities, optimising pricingand reducing administrative burden. 

Dynamic pricing will expand beyond rooms to include non-room inventory such as tables, cabanas and exclusive experiences, allowing properties to respond to demand without compromising guest satisfaction. Meanwhile, AI-driven insights will help teams anticipate needs, recommend relevant upsells and personalise offers at scale. 

By automating routine tasks, staff are freed to focus on the high-value interactions that drive loyalty, revenue and profit. 

The Fully Connected Guest Journey 

Guest expectations are no longer confined to a single channel. The journey now spans mobile, in-room, kiosk and on-property touchpoints, with an expectation that preferences follow seamlessly throughout. In response, hospitality technology is evolving toward ecosystems that feel intuitive for staff and consistently personalised for guests. 

For operators, the emphasis is on removing friction, improving margins and delivering connected experiences at every interaction. Integration, usability and real-time intelligence will be imperative. 

Preparing for a Predictive and Profitable Future 

By 2026, the most successful hotels will have moved beyond reactive performance reporting to a model built on prediction, personalisation and profitability. Measuring what matters, understanding total guest value and monetising experiences intelligently will define the next era of hospitality leadership. 

For hospitality leaders, the opportunity lies in aligning data, systems and strategy around the guest, turning every stay into a commercially sustainable relationship rather than a single transaction.