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Sydney Eason, Founding Partner and Marketing Strategist, Eason Branding, Marketing Rising Leader Council Member
This perspective comes from a marketing rising leader council discussion, rooted in what teams are dealing with now. Growth has slowed, forecasts have been revised, and 2026 feels far less forgiving than recent years. The data has already landed, and it is shaping decisions in real time.
Industry forecasts point to slower lodging performance across supply growth, demand, ADR, and RevPAR in the U.S. Those revisions are not abstract. Guest expectations have shifted again, with more focus on rest, ease, and value rather than constant novelty. Marketing teams are adjusting accordingly. Creativity matters more when performance tightens. Foundational content is back in focus because AI tools rely on accurate, detailed information. Group and business travel are carrying more importance in many markets. Wellness has become less about amenities and more about removing friction from the stay experience.
One comment from the discussion summed up the year clearly: “RevPAR is down, ADR is down, growth is down, a lot of numbers are down”.
That reality is driving discipline. Teams are simplifying messages, rebuilding core assets, and being selective about where dollars go. The group mentioned that there are fewer experiments, clearer priorities, and paying more attention to what converts and what simply sounds good in planning decks. Commercial teams are adjusting to the numbers in front of them and doing the work required to stay relevant in a slower cycle, without pretending the cycle does not exist.