Dive Brief:
- Following a rocky RevPAR environment in 2025, characterized by widespread declines, the majority of hotel asset managers anticipate their portfolio will see RevPAR growth for full-year 2026, according to the Fall 2026 Industry Outlook Survey by the Hospitality Asset Managers Association.
- The survey, which polled 72 HAMA asset managers, or roughly a third of the organization’s membership, found that 47% of asset managers anticipate year-over-year RevPAR growth between 4% and 6% in 2026. Another 25% of respondents project that RevPAR will increase between 1% and 3%. Meanwhile, less than 10% of the group expect to see flat or declining RevPAR in 2026.
- Simultaneously, the majority of asset managers (61%) reported having experienced a change in demand patterns across their portfolio due to recent geopolitical events and or the increase in energy costs, per the survey. While asset managers also widely anticipate RevPAR increases in 2027, several factors could present hurdles to growth.
Dive Insight:
Most hotel asset managers anticipate RevPAR gains will continue in 2027. According to the survey, 61% of asset managers expect to see between 1% and 3% year-over-year RevPAR growth for full-year 2027, while 35% anticipate between 4% and 6% growth.
However, some challenges could affect growth. Asset managers said they are currently most concerned about demand (56%), wage increases (44%) and labor availability (38%). Other factors they are concerned about include ADR growth, union activity, the Iran war, increased insurance costs and federal rate increases and decreases, per the survey.
Despite the concerns, the overwhelming majority of asset managers (about 85%) said they don’t think the U.S. economy will slip into a recession in 2027.
Another positive signal is that 90% said they don’t expect to hand the keys back to their lender or enter into a forced sale on any hotels in their portfolio.
On the investment and development fronts, more than two-thirds (68%) of asset managers said they are actively pursuing acquisitions, while 88% said they are either in planning or renovating stages of one or more properties in their portfolio.
Additionally, nearly 71% of asset managers are using artificial intelligence “in a meaningful way” for reporting or analysis, the survey found.
