Dive Brief:
- Hyatt saw systemwide RevPAR increase 5.9% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, driven by growth in the luxury and upper upscale segments, according to an earnings report published Thursday.
- Also in the second quarter, Hyatt’s development activity “remained very strong,” CEO Mark Hoplamazian said during a Thursday earnings call. Hyatt’s pipeline grew to a record 154,000 rooms in Q2, up 10% year over year, per the report.
- Amid “resilient demand from premium travelers,” Hoplamazian said, Hyatt now expects full-year systemwide RevPAR growth between 3.5% and 4.5%. The company also anticipates net rooms growth to accelerate significantly over the second half of the year.
Dive Insight:
In the U.S., Hyatt saw Q2 RevPAR increase 6.7% year over year, “driven by robust leisure travel, along with healthy group demand,” CFO Joan Bottarini said during the call. The U.S. gains “exceeded expectations,” while Hyatt saw “strong growth across most international markets,” Hoplamazian said.
RevPAR growth was up across all customer segments, with leisure transient RevPAR increasing approximately 7% year over year amid “exceptionally strong” demand from premium travelers, Hoplamazian said.
Meanwhile, group RevPAR in the quarter increased more than 7% year over year, with Hyatt seeing a boost from the World Cup. Host cities delivered group RevPAR growth of more than 13% in June, Hoplamazian said on the call.
Hyatt competitor Hilton similarly noted during its Q2 earnings call earlier this week that it saw U.S. RevPAR benefit from a “strong World Cup.”
Hyatt made gains on the development front in the second quarter, as its luxury, lifestyle and inclusive collection brands continued to generate strong owner interest, Hoplamazian said. The company has a large number of hotel openings scheduled for the fourth quarter, with a significant percentage of those being luxury, lifestyle and full-service hotels.
Hyatt’s Essentials brands are also gaining momentum and present “meaningful opportunities to expand Hyatt’s brand footprint in markets where we have significant white space,” Hoplamazian said. These opportunities include hotel conversions under Hyatt Select and Unscripted by Hyatt, both of which launched last year.
Also during the second quarter, Hyatt restructured its World of Hyatt loyalty program award chart. The loyalty program reached 69 million members during Q2, up 17% year over year, Hoplamazian said on the call.
