Hilton's pipeline nears half a million rooms as conversions grow
The company's development backlog hit a record at the end of 2024 — and the share of it coming from conversions rather than new builds is the operator story.
Hospitality News
Daily reporting on brand launches, management changes, labor disputes.
World Cup weeks lifted July occupancy to 67.6%, with New York the standout market
Weekly STR/CoStar data put US occupancy at 67.6% in the week ended July 11, up from 63.5% the prior week, as FIFA World Cup demand peaked — with New York City posting the sharpest RevPAR gains among major markets.
Three in four hotels raise wages into peak season as housekeeping stays the hardest seat to fill
AHLA's outlook surveys put 75% of hotels increasing wages, with housekeeping the most-critical staffing need and most operators expecting 2026 demand to hold or strengthen — the backdrop to peak-season scheduling now underway.
CoStar and Tourism Economics lift 2026 RevPAR forecast to +2.8% on World Cup demand
The June 2026 forecast revision raises projected US RevPAR growth to 2.8%, with occupancy at 62.8% and ADR up about 2%, citing strong leisure and group demand and FIFA World Cup tailwinds, per CoStar and Tourism Economics.
Conversions, not ground-up builds, are driving the 2026 hotel pipeline
Hyatt's pipeline hit a record 148,000 rooms at year-end 2025, per its January announcement, while US brand conversions reached a record 1,497 projects — up 12% year over year — making reflagging the industry's main growth engine.
40,000 union hotel contracts in play as World Cup summer raises the stakes
With more than 40,000 UNITE HERE hotel workers holding contracts up for renegotiation across 20-plus US cities — and the union warning of possible disputes in World Cup host markets — labor scheduling has become a summer-revenue risk for operators.