The American Hotel & Lodging Association2025 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY REPORT In collaboration with 3FOREWORD 4THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AND OUTLOOK FOR 2025 15KEY TRENDS SIGNAL EMERGING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES 15New Traveler Archetypes Expand the Target Market asDemographics Shift19Beyond the Stay: Changing Consumer Desires OpenOpportunities to Diversify Revenues21The Draw of Events: Sports and EntertainmentReveal New Ways to Leverage Consumer Enthusiasm24 GenerativeArtificialIntelligenceEnablesCompaniestoBreak Through Noise, Rebuild Trust 26A NEW GROWTH TRAJECTORY IS TAKING SHAPE 27EPILOGUE: A LOOK AHEAD 28REFERENCES The United States hospitality industry continues to evolve, propelled by acceleratingshifts in traveler behaviors, this while travel rates normalize; economic pressures and risingoperating costs continue; and rapid advances in technology develop. With these dynamicsin mind, this “2025 State of the Industry” first captures a moment-in-time look at theindustry, then outlines novel emerging growth opportunities. Our goal: equipping industryleaders with the insights they need to navigate this dynamic market successfully, as the costof doing business for hoteliers continues to rise and hotels are affected with costly wageand operational mandates from local governments. With U.S. travelers increasingly favoring unique, experience-driven journeys over traditionaldestinations, the industry is witnessing a surge in demand for immersive and sustainableexperiences. This shift reflects broader cultural changes where travel is becoming anexpression of personal identity and values. Coupled with an influx of sports-related tourismand significant international events, such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup (2026) and theOlympic Games (2028), the hospitality sector is poised to pursue new and exciting ways togrow, even as overall travel rates flatten and hoteliers face potential macroeconomic andregulatory headwinds at the local level. As AHLA’s technology arm, HTNG, asserts, “Technology is the single most powerful forcedriving the future of hospitality.” Tapping into advanced technologies such as generativeAI, cloud-based solutions, and smart hotel systems can significantly accelerate companies’efforts to meet evolving customer expectations and enhance operational efficiency. Thekey is using these technologies in ways that build and sustain trust with both customers andemployees, demonstrating shared values along the way. Leaders who prioritize trust as thefoundation of their operations can reinvent their organizations, leveraging real-time data todeliver personalized services, remove repetitive tasks from employees, and empower themto provide superior service. These technologies can also help organizations collaboratemore effectively with external partners, offering new and unique experiences that surpriseand delight travelers. By harnessing the power of these advancements, companies can drivegrowth and improve both customer satisfaction and operational performance. We hope this report inspires organizations in this industry to identify winning strategies,strengthen their ability to adapt and innovate, and thrive in a fast-changing future. THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AND OUTLOOK FOR 2025 After the vibrant rebound in post-pandemic demand, the U.S. hotel industry has beennavigating a period of stagnation. Year-over-year occupancy rates remained essentiallyunchanged in 2024 and average daily rates (ADR) and revenue per available room(RevPAR) flattened, signaling a shift toward normalization in travel patterns.1 In an environment where operating costs are outpacing revenue growth in many areas,cost-conscious behavior remains important, but identifying new revenue streamsbecomes paramount. To that end, executives need to be sure their efforts to upgradetechnology and operations in support of efficiency also enable innovation. Companieswill need to meet and even get ahead of rapidly evolving consumer expectations toreignite growth in this competitive landscape. Oxford Economics andAHLA PlatinumPartner STR are forecasting record-high growth in spending by guests, and hoteliersmust be able to rebuild and retain the workforce to meet this demand. Consider the industry’s past and projected performance from a host of vantage points:occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, guest spending, workforce size and wages, tax revenues, andthe hotel construction pipeline. Occupancy OCCUPANCY RATES WILL HOLD STEADY BUT FALL SHORT OF 2019 LEVELS U.S. hotel occupancy is projected to reach 63.38% in 2025, just 2.42 percentagepoints shy of the 2019 level of 65.80% and a notable recovery from 2020’s historic lowof 43.89%, according to Oxford Economics and STR data. However, 2025’s expectedaverage occupancy rate represents just a slight increase over both 2023 (62.97%)and 2024 (63.01%). Occupancy for 2024 fell just shy of Oxford Economics and STR’sforecasted 63.57% for the year.1 ADR AVERAGE DAILY RATE WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB, HOWEVER MODESTL