The tone of this year’s Lodging Conference was measured optimism, as strong 2026 RevPAR growth and limited new supply support the industry outlook. However, rising operating costs, expensive debt, loan maturities, and geopolitical risks continue to pressure profitability. Owners are increasingly focused on AI adoption, active asset management, brand economics, and converting revenue increases into asset value.

Downtown Dallas hotels are navigating convention-center disruption, corporate relocations, and sports venue shifts, with FIFA boosting 2026 rates. While occupancy may remain soft until the revamped convention center reopens in 2030, factors such as Uptown development, elevated hotel/residence projects, airport investments, and major projects support a strong longer-term outlook.

Houston is no stranger to major sporting events, having hosted Super Bowls, Final Fours, and College Football Playoff games. FIFA 2026 added another chapter, drawing an estimated 500,000 out-of-town visitors to Houston, according to the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority. While Houston hotels did not see a broad occupancy surge, they found meaningful pricing power around the matches.

Marble Falls, a small city within the Texas Hill Country and Highland Lakes region, is evolving beyond its traditional role as a weekend lake destination. New hotels, meeting space, and visitor amenities are expanding the market’s capacity for leisure, group, and event travel. This growth positions Marble Falls as an emerging lodging market to watch.

Each year, HVS researches and compiles development costs from our database of actual hotel construction budgets. This source provides the basis for our illustrated total development costs per room and per product type.

The AAHOA Central Midwest Conference in Oklahoma City highlighted key hospitality issues, including rising ADA-compliance concerns. Attendees also discussed market trends, noting stable financing despite recent interest rate fluctuations.

To measure the impact of convention center events, HVS analyzes daily hotel occupancy and ADR data to evaluate how convention events affect overall lodging revenues across entire markets and submarkets. We demonstrate how the impact on hotel occupancy and room rates varies based on market conditions.

Greater Houston’s lodging market is stabilizing, with distinct performance differences across submarkets. While 2024 posted strong results lifted by major events and weather-related displacement, inflation-adjusted levels show that real-dollar gains over 2019 are more modest. As 2025 has unfolded, differences between the city and outlying submarkets have become clearer as the market returns to more typical operating patterns.

This fifteenth annual Lodging Tax Study presents data on city, state, and special district lodging and sales taxes imposed on lodging sales. We provide historical data on tax rates and collection and distribution of revenue from lodging taxes levied in all 50 States and the 150 largest US cities. Our analysis of 25 major U.S. hotel markets shows room revenue growth slowing through 2024 and leveling off through the first eight months of 2025, reflecting weakening travel demand across key markets.

Galveston’s lodging market is being reshaped by capital investments and regulatory changes. Since 2019, more than $400 million has been spent on new cruise terminals, resort redevelopments, and boutique hotel conversions, while cruise passenger counts reached a record 1.7 million in 2024. With new projects underway and new short-term-rental oversights, growth will be affected by shifting supply and demand dynamics.