Trends that will shape hospitality sector this year

With 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals recorded globally in 2025, marking a 4-percent increase from 2024 figures and signaling a record-high recovery of the tourism sector, more people are going to travel around the world this year, especially for leisure and business.

According to UN Tourism projections, global tourist arrivals may likely hit the 2 billion mark this year. The above implies more demand for quality hotel accommodations by would-be guests and also discovering factors that influence their travel, choice of accommodation and things to do while on a trip.

Below are some of the trends that will shape the hospitality industry in 2026, with focus on the guests.

Personalized services:

While the Covid-19 pandemic era introduced some contactless offerings in the hospitality industry, those offerings have been remodeled as today’s guests are after personalized services; hence the above is a key trend in the hospitality industry this year.

Angelina Muleni, a general manager with Serena Hotels in East Africa, noted that guests are now after tailored and unified services and experiences, with the demand for seamless online and offline experiences on the increase.

“We have observed that more guests want to meet our staff members today than before. They want to know the name of the waiter that served them, the cleaner who cleaned their rooms, where the laundry man got his skills, the spa lady as well as to say hi to the duty manager. So, we are now integrating our systems to provide a fluid experience across all their platforms in order to retain our guests,” Muleni said.

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Experience-centric travel:

Despite the rising cost of travel globally; especially airfare and hotel accommodation, travelers still prioritize experiences over price.

This implies that hotels must focus on creating memorable experiences and partnering with local businesses to offer unique activities and authentic cultural experiences for the guests.

According to Gabe Onah, chairman, Cross River Carnival Commission, for the 20 years the carnival has been held in Calabar, most of the visitors are increasingly seeking local, sustainable and bespoke experiences.

So, hotels that adapt to these expectations, especially offering their guests local experiences, will stay in business this year as bespoke experiences are also becoming a decisive factor in travel decisions.

Herbert Jayson, a Seychelles-based destination manager, also noted that hotels can offer seamless travel experience by integrating their services with curated local destination content. According to him, most hotels in Morocco took advantage of the AFCON to curate experiences that complemented fun of the football tournaments outside the football pitch. “Hotels that care less about experience will get less guests this year,” he warned.

Sustainable travel:

Due to the much awareness created on climate change, guests are increasingly looking for hotels that adopt environmentally friendly practices and operation processes.

They go for eco-friendly practices such as renewable energy sources, water conservation, reducing waste, offering more green areas, all-inclusive facilities, among others. Such hotels will attract more guests this year, according to Martins Bruce, an eco-tourism expert.

In the same vein, Olugbenga Sunday, CEO, Tojum Hospitality and convener, Hotel Managers Conference and Awards Africa (HMCA), noted that with the growing awareness of environmental issues, hotels are shifting towards sustainable practices, such as energy-efficient systems, waste reduction, and eco-friendly amenities.

Tech/mobile-first approach:

Hotel bookings and inquiries on facilities are fast leaving traditional models for more innovative ones, especially through mobile phones, virtual tours and websites.

In 2025, about 42 percent of travelers booked their hotel accommodation through smartphones. Considering the above, Emmanuel Ele, managing director, Six Regions Hotels Nigeria, noted that hotels must prioritize technology and mobile-first optimization to stay competitive this year.

But Jayson also thinks that hotels that work closely with booking platforms will do well in 2026 because of the platforms’ heavy investments in technology that are increasingly drawing would-be guests online.

Experiential Dining:

Hotel restaurants are now shifting their focus from just serving food to creating immersive experiences that engage guests’ senses.

Hotels are now promoting experiences such as Sunday Brunch, dinner in the bush, by seaside, among other rare offerings. Fusion menu is on the rise as most international brands are now skilled at serving traditional food menus with international flavors.

As global guests are increasingly becoming adventurous in their food choices, hotels that are innovative with their menu offerings will woo more guests this year, Seshi Khumalo, a culinary expert, insisted.

Group Travel:

Probably, to share and save on the high cost of travel nowadays, group travel is on the rise, driven by families, friends and people seeking shared experiences.

To woo this group, which is a potential market, hotels need to offer tailored packages, services and pricing that will appeal to them.

Exciting diaspora packages:

With innovative initiatives like Ghana’s ‘Year Of Return’, Nigeria’s ‘Detty December’, Gambia’s Root Festival, there has been increasing visits by African diasporas, amid high demand for hotel accommodation and fun activities. So, hotels that plan ahead and innovate exciting activities for the Diasporas will lure more visitations from this segment.

Ele also thinks that hotels should take the diasporas market seriously as many of them are returning based on the high exchange rate that favours them.

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