Hotel and accommodation trends

Spain has taken a bold step in addressing its escalating housing crisis by ordering Airbnb to remove over 65,000 holiday rental listings that violate existing regulations. The move is part of a broader national and regional crackdown on short-term rentals, which authorities say are fueling housing shortages and rent inflation. The government accuses platforms like Airbnb of fostering a largely unregulated market, while Airbnb contends the actions are unjustified and plans to appeal.

Airbnb is facing slowing growth in its core short-term rental business but is doubling down on international expansion and a renewed focus on its Experiences segment to reignite momentum. Yet, CEO Brian Chesky is optimistic, citing new strategies like global price transparency, hotel integration, and a stronger push into underpenetrated markets. While U.S. performance remains soft, Airbnb is betting on global growth and platform innovation to return to double-digit growth.

Today’s travelers have no shortage of loyalty programs to choose from — 70% of GHA Discovery members say they’re active in at least three or more. However, being a member doesn’t always mean being engaged. According to a Boston Consulting Group report, people’s overall engagement drops as they join more loyalty programs. 

GHA Discovery, a loyalty program from Global Hotel Alliance that includes 850 hotels, resorts, and palaces from 45 hotel brands in 100 countries, recently launched its 2025 report, “What Travelers Want Most from Loyalty Programs.” Based on 8,687 responses with 85% coverage across 13 key markets, the report closely examines the key factors that drive guest loyalty. The central question: what makes travelers stick around in a crowded loyalty landscape? GHA’s research suggests it’s no longer just about collecting points — it’s about meaningful, easy-to-use benefits, clear value, and a sense of being recognized.

The short-term rental sector (STR), once buoyed by pandemic-driven demand, is now experiencing stagnation and struggling to retain customer loyalty. Despite strong earnings from major players like Airbnb, the industry is under pressure due to inconsistent guest experiences, negative media coverage, and increased scrutiny—especially from younger travelers.

Key takeaways

Market plateau: STR usage among U.S. leisure travelers has held steady at about 25% since 2020.
Reputation issues: Negative press and inconsistent experiences have damaged the sector’s image.
Lack of loyalty: Most STR users also stay in hotels or resorts and compare experiences across categories.
Younger travelers skeptical: Under-35s question STR value and are more influenced by negative headlines.
Trust erosion: Many hosts admit unprofessional practices have hurt consumer confidence.
Hotel-Like standards expected: Guests increasingly expect STRs to match hotel service and reliability.
Market saturation risk: Only high-quality operators are likely to thrive as expectations rise and inventory grows.
Critical need for evolution: STRs must focus on transparency, consistency, and reputation to stay relevant.

Travel planning has evolved far beyond the realm of traditional travel agencies. Today’s travel designers are reshaping the role into something far more personal, creative, and curated. Unlike old-school agents who sold package deals from behind a desk, these modern professionals function more like lifestyle consultants - using social media to attract clients, crafting custom itineraries from scratch, and offering hands-on support throughout the journey. The result is a new kind of travel expert, one who blends aesthetics, expertise, and concierge-style service to design memorable, one-of-a-kind trips.

Key takeaways:

Creative curators, not package sellers:Travel designers don’t work from pre-set tours. They build trips from scratch, often beginning with mood boards and client interviews to match itineraries to personalities and priorities.
No pamphlets, no neon signs:Unlike traditional agents, travel designers avoid old-school marketing tactics. Their workspace is often digital and their storefront is Instagram or TikTok, not a high street office.
Personal concierge approach:Many designers offer full-service experiences - from booking flights to joining trips as private guides - positioning themselves more like experience architects than transactional agents.
Fee-based over commission-based:Travel designers increasingly charge flat or per-day planning fees, allowing for unbiased recommendations and deeper client focus, rather than relying on vendor commissions.
Social media as a business tool:Instagram and TikTok are key to attracting clients and showcasing their style and specialties. These platforms double as portfolios for potential clients.
Tailored for the individual:Today’s travel designers prioritize personalization, cultural insight, and high-touch service - far from the one-size-fits-all trips of the past.
Modern trust over legacy titles:Many designers distance themselves from the term “travel agent,” favoring titles like “designer” or “planner” to reflect their modern, boutique approach.

The 2025 global hotel group ranking by MKG Consulting paints a vivid picture of a fiercely competitive industry in motion. Hotel giants are turbocharging growth through acquisitions, franchise expansion, and asset-light models, while doubling down on extended stay offerings, lifestyle brands, and geographic diversification. With pipelines bursting and development surging across emerging markets like India, Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asia, and Africa, these players are navigating a fine line between aggressive growth and sustainable scale.

Key takeaways

Marriott leads unchallenged

Added 123,000 rooms and entered the affordable economy space (City Express).
StudioRes and luxury residences drive diversification; over 10,000 units added via Sonder.
Global RevPAR up 4.3%, with international markets leading.

"Airbnb is relaunching its “Experiences” and introducing a new suite of hotel-style “Services” as part of a $250 million investment to expand beyond short-term rentals. With a focus on curated, local, and professionally vetted experiences and services — from cooking classes to massage therapy — Airbnb aims to become a full-service travel platform, signaling a strategic shift toward becoming a comprehensive trip-planning and lifestyle brand.

Key takeaways

New offerings: Airbnb is relaunching “Experiences” in 650 cities and debuting “Services” - bookable hotel-style offerings like private chefs, spa treatments, personal trainers, and more in 260 cities.
Curated content: New “Airbnb Originals” include exclusive, high-profile experiences featuring chefs, Olympians, and celebrities.
Focus on quality: Services hosts average 10 years of experience; all hosts are thoroughly vetted for skills and local knowledge.
Updated app: Airbnb redesigned its app to act more like a travel concierge, integrating stays, experiences, and services under a single interface, with itinerary-building features.
Strategic vision: CEO Brian Chesky envisions Airbnb offering more than just accommodations, aiming to launch multiple billion-dollar revenue verticals in the coming years.
Investment and growth: Airbnb is investing up to $250 million in 2025 to scale Experiences and Services, although it doesn't expect meaningful revenue contribution this year.
Social and personalization features: New social elements allow users to interact with fellow guests, and offerings are personalized based on traveler profiles and location.
Future potential: While no flights or rideshare integrations have launched yet, Airbnb hinted at expanding trip-planning functionality further in the future."

Hoteliers in France and Spain, supported by law firms Eskariam and Geradin Partners, are taking legal action against Booking.com. They accuse the platform of unfair business practices, including excessive commissions and restrictive contract clauses. A recent European Court ruling that struck down “parity clauses” has opened the door for hotels to offer better prices on their own channels, fueling this collective legal push.

Airbnb is taking a significant step toward greater pricing transparency by eliminating the optional "total price" toggle and instead showing the total price (before taxes) by default for all guests worldwide. While this move aligns with growing consumer demands for clear, upfront pricing, many property managers still obscure the true cost of a stay with hefty add-on fees, making comparison shopping difficult and frustrating. This change by Airbnb not only enhances the booking experience for guests but also increases pressure on competitors and hosts to follow suit or risk losing trust.

Key takeaways

Global pricing update: Airbnb now shows the total price (excluding taxes) by default to all users worldwide, removing the previously optional toggle feature.
Previous system criticized: Until now, guests often first saw the base nightly rate, with fees revealed only after clicking further—leading to surprise charges at checkout.
Consumer pressure: The toggle was introduced in 2022 after viral guest complaints, particularly about high cleaning and miscellaneous fees.
Fee transparency still lacking elsewhere: Many property managers and rival platforms like Vacasa still show only nightly rates up front, requiring extra clicks to reveal fees.
Competitive advantage: Airbnb is using this move to highlight affordability versus hotels and competitors, and to regain trust by pushing for more transparent pricing.
Host encouragements: Airbnb prioritizes listings without cleaning fees, offers tools for pricing comparison, and promotes discounts for longer stays.
Market implications: While Airbnb takes the lead, the broader vacation rental industry remains inconsistent in pricing transparency, potentially disadvantaging less upfront platforms.