Roundtable Reality Check: Hospitality's Biggest Stories of 2025 and 2026 Predictions
In this episode, Hospitality Daily host Josiah Mackenzie joins a roundtable of the top podcasters in hospitality for an unfiltered look at the stories that defined 2025 and what leaders can anticipate for the year ahead. Moderated by Katie Cline, host of Suite Success, the discussion brings together Zach Busekrus (Behind the Stays), David Millili and Steve Carran (The Modern Hotelier), and Glenn Haussman (No Vacancy) to unpack the realities behind luxury’s continued rise, loyalty’s identity crisis, AI hype versus impact, trade show fatigue, and how operators protected profitability in a challenging year. Drawing on hundreds of conversations each has had across the industry, this episode offers a grounded, experience-driven perspective on where hospitality stands today and the forces likely to shape 2026.
A few more resources:
- If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
- You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
- If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
- Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
- If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!
Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands
00:00 - Intro
02:27 - Setting the Stage: Reflecting on 2025, Looking to 2026
03:04 - The Waldorf Astoria Reopens
03:44 - Ultra-Luxury Is Pulling Away From the Pack
04:54 - Loyalty in Crisis: What Do Guests Actually Care About?
08:25 - Trade Show Fatigue
13:04 - Why Great Moderators Matter
13:50 - Brands Are Buying Independents—Fast
17:22 - AI Anxiety vs. AI Overconfidence
24:12 - 2025’s Real Win: Operators Protecting Profits
27:00 - 2026 Outlook: The K-Shaped Hospitality Economy
27:29 - Ultra-Wealthy Spending vs. Mainstream Strain
29:49 - From Material to Experiential Economy
31:36 - Route 66 Turns 100: Road Trips as Demand Shift
33:52 - AI Workforce Dislocation Hits Hospitality (Indirectly)
37:45 - Loyalty Moves Beyond Points to Experiences
40:39 - AI Unlock: Personalization at Scale
46:14 - Authenticity Wins: Real People, Real Testimonials
53:07 - Mint House as the Model That Feels Right
57:29 - Attention Is the Most Finite Resource
