Hotel Owners at an AI Crossroads as Confidence and Growth Plans Hold Firm, Wyndham Owner Trends Report Finds

Artificial intelligence has rapidly shifted from an emerging concept to a business imperative for hotel owners—and now the focus is on adopting AI at scale. Findings from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ newly released, second-annual, Owner Trends Report show the industry has reached an AI inflection point: hotel owners and developers are embracing AI but are increasingly in need of greater guidance on how to convert early adoption into long-term returns.

AI Adoption at Scale
- 98% of hotel owners have begun incorporating AI into their business.
- Only 32% have embedded AI across most operations.
- 73% want to expand AI use but feel overwhelmed or unsure where to start.

Current AI Use Cases
- Operational efficiency: 64%
- Energy efficiency: 54%
- Revenue optimization: 53%

Future Opportunities
- Construction planning & permitting: 61% want AI to play a larger role.
- Revenue optimization: 30% see further potential.

Role of Hotel Brands
- 89% of hoteliers say working with a brand helps with AI adoption.
- 34% consider brand partnership essential for vetting and integrating technology.
- Wyndham positions itself as a guide, offering scalable platforms like Wyndham Connect and Connect PLUS.

Barriers to Adoption
- Data privacy & security concerns: 46%
- Costs of AI tools: 42%
- Integration with legacy systems: 40%
- Human oversight: 57% of owners want AI decisions reviewed by people.

Confidence & Growth Plans
- 90% optimistic about 2026.
- 95% optimistic about the next five years.
- 79% planning portfolio expansion over the next five years.
- 97% open to joining or switching brands if opportunities arise.

Investment Priorities for 2026
- Staffing increases: 24%
- Property improvements: 20%
- Sales & marketing upgrades: 20%
- Technology investments: 19%
- Enhanced amenities: 17%

Wyndham’s Position
- Over $375M invested in technology since 2018.
- Wyndham Connect adopted by 5,000+ hotels, logging 12M guest interactions.
- Hotels on Connect PLUS see ~200 bps improvement in direct voice conversion and ~400 bps in guest satisfaction.
- Partnerships with Google, Amazon, and others to strengthen visibility in AI-powered search.
- Supported by Wyndham Rewards, with 121M members, ranked #1 by USA Today readers.

📌 Takeaway: Hotel owners are enthusiastic about AI but need guidance to scale it effectively. Wyndham is positioning itself as a trusted partner, combining technology, loyalty, and operational support to help owners navigate this AI-driven transformation.