Industry Updates

Analysis by Kelsey Fenerty

For the past six months, Osaka has played host to the World Expo, a quinquennial event that brings together people and innovations with a focus on key global challenges. The event has historically generated substantial gains in hotel performance, a pattern that was evident in Osaka and neighboring markets in Japan.

Analysis by Kelsey Fenerty

Despite the summer heat, hotel performance has accelerated across the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).

In August, revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew 11.7% year over year with gains in both occupancy and average daily rate (ADR). 

Analysis by Hannah Smith 

Costa Rica hotel performance over the past five years has resembled other leisure destinations frequented by Americans. Specifically, higher-end hotels and resort areas have done well, while other areas have remained flat.

In January 2026, Amsterdam’s VAT rate for overnight accommodation is expected to increase from 9% to 21%, affecting a range of lodging options from hotels to B&Bs to short-term rentals. Heading into a year of change, hotel performance in the market has left something to be desired. 

As the industry’s trusted data solutions provider, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest performance trends, event impacts, and potential challenges facing the travel and hospitality sector. Covering our full range of data sets, including historical top-line performance, forward bookings data, forecasts, and profit & loss, our insights help you turn opportunity into action. 

European hotels reported lackluster RevPAR growth in June for three key reasons: actual occupancy levels, the weather, and difficult event comparisons. 

When it comes to actual occupancy, very high levels, as seen in most Western European countries, can be difficult to grow or even maintain in some cases.

Strong start to 2025, especially in South America

Each of the largest countries in the Americas region posted revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth during the May 2025 year-to-date (YTD) period. Three South American countries (Brazil, Peru and Chile) ranked at the top, reporting RevPAR gains during each month of 2025 thus far. The metric’s performance was lifted by both average daily rate (ADR) and occupancy.

The Fourth of July holiday has long served as a key indicator of leisure travel and lodging demand in the U.S. Amid ongoing macroeconomic pressures and weakening hotel performance metrics, this year’s holiday weekend faced heightened scrutiny. Fortunately, the holiday passed the test when it came to hotel demand.   

Isaac Collazo, Senior Director of Analytics at STR, gives an overview of the 2025 U.S. hotel forecast revision.

An extended version of our U.S. Market Forecast Assumptions analysis can be found here.