The Astro Edit: 2026 Hospitality Trends

As we settle back into the new year, the hospitality landscape is shifting in ways that are both exciting and challenging.

From AI that’s starting to earn its keep, and a new generation of workers reshaping what “good work” looks like. We've spent the last few months tracking what's bubbling up across the industry globally.

Here's what we're watching in 2026.

Sustainability: still front and centre

Sustainability isn’t new. That’s the point. Guests are asking tougher questions and using their bookings to back them up. The talk has moved past greenwashing and into daily operations.

Younger travellers, in particular, want specifics, where products come from, how waste is handled, and what happens to amenities after checkout. Certifications and disclosure rules are making vague claims easier to spot and easier to dismiss.

This also saves money. Energy savings, less waste, and stronger local sourcing reduce costs and reduce exposure when supply chains wobble.

What this looks like

  • Refillable amenities that cut single-use plastics without feeling cheap

  • Local sourcing in Food and Beverage to shorten supply chains

  • Clear reporting on waste, water, and carbon

  • Buying products built for reuse from day one

The experience economy: Food & Beverage as the main event

Hotels are no longer just competing with other hotels. They're competing with the restaurant down the street and the bar around the corner. The line between hotel guest and local patron has blurred, and F&B is where the battle is being fought.

The most successful properties are building F&B experiences that would stand on their own merit, with or without rooms upstairs. Seasonal menus, creative beverage programmes, and spaces designed to draw people in rather than just serve existing guests.

This shift is particularly visible in how hotels are approaching partnerships and programming. Pop ups with local chefs. Collaborations with regional producers. Dining experiences that tell a story about place. The goal isn't just to fill seats, it's to become a destination that locals choose and visitors seek out.

Brands like Nobu Hotels and METT Singapore have shown how a strong culinary identity can anchor the entire guest experience, converting food lovers into overnight guests and creating revenue streams that work both ways.

What's working:

  • Seasonal, locally driven menus that change with what's available

  • All day dining concepts that flex between morning coffee, working lunch, and evening drinks

  • Pop ups and chef collaborations that feel limited time and worth showing up for

  • Botanical cocktails and lower ABV options

AI and automation: from hype to useful

AI momentum in hospitality took off in late 2024. In 2026, the better operators are less interested in flashy demos and more focused on where it saves time and cuts errors.

The strongest wins are mostly behind the scenes: demand-based pricing that updates as conditions change, stock management that flags shortages early, and tools that cut admin so teams can stay on the floor.

On the guest side, the goal is simple: remember preferences and deliver them without making it weird. A returning guest’s room temperature, pillow choice, and check-in habits shouldn’t require a special request every time.

Where it’s paying off

  • Revenue management and demand based pricing

  • Maintenance alerts that catch issues before they become complaints

  • Guest preference systems that surface relevant recommendations

  • Back-of-house planning, from rostering to purchasing forecasts

Hotels doing this well use tech to back up their teams, not shrink them.

The human touch: why people still matter most

Technology only helps if the service is strong. Many bad reviews aren’t about rooms or facilities, they’re about how guests were treated.

Research shows that being recognised, listened to, and taken seriously sits near the top of satisfaction drivers. Ritz-Carlton is often cited for a 95% customer retention rate tied to its service culture. McKinsey reports 71% of customers expect tailored interactions but those only work when they feel warm, not robotic.

The balance is clear: let tech handle waiting and repetitive admin so staff can deliver what guests remember, a genuine welcome, using a name, fixing a small issue before it turns into a complaint.

What strong properties are doing

  • Hiring for attitude, then training the skills

  • Giving frontline staff authority to resolve issues fast

  • Cutting admin so staff can spend time with guests

  • Building a culture where good service is normal, not heroic

Workforce evolution: keeping the next generation

Gen Z now makes up a big share of hospitality teams. They want flexibility, purpose, and a path forward and they’ll leave quickly if they don’t see it.

The labour shortage hasn’t gone away. Competitive pay matters, but it doesn’t solve everything. People also want schedules that work, managers who develop them, and roles that don’t feel like a dead end.

Gen Z staff often spot waste and clunky processes fast. If you make room for their input, they’ll suggest the plating detail that photographs better, the bar idea that fits what people are actually sharing, or the process change that saves hours.

What’s changing

  • Flexible scheduling and compressed work weeks

  • Clear, achievable career pathways

  • More training, especially around new systems and tools

  • Real feedback loops and acting on what comes back

  • Treating new voices as a source of practical improvement

Hyper-local is the new luxury

Luxury used to signal imports: marble, Champagne, familiar global cues. Now it signals place, local craft, local stories, and experiences you couldn’t copy paste somewhere else.

That’s pushing hotels to work with regional artisans and makers, and to design spaces that reflect the setting rather than flatten it.

For New Zealand properties, this should be a strength. Landscapes, Māori culture, and the local food and drink scene already draw travellers. Hotels that build around those truths tend to connect more deeply with both domestic and international guests.

What hyper-local looks like

  • Partnerships with local artists, makers, and storytellers

  • Design that uses local materials and craft traditions

  • Menus driven by seasonal, regional produce

  • Experiences that help guests understand where they are

Wellness: built in, not bolted on

Wellness isn’t a single department anymore. Guests judge it through sleep quality, food, air, quiet, and access to nature. A spa alone doesn’t cover it.

The best hotels invest in basics that change how people feel, better mattresses and bedding, menus that meet different dietary needs without turning clinical, and easy ways to keep routines, yoga mats, walking routes, and partnerships with local fitness providers. Mental wellbeing is part of it too, calm spaces and design that lowers stress.

Younger travellers treat this as standard, not a splurge. They notice when the gym is under equipped, or when “grab and go” means only pastries and coffee.

What’s emerging

  • Circadian lighting and proper blackout options

  • In-room fitness gear and on demand workouts

  • Wellness focused menus that still taste good

  • Nature forward design in public spaces and rooms

  • Quiet zones and simple mental wellbeing supports

  • In-room options like aromatherapy kits and diffusers

What This Means for 2026

There isn’t one headline shift this year. It’s a set of moves that reinforce each other, sustainability built into operations, a food and beverage experience that draws people in and teams built to keep talent.

The details matter.

Here’s to a year of new possibilities and thinking outside the box.

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