The Revination
January 2026
Explore Revinate’s monthly digest of hospitality’s latest insights and tips. As hoteliers, we know you’re flooded with information. The Revination simplifies that noise, making it easier for you to focus on what’s happening in hospitality, why it matters, and what action you can take today. We also share our perspective on industry trends and highlighting the strategies driving game-changing results for hotels like yours. Subscribe on LinkedIn.
2026: the year hotels turn data into action
Over the last few years, hotels have made major investments in technology — CRMs, CDPs, marketing automation, and guest engagement platforms. By the end of 2025, many teams had done the hard work of upgrading systems, integrating platforms, and centralizing guest data.
But having the data is no longer the hard part.
In 2026, what matters is how quickly and intelligently hotels act on data. Guests move fluidly across channels, devices, and moments — and they expect relevance in real time. Not generic campaigns. Not delayed follow-ups. The hotels that will stand out are the ones activating guest data across the full lifecycle: before the stay, on property, and long after checkout.
Numbers that matter
76% of guests expect personalization — and they notice when it’s missing
A December 2025 analysis of personalization trends highlights just how high guest expectations have become. 76% of consumers say they prefer brands that deliver personalized experiences, while 82% are willing to share their data when it leads to more relevant interactions. The data also shows that 71% actively favor brands that tailor communication and offers to their individual needs.
Taken together, these numbers point to a clear shift: Personalization is no longer a competitive advantage — it’s the baseline. Guests now expect relevance across every interaction, from pre-stay emails to on-property messaging and post-stay follow-ups. Hotels that fall short risk feeling generic, even if they’ve invested heavily in guest data.
Why it matters for hoteliers
Guests don’t experience hotels in systems or channels — they experience them in moments. And those moments increasingly come with an expectation of relevance. When communication feels timely and personal, guests are more likely to book direct, engage on property, and return. When it doesn’t, the experience feels disconnected, even if the hotel has access to rich guest data.
For many hotels, the challenge isn’t a lack of technology or information. By the end of 2025, most teams had already invested in CRMs, CDPs, marketing automation, and guest engagement platforms. The real challenge now is activation — turning insight into action quickly enough to matter.
In 2026, the hotels that stand out won’t be the ones collecting the most data, but the ones using it intelligently across the full guest lifecycle. Personalization that shows up too late, in isolation, or without context no longer meets guest expectations.
What’s Revinate’s take?
Personalization works when guest data is connected, trusted, and activated across teams and touchpoints. Value is created when insights move seamlessly from system to system and inform decisions in real time.
As guest journeys become more complex and expectations rise, hotels need a clearer strategy for how data supports relevance at scale. That means aligning teams around shared insights, respecting guest trust, and focusing personalization efforts where they have the greatest impact on loyalty and direct revenue.
Trends that matter
AI is stepping into the booking journey — and guest data is now the battleground
AI is rapidly collapsing the guest booking journey into a single, conversational experience. According to Mews’ recent report, “Reimagining the Guest Journey in the Age of AI,” discovery and search are already heavily influenced by AI, and booking is quickly following. With tools like ChatGPT introducing browser-based reservation capabilities, AI is moving from recommendation engine to transaction partner — positioning itself squarely between hotels and guests. As this shift accelerates, visibility, accuracy, and data ownership are becoming decisive competitive factors.
Why it matters for hoteliers
In 2026, the challenge isn’t whether AI will influence bookings; it’s whether hotels will be represented accurately when it does. AI-generated summaries increasingly blend property descriptions, guest reviews, OTA data, and social sentiment into a single narrative. If that data is fragmented or inconsistent, hotels risk losing control of how their brand is presented, or worse, disappearing from AI-driven recommendations altogether.
This trend directly reinforces one of hospitality’s most important priorities for 2026: unified tech stacks. Disconnected systems create conflicting data signals, limiting AI’s ability to surface accurate information and deliver meaningful personalization. Meanwhile, guest expectations continue to rise. Travelers increasingly expect tailored, AI-assisted journeys that reflect their preferences — and that level of personalization is only possible when hotels activate clean, first-party guest data across the entire lifecycle.
What’s Revinate’s take?
AI doesn’t have to replace the hotel–guest relationship, but it will reshape who controls it. Hotels that unify and activate their guest data will remain the primary source of truth in an AI-mediated world. When data is accurate, connected, and permission-based, hotels can influence AI discovery, personalize engagement at scale, and protect long-term loyalty — even as new booking intermediaries emerge.
Perspectives that matter
What will define the guest experience in 2026? In this episode of the Hotel Moment Podcast, we explore five key themes shaping the future of hospitality from personalization and data strategy to evolving guest expectations and what hoteliers can do now to stay ahead, strengthen engagement, and drive long-term growth.
Clean, unified guest data is the backbone of effective personalization and direct booking growth. This blog breaks down why hotel data management matters — and how hoteliers can eliminate silos, improve data quality, and turn first-party data into more relevant guest engagement, higher revenue, and long-term loyalty.
Managing guest data across multiple properties isn’t easy — but when it’s done right, it unlocks smarter marketing and stronger relationships. In this customer story, see how Brittain Resorts & Hotels uses clean, centralized guest data to personalize communication, improve engagement across the guest journey, and drive more meaningful, revenue-impacting interactions.
