Wyndham Report Shows 98% Hoteliers Use AI but Scared to Scale

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has published its 2026 Hotel Owner Trends Report, revealing how hotel owners and property developers in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean are approaching AI adoption.

Adoption is widespread but full integration lags

• 98 percent of hotel owners and developers have started incorporating AI into some aspect of their business.
• Only 32 percent report that AI is embedded across most operational areas.
• Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) expressed a strong desire to expand AI usage but admitted feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to focus next.

This suggests that while excitement around AI is high, translating it into consistent, enterprise-wide practices remains a key challenge.

AI drives efficiency, energy savings, and revenue

Among those already using AI, the most common applications are

• operational efficiency (64 percent),
• energy management (54 percent), and
• revenue management (53 percent).

These areas directly influence profitability, indicating that hoteliers prioritize AI where it has immediate business impact.

Balancing AI autonomy with human oversight

Hotel owners remain cautious about fully autonomous AI decision-making.

• 40 percent are comfortable allowing AI to operate without human oversight, while
• 57 percent require human supervision to feel confident in AI-driven operations.

2026: AI in construction and revenue strategy

Looking forward to 2026, hoteliers are focused on expanding AI implementation in strategic areas.

The top priority, cited by 61 percent of respondents, is using AI in construction planning, such as helping with permitting, zoning, and project management. Revenue optimization follows at 30 percent, showing continued interest in leveraging AI to drive financial performance.

For more insight, read our article about AI in hospitality and how it is being implemented in revenue management, automating guest communications, and personalizing the overall hotel experience.

Photo by Janka Jonas on Unsplash