Five things the industry is actually building right now

PracticeAugust 2026Insight 05

The practices being funded in 2026 have one thing in common: each turns a cost centre into a revenue line, or a marketing claim into something measurable.

Advisory teams working across Asia Pacific are pointing at the same shifts for 2026. Hotel food and beverage has stopped being a passive amenity and become an active driver of brand identity and revenue diversification, with distinct concepts used to pull local trade into the building rather than simply feed house guests.

Wellness is moving from a treatment list to an ecosystem, with evidence-based programming, longevity and mental wellness attached to the stay. Next-generation family travel and a widening spectrum of ultra-luxury are being designed for as separate propositions rather than variants of the same room.

Repositioning is the quiet one. Rather than building new, operators are reworking legacy assets: one Bali renovation was delivered with new works representing under 10% of the property's original embodied carbon. That is a sustainability outcome and a capital efficiency outcome at the same time, which is why it is being funded.

Sustainability itself has crossed a line in Asia. It is described now as a requirement from guests, investors and regulators rather than a marketing angle: energy-efficient kitchens, responsible sourcing, water management and food-waste prevention as standard operating practice. Booking.com research has put the share of travellers wanting to make more sustainable choices at 93%, though stated preference and booking behaviour are not the same thing and should not be treated as such.

Each of these is a decision about where margin comes from, and each needs somebody who can model it before it is committed to. That is the work this programme trains.