Marriott’s 2026 Outlook: New Credit Card Deals, World Cup Boost, and Luxury Premiums
Photo Credit: Anthony Capuano, president and CEO of Marriott International, at Skift Global Forum 2024 in New York City. Skift
Skift Take
Marriott’s outlook for next year suggests steady, if unspectacular, growth. Credit card fees and luxury travel are helping to carry the load, while government travel remains a drag thanks to the U.S. government shutdown.
Marriott painted a mixed picture of its third-quarter performance, with executives highlighting Tuesday how customer segments are diverging in spending habits, how it has begun to renegotiate the terms of its co-branded credit cards, and how upcoming events could shape its growth next year.
In the third quarter, the hotel giant's luxury properties surged 4% globally in revenue per available room (RevPAR).
"Growth was again strongest at the higher end as high-end consumers have demonstrated resilience to macroeconomic uncertainties and continue to prioritize travel," said Anthony Capuano, president and CEO.
While affluent travelers continued to spend, small and medium-sized businesses pared back on travel spending. The group's select-service hotels saw their revenue "decline" by an unspecified percentage.
"Our portfolio is well positioned to benefit from outperformance at the upper end as 10% of our rooms are in the luxury segment and another
