Hospitality players ramp up tech, expansion plans

Hospitality market growth underpinned by personalization and tech

The global boutique hotels segment and wider hospitality sector are seeing sustained growth as operators respond to changing traveler expectations and cost pressures with more personalized and digitally enabled offerings. A new forecast for the boutique hotels market projects expansion from USD 71.56 billion in 2025 to USD 76.30 billion in 2026, reaching USD 114.86 billion by 2032 at a 6.99% CAGR. At the broader level, the combined hotels, resorts, and cruise lines market is expected to grow from USD 126.07 billion in 2025 to USD 133.11 billion in 2026 and to USD 189.09 billion by 2032, a 5.96% CAGR.

These reports highlight guest personalization, adaptive design, and digital engagement as central competitive levers. Operators are using contactless services, direct booking engines, guest personalization platforms, and loyalty integration to differentiate offers while reinforcing operational resilience. Sustainability initiatives and procurement strategies, including local partnerships, are also emphasized as decision-makers look to manage supply chain disruption and evolving regulatory requirements.

For hotels, balancing design-led experiences with efficient back-of-house operations is becoming a core strategic challenge. The segmentation of boutique assets into classic, luxury, and themed properties, as well as domestic versus international guest focus, is prompting more granular portfolio strategies. Urban and secondary cities in the Americas, heritage-led destinations in EMEA, and rapidly urbanizing Asia-Pacific markets emerge as key regional growth areas.

Self check-in kiosks reshape guest journeys and hotel operations

Automation at the front desk is accelerating as hotels seek to streamline check-in and check-out and reduce friction for guests. The hotel self check-in and check-out kiosk market is forecast to rise from USD 2.34 billion in 2025 to USD 2.57 billion in 2026 and to USD 4.98 billion by 2032, reflecting an 11.39% CAGR. Demand is being driven by guests’ preference for autonomous, contactless journeys and by operators’ need to standardize and speed up high-volume processes.

Vendors are supplying modular hardware including displays, enclosures, payment terminals and processors, coupled with software suites for analytics, kiosk management, check-in/check-out logic and reporting. Deployments span cloud-based and on‑premise models and cover freestanding and wall-mounted units. Integration with property management systems via open APIs is now viewed as essential to support consistent experiences, centralized data, and rapid updates across boutique, budget, business, and resort hotels.

With capabilities such as biometric authentication, QR-based operation and mobile app linkage, kiosks are enabling hotels of all sizes to reallocate staff to higher-value guest interactions while maintaining service standards. Consulting, installation, and preventive maintenance services sit alongside hardware and software sales, underscoring the shift toward lifecycle partnerships rather than one-off equipment purchases.

IHG targets India for large-scale brand-led expansion

Alongside these technology shifts, global hotel groups are pursuing geographic expansion. IHG Hotels & Resorts plans to increase its Indian portfolio to more than 400 open and pipeline hotels within five years, from a current base of just over 50 operating properties and around 80 in development, totaling nearly 12,000 rooms. The company is aligning growth with domestic demand and favorable demographics, using eight brands across luxury, premium and midscale tiers.

IHG’s essentials portfolio, anchored by Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, already accounts for over 70% of its operating hotels in India, with Holiday Inn Express leading signings in its category by the third quarter of 2025. The group has also introduced Garner as a midscale conversion brand, with signings including Garner Kathua and Garner Etawah. On the premium side, Crowne Plaza represents about a quarter of hotels in development, and the opening of Crowne Plaza Lucknow marked IHG’s 50th hotel in the country.

IHG is extending its presence in the luxury and lifestyle segment as well, with Six Senses Fort Barwara opening in 2021 and Six Senses Vana in 2023, and plans to debut the Vignette Collection in early 2026. The voco brand has secured signings in Amritsar, Mumbai, Srinagar, and Jim Corbett National Park. The company says it intends to build scale in India by leveraging owner partnerships and conversion opportunities across mainstream, premium, and luxury brands.

Mitsis Group launches Canvas brand to diversify Greek portfolio

In Europe, Greece-based Mitsis Group is also reshaping its offering with a new brand, Canvas by Mitsis. The brand initially comprises six four-star all‑inclusive hotels: Alexander the Great in Chalkidiki; Belvedere and Messonghi in Corfu; Cretan Village in Crete; Family Village in Kos; and Petit Palais in Rhodes. The properties will focus on guest comfort, accessibility, and streamlined operations while maintaining standards associated with the wider Mitsis Group.

The company describes Canvas by Mitsis as a strategic milestone that enhances portfolio differentiation and targets a generation of travelers seeking authentic yet simple experiences. The goal is to deliver operational consistency and service aligned with core values of quality, care, and consistency, while adapting to evolving expectations in the Greek tourism sector. Mitsis Group currently manages 24 city, beach, and resort hotels plus 14 spa and thalassotherapy centers across multiple Greek destinations and continues to expand.

Beyond brand development, Mitsis has been emphasizing sustainability and corporate social responsibility through its “A Story of Change” program, which encompasses more than 150 initiatives annually. The company’s 2024 sustainability and CSR report, released in December 2025, highlighted efforts to demonstrate sustainable tourism practices and encourage responsible long‑term development in its operating locations.