America’s Hospitality Rush Fades as Travelers Hit Pause

America’s hotel recovery has flatlined. CoStar and Tourism Economics now expect revenue per available room (RevPAR) to fall 0.1% in 2025 — a sharp reversal from January’s forecast of 1.8% growth. After years of post-pandemic gains, the hospitality sector is now hitting a wall as demand stalls.
Checkout time: International travel to the US isn’t expected to return to 2019 levels until 2029 — four years later than previously projected — as negative sentiment toward the US continues to dampen arrivals. Hyatt recently cut about 5% of its corporate staff after Marriott’s 16% headquarters reduction last year, signaling deeper restructuring ahead. The industry now pins its hopes on 2026 events like the World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary to revive momentum, though STR president Amanda Hite warns, “The second half of the year is going to be tough.”