Inflation and demand for corporate travel and business events has Amex GBT declaring an expectation of rising hotel rates in 2027, although there is some variance between regions and countries.
According to the 2027 Hotel Monitor, the greatest increase in prices is likely for Sao Paulo in Brazil, in the range of 10.9 per cent to 12.2 per cent, and Madrid in Spain, where prices could go up between 6.1 per cent and 9.2 per cent.
In the US, hotel rate increases are predicted to be more subdued, with figures in the report ranging from a less than one per cent rise in Seattle to a rise of up to 5.4 per cent in San Francisco. Meanwhile, hotel cost rises in Mexico City are anticipated to be somewhat higher, in the range of 4.7 per cent to 7.1 per cent.
Looking more locally, in the Asia Pacific, hotel rates in Guangzhou in Mainland China might even fall, with a price change of between -0.3 per cent and 0.8 per cent. Other Asian cities like Hong Kong and Singapore are also expected to have muted rises, with Hong Kong’s range being between 0.2 per cent and 1.1 per cent up, while hotels in Singapore are forecast to raise their prices between 0.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent.
Sydney’s expected hotel costs are forecast to rise considerably more, between 3.5 per cent and five per cent, but not as much as hotel rates in Seoul, Korea, which sit at the top of the table for price increases in Asia, with rates expected to be up by between 4.3 per cent and 6.4 per cent.
“This year’s forecast reveals a nuanced global environment where geopolitical uncertainties and commodity price volatility are shaping hotel rates in different ways across regions,” said director of consulting strategy at Amex GBT Consulting , Sara Andell.
“Price is a key indicator, but it doesn’t always tell the full story.
“We’re encouraging companies to consider what value means to them, and what they are getting from their hotel spend, not just the headline rate.”
In its latest Hotel Monitor, Amex GBT also notes the significant rise in airfares in 2026, up 15 per cent in June, compared to the year prior, with increases of up to 30 per cent in Asia, suggesting the cost of air travel may be changing the demand picture for Asia Pacific.
