Hospitality operating technology platform Otelier has released The 2026 Hotel Operations Index: Progress, Pressure, and the Path Forward, a new industry report which has identified a growing disconnect between technology spending and measurable operational improvement.
The report from Atlanta, Ga.-based Otelier is based on a survey of hotel owners and operators. Developed in partnership with Agilysys and Sage, the report examines how hotel owners and operators are managing system integration, data quality and readiness for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
While many organizations report progress in modernizing their operations, fragmented systems, reliance on manual processes and limited confidence in data continue to slow decision-making and place additional strain on lean operating teams, according to the report.
“The results show an industry that’s clearly moving forward—but not nearly fast enough to keep pace with the challenges hoteliers are facing today,” Rob Lawrence, CEO of Otelier, said in a statement. “Most respondents told us their data and systems are still fragmented, and meaningful integration remains elusive. That has real consequences for cost control, agility and the ability to take advantage of technologies like AI.”
The report finding further indicated that only a small share of respondents indicated that their systems are fully integrated, and even fewer reported high confidence in the accuracy and reliability of their data. Many participants characterized recent technology progress as incremental rather than transformational, suggesting that operational complexity continues to increase even as technology budgets expand.
While the report highlights widespread challenges across the industry, it also outlines opportunities for improvement centered on better-connected systems, more reliable data and automation aimed at reducing manual work and improving visibility across hotel portfolios.