- Study: Rising U.S. travel driving hotel beverage demand.
- Soft drinks top hotel beverage preferences at 47 percent.
- Most travelers plan hotel stays for vacations in 2026.
The study combines market research with input from the AHLA F&B Committee, which draws on leaders from major hotel brands, ownership groups and management companies. One key finding is that domestic travel demand is outpacing international travel, creating new opportunities for beverage suppliers in the hotel channel.
A recent forecast from the U.S. Travel Association showed that U.S. travel spending will keep growing through 2028, driven mainly by strong domestic travel. Domestic leisure travel spending is projected at about $909 billion in 2026.
"Hotels are powerful places for beverage suppliers to generate trial and build brands, and an uptick in domestic tourism in 2026 will open up exciting new opportunities,” said Mike Rende, NIQ’s client solutions manager for on-premise operations in the Americas. “With spending tight and competition high, businesses may benefit from a deep understanding of consumers' behaviors and priorities.”
When it comes to what guests want to drink, soft drinks lead the way. Nearly half of travelers, 47 percent, said they expect to buy soft drinks at hotels over the next 12 months. Hot coffee came in at 40 percent, bottled water at 31 percent and fruit juices at 29 percent.
On the alcohol side, beer was the most preferred at 32 percent, followed by wine at 29 percent and cocktails at 27 percent. The spread across both alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories points to a wide range of demand that hotels and suppliers can tap into.
Greg Griffie, Davidson Hospitality's senior vice president of F&B and co-chair of the AHLA F&B, said the study was designed to address key challenges and opportunities in the hospitality industry using insights from the committee.
The report also looks at why people are checking into hotels in the first place. Nearly three quarters, 73 percent, said they plan hotel stays for vacations in the next 12 months. Stays tied to celebrations or functions accounted for 45 percent, while event-related stays made up 34 percent. Business travel is also changing shape. Seven in 10 business travelers said they now add a vacation before or after their work trip.
Free perks are becoming a bigger part of the picture too. Around 78 percent of visitors said complimentary benefits like breakfast and bottled water matter to them when choosing or rating a hotel. A third said free snacks would make them more satisfied with their stay. For beverage suppliers, this signals an opening to position certain products as part of a hotel's value offering rather than purely as a purchase decision.
Loyalty programmes are another area the report flags as having untapped potential. While 61 percent of hotel visitors already belong to a guest loyalty scheme, 17 percent said they might consider joining one and 12 percent let their membership lapse at some point. That combined 29 percent is a sizeable group not yet strongly committed to any brand, offering hotels and beverage suppliers room to build stronger guest connections.
Separately, a recent survey by Fullstory shows travelers remain active but are more cost-conscious, booking earlier and prioritizing value and convenience.
