2026 European Accommodation Barometer: Hotel Chains Maintain Their Lead

Since 2022, Statista and Booking.com have collaborated on the European Accommodation Barometer, an annual study which has tracked hospitality operators’ views on business performance – including occupancy, room rates, access to capital, investment plans, and future expectations. The results have shown a steady post-pandemic rise in optimism, with six in ten hoteliers now describing recent and current conditions as good or very good.

One enduring trend that the series has highlighted year-on-year is that chain hotels consistently report more favorable business sentiment across all metrics, including economic conditions, key performance indicators, room rate, and occupancy developments. These results are generally expected as chains are typically better positioned to absorb economic pressures and leverage scale, whether through investment capacity, pace of technology adoption, or more favourable access to financing. Independent hotels and alternative accommodations track more conservatively by comparison.

Despite these gaps, the overall perception of the business environment remains broadly aligned across accommodation types, suggesting that operators respond to the same underlying market conditions. This is particularly evident in the assessment of occupancy and pricing trends. In 2026, a growing share of accommodations across all segments reported increases in occupancy, while fewer indicated rising daily rates.

This excerpt and infographic have been adapted from the 2026 European Accommodation Barometer, which is due to be released on June 2nd. To download the 2026 Barometer on release date, sign up to the Statista and Booking.com's Travel and Tourism Insights newsletter here.