The Biggest Winners, Losers, and Plot Twists of 2025 — and Predictions for What Comes Next in 2026

from This Week in Hospitality · host thisweekinhospitality

2025 was a year where the hospitality world stopped playing offense and started getting sorted — by who could scale, who could actually operate, and who was still living in the low-rate, high-growth fantasy of the last cycle. In this special year-end episode of This Week in Hospitality, Zach is joined by Ben Wolff, Edwin Kramer, and Scott Eddy to break down the biggest winners, biggest losses, and biggest storylines that defined the year — and then go all-in on the predictions that will matter most in 2026. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at alliance.journey.com. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 4:07 — 2025 in Review: Winners That Defined the Year 17:01 — The Biggest Losers of 2025: What Broke and Why 24:52 — Innovation in 2025: What Actually Mattered 34:15 — The Biggest Plot Twists of 2025 39:14 — 2026 Predictions: Companies, Bets, and Shifts to Watch 1:06:54 — Rapid Fire: Buzzwords, Disruptions, and What’s Next Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniquestaysguy/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

What this episode covers

2025 was a year where the hospitality world stopped playing offense and started getting sorted — by who could scale, who could actually operate, and who was still living in the low-rate, high-growth fantasy of the last cycle.In this special year-end episode of This Week in Hospitality, Zach is joined by Ben Wolff, Edwin Kramer, and Scott Eddy to break down the biggest winners, biggest losses, and biggest storylines that defined the year — and then go all-in on the predictions that will matter most in 2026. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary.If you’re an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at alliance.journey.com. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro4:07 — 2025 in Review: Winners That Defined the Year17:01 — The Biggest Losers of 2025: What Broke and Why24:52 — Innovation in 2025: What Actually Mattered34:15 — The Biggest Plot Twists of 202539:14 — 2026 Predictions: Companies, Bets, and Shifts to Watch1:06:54 — Rapid Fire: Buzzwords, Disruptions, and What’s Next Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uniquestaysguy/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

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The Biggest Winners, Losers, and Plot Twists of 2025 — and Predictions for What Comes Next in 2026

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This episode was published on January 2, 2026.

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