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Hotel Forecasting: How to Win In 2026

February 6, 2026

Want to unlock the secrets to success in hotel operations in 2026?

We asked a hotel data scientist, financial coach, and hotel visionary how to win in 2026 on our latest thought leadership webinar on hotel forecasting and portfolio reporting, which took place on February 5, 2026.

We wanted to help our webinar participants learn how to move beyond "clean numbers" and drive a competitive advantage that impacts profits, guest satisfaction, and associate engagement.

In a frank and informed discussion, we heard from:

Shozib Khan, VP of Hotel and Owner Services at Spire Hospitality
David Lund, known as “The Hotel Financial Coach”
Chris Green, President of Humanitarian Hotels

Here’s their advice on ‘How to win in 2026’:

Shozib Khan is a self-described "data scientist with a soul.” He draws from his background in chemistry and over two decades of hotel experience, from shuttle driver to executive leadership, to bridge the gap between complex analytics and human-centric hospitality. He is a pioneer in applying the scientific method to solve operational challenges, focusing on automating the "science" of reporting to free hoteliers to focus on the "art" of leading people and serving guests.

“As we look at 2026, across our portfolio and across our industry as well, having alignment on expectations, something that can connect the dots from the boardroom in the investment office to the break room at the hotel, is important. There are many times when multiple leaders believe we're trying to go left when we're trying to go right, and just creating alignment on expectations, results, and performance is a huge win. That's powered by data that's embraced as a tool, not something that you're afraid of.”

David Lund is a hospitality financial leadership pioneer and the author of The Prosperous Hotelier. With over 40 years of experience, including senior leadership roles at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, David has dedicated his work to improving the industry's financial literacy. He is the creator of frameworks designed to turn non-financial hotel managers into business-savvy leaders who treat their data as a steering wheel rather than a report card.

“A lot of hotel companies could use better financial statements. I look at so many financial statements, and half of them are missing key elements, like measuring flow-through, measuring great segmentation, measuring productivity, and being able to see a payroll summary by department.

“We have so many opportunities to design wonderful financial statements, and people aren't taking advantage of that, so that's an easy win.”

Chris Green is President of Humanitarian Hotels, an initiative of the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation that directs 100% of net profits to charity while operating hotels with a performance-first mindset. He holds 30+ years of hospitality leadership experience, having previously served as President of Remington Hospitality and as President & CEO of Chesapeake Hospitality prior to its 2022 merger with Remington.

“I didn't get into this business because I love numbers. I entered this business because I love people and seeing them succeed. As a leader in this industry, I don't know how I could look my people in the face and not be incredibly good with the numbers and care about financial performance, because otherwise, they can't succeed.

“As leaders, it’s important to remember why you started in the first place. It's to give other people an opportunity to do what you're doing, and the only way to do that is by being good with the numbers, great with forecasting, and being ruthless about your attention to winning.”