Chris Bilotto, president and CEO of Service Properties Trust (Nasdaq: SVC), sat down for a video interview at Nareit’s REITweek: 2026 Investor Conference in New York, June 1-4.
Bilotto said the lodging sector has entered 2026 with improving momentum after a cautious start, supported by renewed optimism across the travel industry. Leisure demand remains a key driver for SVC’s portfolio, with contract and group business also contributing to stronger performance.
Bilotto pointed to major U.S. events—including the FIFA World Cup, the nation’s 250th anniversary, and the Super Bowl—as important sources of event-driven demand, while noting that business travel continues to recover more unevenly and remains market specific.
On capital allocation, Bilotto said SVC has strengthened its position through asset sales, balance sheet work, and $1.6 billion in year-to-date capital markets activity. The company is shifting more toward net lease while retaining a hotel portfolio with embedded upside. “For SVC, there’s a pretty sizable catalyst on the lodging side for us to kind of grow, just given the work that we’ve done,” he said.