Jonathan Stanner, president and chief executive officer of Summit Hotel Properties (NYSE: INN), sat down for a video interview during Nareit’s REITworld: 2025 Annual Conference in Dallas on December 8-11.
Stanner said global events are shaping a constructive outlook for lodging demand, with the 2026 World Cup expected to be a meaningful tailwind.
“We do think the World Cup is going to be a real lift to our industry,” he said, noting that Summit’s markets alone are slated to host roughly 40 matches, with “six or seven markets that we think we’ll see a really big lift from the games.”
He also described how travel patterns have evolved since the pandemic. Leisure travel rebounded quickly, while business transient demand recovered more gradually. That balance is now shifting. In Summit’s urban markets, midweek performance has strengthened, with occupancies generally running full. Stanner said these trends support continued recovery in business travel, while setting the stage for improved leisure dynamics in 2026.
Looking ahead, Stanner pointed to multiple drivers of RevPAR growth, including special events, stabilizing government demand, and a rebound in international inbound travel. “I continue to describe business trends grinding higher,” he said, adding that Summit expects better overall demand performance as these segments recover.
On portfolio strategy, Stanner emphasized disciplined asset recycling, with selective dispositions funding debt reduction and reinvestment into markets offering stronger risk-adjusted returns.