Hilton CEO Says AI Boom Is Driving Rebound for Midscale Hotels -- Market Talk

1017 ET - Hilton Worldwide CEO Christopher Nassetta thinks the middle class is having a rebound. He says that while luxury hotels are doing well, midscale hotels are seeing the biggest turnaround. The midscale category was declining last year, but has flipped to growth of 4% to 6% this year, he tells analysts. His explanation is that the AI boom is bringing middle-income people, such as contractors and engineers, to stay temporarily in areas where data centers are being built. "All that investment going on in the country, like the people that do it aren't staying in luxury hotels. The people that do it are staying in midscale, upper midscale," he says. (katherine.hamilton@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 28, 2026 10:18 ET (14:18 GMT)