How First Hospitality Plans for 2026 | David Duncan & Marissa Ballan
Description
Margin pressure. Rate uncertainty. Shifting investor expectations. Welcome to 2026 planning season.
During The Lodging Conference, I spoke with David Duncan, President & CEO of First Hospitality, and Marissa Ballan, Chief Investment Officer, about how their team approaches the next phase of the hotel cycle — with discipline, data, and confidence.
Here’s what stood out:
👉 First Hospitality has spent months renegotiating contracts and sharpening cost control to offset margin compression.
👉 The company’s revenue management and analytics platform helped 76% of its hotels grow share last month—even longtime assets.
👉 Investors see 2025–2026 as a transition period, with falling rates expected to unlock real opportunity in Q1.
👉 Marissa’s focus: expanding capital partnerships and attracting institutional investors to fuel growth.
👉 David’s focus: building culture through authentic service, not scripted soundbites.
They summed it up perfectly: Control what you can. Focus on people. Build transparency and trust.
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