The annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) kicked off the year with insights into hotel transactions, performance, and lending trends. What do experts expect for the industry in 2016?

A modest tempering of enthusiasm for development, performance, and the near future of the U.S. hotel industry was prevalent among delegates at the 2016 ALIS conference in Los Angeles, which traditionally sets the tone for the present year of lodging news and forecasts. Forecasts call for a continuing rise in hotel RevPAR and NOI; however, falling oil prices and the decline in REIT stock prices fed into a balance of cautious optimism at the conference. The rise of the U.S. dollar and its impact on foreign travel was at the forefront of many discussions; while gateway markets are being affected, secondary hotel markets are benefiting from the lower cost of gas. Mixed-use developments that integrate hotel components are on the rise. Tighter restrictions on CMBS loans are making large transactions more challenging. Financing for new hotel development remains available, but will likely undergo stricter underwriting.

The following are some key takeaways from ALIS 2016.

Seven Key Takeaways | The Americas Lodging Investment Summit 2016 (ALIS)