The Present Situation Index just dropped to its lowest level since early 2021, and if you're running a leisure-dependent property, the 60-day booking window is where the damage shows up first. The question isn't whether Q4 softens... it's whether you've already looked.
A 300-mile round trip now costs $47 in fuel, up roughly $13 from last summer, and it lands on a consumer who's already cutting back on everything discretionary. If you're running a drive-to leisure property and haven't stress-tested your summer pace against this squeeze, you're planning with last year's guest.
The lowest sentiment reading of 2026 just landed in the middle of your Memorial Day booking window, and if you're running a leisure-dependent property, the next 72 hours of rate decisions matter more than the next 72 days of hoping things bounce back.
