The hotel business has been a good one in recent years, as the economy has gathered strength. But there’s one area that’s been lagging — hosting corporate meetings and conferences.

Now, the hotel industry is hoping that lower corporate taxes will finally change that.

“The corporate and groups market has been sluggish and hasn’t responded as well to the economic growth,” said Lorraine Sileo, senior vice president for research at Phocuswright, a travel market research firm. “There’s definitely a lot of optimism that this is just a segment that’s waiting to improve and that gains are expected.”

Back in November, executives at both Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide expressed hope that the proposed corporate tax cuts would prompt companies to spend more at hotels. The tax bill was signed in December, and by February, when the two executives spoke with investors about their fourth-quarter earnings, they said there were indications that the tide had begun to turn.

Hilton’s chief executive, Chris Nassetta, said business travel demand was better than expected, and Marriott’s chief executive, Arne M. Sorenson, characterized the mood in corporate America post-tax reform as optimistic.