What's happening: Thai hotels see flat foreign arrivals in 2026 amid safety concerns
Thai hotel operators expect international visitor numbers to hold steady in 2026, citing stagnant short‑haul demand and lingering safety worries. Occupancy in January was 77%, with the southern region at 84% and the north at 68%.

Remember making waffles at the hotel breakfast bar as a kid? Steve Turk says those days are disappearing fast. In this clip from Good Morning Hospitality: Hotel Edition, Steve breaks down how rising costs and brutal competition are squeezing mid-tier hotel brands. Free breakfast can eat up 5 to 7 percent of revenue, and for many properties, it has become a pure marketing expense that is no longer delivering a real return. The result: shrinking quality. More plastic-wrapped grab-and-go items, weak coffee, microwaved options, and a “free breakfast” that can actually drag down the guest experience instead of elevating it. Watch the full GMH Hotels episode for more on how hotel cost pressures show up on the buffet line and what might replace the classic free breakfast. Get the full episode here: Skift: https://skift.com/skift-travel-podcasts/good-morning-hospitality/ Podcast Platforms: https://play.megaphone.fm/okwdpoz5snw-qz4xetyc2w

Avelo Airlines announced a 29% cut to its Q2 2026 schedule, removing over 3,000 flights compared with a year earlier. The reduction stems from closing two East Coast bases, ending West Coast operations, and accelerating the retirement of its Boeing...

Boeing’s 777X will enter service with a first‑of‑its‑kind active takeoff inhibition system that verifies the folding wingtip configuration before departure. The aircraft’s 235‑foot wingspan can be reduced to 212 feet on the ground, allowing it to fit existing Code E gates at...

Grecotel has announced the launch of Creta Palace, a new luxury resort on Crete’s north‑coast. The property will offer roughly 300 rooms, several high‑end restaurants, a full‑service spa, and extensive meeting facilities. Construction is slated for completion in early 2025,...
Emirates Skywards has launched a Ramadan promotion offering members a chance to win a share of 2 million Skywards Miles, with 20 winners each receiving 100,000 Miles. Participants earn a 25% bonus on all spends through the Skywards Everyday app and...
Faith‑based travelers are increasingly choosing Greece for New Testament pilgrimages, driven by its biblical relevance and robust tourism infrastructure. Greece recorded a historic 40 million international arrivals in 2024, with early 2025 data confirming continued growth. Tour operators, especially U.S.‑based firms,...
Divi Resorts is promoting a suite of direct‑booking perks across its Caribbean portfolio, including a Best Price Guarantee, flexible pay‑over‑time options, and cash‑back rewards through The Guestbook. The program also offers discounted non‑refundable rates, family‑friendly all‑inclusive pricing, and up to...
Luxury cruising is shifting from a hierarchy‑based model to a personalization‑driven market, where affluent travelers choose ships that match their vibe, values, and lifestyle. Internova’s research shows over 80% of luxury travelers are interested in yacht cruising and two‑thirds favor...
European Waterways is launching a brand‑new hotel‑barge itinerary aboard the Nymphea, taking guests through inland Brittany via the historic Canal de Nantes à Brest between Josselin and Redon. The six‑guest barge offers an intimate, slow‑travel experience that includes medieval towns,...

The Ritz‑Carlton Yacht Collection has teamed with Colombian fashion house Johanna Ortiz for a first‑of‑its‑kind onboard takeover on the yacht Ilma, debuting February 17. The partnership dresses the Pool Deck and Observation Terrace with Ortiz’s signature tropical prints, creating two...

Travel writers surveyed their favorite early‑spring getaways across southern Europe, highlighting destinations from Annecy’s Alpine greenways to Naples’ vibrant streets, Corsica’s wildflower‑laden hills, and Avignon’s golden evenings. Each spot is praised for mild weather, reduced crowds and easy rail or...

Smiling Albino, founded in 1999, has evolved from motor‑scooter tours in remote Thai regions to curating ultra‑luxury experiences for billionaires. The company redefines luxury as authentic, community‑based encounters rather than five‑star hotels, emphasizing sustainable partnerships and fair compensation for local...

Thai hotel operators project foreign tourist arrivals for 2026 to remain flat, driven by stagnant short‑haul demand despite modest growth in long‑haul markets. Occupancy held at 77 % in January, with the south outperforming at 84 % while the north fell to...

Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry has imposed a daily visitor cap of 1,000 for Komodo National Park, citing the need to safeguard its terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The quota, trial‑run from March 2026, follows a series of weather‑related sailing suspensions and...

South Korea’s Sono Hotels & Resorts Asia has signed its first Japanese project, the Sono Moon Nagoya, a mid‑scale lifestyle hotel located eight minutes from Nagoya Station. The property will be owned by Escon Japan REIT Investment Corporation and leased...

Korean Air has revived its American Express cashback promotion, offering £100 back on £750 spend for UK bookings made by 29 March. IHG announced its 21st brand, the Noted Collection, targeting upscale independent hotels with a goal of 150 properties in...

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Seth Cohen, cofounder of Sweetfin, a Los Angeles based fast casual that launched a decade ago as one of the first players in the poke category. Sweetfin has grown...

The podcast episode features Jonathan Mays speaking with Michelle Cororsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, about the industry’s outlook for 2026. Cororsmo cites the association’s State of the Industry report, which projects $1.55 trillion in food‑service sales...
Hotel Trio Healdsburg, a boutique hotel in Sonoma County, California, has been sold for $38 million, marking a notable transaction in the hospitality sector.

The Menu Talk podcast features Au Hedma, a Turkish‑born chef‑owner who transformed personal immigration setbacks into Honolulu’s only Turkish restaurant, Istanbul Hawaii. After studying art, animation, and psychology in California, she and her mother turned homesick cooking into a farmers‑market...

Red Lobster’s CEO Deola Amolan told the Wall Street Journal the chain will likely shutter more restaurants, extending the closures that began during its 2024 bankruptcy filing. The company eliminated about 130 sites—roughly one‑fifth of its footprint—in 2024 and is now...

The Disney Wonder’s 10‑night Hawaii‑to‑Vancouver cruise was thrown off course by a sudden storm system. After departing Honolulu on Feb. 16, high winds, rough seas and a surf advisory forced the ship to remain in port overnight and scrap its planned...

Celebrity Cruises’ 91,000‑ton vessel Celebrity Infiniti suffered a total power loss off the coast of Piraeus, Greece, in the early hours of February 15, cutting short a 13‑night Mediterranean itinerary that began in Barcelona on February 3. The outage knocked out lighting, Wi‑Fi,...

Gary Bembridge explains that ultra‑luxury cruises trade size and spectacle for intimacy, personalized service, and exclusive itineraries. While travelers often expect more amenities for higher fares, the reality is a subdued onboard environment with fewer venues, smaller cabins, and limited...

Orlando-based Northshore Development has acquired the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, a 291‑room historic hotel in downtown Baton Rouge, for $40.5 million. The transaction was facilitated by Marcus & Millichap, which exclusively represented the buyer. The acquisition positions Northshore to reposition...

The video argues that word‑of‑mouth remains the most powerful marketing tool for restaurants, eclipsing traditional billboard and digital ad spend. It stresses that authentic buzz, generated by genuine customer experiences, drives lasting patronage more reliably than any paid campaign. Key insights...

Cleveland-based United Concessions Group (UCG) announced the acquisition of four airport dining concepts – Shake Shack, Petit Gourmet, Cantina Taqueria & Tequila Bar, and 800° Woodfired Kitchen – from previous operator MERA at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The deal expands...

Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners (KWHP) and Ascendant Capital Partners, through their joint venture KW Kingfisher LLC, completed the acquisition of Sotherly Hotels Inc., purchasing all outstanding shares at $2.25 per share in cash. The deal, approved by Sotherly shareholders on...