Today's Hotels Pulse
Business Travel to the U.S. Powered by Key International Hubs
A Business Traveller analysis maps the countries and cities that generate the most business travel to the United States, underscoring their impact on hotel demand.
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By the numbers: Airbnb leads $58M Series C in WeRoad
Qantas Adjusts to Weakness in Demand on Its US Routes, While Aircraft Deliveries Accelerate
Qantas is reshaping its international network as US outbound demand softens, reallocating an Airbus A380 from US routes to the high‑yield Singapore corridor and launching a seasonal Las Vegas service. The airline also announced an accelerated fleet renewal, targeting roughly 50 narrow‑body deliveries over the next two years alongside continued ultra‑long‑range wide‑body additions. These moves aim to balance capacity with evolving market demand while preserving premium connectivity. Overall, Qantas remains financially robust despite the shifting travel landscape.
Video of the Week: Azul's Quiet AI Revolution: Augmentation, Not Transformation
Artificial intelligence has vaulted from experimental projects to a boardroom priority across airlines, prompting sizable investments in data science, automation and machine learning. Yet many initiatives stall within complex technology programs that fail to deliver clear commercial outcomes. The industry...
Fine-Tuning Your Pizza Menu for 2026: Small Tweaks, Smart Upgrades, Real Results
Ken’s Foods chefs Chris Gatto and Greg Schweizer advise pizza operators to fine‑tune menus for 2026 through targeted sauce upgrades, flatbread experiments, and strategic toppings rather than a full menu overhaul. They highlight sweet‑heat sauces, chili crisp, and textured pepperoni...
Press Release: Vueling Selects Gategroup to Support Retail and Catering
Vueling, a leading IAG‑owned carrier, has appointed gategroup as its new Retail‑on‑Board and catering partner across its European network. The agreement introduces gategroup’s 360° digital retail ecosystem, delivering real‑time analytics, data‑driven touchpoints and streamlined onboard operations. In parallel, gategroup will...
TPA Starts up New Blue Shuttles at Airsides A and C
Tampa International Airport launched its new Blue Shuttles on March 13, replacing the aging Red fleet at Airsides A and C. The next‑generation Innovia APM R cars, built by Alstom, feature proprietary software, upgraded electrical systems, concrete guideways, enhanced lighting,...
AREA15 Opens New Las Vegas Nightlife Concept Oddyssey
AREA15 has launched Oddyssey, an immersive nightlife concept in Las Vegas that replaces the traditional mega‑club model with a sequential, room‑to‑room experience. The offering includes a 90‑minute cocktail theater called Oddyssey Manor and a late‑night dance segment, Oddyssey Noir, featuring...
Star Clippers Offers Free Athens Hotel Stay on Select 2026 Sailings
Star Clippers is giving North, Central and South American travelers a complimentary hotel night in Athens, including breakfast and shuttle service, for select 2026 Greece sailings. The promotion, limited to bookings made by April 30, applies to itineraries aboard the...
Hilton Honors Points Expiration Policy — And How to Save Your Hilton Points From Expiring
Hilton Honors points will expire if no eligible activity occurs for 24 consecutive months. Eligible activity includes a stay at a Hilton property, earning points through a credit‑card or partner, buying points, or donating them. Pooling or transferring points does...
What Still Works For Amex Airline Incidental Credits In 2026?
American Express continues to offer a $200 airline incidental credit on its Platinum and Business Platinum cards, but the program has grown more restrictive. Cardholders must select a preferred airline and wait 24‑48 hours before charging eligible fees such as baggage,...
United Airlines Sued After 4-Year-Old Is Burned By 200-Degree Tea — But Airline Liability Is Capped
United Airlines faces a lawsuit after a four‑year‑old was scalded by 200‑degree tea on a Newark‑Tel Aviv flight. The plaintiff relies on the Montreal Convention, which obliges carriers to compensate for onboard injuries but caps damages at about $216,000. The dispute...
Canary Technologies Introduces F&B Mobile Ordering to Boost Hotel Revenue
Canary Technologies launched F&B Mobile Ordering, a mobile‑first platform that lets hotel guests place food and beverage orders from their own devices. The solution integrates with major property management and point‑of‑sale systems, updating menus and availability in real time. Hotels...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Debuts Air Concierge
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is launching an Air Concierge service on April 1, 2026 for U.S. and Canadian travelers. The program replaces the Ultimate All‑Inclusive Fare, offering real‑time market airfare, personalized routing, cabin‑class selection, and flexible dates. Guests pay a...
Travel Bookings Disrupted by Iran War, Seeking Stories
Did you book travel through an OTA like Expedia or Booking.com, and it was disrupted by the Iran war? Message me for a news story I’m writing. Thanks
FlightPath3D Expands Leadership and Operations
FlightPath3D announced a senior leadership expansion and a major operational upgrade in Irvine, California. The company now counts over 5,000 commercial and 1,500 business or government aircraft using its immersive inflight map platform. New hires include a Vice President for...
U.S. Remains Only Major Destination Losing International Travelers
U.S. is only major destination in the world to see a decline in international travellers in 2025. So far 2026 getting worse — NYT wonder why
Waimea Plantation Cottages: Where “Ohana” Gather and Island Memories Are Made
Waimea Plantation Cottages, a historic ocean‑front resort dating to 1884, offers restored plantation homes across 43 acres for families seeking multigenerational getaways on Kauai. The property blends authentic Hawaiian heritage with modern amenities, accommodating two to ten guests per cottage...
Marriott Sees Middle East Travel Dip, Expands AI Tools
Marriott International reported a dip in Middle East travel demand as the Iran war curtails bookings, though the impact is confined to roughly 4% of its global room inventory and development pipeline. CEO Anthony Capuano emphasized that European and other...
The Venice Hotel Openings We're Excited About for 2026 Travels
Venice is set to welcome five major luxury hotel openings and reopenings in 2026, including Airelles Palladio, Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, Four Seasons’ Danieli, Belmond’s Cipriani, and San Clemente Palace. Each property blends historic architecture with modern amenities such as...
S&P Upgrades Vancouver Airport Authority’s Rating to AA
S&P Global Ratings has raised the long‑term issuer credit and senior unsecured debt rating for the Vancouver Airport Authority from AA‑ to AA, with a stable outlook. The upgrade cites Vancouver International Airport’s robust market position, strategic capital‑investment plan, and...
JetBlue Expands Fort Lauderdale Flights With More Frequencies
JetBlue announced a major schedule expansion at Fort Lauderdale‑Hollywood International Airport, adding daily year‑round service to Jacksonville and Cartagena and increasing frequencies to Dallas‑Fort Worth and Tampa. The airline will double flights on the Dallas and Tampa routes, moving from...
Beware of Basic Economy Fares
Travelers chasing the lowest online fare often encounter basic economy tickets that appear cheap but come with significant restrictions. These fares typically exclude seat selection, limit baggage, offer no refunds, and may forfeit frequent‑flyer mileage accrual. For roughly $30 more...
CoStar: U.S. Hotel Industry Reports Positive Year-Over-Year Comparisons
CoStar’s latest week‑long data (Feb 29‑Mar 7 2026) shows the U.S. hotel sector posting solid year‑over‑year gains, with occupancy rising to 63.0% (+1.2 pts), ADR climbing to $166.47 (+3.6 %), and RevPAR reaching $104.92 (+4.9 %). Las Vegas led the pack, posting an 85% occupancy rate and...
In a Historic Kyoto Neighborhood, a New Hotel Channels the Past
Capella Kyoto opens March 22, blending traditional machiya architecture with modern luxury and a courtyard featuring a Kara‑hafu gable. The hotel partners with SingleThread’s three‑Michelin‑star team for the SoNoMa restaurant, offering a menu that fuses Kyoto sensibilities with Northern California...
New Community Launches to Support Travel Marketers
Travel Marketing Group (TMG) launched as a new community for travel marketers across all sectors. Formed by senior professionals and merging the Chartered Institute of Marketing Travel Industry Group (CIMTIG) with the Travel Marketing Professionals network (TraMP), it focuses on...
Casual Dining Redefines Value in an Inflationary Environment
The casual‑dining segment outperformed quick‑service peers in 2025, driven primarily by Chili’s and other company‑owned chains. Overall traffic stayed flat, but a core group of brands stabilized earnings through value‑centric promotions like Chili’s 3‑for‑Me and aggressive tiered pricing. Ownership of...
Rodent Risks in Hotels: Prevention Through Data-Driven Monitoring
Winter drives rats and mice into hotels, creating operational disruptions, costly damage, and negative guest reviews. A Rentokil analysis of 100,000 service requests shows rodent activity remains high in major urban markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and...
How Modern Hotel Technology Solutions Create a Connected Booking Journey
Hotels are grappling with fragmented digital booking journeys as legacy systems fail to communicate, leading to brand inconsistency and lost conversions. A recent report shows 48% of hoteliers view tech integration as essential to solve these friction points. Integrating property...
Dodging LPG Crunch, Bengaluru’s Oterra Hotel Takes the E-Route
Bengaluru’s five‑star Oterra hotel has largely avoided the citywide LPG supply crunch by converting its kitchens to electric induction cooking. The hotel now relies on industrial induction cooktops powered by renewable energy, using LPG only for a pizza oven and...
Uganda Welcomes WildPlaces Kulu Ora Lodge
WildPlaces Africa has opened Kulu Ora, its seventh lodge, deep within Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park. The property features 11 canvas‑walled suites, each with a private plunge pool and Nile views, alongside a spa, pool, bar and library. Designed for...
The Ever-Growing Importance of Certifications in Hospitality
Sustainability certifications such as Green Key, LEED, and GSTC are becoming essential credibility tools for hotels, with 83% of travelers indicating that sustainable travel matters and 45% saying certifications make properties more appealing. Research by EHL Hospitality Business School found...
KrisFlyer and Accor Live Limitless Offering a Two-Way 50% Transfer Bonus
Accor Live Limitless and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer are reviving a two‑way 50 % transfer bonus from March 10 to March 31, 2026. The promotion adds a third point to every nine KrisFlyer miles transferred to ALL and gives 1.5 miles for every two ALL...
Chef Gabriel Kreuther Is Embracing Wood-Fired Cooking at Saverne, His New NYC Brasserie
Chef Gabriel Kreuther launched Saverne, a 5,000‑square‑foot brasserie in Hudson Yards, on March 2. The restaurant features an open kitchen centered on wood‑fired grills using oak, cherry and apple wood. While retaining the precise technique and sourcing of his two‑Michelin‑starred eponymous...
Be Brave: A Conversation with Infor at ITB Berlin
At ITB Berlin, Infor innovation strategist David Poprawka warned that hospitality must first rebuild its fragmented data foundation before AI can deliver value. He argued that the industry’s AI disappointments stem from legacy systems, not the technology itself. Infor showcased...
Davidson Hospitality Group Makes Two Corporate Appointments
Davidson Hospitality Group announced two senior appointments, naming Andrew Houghton as Senior Vice President of Luxury Operations and Scott Harrell as Vice President of Acquisitions and Business Development. Houghton will manage relationships with owners and brands while directly overseeing Ragdale...
First Look: The Shepherd Mayfair
The Shepherd Mayfair, part of the Elegant Hotel Collection, will open in summer 2026 with 82 bespoke guestrooms and suites across six floors. Designed by Timothy Shepherd, the interiors reinterpret 18th‑century Mayfair mansions using warm timber, blue accents, and red...
Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development Set for April 27 to 30
The Caribbean Tourism Organization, together with the Belize Tourism Board, will host the 17th Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC 2026) in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, from April 27‑30. Under the “Tourism in Full Color” theme, the event will integrate Blue,...
Press Release: Korean Air to Reclaim Full Ownership of Catering Ops
Korean Air announced it will acquire the remaining 80% stake in Korean Air C&D Service from Hahn & Company for an estimated KRW 750 billion, bringing the in‑flight catering and duty‑free business back under full ownership. The board approved the purchase...
Why Hotels Should Add Bing to Their Channel Mix
Hotels traditionally rely on Google Ads for paid search, but the article argues that adding Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) can broaden reach and drive incremental direct bookings. Bing’s network, which includes Bing, Yahoo, and partner sites, captures a sizable share...
ITB 2026: Data Infrastructure Challenges Facing the Travel Industry
At ITB 2026 industry leaders highlighted that legacy batch‑based data pipelines are throttling revenue‑management and AI initiatives. Competitive intelligence feeds still refresh once daily, creating a lag that undermines dynamic pricing. Airlines cited the rise of NDC and low‑cost carriers...
Corinthia Hotels Debuts in Italy
Corinthia Hotels has launched its first Italian property, Corinthian Rome, in the central Campo Marzio district. Housed in a neoclassical palazzo that once served as the Italian central bank, the hotel preserves original mosaics, frescoes and marble details while adding...
Why the Collapse of Canada–U.S. Youth Travel Should Alarm the Tourism Industry
Cross‑border youth travel between Canada and the United States has plunged, with 2025 vehicle trips down over 30%—the steepest decline since the post‑9/11 era. Airlines are responding by slashing hundreds of thousands of seats on Canada‑U.S. routes, driving prices higher...
Report: Hotel Labor Costs Rising Faster than Productivity Gains
HotelData’s 2025 Labor Costs & Trends report shows U.S. hotel wages rising sharply, with wage cost per occupied room (CPOR) climbing 12.8% year‑over‑year to $48.32. The acceleration intensified in Q4, where wage CPOR jumped 21.1% YoY, while hours per occupied...
Jackie Sturniolo, Xperience Restaurant Group
Jackie Sturniolo has been appointed Senior Manager of Off‑Premise at Xperience Restaurant Group, overseeing catering, delivery, and takeout for its portfolio, including the El Torito brand. She focuses on building scalable off‑premise programs by leveraging technology partnerships, digital ordering platforms, and...
Ocra and TrackMyShuttle Partner
Ocra, an AI‑powered revenue management system for hotel parking, has partnered with TrackMyShuttle, a real‑time fleet visibility platform, to deliver an integrated solution for airport parking and shuttle operations. The joint offering combines Ocra’s dynamic pricing and distribution of underutilized...
801-Room Omni Opens Doors in Ft. Lauderdale
Omni Hotels & Resorts launched its third Florida flagship, the 29‑story Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel. The waterfront property boasts 801 guest rooms, over 120,000 sq ft of meeting space and six dining venues, including the city’s highest bar, Ibis Sky Lounge. Direct...
American Airlines Flight Attendants Declare WAR on Chief Executive Robert Isom With Strike Regalia
Flight attendants at American Airlines, represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), have revived their strike‑ready red lanyards and pins to pressure CEO Robert Isom to step down after a recent vote of no confidence. The union’s “WAR”...
Minor Hotels to Launch The Wolseley Hotels in New York City
Minor Hotels announced the launch of its new Wolseley Hotels brand, debuting with The Wolseley Hotel New York slated for early 2027. The 76‑room flagship will sit beside Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan and host the first U.S. Wolseley restaurant,...
Collaboration Key to Enhancing Intermodal Experience for Passengers
SITA’s new white paper argues that collaboration and data sharing among airports, airlines, rail, maritime and city transport authorities is essential to eliminate breakdowns at intermodal transfer points. It highlights that fragmented handovers cause passenger stress, operational blind spots and...
Krystal Promotes COO From Parent Company
Restaurant operator Amanda Hyde has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Krystal, moving up from her role as Senior Vice President of Operations at parent company SPB Hospitality. Hyde brings more than two decades of multi‑unit restaurant leadership, previously...
Marriott Raises Free Night Top‑up Limit to 25K Points
Marriott Bonvoy now lets members top off free night awards with up to 25K points, an increase of the previous limit of 15K points. This is good news, but... https://t.co/6Bpj4UV005