Today's Hotels Pulse
FAA says Spirit’s LaGuardia slots belong with another low‑cost carrier
The FAA Administrator argues that the coveted take‑off slots Spirit Airlines holds at New York’s LaGuardia should be reallocated to a different low‑cost carrier. Meanwhile, Spirit is preparing to auction off those slots to the highest bidder.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Airbnb leads $58M Series C in WeRoad
PPG Opens Two Lounges At DFW
Plaza Premium Group opened two lounges in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal D, expanding its U.S. footprint and showcasing confidence in travel recovery. The venues include the brand’s standard Plaza Premium Lounge and the first Plaza Premium First lounge in the United States, featuring upscale amenities. The First lounge offers shower suites, a curated cocktail bar, and a full‑service restaurant with Texas‑inspired dishes. This launch aligns with PPG’s strategy to diversify revenue beyond airline‑partnered lounges by operating in non‑allied terminals.
Oceania Cruises Rolls Out Groundbreaking Global Marketing Campaign “The Joy of Traveling Well,” Focusing on Immersive Journeys, Intimate Luxury, and...
Oceania Cruises has launched a global marketing campaign called “The Joy of Traveling Well,” emphasizing immersive itineraries, intimate adult‑only ships, and world‑class dining. The initiative rests on four pillars—immersive journeys, intimate luxury vessels, genuine hospitality, and The Finest Cuisine at...
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel Welcomes Joseph Min with over Three Decades of International Luxury Hospitality Experience as the New...
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel has appointed Joseph Min as its new Director of Food & Beverage. Min brings over three decades of international luxury hospitality experience, having led culinary operations across Asia, Europe and North America. He will oversee...
Amtrak Spring Sale: Affordable Fares for Your Next Adventure
Amtrak announced a 25% discount on Acela Business and Coach tickets for the Boston‑to‑Virginia corridor as part of its Big City Sale. The promotion applies to travel between April 13 and June 5, 2026, with bookings due by March 13,...
China, Japan and South Korea Tourism Surges as Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas Debuts From Tianjin Cruise Port: All...
Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas launched seasonal sailings from Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in 2026, marking the first mega‑ship deployment in northern China. The port, capable of handling 220,000‑ton vessels, targets 500,000 passengers annually and already processes over...
Specialist Holidays Group Sees Record Growth in Homeworking Agents and Expands Support with New Initiatives in the UK: Everything You...
Specialist Holidays Group reported record growth in its home‑working agent segment in 2026, with bookings up 42%, revenue up 83%, and passenger numbers up 52% year‑over‑year. The company attributes the surge to intensified face‑to‑face engagement, including more than 50 agents...
IHG To Review Climate Target After Emissions Rise In 2025
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) reported a 7.7% rise in total CO₂ emissions between 2019 and 2025, pushing the company off track for its 2030 science‑based target. While per‑room emissions have fallen thanks to LED lighting and renewable‑energy programs, rapid hotel‑network...
Flybuy Launches AI Agents That Fix Customer Experience Issues in Real Time
Flybuy unveiled AI Agents designed for restaurants, retail and hospitality that autonomously detect and resolve customer‑experience failures in real time. The platform leverages anomaly detection, customer intelligence and an autonomous decision engine to act within operator‑defined guardrails, covering upsell, recovery,...
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Arrivals Jump Sixfold From 1.9mn in 2021 to 11.7mn in 2025
Uzbekistan’s inbound tourism surged to 11.68 million arrivals in 2025, a six‑fold rise from 2021 and a 47 % year‑on‑year increase. Visits to relatives dominated, accounting for 67.3 % of trips, while leisure, business and medical travel also grew. Outbound travel by Uzbek...
Marketing Tools and Resources
Tourism Ireland now offers a free, digital marketing hub that includes campaign toolkits, brochures, buyer guides, and a vast image‑video library covering both the Republic and Northern Ireland. The resources support seasonal promotions such as St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween and Christmas,...
Fouquet’s Is Opening a Luxe New Hotel in Miami’s Buzzy Design District
French luxury brand Fouquet’s is set to launch its second U.S. hotel, a 12‑story, 85‑room property within the Miami Design Residences in the city’s Design District. Designed by Pritzker‑Prize‑winner David Chipperfield, the 25‑story tower will also contain 143 serviced condos,...
Getting to Ireland by Ferry
Travelers between Great Britain and Ireland can choose from three major ferry operators—Stena Line, Irish Ferries, and P&O Ferries—each offering regular services across multiple ports. In July, Stena Line operated 98 weekly sailings, Irish Ferries 51, and P&O Ferries 63,...
The Supper Club Everyone Calls
Union, a five‑generation Wisconsin supper club, opens its phone lines each Monday before Thanksgiving for December reservations, sparking a massive call surge. In one hour, Cellcom recorded 26,000 attempts, and by night the number topped 200,000, filling 95% of the...
Manchester Stock Exchange Hotel to Open 95-Room Extension
Manchester’s Stock Exchange Hotel has secured planning permission to add a 95‑room extension, branded Stock Exchange Suites, slated for an early 2027 launch. The new building will sit opposite the existing five‑star property and feature a 1,000 sq ft Traders Lounge, gym...
Getting to Ireland by Air
Air travel between Great Britain and Ireland is extensive, with 21 UK airports offering flights to six Irish destinations and a monthly seat capacity of over 684,000 for the Republic and 309,000 for Northern Ireland. Dublin is the busiest hub,...
SUCCESS: ANA Mileage Club Waitlist Confirmation For KUL-TYO Business Class Award
The author tested ANA Mileage Club’s little‑known award waitlist feature, successfully confirming a business‑class seat on a Kuala Lumpur‑Tokyo flight. The waitlist requires the full mileage balance to be held in the account, and only a handful of requests clear...
If You Love Horses, These Dreamy Equestrian Escapes Belong on Your Bucket List
Wellness tourism is set to exceed $1.4 trillion by 2027, and the 2026 trend is shifting toward low‑tech, nature‑based experiences. Luxury hotels worldwide are capitalizing on this momentum by embedding horseback riding into their guest programs, from Chile’s coastal Mari Mari...
Your New Front Door: What the MCP Means for Hotels
The article explains how a Message Control Protocol (MCP) lets AI assistants query a hotel’s own system for real‑time availability, rates, and policies, enabling instant, commission‑free bookings. It highlights that OTAs currently control 55% of bookings and charge 15‑25% commissions,...
The Hidden Revenue in Your Existing Database
The article argues that hotels are overlooking a high‑margin revenue source—their own guest database. By shifting focus from costly new‑guest acquisition to targeted, data‑driven email marketing, properties can boost repeat bookings, upsell ancillary services, and lower acquisition spend. It outlines...
Why Hotel Chains Are Rethinking Their Revenue Stack
Hotel chains are confronting the limits of legacy revenue technology as their portfolios expand beyond a handful of properties. Traditional stacks—typically a PMS, an RMS and ad‑hoc spreadsheets—cannot keep pace with the coordination demands of multi‑property pricing, forecasting, and reporting....
How Revenue Managers Can Escape Excel Hell and Drive Profit
Revenue managers in hospitality spend countless hours manually exporting data from property management systems, revenue management systems, and other sources, turning strategic meetings into spreadsheet battles. This "Excel hell" creates internal friction, duplicate work, and a lack of a single...
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers Resigns; Interim Leadership Appointed
IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers has stepped down with immediate effect the airline said without giving a reason for his departure. The carrier said in a statement today that managing director Rahul Bhatia will oversee the airline’s operations on an interim basis...
Press Release: American to Open New, Expanded Admirals Club in Austin
American Airlines announced plans to open a new, expanded Admirals Club at Austin‑Bergstrom International Airport. The lounge will more than double its size to over 12,000 square feet and will feature the airline’s first outdoor terrace, offering downtown Austin views....
Press Release: Avianca to Add Two Airbus A330-900s to Fleet
Colombian carrier Avianca announced the acquisition of two Airbus A330‑900neo aircraft, slated to enter service in the second half of 2026. The new wide‑body jets will be based in Colombia and add to the airline’s existing fleet of more than...
NEWH Leadership Conference 2026 Brings Global Hospitality Leaders to Washington, D.C.
NEWH, Inc. will host its 2026 Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., from March 26‑28, bringing together design, development, operations, procurement, and brand leaders from the global hospitality sector. The three‑day event promises practical education, strategic dialogue, and curated networking focused...
Wynn Resorts Recognized on World’s Most Admired Companies List
Wynn Resorts has been named to Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies list, moving up to third overall and retaining the top spot in the Hotels, Casinos & Resorts category. The company earned first‑place rankings for Quality of Products/Services and...
Culinary Delights Await in Munich Airport’s Terminal 1 Pier
Munich Airport is adding a new Terminal 1 Pier that will host five distinct dining concepts, slated to open on April 13. Operated by Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten GmbH, the outlets include Käfer, Cucina Popolare, Münchner Leibspeise, dean&david and ODEON...
Accor, IHG & Marriott Middle East Travel Waivers March 2026
Accor, IHG and Marriott have each issued travel waivers for guests impacted by Middle‑East geopolitical disruptions, while Hilton and Hyatt remain silent. Accor's policy uniquely covers travelers transiting through the region and applies to bookings made before Feb 28 with arrivals...
Heathrow Hires Telent to Help Flow
London Heathrow Airport has appointed Telent, backed by M Group, to maintain its traffic signal and pedestrian crossing network for three years. The contract includes preventative and corrective maintenance, 24/7 technical support, and a vendor‑agnostic model to reduce downtime. Solutions are...
Wow: IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers Resigns, Effective Immediately
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers announced his immediate resignation, officially citing personal reasons. Elbers, a former KLM chief, has led the airline since September 2022, overseeing long‑haul expansion and a premium cabin launch. His departure comes weeks after IndiGo’s December 2025...
Hilton Introduces the Hilton AI Planner
Hilton has rolled out the Hilton AI Planner, a generative‑AI digital concierge now in beta on hilton.com. The tool engages travelers in conversational dialogue to recommend destinations, compare properties and highlight amenities in real time. By moving beyond static search...
Aloft Tampa Downtown Completes Full Renovation
Newbond Holdings and HEI Hotels & Resorts have finished a $5 million full renovation of the Aloft Tampa Downtown, guided by Studio 11 Design. The overhaul refreshes guestrooms, public areas and the Re:Fuel grab‑and‑go café, adding modern furnishings and upgraded technology....
NEW: British Airways Closes Most Middle East Flights up to 15th April
British Airways announced it will not accept new bookings to Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv until 16 April, and has suspended Abu Dhabi flights until October. While the flights are not automatically cancelled, passengers cannot obtain refunds until BA confirms...
Red Roof Announces AI-First Digital Transformation Partnership
Red Roof announced a partnership with Milestone Inc. to deploy an AI‑first Digital Experience Platform across redroof.com and future digital touchpoints, with a phased rollout starting in late 2026. The platform is designed to boost discoverability on traditional search engines...
American Airlines London Catering May Finally Be Fixed — DO & CO Is a Big Upgrade for Premium Cabins
American Airlines faced catering problems at London Heathrow after a dispute with dnata, forcing the carrier to ship meals from the United States and limit menu options. The airline has now partnered with premium caterer DO & CO for its premium...
U.S. Travel Association Promotes Ellen Davis to COO
Ellen Davis has been promoted to chief operating officer and executive vice president of the U.S. Travel Association. Since joining in 2023 as EVP of business strategy and industry engagement, she launched a new membership model, revamped the event portfolio,...
Hilton Announces Upcoming Debut of First Curio Collection Hotel in Hawaii
Hilton announced that its Curio Collection will debut in Hawaii with the 210‑room Hale Hōkūala Kauaʻi, slated to open in fall 2026. The resort, owned by Silverwest Hotels and designed by Hart Howerton, will sit on a bluff offering ocean,...
Sage Hospitality Group Adds The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club
Sage Hospitality Group announced it will manage The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club, a 106‑room luxury property on the University of Colorado Anschutz medical campus in Aurora, Colorado. The hotel, opened in 2023 and recently acquired by the university, offers...
Pan Pacific Club Rooms & Suites 3rd Night Free + Double D$ Until April 30, 2026
Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL are offering a third‑night‑free promotion for Club rooms and Suites, paired with double Discovery Dollars (D$) for GHA Discovery elite members. The bonus rates rise from 8% for Silver members to 14% for Titanium, effectively doubling...
West Anderson Partners Acquires Graduate by Hilton Storrs
West Anderson Partners has completed the acquisition of the Graduate by Hilton Storrs, a 100‑room lifestyle hotel situated on the University of Connecticut campus. The property serves university visitors, alumni, athletic teams, and hosts campus events, positioning it as a...
Thrifty Traveler Premium Prices Jump March 14 — Lock In the Current Rate for Life and Stack $20 Off Your...
Thrifty Traveler Premium announced a price increase effective March 14, raising its annual fee to $129.99 for the standard plan and $189.99 for Premium+. Existing members can lock in the current rates for life by subscribing now, and a promotional...
Secret Burger Kitchen Targets 'Institutional-Grade' Scaling with Trio of Industry Heavyweights
Secret Burger Kitchen (SBK) has enlisted three restaurant veterans—Capriotti’s COO David Bloom, former Dave’s Hot Chicken CMO Brad Haley, and ex‑Subway North America president Douglas Fry—to engineer an "institutional‑grade" rollout. Each advisor will own a strategic pillar: Bloom on development discipline,...
Long TSA Lines Reported at U.S. Airports as Shutdown Impacts Staffing
Travelers at several major U.S. airports are facing unusually long TSA security lines as the Department of Homeland Security shutdown forces officers to work without pay. Wait times have stretched to three hours at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and...
Mac Haik Restaurant Group to Bring Starbird to Texas
San Francisco‑based chicken chain Starbird announced a partnership with Mac Haik Restaurant Group to launch 36 new locations across Houston, Austin and San Antonio beginning in 2027. The deal represents Starbird’s largest development effort, expanding the brand from 19 U.S. units to...
Scott and Jacob Margroff Discuss Flavor and Innovation at Strickland’s
Family‑owned Strickland’s, founded in 1936 in Akron, Ohio, still operates with its original ice‑cream equipment across five state locations and a new franchise in Costa Mesa, California. The franchising model mandates two permanent flavors—chocolate and vanilla—and two rotating flavors selected...
The Drive-Thru Coffee War Is Coming to the Grocery Store
7 Brew, the fast‑growing drive‑thru coffee chain, has begun selling its ready‑to‑drink canned coffee in Walmart stores across Arkansas. The launch features three espresso‑based flavors and marks the brand’s first foray into grocery retail. The move follows Dutch Bros’ recent expansion...
Hotelier’s Housekeeping Forum Returns to Toronto
Hotelier’s 10th‑annual Housekeeping Forum convened over 100 housekeeping leaders at Toronto’s Chelsea Hotel, spotlighting the department’s strategic role. Speakers shared practical tips, from Brian Nam’s ten‑point efficiency guide to Hanan Haddad’s career‑advancement advice. Innovative solutions like virtual‑reality onboarding were showcased,...
Global Aviation in Turmoil: Lufthansa Expands as London, Paris, Addis Ababa and Helsinki Compete to Replace Gulf Hubs
War in the Middle East has forced the abrupt closure of Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, the three Gulf hubs that have underpinned global air travel for decades. Lufthansa Group quickly responded by adding long‑haul services from Frankfurt and Munich, including...
Florida’s C-PACE Program Is a Game Changer for Hotel Owners
Florida’s commercial‑property‑assessed‑clean‑energy (C‑PACE) program has shifted from a niche financing tool to a core capital solution for hotel owners. Legislative changes, notably Senate Bill 770, broadened eligible resiliency upgrades, and the state eliminated the 3.5‑year lookback, allowing retroactive financing on...
MAG Opts for Airport Hive AODB Upgrade
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has chosen Azinq’s Airport Hive suite to replace its legacy operational systems at all three UK airports. The new platform will create a real‑time digital backbone, integrating flight data, boarding, A‑CDM, billing and reporting, and is...