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
Shanghai’s Tourism Comeback: 9.36 Million Visitors Return as Tokyo, Seoul Rivalry and US Geopolitics Reshape Asia Travel
Shanghai welcomed 9.36 million inbound visitors in 2025, a 39.6% year‑over‑year increase, marking a robust tourism rebound. Growth was driven by diversified source markets, notably South Korea, Russia and Southeast Asia, and by improved visa policies and airline connectivity that doubled organized tours. Luxury accommodation performed strongly, with five‑star hotel occupancy above 71% and rising room rates. The city now competes directly with Tokyo and Seoul while navigating US‑China geopolitical pressures that reshape regional travel flows.
Emirates Expands China Reach Through Loong Air Interline Deal as Gulf–China Competition Intensifies
Emirates has signed an interline agreement with Hangzhou‑based Loong Air, instantly adding 22 Chinese domestic destinations to its network. The deal lets passengers book single‑ticket itineraries with coordinated baggage and fare rules, extending Emirates’ reach into secondary cities such as...
Emirates Is Being Thrown Out Of Algeria As Diplomatic Ties Between Algiers And Abu Dhabi Worsen
Algeria has begun the formal process of terminating its air services agreement with the United Arab Emirates, effectively expelling Emirates from the market. The move follows a deterioration in diplomatic ties, driven by accusations that the UAE fuels regional discord...
Meet 'BABS': The AI-Powered Assistant Enhancing the Airport Experience at Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport has launched BABS, an AI‑powered virtual assistant developed with Hello Lamp Post, as part of its Connected Personal Experiences (CPE) rollout. Passengers can access BABS via smartphones or digital kiosks for instant answers on check‑in, gate locations, dining...
How Boutique Hotels Personalize Without Getting Creepy
Boutique hotels aim for high‑tech, high‑touch experiences by using subtle personalization that feels intuitive rather than invasive. Intelity explains that automation should handle routine tasks while staff focus on human moments, supported by unified guest profiles. The article highlights preference‑based...
Why “Less Is More” In Hotel Sales Proposals (to Win More Business)
Meeting planners are inundated with proposals and now expect 80% of RFP responses within four days. Hotels that miss this speed often lose deals, making brevity a competitive edge. The article recommends front‑loading proposals with room blocks, rates, event dates,...
Why Revenue Management Is Not Enough For Complex Portfolios
Revenue management excels at optimizing rates for individual hotels, but as hotel groups expand, the property‑by‑property approach strains under portfolio complexity. Local pricing moves can cannibalize demand across nearby assets, while forecasts built on disparate assumptions fragment into incoherent aggregates....
Why Inventory Management Is the Silent Driver of Restaurant Profitability
The episode highlights inventory management as a critical, yet often overlooked, driver of restaurant profitability, explaining how accurate counts affect food costs, waste, labor efficiency, and customer satisfaction. It details the challenges of manual, inconsistent inventory practices and the financial...
Why Packaging Decisions Matter More Than Ever in Foodservice
The episode explores how rising labor costs, inflation, and the surge in grab‑and‑go have turned packaging from a backstage operational detail into a front‑line driver of profitability, efficiency, and consumer trust in foodservice. Inline Plastics explains its practical approach—expanding formats,...
AirAsia X Is Returning to London with Kuala Lumpur Flights
AirAsia X will resume London Gatwick service with daily flights from Kuala Lumpur starting 26 June, routing through its new Bahrain hub. The airline will operate Airbus A330 aircraft offering a Premium Flatbed product that sits between economy and traditional business class....
ACI Report 2026 Highlights Mobility and Talent Pressures in Travel Sector
The ACI Report 2026 reveals that workforce mobility and talent shortages remain acute in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector despite broader market stabilization. Unemployment rose to 6% from 2% last year, and 58% of respondents intend to change jobs...
ATM 2026 Sees Rise in Asia-Pacific Exhibitor Participation
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, scheduled for May 4‑7 at Dubai World Trade Centre, anticipates a 13.95% compound annual growth in Asia‑Pacific exhibitor participation through 2026. The surge reflects strong GCC demand for destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and...
BW Premier Collection Enters South-East Asian Market
BWH Hotels is launching the BW Premier Collection soft brand in Southeast Asia with the Costamigo Phan Thiet resort in Vietnam. The beachfront property will feature 150 rooms, 34 villas, and extensive leisure amenities such as an infinity pool, Mediterranean...
British Airways Cabin Crew Rushed To Hospital After Consuming Cannabis-Laced Gummies From Passenger
British Airways cabin crew members were hospitalized after unknowingly consuming cannabis‑infused gummies presented by a passenger following a London‑Los Angeles flight. The edibles contained a high 300 mg dose of THC, causing panic, disorientation and intense anxiety before the crew recovered...
Get a 30% Bonus Transferring Avios Into ALL Accor Hotel Points
Qatar Airways Privilege Club has introduced a 30% transfer bonus for moving Avios into ALL Accor hotel points, improving the rate from 3,500 Avios per 1,000 points to 1,300 points per 3,500 Avios. The bonus lifts the effective value of...
This Premium Credit Card Benefit Came Through For Me. Again.
The author recounts a three‑week overseas trip that unraveled into a 22‑hour ordeal, ending with a rushed return to Atlanta. Using two premium credit cards, the traveler filed insurance claims to recover $1,253.27 in non‑refundable expenses, receiving partial reimbursement from...
JetBlue Plays to Its Strength in Fort Lauderdale After Spirit Shrinks in South Florida
JetBlue is rapidly expanding its presence at Fort Lauderdale‑Hollywood International Airport as Spirit Airlines enters a second Chapter 11 filing, shrinking its South Florida operations. The Florida hub, once Spirit’s growth engine, now offers JetBlue valuable slots and gate capacity. Airport...
Video of the Week: Aviation's Digital Inflection Point – From AI Hype to Operational Reality
The aviation industry is moving beyond hype as AI, cloud, biometrics and automation begin to deliver operational gains. Recent pilots in generative AI for disruption management, biometric boarding and dynamic retailing have shown tangible efficiency improvements. However, entrenched legacy systems,...
Video of the Week: Aviation's Digital Inflection Point – From AI Hype to Operational Reality
Airlines are moving beyond hype to embed AI, biometrics and cloud tools into daily operations, yet success hinges on leadership, data integration and talent. Recent pilots in disruption management, biometric boarding and dynamic retail have shown measurable efficiency gains. Persistent...
Cottonseed Oil Is Driving Consistent Fried Performance With Quality Across Menus
In this episode, Stratas Foods’ Joshua Tuinstra explains how cottonseed oil serves as a high‑performance, versatile cooking oil for foodservice operators. He highlights its high smoke point, natural antioxidant stability, and neutral flavor, which deliver consistent texture and taste across...
Construction Officially Begins on The Chambray in Historic Downtown Roswell
Construction broke ground on The Chambray, a 125‑key boutique hotel in historic downtown Roswell, slated to open in summer 2027. Developed by DSM Real Estate Partners and Stafford Development, the property will be operated by Indigo Road Hospitality Group and...
Princess Senses The Mangrove and Princess Grand Jamaica Reopen on Jamaica’s North Coast
Princess Senses The Mangrove reopened on February 1 and Princess Grand Jamaica on March 1, restoring two all‑inclusive resorts on Jamaica’s North Coast after Hurricane Melissa. The adult‑only Mangrove offers 401 ocean‑view suites and 14 overwater villas, while the family‑friendly Grand Jamaica...
Comcast Advertising, Adara Launch New Measurement Tools for Travel Industry
Comcast Advertising and Adara have unveiled a joint measurement platform that links Comcast’s premium video‑viewing data with Adara’s first‑party travel booking and revenue data. The solution provides advertisers with direct attribution of TV and streaming ads to actual traveler bookings,...
Insane Hyatt Mattress Run Prices, Bilt in Real Life & Downgraded (Tiered) Southwest Offers?
The MTM Travel episode highlighted an eye‑popping Hyatt mattress rebate, introduced Bilt’s phased mobile checkout for dining and travel, and examined Southwest’s new tiered fare structure. Hosts also discussed the ongoing fight for overhead‑bin space on flights. The show underscored...
2026 HD Women in Design Honorees Announced
Hospitality Design announced the 2026 Women in Design Awards honorees, recognizing six influential leaders during a breakfast session at the HD Expo + Conference on May 5. The awardees include Grace Escaño‑Maniatis (Auberge Collection), Heather Holdridge (Lake Flato), Kavitha Iyer (global...
K-Pop, Crypto and Trump: Hanam Mayor’s Bold Play to Become Korea’s Next Las Vegas
Hanam’s mayor Lee Hyun‑jae hosted Eric Trump to showcase the city’s K‑Star World, a 900,000‑square‑meter entertainment complex aimed at turning the Seoul suburb into a K‑pop tourism hub. The plan includes a five‑star hotel, a performance arena, film studios and a...
As Low as €24.00 or 4,000 Avios Per Flight With Vueling Airlines
Vueling Airlines is offering ultra‑low fares of €24 or 4,000 Avios per flight on select direct routes between March 1 2025 and June 21 2026. The promotion applies only to non‑stop Vueling‑operated flights, includes taxes and administration fees, and requires booking by February 15 2026, 7 PM...
Air Tahiti Nui Appoints Lionel Guérin as CEO to Lead New Strategic Transformation
Air Tahiti Nui announced Lionel Guérin as its new chief executive officer, effective February 11, 2026. Guérin, a former deputy CEO of Air France and founder of Airlinair, brings extensive airline restructuring experience to the Pacific carrier. The airline, which...
Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Diplomacy Takes Off as Future Aviation Forum Competes with Global Giants
Saudi Arabia’s Future Aviation Forum (FAF) returned to Riyadh, showcasing rapid aviation growth and Vision 2030 ambition. The 2024 edition logged more than 100 agreements worth $20 billion, positioning FAF alongside ICAO Assemblies and the Dubai Airshow. Passenger traffic rose 9.6% in...
Champagne, Shock & a One-Star Verdict: Blanc De Blanc Uncorked on Carnival Encounter Divides Cruise Audiences
Blanc de Blanc Uncorked, an adults‑only champagne‑themed cabaret on Carnival Encounter, was marketed as a premium ticketed alternative to traditional cruise entertainment. The reviewer gave it a one‑star verdict, citing a lack of artistic merit, reliance on shock value, forced...
ALGV Sets 2026 Schedule With Purpose and Partner Focus
ALG Vacations unveiled its 2026 event calendar, a purpose‑driven lineup designed to match travel advisors’ business goals, market focus, and development stages. The schedule mixes elite revenue‑tier retreats, large‑scale educational fam trips, the WAVEMAKER networking gathering, and new Kindness and...
China’s Super-App Ecosystem Offers Preview of AI-Driven Hotel Booking Shift
AI‑driven hotel booking systems are reshaping the travel value chain, shifting decision‑making from travelers to algorithms. China’s super‑app ecosystem—exemplified by Xiaohongshu and Douyin—offers a live preview of this transformation, integrating discovery, trust signals, and instant booking within a single platform....
Strategic Levers to Turn a Low Season Period Into an Opportunity
The article outlines how hotels can convert low‑season challenges into profit opportunities by leveraging data‑driven direct‑booking strategies, diversified product offerings, and flexible policies. It stresses the importance of analyzing occupancy, ADR and RevPAR to fine‑tune pricing and channel mix. The...
ORF Reports January Passenger Volume
Norfolk International Airport (ORF) released its January passenger traffic figures, reporting roughly 1.2 million enplanements—a 3% increase year‑over‑year and about 5% above the five‑year average. The growth was led by a resurgence in leisure travel to Florida and a modest rebound...
What to Do When Your Hotel Isn’t Pacing Like Last Year
Hotel revenue managers often panic when current pacing falls behind last year’s figures, but the article urges a measured response. It stresses that year‑over‑year pace should be a reference, not a rigid target, because market dynamics, events, and traveler behavior...
Are Revenue Managers Doomed in the Age of RMS and AI?
The article argues that AI‑driven revenue management systems (RMS) are automating routine pricing tasks, but they won’t replace revenue managers. While junior operational roles shrink as a single manager can now oversee 20 properties, the profession is shifting toward strategic,...
Flagship Capital One Landing at LaGuardia Airport Opening Next Week
Capital One announced that its flagship Capital One Landing lounge will open at LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 12,500‑square‑foot venue, built with the José Andrés Group, is more than twice the size of the original DCA location and...
Lufthansa City Airlines Launches Frankfurt Base to Expand Short-Haul Network Across Europe
Lufthansa City Airlines opened a new operating base at Frankfurt Airport on February 9, launching initial flights to Berlin, Düsseldorf, Málaga, Manchester and Valencia. The carrier will add a second aircraft in March and plans to expand the Frankfurt network...
Marriott Hotels Are Secretly Selling Rooms Up To $450 Cheaper On Airbnb—And Corporate Can’t Seem To Stop Them
Travel writer Gary Leff reports that several Marriott properties are posting room rates on Airbnb up to $450 lower than on Marriott.com. The practice, which Marriott officially discourages, persists across multiple brands such as Moxy, Aloft, and Courtyard. Hotels use...
Spring Training Is the Travel Bargain of the Season
In this episode, Peter Greenberg highlights spring training as the season’s best travel bargain, comparing ticket prices at Arizona and Florida facilities to regular‑season costs. He details affordable package deals at Camelback Ranch, the Peoria Sportsplex, and the Astros‑Nationals flex...
Portillo’s Hires Outback Steakhouse Vet as CEO
Portillo’s announced Brett Patterson as its new president and chief executive officer, effective Feb. 23, 2026, replacing interim CEO Michael Miles Jr. Patterson arrives from Miller’s Ale House Restaurants after more than a decade in restaurant management, including stints at Olive Garden, Ruby...
SpaceX Adds Southwest Airlines as Starlink Customer
Southwest Airlines announced it will integrate SpaceX’s Starlink Ku‑band LEO satellite inflight connectivity across its Boeing 737 fleet. The first retrofitted aircraft are slated for revenue service this summer, with a target of 300 aircraft completed by the end of...
IHG Signs 480-Acre Six Senses Camp Korongo Resort in Southern Utah
IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a deal to develop the 480‑acre Six Senses Camp Korongo resort and residential community near Kanab, Utah, with an expected opening in 2029. The project will feature 41 luxury tented pavilions and 12 branded residences,...
First Hospitality Adds Lance Hornecker to Lead Global Sales Office
First Hospitality has created a dedicated global sales office led by newly appointed Managing Director‑Global Sales Lance Hornecker. The move adds seasoned sales talent, including Amanda Stredney and Kate Westover, to support group, corporate, meetings, events, leisure and travel‑industry demand...
2026 State of the Industry: 10 Trends Redefining the Restaurant Landscape
The National Restaurant Association projects 2026 sales to hit a record $1.55 trillion, marking the most data‑rich year in the sector’s history. Operators face rising food and labor costs, prompting a shift toward AI‑driven kitchen automation, robotics for back‑of‑house tasks, and...
Dreamscape Hospitality Adds Two Hotels in Stevens Point, WI
Dreamscape Hospitality has taken over management of two Holiday Inn properties in Stevens Point, Wisconsin – the full‑service Convention Center hotel and the Express & Suites. Together the hotels offer 215 guestrooms, more than 38,000 square feet of flexible meeting...
The Dangers of a CCaaS Monoculture – Interview with Paul Hughes of Mitel
In the latest Punk CX podcast, Paul Hughes of Mitel argues that hybrid CX solutions are now the enterprise default, especially for regulated firms that need both cloud and on‑premise capabilities. He warns that a CCaaS monoculture—relying on a single...
Luxury, Upper-Upscale Hotels Fuel Hyatt Q4 RevPAR Growth
Hyatt Hotels reported a 4% comparable system‑wide RevPAR increase in Q4 2025, the strongest growth among luxury and upper‑upscale chains. All‑inclusive resort RevPAR surged 8.3% in the quarter and 8.6% for the full year, while net rooms expanded 7.3% YoY,...
Jacobs and PA Consulting to Continue Work on UK Transport Security
Jacobs and PA Consulting have secured a four‑year extension from the UK Department for Transport to lead the National Security Science and Research (NSSR) programme. The consortium, which also includes QinetiQ, TNO, Iconal Technology, Cambridge University Technical Services and Prometheus...
JetBlue Damaged Your Expensive Luggage. Who Should Pay to Fix It?
JetBlue was held liable after a passenger’s vintage Louis Vuitton bag was ripped during a domestic flight, invoking U.S. Code of Federal Regulations that mandates a minimum $4,700 liability per passenger for baggage damage. The airline initially stalled the claim,...