Today's Hotels Pulse
Hotels Face a “Splurge or Stay Home” Guest Mindset
Travelers are tightening budgets and will only spend on highly curated, wellness‑focused experiences. Guests now expect authentic design, personalized service and transparent pricing, making arrival moments and signature spaces key ROI drivers. Hotels must double‑down on thoughtful design, premium perks and eliminate low‑value offerings.
Cost Controls to Menu Ideas Set to Highlight Next Month’s 2026 New York Restaurant Show
The episode spotlights the upcoming 2026 New York Restaurant Show, emphasizing its focus on practical solutions for cost control, staffing, compliance, and menu innovation. Andrea Tencza and Paul Pedrow explain how the industry‑only event blends product sourcing, hands‑on demos, and targeted education—like AI‑driven marketing and leadership sessions—to help operators make immediate, profit‑boosting decisions. Highlights include the Culinary Innovation Theater, a rapid‑fire competition featuring chefs Shaw‑naé Dixon and Jordan Andino, and a keynote from restaurateur Drew Nieporent offering real‑world hospitality insights. Attendees are urged to plan strategically, targeting their top operational pressures to maximize ROI from the show’s exhibitors and seminars.
Guest Column: IdeaNova Highlights Untapped Potential of Legacy IFE Systems
Legacy inflight entertainment (IFE) systems are being re‑engineered through software rather than costly hardware replacements. Airlines such as Delta and United are upgrading seat‑back screens with modern interfaces, faster DRM, and new features using IdeaNova’s two‑decade expertise. The company’s Inplay AI...
APEX TECH Prompts Conversations on Connectivity and Content in LA
The APEX TECH 2026 conference in Los Angeles gathered airlines, suppliers and media to debate inflight connectivity and content licensing. Panels highlighted that simply adding bandwidth does not automatically enhance passenger experience; instead airlines must focus on edge caching and...
How Did China’s Guangzhou Tee up a Surge in South Korean Tourists?
South Korean golfers are flocking to Guangzhou, with bookings rising over 300% year‑over‑year after China introduced a 30‑day visa‑free travel policy. The surge is evident at venues like Holiday Islands Golf Club, where Korean visitors jumped 81% while Chinese traffic...
MXR Hospitality Names Brent McDowell CEO, Eric Watts President
MXR Hospitality, a joint venture between RREAF Holdings and Phillip McNeill Sr., announced Brent McDowell as its inaugural CEO and Eric Watts as its inaugural president. McDowell brings nearly three decades of hospitality experience, most recently as COO of McNeill Hotel Company,...
Choice Hotels International Inc (CHH) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Choice Hotels reported full‑year 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $626 million, up 4% and in line with guidance, while adjusted EPS matched the midpoint at $6.94. International expansion accelerated, adding 13% rooms to nearly 160,000 and pushing direct‑franchised rooms above 40% of...
Virgin Atlantic and WestJet Launch Mileage Partnership: Earn, Redeem Miles Across Both Programs
Virgin Atlantic and WestJet have launched a reciprocal mileage partnership, allowing Flying Club members to earn Virgin tier points and points on WestJet‑operated flights, while WestJet Rewards members can earn WestJet points on Virgin routes. The agreement also enables cross‑program...
Booking CEO Touts Ties With Independent Hotels as Agentic AI and Airbnb Seek Gains
Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel emphasized the platform’s deep ties with independent hotels, which supply the bulk of its room nights, as the company confronts rising pressure from AI‑driven travel agents and Airbnb’s expansion into the boutique‑hotel segment. He announced...
Wyndham Takes $160 Million Hit After European Franchisee Files for Insolvency
Wyndham Hotels disclosed a $160 million charge after its largest European franchisee, Revo Hospitality Group, entered self‑administration in January. The charge covers uncollectible receivables, asset impairments and a write‑down of the Vienna House trademark acquired in 2022. Despite the setback, the...
United Airlines CFO Drops Biggest Hint Yet About JetBlue Merger
United Airlines CFO Michael Leskinen hinted at a possible United‑JetBlue merger during a Barclays conference, suggesting the airline sees value in industry consolidation. He also disclosed that United will ground its Pratt & Whitney‑powered 777 fleet this summer, temporarily curbing...
Southwest Airlines Has a New Boarding Process: Here’s How It Works and How to Board Earlier
Southwest Airlines replaced its historic open‑seating system on January 27 2026 with an eight‑group boarding structure. Placement now depends on fare class, Rapid Rewards elite tier, and Southwest credit‑card ownership, while check‑in still opens 24 hours before departure. The airline eliminated dedicated family...
San Diego International Airport Sets New Passenger Record in 2025
San Diego International Airport handled a record 25.32 million passengers in 2025, a modest 0.3% increase over the previous year. The newly opened Terminal 1, operational from October 2025, contributed an 11% traffic boost in its first quarter and served 9.68 million travelers....
JetBlue Gets Cozier With United and Adds Nonstop Flights Between Houston and New York
JetBlue announced a new twice‑daily nonstop service between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) launching on May 21. The route restores a key connection for JetBlue, complementing its existing daily IAH‑Boston flight. Tickets are...
Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners Approves License Agreement with The Boring Company, Paving the Way for Efficient, High-Speed Underground...
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) has signed a 50‑year license agreement with The Boring Company to build the “Music City Loop,” an all‑electric, high‑speed underground transit system linking Nashville International Airport (BNA) to key destinations. The partnership requires no...
Philadelphia-Based Spread Bagelry Entering Atlanta
Philadelphia‑based Spread Bagelry is opening its 17th store, a 2,800‑square‑foot location in Buckhead, Atlanta, in March. The shop will function both as a retail outlet and a production hub, supplying fresh bagels to future sites across Georgia and the Carolinas....
American Airlines Tweaks Bag Fees: Why You'll Definitely Want to Plan Ahead
American Airlines announced that, starting February 18, the fee for a second checked bag will rise to $50 when paid at the airport, up $5 from the previous $45 charge. Passengers who prepay the second bag online will continue to...
How Indian Travel Tech Bought Its Way Into the West’s Backyard
Indian travel‑tech firms have spent nearly $1 billion on acquisitions across the U.S., Europe and the Middle East since late 2024, marking a rapid global expansion. Leading players such as Prism (formerly Oyo), RateGain, TBO Tek and Ixigo are buying B2B infrastructure, OTA...
Corinthia To Develop Luxury Resort on Lake Como
Corinthia Hotels announced a 58‑key luxury resort on Lake Como’s Menaggio shoreline, developed with investment partners RoundShield and Kervis SGR. The project blends restored heritage architecture with three new villas that host the lobby, lounge, golf club and branded residences. Amenities will...
Save 20% on Airfares With Ethiopian Airlines 80th Anniversary Celebration
To mark its 80th year of continuous operation, Ethiopian Airlines is offering a 20% discount on international economy and business class tickets. The promotion applies to travel between March 24 and May 31, 2026, provided bookings are made by February 28, 2026, and excludes fare...
Potbelly Partners with Flybuy to Elevate Off-Prem Operations
Potbelly is integrating Flybuy’s AI‑powered location platform into its digital ordering system to streamline off‑premise service across more than 450 sandwich shops. The technology provides real‑time order‑time estimates, status updates, and location‑based in‑app messaging, reducing customer wait times by over...
ALM Services Wins Contracts At ORD, BWI
ALM Services, a specialist in airport logistics, has secured two new contracts: a Loading Dock Management agreement for Terminal 5 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and a Central Receiving and Distribution Center (CRDC) services contract at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall...
Cruise Lines Tighten Health Protocols After Recent Outbreaks
Cruise operators are tightening health protocols after recent Legionnaires’ disease cases on Norwegian’s Encore and Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas. The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program notes that gastrointestinal illness rates have remained steady despite passenger volumes returning to pre‑pandemic...
Porter Airlines Expands Network with New Austin Route and Chicago Airport Swap
Porter Airlines announced three network additions: year‑round service between Toronto Pearson and Austin, a shift of its Toronto‑Chicago flights from Midway to O’Hare, and a seasonal Ottawa‑Deer Lake route. The Austin‑Toronto flights begin May 21, the Chicago airport change takes effect...
Victory Cruise Lines Marks America250 With Great Lakes Voyages
Victory Cruise Lines is debuting a series of 2026 sailings that circle all five Great Lakes to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. The program introduces the Navy Pier Culinary and History Collection in Chicago, a guided walking and tasting tour that...
United Airlines Plane Declared a Crime Scene After a Bullet Is Discovered in an Overhead Bin
United Airlines’ Newark‑based Boeing 737 was grounded on Feb. 17 after a single bullet was found in an overhead bin, prompting investigators to declare the aircraft a crime scene. The flight, UA‑1511 to Miami, was delayed nearly three hours while security...
Loman AI Expands POS Partnerships with SpotOn
Loman AI announced a new partnership with SpotOn, extending its voice‑AI phone answering service to another leading restaurant point‑of‑sale platform. The integration lets the AI pull real‑time menu, reservation and inventory data directly from the POS, enabling more natural, accurate...
Chase Offers: Spend $600 Through Chase Travel, Get $100 Credit
Chase has rolled out a new Chase Offer for Sapphire, Freedom, Ink and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders that grants a $100 statement credit when a single transaction of $600 or more is booked through Chase Travel. The promotion must be activated...
Hotels Didn’t Abandon Spam They Abandoned Acquisition
Luxury hotels abandoned outbound email acquisition after the spam‑filled era of the late 1990s, leaving a vacuum that online travel agencies (OTAs) swiftly filled. OTAs invested billions in search visibility and data-driven targeting, becoming the default discovery engine and extracting...
Drink Packages on Cruises
In this episode, Peter Greenberg breaks down the economics of cruise ship drink packages, comparing the cost of unlimited alcohol, soft‑drink, juice, and even bottled‑water options against buying drinks individually. He highlights that roughly half of passengers purchase these packages...
Top List: HM 2026 Top Third-Party Management Companies
The Hotel Management 2026 Top Third-Party Management Companies list ranks firms by the number of U.S. guestrooms they managed in 2025. Sponsored by Entegra, the ranking relies on self‑submitted data from each company. The list highlights the scale of third‑party...
The Secret Ingredient at Crepe Therapy Café Is the ‘Connector’
Chef Mawa McQueen launched Crepe Therapy Café in Boulder with a novel "Connector" position, aimed at turning the eatery into a true third space. The role, filled by former finance professional Steve Laser, focuses on fostering genuine connections among guests,...
Apiary Hotel Belleview Station Opens in South Denver
Apiary Hotel Belleview Station, a 175‑room Residence Inn by Marriott, opened in South Denver’s Belleview Station neighborhood. The all‑suite property blends extended‑stay comfort with boutique design, featuring bee‑inspired décor, a multi‑sided fireplace lobby, and a complimentary hot breakfast. Adjacent Apiary...
Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo Continues Expansion of Luxury Glamping
Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo announced the addition of five new luxury glamping tents, each exceeding 500 square feet and equipped with climate‑controlled interiors, king‑size beds, and full ensuite bathrooms. The tents also feature a kitchenette, VIP concierge service,...
5 Ways QR Codes Help Grow Restaurant Catering
QR codes are emerging as low‑cost, trackable tools for restaurant catering growth. Kelly Grogan outlines five intentional placements— in‑store contests, bag stuffer flyers, local leave‑behinds, catering order collateral, and thank‑you cards— each designed to capture leads and drive repeat business....
UNITE HERE Releases Report Showing Immigration Policies Are Devastating U.S. Tourism Industry
UNITE HERE’s new "Inhospitable" report links recent White House immigration crackdowns to a sharp downturn in U.S. tourism. The study documents more than 2.5 million fewer international visitors in 2025, a $1 billion drop in travel receipts, and 98,000 lost hospitality jobs....
Davidson Hospitality Group Reorganizes Commercial Services Team
Davidson Hospitality Group has reshaped its commercial services by promoting Patrick Broderick and Harry Carr to newly created senior vice‑president roles overseeing commercial optimization, while appointing Kathryn Collins as vice‑president of marketing. The reorganization consolidates sales, revenue management and marketing...
Nicole Brizan Joins Donohoe Hospitality Services
Donohoe Hospitality Services has appointed Nicole Brizan as vice president of finance and accounting, tasking her with steering corporate and property‑level financial strategy for its hotel portfolio. Brizan brings more than two decades of hospitality accounting experience, most recently as...
Hospeco Brands Adds Rest Assured Toilet Seat Covers
Hospeco Brands Group has launched its Rest Assured toilet seat covers, a Green Seal‑certified line made from 100% recycled paper with at least 30% post‑consumer content. The covers are fully biodegradable and compatible with standard half‑fold dispensers, while the company...
HBF Textiles Presents Second Edition of The Designer Edit
HBF Textiles has launched the second edition of The Designer Edit, unveiling six distinct color‑driven palettes for retail, hospitality, workplace, culinary, sustainability‑focused, and outdoor‑inspired interiors. The collections are curated by industrial designer Kickie Chudikova and feature new colorways for the...
United Airlines Flight Attendants Confident They Can Secure Contract Deal Next Month But Still Aren’t Backing Down On Concessions
The Association of Flight Attendants representing over 30,000 United Airlines crew members says a contract could be finalized in March, after years of contentious bargaining. United has proposed a compensation package that would make its cabin crew the highest‑paid in...
UK Trial Shows Potential of Hydrogen Powered Ground Handling Equipment
A successful trial at Exeter Airport demonstrated that hydrogen‑powered ground handling equipment—including a hydrogen internal‑combustion tug, a fuel‑cell baggage tractor and a hybrid hydrogen‑diesel GPU—can be safely integrated into live airport operations. The Zero Carbon Turn project, backed by the...
Park Hyatt Toronto Launches Global Chef Series
Park Hyatt Toronto has launched a Global Chef Series, debuting with Brazilian chef Felipe Schaedler at its Joni Restaurant on March 6‑7. The program pairs visiting culinary stars with executive chef Jonathan Williams to create multi‑course tasting menus that showcase...
Long Serving Edinburgh Airport Boss to Step Down Later This Year
Gordon Dewar will step down as CEO of Edinburgh Airport towards the end of 2026 after a 14‑year tenure. Under his leadership the airport’s passenger traffic surged 85 % from 9 million in 2012 to nearly 17 million in 2025, and it successfully...
Jeff's Bagel Run: From Garage Bagels to 30 and Growing
Jeff Perera, co‑founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run, recounts how a garage‑started bagel shop expanded to nearly 30 locations with new openings each week. The Founderology podcast episode reveals the pivotal choices that moved the brand out of the "stuck zone,"...
Uga Jungle Beach Reveals New Look
Sri Lankan hotel group Uga Resorts has launched the first phase of its Uga Jungle Beach refurbishment, revamping all 49 guest cabins and the 75‑cover restaurant. The redesign fuses clean, modern lines with botanical prints and native flora, creating a...
How Agentic AI Is Driving the Property Operating System in Hotels
Hospitality technology is evolving from a patchwork of point solutions toward a Property Operating System (PropOS), an AI‑driven decision layer that coordinates actions across PMS, RMS, BMS and other platforms. Agentic AI enables these systems to act autonomously within defined...
Herons Lodge Sets Sights on Spring Opening
Herons Lodge, a 35‑key boutique hotel by Common Thread Hotels, will open in Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea in April 2026. The property is the second California venue designed by Nina Freudenberger of Freudenberger Design Studio, following White Water in Cambria. Guests will enjoy...
ARCO Appoints Commercial Aviation Head
ARCO National Construction announced the appointment of Scott Rightnowar as head of its commercial aviation division. Rightnowar will oversee national airport, airline, hangar, and MRO development programs, leveraging more than a decade of executive aviation and industrial real‑estate experience. His...
Champagne Culture - Love on Ice
Hotels across Asia are reimagining Champagne as an experiential luxury, turning the drink into daily rituals, theatrical performances, and wellness amenities. At The St. Regis Bangkok, a 6 p.m. sabrage ceremony anchors the evening transition, while Centara Grand’s sky‑terrace serves chilled...
MCO-Hosted FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group Event in Pictures – Inspiration-Filled Sessions, Collaborative Discussions, Valuable Networking, Exclusive Tours, and More
From February 9‑11, 2026 the Future Travel Experience Baggage Innovation Working Group convened at Orlando International Airport for three days of presentations, tours and startup pitches. Highlights included a deep‑dive into MCO’s next‑generation baggage system, a Disney‑hosted off‑airport bag‑drop showcase, and...