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
Spirit Offered Taxpayers 80% Of The Airline — Trump Demanded 90% And The Bailout Died
President Trump’s insistence on a 90% government equity share derailed a proposed $500 million bailout of Spirit Airlines. The airline had offered the Treasury an 80% stake in exchange for the funds, but the higher demand left creditors unwilling to proceed, fearing minimal recovery. Without the deal, Spirit avoided taxpayer ownership and instead relied on asset sales and cost cuts to stay afloat. The episode highlights how political negotiation tactics can influence large‑scale corporate rescue efforts.
Papa Johns Suffers Major 6.4% Comp Sales Drop
Papa John’s reported a 6.4% decline in North American comparable sales for Q1 2026, its steepest drop in years, with company‑owned stores down 5.2% and franchised locations down 6.7%. CEO Todd Penegor attributed the slump to weaker customer acquisition, a...
Dreamscape Hospitality Adds DoubleTree in Galveston Beach, TX
Dreamscape Hospitality has taken over management of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Galveston Beach, expanding its Texas leisure portfolio. The 97‑room property offers Gulf‑facing balconies, an outdoor pool, on‑site dining and over 3,000 sq ft of meeting space. Dreamscape will apply its...
Hospitality Meets Opportunity As New Platform HeadBox Powers Event-Driven Revenue
HeadBox, a new SaaS marketplace, links restaurants, bars and event venues with corporate planners to monetize underused space. The platform aggregates listings, adds 3‑D immersive tours and funnels "mandated inquiries"—pre‑qualified corporate demand—into a single sales dashboard. By automating lead capture,...
Toast Launches Unified Drive-Thru Solution to Modernize Enterprise Quick-Service Restaurant Operations
Toast announced Toast Drive‑Thru, an enterprise‑grade platform that unifies point‑of‑sale, kitchen display, digital menu boards, and AI voice‑ordering for quick‑service restaurants. The solution replaces fragmented hardware and software with a single ecosystem built on Delphi’s trusted drive‑thru hardware. It adds...
Busy Summer on the Cards for Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport expects to handle roughly 11 million passengers this summer, a 2% increase over the previous year, with more than 3.5 million travelers each month and daily traffic surpassing 100,000. The surge is set to eclipse the airport’s prior record of...
Aegean Miles+Bonus Tier Hold Documentation Change For New Parents + Now Includes Military Service
Aegean Airlines has expanded its Miles+Bonus tier‑hold program to include members performing temporary military service, in addition to the existing parental‑leave option. Eligible Silver and Gold members can request a one‑year status freeze by submitting a family‑status certificate for a...
Charlestowne Names Tomas Chavarría Corporate Culinary Director
Charlestowne Hotels has appointed Tomas Chavarría as corporate culinary director. He will steer culinary strategy and food‑and‑beverage innovation across the chain, collaborating with chefs, owners, and development partners. Chavarría brings over 20 years of international experience, most recently as multiproperty...
Up To 10% Off IHG Hotels With New Chase Offer
Chase has re‑launched a limited‑time offer that gives IHG Hotels & Resorts guests 10% cash back on purchases of $400 or more, capped at $62. The promotion, which can be added to any eligible Chase card, expires on June 30,...
Scoot Becomes First SE Asian Budget Airline with Embraer E190‑E2
Fun fact ✈️ Singapore’s low-cost carrier Scoot is the first budget airline in Southeast Asia and currently the only one that operate smaller narrowbody aircraft - the Embraer E190-E2. The airline started operating the E2s since May 2024.
Hyatt Zilara Cancun Reopens After $30 Million Renovation, Boosting Luxury Adult‑Only Portfolio
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has reopened its 310‑room Hyatt Zilara Cancun following a comprehensive renovation that adds new suites, upgraded public spaces, a Zen Spa and three new dining venues. The upgrade reinforces Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection as a leading player in...
Scoot Adds 11 A320neos, Total Fleet Reaches 20
Singapore’s Scoot has ordered 11 A320neo family aircraft, comprising five new firm orders and six exercised options from its 2014 order with Airbus. The new aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines, will start arriving from 2028. Following the latest...
Viking Opens Bookings for 2028-29 Expedition Voyages
Viking has opened bookings for its 2028‑29 expedition season, adding new departure dates across Arctic, Antarctic and Great Lakes itineraries. The line will sail its purpose‑built Polar Class ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris on three flagship voyages, including a...
Air Canada Aeroplan Adds a New Transfer Partner, with a 25% Bonus to Celebrate
Rove Miles added Air Canada Aeroplan as a new 1:1 transfer partner, offering a 25% bonus on transfers through June 6. The credit‑card‑free platform lets users earn up to 25 miles per dollar on everyday spend, redeemable at roughly 1.5‑2¢ per...
Why a Modern WiFi Strategy Is Driving Your Guests’ Digital Journey
Hotel guests now view high‑speed WiFi as a must‑have, with 69% citing it as the most important amenity. Delivering reliable connectivity across rooms, meeting spaces and outdoor areas requires a modern, managed WiFi strategy rather than simple bandwidth upgrades. Managed...
Hotel Technology Updates: Expert Partners March & April 2026
During March‑April 2026, Revenue Hub’s Expert Partners unveiled a wave of awards, AI‑driven tools, and strategic alliances reshaping hotel technology. BEONx earned a repeat spot in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 Spain, while Bookboost released an AI Agent to automate guest...
Tourism Ireland Launches ‘Ireland Unrushed’ Campaign to Boost Slow, Sustainable Travel
Tourism Ireland has rolled out the ‘Ireland Unrushed’ campaign, a national marketing push encouraging tourists to travel more slowly and sustainably across the island. The initiative aims to lengthen stays, spread visitor traffic beyond hotspots, and showcase Ireland’s natural and...
Ocean Beds Launches Villa Distribution with Intuitive API Partner
Ocean Beds announced that Intuitive iVector is the first certified distribution partner to go live with its new API, unlocking access to more than 6,000 hotels and 3,000 villas. The launch shifts the company from platform development to large‑scale distribution...
Orient Express Launches $18,500 Five‑Day Grand Tour of Italy
Orient Express announced a new five‑day Grand Tour itinerary that will criss‑cross Italy from Rome to Sicily and back, starting May 21. The journey, priced from $18,500 per passenger and limited to 62 guests, revives the historic Grand Tour with...
Delta SkyMiles Members Can Now Earn Rewards on Airbnb
Delta Air Lines has expanded its SkyMiles loyalty program to include Airbnb bookings, allowing members to earn miles for stays at the home‑rental platform. The partnership launches in the United States this quarter, with members earning 500 miles for stays...
Corsican Places Rules Out Fuel Surcharges on All Holidays
Corsican Places announced that it will not apply any fuel surcharges to its package holidays for 2026, covering both existing and new bookings. The policy guarantees that the price shown at booking is the final price, regardless of fluctuations in...
Saudi Arabia Driving Tourism Growth Across Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector posted a $178 billion GDP in 2025, a 7.4% rise that accounts for 46% of the Middle East’s tourism economy. Growth outpaced the global average, expanding at 7.4% versus the world’s 4.1% rate. International visitor...
Modernizing Reservations: How Signature Vision Supports Smarter Operations
Signature Aviation introduced Signature Vision, a unified user portal that streamlines aircraft reservation management and provides real‑time flight‑journey visibility. The platform aggregates pricing, scheduling and ground‑operation updates, allowing operators to reduce manual processes and improve coordination from pre‑arrival planning through...
KERTEN HOSPITALITY EXPANDS KUWAIT FOOTPRINT WITH RAY HOTEL BY CLOUD 7 IN MANGAF
Kerten Hospitality has taken over operations of Ray Hotel by Cloud 7 in Mangaf, marking its second Kuwaiti property after The House Hotel Al Khiran. The contemporary lifestyle hotel blends upscale rooms, diverse dining, wellness amenities and flexible event spaces, all anchored...
AAT Kings Launches Sale with up to 10% Off 2027/28 Tours
AAT Kings has opened an Earlybird booking window for UK travelers, offering up to 10% off selected 2027‑28 tours to Australia and New Zealand. Customers can lock in a place with a £100 ($127) deposit and pay the balance in instalments...
Emirates Group Achieves Record Profit of AED 24.4 Bn (US$ 6.6 Bn) in 2025-26
Emirates Group reported a record profit before tax of AED 24.4 bn ($6.6 bn) for the 2025‑26 fiscal year, a 7% increase year‑over‑year, alongside record revenue of AED 150.5 bn ($41.0 bn) and cash assets of AED 59.6 bn ($16.2 bn). The airline division posted a PBT of AED 22.8 bn...
Dusit Executive Recognised with Thailand Meetings Leadership Award
Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, Vice President of Operations for Dusit International, was honored with the Thailand Meetings Leadership Award at the inaugural Thailand MICE Legacy Awards 2026. The ceremony took place during MICE Day 2026 at Bangkok’s Queen Sirikit National Convention Center,...
WTTC Hosts Historic Recovery & Leadership Cruise Along Egypt’s Suez Canal
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) convened a historic Leadership Cruise on Egypt’s Suez Canal, drawing more than 300 public‑ and private‑sector leaders. The event, backed by the Egyptian government and major sponsors, highlighted Egypt’s tourism surge to a...
Emirates Pays Employees 20-Week Salary Bonus, Despite Tough Times
Emirates Group posted a record $6.6 billion profit for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year, its second consecutive year as the world’s most profitable airline. To celebrate, the carrier awarded all 130,000 employees a bonus equal to 20 weeks of basic salary –...
Maldives Set to Host Asia, Oceania and Indian Ocean Tourism Leaders for Landmark World Travel Awards
The World Travel Awards will host its Asia, Oceania and Indian Ocean gala in the Maldives on World Tourism Day, 27 September 2026, at the CROSSROADS Maldives resort. The VIP ceremony will bring together government ministers, tourism boards, hospitality executives...
Plans Have Been Revealed for a Bonkers Rooftop Pool at the Top of London’s Iconic BT Tower
London’s iconic BT Tower, a former 1964 communications hub, is set to become a luxury hotel after its 2024 acquisition by U.S.‑based MCR Hotels. The project, now overseen by Shoreditch firm Orms following Thomas Heatherwick’s departure, unveils a publicly accessible...
Kenya's Safarilink Grows Fleet Amid Fuel Cost Pressures
Kenya’s Safarilink Aviation announced a fleet expansion despite a backdrop of rising jet fuel prices that are squeezing regional carriers. The airline added two new turboprop aircraft, boosting its total fleet to eight planes and enabling higher frequency on popular...
Wyndham Deploys AI Across 8,400 Hotels and Launches First Native ChatGPT Booking App
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced a company‑wide AI rollout covering its 8,400‑property network and introduced a native ChatGPT app for hotel discovery and booking. The move leverages $450 million in tech investments and promises measurable revenue lifts for franchisees.
Emirates Reports Record Profit, Stays World’s Most Profitable Airline
Emirates Airline reported a record $6.2 billion profit for the 2025‑26 fiscal year, delivering a 16.2% profit margin and cementing its status as the world’s most profitable carrier for the second consecutive year. Revenue rose 2% to $35.7 billion while operating costs...
From Data Overload to Measurable Gains: How AI Is Driving Hotel Performance
Hotel operators face a flood of fragmented utility data that rarely translates into action. AI‑driven platform Cadae converts Building Management System outputs and dashboard metrics into prioritized, on‑site tasks, delivering roughly 25% energy and water cost reductions. Its Performance Hotel...
Of Course He Does: Ryanair CEO Wants Airports To Stop Selling Cheap Beer Before Flights
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary is urging European airports to limit alcohol sales before boarding, proposing a two‑drink cap and bans during early‑morning hours. He argues that pre‑flight intoxication leads to disruptive passengers, costly diversions, and safety risks. Critics note the...
From Shoot to Strategy: Hotel Content That Actually Works
The article argues that hotel photography must start with a clear strategy, not just a shot list. It stresses matching visual assets to the platform—hero images for booking pages, vertical videos for social feeds—to maximize engagement. By auditing existing content,...
How Will Cuts to Short-Haul European Flights Impact Hotels?
European airlines are slashing thousands of short‑haul flights as fuel costs surge and geopolitical tensions tighten supply. The cuts target low‑margin intra‑European routes, forcing travelers to seek alternatives. As a result, demand shifts toward domestic and regional trips, rail travel,...
The Real Reason Your Direct Bookings Are Not Growing
Hotel operators often blame OTAs for stagnant direct bookings, but the real culprit is internal friction. A cumbersome booking engine—slow load times, excessive steps, and unclear payment cues—turns intent‑driven guests away. Additionally, more than half of hotel searches occur on...
Why Do SMERF Groups Matter For Independent Hotel Revenue
SMERF groups—social, military, educational, religious and fraternal—provide independent hotels with large, pre‑planned room blocks that can fill otherwise idle inventory. These groups prioritize purpose over corporate agendas, often booking dozens to hundreds of rooms well ahead of time. By targeting...
Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport Appoints New Rooms Division Leadership
Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport has promoted Avinash Chandola to rooms division manager and appointed Anju Rathore as front office manager. Chandola, formerly the hotel’s front office manager, brings more than 16 years of experience in front‑office operations and...
Emirates Enters FY2026 Strong Amid Middle East Tensions
Emirates Group says it is entering FY2026/27 from a position of strength despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and volatility in the Middle East. Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the group remains...
Doubling Down on Restaurant Marketing Spend
Restaurant owners are bucking recession‑driven caution by planning to boost marketing spend in 2026. A Constant Contact survey of 1,500 small businesses shows 68% will increase budgets and 74% will devote more time to promotion. The focus is on high‑impact...
Want to Enjoy Flight-Free Travel? There’s an Agent for That
Byway, founded by former start‑up investor Cat Jones in 2020, curates multi‑stop, flight‑free holidays across the UK, Europe and North Africa using trains, ferries and buses. The agency now serves a broader European market, with over 60% of its clients...
Pei Wei, Gyro Hut Tap NCR Voyix to Modernize POS Operations
Fast‑casual chains Pei Wei Asian Kitchen and Gyro Hut have signed expanded technology agreements with NCR Voyix to deploy the Aloha Next point‑of‑sale platform. The unified commerce solution promises higher uptime, faster service and enterprise‑grade data tools as the brands scale. Pei Wei is reinforcing...
Airelles Plants Flag in Italy
Airelles, the French luxury hotel collection, has opened its ninth property, Airelles Palladio, on Venice’s Giudecca island, marking the brand’s first hotel outside France. The 45‑key resort blends French linens with Venetian artisanship across three historic buildings and a restored...
SITA Research Finds Aviation’s Record Technology Investment Hinges on One Thing: Data Coordination
SITA’s 2025 Air Transport IT Insights report shows the aviation sector spent a record $50.8 billion on technology, but data‑coordination gaps are limiting returns. Airlines invested $36 billion and airports $14.8 billion, with most citing data‑driven decision‑making as strategic. The study finds that...
Guests Care About Hotel Sustainability, so Why Do Hotels Struggle to Show It?
Hospitality operators are increasingly investing in energy, water, waste and carbon reductions, yet many struggle to translate those metrics into guest‑facing narratives. Travelers now rank sustainability alongside price and location, so invisible initiatives fail to influence booking decisions. Experts argue...
Hilton Europe & Africa 20% Off Summer Weekends Sale For Stays Until September 7, 2026
Hilton has launched its 2026 Europe and Africa Summer Weekends sale, offering a base 15% discount on best‑available rates with an extra 5% off for Hilton Honors members, for a maximum of 20% savings. The promotion runs for bookings made...
Brussels Airports Orders Airlines To Cancel More Than Half Of The Scheduled Flights For May 12, 2026
On May 12, 2026, a national demonstration in Belgium will limit staffing at Brussels Airport, prompting the airport to ask airlines to cancel more than half of scheduled flights. The cancellations affect both departures and some arrivals, and airlines will...