Know What's Happening in Hotels
Know What's Happening in Hotels
Marriott and Hilton face $7B liability from unredeemed loyalty points
Marriott and Hilton together carry nearly $7 billion in unredeemed loyalty points, with Marriott accounting for roughly $4 billion and Hilton about $3 billion. The liability stems from rapid growth in co‑branded credit‑card partnerships and soaring program enrollment that outpace point redemptions. Accounting treats the unredeemed “breakage” as a revenue source.
Extended Stay America (ESA) opened a new Select Suites property in Sterling, Colorado, adding a two‑story, 104‑room hotel to its portfolio. The property offers full kitchens, on‑site laundry, complimentary Wi‑Fi, an indoor pool, and a recreation room with games for families and groups. Developed by Colorado Hospitality Services, the hotel targets long‑term travelers in a market with year‑round demand. Its location near a regional medical center, a junior college, and major logistics employers underscores ESA’s strategy of situating extended‑stay assets near high‑traffic, employment‑dense hubs.
Six firms have lodged bids to design, supply, install, commission and service 92 passenger boarding bridges for Poland’s new Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) airport. The consortiums include Sezo Invest / ShinMaywa, FMT Sweden, Albert Ziegler, Adelte Airport Technologies / TK Airport Solutions, and Comsa Instalaciones....
COMO Hotels & Resorts is debuting two luxury micro‑cruises to the Svalbard archipelago, launching in May and September 2026. The 10‑ and 11‑night itineraries aboard the converted M/S Polarfront accommodate only 12 guests in seven suites, blending high‑end hospitality with Arctic...
Concord Hospitality announced the promotion of three senior executives: Joe Trumfio to senior vice president of investment operations, compliance and reporting; Cathryn Andrews to senior vice president of hotel accounting; and Alex Langston to senior director of risk management. Trumfio’s newly...
Relais & Châteaux has launched four joint sustainability projects with UNESCO, pairing elite restaurants with biosphere reserves, world heritage sites, and cultural heritage initiatives across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. Each property—FYN, Maison Pic, Eleven Madison Park and L’Effervescence—will implement actions under...
Mexico's tourism sector reached an all‑time high in 2025 with 98.2 million international visitors, a 13.6% rise over 2024 and the largest total ever recorded. Foreign‑exchange earnings climbed to $34.99 billion, while overnight stays increased 6.1% to 47.8 million. The record underscores strong...
![Hyatt Chairman Tom Pritzker Resigns Over Epstein Emails—Helped Arrange Trip to Find Him a New Girlfriend [Roundup]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts125/v4/32/d3/c1/32d3c1dc-d795-a751-8dea-c94459528a17/mza_14997306024831034905.jpg/600x600bb.jpg)
The episode covers the fallout from Hyatt Chairman Tom Pritzker’s resignation after a 2018 email chain revealing he helped Jeffrey Epstein’s girlfriend arrange a Southeast Asian trip to find a new girlfriend, prompting the hotel’s president to assume the chairmanship....
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg has introduced self‑service bag‑drop devices alongside 24 new check‑in kiosks in Halls 2 and 4, while Hall 3 is temporarily closed for upgrades. The airport plans to equip all four halls with kiosks and self‑service bag‑drop by the end...
JetBlue announced a 48‑hour flash promotion, offering double TrueBlue Tiles for bookings made on February 17‑18 for travel between February 24 and March 18. The offer applies to qualifying nonstop one‑way flights costing at least $100 and excludes Blue Basic...
United Airlines has signed a deal with GE Aerospace to purchase 300 additional GEnx engines and associated spares for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The order, which does not disclose price, will increase United’s fleet of GEnx‑powered aircraft to over...
Hyatt Hotels Corp appointed its president and chief executive, Mark Hoplamazian, as chairman, replacing retiring executive chairman Thomas Pritzker, who has guided the company since 2004. Hoplamazian, who has led Hyatt for nearly two decades, oversaw the brand’s asset‑light expansion...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has signed a contract with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to construct a fourth vessel in its new Prestige‑Class series, slated for delivery in 2036. The first Prestige‑Class ship, Seven Seas Prestige, debuted in December 2026, with the...
Hyatt Hotels' long‑time executive chairman Thomas J. “Tom” Pritzker announced his immediate retirement and will not seek re‑election to the board. The decision follows the U.S. Justice Department’s release of Epstein‑related emails that show Pritzker arranging hotel bookings and using...
AWH Partners has purchased the 122‑key Hotel Trio Healdsburg for $38 million, equating to $311,475 per key—significantly below the estimated $500,000 replacement cost in Sonoma County. The all‑suite, Marriott‑branded property is the only Residence Inn in northern Sonoma and the second‑largest hotel...
AirMobility and Skyportz have signed a memorandum of understanding to introduce Skyportz’s patented Aeroberm modular vertipad to Japan. The partnership will fuse Aeroberm’s downwash‑reducing hardware with AirMobility’s AirVport vertiport automation software, creating a fully integrated vertiport solution. By deploying this...
Applebee’s has launched a limited‑time "Still Together Sips" cocktail menu created with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, featuring two drinks made with the award‑winning Still G.I.N. gin. The $7 Young, Wild & Free Fruit Punch and $10 Rollin’ On The Beach are served with original temporary tattoos and are...
The Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit in San Diego will feature a session called “The Money Map: Navigating Your Franchise to Peak Profit,” urging operators to treat unit economics as a dynamic narrative rather than static spreadsheets. Panelists stress proactive...
The article advises hoteliers to begin AI adoption by focusing on AI‑driven performance analysis of paid search, hotel metasearch and Google hotel ads, where measurable demand already exists. AI can process large campaign datasets to pinpoint high‑converting markets, eliminate wasteful...
Intrepid Travel, the B Corp‑certified adventure operator, has signed the Safer Tourism Pledge, the travel industry’s leading framework for traveller risk, health and safety. The company runs more than 900 small‑group trips in over 120 countries, and the pledge adds...
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is counting on the 2026 FIFA World Cup to revive U.S. travel after three consecutive quarters of declining room revenues. U.S. RevPAR fell 2% in Q4, lagging rivals Hilton and Marriott, while growth in Europe, the...
The Shannon Airport Group has launched a €15 million upgrade of its main terminal, the first phase of a €40 million investment programme slated for completion by May 2027. The renovation replaces the 1970s façade with a modern, curved design that will accommodate...
Excel remains a default tool in hotels, but its apparent zero‑cost facade hides substantial operational expenses. Hotels can spend up to 125 hours each month cleaning, formatting, and moving data, turning revenue managers into data clerks. This manual burden erodes...
Coast Hotels Limited, a subsidiary of APA Hotel Canada, announced the winners of its 2025 Coast Hotels Awards at the annual brand conference in Nanaimo, B.C. The ceremony highlighted a range of performance‑based recognitions, including a first‑ever Lifetime Achievement Award...
American Express appears to have ended a long‑standing loophole that let Platinum cardholders claim the $200 annual airline credit by purchasing United Airlines Travel Bank credits. The change, effective around February 6, 2026, reclassifies these purchases as ticket‑related, making them ineligible for...
The Airport Authority Hong Kong announced that the departure facilities at Terminal 2 will begin operations on May 27, 2026. The rollout follows a phased commissioning that started with the Coach Hall in September 2025 and aligns with expected summer travel demand. The new...
Hospitality giant Hilton and food‑waste tech firm Winnow have been named World’s Leading Sustainable Partnership 2025 at the World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards in Dubai. Their Green Ramadan 2025 program, using AI‑powered smart meters across Hilton kitchens, achieved a...
Restaurant group FB Society partnered with 1Huddle to embed AI into its training program, accelerating content creation and onboarding across multiple concepts. By using AI to generate drafts of games, guides, and workshops, material is now 60‑70% complete, allowing rapid...
At the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, FastCasual hosted a game‑show style "Feedback Family Feud" pitting pizza leaders against chicken executives. The unscripted showdown forced senior marketers, HR heads and digital innovators to answer rapid‑fire questions about diner expectations. Participants...
Tampa International Airport will unveil three agentic AI breakthroughs at the International Airport Review breakfast briefing in London, developed with Sotereon.ai’s Underwing Overwatch platform. The first solution uses live LiDAR data to automate aircraft turnaround, continuously tracking underwing tasks and...
E‑commerce’s rapid expansion is reshaping global trade, yet business aviation has lagged behind. Analysts project the digital aviation market to climb from $37.92 billion in 2022 to $65.11 billion by 2029, driven by AI‑enabled marketplaces that offer predictive analytics and real‑time pricing....
IHG announced a co‑branded Visa debit card with fintech firm Revolut, targeting UK consumers and slated for launch in late 2026. The new product replaces the IHG‑Creation credit card that was discontinued in 2023, and will be issued under the...
Hotel AKA Brickell will be rebranded as Brickell Arch, joining Marriott’s Luxury Collection on March 4. The property, owned by Electra America Hospitality Group, completed a £16 million renovation and will shift day‑to‑day operations to HEI Hotels & Resorts. With 201...
The Hawaii Department of Transportation is adding three MotoEV electric trams to the Wiki Wiki Shuttle at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, beginning 15 February. The new units will run between gates C and G and Terminals 1 and 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,...
Finavia unveiled its 2026‑2028 sustainability programme, expanding its climate, nature, people and governance framework to cut emissions across the entire aviation value chain. Seventeen of its twenty airports have already achieved net‑zero operational emissions, and the new plan intensifies work...
Chase’s IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card now offers a limited‑time welcome bonus of 175,000 points after $5,000 spend in the first three months, a 35,000‑point increase over the prior offer. The $99 annual‑fee card grants instant Platinum elite status,...
The article makes the case that cultural stewardship, paired with sustainability, offers hotels a powerful growth engine. By embedding AI‑driven energy management and water‑saving tech, properties cut operating costs while leveraging heritage‑focused programming to differentiate their brand. Authentic local experiences—art...
Off‑grid tiny‑home operator Tiny Home Borders opened a second two‑person cabin on its Hawick farm, offering a solar‑powered, hemp‑insulated retreat with sauna, hot tub and lake access. The eco‑friendly design uses reclaimed oak, hemp insulation and battery storage, and deliberately...
Vinod Muthukrishnan, Cisco’s VP of Webex Customer Experience, explains how AI is evolving from a simple tool to a collaborative teammate that handles routine tasks and enriches human interactions. By leveraging AI-driven analytics, brands can anticipate issues, personalize engagements, and...
As international travel rebounds, Vietnam is enforcing a tax‑related exit ban that can stop travelers at the airport if they owe unpaid taxes. The law applies to business owners, legal representatives, non‑operational enterprises, Vietnamese citizens planning permanent moves and even...
The Philippine Cyclo Tourism Program launches the inaugural Marinduque Cycling Experience, a three‑day, 2‑night bike tour from February 20‑22, 2026. Cyclists will traverse 60‑100 km daily across coastal roads, countryside, and mountain decks, including a stop at the historic Luzon Datum...
The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture and Department of Tourism have signed a memorandum of agreement to integrate farm‑to‑market roads with tourism infrastructure under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP). The initiative earmarks ₱4 billion for road upgrades that connect rural farms...
Air Canada has scrapped its planned seasonal nonstop service between Montreal‑Trudeau and Seattle‑Tacoma, originally slated to launch on May 1, 2026 and run through October 13, 2026. The route would have featured daily Airbus A220‑300 flights, offering roughly 3,700 seats...
Delta Air Lines is accelerating its non‑stop service between Los Angeles International Airport and Melbourne, moving from three weekly flights to a daily schedule by December 22, 2026. The airline introduced the route only three months ago, and rapid uptake has...
Russia is courting domestic private investors to rebuild a third of its regional airports after expelling foreign operators such as Germany’s Fraport. The government has earmarked roughly $2.5 billion for the effort, betting on a 50% rise in passenger traffic over...
Oneworld Sapphire is the alliance’s mid‑tier elite level, granting members business‑class lounge access, priority services and extra baggage on any Oneworld carrier. The benefit package includes complimentary checked bags (or an additional 15 kg), free preferred seat selection, priority boarding and...
Spirit Airlines is preparing to launch its Free Spirit Debit Mastercard, a new debit‑card offering that promises a modest welcome bonus and a suite of loyalty perks. The card carries a $6.99 monthly fee and awards 200 Free Spirit points...
Southwest Airlines announced it will upgrade its in‑flight connectivity by installing Starlink satellite internet on its fleet, beginning this summer. The airline already provides free, unlimited Wi‑Fi to Rapid Rewards members via T‑Mobile on more than 800 aircraft. Southwest plans...
The Institute of Hospitality (IoH) has launched IoH Mediterranean, a regional network spanning twelve Southern European and nearby markets. Dr. Julian Zarb of Malta will chair the new body, bringing academic and community‑tourism expertise to the role. The network aims...
Washington Hotel, a Japanese hospitality chain with 30 properties and 11,000 rooms, disclosed a ransomware breach on February 13, 2026 that compromised business data on its servers. The hotel immediately isolated the affected systems, formed an internal task force and enlisted police,...
American Airlines dispatched Flight 137 from London to Los Angeles on February 14 despite non‑functional galley lights, forcing flight attendants to improvise with flashlights to serve meals. The airline invoked Minimum Equipment List (MEL) procedures, prioritizing on‑time departure over immediate maintenance. Crew...
