Know What's Happening in Hotels
Know What's Happening in Hotels
Easter 2026 drives hotel occupancy to pre‑pandemic highs across key markets
Travel bookings for Easter 2026 surged, pushing hotel occupancy in Europe, North America and Asia to near‑full levels and matching or exceeding pre‑COVID figures. The rebound was fueled by demand for spring destinations such as Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Spain’s Andalusia and Japan’s cherry‑blossom sites, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Currito, the Cincinnati‑based fast‑casual bowl chain, will open 11 new restaurants across the Midwest and Mid‑Atlantic in 2026, following a record year that saw 25 franchise units sold in the past 18 months. The expansion targets markets such as Dayton, Cincinnati, Louisville, Chicago and several secondary sites. In 2025 the brand upgraded its kitchen equipment to a streamlined combination oven, aiming to boost cooking consistency and cut labor costs. Menu innovation continues with a refreshed Harvest Bowl, a new Greek Salad, and an enhanced wild‑rice blend.
Hotels are moving from purely transactional interactions to long‑term relationship marketing by engaging guests after checkout. The article outlines five post‑stay tactics: a personalized value‑sequence email series, WhatsApp review requests, a “Local Insider” content drip, a public feedback‑loop, and timed...
ATPCO opened Routehappy to all Community Participation airlines on 1 January 2026, pushing the platform’s adoption to 106 carriers – a 152% increase in one year. Since June 2025, more than 60 airlines, including Finnair, China Airlines, SAS and Singapore Airlines, have uploaded...
The New Terminal One at JFK Airport announced the launch of Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP), a biometric system that verifies U.S. citizens’ identities in real time during international arrivals. The initiative, powered by iProov’s facial‑recognition technology, integrates with U.S. Customs...
Caribbean hotels are confronting escalating climate threats, prompting a shift toward resilient architecture, nature‑based defenses, and renewable energy systems. Operators are integrating solar PV, battery storage, and micro‑grids to slash energy costs, while water‑wise technologies and circular waste solutions reduce...
Marriott Bonvoy is rolling out an Escapes promotion that gives members a 20% discount on standard room rates and non‑members a 15% discount. The savings apply Thursday through Sunday on select hotels worldwide, but rooms are limited and must be...
H&H and Aman Group have unveiled Janu Dubai, a 1.3 million‑square‑foot mixed‑use tower in Dubai’s DIFC. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the development combines a 150‑room hotel, 57 branded residences—including a 11,323 ft² triplex penthouse—and premium office, retail, and club spaces. High ceilings, expansive...
Future Travel Experience (FTE) announced Max Gosney as its new Managing Director, adding 15 years of aviation media and events expertise. Gosney previously served as Portfolio Director and Conference Chairman at Mark Allen Group, overseeing Ground Handling International and MA...
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport unveiled a new 21,000‑square‑foot Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) facility, Station 92, on February 6. The modern station replaces the older unit and joins two existing fire stations, providing round‑the‑clock coverage for the airport. Featuring six...
Three restaurant operators—Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, CEC Entertainment and Starbucks—have each added senior technology executives to accelerate digital transformation and scale operations. Freddy’s appointed its first CIO, Todd Paladini, to unify franchisee systems, while CEC promoted Nathan Hunstable to...
The Oberoi Group has launched its inaugural luxury residence, Naila Fort, a meticulously restored 1849 heritage fort near Jaipur. Set on a hilltop overlooking the Aravalli range, the property blends Rajasthan’s historic architecture with contemporary comforts and curated artworks. Executives...
Peter Piper Pizza operates about 115 restaurants across Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and northern Mexico, offering a $10.99 all‑you‑can‑eat lunch buffet aimed at workers, families and budget‑conscious diners. Chief marketing officer Genaro Perez emphasizes targeting different demographics at various times...
Toronto Pearson International Airport has been named to Forbes Canada’s Best Employers 2026 list for the third straight year, climbing five spots to rank 102nd among the nation’s top 300 workplaces. It is the only airport featured in the ranking,...
In this preview episode, host Ryan Embree and guest Madison Thibodeaux, Senior Manager of Events & Partnerships at Hunter Advisors, discuss the upcoming 2026 Hunter Conference in Atlanta. They cover Madison’s unique career path from a hospitality student intern to...
Dubai’s new Woohoo restaurant places an AI persona, Chef Aiman, at the heart of its dining experience, orchestrating lighting, large‑scale LED visuals and spatial audio. The venue uses Vivid Studio’s SP Grid platform as a low‑code control brain that links...
Heathrow Airport logged its busiest January on record, moving 6.5 million passengers – a rise of more than 2 % versus January 2025. The hub introduced new security lanes across all terminals while maintaining its reputation as Europe’s most punctual airport. Passenger...
Brussels South Charleroi Airport has completed a multi‑year airfield lighting overhaul, replacing roughly 200 km of underground cabling and installing 2,650 LED fixtures. About 95% of the runway lighting is now LED, slashing power demand from roughly 152 kW to 25 kW –...
Lodging Econometrics reports that Europe’s hotel construction pipeline now comprises 1,717 projects, delivering roughly 252,600 rooms, with 754 sites already under construction. Upscale properties dominate the pipeline, accounting for 21% of projects, while upper‑midscale follows closely. The United Kingdom leads...
Al‑Ula International Airport in Saudi Arabia has become the Middle East’s first fully remote air traffic control facility, with controllers operating from a centre in Jeddah 550 km away. The digital tower uses high‑definition cameras, sensors and a 4K 360° videowall...
LeBlanc + Smith, a New Orleans hospitality group, has launched The Chloe boutique hotel in Nashville. Housed in two restored 1920s Craftsman cottages that once housed Asylum Records, the property offers 19 guest rooms, an all‑day restaurant, three bars, a...
Airports are seeing passenger growth but aeronautical revenues are constrained by regulation and taxation, prompting a shift toward non‑aeronautical income. Justin Erbacci of ACI World warns that traditional funding will fall short for the capital‑intensive decarbonisation agenda, recommending public‑private partnerships...
The Dutch coalition agreement acknowledges Amsterdam Schiphol Airport’s economic significance while imposing a 478,000‑movement annual flight cap and night‑time closures to curb noise. It calls for harmonising aviation taxes across the European Union and green‑lights the conversion of Lelystad Airport...
Starbird announced former BJ's Restaurants chief Greg Levin as its new CEO and board member. Levin, who grew BJ's from 45 to over 200 locations and boosted revenue from $140 million to $1.4 billion, will lead the “super‑premium” chicken brand’s national rollout....
Comment “POD” to watch the full episode where me and @boostlyuk talk about why 2026 will be the most important year in short-term rental history.
Aeroplay Entertainment announced André Valera as its new chief executive officer. The inflight entertainment content service provider aims to evolve from traditional onboard content to a personalized, measurable, commerce‑ready travel media layer. Valera outlined plans for a modern platform that accelerates...
Mainline Aviation celebrated its five‑year anniversary as a Goldbergs Group subsidiary, marking half a decade of rapid growth since joining the family in 2021. The company has combined culinary expertise with operational technology to serve thousands of inflight meals each...
AIME 2026 in Dubai grew 25‑30% over the previous year, reinforcing its status as the MENA region’s premier aircraft interior and MRO showcase. Alan McInnes of Unum highlighted airlines’ heightened appetite for retrofit programs while noting a stark shortage of available business‑class...
Wonder, the mealtime platform, announced the acquisition of Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, taking full ownership of the iconic NYC brand and its East Village location. Financial terms were undisclosed, but the deal aligns with Wonder’s strategy to absorb beloved restaurant...
SITA launched an Advance Flight Delay Notification API that leverages live departure data and flight‑duration logic to predict delays and push alerts to destination airports. The service automates early warnings, enabling airlines and ground handlers to adjust turnarounds, crew schedules,...
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, together with development group Truman, announced a new 225‑key Fairmont hotel in Calgary slated for a Q4 2031 opening. The mixed‑use project will include a signature spa, meeting spaces and 100 luxury‑branded residences. It is tied to...
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority announced that Culinary Month will return in May 2026, marking the fourth edition of the island’s flagship food‑focused tourism program. Launched in 2023, the initiative highlights Antiguan and Barbudan cuisine while inviting guest chefs...
New research from ReFED and Datassential shows that offering customizable portion sizes can slash food waste and boost restaurant profits. The study estimates a reduction of 2.35 million tons of waste annually and $547 million in cost savings for the foodservice industry....
In this 36‑minute episode, host [Name] sits down with hospitality veterans from Boqueria, Rita’s Italian Ice, Hot Head Burritos and ChopShop to dissect what makes a food brand iconic. The conversation highlights three core pillars: a clear, emotionally resonant brand story;...
Ovation, a guest‑experience platform for multi‑unit restaurants, closed a $3 million funding round funded entirely by its own customers, bringing its total capital to $12 million. Nearly a dozen restaurant owners and operators, including leaders from Dave's Hot Chicken and Cheba Hut...
Half Moon Bay Airport and San Carlos Airport in San Mateo County have launched a voluntary "Friendly Approach" noise‑abatement program to address growing resident complaints. The initiative combines publicly posted preferred flight paths, two tracking systems that match complaints to...
The article spotlights Cincinnati’s 20th Century Vintage Modern Expo as a premier design‑tourism destination, running Feb. 20‑22 at the Sharonville Convention Center. Over 70 dealers will showcase mid‑century furniture, lighting, and accessories across 40,000 sq ft, marking the event’s 31st anniversary. Highlights include a...
jetAVIVA announced an intensified focus on Brazil, appointing Timon Huber as the firm’s point person for the Latin American market. Huber, a native Brazilian with four decades at Embraer, will split his time between Fort Lauderdale and Rio de Janeiro...
Tristan Du Plessis of Studio A is designing Chapter Chianti, an 82‑room boutique hotel set in a restored 16th‑century Tuscan village that will open in June 2026 as the second property in the Chapter Italia collection. The South African designer replaces typical...
Luxaviation Group announced the addition of four aircraft—two Falcon 7X jets in Asia and a Challenger 604 plus another Falcon 7X in Australia—raising its managed fleet in the Asia‑Pacific to 18 planes. The new jets operate under the company’s Air Operator Certificates in...
The Air Charter Association (ACA) has partnered with AERO Friedrichshafen for the 2026 show, marking its first exhibition presence at the European business‑aviation event. The four‑day trade show, scheduled for 22‑25 April in Friedrichshafen, Germany, attracts over 32,000 visitors and 756...
Cirrus Aircraft has launched the Generation 3 Vision Jet, featuring a redesigned cabin that accommodates up to seven occupants—six adults and a child—and a suite of avionics upgrades. The new model adds ATC Datalink, 3D SafeTaxi, and enhanced safety systems including...
The February 2026 Total Food Service digital issue spotlights key industry developments, including a Q&A with Richard LaRocca, Chair of the Club Management Association of America, and coverage of major legal and sustainability moves such as NYC’s $5M+ delivery settlement, Denver’s...
Plane Talking Products announced Manoj Pridhanani as its new Creative Director, tasked with steering global creative strategy, product direction, and brand development. Pridhanani brings more than 15 years of aviation‑focused design experience across luxury and travel sectors. He is known...
IndiGo has inked a five‑year deal with West Entertainment to furnish inflight entertainment for its new A321XLR long‑haul fleet. The partnership will deliver a curated mix of Indian and international films, TV, OTT services, music and games, accessible on passengers'...
In this episode, Fabio Passos, CEO of QDI USA Developments, shares how his multi‑property operation uses mobile‑key technology, a custom self‑service check‑in app, and smart‑camera monitoring to eliminate front‑desk bottlenecks at OTA‑heavy hotels in Florida. He explains how direct‑booking channels—especially...
The Airport Restaurant & Retail Association (ARRA) has appointed Areas USA CEO Carlos Bernal as chair of its Board of Directors for 2026‑27, succeeding Bryan Loden. Bernal brings more than two decades of airport‑concession experience and recently oversaw Areas USA’s...
In this episode, Peter Greenberg reviews Cirium's analytics on summer 2026 travel, revealing a sharp decline in advance bookings for trans‑Atlantic flights—up to a 36% drop on routes like Frankfurt‑U.S. and 26% from Barcelona to the U.S. The reduced demand...
Starwood Hotels announced 1 Hotel & Homes Hudson Valley, a lakeside resort and residential development on Fifth Lake in Ulster County, New York. The 775‑acre property, with 500 acres protected as a nature preserve, will feature roughly 100 guest rooms...
Adrian Swinscoe proposes a radical thought experiment: every employee, including senior leaders, should periodically serve customers directly. The idea stems from OneReach research highlighting employee experience and walking in the customer’s shoes as top service improvements. Real‑world examples, such as...
The weekly roundup spotlights five must‑read CX pieces, each illustrating how customer experience is evolving from a nicety to a profit engine. Claire Cunningham argues CX must generate revenue, while Sean Albertson warns that listening programs often stop at data...
