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.
Extended Stay America opened a new Extended Stay America Suites in Houston’s Galleria district, adding a 146‑room property owned by SAI RAM Galleria LLC. The brand highlights its strategy of expanding in high‑barrier, high‑demand urban submarkets that serve corporate, healthcare and energy travelers. Each suite includes a full kitchen, free Wi‑Fi, grab‑and‑go breakfast, parking and pet‑friendly policies, while the hotel also offers a fitness center and on‑site laundry. The conversion aims to meet long‑term business demand with a scalable, operationally efficient model.
Marriott International has appointed Federico Greppi as president of its Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) division, marking the first time a Latin American leads the region. Greppi, formerly CALA COO and previously CFO overseeing franchise operations, succeeds Brian King, who...
Prince St. Pizza has teamed up with Lawrence Kourie, the founder and largest franchisee of Dave’s Hot Chicken, to launch a national expansion of its Sicilian‑style square pies. Kourie will use his multi‑state operations and disciplined franchising approach to open...
The Michelin Guide announced its 2026 editions for Austria, Hong Kong & Macau, and a return to Las Vegas, while Nashville will host the guide’s U.S. ceremony. Austria’s list features 124 stars across 101 restaurants, Hong Kong & Macau showcase 278 venues, and...
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has engaged AtkinsRéalis under an eight‑year Capital Investment Consultancy Services framework to deliver consultancy, design and programme management across its airport portfolio, including Manchester, East Midlands and London Stansted. The firm will provide cost, health‑and‑safety, operational...
![Up To 16 Hours: British Airways' 10 Longest Nonstop Flights From London [2026]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ba-longest.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop)
British Airways operates the world’s fifth‑largest long‑haul network, with 95 daily long‑haul departures from London as of 2026, up from 91 a year earlier. The airline’s ten longest nonstop routes from London range from a 16‑hour flight to Sydney down...
Dubai announced a AED 1 billion ($272 million) relief package for hotels and tourism operators as the Iran war slashes visitor numbers. The scheme defers government, sales and tourism dirham fees for three months, starting April 1, 2026, to shore up liquidity. Crown Prince Sheikh...
ITA Airways officially joined Star Alliance on April 1, becoming the network’s 26th member and linking its Rome and Milan hubs to more than 1,150 destinations in 190 countries. The airline adds over 350 daily flights and serves roughly 16 million...
Accent Inns Inc., the parent of Accent Inns, Hotel Zed and ROAR, announced two senior hires: Rachel Johns as Vice‑President of Marketing, Sales and Revenue, and Jeff Hope as Vice‑President of Finance. The new VP, Marketing, Sales and Revenue role consolidates...
Hotel operators are losing revenue because 10‑40% of inbound calls go unanswered, and 70% of callers hang up within a minute of hold time. Over half of travelers (52%) will abandon the property and book through an OTA if they...
Venue operators often overlook how response latency erodes revenue. With an average event contract of $18,901.62, three bookings a month translate to roughly $680,000 in annual income, yet planners award 35‑50% of events to the first venue that replies. Faster...
WiseAero unveiled Nimbus, an AI‑powered aviation assistant that consolidates flight‑preparation tasks into a single mobile platform. The solution automates landing‑permit acquisition, coordinates ground services, and provides real‑time aircraft tracking. By centralising these functions, Nimbus promises faster turnarounds and reduced manual...
Queensway has obtained planning permission to convert the 75,000 sq ft office at 29 Clements Lane into a 239‑room hotel in the City of London. The retrofit‑first scheme will retain the building’s structure, restore the original lightwell, and aim for a BREEAM...
Vietnam's tourism ministry has rolled out a coordinated Coastal‑Mountain Travel Corridor for 2026, capitalising on a record 21 million international arrivals in 2025. The initiative links beach hubs such as Da Nang and Ha Long Bay with highland destinations like Sa Pa and...
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has released initial proposals to cap Heathrow Airport’s passenger fees for the H8 regulatory period (2027‑2031) at £27.70‑£30.50 per passenger (approximately $35.5‑$39.0). The midpoint of the range, £28.80 (about $36.90), is a modest £0.40...
British holidaymakers have reduced hotel bookings in Cyprus by roughly 40% after Iranian drone attacks on a nearby RAF base sparked heightened security concerns. The plunge is prompting UK travelers to seek alternative Mediterranean spots, adding pressure to an already...
FastCasual has opened nominations for its 12th‑annual Perfect Pitch competition, inviting emerging fast‑casual brands to pitch for a national spotlight. Entrants have until June 8, 2026 to apply, and the live showdown will run Oct. 4‑6 at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in...
In this episode, Pinky Cole, founder and CEO of the $100 million Slutty Vegan brand, recounts her journey from a two‑bedroom Atlanta apartment to a national vegan empire, detailing how she leveraged bold branding, TV‑style storytelling, and social media to attract...
The Restaurant Marketing Workshop returns to Boston June 2‑3, 2026, featuring a keynote by Salad House CMO David “Rev” Ciancio titled “Don’t Go Viral Without This System.” Ciancio will reveal the growth frameworks that brands like Dave’s Hot Chicken use to convert...
Indonesia and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on tourism on March 30 in Tokyo, marking the first formal bilateral framework between the two nations. The pact targets business events, wellness tourism, gastronomy and sustainable tourist villages, aiming to deepen...
Japanese low‑cost carrier Zipair plans to more than double its Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner fleet, increasing from eight aircraft to over 20 within four years. The airline, which launched in 2020, emphasizes a technology‑enabled model featuring free Starlink internet, an on‑demand...
Mimaru, operated by Cosmos Hotel Management, will launch two apartment‑style hotels in Osaka in September and October 2026, adding 66 and 68 rooms respectively. The properties target families and groups with 40 m² rooms featuring kitchens, multilingual staff from 39 nationalities,...
Airalo has signed a letter of intent with Busan Metropolitan City to distribute 100,000 free eSIM vouchers and launch destination‑specific eSIM packages for international visitors. The partnership also includes discounted eSIMs for Busan residents traveling abroad, joint marketing campaigns, and...
Batik Air Malaysia has resumed its Kuala Lumpur–Colombo service from March 30, 2026, after nearly a two-year suspension, marking another step in rebuilding its international network as travel demand recovers. The airline said in a statement that the route will...
Malaysians travelled more this Hari Raya, with outbound flight bookings rising 49% year-on-year, according to Trip.com Group. China, Singapore and Indonesia remained the top three destinations, followed by Thailand and Vietnam, showing Malaysians’ continued preference for regional travel during the...
Lisa Checchio, CCO of EBG, explains on Amazing Business Radio that a hospitality mentality—treating every interaction as welcoming and memorable—drives superior customer experience across B2B, B2C, and government sectors. She argues most loyalty programs focus on discounts, which create perk‑based...
Millennium Hotels and Resorts, a Hong Leong Group subsidiary of City Developments, appointed Cinn Tan as its chief commercial officer. Tan, who joined in January 2026, will steer global branding, marketing, loyalty, sales, revenue management and digital platforms. She brings over three decades of...
Morpheus Research released a report accusing MakeMyTrip of continuing anti‑competitive price‑parity practices despite a 2022 Competition Commission of India fine of $26 million. The activist short‑seller alleges the platform uses an internal “price competitiveness score” to indirectly enforce parity, while also...
Travel commerce platform BYRDLI announced its first international destination partnership in Asia, launching a Hong Kong‑focused Travel Club with Australian creator Lola Hubner. Hubner built a fully bookable itinerary in real time, showcasing the city as both a 48‑hour stop‑over and a...
Marriott announced a joint venture with Italy’s Lefay Resorts to launch its 39th brand, marking the company’s first dedicated wellness label. The partnership brings Lefay’s two boutique resorts—one on Lake Garda and another in the Dolomites—under Marriott’s long‑term management while...
ITA Airways has terminated its Volare frequent‑flyer program as of March 30, 2026, giving members a short window to redeem remaining points. Starting April 1, 2026 the carrier will become a full member of Lufthansa Group’s Miles&More program and join the Star Alliance network....
Etihad is extending its ultra‑low‑priced business‑class fares across Asia, the Maldives and Australia, with return tickets as low as £1,073 ($1,360) from Europe and €1,217 ($1,340) from Dublin. The deals, valid through June, require a stopover in Abu Dhabi and...
NSTExclusive: Sarawak’s new airline AirBorneo is believed to be wet leasing three Boeing B737-800 jets from ACMI operator, Ascend Airways Malaysia. Read more ⬇️ Disclaimer: Pix is an ATR given that AirBorneo hasn’t gotten the narrowbody jets with its livery as...
CBS’s flagship program “60 Minutes” aired a documentary on Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest underground chamber, giving Quang Tri province unprecedented exposure. Officials say the broadcast will attract high‑value tourists and accelerate the region’s adventure‑tourism agenda for 2026‑27.
IHG Hotels & Resorts opened voco Scenia Bay Nha Trang in March 2026, marking its third voco property in Vietnam. The 31‑storey, 250‑room beachfront hotel sits in Nha Trang’s new northern coastal precinct, just ten minutes from Tran Phu Street....
Restaurants are rethinking reliance on third‑party delivery aggregators as commissions climb above 30% and data walls limit customer insights. A new framework advises brands to treat aggregators as acquisition tools while building intuitive direct channels that capture up to 60%...
Sheraton Grand Hyde Park in Sydney has added two chefs to its culinary leadership team to boost the profile of its flagship restaurant, Sydney Common. Chef Allen Varghese joins as executive sous chef and concept lead, bringing Michelin‑starred experience and a...
India is preparing the third tranche of airport concessions, targeting smaller regional hubs that will be bundled with larger, more attractive airports to create compelling packages for bidders. The government hopes lessons from the 2006 and 2020‑21 rounds will streamline...
Aurora Expeditions announced an 11‑day Arctic photography cruise linking Iceland’s Westfjords and East Greenland’s Scoresbysund, departing July 31, 2027. The voyage, aboard the purpose‑built Sylvia Earle, will cost roughly $9,900 USD per passenger and features workshops led by four renowned photographers.
United Airlines is overhauling its MileagePlus program on April 2, 2026, cutting base mileage earn rates for non‑card members while boosting accrual for eligible United credit‑card holders. General members see a 40% drop to 3 miles per dollar, whereas Premier...
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Collette has launched Collette University 201, an expanded self‑paced training platform for travel advisors. The curriculum is split into two tracks—one for advisors with five or more years of experience and another for newcomers. New modules covering brand storytelling, product...
Travel recovery is increasingly uneven, with luxury and upscale hotels maintaining strong pricing while average daily rates remain above pre‑pandemic levels for mid‑range properties. This price pressure is squeezing middle‑class travelers, prompting shorter trips, off‑peak bookings and greater reliance on...
The Ritz‑Carlton has launched its first hotel in central China, occupying the 48th floor and above of Wuhan’s 330‑metre‑tall Yuexiu Global Financial Center Tower. The 204‑room property features a 270 sq m suite, a rooftop bar, Cantonese restaurant, and a sky‑high spa...
Marriott International has opened the Four Points by Sheraton São Vicente Resort, its first hotel in Cape Verde and the 500th select‑service property in the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region. The 127‑room resort sits above Laginha Beach in Mindelo and...
U.S. hotels are seeing occupancy and ADR hold steady, even surpassing pre‑pandemic RevPAR in many markets. Yet operating expenses—especially labor, energy and insurance—are climbing, squeezing profit margins. Industry leaders such as Marriott and Hilton are pivoting from pure revenue growth...
Loreto, Mexico is positioning itself as a high‑end, eco‑luxury getaway, using its 2,000‑sq‑km Bahía de Loreto National Park and community‑led regenerative tourism programs to draw affluent travelers. The town’s focus on low‑impact adventure and strict marine protections signals a new...
Rosewood announced the 2026 opening of its reimagined Blue Palace resort on Crete’s Elounda coast, offering 154 rooms and suites with private pools, a design rooted in Cretan heritage, and an expanded wellness program. The flagship project signals a major...
Allegretto Vineyard Resort announced a $‑million‑plus expansion that will add 93 hotel rooms, a full‑service spa, a conference center and a new restaurant on a 10.8‑acre parcel in Paso Robles. The project, approved unanimously by the city council, will bring...
AAT Kings is relaunching its A‑LISTERS ON LOCATION incentive, rewarding top‑performing travel agents who book guided holidays and short breaks between Jan. 1 and July 31, 2026 for travel departing by March 31, 2027. Two agents per region will be selected based on highest passenger...
