Today's Hotels Pulse
FAA says Spirit’s LaGuardia slots belong with another low‑cost carrier
The FAA Administrator argues that the coveted take‑off slots Spirit Airlines holds at New York’s LaGuardia should be reallocated to a different low‑cost carrier. Meanwhile, Spirit is preparing to auction off those slots to the highest bidder.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Airbnb leads $58M Series C in WeRoad
Montreal's MET Airport to Launch Commercial Flights This Summer
Montreal Metropolitan Airport (MET) will open a new 21,000‑square‑metre terminal on June 15, 2026, adding nine boarding bridges and a 900‑seat lounge. The facility will initially host Porter Airlines and Pascan Aviation, offering coast‑to‑coast Canadian routes and space for future carriers. Designed by YHU Infrastructure Partners, the terminal emphasizes efficiency, natural light, and an all‑Quebec retail mix. A 2024 Léger poll shows 77% of Quebecers back the project, underscoring strong regional support.
PBH Opens Wine & Books Concept Resort in the Algarve
Portuguese hotel group PBH launched the Wine & Books by the Sea Algarve Resort on March 1, 2026, investing roughly €12 million ($13 million) to rebrand the former VidaMar Algarve property. The 250‑room luxury retreat sits within the protected Reserva Natural dos...
Up To 17-Hour Nonstop Flights: Cathay Pacific's 10 New Ultra-Long Routes In 2026
Cathay Pacific will launch ten new ultra‑long‑haul routes in 2026, highlighted by a 17‑hour‑plus nonstop service between Hong Kong and Dallas/Fort Worth. Daily departures rise 9% to 174, though the combined network remains below its 2018 peak after merging Cathay...
The Sunset Hotel in Vancouver Re-Launches
The Sunset Hotel in downtown Vancouver has reopened under independent local management after Sonder’s 2025 wind‑down. The 50‑suite, apartment‑style property offers nearly 600 sq ft. suites with full kitchens and private balconies. Situated about 2.5 km from BC Place, it aims to capture demand...
Radisson Hotel Group Leads in European Upper-Upscale and Resorts Segments, While Building Momentum Into 2026
Radisson Hotel Group closed 2025 with more than 272 new hotel signings and openings, anchored by a surge in China (170 properties) and a milestone of 200 hotels in India. The group retained Radisson Blu as Europe’s largest upper‑upscale brand...
Canada Hotels Report Performance Gains in February
Canada’s hotel sector posted a second straight month of year‑over‑year gains in February 2026, with overall occupancy edging up to 57.9% (+0.2%) and average daily rate climbing 4% to CAD 197.05 (≈ $146). Revenue per available room rose 4.2% to CAD 114.18 (≈ $85)....
Lighthouse Named to Fast Company's Annual List of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2026
Lighthouse, the AI‑driven commercial platform for hospitality, has been named to Fast Company’s 2026 World’s Most Innovative Companies list, joining 720 honorees across 59 sectors. The company recently unveiled The Hotels Network app, the first direct‑booking solution for hotels inside...
Episode 446: Elizabeth Lugo Talks About Tourism in Mexico, Creating a Culture of Learning and 18,000 Collaborators
In this episode, COO Elizabeth Lugo shares the 30‑year evolution of Grupo Xcaret from a modest 350‑person operation to a tourism powerhouse with 18,000 collaborators, eight parks, multiple hotels, zip‑line and water‑park attractions, and a fleet of ferries and yachts....
Airbnb Offers Free Overnight Stay at Estadio Azteca with World Cup Ticket
Airbnb has unveiled a free, one‑night stay inside Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, hosted by former football star Hugo Sánchez, and bundled it with tickets to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The limited‑time offer targets travelers seeking...
Twenty Years of Hospitality Storytelling and Brand Building
Andrew Freeman’s af&co. celebrated its 20‑year anniversary, having launched more than 500 restaurants, hotels and lifestyle brands and co‑founded the data‑driven branding firm Carbonate. The agency’s annual trends report, now in its 17th edition, correctly predicts roughly three‑quarters of the...
Reinventing Hospitality and Travel Media: Jon Skogmo on Building LOST iN
In this episode, host Jimmy Frischling chats with Jon Skogmo, the founder of Jukin Media and Lost In Travel Media, about his journey from a hotel clerk to building a $140 million UGC licensing business and then launching a travel‑focused media...
Expanding Route Network at Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
Frankfurt‑Hahn Airport is expanding its summer schedule with three new destinations—Rabat, Timișoara and Tuzla—bringing the total to 38 routes and up to 130 weekly movements. Ryanair will launch twice‑weekly service to Morocco’s capital on April 1, while Wizz Air adds twice‑weekly flights...
Airfield Upgrade Enhances Safety and Capabilities of Wellington Airport
Wellington Airport in New Zealand has installed an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS) at both runway ends, adding a safety net for aircraft overruns. The new EMAS beds, each 55 × 90 m and made of over 3,000 U.S.-manufactured blocks, effectively extend the usable...
IHG 25% To 30% Off Destination Deals For Stays March 27 – May 10, 2026 (Book By March 29)
IHG announced a Destination Deals promotion offering 25‑30% off stays from March 27 to May 10, 2026, with bookings open until March 29. The discount applies to select hotels across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Rates...
Protect Group Targets $10 Billion USD in Protected Bookings
Protect Group announced a $10 billion USD booking‑protection target for 2026, a 25 percent rise from the $8 billion it safeguarded previously. The ambition reflects surging demand for flexible travel solutions amid disruptions such as the Middle East conflict. Growth is driven by...
OKUPA BRINGS A NEW GENERATION OF URBAN HOSPITALITY TO THE GREEK CAPITAL
Okupa, a 32‑room boutique hotel in Athens’ Psiri district, celebrates its first anniversary by positioning itself as a next‑generation urban hospitality hub. Housed in a renovated industrial warehouse with visible archaeological remains, the property blends design, gastronomy, music and community...
Luxury Group by Marriott International Unveils “Art of Arrival,”
Marriott International’s Luxury Group has launched “Art of Arrival,” an artist‑residency program featuring emerging Chinese creator Chen Zuo. The inaugural residency at The Ritz‑Carlton Suzhou produced a new commission that will debut during Hong Kong Art Month, then travel to Art Basel...
Sojern Names New President and GM of Global Destinations
Sojern, the AI‑driven travel marketing platform, has named Sylvia Weiler as president and general manager of its global destinations division. Weiler returns after a stint as chief revenue officer at Zartico and senior roles at Tripadvisor and Airbnb, where she helped...
CHTA AND TRIPTEASE TO HOST SECOND ANNUAL DIRECT BOOKING SUMMIT CARIBBEAN IN ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and Triptease will host the second Direct Booking Summit Caribbean on May 15, 2026 at Sandals Grande Antigua, following the Caribbean Travel Marketplace. The event aims to equip hoteliers with revenue‑focused strategies to increase...
MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy Unveils ‘Best of Both Worlds’ Moments Series
Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Collection have unveiled a new "Best of Both Worlds" Moments series that pairs iconic Las Vegas properties with luxury Marriott hotels worldwide. The five curated packages, ranging from 100,000 to 150,000 points, blend entertainment, fine dining,...
Dusit Hotels and Resorts Joins GSTC in Support of Sustainable Hospitality Worldwide
Dusit Hotels and Resorts, the management arm of Dusit International, has become a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), reinforcing its commitment to responsible tourism. The move aligns with the company’s Tree of Life sustainability programme, which targets...
4th Edition of the Istanbul Tourism Fair Will Take Place on September 24-25 2026
The 4th Istanbul Tourism Fair is scheduled for September 24‑25, 2026 at the Yenikapı Eurasia Show and Art Center. The event will occupy 10,000 m², host more than 345 companies and attract over 17,000 tourism professionals. An international buyer program and...
Il Salviatino Appoints New General Manager, Joao Mendes De Almeida
Il Salviatino has appointed João Mendes de Almeida as General Manager and Stephanie Loison as Director of Operations, bringing luxury hotel expertise from Four Seasons and other high‑end properties. The duo will lead the historic Florentine villa as it expands...
Service with Soul: Is This Dubai’s Most Community-Led Property?
Dubai’s newest residential development, dubbed the "Service with Soul" project, positions itself as the emirate’s most community‑led property. The mixed‑use complex blends co‑living apartments, shared workspaces, and curated social programs, targeting young professionals and expatriates. Early pre‑sales indicate 85% occupancy...
With Incentive Travel, ‘More With Less’ Is Unsustainable
Rising ticket prices for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and upcoming FIFA World Cup illustrate a broader inflationary squeeze on consumer and corporate travel. A 2026 Incentive Research Foundation report finds incentive travel budgets are being trimmed, with firms opting for...
BWH Hotels Sets Sights on Asia-Pacific as Engine for Global Growth
BWH Hotels announced a major push into the Asia‑Pacific region, positioning it as the primary engine for reaching its 5,000‑property goal. The company highlighted strong pipelines in India (36 open, 25 pending) and growing footprints in Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia,...
MITE 2026 to Showcase New and Expanded Tourism Zones
The 14th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE 2026) runs April 10‑12, introducing a Culture and Creativity Hub aimed at Gen Z travelers and expanding medical tourism with the debut of the Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College...
IHG Brings InterContinental Brand Back to Manila After 15 Years
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a partnership to open a 212‑room InterContinental hotel in Manila’s Bonifacio Global City, slated for 2032. The development marks the brand’s return to the Philippine capital after a 15‑year absence. The property will feature multiple...
Choice Hotels’ Ascend Collection Reaches 500 Properties with Further Openings Planned
Choice Hotels International announced that its Ascend Collection has reached 500 properties, marking a milestone for the upscale soft‑brand portfolio. Recent U.S. openings include The Harrison Hotel in Florida and The Gould Hotel in New York, while a pipeline of...
UK Joins Australia, USA, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, and South Korea Tourists Driving Airline Bookings on Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
Thailand has secured a five‑year deal to host Tomorrowland and Electric Daisy Carnival, turning the country into a premier EDM destination. Tourists from the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil and South Korea are already driving a surge in...
IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India Express to Revolutionise Travel From USA, UK & UAE as Jewar International Airport Opens –...
Jewar International Airport, opening on March 28, 2026 near Greater Noida, will relieve chronic congestion at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India Express will launch extensive domestic and nascent international services, linking the USA, UK...
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Ex-Hong Kong Double Miles Offer For Premium Economy & Business March 24 – July 9, 2026
Cathay Pacific is running an Easter promotion that awards double Asia Miles for return trips booked in Premium Economy or Business class from Hong Kong between March 24 and July 9, 2026. Travelers must enter the discount code EARNDOUBLE by April 10,...
Prism’s Motel 6 Bet: Ritesh Agarwal’s IPO Setup and the Budget Hotel Comeback
Prism, the rebranded OYO, has acquired Motel 6 to spearhead a technology‑driven overhaul of budget hotels. The company is concentrating on economy and extended‑stay segments in both India and the United States, launching the Studio 6 brand for U.S. properties. CEO Ritesh Agarwal is...
Sharjah’s Coral Beach Resort Achieves UAE First
Coral Beach Resort Sharjah has become the first hotel in the United Arab Emirates to sign the Glasgow Declaration Initiative on Climate Action in Tourism. The pledge obliges the property to cut carbon emissions by 50 % by 2030 and achieve...
Erth Abu Dhabi Completes 95,000-Meal Ramadan Initiative
Erth Abu Dhabi wrapped up its 2026 Ramadan programme, delivering more than 95,000 Iftar meals each day across the United Arab Emirates. The effort, backed by the Zayed for Good Foundation, served worshippers at major mosques in Abu Dhabi, Fujairah...
Bits: BeOnd Launches London – Maldives Flights, Get 2000 Virgin Points with a Railcard
beOnd, an all‑business class airline backed by Maldives SIMDI Group and UAE’s Arabesque, announced a new London‑Maldives service launching on 16 December with a Dubai refuel stop. The thrice‑weekly flights will depart Heathrow midday and return early morning, priced at about...
Linstol and Plastic Bank to Offset Impact of WTCE 2026
Linstol announced a partnership with Plastic Bank to offset the equivalent of 100 plastic bottles for each of the 3,650 expected attendees at WTCE 2026. The initiative will prevent roughly 365,000 bottles, or more than 7,300 kg of plastic, from entering oceans...
NYC Luxury Hotels Face Backlash Over $30‑$52 Breakfast Prices
Guests at New York’s top luxury hotels are publicly decrying breakfast prices that range from $20 to $52 per item, even as nightly room rates climb from $800 to $80,000. The backlash spotlights growing pressure on high‑end operators to clarify...
Brasilia Airport: Re-Concession Will Follow Rio Galeão's, but with Smaller Airports Part of the Deal
Brazil’s long‑running airport concession programme has been reactivated under President Lula, with the Rio de Janeiro Galeão concession approved in 2025 and slated for completion by early 2026. The government now plans to re‑concede Brasília’s “JK Airport” by the end...
Coushatta Casino Resort to Open New Luxury Hotel Tower, Adding 304 Rooms
Coushatta Casino Resort announced that its eight‑story luxury hotel tower will open in May, contributing 204 guest rooms and 100 premium suites. The expansion pushes the resort’s total inventory past the 1,000‑room mark, reinforcing its status as Louisiana’s largest casino...
Venezuela, Dominican Republic Resume Air Connectivity
Venezuela and the Dominican Republic have announced the restoration of scheduled air services, ending a months‑long suspension that disrupted tourism and business travel. The resumption involves multiple carriers, including Laser Airlines, which will operate MD‑82 aircraft on the Caracas‑Santo Domingo...
CEO of MEHR Consultancy on Building Cross-Platform Hotel Ops
In this episode, Harmeet Mann, CEO and co‑founder of MEHR Consultancy, walks through the cross‑platform tech stack that powers her third‑party hotel management firm, highlighting tools like Inflow for finance, Monday.com for task and document management, Slack for communication, and...
AirBaltic Partners with InterLnkd to Launch Dynamic Inflight Shopping Experience
Latvian carrier airBaltic has teamed with InterLnkd to embed the AirMall digital marketplace into its Starlink‑powered Skynet Wi‑Fi portal, creating the first global, dynamic inflight shopping experience. The platform gives passengers access to more than 20,000 brands on their personal...
Azamara Announces Bourbon Partnership at Sea
Azamara Cruises has teamed with Milam & Greene Whiskey to launch Bourbon Quest, placing one bourbon barrel aboard the Azamara Quest for the entire 188‑night, 2027 World Cruise that visits 37 countries. The barrel, originally filled in Kentucky in 2019,...
Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card Review: Discounts on Award Redemptions and Monthly Bonus Miles
The Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite Card offers a $249 annual fee with a two‑part welcome bonus of up to 100,000 miles—60,000 after $4,500 spend and another 40,000 after $25,000 spend. Cardholders earn 3× miles on Avianca purchases, 2× on...
Restaurant AI Must Deliver More than Fancy Dashboards
Restaurant operators are increasingly demanding AI that tackles scheduling and labor optimization, not just analytics dashboards. A Harri survey of 600 U.S. and U.K. hospitality professionals found 38% rank scheduling as the top AI use case, while dashboards lag at...
The Ski Area Shaped by Robert Redford Is Getting a Modern Glow-Up
Sundance Resort, the Robert Redford‑founded ski area in Utah, has completed over $40 million in upgrades, highlighted by the opening of its first full‑service hotel, the Inn at Sundance, in January. A new lift called Electric Horseman will add more than...
Hotel Industry News Today – March 23, 2026 | Hotel News Resource
A looming Department of Homeland Security funding impasse threatens TSA pay, risking airport delays and potentially dampening spring U.S. hotel demand. Meanwhile, hotels are seeing a surge in shorter, last‑minute bookings, driven by shifting traveler demographics and AI‑powered search tools....
Fairmont Le Château Montebello Available for Sale
Colliers is marketing the Fairmont Le Château Montebello, a 210‑room luxury resort on roughly 925 acres along Quebec’s Ottawa River, for sale. The historic property, the world’s largest log structure and former G7 summit venue, includes an 18‑hole Stanley Thompson...
Tourism’s Labor Crisis Deepens as Immigration Fears and Job Decline Drive Worker Shortages
Global tourism is booming, but the sector faces a severe labor crunch, with an estimated 8‑9 million hospitality workers missing today and projections of over 40 million vacancies by 2035. The shortage is most acute in roles that cannot be automated, such...