Hotels News and Headlines
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ALG Vacations (ALGV) has opened early bookings for its 2027 Exclusive Nonstop Vacation Flights (ENVF) with Frontier Airlines, linking three Midwest hubs to two Caribbean destinations. Chicago O’Hare will fly nonstop to Cancun, while Cleveland and St. Louis will serve both Cancun and Punta Cana from Jan. 1 to Aug. 9, 2027. The ENVF program bundles round‑trip flights with hotel packages and offers a voucher incentive—one voucher per 20 seats sold with no cap. A limited‑time promo code 2027LAUNCH1 provides $250 off qualifying three‑night stays booked March 19‑April 9, 2026.
Princess Cruises is expanding its North to Alaska program with four new signature experiences for the 2026 season, available on all eight Alaska‑focused ships. The additions include the Glacier Experience with ranger‑led narration and exclusive bow viewing, a Welcome to...
Elite Island Resorts has unveiled “A Love Letter To Antigua,” a multi‑component campaign designed to equip travel advisors with ready‑made itineraries, an interactive 360° map, and a summer promotion offering a free fifth night at The Verandah Antigua. The initiative...
Royal Caribbean announced that its Quantum of the Seas will resume operations from Singapore for the 2027‑28 season, running from October 2027 through March 2028. The ship will offer a mix of 3‑ to 10‑night itineraries visiting Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam,...
Sand bathing, an ancient therapeutic practice that involves lying in heated sand, is experiencing a resurgence across luxury spas and wellness retreats worldwide. Modern practitioners cite benefits such as improved circulation, muscle relaxation, and stress reduction, while recent studies highlight...
Explore Worldwide has opened applications for its inaugural North American familiarization (FAM) trip to Morocco, a seven‑day, small‑group tour scheduled for June 7‑13, 2026. The program will host up to ten travel‑industry professionals, offering hands‑on exposure to the operator’s responsible‑travel...
The ongoing federal shutdown has frozen funding for the Department of Homeland Security, leaving TSA screeners without pay and triggering a surge in employee call‑outs. As absenteeism climbs above 10% at many locations, airports such as Atlanta, JFK, Houston Hobby,...
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) announced that Tokyu Hotels & Resorts will join its network, adding 42 Japanese properties across Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Okinawa. The addition pushes GHA’s portfolio to roughly 950 hotels, edging it toward the 1,000‑property milestone. Tokyu’s...
Airlines are increasingly allowing elite members to pause or extend their status when major life events—such as a new child, serious illness, job change, or school enrollment—reduce travel frequency. Currently, eleven carriers, including Aegean, Alaska, Delta, and Qantas, have published...
Virgin Limited Edition, part of the Virgin Hotels Collection, announced a new 37‑suite luxury hotel set on a 10‑hectare private agricultural estate near Marrakech, slated to open in 2027. The project, developed with local real‑estate firm Sazanes Immobilier, blends Moroccan...
Hotel staff increasingly rely on personal messaging apps, creating fragmented communication channels that jeopardize guest data and operational efficiency. This lack of centralized control makes it difficult to track conversations, enforce access policies, and meet regulatory standards such as GDPR...
Adam Krueger, a senior leader at Grubhub, oversees the end‑to‑end business for merchant advertising, promotions, and monetization. Leveraging more than 15 years of marketplace growth experience and a lifelong connection to the restaurant industry, he built Grubhub’s operational and advertising...
Six publicly traded restaurant chains announced large‑scale closures in 2026, targeting a combined 1,000‑plus under‑performing units. Wendy’s plans to shutter roughly 300‑350 stores, Papa John’s 300, Pizza Hut 250, Jack in the Box 50‑100, Noodles & Company about 35, and Darden will wind down Bahama Breeze with 14...
Otelier has appointed Ani Gujrathi as chief technology & product officer, consolidating its engineering, product, data, UX and cloud operations under a single leader. Gujrathi arrives with more than two decades of B2B SaaS experience, most recently scaling Conexiom to...
Agentic Hospitality unveiled the TravelOS Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, an AI connectivity platform that links hotel central reservation and property management systems directly to AI assistants and conversational interfaces. The middleware streams real‑time availability, rates, and policies into AI...
The International Air Transport Association is urging the European Union to overhaul its Emissions Trading System, arguing that the current scheme threatens aviation competitiveness and adds costly complexity. IATA recommends full alignment with the ICAO‑led CORSIA framework for all international...
Olive Garden posted a 3.2% same‑store sales increase in Q3 FY2026, marking its sixth straight quarter of growth, but traffic slipped 0.4% due to severe winter storms. At the peak of the snow, up to 40% of locations were temporarily...
President Trump’s nominee, former Congressman Markwayne Mullin, is poised to lead the Department of Homeland Security, signaling a continuation of stringent border policies. Mullin’s agenda emphasizes expanded traveler vetting, mandatory social‑media disclosures, and potential financial guarantees for certain visas. The...
Blacklane announced a partnership with Clear to deliver a "home‑to‑gate" experience, combining its global chauffeur service with Clear's concierge security lane. Unveiled at SXSW on March 18, the joint offering will launch in April for select Blacklane guests and Clear+...
Anthony Gianino has been appointed Senior Vice President of Marketing at KBP Brands, one of the nation’s largest quick‑service restaurant franchisees with more than 1,100 KFC, Taco Bell, Arby’s and Sonic locations. In his new role he will bridge national...
John Dillon, an award‑winning executive with experience across restaurants, hospitality and consumer brands, is serving as President and CEO of la Madeleine Bakery & Cafe. He is steering a disciplined modernization effort that targets guest experience, unit‑level economics, and operational...
Hospitality Design magazine has unveiled the finalists for its 22nd annual HD Awards, recognizing excellence across 34 project and 15 product categories. More than 1,000 submissions were judged by two expert panels, resulting in a diverse slate of finalists ranging...
TrustYou presented its data‑driven Excellence Award to Hotel Maistra 160, which earned a 98.75 guest‑satisfaction score, at an HSMAI Europe and HFTP networking evening in Berlin on March 4, 2026. The ceremony highlighted the two‑year strategic partnership between TrustYou and HSMAI Europe, aimed...
Aena unveiled an updated innovation roadmap at PTE World, centering on four pillars: enhanced passenger experience, autonomous airport capabilities, new business opportunities, and sustainability. The airline‑operator introduced its dual‑track innovation model, featuring Aena Ventures for startup collaboration and Innova for...
Dave Luz, a veteran restaurant executive with more than three decades of experience, has been appointed VP of Operations for Flower Child, the healthy fast‑casual brand owned by Fox Restaurant Concepts. Luz began his career as a server at The...
SITA released a white paper urging transport operators to collaborate on data sharing and coordinated action to smooth intermodal handovers. It argues that real‑time, shared visibility of passenger flows can cut stress, reduce disruption, and protect revenue without building new...
Visit Hungary has deepened its partnership with Amadeus Media Solutions, adding travel‑agency targeting to its digital campaigns. Leveraging Amadeus Travel Intelligence, the destination saw a 20% year‑over‑year increase in bookings generated by travel sellers. The data‑driven approach enables continuous audience...
The Trafalgar St. James, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, completed a £6 million refurbishment that introduced a redesigned lobby, the Rockwell Bistro & Wine Bar, and the Spring Garden Suites. The design‑led overhaul earned the Hotel Design UK Award in September 2025, highlighting...
Cuba faces a deepening crisis as power outages, fuel shortages and dwindling tourist arrivals cripple its fragile private sector. U.S. sanctions remain ambiguous, offering no clear path toward reform or relief, while regional partners stay muted to avoid diplomatic fallout....
Air Charter Scotland has secured additional government funding to keep the Wick‑Aberdeen‑Wick public service obligation (PSO) route operating until 14 August 2026. The carrier launched the lifeline service on 15 January after Eastern Airways withdrew, initially using a Beechcraft King Air 200 and adding...
Hilton has introduced the Hilton AI Planner, a generative‑AI digital concierge that assists travelers in discovering and booking stays across its global portfolio. The tool uses conversational intelligence to guide users through destination selection, property comparison, and amenity exploration, delivering...
The Hotel Moment podcast with Revinate CMO Karen Stephens and Twilio CMO Chris Koehler highlights that the real hurdle to hospitality personalization is data acquisition, not merely data collection. They argue that clean, connected guest profiles are essential for turning raw...
Australia has launched the nation‑wide “Green and Gold Promise,” a sustainability program aimed at protecting natural and cultural assets while bolstering the tourism sector. Backed by Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell and Tourism Australia, the initiative responds to a...
Fiji is witnessing a surge in luxury resort development as global brands such as Radisson, Marriott and Kerzner launch high‑end projects across Denarau, Yasawa and other islands. Tourist arrivals have rebounded to near one million annually, pushing room rates to...
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced plans to nearly double its growth pace in Mexico, adding 62 new hotels with 8,600 rooms to its existing portfolio of 187 properties and 30,000 rooms. The country is IHG’s fifth‑largest market worldwide, and the...
Timing is the decisive factor in restaurant‑technology sales, with most vendor decisions made months before a restaurant opens. Preopening Restaurants Resource offers an intelligence platform that uncovers restaurants in development, under construction, or early planning stages, allowing vendors to engage...
Longtime General Manager Phil Ray will retire on May 31, 2026, ending a 40‑year hospitality career that included a decade at JW Marriott Indianapolis. Ray has overseen the 1,013‑room property, its extensive meeting space and recent brand enhancements such as Dean’s Steak &...
European hotel investors remain bullish for 2026, driven by AI‑enabled cost efficiencies, according to Cushman & Wakefield. 58% plan to allocate more capital than in 2025, and 54% intend to be net buyers, while only 7% expect to sell. AI is...
andBeyond is concentrating on deepening its existing foothold in Asia—particularly India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka—rather than launching new destination‑management operations. The company is reshaping its African safari DNA to suit forest‑rich, culturally diverse Asian landscapes, emphasizing collaboration with local partners....
Agoda has signed a two‑year memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Gangwon State to promote the region as an international travel destination. The partnership will see Agoda provide destination‑marketing support and share market data insights to raise Gangwon’s visibility abroad....
TTA Mariner Co. and mobility platform MuvMi have launched an electric boat taxi service on Bangkok’s historic canals, operating between 09:00 and 17:00 with an initial fleet of eight vessels. The boats, each seating six passengers and cruising at about...
St Josefsheim, a newly opened youth hostel in Schruns, offers families an affordable alternative to traditional luxury ski chalets in Austria’s Montafon valley. Housed in a historic 1900s villa, the hostel sits just two minutes from a gondola and provides self‑check‑in,...
Wales' Senedd has approved the Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation Bill, creating a mandatory national register for holiday lets and other self‑catering rentals. Providers must display a registration number and pay an average £172 annual licence, with...
Vueling, an IAG airline, has launched a free onboard entertainment portal powered by Viasat. The service streams movies, series and additional features directly to passengers’ personal devices without requiring Wi‑Fi, and is already installed on more than half of the...
Virgin Australia will receive seven new aircraft in the second half of FY2026, meeting its full‑year delivery target after a period of delays. Its regional arm, VARA, is slated for four Embraer E190‑E2 deliveries, enabling retirement of older planes. The...
Indianapolis International Airport announced that ultra‑low‑cost carrier Avelo Airlines will begin service on June 18, adding twice‑weekly nonstop flights to Concord, North Carolina, and New Haven, Connecticut. The routes make Avelo the airport’s 12th passenger airline and its fourth ULCC,...
Rapper Chika alleges Delta Air Lines cracked several premium Rimowa suitcases worth roughly $5,000 during a recent flight, sparking a viral backlash. She posted photos of the damage and claimed this was not her first negative experience with the carrier....
Doherty Enterprises opened the first Applebee’s/IHOP dual‑branded restaurant east of the Mississippi in Hawthorne, New York. The location was converted from an existing Applebee’s in a 10‑day remodel, adding IHOP’s breakfast menu and branding. The move follows Dine Brands’ rollout of...
Pinellas County appointed Mark Sprague as the new director of St. Pete‑Clearwater International Airport (PIE). Sprague previously served as deputy and interim director at PIE and brings extensive pilot experience from Comair and Spirit Airlines. He also held operational roles at...
Stephen Hanson and developer David Mitchell launched the Life Hotel in Manhattan as a high‑profile comeback, converting the former Life Magazine headquarters into a boutique property with a celebrity chef. The venture quickly ran out of cash, prompting frequent $2,000‑$2,600...
