Weird but True – Hilton Non-Refundable Rooms ARE Refundable in the US, Mexico and Caribbean
Hilton allows guests to recover most of a non‑refundable reservation in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean by booking a new non‑refundable stay at any Hilton property in those regions. The original booking is refunded minus a service fee ($50 for luxury brands, $25 for mid‑scale) and the cost of the new reservation. The policy requires a phone request to the Advance Purchase Department at least three days before check‑in, and refunds can take up to four weeks to appear on the credit card. A recent case saw a $1,707 cancellation refunded 93% after the guest booked a $81 one‑night stay elsewhere.
The P3 Is Increasingly the Answer to Non-Aeronautical Infrastructure Needs at US Airports
Over 600 U.S. airports operate under public‑private partnership (PPP) models, yet only two have full‑concession leases, lagging global peers. The country leads in project‑specific PPPs, especially consolidated car‑rental (ConRAC) facilities that centralize vehicle‑hire services. Los Angeles International Airport’s ConRAC, built...
Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre Launches Staycation With Retail Benefits
Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre has unveiled a staycation package that includes a AED 100 (≈$27) shopping voucher for the adjacent City Centre Deira mall, plus unrestricted use of its fitness centre, spa, rooftop pool and padel court. Accor Live Limitless...
China Needs a Major Overhaul to Attract Foreign Tourists
China is intensifying its tourism drive by expanding visa‑free access and urging digital platforms to add multilingual support. New policies from nine ministries aim to simplify travel logistics, yet foreign visitors still confront a cashless, ID‑linked ecosystem that hinders basic...
HOW RUSSIAN TOURISTS SPLIT THE TRAVEL BUDGET
More than half of Russian tourists travel with a partner and children, emphasizing family-oriented trips. Pre‑trip financial discussions are common, reducing tension over shared expenses. Destination costs vary widely, with Abkhazia costing about $164‑$246 per trip and the United Arab...
INDUSTRIAL TOURISM IN CHINA HAS BEEN BOOMING
Industrial tourism in China is accelerating, with sites like Xiaomi's EV plant, Beijing's Shouga Park and the Tsingtao Beer Museum drawing crowds. Government projections aim for 20 million visitors and roughly 3 billion yuan ($420 million) in revenue by 2027. Factories are monetising...
BRAZIL'S TOURISM GROWTH CONTINUES: SIGNALS OF A RECORD TRAVEL YEAR
Over 2.6 million foreign tourists visited Brazil in the first two months of 2026, a 22% year‑over‑year rise and the strongest start on record. The surge is fueled by relaxed visa rules for markets such as China and Mexico, a stronger...
INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS TURN AWAY FROM THE UNITED STATES
International tourism to the United States is in decline, with January 2026 arrivals falling 3.5‑4.8% to 5.41 million, marking nine consecutive months of shrinkage. The drop contrasts sharply with a 4% global travel increase and makes the U.S. the only major...
CONFIDENCE IN THE EUROPEAN HOTEL MARKET REMAINS HIGH
Investor confidence in Europe’s hotel sector remains robust as 86% of large‑scale backers plan to maintain or increase spending heading into 2026. Over the 2020‑2025 period, investors poured roughly €18 bn (about $19.5 bn) into lodging assets across the continent. Return expectations...
EUROPEAN TOURISM BOOMS THANKS TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS
European short‑term rentals surged in 2025, reaching 951.6 million overnight stays, an 11.4% rise from 2024 and 32.4% since 2023. The fourth quarter alone recorded 172.3 million stays, up 30.2% year‑over‑year, showing resilience even in traditionally slow months. Digital marketplaces such as...
THE MIDDLE EAST WAR IMPACTS THE ITALIAN INBOUND TOURISM
Emerging data from Lybra Destination shows the Gulf conflict nudged international travelers away from long‑haul trips to Italy, trimming overall inbound arrivals by 1.6% year‑over‑year. Asian visitors fell sharply, while Europe and North America maintained or grew their share, stabilizing...
Flight Review: American Airlines, First Class, LaGuardia to Miami
The review examines American Airlines’ domestic First Class on a Boeing 737‑800 from LaGuardia to Miami, highlighting the streamlined check‑in, early boarding, and the cabin’s Boeing Sky Interior. Seats feature a 37‑inch pitch, 20‑inch width and a modest 5‑inch recline, but...
Paradies Lagardère Taps Andrews As CFO
Paradies Lagardère announced the appointment of Will Andrews as its chief financial officer. Andrews, a former senior vice president at ed‑tech firm Risepoint, also held senior finance roles at The Home Depot and spent time in investment banking. He will...
Huey Magoo's Signs 15-Unit Franchise Deal in Texas
Huey Magoo's, the fast‑casual chicken‑tender chain, announced a 15‑unit franchise agreement in Texas covering Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston and Montgomery counties. The deal is with SMR Capital Group, a diversified operator that runs a T‑Mobile franchise and a construction...
Barcelona’s Short-Term Rental Phase-Out Begins to Shift Demand Back to Hotels
Barcelona is beginning to phase out its roughly 10,000 licensed short‑term rental units, tightening the supply of alternative lodging. The reduction is already nudging tourists toward hotels, especially in central districts where enforcement is strongest. Early data shows higher hotel...
How to Grow Your Restaurant Using a Simple and Proven Formula
Restaurant operators are feeling a squeeze as average weekly spend dropped to $90, down from $115 in June 2025, and 68% of diners report cutting back. A Popmenu study of thousands of U.S. restaurants identified a simple growth formula: increase...
Travel And Tour World Reveals Top 100 Convention Centers in the World for 2026
Travel and Tour World released its 2026 ranking of the world’s top 100 convention centers, highlighting venues that combine massive scale with digital and sustainable innovations. The report notes that nearly 70 % of the listed venues have advanced green certifications and that...
HVS Asia Pacific Hotel Transactions Bulletin Week Ending 3 April 2026
Nomura Real Asset Investment formed a fund to buy the 515‑key Centara Grand Hotel Osaka for roughly $257 million, paying about $498 k per key. Hulic Co. sold its Yokohama Minatomirai mixed‑use asset in a deal valued at over $485 million, representing more...
REIT Sells Alexandria Hilton To Prior Owner For Half Of 2018 Price
Ashford Hospitality Trust sold the 252‑room Hilton Alexandria Old Town to Lodging Capital Partners for $58 million, roughly half the $111 million it paid in 2018. The transaction included repayment of a $32.5 million loan and generated a non‑recurring loss, with the REIT...
Behind the Scenes: Monica Galetti and Singapore Airlines’ Catering
The piece takes readers inside dnata’s Heathrow catering hub where Singapore Airlines’ Business Class meals are crafted, spotlighting chef Monica Galetti’s limited‑edition spring menu. Galetti walks through dishes such as crab salad, spinach velouté, butter‑poached chicken and rhubarb cake, explaining...
The Valorian Los Angeles Debuts on the Sunset Strip
The former Mondrian Los Angeles has reopened as The Valorian Los Angeles, joining Hilton’s Curio Collection. Operated by Pivot, the lifestyle arm of Davidson Hospitality Group, the hotel keeps its iconic Sunset Strip design while introducing the White Rabbit Sky...
The Cheesecake Factory, Chick-Fil-A Leads AUVs Among Major Restaurant Chains
The 2025 average unit volume (AUV) rankings show The Cheesecake Factory at the top with $12.8 million, followed by Texas Roadhouse at $7.9 million and Chick‑fil‑A at $7.2 million. Raising Cane’s ($6.3 million) and Olive Garden ($5.8 million) complete the top five, highlighting strong performance...
Emirates Overhauls Qantas Award Chart for the Second Time in a Month — Here’s What Has Changed
Emirates has revised its Qantas award chart for the second time this month, altering both mileage requirements and distance bands. Economy awards now range from 8,000 to 54,000 Skywards miles, with some routes seeing up to a 15% discount and...
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IHOP Embraces Acronym Culture with BLT Trademark
IHOP has filed a trademark for the acronym BLTAF, standing for “Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato … And Fries,” to promote a new addition to its $6 Everyday Value Menu. The move reflects President Lawrence Kim’s “move at the speed of culture”...
Gregorys Coffee Partners with Craveworthy to Perk Interest in Franchises
Gregorys Coffee has teamed with Craveworthy Brands to launch a franchise drive for its specialty coffee concept. The partnership will host a series of open‑house events from April 7 to April 9 in Washington, D.C., Old Bridge and Paramus, New Jersey,...
How International Restaurant Brands Are Reshaping the US Market
International restaurant brands from East Asia are accelerating their U.S. rollout, targeting fast‑growing beverage and dessert categories. Chains such as Mixue, Luckin Coffee and Gong cha are opening multiple locations at once, using franchise‑friendly models and digital‑first operations. Their focus on...
Landingplace Hotels Launches Strategic Ownership Platform
Landingplace Hotels has created Landingplace Holdings, a strategic ownership platform that will acquire and convert existing hotels into its Landingplace Suites and Landingplace Select brands. The initiative is backed by a corporate bond program, assigned an ISIN and listed on...
Wyndham Crosses 100-Hotel Mark in Mexico
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced it has reached 100 open hotels in Mexico, doubling its footprint in the country over the past five years. The portfolio now covers more than 50 cities and 15 brands, supported by a multibrand pipeline...
A Big Carl's Jr. Franchisee Has Filed for Bankruptcy
A Carl’s Jr. franchisee that runs 65 California locations filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, encompassing several entities owned by Harshad Dharod. The filings list assets and liabilities under $50,000 each, indicating a tightly scoped restructuring. The franchisor emphasized that the bankruptcy is...
Food Delivery Turns the K-Shaped Economy on Its Head
Recent data reveals that lower‑income consumers are driving the bulk of food‑delivery orders, even as they cut back on restaurant visits overall. This counter‑intuitive trend flips the typical K‑shaped recovery narrative, where higher‑income groups usually lead growth. Delivery platforms are...
Chick-Fil-A's Unit Volumes Hit a Ceiling
Chick-fil‑A’s U.S. system sales climbed 5.2% to $23.9 billion in 2025, but the chain’s average unit volume (AUV) for stand‑alone restaurants slipped 1.7% to just under $9.2 million. Mall‑based units posted a modest 1.4% AUV increase to $4.6 million. The company added 178...
Can Burger King Ever Catch McDonald's?
Burger King remains far behind McDonald’s in global scale and sales. McDonald’s operates roughly 40,000 U.S. restaurants and generates higher same‑store sales, while BK trails with about 18,000 locations. Analysts argue that closing the gap would require aggressive digital transformation,...
Here Come the Menu Improvements
Restaurant chains are accelerating menu upgrades to revive growth as external pressures mount. Higher gasoline costs are squeezing full‑service operators, while Chick‑fil‑A reports a two‑year slowdown in unit‑volume expansion. A major Carl's Jr. franchisee’s recent bankruptcy underscores the financial strain on...
Hyatt Ties C-Suite Pay to Direct Bookings and Lifestyle Hotels Goals
Hyatt disclosed that it has tied portions of its C‑suite compensation to two strategic priorities: increasing the share of direct bookings and expanding its lifestyle hotel segment. Chief commercial officer Mark Vondrasek received a special share grant that would vest...
Is Sakura Marketing in Danger in Japan?
Japan's iconic cherry‑blossom (Sakura) season drives roughly $9 billion in annual revenue, fueling a wave of limited‑edition products from Starbucks to Uniqlo. However, the aging Somei Yoshino trees—many 60‑80 years old—are becoming brittle, causing safety hazards and diminishing bloom displays. Overtourism forced the...
Asia Drives Next Growth
BWH Hotels is reversing the industry norm by prioritising secondary and tertiary Asian markets, using local partners to pinpoint emerging travel demand such as religious tourism in India. The company leverages its position as the world’s second‑largest soft‑brand operator, offering...
What Does an Ultra-Luxury First Class Ticket Get You? Flying in a Frictionless Bubble.
Air France’s La Première ultra‑luxury first‑class service turns a trans‑Atlantic flight into a frictionless bubble, beginning with a Mercedes limousine pick‑up and ending with a personal customs escort at JFK. The cabin features a 6‑ft‑6‑in bed, floor‑to‑ceiling curtains, and a...
How a Renowned Restaurant Uses Square to Balance Creativity and Consistency
Miss Lily’s, a celebrated Jamaican restaurant in NYC’s East Village, switched to Square’s POS platform in 2025 to embed operational structure as it scales. The new tools provide real‑time sales data, guest counts, and recipe tracking, allowing Chef Brittany “Stikxz”...
7 Airlines With The World’s Most Spacious Economy Cabins
A new 2026 ranking highlights seven airlines that prioritize spacious economy cabins, measuring seat pitch, width, layout and service quality. Japan Airlines tops the list with a 34‑inch pitch and the widest 787 seats, followed by ANA’s consistent 34‑inch pitch...
Indonesia Shifts Focus to Shorthaul Markets Amid Longhaul Travel Risks
Indonesia’s tourism ministry warned that ongoing geopolitical tensions at Middle Eastern transit hubs could cut up to 5,500 long‑haul arrivals daily from Europe and the United States. To offset the shortfall, officials are pivoting toward short‑haul markets in Southeast Asia,...
'Positives' For Tourism Despite Iran War Uncertainty
Jersey’s tourism sector opened the year with stronger earnings than the same period in 2025, but the outbreak of the Iran‑Israel conflict has triggered fuel surcharges and higher food‑and‑drink delivery costs. Disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz...
Malaysia Tourism Sector Calls for Support as Diesel Costs Rise
Rising diesel prices are tightening margins for Malaysia’s tourism transport operators and travel agencies, prompting industry bodies to demand government relief. A MATTA survey shows 68.5% of tour‑van operators use over 1,500 litres and 54.8% of bus operators exceed 3,500...
Virtuoso Delivers Successful First Standalone Forum for North and South-East Asia
Virtuoso held its inaugural North and Southeast Asia Forum at The Apurva Kempinski Bali, bringing together 26 of the region’s 27 member agencies and 35 representatives. The three‑day event combined professional development sessions with B2B meetings, featuring a mix of...
How Hyatt Is Making 'Racecations' A Thing
Hyatt has become the exclusive Asia‑Pacific hotel partner for HYROX, leveraging the three‑day Singapore race that drew more than 14,000 athletes. The partnership frames hotel stays as integral to the competition, offering recovery‑focused amenities and curated destination guides. Hyatt plans...
Irreconcilable Differences: Canadian Cultural Tourism to the US Experiences a Steep Decline
Canadian tourism to the United States has slumped by more than 30% in 2025, driven by President Trump’s annexation rhetoric, renewed tariffs and a perception of unwelcomeness. New York City saw Canadian arrivals fall from 983,000 in 2024 to 800,000...
Miiro Hotels Is Taking an 18-Month Break From Openings After 6 Hotels in 18 Months
Miiro Hotels, the European arm of India‑based InterGlobe Enterprises, opened six properties in Paris, Barcelona, London, Gstaad and two in Vienna within 18 months, then announced a pause on new openings until at least late 2027. The brand aims to...
Coming This Summer: KLM’s First Airbus A350 Enters Final Assembly In Toulouse
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will receive its first Airbus A350‑900, MSN809, in summer 2026 as the jet moves into final assembly in Toulouse. The aircraft is part of a €7 billion (≈$7.7 billion) fleet‑renewal program that will replace legacy A330s and Boeing...
Garuda Indonesia Positions Denpasar as East Indonesian Hub
Garuda Indonesia is positioning Bali’s Denpasar airport as a secondary international hub to serve eastern Indonesia, especially the Papua region. The carrier launched a four‑times‑weekly Jakarta‑Denpasar‑Tembagapura‑Jayapura service on March 29, using a Boeing 737‑800. Denpasar now connects to ten international...
Why Faster Aircraft Don’t Always Save Time
Faster aircraft rarely translate into dramatically shorter door‑to‑door trips because ground operations, air‑traffic control routing and climb‑descent phases dominate total travel time. Even when supersonic or high‑subsonic speeds shave 30‑60 minutes from the airborne segment, the gain is a small...
Southwest Airlines Could Face A $304,000 Fine Over Drug & Alcohol Testing Violations
Southwest Airlines is confronting a potential $304,272 civil penalty from the FAA for alleged drug and alcohol testing failures involving 11 safety‑sensitive employees, including pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics. The violations, spanning 2021 to 2024, reportedly allowed staff to perform...