Cayman Islands Records Best Ever January Visitation Numbers
The Cayman Islands welcomed 47,047 stayover visitors in January 2026, a 13.6% year‑over‑year rise and the strongest January on record, surpassing the 2020 benchmark by 9.7%. Total visitation, including cruise passengers, hit 192,754, marking the second consecutive month of record arrivals after December 2025. Growth was led by double‑digit gains from the UK, Ireland and continental Europe, supported by expanded airlift and targeted marketing. Officials credit strategic investments in air connectivity, global campaigns, and trade partnerships for the momentum.
What Are Plaza Premium First Lounges, And How Can They Be Accessed?
Plaza Premium First Lounges represent the premium tier of the independent lounge operator, offering a first‑class experience that rivals airline‑run facilities. Launched a decade ago, the concept now exists in seven airports—including DFW, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Phnom Penh and Vancouver—with...
Beef Costs Exceed Burger Prices, Pressuring QSRs
Beef production costs have jumped 32% since January 2023, while restaurant burger prices have risen only 14%, according to Datassential’s Burger Price Index. The increase mirrors overall food‑away‑from‑home inflation of 13% but varies by segment, with limited‑service burgers up 16% versus...
What Is Flying Blue Extra?
Air France‑KLM’s Flying Blue has introduced a paid subscription service, Flying Blue Extra, with two annual bundles: Essential for €379 and Extended for €699. The Essential tier adds 5 extra miles per €10 spent, two lounge vouchers and exclusive Promo Rewards, while the...
Ronan Group and Staycity to Develop Dublin Aparthotel
Real estate developer Ronan Group and aparthotel operator Staycity have signed a 35‑year lease to build a 288‑room Wilde‑brand aparthotel in Dublin’s North Docklands. The eight‑storey, premium development will be part of the 4.6‑acre Waterfront South Central mixed‑use scheme, which...
The Duopoly Endgame: What Happens When Every Market Has Only Two Platforms
The article warns that restaurant‑delivery markets are converging into duopolies, mirroring past consolidations in aviation, telecom and grocery sectors. It argues that without genuine rivalry, innovation stalls, prices creep up and promotional incentives fade. The piece highlights how disruptive entrants—hyper‑local...
Celebrity River Cruises Unveils Destination Discovery Program for 2027–2028 Sailings
Celebrity River Cruises announced a Destination Discovery Program for its 2027‑2028 sailings, adding four themed experience series to its European itineraries. The Storyteller Series pairs guests with local artists and cultural experts, while the Skillmaster Series offers hands‑on craft and...
Dubai's Low-Paid Workers on Edge as Mideast War Hits Tourism
Dubai’s tourism sector has ground to a halt as the Iran‑Israel conflict drives visitors away, leaving iconic sites like JBR and Ain Dubai empty. Low‑paid expatriate workers are missing salaries and struggling to cover rent, while the industry, which contributed...
WoodSpring Suites Opens in St. Peters, MO
WoodSpring Suites opened its new extended‑stay hotel in St. Peters‑O’Fallon, Missouri, under Aimbridge Hospitality’s management. The property targets travelers on multi‑week assignments, such as healthcare professionals, project workers and relocators, offering full kitchens, noise‑reducing construction, and on‑site laundry. Additional amenities...
Victory Cruise Lines Invests $5M in Fleet Upgrades
Victory Cruise Lines announced a $5 million investment to upgrade its two flagship vessels, Victory I and Victory II, during the 2026 layup period. The program covers major engine overhauls, crane recertifications, drydock work, exterior repainting, and extensive interior refurbishments,...
Coast Hotels Debuts Coast Edson Hotel
Coast Hotels Limited, a subsidiary of APA Hotel Canada, has opened the Coast Edson Hotel, marking its seventh property owned by Mundi Hotel Enterprises in Alberta. The 69‑room hotel sits on the Yellowhead Highway, catering to business travelers, outdoor enthusiasts,...
My Travel Dilemma: Book Flights Now Before Airfares Rise…Or Wait?
Airline fuel costs are climbing as oil prices surge amid heightened Middle‑East tensions, prompting a wave of fare increases and new fuel surcharges. Travelers, like the author, face a classic dilemma: lock in today’s relatively modest $800‑plus round‑trip tickets to...
Virgin Voyages Expands to 1,500 AI Agents to Improve Guest Experience
Virgin Voyages has expanded its internal AI agent fleet from 50 to over 1,500 in under four months, leveraging Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise platform. The agents support functions such as marketing, sales, crew training, and guest services, including tools like...
Westin Crystal City Completes Renovation
Westin Crystal City announced its reopening after a property‑wide renovation slated for the end of the month. The overhaul introduced 223 fully redesigned guestrooms and suites, a refreshed lobby, new restaurant concept, and upgraded meeting and event spaces. Design cues...
Selina Hotels: When the Digital Nomad Dream Met Financial Reality
Selina Hotels rode a wave of digital‑nomad hype, launching via a $1.2 billion SPAC merger in 2022 and expanding to 163 destinations. The rapid rollout delivered only a 47% occupancy rate, while an asset‑light, lease‑heavy model inflated operating costs and debt....
New Report Details Economic Impact of Phoenix’s Hotel Industry
A new Oxford Economics report commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association quantifies Phoenix’s hotel sector as a $7.2 billion economic engine. The industry supports more than 42,000 direct and indirect jobs and generates roughly $1.1 billion in federal, state and...
Who Will Attend Skift India Intelligence Summit — and How It Works
The Skift India Intelligence Summit will convene about 100 senior travel executives in Delhi on March 26 to dissect the forces reshaping India’s travel economy. Attendees will explore the country’s record outbound travel, a domestic hotel occupancy near 70 % with ADR...
Hilton Enters Mongolia with the Signing of Conrad Ulaanbaatar, Marking a New Chapter for Luxury Hospitality in the Capital
Hilton announced the signing of Conrad Ulaanbaatar, its first property in Mongolia, a 227‑room luxury hotel within the mixed‑use Eco Tower in the capital’s central business district. The hotel is slated to open in 2028 and will feature four dining venues,...
Sage Hospitality Group Adds The Ben, Autograph Collection
Sage Hospitality Group has taken over management of The Ben, an Autograph Collection hotel with 208 luxury rooms in West Palm Beach, Florida. The property was recently purchased by real‑estate developer Related Ross, which secured a $172.5 million acquisition loan from...
ITB Berlin Insights: The Rise of AI Agents in Hospitality Operations
At ITB Berlin, Sirma showcased Vela, an AI agent that lets guests interact via voice or chat while silently linking to the hotel PMS. The event highlighted a broader industry shift from guest‑facing AI tools to operational agents that monitor...
ALH Grows to 3,000 Rooms with Major Central Texas Expansion
American Liberty Hospitality (ALH) announced the addition of 1,000 rooms across Central and South Texas, pushing its managed inventory past the 3,000‑room mark in Texas and Louisiana. The expansion includes a mix of full‑service and select‑service properties under Marriott, Hilton,...
Premier Inn Celebrates Consistency in Revamped Brand Platform
Premier Inn announced a refreshed brand platform that emphasizes consistency across its 800‑plus UK hotels, rolled out through a new campaign created by Leo UK. The initiative standardises visual identity, tone of voice and service cues to deliver a uniform...
Nation's Restaurant News March 2026
Nation's Restaurant News’ March 2026 issue spotlights the casual‑dining segment, probing why it is resonating strongly with today’s consumers. Editors highlight trends such as menu flexibility, experiential service, and accelerated technology adoption that are fueling the category’s growth. The cover features...
The Alfond Inn at Rollins Names Marcus Henry Director of Food & Beverage
The Alfond Inn at Rollins announced Marcus Henry as its new Director of Food & Beverage. Henry, a veteran of luxury hospitality with stints at The Ritz‑Carlton, The Greenbrier, Thompson Dallas and Wolfgang Puck Catering, will oversee dining, events and...
Fourth Hires Scott Collison as CEO
Fourth, a leading provider of workforce and inventory management solutions for the hospitality sector, announced the appointment of Scott Collison as chief executive officer. Collison brings more than two decades of enterprise software experience, most recently steering Personify through strong...
Flying JSX? Here’s How to Earn United MileagePlus Miles or Club JSX Rewards on Your Flight
JSX, a boutique carrier blending private‑charter comfort with commercial service, lets passengers earn either United MileagePlus miles or its own Club JSX rewards. When a JSX ticket is booked through United, miles are awarded as a fare‑based multiplier that varies by...
El Pollo Loco Declares Itself Ready to Grow Again
El Pollo Loco reported a 2.1% same‑store sales increase and lifted restaurant margins to 17.5%, prompting a 16% share jump. The chain now operates 503 restaurants and plans to open 18‑20 new units in 2026, the fastest pace since 2019....
McDonald's Tests the Limits of Value Pricing
McDonald’s is piloting a new $3‑or‑less menu, marking its fourth value‑pricing experiment in two years. The fast‑food giant hopes the ultra‑low price tier will lure price‑sensitive diners still feeling inflation pressure. The test will run in select U.S. markets, with...
Some Struggling Kona Grill Locations to Be Rebranded
The One Group will rebrand five underperforming Kona Grill locations to its sister concepts Benihana or STK, part of a broader portfolio optimization after consecutive years of double‑digit same‑store sales declines. Conversions are slated to cost between $1 million and $1.5 million...
Global Hotel Development Pipeline Remains Active
The global hotel development pipeline remains robust, with hundreds of thousands of rooms in various stages across key regions. Despite higher construction costs, rising interest rates and tighter financing, developers in the Middle East, Asia‑Pacific and North America continue to...
ETOA Appoints Seven New Members to Advisory Council
The European Tourism Association (ETOA) has added seven new members to its 25‑person Advisory Council, expanding representation across destinations, rail, hospitality, tour operators and distribution. Appointments were announced after the General Assembly in Berlin and include leaders from Spain, Hong Kong,...
Driving Hospitality Forward Through Technology and Leadership
Bhavna Tanwani, Sales and Key Accounts Manager at Vingcard by Assa Abloy, explains how smart, secure technology is reshaping Dubai’s hospitality landscape. She highlights her role in managing strategic accounts and building long‑term partnerships that treat technology providers as trusted allies....
Port Polska: Shaping Poland’s Next-Generation Multimodal Airport
Port Polska, the rebranded Centralny Port Komunikacyjny programme, aims to deliver a greenfield, multimodal airport between Warsaw and Łódź by 2032, integrating high‑speed rail, upgraded roads and a logistics hub. The facility is designed for 34‑44 million passengers annually, with scalable...
How the Pizza Industry Became the Epicenter of Restaurant Technology Innovation
The pizza sector has become the leading proving ground for restaurant technology, with AI, robotics, and predictive analytics reshaping ordering, kitchen, and delivery processes. Brands such as Jet’s Pizza, Donatos, Domino’s and Papa John’s have deployed AI‑driven SMS ordering, autonomous...
Professor Green Teams with Hero Brands to Launch PG in UK
PG Fast Food, a joint venture between hospitality group Hero Brands and musician‑entrepreneur Professor Green, opened its first UK location in Glasgow. The concept replaces the classic burger‑and‑fries model with a "naughty but nice" menu featuring UFO toasted pockets, salad...
Mandarin Oriental Collects Trio of Titles at World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards
Mandarin Oriental captured three top honors at the 2025 World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards, winning World’s Leading Sustainable Energy Efficiency Initiative, Cultural Heritage Project, and Policy Initiative. The group’s sustainability roadmap, anchored by 2030 environmental targets, includes rigorous Scope 1‑3...
ME Dubai by Meliá Donates 100 Meals for Ramadan
ME Dubai, a Meliá Hotels International property, donated 100 meals to support staff and local residents observing Ramadan. The contribution was made in early March 2026, coinciding with the holy month’s fasting period. By providing these meals, the hotel aims...
TTG Conversations: Five Questions with Ben George, Hilton
Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report reveals that 50 percent of families in the Asia‑Pacific region are taking holidays with three or more generations, signaling a surge in multi‑generational travel. The report also highlights a notable rise in skip‑generation trips, where grandparents travel...
Philippines Lifts Retirement Ambitions as Foreign Retiree Numbers Climb
The Philippines Retirement Authority (PRA) reported achieving 99% of its 2024 foreign‑retiree target and is now aiming for a 25% year‑on‑year increase by 2026. The country already hosts over 84,000 foreign retirees, led by Chinese nationals, and is leveraging English...
S Hotels & Resorts Posts Record 2025 Profit, Outlines Growth Strategy
S Hotels & Resorts posted a record normalised net profit of over 615 million baht in 2025, driven by RevPAR growth and lower finance costs. The company announced a 0.07 baht per share dividend, its highest since listing. For 2026, SHR outlined...
Laguna Phuket Plans 2.5km Trail Linking Six Resorts
Laguna Phuket will roll out a 2.5 km walking trail in 2026 that links its six resorts across a 405‑hectare beachfront precinct. The path will weave through parks, cultural spaces, wellness zones and seasonal art installations, encouraging guests to explore the...
Sandals Royal Curaçao Invites Guests to Experience “Vacation Goals”
Sandals Royal Curaçao is rolling out a limited‑time "Vacation Goals: Curaçao Edition" program to ride the wave of the island’s historic World Cup qualification. The initiative runs from early June through July 19, 2026 and blends on‑resort match screenings, themed...
SEABOURN INTRODUCES THE DENALI EXPERIENCE, EXTENDING ALASKA VOYAGES INTO DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Seabourn has unveiled The Denali Experience, an optional eight‑day, seven‑night pre‑cruise land program for its 2027‑2028 Alaska itineraries, extending voyages into Denali National Park. The itinerary includes a scenic rail journey, flightseeing over more than 6 million acres, wildlife encounters at...
Marriott International Signs Landmark Agreement with KS Hotels
Marriott International has signed a landmark agreement with KS Hotels to bring The Luxury Collection to Cambodia and Laos, converting La Résidence Angkor in Siem Reap and La Résidence Phou Vao in Luang Prabang. The Luang Prabang property will open in October 2026, marking Marriott’s first hotel in Laos,...
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Unveils a New Winter 2027–2028 Season of Voyages
The Ritz‑Carlton Yacht Collection unveiled its Winter 2027‑2028 season, offering more than 60 luxury voyages aboard the Evrima, Ilma and Luminara. The itineraries span Asia‑Pacific, the Caribbean and the South Pacific and introduce 14 new ports, such as Rangiroa, Fakarava, Kaohsiung,...
Orms Appointed to Lead Redevelopment of London’s BT Tower Into Hotel
London architecture firm Orms has been appointed to spearhead the conversion of the iconic BT Tower into a hotel for American hospitality group MCR Hotels. The Grade II‑listed 177‑metre tower, acquired in early 2024, will undergo public consultation in May,...
New British Airways Status Changes Make Silver and Gold Even Easier for High Spenders
British Airways is overhauling its tier‑point system to reward flexible and semi‑flexible ticket purchases more heavily than cheap, non‑refundable fares. Starting 1 April, base fares, carrier surcharges, seat and baggage fees, and a new bonus table will determine points, effectively doubling...
Thailand’s PM Underlines the Importance of HoReCa Trade Ties as Global Uncertainty Rises
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul highlighted resilience, adaptability and cooperation as essential for sustainable growth in the HoReCa sector amid rising global trade uncertainty. He positioned Thailand as a regional hub linking ASEAN to worldwide markets, emphasizing cultural assets and...
Why Better Nutrition Products Win With Guests in 2026
Red Gold’s Better Nutrition Made Simple™ line slashes sodium by up to 80% and removes high‑fructose corn syrup, while preserving the familiar taste of ketchup, barbecue sauce, and tomato products. Recent IFIC and Toast surveys show more than half of...
Welcoming Every Guest, Including the Ones with Paws: GCSTIMES Pet-Themed Wooden Key Cards and Paper Card Holders for Hotels &...
GCSTIMES introduced wooden key cards with detachable pet tags for hotels and resorts. The eco‑friendly cards replace plastic and include a pop‑out tag that guests can attach to their pets’ collars. Each card comes with a coordinated paper holder that...