It has been astonishing, in the 10 years that I have been involved exclusively in travel journalism, to see the way that wellness travel has exploded and diversified. Some trends, like forest bathing and adaptogenic smoothies, have carried with them a whiff of faddishness, but so much of what we have come to think of as wellness travel has felt so useful for helping us navigate this chaotic, confusing world: programs to better our sleep and nutrition, to practice mindfulness, even to improve sexual health. I myself desperately need some help with sleep, which I am eager to focus on when I visit the just-opened Mexico outpost of the acclaimed Spanish wellness clinic Sha later this year. You'll find a little more on the retreat in our What Wellness Is package, which explores some of the latest offerings in the category, from surviving the slings and arrows of menopause to building confidence to become a better leader back home. These stories are part of our greater push around wellness this year; look for continuing coverage on our new dedicated Travel Well vertical on our site.
Hilton’s explosive growth gives many more options for travelers
24.01.2024 - 18:20 / thepointsguy.com / Chris Silcock / Kevin Jacobs
Hilton Honors members increasingly have more options to earn and redeem points — and the broader traveling public has more opportunities to check out a Hilton-affiliated hotel.
The hotel giant opened more rooms in the last three months of 2023 than in any quarter in company history, Hilton announced this week amid the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles. Hilton added 24,000 rooms across 132 new hotels in the fourth quarter, bringing its new hotel count for the year to 395.
Last year was marked by the addition of new brands like the premium economy Spark and the extended-stay LivSmart Studios.
"The ownership community understands where the demand is, so the ownership community is often pulling us towards these products as well, particularly LivSmart, which was sort of the ultimate joint venture between us and the ownership groups," said Kevin Jacobs, Hilton's chief financial officer and president of global development, during a press roundtable this week at ALIS.
The first Signia by Hilton, the company's convention-oriented brand, opened this month in Atlanta. The company has also teased a new luxury lifestyle brand is in the works.
Hilton added 1,000 more hotels to its development pipeline last year, and there are a combined 130,000 rooms planned across all those deals. The company's 3,300-hotel and more than 462,000-room pipeline is now the biggest in Hilton history.
"Our strategy is to be the premium player in every segment that we go into," added Chris Silcock, president of global brands and commercial services at Hilton. "We want to deliver the highest quality, most consistent branded experience. Our brand teams do that by focusing on product service and technology. How do we bring those things together to design brands that meet certain customer segment needs or trip occasions?"
Hilton also rolled out a new program this week aimed at bringing in newer owners to its ecosystem. The company's Unlocking Doors program, which launched this week, focuses on creating a pathway to hotel ownership for entrepreneurs new to the industry or those who have faced challenges in securing money to move ahead with a hotel project.
The program works with partners to connect small and medium-sized businesses with lenders willing to underwrite a hotel project. It can help foster more diversity in the hotel ownership community after years of the industry not being known as an inclusive space.
"We're trying to create a community with these owners where they can learn from each other and learn from us," Jacobs said.
Hilton has typically been viewed as more ahead of the pack when it comes to tech offerings like mobile check-in and checkout, as well as advance room selection from the Hilton Honors app. The
Impending North America total solar eclipse presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for travel tra
On April 8 this year a total solar eclipse 115 miles across will pass over Mexico, the United States and Canada, and the sky will temporarily darken as if it were night-time. Given there’s no further total eclipses in the US until 2033, this is a rare and spectacular event likely to create an influx of travel to the region in the days beforehand. This will be even more unique considering its location, spanning across many of the world’s major tourism destinations.
JetBlue's Anniversary Sale Wraps Up With $49 Flights, Vacation Deals, More — for Today Only
JetBlue’s week of savings is nearly over, but the airline is bringing back its anniversary airfare sale for one more day.
Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2024: The Best Vegan Coats For Travelers
Valentine’s Day gifts are special when they’re both fun to receive and practical. When you give your valentine a present they can use in their daily life, it can be a consistent reminder of your thoughtfulness. These vegan coats are luxurious gifts for frequent travelers that are also sure to be well-used. From coats with a little sparkle and pizazz to classic puffer coats, all these choices are vegan and stylish. They’re sure to be well-received by frequent travelers who need a warm coat to take along on their adventures.
Forbes Travel Guide’s 2024 Star Award Winners, The World’s Most Welcoming Countries And More Travel News
On Wednesday, Forbes Travel Guide revealed its 2024 Star Award winners, a list of the world’s finest hotels, restaurants, spas and cruises. To compile the 66th annual awards, FTG’s incognito inspectors check into hotels and cruise ships, dine in the restaurants and experience spa services while posing as ordinary guests. This year’s list features properties from Mauritius to Macau—with the most new Five-Star hotels in the Middle East.
TSA Reminds Kansas City Fans That Barbecue Sauce Is a Liquid — and Other Advice for Travelers Flying During Super Bowl Weekend
The Transportation Security Administration is warning travelers in the San Francisco and Kansas City areas to arrive for their flights early this weekend as Super Bowl crowds are expected to swarm airports.
JetBlue’s Push For Profits: More Leisure Routes and Cost Cuts
After the stinging losses of the Northeast Alliance and a merger with Spirit Airlines, JetBlue is now focused on other ways to achieve profitability.
Forbes Travel Guide 2024: Middle East Leads 5-Star Hotel Gains
Forbes Travel Guide, a rating system for luxury hotels and other travel products and services, released its 2024 Star Awards on Wednesday. About 340 luxury hotels received “five-star” ratings, while about 1,600 others received other commendations in the 66th year of the rankings.
The 11 Best Cash Back Credit Cards for Travelers in 2024
Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Condé Nast Traveler and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Compensation does not impact how or where cards appear on the site. We don't review or include all companies, or all available products. Moreover, the editorial content on this page was not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of Condé Nast Traveler's editorial team.
A snowboarder stuck 15 hours overnight on a California ski gondola said she screamed for help to workers below who couldn't hear her
A snowboarder reported missing at a ski resort in California on Thursday was stranded on a gondola overnight in the cold.
Is your passport too damaged for travel? Here are 11 reasons it could be, and how to avoid them.
Picture it: You're about to set off on the overseas vacation of a lifetime. With bags packed and boarding passes ready to go, you make it to the airport with plenty of time before departure.
Paris Olympics packager has myriad options for travel advisors
As interest in trips surrounding the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is heating up, suppliers and advisors have forged new partnerships to offer a variety of ways to experience the Games.