Future of lodging tips

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said Thursday that its recent technology investments have helped keep profits flowing to the bottom line, even as traveler demand for the hotel group’s core economy segment moderates.

Five U.S. markets have recently seen the fastest growth in business travel spending, according to American Express data.

Hyatt is reportedly near to closing a transaction with Standard International, owner of the luxury lifestyle brand The Standard and other brands.

Hyatt is close to a deal to buy Standard International, the operator of the upscale The Standard Hotels, according to reports on Thursday.

Mews has acquired nine companies in the past several years. Are more deals coming?

Scandic Hotels Group reported results for the first-half of the year, and the operator of about 280 hotels is now targeting expansion through its Scandic Go brand and conversions of office buildings.

Banyan Group is set to open a record number of luxury hotels and resorts this year. The Singapore-based luxury hotel operator also plans to expand into the Bahamas and introduce a residential rental offering, according to an update this month.

Europe’s pace of hotel and short-term rental dealmaking has accelerated lately. Recent headline deals include Blackstone buying the UK’s Village Hotels for a reported $1 billion and Trinity Investments’ bid to acquire $1.5 billion in hotel assets across Europe within the next three years.

Traveling to Paris for the Summer Olympics is not optional for Jeremy Fain. 

Hotel chains are doubling down on loyalty programs, and the strategy appears to be paying off. A CBRE report shows these plans drive occupancy growth for major groups like Marriott and Hilton, even as the programs evolve beyond catering solely to road warriors.

Christian Louboutin, the luxury shoe designer known for red-soled footwear, has acquired a stake in Experimental Group, a Paris-based hospitality company.

Marriott International expanded further into the business travel management space Tuesday, aiming to drive more direct bookings from road warriors and taking share from middlemen distributors.

Luxury hotels in the U.S. have recently experienced robust growth in demand and room rates, while economy hotels have declined year-over-year. The numbers for the first five months of the year suggest a break with broad historical patterns.

Come July 1, U.S. hotels will need to comply with a California state law that requires upfront disclosure of the total cost — including all mandatory fees — of hotel rooms, among other travel services like short-term rentals and cruises.

Minor International runs 540 hotels and aims to grow that count about a third by 2026.

Intrepid CEO Talks Emissions Cut And Investing in Travel Lodging

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has a long-term plan to shift its mix of properties to reflect more premium, lifestyle, and luxury brands. But for now, many hotel investors are balking — preferring mid-market and extended stay brands.

TGI Fridays has opened a restaurant inside the Hilton Garden Inn in Los Angeles/Hollywood, California. The fast-casual food chain hopes that other hotel owners will also hire it to take over similarly underperforming restaurants.

Hilton has been on a streak of acquiring hotel brands this year after going 16 years without buying any. Yet its commercial chief said that the hotel group hadn’t shifted from its decade-long corporate strategy.

STR and Tourism Economics lowered their forecast for U.S. hotel demand growth this week. The benchmarking firms now project a more modest 2.1% increase in average daily rates this year — down from the previous estimate of 3.1%.

Marriott International revealed details to Skift on Monday about its newest hotel brand — temporarily named Project Mid-T — in the “midscale” hotel category. The hotel giant said the new brand is primarily aimed at developers converting existing hotels rather than new construction and is meant to appeal to travelers worldwide.