Wanda Hotels announced that its number of open hotels nationwide has surpassed 300, with over 500 under construction or to be opened, covering more than 400 cities globally. The milestone property, Qiqihar Fuli Wanda Reign, features 308 view rooms and a 1,100 sqm pillarless ballroom.
Resorts World Las Vegas has implemented Johnson Controls' Metasys and OpenBlue AI technology to optimize its central utility plant operations without replacing equipment. The system predicts chilled water demand every 15 minutes and determines the most efficient equipment combinations, achieving a 10.2% reduction in chilled water plant energy usage and $110,000 in annual energy cost savings. The technology also offers predictive maintenance to help ensure uninterrupted guest service.
Accor's MGallery Collection announced the opening of Financial City Chengdu, a 155-room hotel inspired by Tang Dynasty poetry. This is the third MGallery in Chengdu and the tenth in China, supporting the brand's plan to double its Greater China portfolio by 2030. The hotel features 480 sqm of event space and integrates sustainability practices.
Hilton announced the signing of Maravé Manuel Antonio, LXR Hotels & Resorts, marking the brand's debut in Costa Rica. The property is expected to open in 2029, featuring 173 accommodations including 57 hotel rooms and 116 branded residences. Located near Manuel Antonio National Park on a nearly 40-acre estate, it will include a beach club and spa.
UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle, in partnership with UMH Development, will convert the historic Scarritt Building in downtown Kansas City into a 169-room music-focused hotel. Construction is expected to begin in Q4 2026. The adaptive reuse project will include a 309-unit branded residential tower, a music and entertainment venue, a professional recording studio, and a UMusic Shop retail store. Located near the Power & Light District and T-Mobile Center, the hotel aims to celebrate Kansas City's rich jazz heritage with immersive programming.
Birmingham, Alabama-based investment firm Highline Hospitality Partners has acquired the dual-branded AC Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk and Element San Antonio Riverwalk in Texas. The property, converted from an office building in 2022, is managed by Avion Hospitality. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition expands HHP's portfolio to 21 hotels with over 5,500 guest rooms and approximately $1.7 billion in hospitality assets under management.
Mercure Hotels & Resorts introduces Mercure's Local Maps, a digital experience curated by hotel teams worldwide, offering recommendations for local restaurants, markets, cultural landmarks, and hidden gems across 100+ destinations. Accessible online and via QR codes, the maps aim to deepen guests' connection with destinations. Research shows 86% of travelers value local food scenes, 57% seek new experiences, and 58% value experiences over possessions.
Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano said at the World Leaders Forum in India that the country's tourism challenge is awareness, not overtourism. About 70% of Marriott's demand in India is domestic, and most international travelers know only two or three cities. Foreign arrivals fell 9.4% in 2025 to about 9 million, just 1.4% of global arrivals, amid a 97%+ cut in overseas marketing. Marriott still targets 100 cities by end of 2026 and 50,000 rooms by 2030, with 2025 revenue exceeding $1.5 billion, focusing on midscale and Tier-2/3 markets.
IHG's Holiday Inn announced the opening of a new property near Denver Airport, the first new-build featuring a reimagined lobby design that integrates front desk, ordering counter, and bar. The 106-room hotel offers complimentary airport shuttle and targets business, group, and leisure travelers. Holiday Inn has been named the most trusted US travel and hospitality brand for six consecutive years.
In a commentary, TravelDaily China CEO Li Chao argues that despite Marriott CEO's view that AI will benefit hotel direct booking, chaotic pricing across hotel channels drives consumers to compare on OTAs after AI screening. The author's experience shows hotel quotes were 20-50 euros higher than Ctrip, highlighting hotels' lack of price competitiveness.
The article previews a panel at the TravelDaily China Summit discussing localization challenges for international hotel brands in China. Data shows oversupply in China's hotel industry, with 2025 occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR all declining, and ROI dropping from 15% to 8-10%. Executives from Hilton, IHG, and Shangri-La will discuss adapting to Gen Z demands.
DAZN has agreed to acquire EverPass Media, the exclusive commercial distributor of NFL Sunday Ticket in the U.S. Following completion, EverPass will rebrand to DAZN for Business, serving as the technological and operational foundation for DAZN's global commercial venue strategy across restaurants, sports bars, hotels, and entertainment venues. The deal consolidates commercial venue rights for NFL Sunday Ticket, English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, MLB, NBA, WNBA, NASCAR, and major events from Peacock, Netflix, Paramount, and Apple into a single IP-based platform, replacing legacy satellite/cable headends with centralized screen management, dynamic content scheduling, and direct in…
In this episode of Skift's Good Morning Hospitality: Hotels Edition, hosts Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk analyze shifting demand across hospitality segments heading into Labor Day weekend. Fresh travel data shows cruise ports and national park gateways topping destination rankings, a narrowing K-shaped spending gap, and 77% of Americans planning to travel this summer. The hosts examine how Harry Styles' Madison Square Garden residency is driving NYC hotel demand patterns resembling a major sporting event rather than a typical concert, unpack Generator's new CEO framing budget hostel bunks at £40 as "premium," and discuss why Bernstein analysts view Airbnb's growth as structural rather than…
Hilton has launched Signia Restore, an immersive wellness concept debuting at Signia Hilton Indianapolis in January 2027. It combines fitness, recovery, and wellness experiences, including physical and mental recovery zones, advanced technologies like AI-powered massage system Aescape and the Ammortal Chamber. This aligns with travelers' growing focus on wellness and will expand to select Signia properties globally.
The article uses Sharan Pasricha's two ventures—Ennismore (controlled by Accor, valued at $3.4B–$5.8B) and Estelle Community—to illustrate the dilemma facing boutique hotel founders: scale with external capital and lose control, or stay independent by owning real estate. Recent deals (Hilton–Graduate, Hilton–Sydell/NoMad, Hyatt–Standard, Seibu Prince–Ace, Marriott–citizenM) all follow the pattern where global flags buy the brand and contracts while founders keep the buildings. Independent hotels face 15–25% OTA commissions versus loyalty-driven distribution of majors. Survivors like Firmdale, Peninsula, Oberoi, Oetker, and Hoshino share patient capital and owned real estate. The key questio…
Delaware North expands TipHaus automated gratuity management to 40+ properties, streamlining tip pooling, distribution, and reporting. Integrated with Oracle Simphony, Toast, and UKG Dimensions, it reduces data collection from a full day to hours.
The report shows that from 2024 to 2026, hotel supply in Xinjiang expanded driven by tourist flows, with 3,941 new openings accounting for 32% of the total. In 2025, there was a notable upgrade in hotel tiers, with mid-to-high-end share increasing. Tourism remains hot, but there are concerns about digestion pressure after concentrated supply and seasonal imbalance.
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts announced the extension of its global partnership with Timeshifter, providing guests at its 242 hotels and resorts with complimentary access to personalized jet lag mitigation plans. The collaboration aims to help travelers overcome jet lag using circadian technology, enhancing restorative travel experiences.
The key to AI in hospitality lies in integrating existing operational systems, such as door locks and energy management, to provide real-time data. Jesper Persson, CTO of Hospitality at Vingcard, notes that siloed systems and legacy technology hinder AI's value. A PwC Middle East survey found that 85% of regional tourism and hospitality leaders cite integration with legacy systems as the top barrier to scaling AI. Hotels should prioritize interoperability and coordination to improve efficiency, energy use, and guest experience.
Harry Styles' two-month, 30-show residency at Madison Square Garden begins August 26. While not expected to match the global impact of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, it is anticipated to provide a sustained boost for New York City hotel and short-term rental operators. CoStar data indicates the city's hospitality sector is already performing strongly with high occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR, and the residency could add to that momentum.
MGallery brand opens several new hotels in 2026, including Kove Hotel & Spa Mykonos in Greece, Bel Hotel Oléron Thalasso & Spa in France, V Villas Maldives at Mirihi in the Maldives, and the upcoming Nírema Hotel & Spa Samos in Greece opening in September. Each property offers unique local culture and experiences.
Casago has completed the franchise transition of the Vacasa portfolio in under 15 months, shifting 40,000 properties from a centralized corporate model to local franchise ownership across North America, Belize, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean. This validates the hotel industry's asset-light franchise playbook for short-term rentals, emphasizing technology as an enabler rather than a replacement for local operations.
FCS Solutions has launched FCS1 In-Room Guest Services (IRGS), a browser-based, app-less guest interaction platform. It routes guest requests such as room service, dining, laundry, and maintenance directly into the FCS1 Jobs backend task management engine via QR code scans, enabling automated departmental routing and tracking. The multi-language CMS allows dynamic updates to menus and service info, aiming to reduce front-desk congestion and manual entry during peak times, addressing labor shortages.
European hostel brand Generator, acquired by Brookfield Asset Management for approximately €776 million, plans to double its 15-property footprint by 2030 by converting distressed mid-market hotels such as Novotel, Mercure, and Holiday Inn. New CEO Xavier Mufraggi says the conversion thesis is structurally compelling: four-star buildings require minimal alteration, allow four-to-six beds per room at around £40 per bed, and come with large F&B spaces that can be monetized through dinners, parties, and rooftop events, targeting at least 40% higher RevPAR than a standard three- or four-star hotel. Expansion will be mapped along Europe's high-speed rail network, with plans for multi-city passes…
Taylor Hospitality has acquired the historic 82-key Blennerhassett hotel in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and will convert it under Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' Trademark Collection. The property, which first opened in 1889, will be repositioned as The Blennerhassett, a Giovanni Hotel and Spa, and will join Wyndham's global reservation and loyalty system in Q4 2026. This marks the first time in its 137-year history that the hotel will have access to such distribution, potentially boosting visibility among Wyndham Rewards' 126 million members.
Signia Hilton announced a new integrated wellness concept, Signia Restore, debuting at Signia Hilton Indianapolis, which is accepting reservations for January 2027. The concept combines high-performance fitness, advanced recovery experiences, personalized wellness guidance, and curated retail. It features dedicated recovery zones with infrared saunas, cold therapy rooms, and more. It is expected to expand to select Signia properties globally.
Accor and Al Qimmah Hospitality signed an agreement for a new 850-key Novotel in Makkah, bringing their partnership to five hotels with over 4,000 keys. The hotel is expected to open in 2030, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 tourism goals. The partnership also includes Saudi talent development through the Tamayyaz program.
Hanting Flagship Store introduces a 'two lows, two highs' investment model, leveraging low construction costs, low operating costs, high room count, and high brand traffic to unlock value from prime properties. Compared to mid-scale hotels, per-room construction costs can drop by up to 40%, public area allocation by up to 50%, and total per-room investment by up to 42%. A 372-room property in Beijing achieved an average occupancy of 86.5% and RevPAR above RMB 330.
On August 21, Wanda Hotels launched the '300-Property Global Benefits Plan' to celebrate the opening of its 300th resort. Wanda Hui membership has surpassed 25 million, covering over 400 destinations worldwide. The plan includes benefits such as '3,000 points for 3 nights', '300 points lucky draw', and member tier upgrades.
Competition between Singapore's two integrated resorts intensifies, with Marina Bay Sands dominating the premium market, posting casino revenue over $2.1 billion in H1 2026, while Resorts World Sentosa earned less than a third of that. RWS, whose performance fell short, received only a two-year casino license and is investing S$6.8 billion in upgrades, but faces license renewal pressure in 2027.
HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, part of IHG, has partnered with Chinese lifestyle brand SHANG XIA to launch a co-branded bath amenities collection and cultural experience series, infusing tea aroma and contemporary design into guest stays. The amenities will roll out across HUALUXE hotels in Greater China from September, while cultural experiences begin in August in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, featuring bamboo weaving, tea appreciation, and more.
Novotel will launch its inaugural 'Longevity Week' on September 7, 2026, offering free masterclasses and expert tips to promote daily wellness habits. Based on a survey of 13,000 consumers, which found 71% are more interested in their future wellbeing than five years ago, the initiative will be available across its 630+ hotels worldwide.
As travelers increasingly use artificial intelligence for trip planning, hotels must consider impacts on visibility and distribution strategy, writes Operto CEO Tim Major. Travelers describe trips in terms of mood, purpose, and experience, and AI turns that into a shortlist almost instantly. In the traditional search model, signals like rankings, impressions, and click-through rates were visible; in the age of AI, that visibility disappears. Hotels are being judged in a system they can't observe. Vague positioning gets filtered out; a hotel clearly designed for a specific guest type becomes easier to match. AI introduces a new kind of intermediary that shapes demand. If a hotel is mischarac…
BWH Hotels is expanding its design-driven boutique brand Aiden with new openings across North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. In the U.S., Aiden by Best Western Sacramento Downtown in California and Aiden by Best Western Kansas City Downtown in Missouri recently opened, with properties also debuting in Germany and Thailand. Additional openings are scheduled for the remainder of 2026, including Denver, Tempe, Arizona, and Pullman, Washington. Brad LeBlanc, SVP and chief development officer at BWH Hotels, said the expansion comes as travelers seek hotels with 'personality, a sense of discovery and a connection to the destination.' The Sacramento hotel, opened in May, features design elemen…
Hilton has announced the appointment of Kolin Pound as Area President for the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), effective August 24, 2026. In this role, Pound will oversee Hilton's operations in the region, leading hotel teams and partnering with owners and key stakeholders to drive performance and support continued growth. He joins from Ares Management, bringing extensive hospitality, real estate, and investment experience. Hilton currently operates 315 hotels and resorts in the region, with 150 more in development.
Hilton has announced the appointment of Kolin Pound as Area President for the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), effective August 24, 2026. In this role, Pound will oversee Hilton's operations in the region, leading hotel teams and partnering with owners and key stakeholders to drive performance and support continued growth. He joins from Ares Management, bringing extensive hospitality, real estate, and investment experience. Hilton currently operates 315 hotels and resorts in the region, with 150 more in development.
Radisson Hotel Group is maintaining its target of 100 hotels in operation and development in Saudi Arabia by 2030, despite disruption from the U.S.-Iran war. Executive Elie Younes cites Saudi Arabia's domestic-driven demand as more resilient than the UAE's international-dependent market, forecasting recovery by June 2026, earlier than external forecasts of 2027. Expansion is shifting to secondary cities and the three- and four-star tier, favoring new builds.
Hotels have mastered booking conversion, but the post-booking confirmation experience is often under-optimized. The article argues that post-booking is a key moment to understand traveler needs, using booking data to offer relevant recommendations like transportation, dining, experiences. However, too many offers can backfire; relevance and timing must be tested. Measuring incrementality requires experiments and control groups. Hotels should apply ecommerce discipline to the post-booking journey, making better decisions about what deserves attention.
IHG signed a management agreement with Discover Resorts Neral to convert a property in Karjat to its voco brand, expected to open by early 2028, adding over 200 rooms. Located in Maharashtra's Karjat, near Mumbai and Pune, the hotel targets leisure and MICE markets.
IHG signed a landmark portfolio deal with GCP Hospitality for 14 hotels in Kyoto totaling 1,063 rooms, including 12 Garner hotels, one Holiday Inn Express, and one unbranded hotel. All will be converted and open in phases over the next 12 months, marking one of Japan's largest conversion deals in recent years.