PHL, a ‘niche’ hospitality growth market
SMALL but resilient. This was how the Philippines’ publicly listed hospitality companies and travel firms are described in an investment brief, having grown by 63 percent in revenue to US$1.8 billion (P102.96 billion) in the last three years…
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Rising star chef arrested after 'robbing three banks on the same day'
Valentino Luchin is a celebrated chef who has worked in the California food industry for decades - but the robbery accusations are not his first run-in with the law
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Adaptable Ascott leans in to new models
The Ascott Ltd…
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Is AI going to make hotel websites obsolete?
We are already witnessing the emergence of the Personal AI Agents. ChatGPT Operator, Google Gemini AI Agent, Microsoft Copilot AI Agent, Claude AI Agent, etc…
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Hospitality CEOs on the future of travel in 2030
Each year, CEOs of the Global Hotel Alliance’s 45 member brands are invited to gather at a standout property within the group’s portfolio for a week-long summit of strategy sharing, future-gazing, and relationship-building, punctuated by fine dining…
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The Five Stages of Rate Parity Acceptance
Rate parity is an evergreen topic. I wrote an article on rate parity for hotels in 2023, and all the way back in 2015. It’s an issue that seems to stir up a lot of concern at the asset management and property levels…
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European hotels rebuff Airbnb's overtourism claims
Last summer, tourists in Barcelona were drenched by water pistols by local residents demonstrating against overtourism in their city. In Genoa, Italy, protesters carried out a “noisy stroll,” dragging suitcases through the city to make their…
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The Problem With "Just Ask a Manager" — And Why AI Needs to Meet Workers Where They Are
In hospitality, knowledge is power—but only if it’s accessible. Too often, the people who need critical answers the most—the ones on the floor, in the kitchen, or starting a shift—are the least likely to find them quickly…
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The Tomb A Machine Can’t Find: When the Golden Key Unlocks What Tech Alone Can’t
“Thank you. I found my friend.” That was the message Sharezal Abdul Wahid received a week after a guest checked out of The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur — accompanied by a photo of the elderly man standing by the grave of a long-lost wartime friend…
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The Hotel Industry's Bold Play: When Your Biggest Partner Becomes Your Target
Across Europe, we're witnessing an unprecedented wave of collective legal action as hotel associations in more than 25 countries have joined forces to sue Booking, seeking billions in damages for commissions paid between 2004 and 2024…
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Hotel glitch hits Thai travel scheme as bookings halted despite unused subsidies
Top hotels suspend bookings under ‘Half-Half Thai Travel 2025’ scheme due to system glitches.
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Outrageous demands from jet-setting billionaires when they stay at the world's best hotels
Olivia Ferney has had lobster flown across islands, been berated over the brand of bottled water in a minibar and nearly lost a $100,000 booking because there weren't enough TVs in a mansion.
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Hotel leaders talk value — and challenges — of proliferating brands
At the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum, executives and CEOs from Hyatt, G6 Hospitality, Hilton and more shared thoughts on how brands can drive growth, not confusion.
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Hotel CEOs on the ‘human need’ for travel in the face of uncertainty
CEOs of Wyndham, Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott shared hospitality’s top growth opportunities at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum.
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Greece Backs Europe-Wide Hotel Class Action Against Booking.com
Booking.com’s infringement of EU competition law through price parity clauses has triggered a collective compensation claim by hotels across Europe.
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Trump luxury hotel project on hold after official admits to forging documents
Goran Vasic, director of Serbia’s Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, confesses to inventing expert opinion to justify decision to strip historic site of protected status
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CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratios Top 500:1 at Major Hotel and Travel Companies
Many companies have said there’s no standard methodology for determining the ratio for CEO-to-median employee pay, which makes direct comparisons tricky.
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What Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt execs think about development in 2025
A trade war in recent months spurred uncertainty not seen in the global financial markets since the start of the pandemic…
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