Category: Recent News

Leonardo Hotels, the European division of the Israeli owner-operator Fattal Hotel Group, has acquired three UK properties in separate single-asset transactions: the four-star, 270-room Leonardo Hotel Southampton, the four-star, 170-room Leonardo Hotel Exeter, and the four-star, 94-room Leonardo Hotel Chester. All three properties are situated in central locations and include a restaurant and bar. Leonardo had already been operating the hotels under FRI leases, and the Chester acquisition also includes three commercial units that are let to third-party tenants.

Maestro PMS has recently enhanced its Online Gift Card module, giving independent hotels, luxury resorts, and multi-property groups new tools to grow guest loyalty, increase brand visibility, and drive repeat bookings throughout the year. With consumer demand for personalized digital gifting at an all-time high, this upgraded module empowers hoteliers to use gift cards as more than a point-of-sale transaction. Now, they serve as powerful tools for marketing, engagement, and revenue growth.

Last week, we took a quick look at the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and why it matters for hotels advancing environmental performance and responsible operations. This week, GCSTIMES is diving deeper into how we help hoteliers demonstrate alignment with GSTC.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Benchmarking the representation of women and Black leaders in the hotel industry, the Penn State School of Hospitality Management has released the 2025 Representation in Hotel Leadership research report.

Hotel groups worldwide are increasingly turning to a new performance lever: workflow automation. Not as a future bet, but as a proven driver of efficiency, accuracy, and financial impact. More exactly, we are talking about hyperautomation, which is a hotel-specific blend of AI-powered digital workers that replaces repetitive tasks, improves data accuracy, and frees up human teams to focus on service, not spreadsheets.

The Data Appeal Company announced the launch of a new feature that turns large volumes of travel signals into clear insights, scenario analyses, and actionable recommendations and outputs through a contextual intelligence interface.Built specifically for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), tourism boards, and travel authorities, this revolutionary tool addresses one of the sector’s most significant challenges: while tourism demand and data have grown exponentially, many destinations still lack the capabilities and resources to keep up.Unlike generic AI solutions, this system is built on a trusted, curated and continuously updated knowledge base, sourced from hundreds of integrated datasets within The Data Appeal and Mabrian’s shared data space.

Moderator: Jon Peck, President of Peck Hotel Consulting, and Cayuga Hospitality Consultant

Veterans Day falling on a Tuesday, compared with Monday last year, slowed U.S. travel. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) for the week ending 15 November fell 4.6% on declining occupancy (-2.6 percentage points, ppts). Average daily rate (ADR) was also down (-0.5%), which was the industry’s first decrease since the week ending of 25 October.

Just four months following the completion of Marriott International’s acquisition of the citizenM brand, the company that founded, owns and operates citizenM hotels has unveiled its new name: Another Star.

Having worked in the hotel business for over four decades, I know most people think the numbers are the “hard” part of hospitality. There’s a common belief that the financials are best left to professionals who can sort out the complex interplay between the different departments of a hotel. It’s just too challenging and complicated for anyone who didn’t go to accounting school.