Category: Recent News

What does it mean to deliver authentic hospitality in an increasingly automated world? In this episode of The Turndown, Diogo Vaz Ferreira, Head of Commercial at Clink Hostels, shares his thoughts on balancing modernization with the human touch in the hostel industry.

In 2025, hotel profitability is being squeezed from both sides. Labor costs are rising. Consumer demand is flattening. And owners and operators are under increasing pressure to reduce operating costs – without sacrificing the guest experience.

Independent hospitality operators are marketing masters by necessity. With limited staff, budgets, and time, they juggle social media, email campaigns, OTA listings, reviews and advertising — often all at once. In TakeUp’s The Voice of Independent Hospitality Report 2025, 64% of property owners cite social media as their primary marketing channel, with another 50% relying on word of mouth and 44% using email marketing.

The most expensive real estate in your hotel? It’s not the presidential suite—it’s your empty meeting room on a Tuesday afternoon.

The 2025 Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa Awards will honour three exceptional individuals whose leadership, vision, and integrity have profoundly shaped the hospitality industry in Africa and beyond. David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, will be recognised with the FHS Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality Award; William E. Heinecke, Founder and Chairman of Minor Hotels, will receive the FHS Leadership Award and Hala Matar Choufany, President of HVS Middle East, Africa & South Asia, will be presented with the FHS Excellence Award.

In this week’s episode of Hotel Moment, we’re re-visiting a conversation with Shannon Knapp, President and CEO of The Leading Hotels of the World, and Revinate CMO Karen Stephens. They discuss how technology is the “great facilitator” of luxury experiences and the driver of true guest loyalty. Shannon also sets the record straight on who really calls the shots on luxury experiences (hint: it’s your guests), and shares why serving your guests’ preferences is one of the best things you can do to elevate on-property experiences.

When a major event comes to town, hotel demand can skyrocket. Whether it’s a global conference, a championship game, or a sold-out stadium tour, these moments present a unique opportunity to grow revenue—if you’re prepared.

Together, Wyndham and its franchisees are going places. That was the message heard by thousands of hotel owners, suppliers and Wyndham team members this morning as the Company officially kicked off its 2025 Global Conference in Las Vegas. Amid a packed Caesars Forum, one of the city’s newest and most modern convention centers, Company leaders laid out over half a dozen new initiatives spanning technology, sourcing, loyalty and marketing—designed to help hotel owners better serve guests all while lowering costs, unlocking operational efficiencies and growing their bottom line.

Sports-tripping – the trend whereby people travel specifically to watch sporting events, participate in competitions or build sports into their holidays – is taking centre stage in business travel, according to a new survey by Hyatt1.

Ennismore, the fastest-growing lifestyle and leisure hospitality company, in partnership with Vivium, a single-family office specialising in luxury residential and hospitality investments, announces the signing of a strategic, long-term partnership that will welcome Luura to Morgans Originals, a collection of one-of-a-kind, independent hotels with an iconic cultural story.