Category: Recent News

The global hotel industry was on a bit of a rollercoaster ride the last three weeks. Across most countries, the week preceding Christmas produced double-digit gains as global revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 10.4%. We then saw a decline during Christmas week (-1.8%) followed by a second round of double-digit gains (+25.3%) during the week ending 4 January 2025. Year-over-year growth in the most recent week benefited from a calendar shift as New Year’s Day was on a Wednesday versus Monday last year. A readjustment of the week’s performance matching the dates (not days) still revealed a healthy RevPAR increase of 9.4%.

Preserving local communities and fostering meaningful connections are central to the Group. By cultivating strong relationships with local stakeholders, integrating Heartists® and aligning our operations with the unique needs and challenges of each community, we promote more responsible travel practices. This approach encourages our guests to experience a deeper, more authentic connection to the destinations they visit. For our team members, these efforts create opportunities to contribute positively to their own communities, often in partnership with organizations attuned to local needs, giving greater meaning to their daily work.

Warning – this blog post talks about cruelty to cats. I in no way support this practice and I am not promoting the activity in any way. The purpose of this article is to tell a story around the financial controls for hotel paid outs. Even with the disclaimer I am pretty sure I’ll get some flack, but the story is worth it!

2024 was the year of globetrotting with guests adventuring to international locales and seeking out experiential listings, capturing their one-of-a-kind stays on TikTok. Some of the most loved TikToks of the past year highlighted unique listings with eccentric architecture and distinctive amenities in off-the-beaten-path destinations.

It’s been great reading some articles here on Hospitality Net about trends and opportunities this year, such as Martin Soler’s hotel media review and EHL’s “Key Hospitality Technology Trends to Watch in 2025.”

For years, outdated and fragmented technology stacks have held hotels back, slowing growth and stifling innovation. In 2025, the message is clear: the status quo is no longer sustainable.

Tripadvisor Group today announced a collaboration with Perplexity, an AI-powered answer engine, designed to improve how travelers plan their journeys. This partnership integrates Tripadvisor Group’s extensive travel resources — including Tripadvisor’s one billion reviews and contributions, AI-generated summaries, and Viator’s 300,000+ travel experiences — with Perplexity’s advanced search capabilities. Together, they aim to provide personalized, actionable recommendations to simplify and enrich the trip-planning process.

In a world where technology and medical advancements have raised the bar for healthcare quality, today’s medical sector is however facing a significant challenge regarding patient satisfaction. Whether internally or externally, both patients and professionals are looking for a service that goes beyond excellence in clinical care. Could lessons from the hospitality industry provide the missing link? The role of Chief Experience Officer, inspired by hospitality competencies, might hold the key to redefining patient satisfaction in healthcare.

Whitbread PLC, the UK’s leading hospitality company and owner of Premier Inn, has committed to opening an 81-bedroom Premier Inn hotel at Belfast International Airport.

Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming are continuing their commitment to fight human trafficking this National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and all through the year. The companies will expand their educational high school program focused on preventing online luring of minors to middle school curriculums, spotlight the crisis around Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) and continue other efforts to recognize human trafficking and take action.