Category: Recent News

Introducing R FINDS: a global marketplace featuring over 175 locally-sourced treasures from neighborhoods across 20 countries; created to empower creative economies, encourage travelers to embrace the art of discovery, and elevate the stories of over 175+ small businesses around the globe.

The appetite for leisure travel is set to continue to grow in 2025, according to a new industry report. Figures from Marriott Bonvoy’s 2025 ‘Ticket to Travel’ research – conducted amongst 21,374 adults in ten markets across Europe, Africa and the Middle East – shows that 42% of travellers plan to go on more holidays in 2025 vs 2024, while 81% will do more or the same amount.

Scandic has signed two long-term lease agreements with property owner JV Nordväst Fastighet AB to take over two hotels in Helsingborg and Jönköping that together have 199 rooms. The hotels will undergo comprehensive renovations and will be adapted to Scandic’s new brand before opening during the first half of 2026.

A total of 583 deals (mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing) were announced in the Travel and Tourism sector during January to October 2024. This marked a year-over-year (YoY) decline of 10.4% compared to the 651 deals announced during the same period in 2023, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Avalon Hospitality Group (AHG), a trusted name in hotel management for full-service, select-service and resort properties, proudly announces the integration of SalesAndCatering.com’s STS Cloud and ProposalPath by Bluebuzzard across its expansive portfolio. This forward-thinking commitment to cutting-edge group sales technology is set to enhance productivity, elevate client experiences, and foster growth throughout its properties.

The recent ruling by a Texas federal judge to vacate the Department of Labor’s (DOL) overtime rule sent shockwaves through the hospitality industry. The proposed salary threshold increase would have expanded overtime eligibility to approximately 3.6 million lower-paid salaried workers across industries, many of whom are employed in hospitality. While this decision provides temporary relief, it also opens the door for deeper introspection and strategic action.

Markham, Ontario, Nov. 19, 2024 — Today, paying for hotel stays is more secure than ever before thanks to an integration between the coveted All-In-One Cloud or On-Premise Maestro PMS solutions’ embedded payment platform, MezzoPay, and the b4checkin (b4) online payment solution, TransForm. MezzoPay embeds all payments for credit-card processing directly into the hotel PMS, enabling hotels to offer a seamless end-to-end payment experience from booking to check out. This partnership is also supporting hoteliers in their fight against chargebacks and fraud by fully obscuring credit card information through card-not-present (CNP) transactions, and other fraud prevention features.

As technology evolves, so do the demands of our industry and workforce. Yet, in hospitality, technology’s role should be simple: it must empower people, not replace them. Our industry revolves around human connections, and while automation can streamline operations, it’s the personal touch that brings guests back and drives team engagement. In a recent conversation with Rob Smith, CEO of Stonebridge Companies, we explored the balance between digital innovation and human interaction—a conversation that feels more relevant than ever as labor challenges and shifting guest expectations reshape hospitality.

Audubon International – the environmentally focused non-profit organization offering members numerous certifications and conservation initiatives to protect the areas where we all live, work, and play – announces that The Ritz-Carlton, Denver has attained Green Lodging/Green Hospitality Gold-level Certification for sustainable best practices.

Urban Rest, the innovative leader in flexible alternative accommodations, is excited to announce the opening of the first phase of Urban Rest Hackney, a new serviced apartment property in the vibrant East End of London. This marks an important step in the brand’s rapid growth across the UK and Europe, bringing its signature extended-stay offering to one of London’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.