Shaikha Al Nowais has been confirmed as the new Secretary-General of UN Tourism. Meeting in Riyadh, the Organization’s General Assembly formally ratified her nomination and showed their strong support.
McLean, VA - The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation has released its fourth annual State of Talent Report, outlining the top trends impacting talent across hospitality’s commercial disciplines — sales, marketing, and revenue optimization. The report’s analysis of key talent trends reveals a dramatically transformed workplace landscape in 2025, driven primarily by artificial intelligence adoption, demographic shifts, and post-pandemic workplace evolution.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has announced its 2025–2026 HFTP Global Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
EuroCHRIE 2025, hosted by Hotelschool The Hague, brings together global educators, researchers, and industry leaders to explore the future of hospitality and tourism education. The conference highlights innovation across the sector, from AI and leadership to sustainability, future skills, while emphasising the role of education as a driver of industry innovation.
Social impact driven hospitality brand The Social Hub has unveiled a new-look marketing leadership team as it ramps up its European brand-building operation under Chief Marketing Officer Trix van der Vleuten.
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, has partnered with ESSEC Academy, Singapore to launch a tailored leadership development initiative.
Women are the majority of professionals in key business travel industry roles – comprising 74% of travel buyers and over half of travel supplier (62%) and travel management company (TMC) staff (55%) – yet remain underrepresented in senior leadership and report lower satisfaction with career growth, compensation and work-life balance.
UN Tourism has launched its first-ever set of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) dedicated entirely to rural tourism.
Meliá Hotels International, Spain's leading hotel group, with more than 400 hotels open or in development across over 40 countries, and recognized as Europe's most sustainable hotel company, also leading globally in several international sustainability rankings, reinforces its commitment to education and professionalization through a strategic partnership with Les Roches.
The man who helped create the iconic Las Vegas brand-ad campaign, “What Happens Here, Stays Here” has passed away after a 16-year battle with cancer.
Bluegr Hotels & Resorts’ next generation joins HSMAI Europe’s Connecting Future Leaders – ahead of the programme’s launch in Greece
AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of AHLA dedicated to supporting a strong hotel industry workforce, today announced the distribution of more than $710,000 in academic scholarships to 246 students at 64 schools across the country for the 2025–2026 academic year.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launches a landmark report, revealing that while the sector is on course to support one in three new jobs worldwide by 2035, demographic and structural shifts could create a workforce shortfall of more than 43MN people if left unaddressed.
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the launch of Masarona by IHG, a landmark talent development program designed to empower Saudi nationals to become the future leaders of the global hospitality industry. The program name, meaning “Our Pathway” in Arabic, reflects a shared commitment to creating exceptional career journeys for local talent in alignment with the Kingdom’s transformative Vision 2030.
The H2B Workforce Coalition, an effort aimed at protecting American workers through a stable and reliable seasonal workforce, today released a comprehensive economic analysis that explores the impacts and realities of the H-2B Visa Program. Completed by Edgeworth Economics, the study finds that the H-2B program has not had a detrimental effect on jobs and the salaries of U.S. workers - it has increased wages and supported the labor force.
Dusit Thani College, Thailand’s leading institute for hospitality education under Dusit International, has been officially certified to administer Japan’s Accommodation Industry Proficiency Test in Thailand, creating direct pathways for Thai and ASEAN talent to secure skilled positions in Japan’s hospitality sector.
NEWH, Inc. (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), the premier organization dedicated to scholarships, education, mentorship, and networking in the hospitality industry, is honored to announce the establishment of the Nikki Jones Memorial Scholarship, which is funded by a $50,000 bequest from Jones. A $10,000 biennial scholarship will be awarded in honor of Jones, a longtime member and significant contributor to the organization, as a testament to her belief in the power of education and her enduring commitment to fostering the next generation of hospitality leaders.
The AHLA Foundation today announced partnerships with the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) and the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA) designed to strengthen opportunities for young people seeking professions in the industry. Building on the Foundation’s legacy of scholarship support for hospitality students, these strategic alliances represent an evolution of the Foundation’s talent pipeline mission—bridging the gap between higher education institutions and industry workforce needs.
Far East Hospitality has announced the retirement of its Managing Director, Mr. Arthur Kiong for 31 December 2025. Mr. Kiong, previously Chief Executive Officer, will hand over the role of Managing Director to its Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Mark Rohner and assume the role of Consultant from 1 January to 30 April 2026. These changes are part of Far East Orchard’s strategic succession planning for sustainable long-term growth.
As part of a commitment to women in employment, Rosewood Hotel Group and Rosewood Foundation are proud to announce a new annual program - Rise to the Table. A first-of-its-kind, fully sponsored global program, Rise to the Table, is designed to empower the next generation of female hospitality leaders. Extending beyond Rosewood’s associates, the program will welcome women from the global food and beverage industry for a week-long immersive educational experience, hosted by Rosewood’s leaders and experts at Rosewood Hong Kong in early March 2026, followed by a year of mentorship aimed at fostering career growth. Applications for the program will close on October 13, 2025.