The Hospitality Professionals Association has confirmed that this year’s HOSPACE will be a landmark occasion – as the organisation prepares to host the 20th edition of its flagship annual conference.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, has rolled out two bold, new and first-of-its-kind campaigns, spotlighting the benefits of its four extended stay brands—Everhome Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Studios, and WoodSpring Suites. "Stay in Your Rhythm" a campaign focused on all its extended stay brands, shows guests how they can keep up with daily routines, while "The WoodSpring Way" highlights the genuine hospitality and friendly service WoodSpring Suites staff deliver to its guests. With over 550 extended stay locations open, 51 under construction, and 350+ in the pipeline, Choice Hotels is leading the way in long-term lodging.
NEWH, Inc. (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), the premier organization dedicated to scholarships, education, mentorship, and networking in the hospitality industry, has named Victoria Labalme, internationally renowned speaker, performing artist, and communication strategist, as keynote speaker of its biennial NEWH Leadership Conference, March 26-28, 2026 at the Westin Washington, D.C. Downtown.
Today, Booking.com released The Global AI Sentiment Report, drawing on insights from over 37,000 consumers across 33 markets to explore how people are using, trusting, and responding to AI in everyday life and travel. As both the public and private sectors accelerate investments in AI, Booking.com, a leading digital travel platform that has integrated AI into its services for over a decade, is committed to shaping the future of travel technology in line with evolving consumer attitudes.
Luxury consumption in China is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by younger, more dynamic consumers and evolving preferences that go beyond traditional notions of wealth display. This shift is particularly evident in the hospitality sector, where luxury hotels now cater to a deeper desire for sensory and emotional experiences. Despite this growing demand, however, research to date has shed little light on how sensory stimulation shapes luxury hotel experiences or how cultural factors influence consumers’ responses to luxury. Working with a co-author, Professor Kam Hung and Professor Cathy Hsu of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) explore the multi-sensory dimensions of luxury consumption. Their findings offer guidance for hoteliers seeking to craft meaningful and memorable experiences for their guests.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand, is pleased to announce the addition of 18 new member properties to its global portfolio between April 1 and June 30, 2025. To celebrate, I Prefer Hotel Rewards members can earn 2,500 bonus points on eligible stays at any of these participating locations for a limited time. Ranging from a brand-new and distinguished Texas Inn to a historic castle-turned-luxury-retreat in the Austrian Alps, each of these unique and independent properties offers immersive, authentic experiences that spark curiosity and encourage travelers to discover even more extraordinary destinations across the globe. Highlights include:
U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Hotels, Best Cruise Lines and Best Vacations, unveiled the 2025-2026 Best Travel Rewards Programs to help everyday travelers find the best loyalty programs.
Building on their successful collaboration launched last year, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) and Hainan Airlines have further deepened their strategic partnership in 2025 with the joint concept ‘Where Dreams Bloom, Journey to the Oasis’. Together, the two brands present a range of elevated travel touchpoints—including a co-branded airport lounge and business class menus—expanding the boundaries of culture and tourism collaboration. As IHG marks its 50th anniversary in Greater China, this strengthened partnership reflects a shared vision to deliver a seamless end-to-end travel experience with elevated product and service offerings.
Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, is inviting travel professionals to join the HERA Challenge, recognizing the performance and expertise of the world’s top travel advisors. Open to HERA members – Accor’s global loyalty and rewards program for travel advisors – the Challenge will see 33 top advisors flown to Colombia to stay at the luxurious Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena and the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort.
S Hotels and Resorts PCL (SET: SHR), the international hospitality company under Singha Estate PCL (SET: S), is proud to announce its partnership with Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) to join a curated collection of independent hospitality brands through GHA DISCOVERY, a multi-brand loyalty programme powered by a shared technology platform. GHA is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands with 45 brands and 850 hotels in 100 countries. Its award-winning loyalty programme— GHA DISCOVERY – offers members unparalleled access to world-class hospitality.
Travel remains a top priority for Europeans, with 77% planning to take at least one trip between June and November 2025. Despite ongoing economic pressures, most intend to maintain or even increase their holiday budgets in the coming months, according to the latest “Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel” Wave 22 report from the European Travel Commission (ETC).
Although the average daily rate (ADR) for a U.S. hotel room climbed to a record high of $158.671 in 2024, hotel guests in every segment from economy to luxury feel they are getting better value for their travel dollar. According to the J.D. Power 2025 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study,SM released today, key drivers of that improved perception of value are higher satisfaction with guest rooms, including condition, cleanliness and room amenities such as in-room smart TVs.
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) has unveiled a significant milestone in its international strategy, announcing major loyalty partnership with Lotte Hotels & Resorts of South Korea. Building on the momentum of its Maritim collaboration, the Lotte partnership marks the next step in MHR's phased global expansion. This dual alliance signals a transformative moment for MHR, setting the stage for broader global connectivity, enhanced loyalty offerings, and unprecedented benefits for travellers across key regions.
Under the High Patronage of His Excellency Mr. Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa will host the first-ever World Music and Tourism Festival. UN Tourism joins the event as a supporting partner, reinforcing the shared value of culture and tourism for sustainable development and for building mutual understanding and peace.
New research from MMGY reveals that American travelers remain deeply committed to leisure travel, even as economic headwinds and global uncertainty shape their choices. According to the 2025 “Summer Edition” of Portrait of American Travelers®, U.S. travelers are increasingly hitting the road, turning to artificial intelligence for planning support and embracing evolving definitions of luxury, lifestyle and wellness.
onefinestay, the leading luxury private rental brand, has built its first online portal creating a seamless new process for the 30,000 global travel advisors it works with. The Partner Portal gives advisors exclusive access to search, create and initiate a booking in any of onefinestay’s 40 destinations around the world.
Minor Hotels, a leading global hotel owner and operator with more than 560 properties across 57 countries, announces the strategic expansion of its brand portfolio with the addition of four new hotel brands, including the group’s first soft brands. The newly launched brands will support Minor Hotels’ continued growth by enabling it to expand into new markets and provide distinctive hospitality offerings across the luxury, premium and select segments.
Leora Halpern Lanz, a multi-award-winning hospitality marketing expert and distinguished faculty member at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, announces the release of her debut book, Developing Your Marketing Mindset: Real-World Lessons from Hospitality, available September 15, 2025. This is the first in a two-part series, with a companion title scheduled for release on February 2, 2026.
Accor Invest is changing its name and becoming Essendi. This change completes the transformation initiated in 2020 to make Essendi the European leader in responsible hospitality. This new identity embodies the group's ambition: to actively contribute to a more sustainable and higher-performing hotel industry.
Register your team and participate live, or view the recording, of Doug Kennedy’s next 40-minute training webcast scheduled for Monday, July 21, at Noon EDT. This webcast will be of interest to all reservations sales agents, contact center staff, managers, along with executives responsible for revenue and distribution.