Gencom Announces Acquisition of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park

Vision Hospitality Group, Inc., a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based hotel development and investment company, is pleased to announce the official opening of Tempo by Hilton Nashville Midtown , a 161-room lifestyle hotel located in Nashville’s Midtown district.

Leading real estate developers Related Group (Related) and Dezer Development have completed vertical construction at the Rosewood Residences Hillsboro Beach, marking a major milestone for South Florida’s most exclusive new address and the first-ever hospitality-branded condominium in the area.

In this conversation, Sloan Dean interviews Benjamin Rafter, CEO of Hotel Equities and Springboard Hospitality, about his unconventional path from tech startups into hotel leadership and what that background means for the current cycle. Rafter argues that the US lodging market is entering a “reset” driven by debt maturities, deferred capex, and constrained owners, creating opportunity for strong operators, especially those able to combine operational discipline with modern commercial capabilities. He sees guest preference shifting toward experiences, localisation, and customisation, accelerating growth in soft brands and independent lifestyle hotels, while AI gradually levels the playing field by improving discovery, distribution, and decision making. Rafter also explains the strategic rationale behind the Hotel Equities–Springboard combination: keeping specialised operating models distinct (branded select service vs. lifestyle/independent), while scaling shared commercial services, t...

Kerten Hospitality has entered 2026 with the signing of 1,000 new keys in January, building on one of the most successful years in its history to accelerate expansion across the Middle East, Africa, and other high-growth markets.

The European Travel Commission (ETC) and Eurail have published the new Long-Haul Travel Barometer 1/2026, providing forward-looking insights into travel intentions, preferences and barriers among travellers from seven key overseas markets to Europe: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and the United States. The findings point to a more cautious outlook for long-haul travel throughout 2026, shaped by affordability concerns, growing preference for domestic or closer-to-home trips and limited vacation time.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Hospitality Management will offer scholarships to employees of Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA) dues-paying member organizations who wish to pursue a Master of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management program or a Graduate Certificate in Hospitality Management program at Penn State.