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m.carisetti

69 posts

TKO Proposes Over $500 Million All-Cash Offer to Acquire 93 Hotels from Service Properties Trust

🏨 October 9, 2023, TKO Hotels proposed an all-cash offer for 93 hotels owned by Service Properties Trust, totaling over 21,000 rooms in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The offer surpasses SVC's market cap of $926 million, equating to $95,000 per room. SVC's total debt is $4.7 billion. Meanwhile, European deals include London's Novotel Greenwich and Copenhagen's Scandic Webers acquisitions. Italian real estate investments rose 36%, reaching €10.6 billion in 2023.
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Spain Overtakes France as Europe's Top Earner in International Tourism Revenue, Reaching $130 Billion by 2025

🌎 Published alongside the 26th WTTC Global Summit in Valletta on October 9, the report forecasts Europe's travel sector to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2025, contributing 9.4% to GDP and creating 40.7 million jobs. Spain leads in international tourism revenue with $130 billion. Multiple-entry Schengen visas dropped 40% since 2019. Entry/Exit System waits could risk 41 million arrivals and $45.4 billion in spending. Sector investment is $259 billion, still 3.6% below 2019 levels.
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  • 3 min

Hotel Indigo Expands to 334 Properties by 2026, Focusing on Resorts and Branded Residences in Global Markets

🏨 Hotel Indigo, established in the US in 2004, reached 100 properties by 2019, doubling in the next seven years. In 2023, the brand expanded into Latin America, Southern Europe, and Asia, opening in Lima, Grand Cayman, and Bangkok. France saw a new opening in Bordeaux. The pipeline includes 134 projects, totaling 334 properties across 30+ countries. Notably, the first branded residences in Egypt debut in 2026. By 2024, resorts become a key growth driver, focusing on lifestyle and luxury.
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China's Marriage Registrations Halve Over Ten Years, Impacting Upscale Hotel Banquet Revenues; 2025 Sees Rebound

📅 In 2024, China saw the lowest marriage registrations since 1980. This impacts upscale hotels reliant on weddings, with a 2025 rebound to 6.76 million due to relaxed rules and an auspicious year. In 2025, star-rated hotel revenue fell by 7%. Visa-free foreign visitors increased by 49.5% to 30.08 million, but domestic trips remained at 6.52 billion. The Black Pearl guide's 2026 edition features 263 restaurants in China. Hyatt and IHG innovate wedding and banquet concepts.
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Amélie Thiriet Appointed CEO of Orient Express Amid Accor-LVMH Strategic Partnership, Overseeing Expansion and Operations

🛩 Amélie Thiriet, from LVMH, becomes CEO of Orient Express, succeeding Gilda Perez-Alvarado. In April 2025, Orient Express La Minerva opened in Rome. Upcoming projects include the Orient Express Venezia hotel, the La Dolce Vita train (2027), and two sailing yachts. A strategic partnership was formed between Accor and LVMH in June 2024. The brand is transitioning from planning to operations, with a focus on generating revenue from new assets.
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Compagnie de Phalsbourg Unifies Marketing Strategy Amid €120 Million SAX Hotel Paris Opening and Expansion Plans

📰 Compagnie de Phalsbourg, led by Philippe Journo, unifies its marketing for corporate, retail, and hospitality. Solenn Gubri and Johanna Smadja Navarro join to enhance image and brand strategy. The SAX hotel brand grows with Hôtel SAX Paris, opened in April 2025, a €120 million investment, leading to a €102 million refinancing. New openings include SAX Castle and SAX Antibes in May 2027. Journo discusses this strategy at the Hospitality Asset Forum on November 23.
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Hyatt Reduces Construction Costs by 25% with New Gen 4 Prototype for Hyatt Place Hotels

📈 On October 5, the Chicago-based group introduced "Gen 4," a new template for Hyatt Place, reducing keys from 140 to 127 and floor area by nearly 20%. The switch to a four-story wood-frame structure aims at a 25% cut in construction costs. Hyatt Studios, launched in 2023, also sheds 12 keys and 280 sqm. Hyatt, facing high construction costs, has a $500 million loan program for new projects and aims to expand into over 300 submarkets.
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  • 4 min

Accor, Etihad, and MSC Lead Mobile Hospitality Innovation with Luxury Yacht, Aircraft, and Cruise Offerings

🛡️ Accor’s Orient Express Corinthian, a 220-meter yacht, launched April 29, 2026, sails the Mediterranean with 54 suites for 110 passengers. Air France's La Première suite, launched April 8, 2025, offers 3.5 sqm suites on 19 aircraft by year-end 2026. Belmond's Britannic Explorer train, from July 21, 2025, charges £11,000 for three nights. Etihad’s A380 suite, ‘The Residence,’ resumed in 2023. MSC Group launched Explora III in July 2026, heading toward hydrogen-powered ships. Rotel Tours, founded 1945, celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025.
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  • 2 min

European Commission Highlights Booking.com's Voluntary Measures Under Digital Markets Act, Removing Price Parity Clauses by 2024

💸 On September 28, the European Commission released a fact sheet on Booking.com's compliance with the Digital Markets Act. By November 14, 2024, Booking.com, a gatekeeper from May 2024, will allow hotels to offer different prices on other channels, including direct sites. Parity clauses vanished in 2024. Greece, Italy, and Spain continue related investigations, with Spain's €413.24 million fine on hold. Changes affect programs like Genius and Booking Sponsored Benefit, enhancing transparency and performance data access.
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  • 3 min

Nox Mobility Launches Hamburg-Munich Night Train with First Departure in March 2027, Tickets from €65

🚄 Nox Mobility unveiled its first carriage on September 23, 2023, at InnoTrans in Berlin, launching ticket sales for its Hamburg-Munich route starting March 23, 2027. Tickets start at €65, covering business travelers who opt for flights. Founded in 2025 by Thibault Constant and others, Nox raised €2 million in April from IBB Ventures. It leases 1980s carriages and plans a Zurich-Berlin route by December 2027. In 2024, 1.2 million flew this route.
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