📖 The Hotel Guide, the oldest hotel digital magazine in the U.S., reaches over 25 million people annually. Edward R. Leos and the team focus on influencing hospitality, not just reporting it. A new edition highlights emerging trends in luxury travel, including transformative wellness, emotional design, and culturally rooted experiences. Featured destinations range from California to Iceland and Slovenia. The future belongs to brands creating meaning, not just moments.
🏨 U.S. hotel occupancy reached 66.8% for the week ending March 28, with ADR at $170.30 and RevPAR up 8.3% year-over-year. However, expenses above GOP rose 4.1% and below GOP by 3.6% in 2024, outpacing the 2.3% revenue growth. Hospitality faces labor and cost pressures, with 71% of owners citing goods costs as a major concern. Investment volumes rose 22% from 2023 to 2025, with regulatory changes in LA and NY impacting the industry.
🍽 In 2026, the National Restaurant Association reports a 41% consumer approval for tech in hospitality, against two-thirds of operators. Despite tech adoption, 94% say no jobs were lost. Delivery is prevalent; 52% order despite financial strains, yet 56% prefer direct restaurant orders. 25% of restaurants use AI, but only 39% are comfortable with AI personas. Generational views on robot/drone delivery vary, with Gen Z more receptive than 20% of Boomers.
🍽 In 2024, a report by NRN highlighted that 62% of customers would lose loyalty to a brand without a personalized experience, necessitating restaurants to cater to individual preferences. This includes using technology like POS systems, self-serve kiosks, and AI to enhance service and maintain efficiency. These tools help manage customer interactions, provide strategic insights, and streamline operations, aiming to create personalized dining experiences and drive consumer loyalty.
This article was written by Saladplate. Click here to read the original article As 2026 gets underway, restaurant operators continue to navigate a tough economic environment. Margins remain strained, largely…
This article was written by Saladplate. Click here to read the original article College students’ love of high-protein foods continues to grow, according to Chartwells Higher Education. The foodservice provider…
🏨 In 2026, Accor leaders gathered at the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF EMEA) in Berlin to discuss hospitality's future. Key topics included development strategy and branded residences. Accor aims to grow by combining brand identity with flexibility, boasting over 180 hotels globally and an expanding pipeline. Leaders like Sébastien Bazin provided insights on market navigation, with contributions from Camil Yazbeck, Daniel von Barloewen, Lindsay McGinn, and Yannick Wagner.
💰 Mark Vondrasek, Hyatt's Chief Commercial Officer, was incentivized from 2022 to 2025 to increase direct bookings. This target, part of a special stock-based award, went unmet, resulting in no payout. The information, from Hyatt's latest proxy statement, reveals the company's effort to tie executive pay to strategic goals. Another executive’s pay was linked to lifestyle hotel performance, yielding mixed results, highlighting Hyatt's focus on aligning compensation with key business objectives.