Market Trends

🏠 Preferred Hotels & Resorts to add 10 luxury properties from September 2024 to 2025, including locations like London, the Caribbean, Tenerife, Crete, and Valletta. Properties feature amenities such as beaches, spas, infinity pools, and dining options, with room counts ranging from 23 to 139. New openings also in Bangkok, Stockholm, New Jersey, Nice, and Florida. Portfolio to exceed 600 properties in 80 countries.

🏨 STAAH presents a weekly hotel industry quiz to help professionals stay informed on hospitality trends. The quiz caters to both seasoned hoteliers and newcomers, featuring questions on luxury hotel brands and hotel software. Participants are encouraged to share the quiz and access previous quizzes via STAAH's blog.

📝 The Net Promoter Score (NPS), developed in 2003 by Fred Reichheld, is a key metric for hotel guest satisfaction. NPS calculation starts with a question scored from 0 to 10 and results in a number between -100 and +100, derived from subtracting the percentage of detractors (score 0-6) from promoters (score 9-10). Bain & Company research shows over 80% of referrals come from those scoring 9 or 10. Positive NPS impacts guest loyalty, revenue, and online reviews. GuestRevu utilizes NPS to help hoteliers manage feedback and online reputation.

🏡 Orient Express is launching its first hotel, Orient Express La Minerva, in Rome by spring 2025, in Piazza della Minerva near the Pantheon. The site, Palazzo Fonseca, dates back to the 17th century and was acquired by Arsenale SpA in 2021. Architect Hugo Toro led the renovation, blending Art Déco with modern design. Historical guests include Stendhal and Pope Pius IX. The hotel features La Minerva Bar, Voliera rooftop restaurant, a ballroom and three meeting rooms.

🎶 Background music in hotels affects guests' emotions and brand perception. Modern audio systems offer customizable zones and volume control from a single interface, including public address capabilities. Automation allows music to adjust to different parts of the day, enhancing staff and guest experiences. Mobile accessibility helps staff manage systems remotely, reducing the need for on-site visits and maintenance costs. These systems also offer feature updates for longevity and better ROI. Story by Ivan Schwartz, AtlasIED.

✈ Brussels Airways was awarded the title of "world’s best airline of 2024" by AirHelp, which ranked 109 leading airlines based on punctuality, customer opinion, and claim processing, using data from 1 January to 31 October 2024. Brussels Airways scored 8.12 overall with 8.7 in claim processing. Qatar Airways followed closely with a score of 8.11. United Airlines and American Airlines both scored 8.04. Tunisair was rated the worst with 3.63, and UK's Virgin Atlantic led at 30th with 6.94, while British Airways improved to 33rd with 8.3 in customer opinion.

🥗 Patatas bravas, a traditional Spanish dish, is becoming popular in the U.S. with 75% of the population familiar with it and 45% having tried it. The dish appears on 0.5% of U.S. restaurant menus, marking a 10% increase in the last four years. Its popularity is especially high among Asian and Hispanic consumers. It's commonly seen in independent and fine dining establishments, showcasing global flavors and comfort food appeal.

🏠 Archipelago's Aston Hotel & Residences to open in Madinah's Knowledge Economic City (KEC) by 2027, featuring 519 hotel rooms and 130 serviced residences. Located near Haramain High-Speed Rail Station, the development aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's Pilgrim Experience and Quality of Life Programs. Archipelago, with 55,000 rooms across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, also plans two hotels in Makkah for 2026. KEC will contribute 18,000+ hotel rooms to Madinah, supporting Saudi's tourism under Vision 2030.

🍳 Eleanor Bardon, 21, former psychology student at University of Leeds, shifts career to hospitality by joining English Lakes Hotels Culinary Academy's apprenticeship at Wild Boar Estate near Windermere. The training program partners with Kendal College offering Level 2 Commis Chef and Level 3 Chef de Partie qualifications. Bardon enjoys the team environment and living on the estate's 72-acre woodland, engaging in hiking and photography. English Lakes Hotels is hiring for various positions.

🍺 Launched in April, Restaurant Hospitality's podcast 'Menu Talk' collaborates with Restaurant Business, featuring weekly episodes with senior editors Bret Thorn and Pat Cobe. Based in New York City, over 30 episodes have aired, discussing foodie adventures, industry events like Menu Directions and the James Beard Awards, and interviewing chefs such as Pepe Moncayo. Listeners can subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday throughout 2025.