Miscellaneous

🏨 Cloudbeds, founded in 2012, is a leading hospitality management system used by tens of thousands of properties across 150+ countries. Recognized for eight consecutive years by Hotel Tech Report as a top Hotel Management System and Best Place to Work, it integrates operations, distribution, guest experience, and revenue marketing to enhance direct bookings and pricing strategies for ambitious hoteliers and large hotel groups.

🚀 In 2026, luxury travel at sea is evolving beyond traditional cruises, with iconic hotel brands making up 5% of future bookings. Branded voyages average $40,000, quadruple the cost of standard ocean cruises. Notably, these trips attract brand loyalists new to cruising. Global Travel Collection's yacht sales have risen by $3 million year over year. The U.S. cruise industry is projected to grow 5% in 2026, with GTC outperforming by growing 14% across all segments.

🍴 Peridot in Hong Kong, designed by Studio Paolo Ferrari, features 20,000 steel-capped frosted acrylic cylinders and a green marble bar. Limusina in New York showcases 1980s-inspired maximalism with a clandestine 12-person dining room. Motorino in London, designed by North End Design, seats 150 with a 1970s recording studio-inspired private room. Genso in Hong Kong, at Sha Tin Racecourse, combines Japanese street food with retrofuturism. Olia + Mimi in Edmonton spans 8,500 square feet, featuring dual concepts: an Italian eatery and a cocktail lounge.

📅 In 2026, 83% of people surveyed want to marry abroad, with 16% willing to cover guests' travel costs. The industry, worth over $1 billion in 2025, grows at 12.8% annually by 2033. Italy (23%) tops dream destinations. Ideal wedding budgets are £36,579, with five-star hotels preferred (32%). Honeymoons average 13 days, costing £9,610, influenced by weather (47%) and value (45%). Trend highlights include 'early moons' and 'buddy moons' with friends. Hyatt meets evolving needs with tailored experiences.

📅 July and August 2025 witnessed 31% of all EU tourist accommodation nights, with over 40% in Croatia, Greece, and Bulgaria. Events drove increased bookings, with two-thirds of accommodations reporting higher revenue per room; 66% adjusted staffing and 42% hired extra staff. Nearly nine in ten accommodations offer off-peak discounts. Online travel agencies are effective, capturing 38% of rural bookings. Half of hoteliers seek local collaboration on event-driven demand, aiming to mitigate seasonality and support local economies year-round.

🛳 Designed by Maxime d’Angeac, the Orient Express Corinthian project incorporates Martínez Otero’s expertise, with over 80 years in high-end joinery, into contemporary luxury maritime travel. Martínez Otero's work, involving 16 Mirror Suites, was completed in 43 months, in collaboration with Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Their precision involved 40 specialists and five facilities, notably tackling veneer matching in machiche wood. The yacht launched in May 2023, first appearing at the Cannes Film Festival, currently navigating the Mediterranean.

🖼 Vueling, part of the IAG group, partners with Gemini, Google's AI model, in a summer 2026 campaign: "Are you a team beach or team city?" A virtual assistant transforms favorite holiday moments into personalized digital magnets. Passengers on 20 WiFi-equipped aircraft can create magnets mid-flight using a QR code found on the seatbacks. The initiative aims to enhance travel experiences and showcase Vueling's digital forwardness.

🛠 Working on a new cabin project, utilizing Floorplanner for design over the last several months. The cabin will be a single-story, with considerations for a one-bedroom or studio layout, ranging between 200 to 450 sq ft. Key decisions include whether to use a trailer (max width of 2.59 m for RV compatibility) or steel skids for more space. Focusing on balancing function, beauty, and symmetry in design while collaborating with family for layout choices.

🌎 European tourism saw a 5.0% rise in international arrivals and a 4.8% increase in overnight stays by Q2 2026. Greece, Italy, and Malta led growth with arrivals up by 38%, 21%, and 16% respectively. Northern Europe outperformed other regions with a 10% rise in arrivals. Cyprus and Türkiye faced declines, partly due to Middle East conflicts. Travel spending surged, with Greece up by 64.3%. Travelers are prioritizing value, safety, and nearby destinations.

🏠 Driftwood Capital, a real estate firm, funded the refinancing of Raffles Boston Hotel & Residences, the only Raffles hotel in North America, opened in September 2023. Located at 40 Trinity Place, Boston, it features 147 guestrooms and branded residences. Since August 2020, Driftwood's credit platform has facilitated $2.4 billion in hotel financings. Collaborating with Madison Realty Capital, Driftwood supports this luxury asset's operations in the United States.