Miscellaneous

🏨 In the Berlioz room of InterContinental Paris, Serge Trigano shared his journey from Club Méditerranée to launching Mama Shelter in 2008 with his family. Ousted from Club Med's presidency in 1997, he found new beginnings with his sons. He highlighted France's potential in hospitality, which contributes 8-12% to GDP and employment, driven by middle-class and ageing demographics, emphasizing the sector's growth opportunities.

✈ American flight bookings to Canada are up 44% year-on-year, while bookings to Mexico have decreased by 12%. Among countries visiting World Cup host cities, Japan and South Korea rank fourth and seventh, with the United Kingdom leading. Intra-European flight bookings have increased by 37% year-on-year.

📍 Set-Jetting, a trend inspired by onscreen locations, influences travelers' destination choices, making cities like New York iconic through storytelling. GCSTIMES introduces a unique wooden key card, shaped like a cat's head and designed with cityscape motifs, enhancing the travel experience. Beyond functionality, it transforms into a 3D fridge magnet post-stay, keeping memories alive. This trend highlights how cinema and music emotionally shape our perception of places, intertwining imagination with reality.

👗 In 2024, Triennale Milano, Italy, established a fashion department led by Luca Stoppini and Marco Sammicheli. Former Gucci director Alessandra Facchinetti designed new uniforms for various roles, inspired by workwear and Bauhaus aesthetics, featuring geometric forms and a signature triangular pleat. The uniforms' palettes reflect the Triennale’s architecture. Older Studio, a Danish-Italian company, produced the uniforms sustainably in Europe, using Italian materials and compostable packaging.

🍴 London’s Spanish dining scene is thriving with diverse offerings. Alta, on Carnaby Street, brings Navarre's live-fire cooking, featuring dishes like 35-day aged sirloin. Arros QD in Fitzrovia, led by Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta, specializes in paella. Barrafina on Dean Street offers no-reservations tapas. Other notable spots include Ibai near Smithfield Market, Morito on Exmouth Market, Pizarro on Bermondsey Street, Sabor on Heddon Street, and Tranga in Newington Green, each offering unique Spanish culinary experiences.

🍴 Raines announced that restaurant veterans Chris Hall and Ryan Turner, with over two decades of experience, will serve as strategic advisors for Woven by Raines, focusing on boutique properties in the Southeast U.S. They previously collaborated on converting the Rose Hill Estate in Aiken, SC. This partnership aims to enhance restaurant concepts, optimize revenue, and enrich guest experiences across Woven's portfolio, with flexibility for menu updates without significant reinvestment.

📈 Aimbridge Hospitality, the world's top third-party hotel manager, launched a Global Sales Office to unify regional sales, enhancing connectivity and scalability across the U.S., LATAM, EMEA, and All-Inclusive sectors. This new structure aims to strategically manage global relationships and demand, leveraging their integrated commercial platform. Aimbridge plans to focus on global accounts and multi-region relationships, expanding expertise in corporate and group travel. This initiative allows standardized reporting and visibility into global account activities.

🏠 Virginia Sin, originally from California, transitioned to a full-time ceramics career in 2016, running a 9,000 sq. ft. studio in Brooklyn with a team of 19. Her first major success came in 2007 with a porcelain paper plate design, winning a Design Within Reach Award in 2008. Her latest collection, Field, shown at the 2026 ICFF, features 120 color and material combinations, inspired by James Turrell's light installations.