Miscellaneous

🍲 Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta and Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan's Food & Beverage Director Mandela Zhu explore Chinese culture through wontons in the series "Cooking with Chris." The show highlights wontons as symbols of family and tradition, with Mandela sharing how his mother kept her recipe secret as a means to bond. Mandela's family has ties to Hilton, with his father starting at Shanghai Hilton in 1995 and his daughter aspiring to become a chef at Hilton.

🏨 Lancaster Landmark Hotel Company has rebranded as The Landmark Collection, unifying six properties in London and Bangkok. The portfolio includes The Landmark London, Royal Lancaster London, 15 Basil Street, Hotel Indigo London K West Shepherd’s Bush, The Landmark Bangkok, and Lancaster Bangkok. The restructuring aims to expand internationally and improve operations, while maintaining each property's uniqueness. The group emphasizes a spa and wellness portfolio, enhancing accommodation options for corporate partners.

📆 New research by Holiday Inn Express reveals morning habits in the UK and Ireland. Conducted with 3,000 adults from June 26 to July 3, 2026, the study shows 37% hit snooze, 52% check phones within five minutes, and coffee (36%) beats tea (30%) as the preferred morning drink. Despite quirky breakfast habits, 82% stick to morning routines. Comedian Rob Beckett leads "The Great Wake Up Debate," highlighting diverse morning rituals.

💻 In 2026, on a peak season Saturday at 11 PM, a channel manager dashboard error at a hotel led to overbooking. Booking.com sold a non-existent fourth room, resulting in a guest arriving with an invalid confirmation number. This highlights a critical flaw in “real-time, easy integration” of channel management systems, causing discrepancies between available rooms and bookings. The issue underscores the importance of precise integration in hotel management systems to avoid such incidents.

🛩 Airlines' online passenger revenue via OTAs stands at 13%, as per Phocuswright. OTA bookings are projected to increase by 4% in 2025, with their share of U.S. travel spending rising. Airlines have regained control of the online air customer market, while hotels primarily drive OTA growth. The industry could be impacted if hotel growth slows.

📊 British Airways ends its decade-long in-house NDC infrastructure, transitioning to Amadeus. By 2026, Amadeus forecasts AI-driven production with a 60,000 page reads per visitor. In Africa, over 90% of airlines lack NDC capabilities, impacting pricing. Jet fuel costs $141/barrel; Delta's revenue rose 14%, while Wizz's profits fell to €1.3M. EasyJet faces a £5.7B takeover bid by Apollo. Turkish Airlines acquires 26.5% of Air Europa for €300M. India's airline partnerships strengthen global connectivity. The EU261 deal maintains compensation bands and slot rules.

✈ U.S. News & World Report, a global leader in travel rankings, released the 2026-2027 Best Travel Rewards Programs on July 22, 2026, in Washington. The update includes two new rankings: Best Hotel Brands for Business Travelers and Best U.S. Airlines. These resources assist professionals in making data-driven decisions about business travel, focusing on enhancing the experience through rankings of airlines and hotel brands.

🍴 Shinji, a modern Japanese steakhouse located in Toronto's Financial District at Bay Adelaide Centre, is gaining attention. Founded by Harlo Entertainment, Shinji features design by Toronto studio Odami, inspired by denim. The restaurant, with a custom indigo limewash, offers a menu by Executive Chef Jia Zou, including A3 to A5 Japanese wagyu and true Kobe beef. Located at 333 Bay St, Shinji provides an omakase experience and dishes like A5 wagyu and black cod surf and turf.

🛵 GiGi and Vespa collaborate, highlighting Italian luxury and lifestyle. Vespa, an emblem of freedom and elegance for nearly 80 years, meets GiGi’s ethos of living generously and traveling curiously. This partnership results in more than a limited-edition Vespa Primavera; it's a soulful journey. Vespa's impact spans different cities and countries, maintaining its essence. The collaboration emphasizes moving through life with elegance and curiosity, rather than focusing solely on destinations.

✈️ Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) implemented Amadeus Air Pricing Optimisation across its network, achieving a 3% average revenue increase. The AI-driven solution, applied to SAS's website and NDC-enabled channels, adjusts airfare prices in real-time based on demand. Erik Westman, SAS's chief revenue officer, highlighted its role in enhancing passenger experience and commercial performance. Maher Koubaa of Amadeus emphasized the system's ability to provide continuous pricing, replacing traditional booking classes, and boosting traveler confidence.