Regulatory and Legal Affairs - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 16

2 min

Short-term rentals causing ‘huge problems’,…

🏠 Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen, EU's housing commissioner since 2024, warns that short-term rentals are a "huge problem" for European cities, urging action against a "social crisis" sparked by platforms like Airbnb. An EU affordable housing plan, anticipated in December 2023, aims to address this, originally slated for 2026. Spain plans a 100% tax on property purchases by non-EU residents. EU leaders will discuss housing at an upcoming summit.

2 min

RateGain Spain Earns Great Place to Work® Status, Reflecting Global Consistency in Employee Experience

💻 Spain, October 15, 2025: RateGain Technologies' Spain office receives its first Great Place to Work® certification outside India. Employee feedback highlights its people-first culture and ‘AI & I’ philosophy. RateGain, a leading AI-powered SaaS provider, collaborates with 3,200+ customers in 100+ countries. Founded in 2004, it partners with major hotel chains, online travel agents, and airlines. RateGain's global impact continues through innovation, trust, and employee empowerment.

2 min

Hospitality Leaders Gather in Cyprus for HOTREC’s 91st General Assembly

📌 Hospitality leaders met in Paphos, Cyprus, for HOTREC's 91st General Assembly. The event highlights ongoing issues in Europe's 2 million hospitality businesses, including labor shortages, rising costs, and geopolitical challenges. Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, emphasized the EU tourism agenda ahead of Cyprus's 2026 EU Council Presidency. HOTREC leaders stress the need for EU-wide solutions. The 92nd Assembly will occur in Cork, Ireland, in April 2026.

2 min

The Association of Travel Intermediaries…

📅 UK Travel Insurance Association (UKTIA) rebranded from the Association of Travel Insurance Intermediaries (ATII) after 36 years, evolving beyond intermediaries. Originally formed in 1989, the rebrand reflects changes in travel insurance, with most policies now bought online. Membership has expanded to include claims, assistance services, and insurers. The new website, www.uktia.com, offers resources and information. UKTIA represents the majority of UK travel insurance turnover, advocating for best practices and customer trust.

The hidden cost of dark patterns in hotel booking design

📈 Oct 16, 2025 – Hotel booking sites often use dark patterns, such as fake scarcity and misleading opt-outs, to boost conversions. However, these tactics can erode trust and credibility. Notable examples include faux urgency, pre-ticked add-ons, and hidden cancellation policies. The FTC's $2.5 billion case against Amazon Prime and a Dutch lawsuit against Booking.com highlight growing legal scrutiny. Hoteliers are urged to conduct UX ethics audits to ensure transparency, driving long-term revenue and reducing complaints. Source: The Economist.

3 min

How broken payment processes are costing hotels corporate business

💳 Corporate hotel bookings rely on seamless payments, yet issues with manual processes persist. Inadequate payment systems lead to tensions and financial risks, hindering efficiency and trust. The hospitality sector faces a $3.86 million average data breach cost, with over 50% of credit card fraud occurring in hotels. Industry spending is projected to hit $1.57 trillion by 2025. The shift to virtual cards offers improved security and audit trails, but requires updated infrastructure for effective integration.

1 min

Traineeship Directive – HOTREC urges pragmatism in trilogue negotiations

📝 The European Parliament and Council's trilogue negotiations on the Traineeship Directive prompted HOTREC to stress three priorities: limiting the Directive to employment contracts, allowing differentiated trainee treatment, and maintaining the role of collective agreements. HOTREC calls for reducing administrative burdens for SMEs and advocates for a Directive to enhance youth employment without hampering training opportunities. They argue a Recommendation would have better respected national diversity.

1 min

Airbnb’s hybrid model blurs regulatory lines

🏠 Oct 14, 2025: Airbnb's strategic move includes integrating boutique and independent hotels into its platform, blending them with home and experience listings. This hybrid approach helps Airbnb adapt to varied local regulations, maintaining booking flow amid short-term rental law changes. HotelTonight's same-day bookings are now part of Airbnb's app, benefiting independent hoteliers and increasing competition with OTAs and hosts. Airbnb aims for an all-inclusive travel ecosystem, reducing dependence on external channels.

2 min

City of London offices acquired by Firethorn for hotel conversion

🏠 Firethorn acquires 5 Lloyd’s Avenue in London from Swiss Life Asset Managers UK. 📍 Located off Fenchurch Street, the building will be converted into a hotel with an extra floor. 🏗️ Planning submission is due by summer 2026. Firethorn partners with SW3 Capital, following their Dublin hostel project at Sackville Place, featuring 138 rooms for 716 guests. 🎯 This acquisition aims to fill the gap for affordable, quality city-center accommodation.

3 min

Five on Friday: October 10th, 2025

📰 LEGO and Nike have created a modular playground at Baoshan No. 2 Central Primary School in Shanghai. The U.S. government shutdown has entered its 10th day, causing flight delays and closing the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Pierpaolo Piccioli debuted his new collection for Balenciaga at Paris Fashion Week. Studio Paolo Ferrari, from Toronto, was named Boutique Design's 2025 Designer of the Year, with awards on November 10th in New York.

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