Regulatory and Legal Affairs

📈 Identifying critical assets in disaster recovery is essential for business operations. Prioritize systems based on compliance requirements. Define Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) to gauge recovery benchmarks. Ensure strategies are clear, with documented processes and a disaster communication plan. Third-party risk management is vital; align vendors' recovery plans with your objectives. Regularly test and validate your strategy to maintain readiness. A tailored disaster plan ensures swift recovery and long-term viability.

🛑 Aberdeen City Council, August 2025, approved a 7% Visitor Levy.

🛌 August 2, 2025, Miami: La Quinta by Wyndham faces backlash due to a viral video showing virtual check-in handled by an alleged Indian-based employee. This incident highlights outsourcing concerns with 59% of US companies outsourcing to India. In 2023, Indian nationals received 72% of H-1B visas. US immigration rose by 1.6 million in 2023. The foreign-born labor force decreased by 735,000 in 2025 amid rising automation and cost-cutting trends.

💸 Bank of England cuts interest rates to 4% from 4.25% on 7 August. This is the fifth reduction since last year's peak of 5.25%. The decision was made with a 5-4 vote by the Monetary Policy Committee. Inflation reached a near 18-month high of 3.6% in June, driven by transport and food costs, according to the Office for National Statistics. Inflation is forecasted to peak at 4.0% in September before declining towards the 2% target.

🏨 State legislators and hospitality leaders in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, advocate for House Bill 1286, proposed by State Rep. Regina Young, to mandate human trafficking awareness training for hotel and short-term rental employees statewide. The bill, backed by several lawmakers, aims to standardize training to identify and report trafficking signs. Industry leaders like the AHLA Foundation and Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association support this initiative, emphasizing its importance in combating human trafficking and enhancing safety across Pennsylvania.

🛠️ Within hotels, critical infrastructure must comply with building codes and undergo annual inspections to ensure operational safety. This involves regular checks on safety systems like fire detection, sprinklers, and emergency alarms, as well as security systems including video surveillance and access control. Electronic key control systems enhance accountability for keys, safeguarding infrastructure from risks like theft and sabotage. By tracking key usage, hotels improve security, productivity, and guest safety, minimizing operational risks and liability. 📊

📈 HREC Investment Advisors announced the sale of the 72-guestroom Welcome Suites Hazelwood in Hazelwood, Missouri, acquired by Ishikaa A, LLC. The seller was Hazelwood Lodging, LLC. The deal was led by Beau Mullenix, senior VP and broker for Missouri. Notable developments in Hazelwood include a $7.5 billion government Boeing contract and a $3 billion modernization project at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Greater St. Louis hosts 15 Fortune 1000 headquarters.

✈️ Brisbane Airport, in June 2025, became the world's first airport to complete IATA's new global security program assessment. The Security Management Systems (SeMS) certification included a full audit focused on governance, resource management, threat management, and more. Brisbane Airport handles 24 million passengers annually and aims to align with global standards ahead of the 2032 Olympics. The certification ceremony took place in Geneva, highlighting its commitment to proactive and innovative security practices.

🏠 The Horse and Groom, a 16th-century inn located in Upper Oddington, has been sold for £1.5 million to an unnamed buyer.