Regulatory and Legal Affairs

💰 TPG Capital to acquire Sabre's Hospitality Solutions for $1.1 billion in cash. Hospitality Solutions serves over 40% of top hotel brands with a SaaS platform. Sabre's net proceeds of approximately $960 million will largely pay down debt. The deal, advised by Haynes Boone, was announced on April 28, 2025, and is expected to close by the end of Q3 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

🏨 The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025, introduced by Representatives Young Kim (R-CA-40) and Kathy Castor (D-FL-14). The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) praised the decision and urged the Senate to follow suit. AHLA has advocated for federal fee-transparency bills, including the 2024 House-passed No Hidden FEES Act and the Senate’s Hotel Fees Transparency Act. This legislation aims to establish a federal standard for price advertising in the lodging industry to ensure consumers see all-in upfront pricing.

🏨 Amid market volatility and US President Donald Trump's tariffs, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the travel sector are experiencing delays, as seen with 3i Group postponing the sale of Audley Travel. Despite these hurdles, interest remains high, with transactions subject to more extensive due diligence, according to Martin Alcock and Henry Wells. The deal-making environment is challenging, with a surplus of sellers over buyers, yet opportunities exist for committed investors, per Christopher Jones. Nicola Sartori notes persistent deal activity, especially in the small to mid-sized market, even as timelines extend beyond pre-Covid norms.

📌 The European Accessibility Act (EAA) will be enforced on June 28, affecting EU hotel websites. It's mandatory for digital products, including travel and e-commerce websites, to be accessible to people with disabilities. Penalties for non-compliance can reach up to €60,000 in fines or 18 months of imprisonment. There are about 100 million people with disabilities in the EU. Five essential upgrades for website compliance include keyboard navigation, ARIA labels, text and contrast adjustments, AI-driven image descriptions, and an accessibility-first tabbing structure. Vision platform clients will receive automatic updates starting at €1,200, payable over four months, or they can opt-out and assume full liability.

🛒 A systemic fraud issue in the hotel booking industry affects consumer trust and costs billions, as fake sites use brand keywords in Google Ads, driving up marketing costs for legitimate hotels. Europe's CMA launched an investigation into OTAs in 2018, but the issue persists. The U.S. Senate's Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2019 failed to pass. In 2024, the London-based roomangel Foundation introduced the "Verified by roomangel" stamp, allowing hotels to verify their websites at no cost to combat fraud and reassure consumers.

🚩 Nearly half (46%) of survey respondents from five countries are less inclined to travel to the U.S. due to Trump’s presidency. International visits to the U.S. saw an 11.6% decline in March 2025 from the previous year, with Western European travel dropping 17.2% and German tourism by 28.2%. The main deterrent is the political climate (63%), followed by safety and trade policy concerns. Travel advisories in Germany and Canada highlight risks of detentions and device searches. Despite this, Trump claims the U.S. remains the tourism capital and suggests a weaker dollar could attract visitors.

✈ Expedia Group now offers Ryanair flights in the US and Europe, following a partnership announced in mid-last year. The integration, which includes over 230 Ryanair destinations, allows Expedia customers to book holiday packages or standalone flights. Additionally, Expedia Group travellers can access myRyanair accounts and flight updates. This collaboration comes after Ryanair's partnerships with Trip.com, On The Beach, and TUI, aiming to provide customers with full price transparency and a vast network of low-fare options.