Regulatory and Legal Affairs

📚 Mar 3, 2026, the European Commission introduced a voluntary Code of Conduct on Online Ratings and Reviews for Tourism Accommodation, involving Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia Group, Tripadvisor, HOTREC, and others. This non-binding framework enhances transparency and verifiability of hotel reviews, aligning with the EU's Digital Services Act. This initiative aims to bolster consumer trust and fair competition by explaining rating calculations and verification of guest feedback, responding to growing digital credibility concerns in the hospitality sector.

💸 June 2025, U.S. hotel profit margins were 4% below 2019 levels amid ongoing economic challenges. Avalara's report shows 40% of hotel operators spend 50-100 hours annually on tax compliance, with 44% feeling only "somewhat confident" in their status. Many still rely on manual processes, with 47% concerned about AI accuracy. Nicole Rogers emphasizes the need for hotels to adopt technology to enhance efficiency and maintain competitiveness amid tightening operating margins.

💰 Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and CoStar are under investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for allegedly exchanging sensitive pricing and commercial data. The inquiry focuses on their use of STR, a hotel data analytics tool owned by CoStar. The CMA is evaluating if this information sharing violated competitive practices.

🛫 The FAA may reduce flights from Chicago O’Hare this summer due to congestion concerns amidst a turf war between American and United Airlines. A meeting on March 4 will address potential flight restrictions to mitigate delays. A memo reveals that O'Hare's operations could surpass capacity in summer 2026, with ongoing construction affecting operations. Currently, peak days hit over 3,800 operations, compared to last summer's 2,680.