TOP NEWS

🍴 Dominique Crenn to be inducted into MenuMasters Hall of Fame in May 2025, alongside past inductees like Thomas Keller and Wolfgang Puck. The ceremony, sponsored by Ventura Foods and presented by Nation's Restaurant News, will take place at Morgan MFG, Chicago, on May 17, 2025. Crenn, the first female chef in the U.S. to earn three Michelin stars (2018), owns Atelier Crenn, opened in San Francisco in 2011, and the Michelin-starred Bar Crenn. In 2024, she was listed in Time's "100 Most Influential People in the World." Atelier Crenn became the first U.S. restaurant to serve cultivated chicken in 2023.

🏡 Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, led by Chief Commercial Officer Finn Ackermann, expands with new openings in Aruba and Tunisia and targets Asia and Africa for future growth. The hospitality brand opened in Aruba before Christmas and plans two more hotels there. In Miami, two hotels launched under the Waves segment mark a return to the U.S. after a two-year hiatus. The Europe expansion includes the Iberostar Selection Es Trenc in Mallorca with 145 rooms. Growth in Tunisia results in eight hotels, up from five three years ago. Ackermann highlights selective expansion without pressure for numerical growth. Iberostar's sustainability efforts include eliminating single-use plastics, reducing waste to landfill by 56% in 2023, responsibly sourcing 90% of seafood globally, and setting a carbon neutrality target for 2030. The brand also focuses on employee well-being, filling 24.4% of job vacancies internally in 2023, and training over 200 young professionals by the end of 2024. Revenue in the last year reached €2,180 million, an 8% increase, with plans to invest €210 million in new hotels and asset transformation by 2025.

📈 At the ALIS conference, Sloan Dean, CEO of Remington Hospitality, emphasized employee experience and dedicated training for all positions, with a 7-year tenure. Red Roof's president Zack Gharib, there for roughly a year, highlighted culture elevation and core values (hospitality, adaptability, belonging, impact, trust, and success), while John Cohlan, CEO of Margaritaville, stressed the brand's unique culture. Jim Merkel, CEO of Rockbridge, mentioned a rebranding focused on purpose and career opportunities.

💻 IKEA launched a new loyalty program, acknowledging its late entry into the trend with a humorous ad campaign. Barry Sternlicht is revitalizing Starwood under SH Hotels & Resorts, aiming to innovate with 14 hotels and expansion plans. Google's hotel metasearch redesign focuses on visual elements, with larger images and maps to enhance user experience. LLMs (large language models) in AI are becoming a commodity, soon to be integrated into various digital platforms, rendering provider debates irrelevant. Users will expect AI-driven interactions, with the focus shifting to the quality of integration and context understanding rather than the AI brand.

💾 Data-driven hotel operations lead to less manual work, deeper insights for targeting profitable guests, and enhanced guest satisfaction. Automation of data processing allows hotel staff to focus on strategic, revenue-generating tasks through centralized data sharing. Advanced analytics help identify lucrative micro-segments and tailor marketing to increase revenue. Robust data analysis results in personalized services, higher satisfaction, and the ability to charge premium rates. A strong business intelligence (BI) tool centralizes data and automates analysis, guiding better decision-making and competitive differentiation. Key takeaways include automation to liberate staff, leveraging guest insights, enhancing guest satisfaction, and investing in the right BI platform.

🏠 U.S. short-term rental market valued at over $29 billion in 2023, expected to reach over $81 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 11% starting from 2024. Hospitality TV management platforms are now crucial, transforming TVs into tech hubs that enhance guest experience, provide stay-related information, and offer additional ROI through promotions and branded welcome messages. North America holds the largest market share at 37% in 2023. LG's "Pro:Centric Stay" is highlighted as a key player in the market.

🏠 The 2024 GuestRevu GREAT Awards were announced at the Grand Daddy Hotel in Cape Town. The event recognized top hotels in Africa based on over 70,000 reviews from platforms like Google (24.5%), Tripadvisor (13.8%), and Booking.com (61.7%), with participating properties from 55 countries. Winners included Ocean Vista Boutique Guest House (

🛏 Cloudbeds' 2025 PMS User Experience report reveals a 40.5% average churn rate in the hospitality industry, with Canada at 28% and the US at 50%. From January to April 2024, Schmidt & Clark noted nearly 3 million people left leisure and hospitality roles, a 204% increase over the national average. High turnover rates are attributed to labor shortages, job demands, seasonality, lack of growth opportunities, and insufficient training. For instance, 38% of employees cited their experience with property management systems (PMS) as a factor in leaving their job. The Society for Human Resource Management indicates that the average cost to hire an employee is nearly $4,700, which can escalate to three to four times that amount depending on the position. The article suggests investing in training, fostering a positive culture, and offering competitive compensation to mitigate turnover. Cloudbeds' PMS is highlighted for reducing training time by 50%, saving 80% on manual processes, and streamlining staff management.

🏖️ C-level executives at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles expressed optimism for the travel industry in interviews and panels, anticipating strong travel demand. Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano highlighted sustained interest in travel and experiences across demographics. U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman emphasized the industry must address obstacles due to high demand. AHLA President Rosanna Maietta highlighted the ease of travel and booking, while IHG CEO Jolyon Bulley cited strong airline indicators for future confidence. A recent Jones Lang LaSalle report suggests deal volume could increase by 15 to 25 percent this year, with expectations for a rise in transactions. CEOs, including Wyndham's Geoff Ballotti and Hilton's Chris Nassetta, anticipate an active transactions market. Capuano identified the availability of construction debt and labor market concerns as industry challenges for 2025.