TOP NEWS

🥤 Loews Hotels & Co introduces "Fizz by Loews Hotels," a soda-centric program launching nationwide in summer 2025. The program is available at all Loews properties, offering customizable, house-made sodas and spritzes. Signature drinks include Blossom Breeze at Loews Kansas City Hotel and Lychee Lush at Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The program offers locally inspired menus, and drinks can be enjoyed spirit-free or with alcohol. Additionally, a mobile Fizz Cart will offer poolside and rooftop service.

🏠 Blenheim Palace, during the 2026 season, will maintain group pricing starting at £39 for adult tickets. They offer themed 45-minute talks on topics like Winston Churchill and architecture, enhancing visits with catering options. Groups of 15+ receive discounts and benefits like free coach parking. Booking and inquiries can be directed to 01993 815600 or groups@blenheimpalace.com. Visit their website for more details.

🍴 Bret Thorn, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is the Senior Food & Beverage Editor at Nation's Restaurant News since 1999. He won the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award in 2006 for his editorial work. Thorn's career includes roles at The New York Sun (2005-2008) and Asia Times (1995-1997). He studied history at Tufts University, graduating magna cum laude in 1990, and trained in French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in 1986.

💸 Hotels allocate a fixed yearly budget for direct bookings, but unlimited commissions for OTAs. Indirect bookings cost twice as much as direct ones (16% vs. 8%). To boost direct bookings, reinvest 10% of revenue in marketing, and implement a per-booking budget after the first 100. Also, allocate more for marketing high-end rooms and incentivize staff with a direct booking commission. This strategy aims for uncapped growth in the most profitable channel.

📈 Shozib Khan, VP at Spire Hospitality, discussed transforming data analysis in the hotel industry. In 2018, Spire simplified 50-page reports into actionable insights, significantly improving efficiency. By focusing on retention, they discovered a correlation between room attendant tenure and performance, boosting hotel operations. A key initiative was using ProfitSword to centralize data, saving time and empowering staff. Spire also emphasizes performance measurement against sub-markets rather than just direct competitors, aiming for comprehensive improvement.

🗺 Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) occurs on October 22-24, 2025, at FIBES Seville. Over 8,000 professionals will attend, with 400 experts across five auditoriums. The summit addresses digitalization, sustainability, and traveler profiles. Key speakers include CEOs from Lastminute.com and WeRoad. 200 companies will exhibit tech solutions, and South Korea will be the guest country. Events like the Tourism Innovation Awards and Touristech Startup Fest will highlight disruptive projects. Registration is open.

🛩 Accelya, a leader in airline technology, has launched the NDC FastTrack program to promote New Distribution Capability (NDC) adoption. The program partners with Sabre and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) and is endorsed by SAP Concur. Accelya saw a 146% growth in corporate NDC volumes from 2023 to 2024. The initiative aims to streamline NDC adoption through resources like shared roadmaps and training, with a formal launch at the GBTA Convention 2025 in Denver.

🧑‍🍳 Jamie Oliver is targeting the U.S. for expansion, seeking partners. Now, with 64 restaurants in over 20 countries, his brand plans to open 15 more this year and 20 in 18 months. Recent openings include Athens and Montenegro, with Belgrade next. Focused on casual dining with responsibly sourced food, potential U.S. locations are NYC and California. His group boasts 16 partners, emphasizing chemistry, experience, and an entrepreneurial spirit. 🍽️