TOP NEWS - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 65

2 min

ATM 2025 opens with record 55,000 visitors…

🏢 Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 in Dubai expects a record 55,000 attendees from 166 countries, surpassing 47,000 in 2024. Scheduled for 28 April to 1 May at Dubai World Trade Centre, the event will feature over 2,800 exhibitors, a nearly 12% increase from the previous year. 67% of exhibitors are international, with Asia's participation growing by 20%. India's exhibitor presence has risen by 30%. The ATM Travel Tech sector showcases a 23% growth in products, reflecting the US$10.7 billion tech opportunity, focusing on AI's impact on travel and hospitality.

1 min

Marriott has acquired citizenM hotels

🔔 Marriott International, on Apr 29, 2025, announced the acquisition of citizenM, a lifestyle hotel brand with 36 hotels and 8,544 rooms across 20+ cities, plus 3 under construction. Marriott will pay $355 million, with up to $110 million in potential future earn-outs. Post-acquisition, citizenM will join Marriott with new franchise agreements, projecting ~$30 million in annual fees. The deal is expected to drive Marriott's net room growth to nearly 5% in 2025.

3 min

Will citizenM be the Fugazi or the Blink-182 of Hospitality? My Two Cents on the Marriott Acquisition

🏨 Marriott International acquired citizenM hotels for $355 million, with citizenM retaining real estate ownership and joining Marriott's Bonvoy loyalty program. The author reflects on citizenM's unique approach to hospitality, comparing it to the punk rock ethos of Fugazi, fearing that the acquisition might dilute this spirit. He recalls a personal experience at citizenM, highlighting its authenticity, and expresses concern over potentially losing the brand's essence, drawing parallels with BrewDog's perceived shift after selling a stake.

2 min

La Quinta by Wyndham Batumi Opens its Doors

🏕 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts launched La Quinta by Wyndham in Batumi, Georgia, to cater to tourists, business travelers, and digital nomads. Georgia saw 7.4 million international visitors in 2024, a 4.2% year-over-year increase. La Quinta by Wyndham Batumi features 98 rooms, on-site parking, a 24/7 fitness center, wellness center, an international restaurant, and a bar. It's close to attractions like Batumi Beach and Batumi International Airport. The expansion reflects Wyndham's EMEA growth strategy and Georgia's booming tourism.

Accor Q1 offers glimpse of first cracks in global travel demand

🏨 Martine Gerow, CFO of Accor, led the Q1 sales and revenue call in absence of CEO Sébastien Bazin. Accor, which operates predominantly outside the U.S., has 108 hotels in North America out of over 5,500 globally, drawing just 5% of its room revenue from the U.S. In March, U.S. bookings declined by 10%, with larger drops from Europe. Canada, with 27 Accor hotels, showed a trend of locals staying in-country rather than traveling to the U.S. For Q1 2025, Accor reported a RevPAR increase of 5% YOY, with a 13.1% rise in the Americas despite China's negative impact. Accor opened 45 new hotels adding over 5,900 rooms and had a network of 847,290 rooms. The company aims to accelerate net unit growth in the second half of 2025 and expand to 300 hotels in India by 2030, with recent deals including a partnership with InterGlobe and potential management of 17 Royal Holiday Group properties.

6 min

Accor Reports Q1 2025 Results

💰 Accor reported Q1 2025 revenue of €1,349 million, a 9.2% increase, with RevPAR up 5% from Q1 2024. The hotel pipeline grew by 4.9% over 12 months. Sébastien Bazin highlighted dynamic growth amidst geopolitical and economic volatility. Accor opened 45 new hotels with over 5,900 rooms in Q1 2025, leading to a net unit growth of 2.7% and a total of 847,290 rooms across 5,695 hotels. The Premium, Midscale, and Economy divisions saw a 3.4% RevPAR increase, while the Luxury & Lifestyle division's RevPAR increased by 8.3%. The Americas region experienced a 13.1% RevPAR increase, with Brazil's strong growth. Currency effects negatively impacted revenue by €9 million. Management & Franchise revenue reached €321 million, up 9.3%. Accor announced a €440 million share buyback program for 2025, with the first €200 million tranche launched on March 6, 2025.

2 min

Choice Hotels International Introduces Mews Cloud Technology as Property Management System Option

🔔 Choice Hotels International partners with Mews to provide an innovative property management system (PMS) for international franchisees. The collaboration features real-time data access, operational efficiencies via automation, a scalable infrastructure, and enhanced guest experiences through personalized stays. The integration with choiceEDGE reservation system ensures up-to-date rates and availability. Chief Information Officer Brian Kirkland highlights the importance of regional-specific tools for franchisees outside the U.S., while Mews CEO Matt Welle emphasizes the goal of setting a new benchmark in connected hospitality.

2 min

Choice Hotels International Introduces Mews Cloud Technology as Property Management System Option

🏨 Choice Hotels International is adopting Mews as a PMS option for international franchisees, aiming to improve connectivity, operations, and guest loyalty using Mews’ cloud-native PMS. The integration with choiceEDGE will allow real-time rate and availability updates across all booking channels. Key benefits include full data visibility, operational efficiencies through automation, scalable growth, and enhanced guest experiences. Brian Kirkland highlights the importance of expanding platform options for franchisees outside the U.S., while Matt Welle of Mews emphasizes the collaborative effort to set new industry benchmarks.

2 min

How to Increase Direct Bookings in Hotels with CXPs

💰 Customer experience platforms for hotels facilitate feedback collection during pre-arrival, stay, and post-departure, aiming to improve services based on guest preferences and pain points. These platforms analyze feedback for marketing, highlight guest-praised features (e.g., exceptional service, prime location), and address common concerns. Proactive review management enhances reputation and conversion rates. Additionally, personalized offers for past guests drive repeat bookings and loyalty, ultimately contributing to revenue growth through direct bookings.

2 min

Lodging Econometrics: U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Grows in Q1 2025

🏨 In Q1 2025, the U.S. hotel construction pipeline hit an all-time high with 6,376 projects and 749,561 rooms, marking a 5% and 6% YOY increase, respectively. Under construction are 1,152 projects with 145,368 rooms, and 2,286 projects with 263,370 rooms are scheduled to start within 12 months. Early planning stages surged 10% and 13% YOY with 2,938 projects and 340,823 rooms. Upscale, upper midscale, and midscale chain scales dominate, accounting for 75% of projects. A record 1,421 brand conversions and 2,050 combined hotel conversion and renovation projects were noted. Q1 saw 313 new project announcements and a 21% quarterly increase in new construction starts. From January to March 2025, 161 new hotels opened, and 740 new hotels with 83,548 rooms are expected by year-end, a 1.5% growth rate. Looking to 2026, a 1.6% increase with 848 new hotels is anticipated.

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