Hospitalitynet

Hilton is continuing its expansion in France, with a portfolio that has almost doubled in just five years, supported in part by the recent arrival of its new premium budget brand Spark in Lyon. Today, the American hotel group operates 14 hotels in Paris and the Île-de-France region, with another property to be added to the portfolio: DoubleTree by Hilton Paris Boulogne, scheduled to open in January 2026. The hotel will result from the rapid conversion of the former Radisson Blu Paris Boulogne, which has been taken over under a management contract by Schroders Capital.

Langham Hospitality Group (LHG) has launched a trio of artificial intelligence (AI) agents to address changes in how people source information. The new toolkit, which complements the Group’s existing channels, gives guests the flexibility to make enquiries either digitally or directly with hotel staff, who in turn gain broader access to training materials and commercial insights.

Once valued near $2 billion, hospitality startup Sonder promised hotel luxury at Airbnb prices. But the company’s Marriott partnership dissolved, guests were left stranded and the short-term rental company shut down for good. WSJ explains what went wrong.

International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) grew 5% in January-September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 and 3% above pre-pandemic year 2019.

Human trafficking is a crime that can affect anyone regardless of sex, race, or origin. A widespread misconception is that trafficking only happens overseas, but it is occurring in cities, suburbs and rural communities throughout all 50 states.

Because in 2025, leadership isn’t measured by how many hours you clock in or how many pipeline reports you generate. It’s measured by your influence. And influence lives here, in the conversations, stories, and ideas you share with the world.

There’s an explosion of talk about AI in hotels, but very little actual application. Or is there? AI has been coming to hotels for a while, but not in the flashy, headline-grabbing way many expect. There won’t be a moment when a chatbot takes over the front desk or a robot manages your F&B logistics overnight. Instead, AI is creeping into every corner of hotel operations in small, incremental ways. Quietly. Invisibly. Often without anyone calling it AI at all.

IHG Hotels & Resorts has marked 50 years of operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, celebrating a journey that began with the opening of InterContinental Riyadh in 1975 and has grown into one of the most significant footprints for the Group globally. The milestone, commemorated at a special gathering hosted at InterContinental Riyadh, underscores IHG’s long-term commitment to the Kingdom and its ambitions to help shape the future of Saudi Arabia’s tourism and hospitality sector.