October 23, 2024

🍴 The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) updated the Hotel Kitchen platform to aid U.S. hoteliers in food waste prevention, with a 2030 goal to cut food waste by half. Since its March 2017 launch, over 36,000 hotel staff have been trained, resulting in a 17-38% reduction in food waste at pilot properties. Enhancements include new guidelines, quicker resource access, and improved online training with Lobster Ink. These efforts are part of AHLA's Responsible Stay initiative, promoting sustainability in the hotel industry.

💰 Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. reported $344 million net income and $904 million adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2024. Diluted EPS stood at $1.38, adjusted EPS at $1.92. Q3 saw 1.4% system-wide comparable RevPAR increase and the addition of 36,600 rooms, achieving a net unit growth of 7.8%. Their development pipeline reached 492,400 rooms, marking an 8% growth. Hilton repurchased 3.3 million shares and projects full-year 2024 system-wide RevPAR growth of 2.0% to 2.5%, with net income between $1,405 million and $1,429 million. Full-year capital return is estimated at $3.0 billion.

🏠 Choice Hotels International celebrated the opening of its 500th extended-stay hotel, the Everhome Suites in Glendale, Arizona, marking a milestone for the brand developed in 2020. By the end of Q2 2024, Choice had nearly 400 hotels in the pipeline across its extended-stay brands, leading in the economy new construction category per August 2024 STR Pipeline Data. The Everhome Suites Glendale has 122 rooms and has experienced a sellout within four weeks of opening. Furthermore, Choice anticipates the WoodSpring Suites brand will reach 300 hotels in 12-18 months, with a forecast of 25 openings by year-end. Additionally, between January 1 and September 2024, 13 new MainStay Suites and Suburban Studios opened in various U.S. markets.

🏨 The Hotels Network hosted GROW in Barcelona for hoteliers from Southern Europe to discuss direct booking strategies over two days. Sessions included "Creative Resonance" by founder Juanjo Rodriguez, interactive panels, and a showcase of AI receptionist KITT. Networking and collaboration were key, with future events planned for Cancun and Stockholm. Attendees gained insights into leveraging technology and AI for their direct channels.