LODGING Staff - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 99

2 min

Westgate Resorts Signs Agreement to Purchase Vacation Ownership Sales

🚀 Westgate Resorts to acquire Vacation Ownership Sales, managing VI Resorts' Vacation Club with 40+ resorts across the US, Mexico, Canada by 2025. Westgate commits $4M+ in enhancements as CEO Jim Gissy touts the move as a "game-changing acquisition." VOS owner Mike Vasey to join Westgate executive team, noting 90+ years of combined company history. VI Resorts, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, to leverage Westgate's experience, while maintaining independence, says VI Owners Association President Betty Flad. Westgate's growth includes a recent partnership with Choice Hotels, allowing timeshare exchanges between Westgate and VI Resorts for owners.

5 min

Accor, Booking.com Report Finds Sustainable Traveler Motivations

🌍 Accor, Booking.com, and the University of Surrey's report, based on research, seeks to understand and motivate sustainable travel decisions. Research highlighted the efficacy of specific sustainability messaging in reducing traveler skepticism, with clear information reducing skepticism from 46% to 21%. Sustainable travel is considered important by 83% of travelers, and 67% feel inspired by responsible practices. Recommendations include highlighting sustainable practices, balancing appeals to pleasure and comfort, empowering guests, and helping maintain home-like sustainability. Data was obtained via interviews, surveys, and behavioral experiments with travelers from the US, Germany, France, and India, and utilized eye tracking and facial analysis technologies. The partnership aims to craft clear communications to engage guests in hotels' sustainability journeys.

1 min

Crestline to Manage Courtyard Fort Lauderdale East

🏜 In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Ray Powers, Cynthia Zeigler, and William Cleaver announced a collaboration with Crestline Hotels & Resorts to manage the Courtyard Fort Lauderdale East/Lauderdale-by-the-Sea hotel. The 106-guestroom hotel is undergoing renovation, including all rooms, public spaces, and the outdoor pool. The hotel is positioned near the beach and key local amenities. The partnership aims to enhance guest experience, associate satisfaction, and hotel value.

2 min

AHLA Advocates for Hospitality Industry, Emphasizes Economic Contributions

🏨 Rosanna Maietta, AHLA President and CEO, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce. U.S. hotels support 1 in 25 jobs and contribute nearly $900 billion to GDP, yet employment remains nearly 10% below pre-pandemic levels with over 200,000 positions unfilled. Maietta cited workforce shortages, inflation, overregulation, and urged Congress to expand the H-2B program, pass the Save Local Business Act, and maintain key tax provisions. Hotel wages rose over 15% faster than the national average, with enhanced benefits offered.

3 min

This Week’s Comings & Goings

📈 HRI Hospitality appoints Lior Sekler as first chief commercial officer. Agilysys, Inc. names Dan Bell VP, North America sales east—hotels. Reeco hires Paul Bennie as VP of sales and customer experience. McNeill Hotel Company promotes Jesse Kremer to VP of hotel operations. Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Medical District UIC appoints Marlena Karwowski as general manager. Hotel 1000, LXR Hotels & Resorts selects Jeffery Modaff as general manager. Hotel Viata elevates Vincent Lesage to general manager since December 2024. Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth names Thibaut Asso as resort manager. The ART Hotel Denver hires Tharon Weighill as executive chef. Hotel del Coronado appoints Brian Archibald as executive chef. The Horse Shoe Farm selects Brett Suess as chef de cuisine. JW Marriott Scottsdale promotes Eric Duchene to director of food and beverage. Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group promotes Dan Applegate to VP of finance and Nick Vitolano to director of business development. U.S. Travel Association selects William J. Hornbuckle as board national chair. Casetta appoints Anthony Gutierrez and Santiago LaRoche as general managers. Alila Ventana Big Sur hires Giuseppe Marchesini and Andrew Lauer for culinary leadership. The Westin Dallas and The Sheraton Stonebriar appoint Jamel Taggart and D

1 min

Lighthouse Launches Integration API as Part of Solutions Platform

📈 Lighthouse, based in Denver, Colorado, has unveiled its Integration API, part of the Lighthouse Developer Solutions suite. This framework enables technology providers to construct certified integrations and create new revenue streams. The CEO of Lighthouse, Sean Fitzpatrick, highlighted that partners can integrate within weeks instead of months while benefiting from revenue-sharing opportunities. The API offers various integration options including Business Intelligence, Benchmark Insight, Pricing Manager, and Channel Manager, with one-way or two-way data synchronization.

Kabani Hotel Group Announces Sale of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Florida City

🏨 Kabani Hotel Group sold the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Florida City for $13.2 million, led by Ahmed Kabani and Suraj Dalal. The 105-room property had a price per key of $125,714 and a room revenue multiple of 6.33x. The Florida hospitality sector maintained investor interest in 2024, and despite economic shifts, the property attracted buyers. Kabani Hotel Group identified a buyer in 15 days and completed its fifth sale of 2025.

3 min

Hyatt Plans New Upper-Midscale Transient Brand: Hyatt Select

🏨 Hyatt Hotels Corporation announces Hyatt Select, an upper-midscale transient brand, complementing Hyatt Studios, the extended-stay brand launched with its first property on Feb. 18, 2025. Hyatt Select, part of the Essentials portfolio, offers 70-200 key properties with streamlined operations and global distribution benefits, including the World of Hyatt loyalty program. Targeting the Americas initially, Hyatt plans to scale globally, while the first Hyatt Studios opened in Mobile, Alabama, with over 50 deals in the pipeline.

4 min

Crowne Plaza Whitepaper Finds Increased Shift Toward Blended Travel

💰 In Atlanta, Georgia, Crowne Plaza by IHG revealed that 66% of U.S. and U.K. travelers blend business trips with leisure time, up from 53% in 2022. A YouGov survey of over 12,000 people across nine markets indicated that 72% find blended travel beneficial. Crowne Plaza plans to renovate 70% of its Americas properties and over 60% across other regions by 2026. The global blended travel market is expected to grow from $315 billion in 2022 to over $731 billion by 2032, with Crowne Plaza adding 140 properties to its 400 across 67 countries, a more than 35% increase.

2 min

AAA: Spring Break Travelers Are Planning Warm-Weather Trips in 2025

🏖 Spring Break season starts in March and ends mid-April in Washington, D.C., with Florida being the top U.S. destination, featuring Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Tampa. Europe dominates international travel with eight out of the top 10 cities, led by Rome, London, and Paris. Roundtrip flights are $820 for the U.S. (up 7%) and $1,440 internationally (up 2%). U.S. hotel stays average $660 (up 8%), while international stays are $740 (down 4%). Car rentals average $645 domestically and $615 internationally (down 5%). Cruising has hit a record with 19 million U.S. travelers and costs up by 27% domestically and 3% internationally. Top cruise ports are Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Miami.

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