Market Trends

🗺 Germany's travel sector grew 5% to €72.4 billion in 2024, with leisure travel as the key driver. Scandinavia's market expanded 7% to €17.4 billion, bolstered by events and infrastructure, and is poised for steady growth till 2028. Spain's market surged 9% in 2024, reaching €126 billion, fueled by inbound demand. New 2025 reports on Germany, Scandinavia, and Spain offer insights with charts, trends, and market sizes.

📈 Jul 3, 2025: Trump-era travel policies are impacting U.S. hotels significantly. With new travel bans affecting nationals from 12 countries, international visitor numbers are plummeting. France reports an 8.3% drop, and New York anticipates 400,000 fewer tourists, revising forecasts to 64.1 million. The World Travel & Tourism Council predicts a $12.5 billion loss in foreign tourism revenue, marking the U.S. as the only country with declining international visitor spending. Future hotel investments may be at risk due to restrictive policies.

📚 July 30, 2025, Washington, DC — The Extended Stay Lodging Association (ESLA) and Kalibri host the third ExStay Workshop, gathering industry executives for strategic insights and networking. Key session topics include U.S. market data on 7+ night stays and federal funding impacts. Notable speakers: Doug Artusio (ESLA), Cindy Estis Green and Jennifer Hill (Kalibri), Mark Skinner (Highland Group), and Paul Novak (Whitman Peterson). Attendees will explore investment strategies, operational practices, and market analytics.

🍴 Saladplate, operated by Informa Markets, is a content hub for the Hospitality, Food, and Beverage industry. It features weekly news, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine, reaching over 10,000 brands and companies. The platform connects users with a supplier directory and updates from over 35 international trade events.

🍽 Saladplate, part of Informa Markets, serves as a comprehensive hub for the Hospitality, Food, and Beverage sectors. With content such as weekly news updates, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-monthly e-magazine, it offers insights into industry trends. The platform connects users to over 10,000 brands and products via its supplier directory and provides updates from 35+ international trade events.

💰 Hala Matar Choufany discusses the UAE's luxury hospitality growth, particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. From 2000 to today, hotel rooms increased from 600 to 160,000. Dubai's market enjoys 80% occupancy, with notable recovery post-Covid. Abu Dhabi is developing its cultural tourism, while Ras al-Khaimah will open the Wynn Casino in 2027-2028. Revenue per available square meter is emphasized for efficiency. Ownership structures limit asset trading, affecting the UAE's hotel investment market.

📊 Roger Martin criticizes SWOT analysis, suggesting it's fundamentally flawed and recommending a hypothesis-driven approach for strategic decisions. Chris Legaspi counters by advocating for a reformed SWOT, emphasizing context, specificity, and actionable insights. He suggests starting with external opportunities and threats and using a TOWS matrix to create strategic actions. Combining both perspectives, a hybrid model emerges, integrating Martin's strategic discipline with Legaspi's tactical rigor, aiming to transform SWOT into a precise decision-making tool.