Market Trends

🏨 Robert Mandelbaum, Research Director at CBRE Hotels, leverages over 80 years of hotel performance data to analyze changes in guest behaviors and service expectations. He emphasizes the need to comprehend the essential factors behind hotel success. Further insights can be found in the series including "Meet Robert Mandelbaum: The Man Who Turns P&Ls into Playbooks".

🚢 Nearly 10 million holidaymakers used ATOL protection for trips in January-March 2025, a 4.4% increase from the previous year. ATOL saw a rise in bookings, with 12.8 million people booked for April-October 2025, half of these in the last three months. The UK Civil Aviation Authority encourages using the 'Check an ATOL' tool for financial protection assurance. Michael Budge, Head of ATOL, emphasizes the importance of booking with an ATOL-licensed travel provider.

🏠 Hilton's "2025 Trends Report" signals an increase in travelers seeking wellness on vacation. Jessica Shea, VP of wellness at Hilton, emphasizes the economic opportunity and responsibility to cater to health-conscious guests. Hilton works with sleep expert Dr. Rebecca Robbins to optimize guest sleep experiences and introduces stress-reducing hotel features. Fitness centers are standard across all Hilton brands, with luxury properties offering advanced amenities. Wellness offerings at Hilton are revenue drivers, impacting rates and driving demand, especially in lifestyle and luxury segments. Hilton has retail partnerships with wellness brands like Lululemon and Alo, and collaborations with Peloton and Calm. Wellness initiatives are being integrated with the Hilton Honors program.

💰 Choice Hotels International, Inc. reported a net income increase of 44% to $44.5 million in Q1 2025, with diluted EPS up 52% to $0.94. Adjusted EBITDA reached a record $129.6 million, up 4%. Adjusted diluted EPS also set a record at $1.34, a 5% increase. Net global rooms grew 2.8%, while domestic extended stay rooms surged 10.8%. Domestic RevPAR increased by 2.3%, with extended stay and midscale/economy outperforming their respective chain scales. Total Q1 2025 revenues hit $333 million, with partnership services and fees up 28% to $25.4 million. A liquidity of $593.8 million was reported, and $64.6 million spent on share repurchases. The 2025 outlook has been adjusted to anticipate more moderate domestic RevPAR growth.

🎭 Launched in May 2025, 'The Power of Hospitality Podcast' by Jupiter Humphrey-Bishop features interviews with influential luxury hospitality professionals. Guests include a luxury event planner, award-winning mixologist, five-star hotel butler, head concierge, luxury champagne brand manager, and hospitality business owner. The podcast explores career journeys, success, and the emotional intelligence required in luxury hospitality. Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Jupiterluxuryhospitality.com, following Jupiter's 2024 Discovering Hospitality Blog on London's luxury venues.

📱 HOTELS Magazine's May/June digital edition explores lodging loyalty programs, provides insights from AAHOA and Hunter hospitality conferences, and highlights a new Waldorf Astoria development in Texas. It also features Sean Hehir, CEO of Trinity Investments, discusses wellness trends led by Hilton, and showcases six influential PMS providers in hotel tech. Additionally, the resurgence of banqueting in the F&B sector is covered. Read the latest trends and developments in the hospitality industry now.

🏨 Marriott International reported first-quarter 2025 results from Bethesda, Maryland. Worldwide RevPAR increased by 4.1%, with a 3.3% rise in the U.S. and Canada, and a 5.9% jump internationally. The company's diluted EPS was $2.39, adjusted diluted EPS $2.32, net income reached $665 million, and adjusted net income was $645 million. Adjusted EBITDA hit $1,217 million. Marriott added approximately 12,200 net rooms, indicating a 4.6% growth from the previous year's first quarter. The worldwide development pipeline featured 3,800 properties and over 587,000 rooms, expanding by 7.4% year-over-year. Share repurchases totaled $0.8 billion in the quarter, with $1.2 billion returned to shareholders through buybacks and dividends to date. Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program grew to nearly 237 million members. CEO Anthony Capuano mentioned the acquisition of citizenM brand and projected a full-year 2025 net rooms growth of around 5%.

🌸 From 1 May to 1 June 2025, Sketch in Mayfair, London, will host the 11th edition of 'Sketch in Bloom' celebrating Jane Austen's 250th birthday with floral tributes. Floral designers like Lucy Vail Floristry, Ricky Paul, and Rob Van Helden will create installations, while 200 copies each of "Pride & Prejudice" and "Emma" will be available as limited-edition Vintage Collector’s Classics. An Austen-inspired afternoon tea set costs £115 per person, and a 3 Michelin Star lunch menu is priced at £150.

🍻 In a 2024 Q3 consumer survey by GlobalData, a "new normal" emerges with "relaxing at home" being the predominant theme for consuming alcoholic drinks including beer/cider, wine, and low/no alcohol options. This reflects a shift in consumer values and priorities toward more home-centric work, personal, and social lives, initially sparked by the pandemic.