Miscellaneous

🍴 The Barrière Group, led by Grégory Rabuel, has 150+ restaurants and bars in 33 casinos and 20 hotels, including locations like Saint Barthélemy, Marrakesh, New York, and Switzerland. Over the past two years, they've invested in strategic repositioning. In summer 2025, they served 680,000 meals in July and August, marking an 8% increase from 2024 and a 12% rise from 2023, setting a historic record. Consistent quality is ensured by standardizing key dishes.

🏡 In 2025, branded residences will exceed 700 worldwide, with a further 700 projects in progress. They offer a 33% average global premium over unbranded properties—47% in emerging cities, 34% in resorts, and 27% in global cities (Savills). Between 2014 and 2024, the sector grew 180%, with a compound annual growth rate between 11% and 17%. By 2030, the supply is expected to double. Marriott leads the market, while non-hotel brands like Pininfarina are expanding rapidly.

📅 Attended the Main Street Summit & Capital Camp in Columbia, Missouri, where 1,200 founders, investors, artists, and athletes gathered over three days for impactful business insights and networking. Notable speakers included Tim Tebow. The event was set in cinemas, theaters, coffee shops, and university halls. Columbia showcased rural America's beauty. Upcoming events include the Homestead Fair in Waco during Thanksgiving, drawing up to 20,000 attendees, featuring talks, food, and music.

🍴 Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor, joined Nation’s Restaurant News in 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality in 2016. He previously wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and worked in Thailand for Asia Times (1995-1997). A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate, Thorn has studied at Le Cordon Bleu and served with ABC News in Beijing in 1989. Awarded the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, he is also a published author in food encyclopedias. Thorn resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🌊 Crete, Kefalonia, Naxos, Corfu, Rhodes, Zakynthos, and Paros offer thrilling adventures for travelers. Crete's Samaria Gorge and Elafonissi's waters beckon explorers. Kefalonia's Melissani Cave and Mount Ainos promise natural wonders. Naxos blends adventure with tradition on Mount Zas and Mikri Vigla. Corfu and Rhodes offer diverse experiences on their trails and coastlines. Zakynthos' Blue Caves and Navagio Beach provide breathtaking moments. Paros is an adventure paradise with windsurfing and hiking trails.

📆 24 October, Lugano: USI and UN Tourism hosted a hybrid workshop to bridge fashion and tourism sectors. Creative industries now account for 3.1% of global GDP and 6.2% of employment, driving tourism growth. Notable practices from Tuscany, Ljubljana, and Lugano, alongside success stories from countries like Indonesia and Spain, highlighted innovative cultural tourism methods. UN Tourism, with 166 member countries and over 500 affiliates, continues to promote sustainable tourism.

💻 Premium leisure airline beOnd, based in Dubai, is expanding its online package holidays through a partnership with TUI, leveraging a platform by tech specialist Nezasa. Earlier this year, beOnd launched the beOnd Holidays platform to integrate flights and resorts. The collaboration combines TUI’s packaging expertise with Nezasa’s AI-enabled itinerary technology, allowing users to customize trips dynamically. This innovation aims for personalized travel recommendations, enhancing customer experience and streamlining premium leisure travel.