Regulatory and Legal Affairs

🚄 In 2009, during the financial crisis, my dad moved our family 2,000 miles north to Idaho to plant a church community, giving away his plumbing business to a young friend. Starting afresh, he rented a farm and took on small jobs. In a few years, the business flourished, leading to the purchase of a collapsing brick Ford service station for a bakery and creamery. We also transformed an old appliance shop into a quilt store. Later, we discovered the 120-year-old WI&M Car 306 train car.

✈️ Lufthansa now offers unlimited free chatting on intercontinental flights, supported by Mastercard. Passengers can use familiar messaging apps for text and photo sharing, regardless of travel class. Access requires a login to FlyNet with a Miles & More card or Lufthansa Group Travel ID email. Sign-up is available during flights, allowing travelers to stay connected with loved ones.

📈 Essendi, in 2024, achieved a 17% reduction in GHG emissions since 2019, aligning with the Paris Agreement. Located in Europe, Essendi has 220 Green Key certified hotels and 95 BREEAM In-Use certified properties. Their food waste program reduced waste by 25-30% in 50 hotels. A €208 million investment up to 2030 supports the carbon transition plan. This includes phasing out gas and boosting renewable energy use. Essendi integrates ESG criteria into financial strategies, strengthening its ESG strategy by 2026.

💻 RobosizeME announces the launch of the VIP Guest Recognition Suite on Oracle Cloud Marketplace on June 10, 2025, in Prague. This AI-enabled service automates VIP recognition in hotels, streamlining operations with three modules: OTA VIP Recognition, VIP Treatment Traces, and Profile Management Filtering. Integrating with Oracle's OPERA Cloud, it processes high-value reservations daily. CEO Stephen Burke emphasizes the suite's role in enhancing guest satisfaction and efficiency for prestigious hotel clients like Radisson and Kempinski.

📰 ARC, owned by major U.S. airlines like Delta and United, sold passenger data to CBP as of June 12, 2025. The data, comprising names, itineraries, and payments, aids in tracking individuals without legal oversight. This arrangement includes a secrecy clause and consists of over 1 billion records updated daily, spanning 39 months. Privacy experts criticize this practice, reflecting government reliance on private brokers for sensitive data.

💸 Jun 12, 2025: A Senate proposal threatens an 80% cut to Brand USA's funding—from $100 million to $20 million. The U.S. Travel Association warns this could harm the travel industry, notably affecting the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 L.A. Olympics. The U.S. travel sector's $2.9 trillion output supports over 15 million jobs. In April 2025, five Brand USA board members were removed, highlighting political tensions. Critics argue the cuts could damage economic prospects.

💸 U.S. Sens. Josh Hawley and Peter Welch introduced the Higher Wages for American Workers Act to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 by January 1, 2026. The current wage of $7.25 has remained unchanged since July 2009. This marks the fifth attempt in Congress to raise the wage, originally part of Biden's 2021 plan. Previous attempts, including a $17 proposal in July 2023, failed. This bill excludes subminimum wage adjustments.

???? Rising hardware costs challenge the hospitality industry with potential tariffs on imported electronics impacting POS systems. Large chains may see costs increase by millions, while independent restaurants face cash strain, possibly leading to consumer price hikes. To mitigate, businesses should extend hardware life cycles using cloud-based solutions, like TRAY's shift to Android. Emphasize flexibility by adopting modular approaches for ordering and payment systems, safeguarding against future economic uncertainties.

🏨 Boutique Hotel News, in partnership with Clyde & Co, hosted a Feed Your Mind event on branded residences at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair. This event highlighted the convergence of hospitality and living, with key discussions on managing residences within legal frameworks, planning control variances across countries, and service charge considerations. Companies like Aston Martin, Belmond, and Hyatt participated. Globally, branded residences command a 30% premium. Co-located hotels are favored for shared amenities and streamlined service charges.