Regulatory and Legal Affairs - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 46

Google to tweak search results in Europe

📰 Google, on Nov 28, 2024, responds to EU's Digital Markets Act by altering search result displays for platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb in Europe. The act, effective since last year, prevents Google from self-preferencing and addresses Big Tech's market power. Changes come as Google faces an EU probe and complaints of a 30% decrease in direct bookings for some businesses due to previous modifications. New search result layouts will feature unified units for comparison and supplier sites, plus specialized ad units for competitors.

2 min

SBA Appoints Kevin Carey to Small Business Lending Advisory Council

📌 Kevin Carey, COO and Senior Executive VP of AHLA, has been appointed to the SBA's Small Business Lending Advisory Council in Washington, DC. The Council aims to advise on capital availability for small businesses, particularly in underserved communities, and to enhance small business lending practices. Carey brings expertise to support over 33,000 small business hotels in the U.S. The Council is part of SBA's efforts to boost access to capital and address lending barriers.

Amex GBT plans to open CWT’s travel partner network

✈ Amex Global Business Travel proposed measures to the U.K. CMA to address competition concerns regarding its CWT merger on Nov 26, 2024. Commitments include capping fees for large global clients for two years and maintaining or improving service levels. They're also willing to divest some of CWT's clients if necessary. Competitors would gain access to CWT's travel partner network in 90 countries. Full details at [BTN](https://www.businesstravelnews.com/Procurement/Amex-GBT-Proposes-Pricing-Caps-CWT-Network-Opening-as-Deal-Remedies).

2 min

FDS expands customer offer with launch of…

🚢 DFDS, a ferry operator, partners with WebBeds.com to offer hotel stay packages in Northern France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany, with exclusive discounts for bookings through their website. Packages cater to weekend city breakers, allowing flexibility with car travel and luggage. Starting from £99 per person, the deal includes a one-night stay in Bruges and ferry travel. DFDS transports three million passengers yearly and aims to be a one-stop-shop with ABTOT protection.

Booking.com’s DMA approach: A bit more transparency, but not much else

💰 On Nov 21, 2024, Booking.com responds to the Digital Markets Act with changes offering more flexibility and data access to over a million EU hotels. Removed parity clauses in Genius loyalty program, improved guest data access, yet doesn't share direct contact info. Compliance with DMA Article 5.3 is unclear due to EEA inventory parity ambiguity. Full details at Triptease.

2 min

California voters narrowly reject $18 minimum wage increase

💸 Californians voted against Proposition 32—50.8% opposed—blocking an increase of the state minimum wage from $16 to $18 by 2026. The Associated Press confirmed the results on Election Day. California still maintains a high minimum wage, second to Washington State's $16.66 starting January 1, while California's has doubled since 2010. Fast-food workers, following AB 1228 passed in fall 2023, see a separate minimum of $20 as of April 1. However, restaurant traffic has declined nearly 6%, outpacing the national average, after the wage hike.

Chipotle Opens 1000th Drive-Thru

🌎 The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reported a 27% increase in travel businesses setting climate targets over three years, with over half committed to emissions reduction. Launched at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, 53% of 250 top businesses have set climate goals, up from 42% in 2021, and one-third are committed to Science-Based Targets. Travel & Tourism's carbon footprint dropped to 6.5% of global emissions in 2023, from 7.8% in 2019, with the aviation, cruise, and accommodation industries reducing carbon intensity by 6% and 11% respectively since 2019.

Airbnb urges Barcelona to reconsider crackdown on tourism rentals

🏨 Barcelona plans to eliminate short-term rentals by 2028, a move Airbnb says favors hotels. The policy, challenging rising housing costs and overtourism, hasn't improved affordability or tourism issues since 2014. Airbnb urges Barcelona's mayor to reassess. Full story on November 19, 2024, at Reuters.

2 min

voco hotels Debuts in Atlanta With The Darwin Hotel Conversion

🌆 voco hotels opened voco The Darwin Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, marking its first property in the city. The 111-room hotel showcases a half-century legacy and includes eco-friendly amenities like plant-based products and recycled material bedding. For leisure, guests can access an onsite dog park, cocktail bar, and a restaurant with Atlanta's Alon’s Bakery pastries. The hotel offers electric bicycle rentals for exploring local attractions. HVMG manages the hotel, adding to their portfolio of over 100 nationwide properties. Launched in 2018, voco aims to have over 200 hotels open globally by 2028, following recent and upcoming openings in Tucson, Mexico City, Cincinnati, and Laguna Hills.

2 min

Texas judge overturns Biden-era overtime rule

💲 In Texas, U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan struck down the Department of Labor's final overtime pay rule, which would have raised the threshold incrementally to $58,656 by 2025. The rule, which went into effect on July 1, raised the yearly threshold to $44,000, impacting nearly 4 million salaried U.S. workers. However, this will now revert to the pre-pandemic level of $35,568. The Restaurant Law Center and Texas Restaurant Association's lawsuit led to this ruling, which the hospitality industry largely supports.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.