TOP NEWS

💰 Airobot, founded in 2018, simplifies airline and airport ancillary sales for travel agencies and airlines with services like Automated Check-in, boosting ancillary revenue. They will attend the Phocuswright Conference in Phoenix, November 19-21. Virgin Atlantic considers separate loyalty programs for US and European customers, addressing the high point accumulation from US credit cards and the need for fixed points for European customers. McKinsey highlights Travel Tuesday's growth, after Cyber Monday, as a prime time for travel deals. Booking Holdings, Expedia, and Airbnb report Q3 results with room night bookings up by 8%, 9%, and revenue growth by 10%, respectively. Paid services to skip lines at theme parks and airports are on the rise, with GetYourGuide noting a fivefold increase in sales of such experiences since 2019. Phocuswright's top 25 travel startups to watch in 2025 include companies recommended by Travel Investor Network in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Travel Tech Essentialist Job Board lists positions like Senior AI Engineer in New York City with a salary range of $185k - $220k plus equity. Newsletter sponsorship opportunities for 2025 are now open for travel tech professionals.

🏥 Peter Schickling, a 1993 Glion alumnus and GM of W Barcelona, Hazel Limfat, a 2016 Glion graduate part of Waldorf Astoria New York's reopening team, and entrepreneur Frédéric Biousse discussed their experiences and insights at a live event in October. They shared professional and entrepreneurial philosophies, career stories, and industry changes, including the multi-billion dollar refurbishment of the Waldorf Astoria and the evolution of luxury to be more meaningful.

🎵 Accor's research predicts 2025 travel trends, revealing 1 in 7 Brits will use AI-driven 'AI-tinerary'; searches for this tech in travel increased 100% in a year. 58% prefer lesser-known places, with "hidden gem holidays" searches surging 150%. 24% of Brits plan solo trips, as related searches grew 30%. Food tourism attracts 32%, "cooking tourism" queries up 250%. Concert travel is popular, with 32% planning trips around music events like Oasis, Coldplay, and Dua Lipa tours in 2025. Top 2025 destinations: New York City, Singapore, Maldives, Mauritius, Dominican Republic.

📌 Hospitality Hued, led by founder Ashli Johnson, aims to elevate Black and Brown leaders into positions of leadership and ownership in the hospitality industry. The initiative provides hospitality professionals with tools, networks, and insights for success. Ashli emphasizes the transferability of hospitality skills to other industries, noting the sector's attractiveness for its mix of business and heart. She credits the late Ray Bennett of Marriott International as a formative influence, highlighting his dedication to accessible leadership and creating opportunities for others. Hospitality Hued is actively changing recruitment strategies to address the lack of diversity in hotel executive leadership. Ashli Johnson's work exemplifies a commitment to a more inclusive and equitable hospitality industry.

🏨 U.S. hotel performance year to date shows demand nearly flat (+.1%), RevPAR growth at +1.1%, occupancy down (–.5%), TRevPAR down .3%. Labor costs increased by 5.7%, with GOPPAR declining by 8.9%. Group business is up, driving F&B revenue to 106.9% of 2019 levels but 87.9% when adjusted for inflation. Total F&B expenses PAR rose by 9.6%, with labor costs up 5.1%. In full-service luxury, upper upscale, and upscale properties, F&B revenues PAR increased by 7.5%, but margins are 1.6 points lower than 2019 due to a 26.3% increase in F&B labor since 2019. Top 25 Markets saw a 4.4% rise in F&B revenues PAR, but also an 8.5% increase in expenses; highest growth in Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville, lowest margins in San Francisco, NYC, Philadelphia. Only eight markets had higher profit margins than last year. Technology and menu curation are being used to improve margins.