Choice-Wyndham: Debt? Private Equity? Other Bidders? What Comes Next
If an alternative asset investor like Blackstone gets interested, things could get even more interesting. Same if European hotel giant IHG made a bid of its own.
Sean O’Neill is Skift’s Senior Hospitality Editor. Sean’s forte is reporting, and he’s broken multiple hotel industry scoops. He has also conducted 1:1 interviews on stage with the CEOs of Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, and Wyndham.
U.S. Travel Caution FAQ: What the State Department Advice Means for Travelers
This worldwide caution for Americans to stay alert in tourist spots, even often safe European capitals, is quite notable.
Premier Inn Expects Boost From Shrinking Independent Hotel Sector
Premier Inn says it has gained pricing power as 10% of all UK independent hotels have closed in the past few years. More remarkably, it says repeat guests made 86% of its bookings this year. It's a direct booking champ other hoteliers could learn from.
Choice Hotels Offers to Buy Wyndham for $7.8 Billion, Wyndham Rejects Bid
This is in essence a hostile takeover, and the acquisition may not go through. But if it does, it will create the largest budget hotel player in North America.
AccorInvest to Sell More Than $2 Billion in Hotel Assets: Report
Accor has signaled over several years that it plans to become more asset-light. Bloomberg News reports that the Paris-based hotel giant is about to take more steps as its owner-operator…
Hilton Extends Loyalty Program: Reward Small Businesses for Booking Direct
Hilton will simplify its process for booking small events and meetings, too. All told, it's a promising sign that hoteliers are finally taking the pain points of small and medium-sized businesses seriously.
New Langham CEO Seeks Growth Across Luxury and Midscale Hotel Brands
In September, Bob van den Oord became CEO of Langham, a luxury hotel group. In his first interview in the role, he talks about the group's multi-brand strategy to double its property count.
Hotels to Pay Middlemen $75 Billion in 2023: Skift Research
Hotel companies pay billions a year to online travel agencies and other distributors. Our estimate of how much is eye-opening. So is hoteliers' naiveté about how sustainable their level of spending is.
All-Inclusive Resorts Are a Hot Frontier: This Week’s Top Hotel Stories
Inflation may stay higher for longer. That may fuel interest in all-inclusive resorts, which charge one upfront price.
California Takes Aim at Junk Fees: New Law Mandates Upfront Pricing from July 2024
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on October 7 a bill to ban mandatory hidden fees — also called junk fees — starting July 1, 2024.