Chain race for the lifestyle. And HITT and HOT.

Dear Insider,

It's only May and M&A momentum is picking up. But Big is only buying Small. Big or not though, the prices are considerable, which eases the pain of the small. Marriott's current acquisition of citizenM and the IHG/Ruby deal tell us something else: The chain giants are buying lifestyle brands because they themselves have become old, immobile and boring over the decades. Now, everyone is rushing into lifestyle to secure demand and a foothold in the market. Accor hit on this trend early on and sailed away from the other chains around the year 2000 with the purchase of Hoxton and the founding of Ennismore.

The powerful First Lady of the US hotel world has adopted a very self-confident franchise granddaughter who comes from these free-thinking lowlands (the Netherlands), loves to think outside the box and break standards. High heels meets sneakers. It remains exciting - and reminds me of the difficult and emotionally charged integration of the completely different thinking Design Hotels into the Marriott Group. Sarah Douag raises many other questions about this deal in her Marriott/citizenM article.

Another question for senior executives today: Is your (variable) salary already linked to incentives if you meet the ESG targets? In Europe, almost all companies have switched to the new model; Japan is a positive role model.

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Political action? Stay elastic.

18.4.2025

Dear Insider,

Trump is trampling the world underfoot - and is tourism a good kick too. From the three intensively researched opening articles this week, each full of facts, figures and expert commentary, we learn that everyone should remain flexible. Elastic like a rubber band. US hotels have already lost 2.1 billion dollars in revenue. People still want to travel, yes, but they are worried and there’s a rising sense of insecurity. A fifth of Americans have already cancelled their trips due to rising prices for flights and accommodation. Customs duties are causing even more problems for companies, hotel buildings are becoming more expensive, and the employee drama remains. AI is already far enough along to help you to re-filter your target guest groups.

Sarah Douag describes the plight and gives tips in the article "USA bookings tumble". And in her further contribution on sustainable innovations, she shows that European CEOs in particular will maintain their decarbonisation targets - this is more sustainable than uncontrolled political action. The first companies are already reporting increased revenues following climate-related investments. Incidentally, there is a platform on which companies, cities and governments can voluntarily enter their environmental data.

Trump's campaign against the climate and ESG remains unbelievable. Since 2023, one Washington-based foundation has been listing which executive orders have caused global harm. The planned abolition of the DEI guidelines (for diversity, equality and inclusion) would severely affect the hotel industry around the world. Macy Marvel lists in detail what else can damage the industry. The first lawsuits against the US administration are now rolling in.