Editorial

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. Canadian 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. 

Dear Insider,

Tariffs, taxes, prices, stock market crash... The bars on our stock market chart are also deep in the red today. A dramatic snapshot. 

In this global chaos, the newly formed German government coalition is giving the hotel and restaurant industry back its 7% VAT on food. This is good news for an overpriced country. However, the minimum wage will rise again in 2026. The hot flushes in HR departments are set to remain a feature then. Our political columnist Frank Tetzel in Berlin provides analysis.

Within Europe, more and more countries are adopting a tourist tax - such as the Netherlands recently. The money from holidaymakers is to be used to save the destination's splendor. London is now even considering a 5% tax. Hoteliers under high financial pressure are beginning to tremble: RevPAR could collapse, distorting competition. Sarah Douag has illuminated several countries.                      

Dear Insider,

Three percent RevPAR growth in global tourism is still a solid figure under the new geopolitical conditions, says "true optimist" Sébastien Bazin. The Accor Group CEO is also pleased that the development and brand plans will absorb the new travel flows from Asia. In his mind, he now finds himself increasingly flirting with entering the US market; he sees a goal. Globally, lifestyle hotels are triggering strong revenues; they are the new cash cow.

Bazin always seeks an exchange of opinions and answers everything, while most of the other CEOs on the stage at the IHIF EMEA in Berlin say the same boring things every year and then immediately disappear back to platform 9 3/4. Meanwhile, the Investment Forum, which has been hyped for decades, is losing its lustre and along with it a visible number of exhibitors and participants. Never before have there been so many gaps between stands. Susanne Stauss summarises the changes at IHIF and on the market. She also discovered an increased sensitivity among hoteliers. 

Dear Insider,

Only expect the unexpected. And then react to it: Ignore weak markets immediately and go full throttle to new promising regions. And move your employees with you. This is the somewhat simplified business model of Group CEO Dillip Rajakarier of the Thai Minor Group. This sounds like chaos, but it has something positive about it, because the Asian company acts agilely and quickly, bypassing trouble spots, expanding and reaping profits. In our interview this week, we both talked about such things, not much about figures, but of course also about the new Minor umbrella brand.                

You have to know exactly what you want: Luxury or Lifestyle? No, it's not the same, because figures show that the casual and informal leave the classic and elegant far behind. Macy Marvel has drawn conclusions from the expansion of the top chains.           

Dear Insider,

Brace, relax, profit and protest, share and pay back... These are the opposing pairs of words in our top stories today, in which contradictions form a new image. Developers and brokers in Germany are praying for growing transaction volumes, yet hotel financing simply remains difficult. Investors (Art-Invest, Union Investment), consultants (Hotour, Select Hotel) and banks (BNP Paribas) with their feet on the ground do not deny this today. But they, too, look with sorrow at other EU countries where access to credit is so much easier and yields are really taking off. 

Things have been boiling over again in Mallorca this week. "Stay home", demanded seven environmental organisations and anti-tourism associations in an incendiary letter to tourists, the perpetrators of overtourism. The pressure in the public opinion cauldron is rising, yet our interviewees remain cool but critical: Arabella Hospitality Espana CEO Francisco Vila, Managing Director Björn Spaude from Castell Son Claret, Rolf Seelige-Steinhoff from Bahia del Sol and the Mallorcan hotel association FEHM make it clear that the protests are not representative, that much is politicised and that growth generates positive synergy effects. 

Dear Insider,

The French government has now placed hospitality on its "shortage occupation list" and, among other things, is accelerating the hiring of undocumented migrants. The situation is urgent: Since 2021, there has been a shortage of 100,000 employees with 150,000 vacancies unfilled. Every country, city and hotel group now has the same trauma: Maritim and the Rosewood Amsterdam are currently jointly looking for 700 employees; the planned openings are just around the corner.  Both offer a lot of flexibility and perks, just like American hotels. But can this be implemented in practice? Sarah Douag brings us the details. 

Is the software I just bought any good? Every operator hopes so, but who can see through the IT jungle at the ITB alone? And now AI too... We see: Millions of dollars in capital are flowing towards the tech-giants, which in turn are investing again themselves in order to remain the masters of distribution. "AI" now consists of networked "agent tools" - digital helpers in specific areas. In his commentary, Martin Kemmer, a tech-savvy hotelier, warns his colleagues "not to be mere spectators of this development again".  

Dear Insider,

Each year, the ITB sees a veritable flood of figures, analyses and forecasts on the global travel market bubble up from many sources. Performance in 2024 is impressive, and the outlook for 2025 is promising. Despite the tense political (and economic) situation, the tourism industry shows "hardly any signs of disruption", as Fred Fettner notes with regard to current studies. Above all, air travel with a sun guarantee is a perennial favourite. Too expensive? Doesn't matter Holidaymakers tighten their belts in other areas of everyday life.

The mood in the business travel segment is one of upheaval rather than optimism. This is where the economic downturn hits. Experts had expected a permanent 10 to 30 percent reduction in business travel in Germany in the post-coronavirus period. Apparently too optimistic. The nervousness grows. New forms such as Bleisure Travel and Travel in Motion as a way out? Let’s wait and see.

Anyone travelling on business needs accommodation that is budget-friendly and central. Modular hotels are springing up, not least for this target group. Novum CEO David Etmenan and Carsten Fritz, Managing Director of NXTbau, explain in an interview just how fast and sustainable "Lego-style" construction works out in practice for investors and operators. 

Dear Insider,

This week, Ruslan Husry expanded his HR Group by a third of its previous size: by 64 H-Hotels and 10 Intercity and Steigenberger Hotels. The newcomers in the network are showing the multi-brand operator the way from Germany to Europe; no one is currently expanding as fast as Ruslan and the industry is still wondering how he will manage all the new additions both operationally and financially. Read our Breaking News. 

AI for everyone: A free training programme called AI Skills Passport is available to anyone over the age of 16, digitally of course and in five languages. This could secure jobs. Sarah Douag explains the background. Learning AI is becoming a must, after all, the "intelligent colleague" may also mean 300 million jobs in tourism disappear worldwide and that those that remain are then redistributed geographically in Europe. Macy Marvel sees a lot of movement in the jobs and tourism markets. 

What is longevity? Long life. We have already published several critical articles on this tech-driven trend but have also presented serious concepts. Today, the Europe-wide spa expert Dagmar Rizzato motivates hoteliers not to follow this dubious trend, but to first explore the existing potential for well-being. Data alone does not make you healthy.

Dear Insider, 

For two years, Ruby and IHG have been working together on the deal announced this week. Ruby founder Michael Struck sells his Lean Luxury brand for €110 million. Ruby is to grow globally with IHG, but Ruby remains Ruby, across the whole globe. Standard changes, for example, can only be made jointly by the parties involved. Struck has fixed many of the finer points in the contracts, as he told me. And he is delighted with the giant’s global system power. Ruby is the seventh brand born in Germany to be sold to a chain in a decade: Innside to Melià (2007), Steigenberger to Huazhu/H World (2019), prizeotel to Radisson (2019), 25hours to Accor (complete takeover 2020), me and all to Hyatt (2024), Novum (2024) and Ruby (2025) to IHG.

While some are looking ahead, France and Germany, among others, are calling on the EU to row back when it comes to taxonomy. The financial burden of implementing the regulations is generating deep frustration. Experts warn against wanting to spare 80% of companies from the taxonomy - this could lead to two-tier competition, to the detriment of the climate. Sarah Douag brings us the details. At the same time, the WTTC published the announced new roadmap for Travel & Tourism - combined with a call to implement more climate measures and faster too. Simply paradoxical.

Dear Insider,

The Germans cultivate their German Angst, the Spaniards simply roll up their sleeves. This week, real estate experts warned Germany against de-investment and a decline in consumption. Nevertheless, the hotel asset class could salto its way over many an abyss if it looks at urban/local development, thinks about mixed-use, embraces technology in operations and builds regional, sustainable supply chains. However: The cost cocktail remains toxic, says our finance correspondent Beatrix Boutonnet. But the situation is not hopeless.

Sarah Douag was hugely impressed by how many sustainable solutions Spanish destinations, tech experts and hoteliers came up with at Fitur. Nothing works without data and AI, but Benidorm, Valencia and hotels on the Balearic Islands are happy about intelligent water meters, AI-controlled room temperatures and shrinking mountains of waste. We need more of these positive examples!