News & Stories

The clear upward trend in travel bookings is making the industry euphoric. Consumers are primarily using online channels for this purpose - now including 50 to 69-year-olds. However, there is still room for improvement when it comes to the digitalisation of offers.

When Travel Charme Hotels, a small, fine German resort group, was sold to Hirmer, a Munich-based clothing retailer from outside the industry, in 2018, it sounded like a promising new approach. Six years later, Hirmer Hospitality sold the operating companies of the 12 hotels and resorts to DSR Hotel Holding, which is backed by a tour operator and a food giant.

Good news from the European resort world: almost all of them have exceeded their 2019 ADR by double digits, although occupancy rates have mostly remained low. Coasts and islands remain popular, but new destinations are also opening up.

The hospitality industry in Germany has still not reached pre-corona levels despite sales growth in 2023. Losses are above average, especially in the catering sector.

This year, the business travel market is expected to fully recover and return to 2019 levels. Business travellers are now more demanding and strive to get the maximum benefit from every trip. This has an impact. 

Emirates-based ENVI Lodges has inked a deal with Blue Ocean Capital France (BOCF) to construct four high-end, sustainable lodges in France, marking the commencement of ENVI's European expansion. 

A multitude of new ideas will bear fruit in the tourism industry. The importance of influencers and AI will grow, but new offer models will also be developed. A recent study by Amadeus looks into the near future and offers some astonishing insights.

Overnights in Swiss hotels rose by 6.3% year-on-year to an all-time record high of 23.9mn for the recent summer season (May – October), in spite of a strong Swiss franc and declines in the sector's two leading markets.

Selina Hospitality, which has run into financial difficulties, has apparently found an investor who wants to have a strong say in its future course. And: previous investors will have to make sacrifices.

The Irish tourism industry has continued its remarkable recovery this year. Hotel transactions have also been brisk. But there is still some catching up to do.