1 day ago
Taxes paid by pubs, hotels and cinemas in Wales will fall after the Welsh government announced a 30% cut in some business rates.
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said hospitality, accommodation and leisure venues would receive the permanent cut in rates from April 2027.
"It is about helping businesses like this to thrive, so our communities can thrive," ap Iorwerth said on a visit to a pub in Cardiff.
The cut, which will be funded by an increase in the rates paid by businesses with the highest-value properties, was welcomed by UK Hospitality Cymru. But the trade body warned businesses still faced "massive amounts of taxation coming from all areas".
Pubs will be among the hospitality businesses in Wales to receive a permanent tax cut from April [Getty Images]
#april
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said hospitality, accommodation and leisure venues would receive the permanent cut in rates from April 2027.
"It is about helping businesses like this to thrive, so our communities can thrive," ap Iorwerth said on a visit to a pub in Cardiff.
The cut, which will be funded by an increase in the rates paid by businesses with the highest-value properties, was welcomed by UK Hospitality Cymru. But the trade body warned businesses still faced "massive amounts of taxation coming from all areas".
Pubs will be among the hospitality businesses in Wales to receive a permanent tax cut from April [Getty Images]
#april
8 days ago
Tom Holland and Zendaya had a luxury getaway to ***** an planned, but their hectic promotional schedule left them too exhausted to enjoy it. Instead, they handed the luxury trip to Tom's parents, Dominic and Nicola Holland.
The couple has dated since 2021 and quietly tied the knot. They spent months promoting the latest superhero movie and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Their packed schedules left them too exhausted to make the ***** an trip themselves. Comedian and writer Dominic Holland has now revealed how the couple turned their canceled getaway into a vacation for him and his wife.
His father narrated, as per Daily Mail, "So, you know that Tom had a few films out recently, he had The Odyssey out, then he had Spider-Man. And he's been tired; he's been working unbelievably hard. He and Zendaya have probably done twice around the globe to promote these films.
He continued, "They were tired. They'd probably done maybe 20, 10-hour flights." About three days after the London premiere, Tom told him they had a holiday planned in ***** an. Dominic said he told Tom, "That'll be nice, Tom. You'll enjoy it." But Tom admitted he was too tired to go. He told his father, "Dad, it's too far, and I'm too tired." Tom then came up with another plan and told Dominic he would send him and his mum, Nicola, instead.
Dominic joked that being Tom's father came with plenty of perks, including first-class travel and luxury hotels. However, he said the hotel and restaurant staff expected to see the Hollywood star, only to find Dominic instead. He said that even the famously polite ***** anese staff seemed disappointed when he arrived. Dominic added, 'The ***** anese are very polite and servile people, but even they went, "Hmm."' He then poked fun at his own career, saying, 'Typical of me — here's the thing… I've written 10 books and got exactly zero with me tonight, which sums up my career.'"
#dominic
The couple has dated since 2021 and quietly tied the knot. They spent months promoting the latest superhero movie and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Their packed schedules left them too exhausted to make the ***** an trip themselves. Comedian and writer Dominic Holland has now revealed how the couple turned their canceled getaway into a vacation for him and his wife.
His father narrated, as per Daily Mail, "So, you know that Tom had a few films out recently, he had The Odyssey out, then he had Spider-Man. And he's been tired; he's been working unbelievably hard. He and Zendaya have probably done twice around the globe to promote these films.
He continued, "They were tired. They'd probably done maybe 20, 10-hour flights." About three days after the London premiere, Tom told him they had a holiday planned in ***** an. Dominic said he told Tom, "That'll be nice, Tom. You'll enjoy it." But Tom admitted he was too tired to go. He told his father, "Dad, it's too far, and I'm too tired." Tom then came up with another plan and told Dominic he would send him and his mum, Nicola, instead.
Dominic joked that being Tom's father came with plenty of perks, including first-class travel and luxury hotels. However, he said the hotel and restaurant staff expected to see the Hollywood star, only to find Dominic instead. He said that even the famously polite ***** anese staff seemed disappointed when he arrived. Dominic added, 'The ***** anese are very polite and servile people, but even they went, "Hmm."' He then poked fun at his own career, saying, 'Typical of me — here's the thing… I've written 10 books and got exactly zero with me tonight, which sums up my career.'"
#dominic
10 days ago
By Shrivathsa Sridhar
NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - From podiums to practice courts and player lounges, dogs have become some of tennis's most popular support acts, increasingly earning places in the travelling party and popping up at the sport's biggest stages.
For players who spend most of the year in airports, hotels and tournament venues often thousands of miles from home, pets have become common travelling companions, offering comfort and stability in a sport where loneliness is a major challenge.
"Animals are amazing... that's why a lot of the girls are travelling with more pets now, because of how tough the life is on the road," world number three Jessica Pegula told reporters at the U.S. Open this week.
"To have something that grounds you, as simple as having a dog or any type of animal... you don't experience that type of love from anybody else. They love you unconditionally and that can just really help emotionally."
#travelling #love
NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - From podiums to practice courts and player lounges, dogs have become some of tennis's most popular support acts, increasingly earning places in the travelling party and popping up at the sport's biggest stages.
For players who spend most of the year in airports, hotels and tournament venues often thousands of miles from home, pets have become common travelling companions, offering comfort and stability in a sport where loneliness is a major challenge.
"Animals are amazing... that's why a lot of the girls are travelling with more pets now, because of how tough the life is on the road," world number three Jessica Pegula told reporters at the U.S. Open this week.
"To have something that grounds you, as simple as having a dog or any type of animal... you don't experience that type of love from anybody else. They love you unconditionally and that can just really help emotionally."
#travelling #love
11 days ago
Valued at $83.1 billion by market cap, Airbnb, Inc. (ABNB) is a global online travel marketplace that connects travelers with hosts offering accommodations, including homes, apartments, villas, and boutique hotels. The San Francisco, California-based platform has expanded beyond stays to include Airbnb Experiences and Services, and offerings such as car rentals, airport pickups, and grocery delivery to create a broader end-to-end travel platform.
Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as "large-cap stocks," and ABNB perfectly fits that description, with its market cap exceeding this mark, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the travel services industry. Airbnb stands out through its **** et-light business model, globally recognized brand, and expansive network of unique accommodations. Unlike traditional hotel chains, Airbnb offers travelers access to homes, apartments, villas, and other distinctive properties, giving it a broader and more personalized selection. Its large two-sided network of hosts and guests creates strong network effects, while its growing Experiences and Services offerings provide additional ways to engage customers and diversify beyond lodging.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says His $3.5 Billion MediaTek Deal Is 'Not Circular' Because 'They Do Their Own Business'
Strategy's Strategy Appears to Have Failed, and the Outlook of MSTR Stock Is Unfavorable
A Potential **** eX Deal Could Meaningfully Accelerate Growth for Technip Stock
#Services
Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as "large-cap stocks," and ABNB perfectly fits that description, with its market cap exceeding this mark, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the travel services industry. Airbnb stands out through its **** et-light business model, globally recognized brand, and expansive network of unique accommodations. Unlike traditional hotel chains, Airbnb offers travelers access to homes, apartments, villas, and other distinctive properties, giving it a broader and more personalized selection. Its large two-sided network of hosts and guests creates strong network effects, while its growing Experiences and Services offerings provide additional ways to engage customers and diversify beyond lodging.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says His $3.5 Billion MediaTek Deal Is 'Not Circular' Because 'They Do Their Own Business'
Strategy's Strategy Appears to Have Failed, and the Outlook of MSTR Stock Is Unfavorable
A Potential **** eX Deal Could Meaningfully Accelerate Growth for Technip Stock
#Services
12 days ago
This story was originally published on Hotel Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Hotel Dive newsletter.
Airbnb has appointed Pepijn Rijvers, formerly an executive at Tripadvisor Group, as the company's new chief business officer, according to a Tuesday news release.
In his new role, Rijvers is tasked with leading the homes, hotels, global markets and enterprise operations divisions as Airbnb focuses on scaling its hotel strategy.
Rijvers succeeds Dave Stephenson, who joined the short-term rental platform eight years ago and "built the function that established Hotels as a business" within Airbnb, co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said in a companywide email shared Sept. 1.
Prior to his role as chief business officer at Tripadvisor, Rijvers spent 13 years at Booking.com in various senior leadership roles, which "gave him a clear view of why Airbnb needs to follow a very different path," according to Chesky.
#tripadvisor
Airbnb has appointed Pepijn Rijvers, formerly an executive at Tripadvisor Group, as the company's new chief business officer, according to a Tuesday news release.
In his new role, Rijvers is tasked with leading the homes, hotels, global markets and enterprise operations divisions as Airbnb focuses on scaling its hotel strategy.
Rijvers succeeds Dave Stephenson, who joined the short-term rental platform eight years ago and "built the function that established Hotels as a business" within Airbnb, co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said in a companywide email shared Sept. 1.
Prior to his role as chief business officer at Tripadvisor, Rijvers spent 13 years at Booking.com in various senior leadership roles, which "gave him a clear view of why Airbnb needs to follow a very different path," according to Chesky.
#tripadvisor
13 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Why we like this card: The Hilton Honors Amex Card proves that you don't have to pay a big annual fee to get big rewards. While you'll earn the most rewards on your stays with Hilton, you can also earn a solid 5x points on everyday spending at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations — plus 3x rewards in all non-category spending. With Hilton Honors reward nights starting at 5,000 points per night, those extra points can take you far.
You can also get a lot of value from your complimentary Silver status the Hilton Honors American Express Card offers. Status perks include a 20% points bonus on Hilton stays, your fifth night free on award stays, elite rollover nights, and more. If you score the Gold status upgrade (after spending $20,000 in a calendar year), you'll also receive room upgrades when available, daily food and beverage credits, milestone bonuses, and a boosted 80% points bonus on stays.
Why we like this card: We like the value you can get from the Chase Sapphire Preferred, whether you're a seasoned travel pro or a beginner to travel rewards. For hotels specifically, the up to $100 annual credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel can offset the annual fee on its own.
#travel
Why we like this card: The Hilton Honors Amex Card proves that you don't have to pay a big annual fee to get big rewards. While you'll earn the most rewards on your stays with Hilton, you can also earn a solid 5x points on everyday spending at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations — plus 3x rewards in all non-category spending. With Hilton Honors reward nights starting at 5,000 points per night, those extra points can take you far.
You can also get a lot of value from your complimentary Silver status the Hilton Honors American Express Card offers. Status perks include a 20% points bonus on Hilton stays, your fifth night free on award stays, elite rollover nights, and more. If you score the Gold status upgrade (after spending $20,000 in a calendar year), you'll also receive room upgrades when available, daily food and beverage credits, milestone bonuses, and a boosted 80% points bonus on stays.
Why we like this card: We like the value you can get from the Chase Sapphire Preferred, whether you're a seasoned travel pro or a beginner to travel rewards. For hotels specifically, the up to $100 annual credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel can offset the annual fee on its own.
#travel
13 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Why we like it: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a valuable cash-back rewards combo for taking on costly wedding expenses. You earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus, there's an introductory 0% APR you can use to finance your wedding purchases and pay them off over time.
The rewards you earn with this card are even more lucrative if you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While you'll earn rewards as cash back, you can also redeem them toward travel purchases through Chase Travel. If you have one of the Sapphire cards, combine your rewards under that card account and get up to a 1.75x (for Chase Sapphire Preferred) or up to 2x (for Chase Sapphire Reserve) boosted Chase Travel redemption rate — a great way to maximize your Chase rewards toward your honeymoon or another upcoming trip.
Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card
Why we like it: If you want to use your wedding expenses to help fund the honeymoon you'll take afterward, the Capital One Venture is a great option. You'll earn a flat 2x miles on every dollar you spend, so you don't need to worry about the specific categories your wedding spending may fall into. If you have wedding-related travel expenses to book, you can get up to 5x miles on hotels and car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
#sapphire #card #purchases
Why we like it: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a valuable cash-back rewards combo for taking on costly wedding expenses. You earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus, there's an introductory 0% APR you can use to finance your wedding purchases and pay them off over time.
The rewards you earn with this card are even more lucrative if you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While you'll earn rewards as cash back, you can also redeem them toward travel purchases through Chase Travel. If you have one of the Sapphire cards, combine your rewards under that card account and get up to a 1.75x (for Chase Sapphire Preferred) or up to 2x (for Chase Sapphire Reserve) boosted Chase Travel redemption rate — a great way to maximize your Chase rewards toward your honeymoon or another upcoming trip.
Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card
Why we like it: If you want to use your wedding expenses to help fund the honeymoon you'll take afterward, the Capital One Venture is a great option. You'll earn a flat 2x miles on every dollar you spend, so you don't need to worry about the specific categories your wedding spending may fall into. If you have wedding-related travel expenses to book, you can get up to 5x miles on hotels and car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
#sapphire #card #purchases
13 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Why we like it: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a valuable cash-back rewards combo for taking on costly wedding expenses. You earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus, there's an introductory 0% APR you can use to finance your wedding purchases and pay them off over time.
The rewards you earn with this card are even more lucrative if you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While you'll earn rewards as cash back, you can also redeem them toward travel purchases through Chase Travel. If you have one of the Sapphire cards, combine your rewards under that card account and get up to a 1.75x (for Chase Sapphire Preferred) or up to 2x (for Chase Sapphire Reserve) boosted Chase Travel redemption rate — a great way to maximize your Chase rewards toward your honeymoon or another upcoming trip.
Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card
Why we like it: If you want to use your wedding expenses to help fund the honeymoon you'll take afterward, the Capital One Venture is a great option. You'll earn a flat 2x miles on every dollar you spend, so you don't need to worry about the specific categories your wedding spending may fall into. If you have wedding-related travel expenses to book, you can get up to 5x miles on hotels and car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
#chase #travel
Why we like it: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a valuable cash-back rewards combo for taking on costly wedding expenses. You earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus, there's an introductory 0% APR you can use to finance your wedding purchases and pay them off over time.
The rewards you earn with this card are even more lucrative if you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While you'll earn rewards as cash back, you can also redeem them toward travel purchases through Chase Travel. If you have one of the Sapphire cards, combine your rewards under that card account and get up to a 1.75x (for Chase Sapphire Preferred) or up to 2x (for Chase Sapphire Reserve) boosted Chase Travel redemption rate — a great way to maximize your Chase rewards toward your honeymoon or another upcoming trip.
Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card
Why we like it: If you want to use your wedding expenses to help fund the honeymoon you'll take afterward, the Capital One Venture is a great option. You'll earn a flat 2x miles on every dollar you spend, so you don't need to worry about the specific categories your wedding spending may fall into. If you have wedding-related travel expenses to book, you can get up to 5x miles on hotels and car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
#chase #travel
15 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Why we like this card: The Hilton Honors Amex Card proves that you don't have to pay a big annual fee to get big rewards. While you'll earn the most rewards on your stays with Hilton, you can also earn a solid 5x points on everyday spending at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations — plus 3x rewards in all non-category spending. With Hilton Honors reward nights starting at 5,000 points per night, those extra points can take you far.
You can also get a lot of value from your complimentary Silver status the Hilton Honors American Express Card offers. Status perks include a 20% points bonus on Hilton stays, your fifth night free on award stays, elite rollover nights, and more. If you score the Gold status upgrade (after spending $20,000 in a calendar year), you'll also receive room upgrades when available, daily food and beverage credits, milestone bonuses, and a boosted 80% points bonus on stays.
Why we like this card: We like the value you can get from the Chase Sapphire Preferred, whether you're a seasoned travel pro or a beginner to travel rewards. For hotels specifically, the up to $100 annual credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel can offset the annual fee on its own.
#points
Why we like this card: The Hilton Honors Amex Card proves that you don't have to pay a big annual fee to get big rewards. While you'll earn the most rewards on your stays with Hilton, you can also earn a solid 5x points on everyday spending at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations — plus 3x rewards in all non-category spending. With Hilton Honors reward nights starting at 5,000 points per night, those extra points can take you far.
You can also get a lot of value from your complimentary Silver status the Hilton Honors American Express Card offers. Status perks include a 20% points bonus on Hilton stays, your fifth night free on award stays, elite rollover nights, and more. If you score the Gold status upgrade (after spending $20,000 in a calendar year), you'll also receive room upgrades when available, daily food and beverage credits, milestone bonuses, and a boosted 80% points bonus on stays.
Why we like this card: We like the value you can get from the Chase Sapphire Preferred, whether you're a seasoned travel pro or a beginner to travel rewards. For hotels specifically, the up to $100 annual credit for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel can offset the annual fee on its own.
#points
15 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Why we like it: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a valuable cash-back rewards combo for taking on costly wedding expenses. You earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus, there's an introductory 0% APR you can use to finance your wedding purchases and pay them off over time.
The rewards you earn with this card are even more lucrative if you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While you'll earn rewards as cash back, you can also redeem them toward travel purchases through Chase Travel. If you have one of the Sapphire cards, combine your rewards under that card account and get up to a 1.75x (for Chase Sapphire Preferred) or up to 2x (for Chase Sapphire Reserve) boosted Chase Travel redemption rate — a great way to maximize your Chase rewards toward your honeymoon or another upcoming trip.
Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card
Why we like it: If you want to use your wedding expenses to help fund the honeymoon you'll take afterward, the Capital One Venture is a great option. You'll earn a flat 2x miles on every dollar you spend, so you don't need to worry about the specific categories your wedding spending may fall into. If you have wedding-related travel expenses to book, you can get up to 5x miles on hotels and car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
#sapphire
Why we like it: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a valuable cash-back rewards combo for taking on costly wedding expenses. You earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus, there's an introductory 0% APR you can use to finance your wedding purchases and pay them off over time.
The rewards you earn with this card are even more lucrative if you also have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While you'll earn rewards as cash back, you can also redeem them toward travel purchases through Chase Travel. If you have one of the Sapphire cards, combine your rewards under that card account and get up to a 1.75x (for Chase Sapphire Preferred) or up to 2x (for Chase Sapphire Reserve) boosted Chase Travel redemption rate — a great way to maximize your Chase rewards toward your honeymoon or another upcoming trip.
Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card
Why we like it: If you want to use your wedding expenses to help fund the honeymoon you'll take afterward, the Capital One Venture is a great option. You'll earn a flat 2x miles on every dollar you spend, so you don't need to worry about the specific categories your wedding spending may fall into. If you have wedding-related travel expenses to book, you can get up to 5x miles on hotels and car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
#sapphire
17 days ago
A caller on the August 26 episode of Mad Money highlighted local neighbors abandoning Airbnb over a forthcoming change that shifts guest fees directly in listing prices. They asked if they should dump their 5% Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) holdings and invest in Toll Brothers. Jim Cramer replied:
Well, I do like Toll Brothers very much, but I have to tell you, I think you're an outlier. As I know, the Jersey beaches, they're always trying to figure out how to stop the party houses; I wouldn't worry. Internationally, Airbnb is smoking it. I say you stay long that stock.
Airbnb, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ABNB) second-quarter revenue rose 17% year over year to $3.6 billion, while gross booking value increased 16% to $27.2 billion and nights and seats booked grew 10% to 148.3 million. Net income reached $816 million, adjusted EBITDA rose 21% to $1.3 billion, and free cash flow was about $1.3 billion. Management raised its 2026 outlook to at least 15% revenue growth and an adjusted EBITDA margin of at least 35.5%.
International growth remains important to the thesis. Airbnb reported stronger growth across major markets, while hotel nights are growing about three times faster than its home business. Hotels still account for a single-digit percentage of total nights, but about 35% of first-time guests who book a hotel on Airbnb later return to book a home.
Management also reported a 16% year-over-year decline in customer-support costs per booking, helped by its AI **** istant, which resolves nearly 45% of issues that begin with it without human intervention. However, the new 15.5% host-paid fee remains a risk because higher listing prices remains a potential host-retention risk.
#airbnb #remains #brothers
Well, I do like Toll Brothers very much, but I have to tell you, I think you're an outlier. As I know, the Jersey beaches, they're always trying to figure out how to stop the party houses; I wouldn't worry. Internationally, Airbnb is smoking it. I say you stay long that stock.
Airbnb, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ABNB) second-quarter revenue rose 17% year over year to $3.6 billion, while gross booking value increased 16% to $27.2 billion and nights and seats booked grew 10% to 148.3 million. Net income reached $816 million, adjusted EBITDA rose 21% to $1.3 billion, and free cash flow was about $1.3 billion. Management raised its 2026 outlook to at least 15% revenue growth and an adjusted EBITDA margin of at least 35.5%.
International growth remains important to the thesis. Airbnb reported stronger growth across major markets, while hotel nights are growing about three times faster than its home business. Hotels still account for a single-digit percentage of total nights, but about 35% of first-time guests who book a hotel on Airbnb later return to book a home.
Management also reported a 16% year-over-year decline in customer-support costs per booking, helped by its AI **** istant, which resolves nearly 45% of issues that begin with it without human intervention. However, the new 15.5% host-paid fee remains a risk because higher listing prices remains a potential host-retention risk.
#airbnb #remains #brothers
18 days ago
Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card charges a higher annual fee than other mid-tier airline cards, but the perks alone can make it worth your while. If you fly with Delta at least once or twice a year, this card should be on your radar.
Here are some of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card's more notable features:
Annual Delta flight credit: For each calendar year in which you spend $10,000, you'll receive a $200 Delta flight credit good for future travel. The credit is good for one year from the date you receive it.
Delta Stays credit: Each year, you'll get up to $100 in statement credits when you use your card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays.
#credit #annual
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card charges a higher annual fee than other mid-tier airline cards, but the perks alone can make it worth your while. If you fly with Delta at least once or twice a year, this card should be on your radar.
Here are some of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card's more notable features:
Annual Delta flight credit: For each calendar year in which you spend $10,000, you'll receive a $200 Delta flight credit good for future travel. The credit is good for one year from the date you receive it.
Delta Stays credit: Each year, you'll get up to $100 in statement credits when you use your card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays.
#credit #annual
19 days ago
Leonard Williams walked in with, and was holding, the evidence of how the Seahawks and Seattle have transformed his life.
Williams grew up in Dayton Beach, Florida, "grew up, you know, homeless, at times. I grew up living in, in and out of hotels, motels — and, you know, kind of an unstable lifestyle as a young kid," the 32-year-old Pro Bowl defensive lineman said last year.
Williams had just signed his three-year, $90 million extension with $56 million guaranteed to him Thursday. It keeps him under contract with the defending Super Bowl champions through 2029.
He was walking the team's indoor practice field into a press conference Thursday. His wife Hailey, whom he married last year before he second full season with the Seahawks, walked with him. She pushed a stroller. He held their five-month-old son, Zion.
They were a short drive from the home they own in the hills above Seahawks headquarters, in Seattle's eastern suburbs.
#williams #know
Williams grew up in Dayton Beach, Florida, "grew up, you know, homeless, at times. I grew up living in, in and out of hotels, motels — and, you know, kind of an unstable lifestyle as a young kid," the 32-year-old Pro Bowl defensive lineman said last year.
Williams had just signed his three-year, $90 million extension with $56 million guaranteed to him Thursday. It keeps him under contract with the defending Super Bowl champions through 2029.
He was walking the team's indoor practice field into a press conference Thursday. His wife Hailey, whom he married last year before he second full season with the Seahawks, walked with him. She pushed a stroller. He held their five-month-old son, Zion.
They were a short drive from the home they own in the hills above Seahawks headquarters, in Seattle's eastern suburbs.
#williams #know
21 days ago
Aoris Investment Management, a specialist international equity manager, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for "Aoris International Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund invests in high-quality, wealth-generating businesses managed by prudent and capable teams, targeting an annual return of 8–12% after fees over a 5–7-year market cycle. During the June quarter, international equity markets, as represented by the MSCI AC World Accumulation Index ex Australia, returned 13.8% in AUD terms. In local currencies, the return 15.1%. The Portfolio's Class A (Unhedged) returned 5.7% after fees, underperforming its benchmark by 8.1%, while the Class C (Hedged) gained 6.7%, 8.4% less than its benchmark. The June quarter continued to reflect an unusual year, marked by significant share price increases among AI infrastructure companies, particularly semiconductor producers and data center suppliers. Economic sectors like banks and commodity producers saw gains, but the firm chose not to invest due to their cyclicality and low growth prospects. Conversely, concerns about enterprise software and data companies, challenged by AI, negatively impacted performance. The letter outlined potential incremental opportunities for portfolio companies through AI. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Aoris Investment Management highlighted InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG). InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a leading hospitality company owns, manages, franchises, and leases hotels globally. On August 21, 2026, InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) closed at $159.91 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $23.55 billion. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) posted a one‑month return of 0.25%, while its shares gained 32.18% over the past 52 weeks.
Aoris Investment Management stated the following regarding InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a brand owner and franchisor of global hotel chains, including Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza. Hotel owners pay IHG a franchise fee in exchange for access to its brands, loyalty program, and IT systems to help manage their properties, reservations and pricing. IHG franchisees earn better economics than independent hotels, which is why an increasing share of new and existing hotels are choosing to partner with IHG.
IHG's technology systems are a core advantage over smaller chains and independent hotels. AI can widen this gap through improvements in its search functions, booking process, customer service, pricing, marketing, and operational efficiency. For example, IHG is developing AI-powered conversational search to help guests book properties and receive more detailed information about its franchisees' rooms and services.…" (Click here to read the full text)
#NYSE
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Aoris Investment Management highlighted InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG). InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a leading hospitality company owns, manages, franchises, and leases hotels globally. On August 21, 2026, InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) closed at $159.91 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $23.55 billion. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) posted a one‑month return of 0.25%, while its shares gained 32.18% over the past 52 weeks.
Aoris Investment Management stated the following regarding InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a brand owner and franchisor of global hotel chains, including Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza. Hotel owners pay IHG a franchise fee in exchange for access to its brands, loyalty program, and IT systems to help manage their properties, reservations and pricing. IHG franchisees earn better economics than independent hotels, which is why an increasing share of new and existing hotels are choosing to partner with IHG.
IHG's technology systems are a core advantage over smaller chains and independent hotels. AI can widen this gap through improvements in its search functions, booking process, customer service, pricing, marketing, and operational efficiency. For example, IHG is developing AI-powered conversational search to help guests book properties and receive more detailed information about its franchisees' rooms and services.…" (Click here to read the full text)
#NYSE
22 days ago
Donatella Versace is part of perhaps the most influential fashion family in the world. Alongside her siblings Gianni and Santo, Donatella built the Versace fashion house from the ground up. As the youngest sibling in the Versace family, Donatella was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, in 1955. Like her brother Gianni, Donatella learned the art of design from their mother, who was a talented dressmaker. After leaving university, Donatella supported Gianni during the launch of his fashion house Versace in the late 1970s — acting as his "muse and critic" before being given control of Versace's "Versus" line. Over the years, Donatella took on a more active role in the business; she especially led Versace whilst Gianni was battling cancer in the mid-1990s.
However, shortly after Gianni's recovery, the legendary designer was murdered outside of his home in Miami, Florida, in 1997. In the wake of his tragic passing, Donatella took charge of the family's business. As chief creative officer, Donatella expanded the brand to include fragrance, accessories, home decor, and even hotels — not to mention reimagining both the Versus and haute couture line Atelier Versace. Though Donatella stepped down from her role as Versace's creative director in 2025, she remains at the forefront of her family's brand as Chief Brand Ambassador. Donatella's steadfast commitment to preserving her brother's legacy, solidifying her own, and influencing the fashion industry at large makes her quote of the day more relevant than ever.
Read more: Taylor Swift Lives An Outrageously Lavish Life
Static Media
Donatella Versace understands firsthand how the way you dress can impact how you are perceived — both by other people and internally. During an interview with Vogue Australia in 2012, Donatella said, "Fashion is a weapon that you can use when you need it. I think my own look makes people think I'm tough but when they get to know me I'm very different. It's like armour that was useful to me in the first years after Gianni's death." Donatella utilized her style to navigate the public eye after her brother's passing, keeping up appearances even when she was at her lowest.
#fashion #versus
However, shortly after Gianni's recovery, the legendary designer was murdered outside of his home in Miami, Florida, in 1997. In the wake of his tragic passing, Donatella took charge of the family's business. As chief creative officer, Donatella expanded the brand to include fragrance, accessories, home decor, and even hotels — not to mention reimagining both the Versus and haute couture line Atelier Versace. Though Donatella stepped down from her role as Versace's creative director in 2025, she remains at the forefront of her family's brand as Chief Brand Ambassador. Donatella's steadfast commitment to preserving her brother's legacy, solidifying her own, and influencing the fashion industry at large makes her quote of the day more relevant than ever.
Read more: Taylor Swift Lives An Outrageously Lavish Life
Static Media
Donatella Versace understands firsthand how the way you dress can impact how you are perceived — both by other people and internally. During an interview with Vogue Australia in 2012, Donatella said, "Fashion is a weapon that you can use when you need it. I think my own look makes people think I'm tough but when they get to know me I'm very different. It's like armour that was useful to me in the first years after Gianni's death." Donatella utilized her style to navigate the public eye after her brother's passing, keeping up appearances even when she was at her lowest.
#fashion #versus
23 days ago
By Saurabh Sharma and Aftab Ahmed
NEW DELHI, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend next month's BRICS summit in New Delhi with a large delegation, three sources said, in what would be his first visit in seven years and a fresh sign of a thaw between the rivals.
India is hosting the September 12 to 13 summit, where Xi's presence would be watched less for the BRICS agenda than for what it signals about Beijing and New Delhi's efforts to stabilise relations after deadly border clashes in 2020.
"Chinese officials are busy finalising hotels and security protocols," one of the Indian sources with direct knowledge told Reuters.
Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years, but the relationship has only improved gradually. More recently, a fresh border-related dispute triggered sharp diplomatic exchanges between the two sides.
#Delhi #brics #sources #years
NEW DELHI, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to attend next month's BRICS summit in New Delhi with a large delegation, three sources said, in what would be his first visit in seven years and a fresh sign of a thaw between the rivals.
India is hosting the September 12 to 13 summit, where Xi's presence would be watched less for the BRICS agenda than for what it signals about Beijing and New Delhi's efforts to stabilise relations after deadly border clashes in 2020.
"Chinese officials are busy finalising hotels and security protocols," one of the Indian sources with direct knowledge told Reuters.
Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years, but the relationship has only improved gradually. More recently, a fresh border-related dispute triggered sharp diplomatic exchanges between the two sides.
#Delhi #brics #sources #years
23 days ago
Aoris Investment Management, a specialist international equity manager, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for "Aoris International Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund invests in high-quality, wealth-generating businesses managed by prudent and capable teams, targeting an annual return of 8–12% after fees over a 5–7-year market cycle. During the June quarter, international equity markets, as represented by the MSCI AC World Accumulation Index ex Australia, returned 13.8% in AUD terms. In local currencies, the return 15.1%. The Portfolio's Class A (Unhedged) returned 5.7% after fees, underperforming its benchmark by 8.1%, while the Class C (Hedged) gained 6.7%, 8.4% less than its benchmark. The June quarter continued to reflect an unusual year, marked by significant share price increases among AI infrastructure companies, particularly semiconductor producers and data center suppliers. Economic sectors like banks and commodity producers saw gains, but the firm chose not to invest due to their cyclicality and low growth prospects. Conversely, concerns about enterprise software and data companies, challenged by AI, negatively impacted performance. The letter outlined potential incremental opportunities for portfolio companies through AI. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Aoris Investment Management highlighted InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG). InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a leading hospitality company owns, manages, franchises, and leases hotels globally. On August 21, 2026, InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) closed at $159.91 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $23.55 billion. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) posted a one‑month return of 0.25%, while its shares gained 32.18% over the past 52 weeks.
Aoris Investment Management stated the following regarding InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a brand owner and franchisor of global hotel chains, including Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza. Hotel owners pay IHG a franchise fee in exchange for access to its brands, loyalty program, and IT systems to help manage their properties, reservations and pricing. IHG franchisees earn better economics than independent hotels, which is why an increasing share of new and existing hotels are choosing to partner with IHG.
IHG's technology systems are a core advantage over smaller chains and independent hotels. AI can widen this gap through improvements in its search functions, booking process, customer service, pricing, marketing, and operational efficiency. For example, IHG is developing AI-powered conversational search to help guests book properties and receive more detailed information about its franchisees' rooms and services.…" (Click here to read the full text)
#inves
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Aoris Investment Management highlighted InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG). InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a leading hospitality company owns, manages, franchises, and leases hotels globally. On August 21, 2026, InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) closed at $159.91 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $23.55 billion. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) posted a one‑month return of 0.25%, while its shares gained 32.18% over the past 52 weeks.
Aoris Investment Management stated the following regarding InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (NYSE:IHG) is a brand owner and franchisor of global hotel chains, including Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza. Hotel owners pay IHG a franchise fee in exchange for access to its brands, loyalty program, and IT systems to help manage their properties, reservations and pricing. IHG franchisees earn better economics than independent hotels, which is why an increasing share of new and existing hotels are choosing to partner with IHG.
IHG's technology systems are a core advantage over smaller chains and independent hotels. AI can widen this gap through improvements in its search functions, booking process, customer service, pricing, marketing, and operational efficiency. For example, IHG is developing AI-powered conversational search to help guests book properties and receive more detailed information about its franchisees' rooms and services.…" (Click here to read the full text)
#inves
24 days ago
Shares of H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) jumped 11.3% to $46.61 on August 17 after second-quarter results combined continued growth, a higher outlook, and an aggressive capital-return program. Hotel turnover, which measures room and non-room transaction value across the network, increased 13.2% to RMB30.5 billion, while revenue rose 10.8% to RMB7.1 billion. The company raised its 2026 revenue-growth forecast to 4%-8% from 2%-6% and authorized up to $2.5 billion of dividends and repurchases over three years. For H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT), the question is whether those returns will come from stronger cash generation or eventually compete with hotel openings and upgrades.
As of June 30, H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) operated 13,539 hotels with 1.34 million rooms and had 3,089 unopened hotels in its pipeline. Its China business opened 498 hotels and closed 176 during the quarter. Only one opening was leased and owned, underscoring how expansion is shifting toward managed and franchised properties. Across the group, 93% of rooms operated under those ****** et-light models.
H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) ended June with RMB14.2 billion, or $2.1 billion, of cash and equivalents against RMB4.2 billion of debt. Including RMB142 million of restricted cash, net cash totaled RMB10.2 billion. Second-quarter operating cash inflow was RMB3.4 billion. The board also declared an approximately $275 million ordinary dividend, equal to $0.87 per American Depositary Share. The larger plan sets an aggregate three-year ceiling, while leaving the timing and mix of dividends and repurchases to the board.
H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) is still expanding, not retreating. Management maintained its 2026 target of 2,200-2,300 gross hotel openings, and nearly every China opening during the quarter used a manachised or franchised structure. Franchisees supply much of the property capital, while H World supplies brands, technology, reservations and operating support.
That structure is already improving the earnings mix. Franchised revenue increased 25.2% to RMB3.6 billion, while H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) lifted non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA 20.0% to RMB2.7 billion. Operating margin widened to 31.1% from 27.8%. If that momentum continues, shareholder returns can be funded without sacrificing network growth.
#World #cash #quarter #hotel
As of June 30, H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) operated 13,539 hotels with 1.34 million rooms and had 3,089 unopened hotels in its pipeline. Its China business opened 498 hotels and closed 176 during the quarter. Only one opening was leased and owned, underscoring how expansion is shifting toward managed and franchised properties. Across the group, 93% of rooms operated under those ****** et-light models.
H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) ended June with RMB14.2 billion, or $2.1 billion, of cash and equivalents against RMB4.2 billion of debt. Including RMB142 million of restricted cash, net cash totaled RMB10.2 billion. Second-quarter operating cash inflow was RMB3.4 billion. The board also declared an approximately $275 million ordinary dividend, equal to $0.87 per American Depositary Share. The larger plan sets an aggregate three-year ceiling, while leaving the timing and mix of dividends and repurchases to the board.
H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) is still expanding, not retreating. Management maintained its 2026 target of 2,200-2,300 gross hotel openings, and nearly every China opening during the quarter used a manachised or franchised structure. Franchisees supply much of the property capital, while H World supplies brands, technology, reservations and operating support.
That structure is already improving the earnings mix. Franchised revenue increased 25.2% to RMB3.6 billion, while H World Group Limited (NASDAQ:HTHT) lifted non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA 20.0% to RMB2.7 billion. Operating margin widened to 31.1% from 27.8%. If that momentum continues, shareholder returns can be funded without sacrificing network growth.
#World #cash #quarter #hotel
29 days ago
With a market cap of $73.6 billion, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) is one of the world's largest hospitality companies, operating and franchising a broad portfolio of hotel and resort brands across luxury, lifestyle, full-service, and focused-service segments. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Hilton manages thousands of properties in more than 120 countries, including well-known brands such as Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree, and Hampton.
The hospitality ****** an Hilton has outperformed the broader market over the past year and is maintaining that momentum in 2026. HLT stock prices have gained 21% over the past 52 weeks, compared to the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 20.4% returns. In 2026, the stock is up 13.9%, surpassing the index's 13.7% rise.
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#hilton #Companies
The hospitality ****** an Hilton has outperformed the broader market over the past year and is maintaining that momentum in 2026. HLT stock prices have gained 21% over the past 52 weeks, compared to the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 20.4% returns. In 2026, the stock is up 13.9%, surpassing the index's 13.7% rise.
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#hilton #Companies
1 month ago
Arsenal renew commercial partnership 3
Hotels.com will remain part of **** nal's commercial portfolio after agreeing a new multi-year extension with the club, continuing a partnership that has grown alongside the Gunners' recent success on and off the pitch.
The travel company has renewed its agreement as **** nal's Official Hotel Partner, extending a relationship that began in October 2023 and covers both the men's and women's teams.
The renewed deal will see Hotels.com continue to receive prominent branding at Emirates Stadium, while also retaining access to players from both squads for marketing campaigns and supporter-focused content.
A central aim of the partnership is to develop **** nal-themed travel offers and curated hotel packages around home, away and European fixtures, helping supporters organise trips linked to the club's domestic and continental campaigns.
#hotels #hotel #commercial #official
Hotels.com will remain part of **** nal's commercial portfolio after agreeing a new multi-year extension with the club, continuing a partnership that has grown alongside the Gunners' recent success on and off the pitch.
The travel company has renewed its agreement as **** nal's Official Hotel Partner, extending a relationship that began in October 2023 and covers both the men's and women's teams.
The renewed deal will see Hotels.com continue to receive prominent branding at Emirates Stadium, while also retaining access to players from both squads for marketing campaigns and supporter-focused content.
A central aim of the partnership is to develop **** nal-themed travel offers and curated hotel packages around home, away and European fixtures, helping supporters organise trips linked to the club's domestic and continental campaigns.
#hotels #hotel #commercial #official
1 month ago
Medal ceremonies at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham were postponed on Saturday evening and transport was suspended after a man was arrested on suspicion of fraud, leaving fans and athletes stranded at Alexander Stadium.
Athletes started queuing for official transport at 10.15pm but many did not arrive back at their hotels until 12.45am on Sunday, with some set to compete again on Sunday night.
Britain's triple gold medallist Amy Hunt was among those caught up in the chaos, with her quest for a quartet of European **** les continuing in the mixed 4x100m relay on the final day of the event.
Tournament organisers said transport operations had returned to normal in the early hours of Sunday.
A statement from Birmingham 2026 read: "Birmingham 2026 can confirm that transport operations have returned to normal following a police incident on Saturday evening.
#sunday #saturday #athletes #returned
Athletes started queuing for official transport at 10.15pm but many did not arrive back at their hotels until 12.45am on Sunday, with some set to compete again on Sunday night.
Britain's triple gold medallist Amy Hunt was among those caught up in the chaos, with her quest for a quartet of European **** les continuing in the mixed 4x100m relay on the final day of the event.
Tournament organisers said transport operations had returned to normal in the early hours of Sunday.
A statement from Birmingham 2026 read: "Birmingham 2026 can confirm that transport operations have returned to normal following a police incident on Saturday evening.
#sunday #saturday #athletes #returned
1 month ago
Host Hotels & Resorts (NASDAQ:HST) held its second-quarter earnings call on August 6, and the numbers gave management enough confidence to raise full-year guidance by more than expected. Comparable hotel RevPAR climbed 7% to $251.53 in the quarter, and CEO James Risoleo pointed to luxury resort demand and a run of high-profile events as the drivers. That combination pushed the company to lift its 2026 RevPAR growth range by 125 basis points at the midpoint, to 4.75% to 5.25%.
Every demand segment moved in the same direction. Transient revenue rose 6.9% to $559 million, the strongest growth in seven quarters, while group room revenue grew 7.4% to $332 million on a sellout of 1.1 million room nights. The World Cup added roughly 160 basis points to second-quarter RevPAR growth, and RevPAR in World Cup host markets jumped 15% in June against 12% elsewhere. Maui kept recovering too, with RevPAR up 14% and occupancy up more than 8 percentage points, and golf revenue there now sits 9% ahead of levels seen before the wildfires.
Behind the quarter sits a longer bet on renovated properties. Host Hotels has poured about $2.1 billion into 34 hotels across its Marriott and Hyatt portfolios, a program expected to generate 60% of hotel EBITDA in 2026, and the 21 properties already stabilized have gained roughly 9 points of RevPAR index share on average. That reinvestment, plus a $500 million gain from selling its Four Seasons resorts, funded a $0.72 per share special dividend in July on top of the regular $0.20 payout, all while leverage held at 2.2 times.
CFO Sourav Ghosh was direct about what comes next, saying the company expects margin comparisons to moderate in the second half largely because rate growth will not repeat at the same pace. Much of the first half's strength leaned on tailwinds that fade as the year goes on, including the World Cup and a busy events calendar.
Costs are creeping in from other directions too. A Kona low rainstorm in Hawaii is expected to cause $27 million to $32 million in property damage, and while insurance should cover most of it, remediation alone runs about $2 million. The Four Seasons condo development at Walt Disney World, with 28 of 40 units closed, saw its 2026 EBITDA guidance trimmed to $16 million to $20 million from $20 million to $25 million purely on closing timing. Wage rates are still climbing 5% for the year, and labor makes up about half of total hotel operating expenses.
#World #quarter #points #year
Every demand segment moved in the same direction. Transient revenue rose 6.9% to $559 million, the strongest growth in seven quarters, while group room revenue grew 7.4% to $332 million on a sellout of 1.1 million room nights. The World Cup added roughly 160 basis points to second-quarter RevPAR growth, and RevPAR in World Cup host markets jumped 15% in June against 12% elsewhere. Maui kept recovering too, with RevPAR up 14% and occupancy up more than 8 percentage points, and golf revenue there now sits 9% ahead of levels seen before the wildfires.
Behind the quarter sits a longer bet on renovated properties. Host Hotels has poured about $2.1 billion into 34 hotels across its Marriott and Hyatt portfolios, a program expected to generate 60% of hotel EBITDA in 2026, and the 21 properties already stabilized have gained roughly 9 points of RevPAR index share on average. That reinvestment, plus a $500 million gain from selling its Four Seasons resorts, funded a $0.72 per share special dividend in July on top of the regular $0.20 payout, all while leverage held at 2.2 times.
CFO Sourav Ghosh was direct about what comes next, saying the company expects margin comparisons to moderate in the second half largely because rate growth will not repeat at the same pace. Much of the first half's strength leaned on tailwinds that fade as the year goes on, including the World Cup and a busy events calendar.
Costs are creeping in from other directions too. A Kona low rainstorm in Hawaii is expected to cause $27 million to $32 million in property damage, and while insurance should cover most of it, remediation alone runs about $2 million. The Four Seasons condo development at Walt Disney World, with 28 of 40 units closed, saw its 2026 EBITDA guidance trimmed to $16 million to $20 million from $20 million to $25 million purely on closing timing. Wage rates are still climbing 5% for the year, and labor makes up about half of total hotel operating expenses.
#World #quarter #points #year
1 month ago
Hotel uniforms can become a hidden cost centre when operators focus on the initial purchase price rather than how garments perform in daily operations.
Poor fit, unsuitable fabrics and fragmented sourcing can lead to alterations, replacements, emergency orders, wasted stock and additional administration. These costs can become more significant as hotel groups expand across multiple properties.
Johnny Beig is founder and managing director of DIOZ Group, a global apparel and private-label manufacturing company. He argues that hotels should therefore treat uniform programmes as an operational and procurement issue rather than simply an apparel purchase.
"The biggest hidden cost is that a uniform is never just a garment," Beig said. "If it is poorly designed, poorly fitted, or not built around the realities of hotel operations, the cost shows up in many places at once."
Those costs can include staff discomfort, reordering, alterations, delays, waste and inconsistencies in how a hotel brand is presented, he added.
#hotel
Poor fit, unsuitable fabrics and fragmented sourcing can lead to alterations, replacements, emergency orders, wasted stock and additional administration. These costs can become more significant as hotel groups expand across multiple properties.
Johnny Beig is founder and managing director of DIOZ Group, a global apparel and private-label manufacturing company. He argues that hotels should therefore treat uniform programmes as an operational and procurement issue rather than simply an apparel purchase.
"The biggest hidden cost is that a uniform is never just a garment," Beig said. "If it is poorly designed, poorly fitted, or not built around the realities of hotel operations, the cost shows up in many places at once."
Those costs can include staff discomfort, reordering, alterations, delays, waste and inconsistencies in how a hotel brand is presented, he added.
#hotel
1 month ago
Travel services provider Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE)'s shares are up by 58% over the past year and by 13.5% year-to-date. The firm reported its second quarter earnings earlier this week and posted $4.32 billion in revenue and $5.76 in adjusted profit per share to beat ****** yst estimates of $4.17 billion and $5.23. Crucially, Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) also raised its full year revenue and bookings forecasts. For the revenue, it now expects to earn $16.05 billion to $16.22 billion, up from the previous $15.6 billion to $16.0 billion. As for the bookings, Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) hiked the guide to $129.5 billion to $130.8 billion from the earlier $127 billion to $129 billion. The firm's optimism pointed towards a robust travel industry despite the high gasoline prices that Americans are facing off against. The optimism was caught by Cramer's watchful radar as well:
"This may be the quarter where people say, even though the gasoline went up, well it came down a little bit, even though the K part of the consumer is not doing well, Expedia following Bookings, with another blowout. And I look at thee two and I say, wait a second, these say the consumer. . .is really good. This is a nice view of spend. Maybe circle back to American Express, maybe American Express wasn't that [inaudible] and the company was just being conservative. If you put up AXP, that's the one people said, well, it didn't do that well. I think it's time to go back to American Express. I think Steve Squeri did a very good job, he's always been understated, the other guys, a little more promotional. But travel is on fire."
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is one of Jim Cramer's favorite stocks in the sector. Throughout 2025, he regularly praised the firm's payment cards and their popularity with younger users. The shares, while up by 12% over the year, are down by 8% year-to-date. The earnings that Cramer referred to in his remarks were American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)'s second quarter results reported in the morning on July 24th. They saw the firm beat ****** yst profit estimates but disappoint investors on the guidance front by keeping the full year per share profit guide unchanged at $17.30 to $17.90.
While Cramer was focused on the guide and the importance of the results to consumer spending, the debate surrounding Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is broader than that. It primarily concerns the firm's business-to-business (B2B), which covers hotels, airlines and other businesses. The firm's bulls argue that the B2B platform is a growth engine on its own and is not simply masking troubles in the consumer end of the business. Additionally, they believe that Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) can use B2B to diversify away from the consumer business marked by high competition. Additionally, they are also impressed by EBITDA margin growing to 25.9% in Q2 and a hike to full year margin guidance. Yet the bears point towards the costs of using AI to expand m
"This may be the quarter where people say, even though the gasoline went up, well it came down a little bit, even though the K part of the consumer is not doing well, Expedia following Bookings, with another blowout. And I look at thee two and I say, wait a second, these say the consumer. . .is really good. This is a nice view of spend. Maybe circle back to American Express, maybe American Express wasn't that [inaudible] and the company was just being conservative. If you put up AXP, that's the one people said, well, it didn't do that well. I think it's time to go back to American Express. I think Steve Squeri did a very good job, he's always been understated, the other guys, a little more promotional. But travel is on fire."
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is one of Jim Cramer's favorite stocks in the sector. Throughout 2025, he regularly praised the firm's payment cards and their popularity with younger users. The shares, while up by 12% over the year, are down by 8% year-to-date. The earnings that Cramer referred to in his remarks were American Express Company (NYSE:AXP)'s second quarter results reported in the morning on July 24th. They saw the firm beat ****** yst profit estimates but disappoint investors on the guidance front by keeping the full year per share profit guide unchanged at $17.30 to $17.90.
While Cramer was focused on the guide and the importance of the results to consumer spending, the debate surrounding Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is broader than that. It primarily concerns the firm's business-to-business (B2B), which covers hotels, airlines and other businesses. The firm's bulls argue that the B2B platform is a growth engine on its own and is not simply masking troubles in the consumer end of the business. Additionally, they believe that Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) can use B2B to diversify away from the consumer business marked by high competition. Additionally, they are also impressed by EBITDA margin growing to 25.9% in Q2 and a hike to full year margin guidance. Yet the bears point towards the costs of using AI to expand m
1 month ago
Joe Root scraps ECB curfew set after Ben Stokes controversy, tells England players to 'be grown adults' originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Reappointed Test captain Joe Root scraps any talks of a curfew time for the England team.
The curfew was introduced in July after disciplinary actions were taken during the Ben Stokes controversy.
Root remained disappointed by Brendon McCullum's exit, but he remains excited to play under Stephen Fleming.
Newly appointed Test captain Joe Root was quick to scrap any curfew timings for the England cricket team ahead of the three-match Test series against Pakistan next week. The curfew was part of a strict set of guidelines that saw players having to check in to their hotels by 10 p.m. and included strict rules against appearing to be under the influence of alcohol.
#root #test #stokes #players
Reappointed Test captain Joe Root scraps any talks of a curfew time for the England team.
The curfew was introduced in July after disciplinary actions were taken during the Ben Stokes controversy.
Root remained disappointed by Brendon McCullum's exit, but he remains excited to play under Stephen Fleming.
Newly appointed Test captain Joe Root was quick to scrap any curfew timings for the England cricket team ahead of the three-match Test series against Pakistan next week. The curfew was part of a strict set of guidelines that saw players having to check in to their hotels by 10 p.m. and included strict rules against appearing to be under the influence of alcohol.
#root #test #stokes #players
1 month ago
Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) shares surged 17.4% on August 7, closing at their highest price in more than four years. The move followed second-quarter 2026 results, published on August 6, that cleared expectations on nearly every line. Revenue climbed 17% year over year to $3.6 billion, gross booking value rose 16% to $27.2 billion, and adjusted EBITDA jumped 21% to $1.3 billion. It was the kind of quarter that finally shifted the narrative around a stock that had spent years going nowhere.
Nights and seats booked rose 10% to 148.3 million, an acceleration from the first quarter, while GAAP EPS jumped from $1.03 to $1.37, well past the $1.22 **** ysts expected. Management didn't just clear the bar; it raised it for the rest of the year, guiding to at least mid-teens full-year revenue growth and an adjusted EBITDA margin of at least 35.5%, with third quarter revenue seen between $4.69 billion and $4.77 billion. The growth also broadened out. Net origin nights booked accelerated not only in newer expansion markets but in long-established ones too, including the US, France, the UK, and Australia, a sign the improvement is coming from product work rather than a one-time boost.
That product work shows up everywhere. Airbnb has rebuilt itself as what it calls an AI native company, cutting the time from concept to shipped feature by as much as 60% and shipping nearly 80% more features than a year earlier. Its AI **** istant, now live in more than 50 languages, resolves roughly 45% of support issues without a human agent, up from the first quarter, and has helped push customer support cost per booking down about 16% year-over-year. The company is also stretching past home rentals, adding boutique and independent hotels across more than 20 destinations along with grocery delivery, car rentals, airport pickups, and resort passes. Hotel nights booked grew roughly three times as fast as the core home business, and about 35% of first-time hotel guests come back to book a home, suggesting the expansion feeds the core rather than competing with it. With more than 9 million active listings across 220 countries and roughly 2 billion guest arrivals since 2008, Airbnb also sits on a depth of host history that AI rivals have little of their own to draw from.
None of this comes cheap. Airbnb has long carried a valuation premium tied to growth expectations, and a stock that just hit a four-year high raises the bar for what needs to keep going right. Reported free cash flow also leans on a non-cash boost, since stock-based compensation made up roughly 34% of operating cash flow in fiscal 2025, meaning some of that cash generation isn't as clean as the headline number suggests. Regulation is a live risk too. New European Union rules taking effect in May 2026 require more transparency and data sharing from short-term rental platforms, adding compliance costs on top of restrictions cities like New York have already imposed.
#year #revenue #nights
Nights and seats booked rose 10% to 148.3 million, an acceleration from the first quarter, while GAAP EPS jumped from $1.03 to $1.37, well past the $1.22 **** ysts expected. Management didn't just clear the bar; it raised it for the rest of the year, guiding to at least mid-teens full-year revenue growth and an adjusted EBITDA margin of at least 35.5%, with third quarter revenue seen between $4.69 billion and $4.77 billion. The growth also broadened out. Net origin nights booked accelerated not only in newer expansion markets but in long-established ones too, including the US, France, the UK, and Australia, a sign the improvement is coming from product work rather than a one-time boost.
That product work shows up everywhere. Airbnb has rebuilt itself as what it calls an AI native company, cutting the time from concept to shipped feature by as much as 60% and shipping nearly 80% more features than a year earlier. Its AI **** istant, now live in more than 50 languages, resolves roughly 45% of support issues without a human agent, up from the first quarter, and has helped push customer support cost per booking down about 16% year-over-year. The company is also stretching past home rentals, adding boutique and independent hotels across more than 20 destinations along with grocery delivery, car rentals, airport pickups, and resort passes. Hotel nights booked grew roughly three times as fast as the core home business, and about 35% of first-time hotel guests come back to book a home, suggesting the expansion feeds the core rather than competing with it. With more than 9 million active listings across 220 countries and roughly 2 billion guest arrivals since 2008, Airbnb also sits on a depth of host history that AI rivals have little of their own to draw from.
None of this comes cheap. Airbnb has long carried a valuation premium tied to growth expectations, and a stock that just hit a four-year high raises the bar for what needs to keep going right. Reported free cash flow also leans on a non-cash boost, since stock-based compensation made up roughly 34% of operating cash flow in fiscal 2025, meaning some of that cash generation isn't as clean as the headline number suggests. Regulation is a live risk too. New European Union rules taking effect in May 2026 require more transparency and data sharing from short-term rental platforms, adding compliance costs on top of restrictions cities like New York have already imposed.
#year #revenue #nights
1 month ago
Lady Eliza Spencer continued her red-hot swimsuit streak in a cheeky bikini in a photo dump shared on August 11.
The socialite, who's the niece of Princess Diana, has been vacationing in Italy with her fiancé Channing Millerd.
Spencer got engaged to Millerd last summer in Greece.
Lady Eliza Spencer is turning up the heat as she continues her sun-drenched summer escapades through Italy. For her latest adventure in Puglia, the 34-year-old socialite looked like the spitting image of her aunt, the late Princess Diana, as she cooled off by taking a dip in the pool wearing nothing but a red-hot bikini.
Following her luxurious stops in the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany, Spencer shared highlights from her latest stop with her fiancé Channing Millerd in a photo dump shared on August 11. Revealing that she is staying at the Masseria Torre Maizza run by Rocco Forte hotels, the British model gave fans a glimpse of the property's amenities by enjoying a sun-soaked swim in the ultra-cheeky swimsuit.
#august #princess
The socialite, who's the niece of Princess Diana, has been vacationing in Italy with her fiancé Channing Millerd.
Spencer got engaged to Millerd last summer in Greece.
Lady Eliza Spencer is turning up the heat as she continues her sun-drenched summer escapades through Italy. For her latest adventure in Puglia, the 34-year-old socialite looked like the spitting image of her aunt, the late Princess Diana, as she cooled off by taking a dip in the pool wearing nothing but a red-hot bikini.
Following her luxurious stops in the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany, Spencer shared highlights from her latest stop with her fiancé Channing Millerd in a photo dump shared on August 11. Revealing that she is staying at the Masseria Torre Maizza run by Rocco Forte hotels, the British model gave fans a glimpse of the property's amenities by enjoying a sun-soaked swim in the ultra-cheeky swimsuit.
#august #princess
1 month ago
Nevada-based Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) is a leading global developer and operator of integrated resorts, with a portfolio centered on luxury casinos, hotels, convention centers, entertainment venues, shopping malls, and fine dining. With a market cap of $35.7 billion, its portfolio includes iconic properties such as Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and a collection of integrated resorts in Macau, including The Venetian Macao, The Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao, and Sands Macao.
Las Vegas Sands has struggled to keep pace with the broader market over the past year, with investor sentiment weighed down by macroeconomic uncertainty and softer demand trends in Macau. LVS stock has dipped 9.5% over the past 52 weeks and declined 27.4% on a YTD basis. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has returned 21.8% over the past year and risen 11% in 2026.
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#macao #vegas #market
Las Vegas Sands has struggled to keep pace with the broader market over the past year, with investor sentiment weighed down by macroeconomic uncertainty and softer demand trends in Macau. LVS stock has dipped 9.5% over the past 52 weeks and declined 27.4% on a YTD basis. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has returned 21.8% over the past year and risen 11% in 2026.
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#macao #vegas #market
1 month ago
Should you prioritize a global travel ****** an or a fast-growing restaurant disruptor? Deciding between Booking (NASDAQ:BKNG) and CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA) requires weighing mature cash flows against aggressive retail expansion.
Booking is a leader in the digital travel ****** e, providing a massive platform for hotels and flights. CAVA is a rising star in the fast-casual dining world, often compared to early-stage winners in the restaurant industry. Both companies are vying for consumer dollars, but they offer very different risk-and-reward profiles for investors today.
Booking operates a massive network of travel brands, including its namesake site, Priceline, and Agoda. The company connects travelers to roughly 4.5 million properties across more than 220 countries and territories. A key recent strategy involves a partnership with The Trade Desk to monetize its deep pool of traveler data through targeted advertising.
Financial performance remains robust in the travel and tourism stocks sector. In 2025, revenue reached nearly $26.9 billion, representing a 13.4% increase over the previous year. The company reported net income of nearly $5.4 billion, resulting in a healthy net margin of approximately 20%.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly -3.5x, which means total liabilities exceed total ****** ets. The current ratio, which measures the ability to pay short-term debts with current ****** ets, is approximately 1.3x. Free cash flow, or the cash left after capital expenditures, was approximately $9.1 billion in 2025.
#billion #approximately
Booking is a leader in the digital travel ****** e, providing a massive platform for hotels and flights. CAVA is a rising star in the fast-casual dining world, often compared to early-stage winners in the restaurant industry. Both companies are vying for consumer dollars, but they offer very different risk-and-reward profiles for investors today.
Booking operates a massive network of travel brands, including its namesake site, Priceline, and Agoda. The company connects travelers to roughly 4.5 million properties across more than 220 countries and territories. A key recent strategy involves a partnership with The Trade Desk to monetize its deep pool of traveler data through targeted advertising.
Financial performance remains robust in the travel and tourism stocks sector. In 2025, revenue reached nearly $26.9 billion, representing a 13.4% increase over the previous year. The company reported net income of nearly $5.4 billion, resulting in a healthy net margin of approximately 20%.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly -3.5x, which means total liabilities exceed total ****** ets. The current ratio, which measures the ability to pay short-term debts with current ****** ets, is approximately 1.3x. Free cash flow, or the cash left after capital expenditures, was approximately $9.1 billion in 2025.
#billion #approximately
2 months ago
Honeywell Technologies (NASDAQ:HON) used to be one giant company that made everything from thermostats to jet engines. Not anymore. Over the past year, it split into three separate public companies: Solstice Advanced Materials, spun off last October; Honeywell Aerospace, spun off just last month; and Honeywell Technologies, the automation business that's left, which is what CEO Vimal Kapur now runs. This week's earnings report was the first one for Honeywell Technologies as its own standalone firm, and the stock jumped more than 5% on the news.
Since the aerospace spinoff only finished right at the end of the quarter, this report still includes some of Honeywell Aerospace's results mixed in, which makes straight comparisons tricky. Total revenue, including that leftover aerospace piece, came in at $9.72 billion, up 4% from a year ago and beating the roughly $9.5 billion **** ysts expected. Strip aerospace back out, and revenue for just the automation business was $5.19 billion, up 3%, beating the $5.02 billion Wall Street had modeled specifically for the smaller, standalone company.
On profit, adjusted earnings per share, including the leftover aerospace results came in at $4.52, actually down 4% from $4.72 a year earlier. On a standalone basis without aerospace, adjusted earnings were $1.95 a share, up 10% from $1.77 a year ago and beating the $1.82 **** ysts expected for the new, smaller Honeywell Technologies. There was also a one-time boost: net profit under standard accounting rules hit $5.68 billion, largely because of a $6.63 billion one-time accounting gain tied to deconsolidating Quantinuum, Honeywell's quantum computing venture, a separate transaction from the aerospace spin-off, not from the actual operating business doing better.
That raises a real question. Is this a genuinely strong first quarter as a standalone firm, or does the messy, one-time nature of a spinoff quarter make it hard to tell what Honeywell Technologies (NASDAQ:HON) actually looks like going forward?
All three of Honeywell's remaining automation segments grew organically, and orders for the standalone business overall grew 16%, with backlog reaching about $20 billion. Building Automation was the standout, with organic sales up 9% and orders up 13%, driven by strong demand from data centers and hotels. Industrial Automation grew sales 4% organically on strong demand for sensing and measurement equipment. Process Automation, the one segment with sales down slightly this quarter, actually saw orders surge 24%, with Middle East orders alone up more than 50% on refurbishment projects, and management expects a "sharp inflection" in that segment's growth starting in the third quarter. Kapur said the results reflect a "year-plus long process to simplify our business," and that the benefits are already showing up.
#automation #technologies #year #business
Since the aerospace spinoff only finished right at the end of the quarter, this report still includes some of Honeywell Aerospace's results mixed in, which makes straight comparisons tricky. Total revenue, including that leftover aerospace piece, came in at $9.72 billion, up 4% from a year ago and beating the roughly $9.5 billion **** ysts expected. Strip aerospace back out, and revenue for just the automation business was $5.19 billion, up 3%, beating the $5.02 billion Wall Street had modeled specifically for the smaller, standalone company.
On profit, adjusted earnings per share, including the leftover aerospace results came in at $4.52, actually down 4% from $4.72 a year earlier. On a standalone basis without aerospace, adjusted earnings were $1.95 a share, up 10% from $1.77 a year ago and beating the $1.82 **** ysts expected for the new, smaller Honeywell Technologies. There was also a one-time boost: net profit under standard accounting rules hit $5.68 billion, largely because of a $6.63 billion one-time accounting gain tied to deconsolidating Quantinuum, Honeywell's quantum computing venture, a separate transaction from the aerospace spin-off, not from the actual operating business doing better.
That raises a real question. Is this a genuinely strong first quarter as a standalone firm, or does the messy, one-time nature of a spinoff quarter make it hard to tell what Honeywell Technologies (NASDAQ:HON) actually looks like going forward?
All three of Honeywell's remaining automation segments grew organically, and orders for the standalone business overall grew 16%, with backlog reaching about $20 billion. Building Automation was the standout, with organic sales up 9% and orders up 13%, driven by strong demand from data centers and hotels. Industrial Automation grew sales 4% organically on strong demand for sensing and measurement equipment. Process Automation, the one segment with sales down slightly this quarter, actually saw orders surge 24%, with Middle East orders alone up more than 50% on refurbishment projects, and management expects a "sharp inflection" in that segment's growth starting in the third quarter. Kapur said the results reflect a "year-plus long process to simplify our business," and that the benefits are already showing up.
#automation #technologies #year #business
