Julie Sickel
Business Travel News
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Past articles by Julie:
Karen Hutchings, EY Global head of travel, meetings & events:
EY's travel, meetings and events program operates with a straightforward, yet radical-for-this-industry philosophy: Keep it simple and challenge the status quo. Perhaps that's why Hutchings is no stranger to BTN's Most Influential list. She also was named in 2015 for establishing a "co-opetition" structure with EY's three global travel management companies and earned the title of BTN's 2015… → Read More
Marriott Discloses Starwood Data Breach Impacting Up to 500M Guests:
Marriott International early Friday morning disclosed a massive breach of customer data in the Starwood guest reservation database. An investigation launched by the company concluded early last week that there was unauthorized access to the database, which contains information on up to 500 million guests who made reservations at Starwood properties on or before Sept. 10, 2018. → Read More
IBM's Data-Forward Travel Program:
IBM leveraged its internal resources to put data front and center in its travel program—& changed the role of procurement in the process.About three years ago, IBM's travel program stopped to look around and ask itself some big questions. Namely, what did it need to do to lead IBM travel into the future? What would the future even look like? An answer to the latter question wasn't clear, but IBM… → Read More
IBM's Data-Forward Travel Program:
About three years ago, IBM's travel program stopped to look around and ask itself some big questions. Namely, what did it need to do to lead IBM travel into the future? What would the future even look like? An answer to the latter question wasn't clear, but IBM global category leader of T&E Shawn Busby said it was plain to see that the future centered around what IBM did with its travel data. → Read More
STR: U.S. Hotels Recover in October But Slowing Growth Expected for 2019:
The U.S. hotel industry in October saw year-over-year gains in both occupancy and average daily rate, according to STR. Occupancy rose 0.8 percent to 69.9 percent, while ADR increased 2.7 percent to $133.81. The October results provided some reassurance to the U.S. hotel industry after a disappointing September. → Read More
Survey: Weaker U.S. Hotel Demand, Travel Budget Increases & Airbnb Slowdown Expected by Corporates in 2019:
In its annual AlphaWise Global Hotel Corporate Travel Survey, Morgan Stanley Research found that overall hotel demand for corporates is expected to increase year over year in 2019 but that growth in Europe will eclipse that of the U.S. This comes as a greater number of respondents in this year's survey expect their 2019 travel budgets for both hotel and air to increase. Survey Methodology For… → Read More
Bad Weather, Holiday Timings Dampen Choice's Q3:
Choice Hotels International reported a 1.4 percent year-over-year decline in revenue per available room during the third quarter, driven by a 160-basis point drop-off in occupancy to 68.6 percent.The company attributed the dip to "one-time impacts," including calendar shifts to the middle of the week for the July 4 and Jewish holidays, as well as negative impact from Hurricane Florence in… → Read More
Marriott CEO Anticipates "Steady as She Goes" 2019 Hotel Demand:
Marriott International president and CEO Arne Sorenson during the company's recent earnings call touted a "steady as she goes" view of lodging demand looking ahead to 2019. On hotel companies' earnings calls in recent weeks, questions from analysts have hinted at concerns about the U.S. economy and whether a recession is on the way. The consensus from hotel company executives has been that… → Read More
Survey: In 2019, Corporates Expect Weaker U.S. Hotel Demand, Higher Travel Budgets & an Airbnb Slowdown:
In its annual AlphaWise Global Hotel Corporate Travel Survey, Morgan Stanley Research found that overall hotel demand for corporates is expected to increase year over year in 2019 but that growth in Europe will eclipse that of the U.S. This comes as a greater number of respondents in this year's survey expect their 2019 travel budgets for both hotel and air to increase. → Read More
Wyndham Q3 Results Benefit from La Quinta Buy:
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts saw year-over-year revenue gains of 74 percent, to $604 million, during the third quarter, owing to its acquisition of La Quinta, which closed in May. Excluding the La Quinta impact, revenue rose about 5 percent. Wyndham's global RevPAR grew 10 percent in constant currency for the third quarter → Read More
Gant Travel Strikes Partnership Agreement with Airbnb for Work:
Gant Travel has formed a partnership with Airbnb for Work to make Airbnb content available to all its Concur Travel customers. Concur began integrating Airbnb for Work listings into its booking platform alongside traditional lodging options back in August. That integration still requires customers to opt-in in order to access Airbnb for Work content. Gant, though, is using an opt-out model in… → Read More
Hilton CEO Speaks to Corporate Sentiment & Rate Negotiations:
Hilton president and CEO Christopher Nassetta pegged 2019 corporate rate increases in the 2 percent to 3 percent range during the company's third-quarter earnings call. Last year, Hilton projected rates to end the year between 1 percent and 3 percent higher than in 2016, and the actual increase landed on the modest end of that range, close to 1 percent. However, the outlook is improving and… → Read More
U.S. Hotel Fees & Surcharges Projected to Hit $2.93B in 2018:
Fees and surcharges at U.S. hotels are expected to hit a record $2.93 billion this year, according to analysis from Bjorn Hanson, industry consultant and adjunct professor at the New York University School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism. The forecast follows the record $2.7 billion reached in 2017, marking an 8.5 percent increase from 2017 to 2018.… → Read More
Hilton Launches Hostel-Inspired Brand:
Hilton has launched an urban microhotel brand called Motto by Hilton that borrows from the emerging lifestyle hostel trend in the lodging industry. Motto by Hilton properties won't feature the shared guest rooms many associate with hostels, however. Hilton research found that many of the travelers who stay in hostels don't actually like staying with strangers and instead book hostels with… → Read More
IHG Advances Strategic Initiatives in Q3:
InterContinental Hotels Group is steadily progressing on strategic initiatives it first detailed in February with a relaunch of the recently acquired Regent Hotels & Resorts brand, the opening of the first property for its midscale Avid Hotels brand, signings for its new Voco brand and expansion of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. → Read More
AccorHotels Sees Revenue Gains in Q3 but Grapples with Onefinestay & John Paul:
AccorHotels reported revenue of 1 billion euros during the third quarter, a 7.6 percent year-over-year increase on a like-for-like basis. The company attributed a revenue gain of 144 million euros to the recently acquired Mantra, Movenpick and Gekko. Its HotelServices business increased 9.1 percent year over year on a like-for-like basis, and hotel assets grew 6.3 percent like for like. → Read More
Extended Stay Pulls Up a Seat at the Table:
Extended-stay hotels have until recently been somewhat of a black sheep within the corporate travel lodging landscape, used more for relocations and project work, which traditionally fell outside the “travel” purview. However, factors like the rise of Airbnb, improved internal data around traveler stays, record industry occupancy and improved communication from extended-stay brands have prompted… → Read More
Hotel Brands' New Rapport with the Corporate Travel Market:
The hotel industry is at a tricky point in its history, as occupancy in North America continues to hold at record levels while the power of hotels to drive rates higher each year remains constrained. At the same time, brands within this industry have to work harder than ever to stand out from an ever-crowding field of competitors in order to stick in the minds of customers, whose expectations… → Read More
AccorHotels & Eurostar Form Loyalty Alliance:
AccorHotels and Eurostar have formed a loyalty program partnership that will allow for point conversion and redemption between the Le Club AccorHotels and Club Eurostar platforms. Club Eurostar members now can take advantage of rewards club perks across Accor's 3,500 hotels globally, as well other Accor rewards offerings, including Elite Experiences, La Collection e-boutique, Dream Stays and… → Read More
Marriott Brings Homesharing Tests to Three More European Markets:
Marriott International is expanding its homesharing pilot beyond London to include units in Paris, Rome and Lisbon, bringing its offering to 340 properties. To extend the pilot, which Marriott branded Tribute Portfolio Homes, the company is continuing its partnership with home rental management company Hostmaker. → Read More