PricewaterhouseCoopers says its U.S. lodging forecast shows a lodging recovery that accelerated in the first half of 2010 and will gain further traction during the remainder of 2010, as increasing demand begins to rebalance pricing power. Although the pace of demand growth is expected to moderate during the second half of 2010, PWC said, the [...]

Hotels are reporting a rebound in business from group customers, a key segment that includes companies, associations, sports teams, religious groups, social organizations and the military. The U.S. Travel Association forecasts a 7% increase in meeting and convention spending this year, to $90.7 billion. That follows a 15% decline in 2009, when organizations canceled meetings, [...]

Exciting news from Paris: The Hôtel de Crillon, the historic luxury hotel in the Place de la Concorde (and at the foot of the Champs-Élysées), was recently awarded its Fifth Star, meeting the Secretary of State for Tourism’s criteria of the new classification for French hotels. This classification, which has been incorporated with international standards, [...]

Great news for Peru-bound travelers who love luxury: Orient-Express‘ Peru collection of hotels has earned recognition by joining The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. New to the fold are Las Casitas del Colca, Hotel Monasterio, the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge and Miraflores Park Hotel.   Located in Colca Canyon in Arequipa, Las Casitas del [...]

Smith Travel Research has revised its lodging forecast through 2011, saying it expects the U.S. hotel industry to do better this year than previously predicted. STR projected that occupancy for 2010 will increase 4.4% compared with the previous year, to 57.1%. In June, the company had said it expected 2010 occupancy to reach 56.7%. Average [...]

Marriott International said that its second-quarter profit more than tripled from a year earlier and raised its full-year earnings outlook as revenue improved. The hotel operator said it earned $119 million, or 31 cents per share, for the three months that ended June 18, up from a profit of $37 million, or 10 cents a share, [...]

The top three hospitality data research firms have changed their tune, with each now predicting positive year-over-year growth for revenue per available room by the end of 2010. Smith Travel Research, PKF-HR and Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels each presented updated forecasts during the ALIS Summer Update in Los Angeles this week. The overall sentiment was [...]

In order to reverse the recent downward trend and achieve future growth, the hospitality industry will need to address seven major issues over the next five years, according to a new report by Deloitte entitled, “Hospitality 2015″. According to the report, the key drivers in determining success through 2015 and beyond will be: emerging markets, [...]

The U.S. hotel industry is projected to end 2010 with increases in two of the three key performance measurements, according to Smith Travel Research’s monthly forecast update. STR projects 2010 occupancy to increase 3.6% to 56.7%, ADR is expected to end the year virtually flat with a 0.6% decrease to US$97.26, and revenue per available [...]

Marriott’s bid to get into the lifestyle boutique hotel game is about to come to fruition. Word is that the first Edition, a hotel brand created in partnership with the father of the boutique brand, Ian Schrager, will debut in October in Waikiki Beach. A second Edition in Istanbul will open, too, later this year. [...]