Hospitality & Leisure

TORONTO – October 27, 2026 -- Tully Luxury Travel has appointed Steven Salm as Chief Executive Officer, and he has bought founder Mary Jean Tully's remaining shareholding, making him a co-owner of the business. Tully steps down as CEO after nearly four decades and stays on as Brand Ambassador.

Salm buys the founder's stake and joins Jacobs as co-owner

Salm now holds equity alongside Executive Chairman and majority shareholder Clive Jacobs. The source does not disclose the terms of the share purchase.

Jacobs made the appointment. He and Salm will jointly set long-term strategy, while Salm runs day-to-day operations and growth as CEO.

Salm moves up from COO after about one year at the firm

Salm joined Tully as Chief Operating Officer in 2025 and was named CEO in October 2026. Jacobs said Salm had "proven in a short time" that he is the leader the company needs for its next chapter.

MCLEAN, Va. – October 27, 2026 -- Hilton (NYSE: HLT) placed 53 properties across eight brands in the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, up from 47 in 2025, with six taking No. 1 rankings in their categories.

Twenty-six Hilton properties ranked in the top five in their markets, according to the company. The U.S. and U.K. reader surveys covered Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, LXR, NoMad, Signia Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Curio Collection and Motto by Hilton.

Waldorf Astoria and Conrad take all six first-place rankings

Four Waldorf Astoria properties led their categories in the U.S. survey: The Roosevelt New Orleans (No. 1 in New Orleans, and No. 28 hotel in the world), Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead (No. 1 in Atlanta), Waldorf Astoria Helsinki (No. 1 in Northern Europe) and Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal (No. 1 resort in Western Mexico).

BENGALURU – October 27, 2026 -- Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has opened the 226-room The Den Bengaluru in Whitefield, marking the first India property under its LXR Hotels & Resorts luxury brand. The hotel is owned by Dan Hospitality India Pvt. Ltd. and managed by Hilton.

Hilton names India among its most important growth markets

Zubin Saxena, senior vice president and regional head for South Asia at Hilton, said India is "one of Hilton's most important growth markets." He added that the expectations of the country's luxury travellers are creating opportunity for brands that offer individual, experience-led stays. Hilton is continuing to grow its luxury portfolio across the country, and Saxena described Bengaluru as a natural market for the next phase because of its global connectivity and diverse traveller base.

McLean, Va. – October 27, 2026 -- Hilton (NYSE: HLT) will move the listing of its common stock to Nasdaq, with trading under the existing ticker HLT starting at market open on Nov. 5, 2026.

Shares will keep trading on the New York Stock Exchange until market close on Nov. 4, 2026. Shareholders do not need to take any action. Hilton said the transfer does not change its business strategy or capital allocation priorities.

Hilton cites growth from 10 brands to 28 since its 2013 return to public markets

Hilton returned to public markets in 2013 after private ownership by Blackstone Inc. At that point it operated 10 brands and about 4,100 hotels in 90 countries and territories. It now runs 28 brands and more than 9,400 properties in 144 countries and territories, with nearly 1.4 million rooms.

MCLEAN, Va. – October 27, 2026 -- Hilton has enabled program owners and administrators in Hilton for Business to book, modify and manage hotel reservations on behalf of employees, a capability the company says was the most requested by the program's more than 400,000 members.

Hilton rolls out four coordinator tools to its free SMB travel program

Hilton for Business is a free global travel program for small and medium-sized companies (SMBs), with no minimum spend required. The new tools let owners and administrators:

Belgrade – October 27, 2026 -- EXPO 2027 Belgrade expects more than 140 international participants and over four million visits, with the specialized exhibition opening on May 15, 2027, 200 days from now.

Seven exhibition halls are under construction in Surčin

Work on the seven exhibition halls at the Surčin site is progressing. Pavilion plots are scheduled for handover on December 1. Organizers are also preparing transport, security and visitor services.

The event runs from May 15 to August 15, 2027, under the motto "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All." Organizers plan 8,000 events over the three months.

Organizers target 50,000 business meetings and 175 business events

The program includes about 50,000 business meetings and more than 175 business events. Organizers say these are open to companies of all sizes seeking international partnerships.

BELGRADE – October 27, 2026 -- Specialised Expo 2027 Belgrade expects more than four million visits, over 140 international participants and 8,000 events when it opens on 15 May 2027, with 200 days left on the countdown.

Seven exhibition halls take shape at the Surčin site

Construction is progressing across seven exhibition halls at the Surčin exhibition site. Pavilion spaces are scheduled for handover by 1 December. Organisers are also preparing transport, security and visitor services.

The exhibition runs from 15 May to 15 August 2027 under the theme "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All".

Organisers plan 50,000 business meetings and 175 business events

The programme includes around 50,000 business meetings and more than 175 business events. Organisers say these are designed to help companies of all sizes establish international partnerships.

CLEVELAND – October 27, 2026 -- Metropolitan at The 9 has completed the redesign of all 156 guestrooms and suites in a renovation spanning more than 100,000 square feet, with remaining work due by November 5, 2026.

Renovation covers rooms, corridors, lobby and Ledger Bar

The scope includes 10 guestroom corridors, the main lobby, elevator lobbies and cabs, and Ledger Bar. Lighter finishes, custom furnishings and Cleveland-focused artwork replace the previous look, while signature design elements stay in place.

Engineered hardwood replaces carpet in every guestroom

Rooms also get new area rugs, mattresses and soft seating. Custom desks, nightstands and minibars combine light wood finishes with white quartz countertops with gold veining. Wood slat wall treatments, chevron tile at the minibars and oversized mirrors complete the rooms.

The original headboards, inspired by the window detailing on the building's exterior, remain.

Global – October 22, 2026 -- A string of ride fires, including a blaze at Germany's Europa-Park that injured seven people, is sharpening the focus on fire-resistant materials in themed entertainment, where Massivit 3D is promoting its flame-retardant CIM-84 resin for scenic fabrication.

Incidents at Europa-Park, Carowinds and Orlando expose operators to direct and reputational costs

Direct costs of a park incident include halted operations, repairs, medical bills, workers' compensation and legal fees. Intangible losses weigh more heavily: lost goodwill, eroded customer trust and lower shareholder value. Beyond the Europa-Park fire, the industry points to a Ferris wheel fire in Orlando and a bumper car fire at Carowinds as examples of inadequate fire protection.

United States – October 21, 2026 -- Internova Travel Group has adopted a zero-tolerance modern slavery policy that covers independent travel advisors, agents and consultants as well as employees, directors and officers.

The policy applies to Travel Leaders Group Holdings, LLC, which does business as Internova Travel Group, and its subsidiaries. It follows the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and added guidance from the U.S. Department of Defense's Combating Trafficking In Persons Program Management Office (CTIP PMO). The company states that not all sections of the Act apply to it directly, but it has committed to meet stakeholder expectations.