Hospitality, Travel & Events

MCLEAN, Va. – October 28, 2026 -- Hilton (NYSE: HLT) took the No. 1 spot on Great Place to Work's inaugural U.S. Best Workplaces in Hotels & Resorts list, with 95% of its team members calling it a great place to work. The ranking is based on feedback from Hilton team members across the U.S.

Survey scores reach 95% to 97% on three measures

According to Great Place to Work, 97% of Hilton team members say they are made to feel welcome. A further 96% say they feel pride in the company's accomplishments.

Laura Fuentes, Hilton's chief human resources officer and head of Hilton Supply Management, said Hilton's greatest strength remains "the people who create the human connections at the heart of hospitality." Kim Peters, EVP of Global Brand Insights and Growth at Great Place To Work, said the new list lets the organization build on its existing hospitality expertise.

MCLEAN, Va. – October 28, 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:

Global – October 28, 2026 -- Hilton Hotels & Resorts operates 60 airport hotels worldwide with nearly 21,000 rooms, almost one in 10 of the brand's properties, and is adding new sites while renovating existing ones.

Hilton opens airport hotels in Istanbul and Guangzhou in 2026

Hilton Istanbul Airport debuted in August 2026 as the brand's first hotel within Istanbul Airport, which the source describes as Europe's busiest aviation hub. The property has 485 rooms and suites, eight meeting rooms, three OXBO dining outlets, a spa with a Turkish bath, an indoor pool and an executive lounge.

Hilton Guangzhou Baiyun Airport opened in May 2026 with 237 rooms, directly connected to Terminal 3 of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. It offers nearly 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, an outdoor pool, a spa and a restaurant serving international and Cantonese dishes.

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.

NORWICH – – October 27, 2026 -- Guests who choose Flexible Cancellation on cottages.com and Novasol book about 30 days further in advance, on average, than guests on standard terms, according to Awaze, Europe's largest holiday rentals group.

Pikl partnership enables direct refunds to guests

The Flexible Cancellation product runs through Awaze's partnership with insurance-backed provider Pikl. Awaze says it gives guests the confidence to secure a preferred property earlier and gives property owners better visibility of future bookings.

Pikl works with Awaze to assess the actual risk behind each cancellation. That allows refunds to go directly to guests, with no third-party claims process.

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 23, 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 22, 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.

Marina, California – October 22, 2026 -- The Brass Tap's Marina, California, location posted the highest sales volume in the franchise's system during its first full year of operation, earning owner Karl Waller the Highest Sales Volume Award at the 2026 FSC Franchise Conference.

The honor follows Waller's 2025 Franchisee of the Year title. The upscale American tavern brand operates more than 50 locations across 16 states and has offered franchise opportunities for more than 10 years.

Food became an equal traffic driver alongside craft beer in Marina

Waller initially expected craft beer to drive most of the restaurant's traffic. Food quickly became an equally important part of the business, drawing families as well as guests seeking drinks and entertainment. He and his family have continued to adjust the operation to local demand, including building out the food and events side.

Philadelphia – October 22, 2026 -- PrimoHoagies has signed seven new franchisees in 2026 and has roughly 10–15 existing restaurants available for acquisition, most of them in greater Philadelphia and South Jersey. The Italian specialty sandwich chain is courting qualified operators who want to enter established markets and build toward multi-unit ownership.

The system counts about 80 franchise owners, 20 of them multi-unit operators, and more than 120 restaurants. This year's recruits include operators with backgrounds in national restaurant franchises, airport concessions and real estate.