Hospitality, Travel & Events

PARIS – November 04, 2026 -- AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD; SGX: HKB) is in advanced dialogue to acquire a third hotel in New York City, extending a hotel buying spree that began with a US$69 million purchase earlier this year.

AMTD IDEA closed the Tribeca Hilton Garden Inn purchase on March 4, 2026

The company acquired the Hilton Garden Inn in Tribeca for US$69 million. Completion of that transaction took place on March 4, 2026.

A second New York hotel deal remains in final negotiations

AMTD IDEA subsequently said it was in the final stage of acquiring a second New York hotel. That transaction remains subject to final negotiations and to approvals from both buyer and seller. The company has not disclosed the property or a price.

LONDON – November 04, 2026 -- Serbia's tourist arrivals rose 6.5% to roughly 3.13 million between January and August 2026, the backdrop for the EXPO 2027 Belgrade pitch to international travel partners at World Travel Market (WTM) London.

EXPO 2027 Belgrade runs from 15 May to 15 August 2027 and will be the first international exposition held in the Western Balkans. Organizers expect more than four million visits and over 140 international participants over the 93-day event. The theme is "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All", with a programme of cultural events, music, sport, exhibitions and interactive experiences.

Montreal – November 04, 2026 -- Stay22, an intent monetization company for creators and digital platforms, has facilitated more than US$2 billion in travel bookings through its technology as it marks its 10th anniversary and launches a refreshed brand.

The company says it has grown 100x since 2019. Its network has more than tripled to over 10,000 active creators and publishers, up from approximately 3,000 in 2024.

Platform generates over 10,000 bookings a day across 220 countries and regions

Creators and publishers on the platform now produce more than 10,000 bookings per day, or over 3.6 million annually. Travelers book stays in more than 220 countries and regions. Stay22's technology loads on more than 8 billion web pages each year.

The company works with more than 13 major suppliers, including Booking.com, Expedia Group and Trip.com. Trip.com recently joined and added more than 1.7 million properties.

St. George – November 04, 2026 -- Ember Stays posted 72% estimated occupancy, 16 percentage points above the St. George market median of 56%, as it ranked first among 28 vacation rental operators in Airbtics' October 2026 VRM Index with a score of 83 out of 100.

Airbtics index weighs ratings, occupancy and scale

The short-term rental analytics platform scores operators on a 100-point scale. The index combines guest ratings, Airbnb Guest Favorite recognition, occupancy and operating scale.

Ember Stays' tracked Airbnb listings carried a 4.9 average guest rating, and 71% of them held Guest Favorite status.

Austin – November 04, 2026 -- More than half of U.S. campers (57%) abandoned a booking in the past year because they could not reach anyone or complete the reservation online, according to a new report from Storable Newbook. The lost reservations come as 98% of campers plan to camp in the next 12 months and 77% plan two or more trips.

The report, "The State of RV, Campground & Outdoor Hospitality," draws on a September 2026 survey of 968 U.S. adults who stayed at a campground, RV park or glamping site in the past 12 months.

Easier booking wins the stay for 69% of campers

69% of campers have picked one park over another because it was easier to book, pay or communicate online, and 37% have done so more than once. Demand is rising: 27% plan four or more trips next year, up from 23% who took that many last year.

San Francisco – November 04, 2026 -- Dining on OpenTable rose 11% year-over-year in 2026, and 76% of Americans expect to spend the same or more on eating out in 2027, according to the platform's 2027 Dining Trends Report.

OpenTable's reservation data covers seated diners on its U.S. platform from January 1 to August 31, 2026, compared with the same period in 2025. A Ripple Research survey of 2,001 U.S. respondents, fielded September 15-23, 2026, supplies the sentiment data. In that survey, 68% expect to visit restaurants the same or more often next year.

Gen Z leads planned spending increases at 58%

Younger diners are the most eager to spend. Some 58% of Gen Z expect to raise their dining budgets in 2027, versus 44% of Americans overall.

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – November 04, 2026 -- The Rocky Mount Event Center has generated an estimated $27.3 million in economic impact so far in 2026, about 86 percent of its $31.8 million full-year 2025 total, as it prepares to host the 47th Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Volleyball Championship on November 9–11.

Eight teams will compete at the 165,000-square-foot downtown venue

Eight of the conference's top volleyball programs will play for the title at the city-owned facility, which is operated by The Sports Facilities Companies. Admission is free to the public. CIAA representatives are due to arrive Saturday, November 7, and participating teams on Sunday, November 8, which adds visitor activity ahead of the first match.

The CIAA, founded in 1912, is an NCAA Division II conference and describes itself as the nation's oldest historically Black athletic conference.

BETHESDA – November 04, 2026 -- Marriott International has opened its 800th property in Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) and entered Laos for the first time with La Résidence Phou Vao, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, in Luang Prabang.

36-suite hilltop resort anchors Marriott's Laos debut

The resort occupies three acres of tropical gardens on Phou Vao hill, two kilometers from Luang Prabang's old town. Marriott describes it as the only hillside retreat within the UNESCO World Heritage zone. It joins The Luxury Collection with its original architecture, landscape and hilltop pool preserved. Interiors, culinary identity and guest rituals have been reworked to meet the brand's global standards.

Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific excluding China, said the milestone reflects the trust owners and guests place in Marriott. He said the opening underscores the company's commitment to expanding "thoughtfully" in culturally rich destinations.

LONDON – November 04, 2026 -- Brightstar Lottery PLC (NYSE: BRSL) has renewed its Internet Compliance Assessment Program (iCAP) Ready accreditation for its iLottery operations from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), the first renewal since the company became a pure play lottery business.

Third-party assessment tested Brightstar's responsible gaming framework

A third party performed an overall compliance assessment on behalf of NCPG. It checked whether Brightstar's responsible gaming framework met iCAP Ready's objective of protecting consumers and ensuring safer gambling practices for players, beginning with the supplier.

LONDON – November 03, 2026 -- Saudi Arabia welcomed about 61.2 million tourists in the first half of 2026, up about 1% year-on-year, with tourism expenditure reaching about SAR 151.9 billion (approximately $40.5 billion), Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said as he opened Saudi Land at World Travel Market (WTM) London 2026.

Al-Khateeb, who also chairs the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), opened the pavilion alongside STA CEO Ageel Alshaibani and Rachel Travers, President of RX Global, the organizer of WTM London. The pavilion hosts 37 Saudi tourism partners targeting international tour operators, airlines and travel distributors.