MGM Resorts’ New Exec Hire and 6 Other Hospitality Trends This Week

MGM Resorts’ New Exec Hire Signals a Transformation to an Experience Platform: It likely won’t be the only, or the last, hospitality company to do the same.

Oyo to Flood Japan With Budget Hotels in New Deal With SoftBank: Japan is a destination that is never ever described as affordable, but Oyo, with its budget hotel concept, could be transformational for its tourism economy.

Why George Clooney’s Sultan of Brunei Hotels Boycott Is Misguided: Clooney’s effort to boycott the Dorchester Collection is the wrong approach. In effect, it actually serves to harm the frontline staff and workers in the hotels that create the magic for guests and Hollywood luminaries alike.

Airbnb Will Invest Up to $200 Million in India’s Budget Hotel Chain Oyo: So it’s finally confirmed. Airbnb is investing up to $200 million in India’s budget hotel chain Oyo, a deal that India Oyo observers say has big upsides for both companies.

China’s Alibaba Is Shaping the Future of the Machine-Driven Hotel: Chinese e-commerce players are racing among themselves to provide technology solutions to hotels. Alibaba fires the latest salvo with a prototype of the future hotel, FlyZoo.

Consumers Lead the Sustainability Debate, Says InterContinental CEO: Of course the tourism industry could do a better job dealing with sustainability. But the bigger issue is that one of its key components — air travel — is a significant contributor to climate change.

Demand for Flexible Meeting Spaces Increases, But Who Can Pay for Them? Venues are enticing meeting planners with innovative and technology-driven flexible meeting spaces. Meeting planners have embraced these creative spaces but a major challenge remains: budget.