Hotels’ Problem With Plastics and 14 Other Hospitality Trends This Week

Hotels Have a Problem With Plastics: A Skift Deep Dive. The hotel industry is just waking up to the problem of plastic waste, but this is a two-way street. Hotels rely on this convenient, affordable material just as much as travelers do. The real struggle is turning newfound global awareness and municipal legislation into swift action.

Marriott Is Officially Getting Into the Homesharing Business: This news will trigger responses from elated to downright furious, whether you’re a Bonvoy member, Marriott hotel owner, a property manager, or just someone concerned about the growth of homesharing around the world.

Hyatt CEO Found Homesharing Experiments ‘Challenging’: But Mark Hoplamazian didn’t say Hyatt would never try it out again.

Airbnb Says Its Tours and Activities Gamble Is Winning: The growth of Airbnb Experiences is impressive, but the company — and the overall tours and activities industry — has a long way to go before it can claim true success.

H​ilton Feels No Pressure From Marriott to Jump Into Homesharing: Hilton is focusing on the same things as everyone else in hotels today: loyalty, technology, and marketing. But what about taking on Airbnb directly in homesharing? Don’t count on it anytime soon.

Oyo Makes European Push With $415 Million Vacation Rental Acquisition: Having raised so much money, it’s not surprising to see Oyo splashing the cash. We should expect further acquisitions as it pushes for global scale.

IHG Talking to Its Hotel Owners on Plastics Problem: While there is still plenty to do, it’s good to see public companies — and the financial analysts that cover them — paying closer attention to the plastics problem.

Amazon Is Doubling Down on Travel, Just Not in the Way You Think: Turns out it’s through its cloud-based services that Amazon is embedding itself in the travel and restaurants sectors. The company’s recent hiring hints at the scope of the opportunity.

Airbnb Experiences Makes Growth a Priority Over All Else, Executive Says: Airbnb is right to focus on unique experiences. Most younger travelers prefer one-of-a-kind experiences — not cookie-cutter ones.

Wyndham Up for More Acquisitions After La Quinta Success: It looks like Wyndham’s in the market for another midscale brand, but it probably won’t happen this year.

Small Luxury Resorts Caught Up in Immigration Clampdown: While those on H-2B visas are simply guest workers, they are getting ensnared in the current immigration debate. And that’s a problem for small, seasonal resorts.

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer: Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson was diagnosed on Wednesday with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. The 60-year-old executive will remain in his role while he undergoes treatment, the company said Friday.

IHG CEO Warns Against Hotel Brand Bloat: InterContinental Hotels Group has bought or created a slew of brands in recent years. But CEO Keith Barr insists it’s not a step to take lightly.

Marriott Still Dominant Over Loyalty Peers Despite Activist Campaigns: Despite a vocal minority of unhappy loyalty program members, Marriott still appears to be dominating loyalty rankings. Perhaps this squeaky wheel doesn’t need any grease.

Airbnb Goes Manhattan Upscale With Apartment-Style Suites at Rockefeller Center: It’s got to be hard to get that “local feel” when you’re staying at one of the biggest tourist destinations in New York City.