Marriott and Emirates Launch Loyalty Partnership and 9 Other Hospitality Trends This Week

Marriott and Emirates Are Latest to Launch Hotel-Airline Loyalty Partnership: It’s now possible to earn bonus points and other perks as an elite Marriott Rewards member flying on Emirates and vice versa. Sure, Emirates may not fly to every destination on the planet, but free points are free points.

Hyatt and Hilton Are Taking Different Branding Approaches Inside China: Hyatt is launching a new China brand while Hilton swears by the adage of introducing the right Hilton brand in the right location at the right time across China. Which of the two approaches is better?

The La Quinta Brand Is Receiving Plenty of TLC from Wyndham: Chalk up La Quinta’s poor performance in the second quarter to nothing more than a blip. The brand has always performed in line with direct competitors. But Wyndham wants to take it to another level.

Why Is Airbnb Still Missing the Mark With Corporate Event Planners? Airbnb keeps on improving its business travel platform. So when will the events industry finally take advantage of it?

Redesigning New York’s East End for Year-Round Luxury: Small towns across the world like Montauk are becoming luxury destinations. Hoteliers building luxury experiences within them face a handful of challenges to balance the local community and original allure with high-end service and amenities. It will be interesting to watch how these brands and locations evolve as tourism continues to boom.

Hilton Being Held Back by China Trade Tussle: Luckily, Hilton has built a strong business model that should see it through any tough times.

Skift Global Forum Preview: Cayuga Integrates Luxury and Sustainability in Central American Indie Hotels: Upscale hotels are embracing environmental awareness these days. But for many hoteliers, it’s crucial not to let their luxury standards slip while skipping the straw.

Skift Global Forum Preview: True Innovation in Hotel Accessibility Hasn’t Arrived Yet: When it comes to serving travelers with disabilities, hospitality is taking small steps in the right direction, but disruption is scarce. Hotels could even take a cue from airports on this — and leverage a huge market that’s there for the taking.

When Will the Events Industry Embrace Airbnb? Meeting planners often stick with traditional hotel room blocks for event housing, meaning they miss out on all the flexibility offered by Airbnb.

The Evolution of Long Island’s Tony East End as Luxury Destination: Stick or twist? Plenty of destinations have to wrestle with the idea when looking to develop their tourism offering. By changing too much or too quickly, you risk losing what made the place special to begin with.