2026 › February

Big hotel groups like the Middle East growth story. But geopolitics can turn diversification into concentrated risk overnight. Owners can insure buildings against damage but not traveler confidence

Coming after weeks of escalating tension, these attacks are not entirely surprising, but their impact on the travel industry will still be enormous.

Several airspace closures in the Middle East following U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran threw the region into chaos as multiple carriers suspended operations out of the UAE, Israel, and Qatar.

After American and United significantly increased their schedules at O’Hare, the FAA is now looking to reduce flights at the airport this summer out of concern that the airport could face more strain.

Southwest is banning the use of wearable technology such as AI-powered smart glasses in the workplace. Sales of Meta’s smart glasses tripled over the last year.

Amadeus has never committed to a multi-year earnings target before. Doing so now — while AI reshapes travel — raises a question the whole industry is watching: does value stay with the plumbing, or move to the interface?

Hotel companies built portfolios for coverage and growth. In an AI-compressed, loyalty-fatigued market, the next competitive edge will come from sharper brands, not more of them.

With U.S. birth rates at record lows and pet ownership soaring, the travel industry is simply following the demographic money.

Premium travelers are still driving profits, but improving economy bookings suggest the North Atlantic market is more resilient than some feared.

Bilt is trying to thread a needle in building a hotel booking platform without becoming an OTA that hotels resent. One of its tactics is to offer spending data on its most loyal customers to help luxury hotels provide personalized service for first-time guests.