Cameron Sperance

A significant part of Intrepid Travel’s planned expansion involves finding pandemic-induced hotel investment bargains. But this kind of strategy hasn’t panned out in other parts of the world.

Hotel executives presented China as a definitive, massive growth opportunity to shareholders during the pandemic. But volatility in the development world as well as tough government oversight mean CEOs at companies like Hilton, Accor, and Wyndham need to find a new way to show strength.

IHG isn’t expanding at the rate of some of its competitors. The company’s review process of poorly performing Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza properties can’t end soon enough.

Data is finally showing what all the major hotel company executives have been saying on the last few earnings cycles: Asia is going to lead the world in hotel construction activity coming out of the pandemic.

Macau is an extraordinarily important gaming market for Las Vegas Sands, and the company’s third quarter earnings call was a giant love fest for China’s gaming regulators. What else are company leaders going to do but schmooze the people in charge of renewing their gaming license?

Ancillary revenue like resort fees is a big business for the travel industry, and it is unlikely hotels are going to abandon the practice during the volatile pandemic recovery — unless they are forced to.

Investors like Barry Sternlicht tout the hotel industry as an opportunistic place to park capital during the travel recovery. But discounts aren’t coming in as steep as some hoped thanks to Uncle Sam and forgiving lenders.

Hotel companies venturing into broader hospitality concepts isn't a new trend, but the rapid growth seen over the last decade is a warning sign to not go overboard. Exclusivity is what makes some of these brands appealing in the first place.

Four Seasons beefed up its development pipeline in the 20 years John Davison has been at the company in a variety of roles. The company's brand awareness and new ownership structure should make this CEO search easier than its last time around.

The hotel industry is leaving a lot of money on the table by not providing travelers with accessibility needs the right tools to book a stay.