Sean O'Neill

While the extended-stay hotel boom may be more of a slow burn than a supernova, hotel brands with patience and deep pockets may find the long-term rewards to be substantial.

As climate policies raise the cost of air travel, particularly in Europe, some destination marketers may find it's riskier to bet on tourism growth from long-haul markets.

Many industry leaders doubt Paris will enjoy an immediate tourism windfall from the Games. But Accor, Airbnb, and Air France are counting on a boost in brand awareness, with 15 million visitors and a billion viewers watching on TV.

New union leader Gwen Mills is preparing for tough negotiations as contracts between hotel groups and about 40,000 hotel workers are set to expire.

Hyatt is adding its 29th brand in a bid to add places in Germany where it hasn't had many choices for its most loyal guests. However, it also aims to reach more German guests and try to cross-sell them into all-inclusive resorts.

The deal for the 33-hotel chain is reportedly worth $1 billion.

Today's economic pressures are impacting consumers differently across income levels.

California's bold move is forcing all U.S. based hotels to put all their cards on the table, setting a new standard for price comparison that will likely go national. Whether this leads to more competitive pricing or simply shifts consumer costs elsewhere remains to be seen.

Lighthouse, the travel startup formerly known as OTA Insight, has bought Berlin-based HQ revenue. The deal marks another step in Lighthouse's strategy of expanding through talent and technology acquisition rather than accumulating customer lists.

With Ennismore's backing and Accor's distribution, Our Habitas is poised for some major growth. The brand already has multiple projects in the works, with a focus on Saudi Arabia and Asia.