Sean O'Neill

Dubai has surged in the luxury hotel race, adding five five-star hotels to its existing seven. The strong showing came as the Middle East beat out other regions in growth of five-star awards.

Hyatt is losing its partnership where Hyatt members could use their reward points to book stays at Small Luxury Hotels, a network of 560 boutique hotels. Hilton's move also highlights how tough it has been for independent hotels to compete to acquire customers on their own.

Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa, and perhaps its most prominent hospitality player is Transcorp Hotels. While relatively small, the brand is watched with interest because of its expansion plans.

Hotel groups have a chance to boost their long-term share of guests as electric vehicle (EV) adoption is poised to take off.

Soon, two out of every three rooms in the Loews Hotels chain will be in either Texas or Florida.

Hilton is running two new TV ads during the Grammy Awards, with one featuring the artist Laufey. The hotel group aims to woo music lovers by offering concerts and live events as some of the redemption options in its loyalty program.

GetYourGuide, which has raised more than $1 billion in startup funding, needs to grow its market in the U.S. to reach its targets. A series of new TV ads may help move the needle.

The deal will let the Paris-based hotel giant continue to get a slice of vacation ownership revenue as a licensing fee.

Universal Orlando is building a fourth complex in Florida, with a "celestial" park as its hub. But it remains to be seen if visitors believe the $1 billion Epic Universe theme park can outshine the magic of the company's larger rival, Disney.

Superyachts run by Marriott brand Ritz-Carlton are setting the pace in a new segment. If you're short on ideas for Valentine's Day, now's the time to drop a hint.