Hospitality industry news, 15 September 2026: between new openings, security concerns and tax pressures, here’s what stood out in the sector today.
🇫🇷 France
🏝️ Opening | A 167-room four-star hotel project is under consideration in Faa’a, opposite Tahiti’s airport. Backed by SAS AAROA together with local and international investors, it promises 130 jobs, largely reserved for residents of the local area. The building permit is under review, with an opening targeted for early 2030. #FrenchPolynesia #Faaa #Opening
🔓 Security | Following the theft of a Richard Mille watch worth around one million euros from the Plaza Athénée, security at Parisian palace hotels is under scrutiny. A few hours earlier, Korean journalists had already been targeted in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile. #Paris #Security #PalaceHotels
✨ Appointment | Vincent Roberti, former prefect of Tarn-et-Garonne and, until now, director general of the body, has been named interim president of the Organising Committee for the French Alps 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games. #Olympics2030 #Alps #Appointment
🏨 Opening | The Sowell group has opened Villa Arena – Mercure Nîmes Centre Arènes, a 4-star, 87-room hotel just steps from the Arènes, following a €5.858 million refurbishment. Its restaurant and terrace are open to both locals and hotel guests. #Nimes #Mercure #Opening
💳 Funding | French fintech Olenbee, which specialises in next-generation meal vouchers, has raised €7 million to accelerate its rollout. The target: 80,000 users by early 2027, up from 6,000 today, in a market worth close to €10 billion a year. #FoodTech #Foodservice #Funding
🌍 International
🇬🇧 Taxation | The UK government is paving the way for local tourist taxes with no cap set at national level. The WTTC fears this could cost up to £14.4 billion in lost tourism spending in 2027, with the UK already ranked 113th out of 119 countries for price competitiveness. #UK #Taxation #WTTC
🇨🇭 Opening | Marriott has opened the AC Hotel by Marriott Bulle, with 120 rooms and five event spaces, aiming to capture international business travellers in the Gruyère region. The canton of Fribourg passed 500,000 overnight stays in 2025, up 6% year-on-year. #Switzerland #Marriott #Gruyere
🇬🇭 Development | The Sentuo Airport Garden City complex, valued at $1.3 billion, has officially launched near Accra’s airport, in the presence of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. Housing, a hotel and a 2,500-seat conference centre are planned, with completion due in 2029. #Ghana #Accra #Development
