🔎 Today’s trend: hotel investment continues, spanning large-scale developments, brand conversions and luxury expansion. Meanwhile, operators are exploring new revenue streams, as hotel construction pipelines in Latin America reach record levels.
🇫🇷 FRANCE
🏡 Pierre & Vacances | Revenue growth and renewed European ambitions
Pierre & Vacances reports revenue of €418.4 million for the 2025/2026 financial year, up 5.4%. Accommodation revenue increased by 5.7%, with particularly strong growth in mountain destinations (+11.2%). The group continues its European development, notably in Switzerland, Spain and Portugal, while strengthening its presence in France with two new residences, in Corsica and the Landes.
👶 Human resources | Additional birth leave: new reporting obligations
Since 1 October 2026, employers have been required to complete two procedures simultaneously within five days of an employee starting additional birth leave: submit a DSN notification using reason code 20 and file the application form through the Compte Entreprise employer portal. These steps are necessary for the application to be processed and daily allowances to be paid.
🌍 INTERNATIONAL
🇺🇸 🏗️ Orlando | Civitas provides $386 million in financing for a 700-room InterContinental
Civitas Capital Group is providing $386 million in senior construction financing to Flag Luxury Group and Unicorp National Developments for the InterContinental Orlando. Located on International Drive, the hotel will feature 700 rooms and approximately 9,755 sq m of event space. Vertical construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2029.
🇺🇸 🎮 Phoenix | Atari Hotels begins construction of its first property
Almost six years after its initial announcement, the Atari Hotels project in Phoenix is moving into the construction phase under Intersection Development. Scheduled for completion between late 2028 and early 2029, the hotel will feature 91 guestrooms and creative studios, immersive spaces and an entertainment and esports venue with capacity for more than 2,000 people. The project marks the historic video game brand’s diversification into experiential hospitality.
🇫🇯 🏨 Fiji | JW Marriott enters the market through rebranding
Marriott International is preparing to open JW Marriott Fiji Resort & Spa in the first quarter of 2027. Located on Denarau Island, the 282-room property will result from the transformation of The Westin Fiji Golf Resort & Spa. The project illustrates how conversions can accelerate the development of luxury brands in resort destinations.
🌎 📈 Latin America | Record hotel pipeline reaches 114,148 rooms
According to Lodging Econometrics, Latin America’s hotel construction pipeline reached 783 projects comprising 114,148 rooms at the end of the third quarter of 2026. Projects in the early planning stage increased by 29% year on year. Mexico leads the market with 229 projects, ahead of Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Brand conversions have also reached a record high.
🇦🇺 🏉 Australia | Rugby World Cup 2027 could boost RevPAR
According to Colliers, the 2027 Rugby World Cup could attract approximately 250,000 international visitors to Australia. With occupancy in Sydney already close to 84%, the principal opportunity will lie in room pricing. During the 2003 tournament, the city’s RevPAR increased by 24.5% over the tournament quarter. The challenge will be to translate event-driven demand into sustainable profitability.
🇵🇹 🌿 Portugal | Na Praia targets May 2027 opening following fire
Backed by Sandra Ortega, daughter of Inditex’s founder, the Na Praia hospitality development on the Tróia Peninsula has announced an opening date of 1 May 2027. Originally expected in 2026, the project was delayed by a fire. It will comprise guestrooms, suites, houses and villas in an environmentally sensitive coastal setting, following several years of development and environmental opposition.
🇬🇧 ☕ United Kingdom | Black Sheep Coffee signs agreement for 20 new locations
Black Sheep Coffee has signed a franchise agreement with SUR Group covering at least 20 additional outlets across northern England and southern Scotland. The five-year programme is expected to create approximately 300 jobs. It will combine city-centre locations, retail parks and drive-through formats.
🇺🇸 💰 United States | Hotel parking emerges as a profitability driver
Speaking at The Hospitality Show, Jackie DeChamps, COO of Towne, highlighted the commercial potential of parking services. According to the company, optimised parking operations can achieve margins of 65% to 80%, while dynamic pricing could increase revenue by more than 15%. The figures illustrate opportunities to diversify income beyond room revenue.
🇺🇸 ⚖️ United States | Tips and meal breaks: Department of Labor provides clarification
New opinion letters from the US Department of Labor clarify federal rules governing tip-sharing and unpaid meal breaks. A supervisor meeting the criteria for managerial duties cannot receive a share of tips earned by other employees, even when occasionally performing service duties. The guidance calls on employers to review their payroll and compliance practices.
🇺🇸 🕯️ Obituary | Marvin R. Shanken, influential wine publisher, dies aged 83
Marvin R. Shanken, founder of M. Shanken Communications and long-standing publisher of Wine Spectator, died on 29 October 2026. He transformed a specialist publication into an internationally recognised reference and developed the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards, helping raise the profile of wine lists and the sommelier profession within the restaurant industry.
🇲🇨 🎭 Monaco | Live by Léo-Ferré to open on 10 March 2027
The Principality of Monaco has announced that its new performance venue, Live by Léo-Ferré, will open on 10 March 2027. Located on Îlot Pasteur, the venue will accommodate up to 1,900 spectators. The new cultural facility could strengthen the destination’s events offering.
🔎 LTH Analysis | Investment continues, but profitability is being built differently
Three trends emerge from today’s international hospitality news.
The first concerns capital deployment. Financing for the InterContinental Orlando, projects in Times Square and Latin America’s hotel pipeline demonstrate that substantial development programmes remain in place, despite increasingly selective investment conditions.
The second concerns the transformation of assets and concepts. The Westin conversion in Fiji, Atari’s entry into hospitality and StandardX’s experiential positioning illustrate different approaches to value creation.
Finally, operational performance is becoming a central priority. Revenue management, ancillary income, productivity and cost control are playing an increasingly important role in hotel profitability.
Growth in accommodation capacity is therefore only part of the equation: for owners and investors, the fundamental question remains how to create long-term value.
At a Glance
Investment: Civitas Capital Group provides $386 million in construction financing for the 700-room InterContinental Orlando.
Development: Latin America’s hotel pipeline reaches 783 projects and 114,148 rooms.
Brand conversion: JW Marriott prepares its Fiji debut through the repositioning of an existing Westin resort.
Performance: Australian hoteliers prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with pricing power and operating margins in focus.
Operations: Ancillary revenues, dynamic pricing and labour compliance remain central to hotel profitability.
