Singapore-based Banyan Group has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Newmark Hotels & Reserves, the South African operator founded in Cape Town in 2007. Structured in phases towards full ownership, the deal adds 26 hotels, lodges and reserves across seven African countries to the group's portfolio, strengthening Banyan Group's presence in one of the world's fastest-growing tourism markets.

YOTEL will open its first Thai hotel on 15 October 2026, at the heart of Cloud 11, the new creative complex in Bangkok's South Sukhumvit district. It is the brand's 24th hotel worldwide and the first Asian property to join Select by Hilton, the platform born of the exclusive agreement signed between YOTEL and Hilton in March 2026.

Naguib Sawiris, chairman of Ora Developers, has confirmed an investment of around €100 million in Silversands Mykonos, a six-star, 93-key resort whose opening — originally planned for 2026 — has been pushed back to May 2027 due to construction delays and Greek administrative procedures. In an interview with Greek outlet Thema, relayed by ProtoThema, the Egyptian businessman details his vision for the project and his ambitions for Greece for the first time.

German group Merkur Spielbanken Beteiligungs GmbH, a subsidiary of the family-owned Gauselmann Group, signed the definitive sale agreement on 17 September 2026 for the indirect acquisition of a majority stake in Company Française de Casinos (Euronext Paris: SFCA). The deal, structured through the purchase of 95% of Casigrangi, the holding company that owns 81.21% of SFC, paves the way for a simplified public tender offer and, ultimately, a delisting of the French operator.

Leonardo Hotels Central Europe announced on 15 September 2026 the simultaneous acquisition of four properties in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Dortmund, adding 1,040 rooms to its portfolio. The deal, drawn from the former Revo Hotels portfolio, strengthens the group's presence in three major German business markets and confirms the continuation of its development strategy in the country.

Kempinski Group has announced the appointment of Noel Attard as Chief Development Officer, formalised in Dubai on 17 September 2026. With twenty years' experience within the Swiss group, including as Chief Transformation Officer since early 2025, he will lead the growth of the brand's global portfolio through targeted acquisitions, management contracts and branded residence development.

Hospitality news for 17 September 2026: from training initiatives to signature openings and sector taxation, here's what stood out today.

Hilton has announced a franchise agreement with Arte Hoteles to open Casa Verbena Madrid, Outset Collection by Hilton, the lifestyle brand's first property in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The 45-room hotel, located in the heart of the Spanish capital, is due to open in late 2026. The signing underlines the growing strength of Hilton's lifestyle portfolio and its expanding footprint in the Spanish market.

Grupo Solmar, the pioneering family-owned hotel group in Los Cabos, has appointed Mauricio Salicrup as Chief Executive Officer and Michel Albahari as Director of Operations. The new leadership structure comes as the Mexican group continues a renovation and development programme across its six-property portfolio in Baja California Sur, amid a broader push to strengthen its governance.

Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, will receive the ALIS Lifetime Achievement Award and the Shatterproof Hospitality Hero Award on 25 January 2027 in Los Angeles, presented respectively by the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) and the non-profit Shatterproof. The dual honour recognises a career spanning more than three decades that has shaped the global hotel industry, from the founding of Starwood Hotels & Resorts to the structuring of investments exceeding $280 billion.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay has announced the appointment of Goeun Lee as Resort Manager, effective 1 September 2026. After nearly a decade at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul and a term as General Manager in Jeju, the South Korean executive returns to both the group and to Indonesia, a country she has known since her schooldays. The appointment reflects a strategy of internal mobility and talent promotion that Four Seasons is currently deploying across several of its island properties.

IHG Hotels & Resorts and long-standing partner Pacific Beachcomber have signed an agreement to transform the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa into Regent Bora Bora. Closed since 1 June 2026 for a full renovation, the property will reopen in late 2027, marking the first Regent hotel in French Polynesia. The deal reflects IHG's selective development strategy for its upper-upscale luxury brand.