Novotel has announced the launch of its first Longevity Week, a global awareness campaign centred on everyday wellbeing habits, running from 7 to 13 September 2026 across more than 630 hotels under the brand. The initiative draws on a study of 13,000 consumers across twelve countries and brings together a collective of experts and athletes known as the Novotel 37 Collective. It marks a further step in wellbeing's rise as a key differentiator for Accor's mid-scale brand.

🔎 Today's trend: leadership moves are as much a feature of the day's headlines as major projects. From Paris to Fort Worth, hotel groups are reshuffling their executive teams, while geopolitics (United Arab Emirates) and social tensions (strike in Barcelona, shortage of crêpe-makers in Brittany) continue to weigh on the sector.

Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF, via its subsidiary Qiddiya Investment, signs an agreement with the Élysée to revive the site of the former Mirapolis theme park, with a hotel and residential component to support the operation.

India's leading hotel group formalises the shareholding consolidation with its associate company, owner of the Taj Coromandel and Taj Malabar, in an all-stock transaction.

The former Associate Lead Designer at Azumi Group and Design Manager at AvroKO will lead creative direction at Omnam's in-house design studio, across its entire luxury hospitality and residential portfolio in Europe.

Two years after joining as Resort Manager, the German executive takes charge of the entire resort and reveals his first priorities: renovated villas and a festive season rooted in Malaysian culture.

Constantinos Gavriel took up the position of General Manager at Le Méridien Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, within Marriott International, in August 2026. He succeeds nine years at the helm of Le Méridien Dhaka, Bangladesh. This appointment forms part of an international career spanning more than thirty years, built across London, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Aktau and Dhaka.

A decree published on 7 May 2026 substantially overhauls the rules governing compensation for victims of workplace accidents and occupational illnesses from 1 November 2026. For hospitality HR directors, a sector particularly exposed to physical strain linked to maintenance, housekeeping and kitchen roles, this reform represents a major regulatory issue.

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of a 14-hotel portfolio in Kyoto with GCP Hospitality, the hospitality arm of Gaw Capital Group, totalling 1,063 rooms. The deal, one of the largest hotel conversions ever undertaken in Japan, will predominantly carry the Garner brand and further cement IHG's position in the former imperial capital.

Four Seasons Yachts has partnered with Lanserhof to launch The Lanserhof Reset, a first-of-its-kind longevity programme offered aboard Four Seasons I during its transatlantic crossing from 8 to 16 November 2026. The initiative accompanies the yacht's transition from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and marks a new step in the brand's wellness positioning at sea.

British luxury villa rental specialist CV Villas has announced the strengthening of its operations in Ireland, with commercial agreements signed with four of the country's travel agency networks. This expansion, under way since June 2025, responds to demand identified by the operator's commercial teams for a premium offering backed by full financial protection.

BNW Developments and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced on 3 August 2026 the signing of Dolce Residences Ras Al Khaimah, on Al Marjan Island. The 93-unit residential project marks the global launch of the Dolce Residences by Wyndham brand, with delivery scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2028. The signing illustrates the acceleration of Wyndham's branded residences strategy in the EMEA region and confirms Al Marjan Island's rising profile as a hospitality and residential investment destination.