Operations
Airbnb names Pepijn Rijvers chief business officer
Airbnb announced on Tuesday that it has appointed Pepijn Rijvers, a former TripAdvisor group executive, as Chief Commercial Officer, effective September 1. Rijvers will lead listings, hotels, global markets, and corporate operations, succeeding Dave Stephenson, who has held the role for eight years. CEO Brian Chesky said Rijvers' 13 years of experience at Booking.com give him a deep understanding of the differentiated path Airbnb needs to take. The company also announced several executive changes and continued to expand partnerships with boutique hotels.
Lodging Lowdown: LivAway Suites expands to Alabama, Meyer Jabara adds first university hotel
This week's hotel industry highlights include Marriott International launching adventure travel products under the Luxury Collection brand, a new Series-branded hotel in San Diego, a planned 340-room JW Marriott in Phoenix, and Lodging Econometrics reporting the U.S. leading the global hotel construction pipeline. Additionally, Meyer Jabara Hotels manages a university campus hotel for the first time, LivAway Suites breaks ground in Montgomery, Alabama, and Davidson Hospitality Group launches the GM Edge leadership program.
How hotels can prepare for hurricane season
Hotels often serve as shelters and operational bases during hurricanes, making their preparedness vital for community recovery. This article, authored by Ross Haigler of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, emphasizes proactive annual inspections of roofs, windows, doors, and PTAC units to reduce vulnerabilities and avoid costly failures.
Lodging Lowdown: Accor debuts in Las Vegas with Treasure Island, Potomac Hotel joins Marriott’s Autograph Collection
This week's hotel industry headlines are dense: Accor Group enters the Las Vegas market for the first time through the Treasure Island Hotel, which also becomes its largest hotel globally; the former Salamander Hotel in Washington, D.C. is renamed the Potomac Hotel and joins Marriott's Autograph Collection; Crestline is appointed to manage a dual-branded Marriott hotel in Vail, Colorado; First Hospitality announces the addition of five new lifestyle hotels.
4 trends reshaping the 2026 hospitality investment market
In the first half of 2026, the hotel investment market has seen significant changes in buyer-seller dynamics, shifts in lender attitudes, resilience in operational fundamentals, and increasing divergence in asset quality. This article, based on observations from Russ Flicker, co-founder of AWH Partners, reviews market dynamics in the first half of the year and provides an outlook for trends in the second half.
Lodging Lowdown: Viceroy Hotels to debut NYC flagship, Radisson launches app on ChatGPT
This week brings several major developments in the hotel industry: Viceroy Hotels & Residences announced it will open Viceroy Park Avenue in December, marking its return to the New York market; Radisson Hotel Group partnered with Accenture to launch an AI-driven hotel discovery app on ChatGPT; Remington Hospitality added Sheraton Mission Valley to its management portfolio; and Langham Hospitality Group appointed Nils-Arne Schroeder as Chief Operating Officer.
Hilton reported Q2 RevPAR gains, raises full-year forecast
Hilton reported Q2 2026 results: system-wide RevPAR grew 3.9% year-over-year, with U.S. market growth of 5.4%. The company raised its full-year RevPAR growth outlook to 3%-3.5% and disclosed 42,900 new development rooms, marking the second-highest signing quarter in history. Management remains optimistic about the second half of the year.
Hospitality industry leaders’ top tips for adapting to the 2026 hotel landscape
As artificial intelligence technology matures and loyalty programs grow increasingly important to guests, hotel operators must quickly learn and adapt to industry evolution. In the first half of 2026, multiple industry leaders shared eight recommendations with Hotel Dive, ranging from IT infrastructure expansion to preserving human touch services, from data-driven personalization to design investments, helping hoteliers grasp key directions when reviewing their second-half strategies.
What hoteliers should know about the evolving role of branding
When RevPAR forecasts are weak, hotel owners should treat brand strategy as a key part of due diligence. The brand should begin in the early stages of development, connecting the owner's vision with execution, guiding operational and design decisions through authenticity rather than surface-level narratives, and addressing challenges of uncertainty.
