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NEARLY EIGHT IN 10 Americans plan to travel by car to their summer destination, with the majority citing the enjoyment of driving, according to a recent survey commissioned by G6 Hospitality, parent company of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. Most travelers prefer hotel stays, though they acknowledge that cost will influence their travel plans. The study, surveying 2,000 Americans with summer leisure plans, found that 80 percent distinguish between a "trip" and a "vacation". "There's nothing better than cruising on the highway with the windows down, sun shining and music playing, especially when you're surrounded by your loved ones - even those on four legs," said Julie Arrowsmith, G6 Hospitality's president and CEO. "Whether you're the planner or just along for the ride, Motel 6 and Studio 6 provide pet-friendly and affordable lodging so you can relax, enjoy the journey and focus on creating memories."

SAK DEVELOPERS RECENTLY acquired Staybridge Suites Tysons-McLean in Tysons-McLean, Virginia for an undisclosed amount. SAK is led by founding partners Waheed Ashiq, Vipul Kapila, and Khurram Sindhu. Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the sale of the 142-key, 5-story property. The hotel in downtown McLean is near Tysons Corner with numerous corporate demand generators and major government agencies, Hunter said in a statement. David Perrin, senior vice president of Hunter, represented the institutional seller.

SAVANNAH-BASED IMAGE Hotels recently acquired the Courtyard by Marriott North Charleston Airport/Coliseum in South Carolina. The hotel development and management company, which was founded in 1978, is led by Jay Patel as chairman and CEO and Kal Patel as president and COO. "We are thrilled to add the Courtyard by Marriott in North Charleston to our growing portfolio and to expand our footprint into South Carolina," said Kal Patel. "We expect the hotel to appeal to travelers coming to Charleston seeking a popular brand with modern amenities." The hotel, near Charleston International Airport, provides access to the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center, Charleston Tanger Outlets, Charleston Area Convention Center, South Carolina Aquarium, and various shopping, dining, and entertainment options, Image Hotels said in a statement.

SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. executed approximately 15 franchise agreements, adding more than 1,900 keys in the first quarter of 2024. These new franchise hotels span Sonesta's brands, including The James, Sonesta ES Suites, Sonesta Essential, Americas Best Value Inn, Red Lion Hotels, Red Lion Inn & Suites, and Sonesta Hotels & Resorts, Sonesta said in a statement. "The 15 signed franchise agreements during the first quarter underscore Sonesta's momentum as we welcome new owners into our growing portfolio and expand our market presence," said Keith Pierce, Sonesta's executive vice president and the president of franchise and development. "With a fast, friendly, and flexible approach and a seamless conversion process for our franchisees, we expect continued growth throughout 2024." These agreements highlight Sonesta's appeal as a conversion option compared to larger competitors, the statement added. The company said hotel owners are attracted to the company's focus on maximizing ROI through property rebranding. It offers owners various options across upper upscale, lifestyle, upscale, midscale, extended-stay and premium economy segments.

As we stand on the brink of a new era, the world of finance is undergoing a seismic shift. Fintech, the fusion of finance and technology, continues to revolutionize the way we manage, invest, and interact with money. With each passing year, innovations in fintech reshape industries, challenge traditional banking models, and democratize access to financial services. The fintech industry has been a hotbed of innovation and growth, reshaping how financial services are delivered and consumed. As we look ahead to the next decade, several key trends and predictions are set to define the future landscape of fintech. Looking ahead, the next decade promises to be even more transformative. Here, we delve into some top predictions that will shape the future of fintech.

Red Roof Inn Charlotte-Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Red Roof Inn Doswell-Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, are now open. Shree Shradhaa Saburi LLC, led by Kiran Patel, owns the 108-room Charlotte property. SJ Hotel LLC, led by Nilang Maniarah, owns the 108-room Doswell hotel. Shree Shradhaa invested $700,000 in renovating the Charlotte hotel, while SJ Hotel spent $1.2 million in renovations of the Doswell property, Red Roof said in a statement. Both hotels are pet friendly. The Charlotte hotel is near the U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte Convention Center, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Billy Graham Library, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, Carolina Raptor Center, Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Gastonia Municipal Airport, the statement said.

STONEBRIDGE COS. LLC, a Denver-based hotel management firm with a diverse portfolio of full-service, select-service, and extended-stay properties, recently acquired Real Hospitality Group LLC, an Ocean City, Maryland-based hotel management company. Stonebridge is chaired and led by CEO Navin Dimond, while RHG was founded and led by Ben Seidel, president and CEO. Seidel will join Stonebridge as a principal and member of the board of directors, the companies said in a joint statement. However, the terms of the deal were not disclosed. "We're thrilled to join forces with RHG as we embark on this next chapter of our evolution," said Dimond. "The blending of these two companies will create a dynamic, leading hotel management group that will drive innovation and create exciting growth opportunities for our team members."

STR FILED A motion to dismiss a lawsuit that claims it, along with several major hotel companies conspired to inflate luxury hotel rates. The research firm said in the motion that the seven individuals named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit failed to show a knowing conspiracy to fix prices through STR's "Forward STAR" program in violation of federal antitrust laws. The lawsuit, filed in February in federal court in Washington state, alleges that STR, owned by commercial real estate information researcher CoStar Group, and hotel companies including IHG Hotel & Resorts, Marriott International and Hyatt Hotels Corp., entered an exchange of "competitively-sensitive information about their prices, supply, and future plans" in violation of the antitrust provisions of the Sherman Act, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs seek to make it a class-action filing on behalf of every person who stayed at the defendants' hotels from February 2020 until the present for an unspecified amount. However, STR's motion claims it fails to provide evidence of any illegal actions and is mistakenly part of a current legal trend.

KNOWLAND, A HOSPITALITY data-as-a-service provider, recently integrated a sub-market filter into its search and dashboard functions, adding to its market snapshot and new-to-market capabilities. This new feature enables precise filtering down to the sub-market level within larger markets, identifying localized opportunities, Knowland said in a statement. "To stay agile in this competitive industry, hotel sellers must be savvy about community activity," said Jeff Bzdawka, Knowland's CEO. "With this localized market view, they see opportunities in their immediate area rather than sifting through broad datasets. We continue to innovate our platform with new features and functionalities to help sales teams excel in account-based selling and automate the sales process for better outcomes." Hotel sales teams rely on detailed data analytics for sourcing new business, Knowland said. The sub-market filter provides accessible metrics on top neighborhoods, aiding teams in adopting an account-based selling approach.

Sonesta Essential La Porte is now open in La Porte, Texas. The 84-room upper-midscale property is owned by Hinesh Patel. The hotel is near Sylvan Beach Park and historical sites such as the San Jacinto Museum and Battlefield, the final battle of the Texas Revolution. Amenities include an indoor pool and fitness center, and it is pet-friendly. "The growth of the Sonesta Essential brand continues with the opening of Sonesta Essential La Porte, which is the brand's sixth location in Texas," said Keith Pierce, Sonesta's executive vice president and president franchise and development. "Focused on providing just the essentials, this brand has seen immediate success with its appeal to both owners and guests alike."

HOSPITALITY FINANCIAL AND Technology Professionals, the global representative for hospitality technology and producers of HITEC, recently initiated a project to develop a digital responsibility code for the hospitality industry. HFTP is forming a task force of experts and academics to develop the code. HFTP commissioned the University of Houston to write a white paper on digital responsibility, featured in the inaugural issue of HFTP's Tech+Fin Hospitality Magazine at HITEC 2024, HFTP said in a statement. The paper and industry discussions highlighted the need for guidelines on digital responsibility. Task force members include: ProfitSence Favicon Ads by ProfitSence Co-chair Scot Campbell, principal, Integrated Resort Advisors, HFTP Global past president and inductee to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame Co-chair Agnes DeFranco, Conrad N. Hilton Distinguished Chair at University of Houston and HFTP Global past president Mike Blake, vice president, IT, Kemper Sports Steven Bronken, head of global hospitality, Ruckus Networks Sanovnik Destang, executive director, Bay Gardens Resorts Florian Gallini, CEO, INTEREL Thomas Hempel, vice president, sales and partnerships, VENZA Barry Thomas, vice president, technology, Orient Express and Fairmont Hotels Sherry Marek, founder, Aiken Street Consulting and inductee to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame Shannon McCallum, vice president, hotel operations, Resorts World Las Vegas, Neal Patel, managing partner, Blue Chip Hotels, AAHOA past chairman Andrew Rubinacci, chief advisory officer, FLYR for Hospitality Thomas Atzenhofer, deputy CEO, HFTP "There are many good practices for digital responsibility throughout the industry, but these have never been aggregated, vetted and published as a compilation of the best practices in a uniform guide," said Atzenhofer. "HFTP's task force of global industry technology and business experts, has agreed to tackle the task and make the ind

THE HOSPITALITY SALES and Marketing Association International Global recently launched its Certified Hotel Sales Leader certification program, focusing on current sales and commercial principles, practices, and strategies. The certification emphasizes hospitality sales leaders' abilities in team leadership, commercial acumen, and implementing effective hotel sales practices to boost revenue, among other key skills, HSMAI said in a statement. "We are very excited to add the CHSL certification to HSMAI's distinguished family of commercial certifications, including the CRME, CHDM, CRMA and CHBA," said Robert Gilbert, HSMAI's president and CEO. "This new certification underscores our commitment to empowering hotel sales professionals with the vital skills and recognition they need to excel as successful commercial leaders."

SOFTWARE PLATFORM SITEMINDER, led by CEO Sankar Narayan, has partnered with PMS software developer Cloudbeds to provide more service to its 60,000 hotelier clients. The collaboration allows Cloudbeds clients direct access to SiteMinder's revenue platform, while SiteMinder users can leverage Cloudbeds' PMS platform. "In late 2023, we announced our mission of making sophisticated revenue management accessible to every hotel in the world," said Narayan. "We are excited to partner with an industry leader like Cloudbeds to propel this mission, by removing the friction that comes with having critical data hidden away in isolated systems. This partnership is a testament to the $50 billion hotel revenue that is processed by SiteMinder's platform each year as well as the unique position that we hold to completely transform revenue management for the global hotel industry. It continues SiteMinder's long history of breaking down silos in a highly-fragmented industry."

WYNDHAM REWARDS RECENTLY announced the three finalists for the mural project at Gillespie Golf Course in Greensboro, North Carolina. The selected artists are Vincent Ballentine from Brooklyn, New York; Raman Bhardwaj from Greensboro, North Carolina; and Abel Jackson from Charlotte, North Carolina. A committee of key community figures and organizations chose these finalists from over 50 nationwide applicants, Wyndham said in a statement. The project aims to honor the Greensboro Six, a group of Black men who, in 1955, played golf at the whites-only Gillespie course, the statement said. Their act of defiance against segregation occurred just a week after Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus. The Greensboro Six were arrested, convicted of trespassing, and spent 15 days in jail. Their actions and subsequent court cases eventually led to the desegregation of Gillespie Golf Course. In 1961, the Greater Greensboro Open (now the Wyndham Championship) became the first PGA Tour event in the South to welcome a Black player, Charlie Sifford.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and Questex recently updated the lineup of speakers and events for The Hospitality Show, scheduled for Oct. 28 to 30 in San Antonio, Texas. The Show will offer networking opportunities and showcase new products from more than 400 technology and operations vendors, AHLA and Questex said in a joint statement. Confirmed speakers include Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Liam Brown, group president for the U.S. and Canada at Marriott International; Kevin Jacobs, CFO and president of Global Development at Hilton Hotels & Resorts; Brian Kirkland, chief information officer of Choice Hotels International; Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer of KSL Resorts; Kevin Korab, president of Guest Worldwide; Scott Strickland, chief commercial officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; and Greg Land, global segment leader for travel and hospitality at Amazon Web Services.

PHILADELPHIA-BASED HOVR, a website content delivery software, recently launched its generative AI product, "Suggestions," and mobile experience, "Pathways," to boost business engagement and conversion rates through strategic video delivery. The software analyzes website dynamics and user behavior, providing actionable insights using machine-learning algorithms, Hovr said in a statement. "This generative AI feature marks an important leap forward for digital marketers and website managers," said Jason Craparo, Hovr's CEO. "By harnessing the power of AI, we are empowering businesses to significantly enhance their website outcomes, instantly and effortlessly. Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, we can streamline processes that originally took hours down to seconds. Equally importantly, the products allow guests to engage with booking websites in a unique, novel way. These products have the potential to revolutionize the booking process."

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS recently launched Wyndham Connect, a new guest engagement platform by Canary Technologies, in North America. The platform, first announced at the company's 2023 global conference, is available at no additional cost to owners, with nearly 2,000 North American hotels already using it, Wyndham said in a statement. "We always put our franchisees first, and investing in innovative technology like AI sets them apart from the competition," said Scott Strickland, Wyndham's chief commercial officer. "With access to powerful solutions like Wyndham Connect, our franchisees can manage their businesses more efficiently and curate guest experiences to help make stays more meaningful than ever. The result? Happier guests, higher chances for repeat business and money in franchisees' pockets."