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MORE THAN A thousand hotel owners, workers and small business owners from the newly formed "Protect NYC Tourism Coalition" rallied on the steps of New York's City Hall on Sept. 12 to protest the city council's "Safe Hotels" bill. The coalition also sent a letter urging the council to reject the bill, also known as "Int. 991", arguing that the bill threatens the sustainability of New York City's hotel and tourism industries and jeopardizes the livelihoods of thousands of workers. The coalition includes members from AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of New York City, the Real Estate Board of New York, the Coalition for Hotel Subcontractors, the NYC Minority Hotel Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers, along with other groups and stakeholders supporting New York City's tourism industry. First introduced by Councilwoman Julie Menin over the summer, Int. 991 is presented by supporters as a "simple licensing bill." Opponents argue it would impose operational mandates that could drive many hotels out of business, jeopardizing 42,000 hotel jobs and nearly 260,000 jobs supported by the industry, along with billions in revenue for New York City.

THE U.S. IS expected to see 953 hotel openings with 108,366 rooms in 2025, with New York City and Nashville leading at 5,719 and 2,849 rooms, respectively, according to CoStar. Around 1,865 hotels with 198,319 rooms are projected to open in 2026. Other markets, including San Diego, Dallas, and Phoenix, are projected to open 5,719, 2,849, and 2,818 rooms in 2025, the report said. "The ongoing development in New York City is not surprising given the market's status and its high performance in recent years," said Isaac Collazo, STR's senior director, analytics. "With major sources of leisure and business travel, New York reported the highest occupancy level of any U.S. market in both 2023 and 2024. Though fewer rooms are in construction compared to 2023, more are in the planning and final planning stages, pointing to continued investment in the long term."

HYATT HOTELS CORP. is set to launch a lifestyle group following the acquisition of Standard International, the parent company of The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels. The new group would focus on developing future projects included in the acquisition. Amar Lalvani, former executive chairman of Standard International, will serve as president and creative director of the new group. It will be headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in Austin and Bangkok, Hyatt said in a statement. "The lifestyle segment isn't for the faint of heart; it takes creativity and commitment," said Lalvani. "But if you get it right, you reap the benefits of strong guest loyalty and developer returns. Hyatt respects the creativity needed to deliver our experiences, while we value Hyatt's history, global infrastructure, and commercial services."