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FOUR HOTELS HAVE converted to the AmeriVu brand founded in 2015 by Wisconsin hotelier Nick Rai. Amerivu is now part of Atlanta-based Hospitality Lodging Systems. The 51-room AmeriVu Inn & Suites in Cisago City, Minnesota, is a conversion from a Comfort Inn. Nearby attractions include Bloom Lake Barn wedding venue, Wild Mountain Ski Area, Trollhaugen Outdoor Recreation Area, Cedar Lake Speedway and Somerset Amphitheater. Amenities include an indoor heated pool with hot tub and is ADA accessible. "In the post-COVID environment, hotel owners don't want to work hard to recover and rebound, just so they can send bigger checks to their brand," said Doug Collins, Chairman and CEO of HLS. "Instead, more owners are deciding to work smarter - by switching to a brand that keeps hard-earned money in their pocket." In 2017, Rai opened the 40-room AmeriVu Hotel in Cumberland, Wisconsin, the 42-room AmeriVu in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and two other conversions.

ANOTHER ASIAN AMERICAN developer has signed on to build two properties under Choice Hotels International's upscale Cambria brand. VRL Hotels, led by Victor Patel as president, has signed on to build a Cambria in Gatlinburg and another in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Gatlinburg hotel is expected to open in 2022. It will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the tourist town in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Local attractions include Ober Gatlinburg ski resort, the Gatlinburg SkyLift, which carries passengers 1,800 feet up to the top of Crockett Mountain, and the Gatlinburg Space Needle. Also nearby are Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Haunted Adventure, the Rocky Top Sports complex, several bourbon distilleries, breweries and wineries and the Gatlinburg Convention Center. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Pigeon Forge is expected to open in 2024. Nearby attractions include Dollywood amusement park, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum, the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, Titanic Museum Attraction, NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains and seasonal outdoor events throughout the year, such as Winterfest. Both hotels will have multi-function meeting and event spaces and fitness centers among other amenities.

The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Albuquerque Old Town in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is scheduled to open on Aug. 6. It is owned by IPMI Hotel Group and managed by Sun Capital Hotels led by Deepesh Kholwadwala as chief executive. The 92-suite hotel is near the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque International Sunport and the city's downtown. Also nearby are Old Town Albuquerque, Sandia Peak Ski Area and the Sandia Peak Tramway. Hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool with an outdoor patio and a board room.

New amendments to the EU's Single European Sky (SES) initiative have led to pan-European strikes by air traffic control unions. We talk to Maurizio Castelletti, head of the European Commission's SES Unit, about the fallout from the industrial action and why collaboration across the continent is key.

It is that time of the year when the clocks have reset and we start to believe in 365 new possibilities and hope for brand new experiences. If you are someone who loves seeking new places in the world, then travel will most definitely be a part of this future plan. New Year is also a time when we love to take a few days off and escape into a paradise solo or with your loved ones.