01
What changed in hospitality & travel regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
02
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has increased the standard CONUS lodging allowance from $110 to $113 for the 2027 fiscal year.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗03
The HOSTA 2026 report published by Horwath HTL on September 9, 2026, predicts a 2.5% decline in hotel demand in the Netherlands.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗04
Google is removing specific travel search features in the European Union, including date filters and live pricing, to comply with the Digital Markets Act and avoid antitrust fines.
Read at skift.com ↗05
Delta Air Lines has updated its in-flight service policy, eliminating complimentary snacks and beverages for Delta Main and Delta Comfort passengers on flights under 350 miles.
Read at thestreet.com ↗06
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is transitioning J-1 visa holders from 'Duration of Status' to fixed admission dates.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗07
The European Union allowed the temporary 'safety valve' policy for the Entry-Exit System (EES) to lapse on Sunday, September 6, 2026, removing the ability for member states to pause biometric checks during peak demand.
Read at skift.com ↗What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in hospitality & travel this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
08
QDOBA Mexican Eats has signed a development agreement with Hyperion Brands, LLC to open 17 new restaurants in San Diego County, California.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗09
Clementon Lake Park and Splash World, a 119-year-old amusement park in New Jersey, announced on September 9, 2026, that it will close permanently following the 2026 summer season.
Read at thestreet.com ↗10
Cloud5 Communications has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the business of interTouch CALA.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗11
Private equity-backed Flagship Group has announced its first three acquisitions in the travel experiences sector: Amigo Tours, WalksDevour, and Askos Tours.
Read at skift.com ↗12
Bain Capital and Omnam Group have sold the 148-room Lake Como EDITION hotel to the Thai developer Sansiri Capital.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗13
Starboard Hotels and LaSalle Investment Management have acquired seven Accor-branded hotels located across the UK from Ares and EQ Group.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗14
HVS Asia Pacific reported five hospitality deals across Australia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan for the week ending September 4, 2026.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗15
HVS Europe reported six hotel transactions occurring across Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, and France for the week ending September 4, 2026.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗8 of 10 funding and m&a events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What products launched in hospitality & travel this week?
Notable product launches, releases and platform updates from the week.
16
BWH Hotels has opened the Aiden Kansas City Downtown hotel, located in the historic Mutual Building in Kansas City, Missouri.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗17
Radisson Blu Mall of America has completed a full renovation of all 500 guestrooms across 13 floors in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗18
Sungrow has deployed its ST200CF Powerkeeper battery energy storage system at the Gibraltar Bowral hotel and events venue in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗19
Chicken Salad Chick is opening its first restaurant in New York, located in Clifton Park at The Shops at Village Plaza.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗20
Lighthouse has released a guide on conducting hotel displacement analysis, detailing the use of data inputs, ancillary revenue, and demand forecasting.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗21
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched the 'Gateside' program, allowing non-ticketed individuals to access airport departure gates for the first time in 25 years.
Read at thestreet.com ↗22
Lands’ End is launching a marketing campaign centered on college football game days this fall, featuring a 'Tote Tailgate Tour' in Bloomington, Indiana, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Oxford, Mississippi.
Read at modernretail.co ↗23
Travelin' Tom's Coffee has launched a limited-time seasonal menu featuring Pumpkin Pie and Spiced Apple Chai-der drinks.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗8 of 14 product launches events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What financial results were reported in hospitality & travel this week?
Earnings, guidance and other financial results reported this week.
24
The founding family of Haidilao, China's largest hotpot restaurant chain, initiated a share sale valued at up to $353 million on September 9, 2026.
Read at bloomberg.com ↗25
Denny's has closed five additional restaurant locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin due to the franchisee M15 Inc. filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Read at nrn.com ↗26
Casual-dining chain O’Charley’s, owned by Cannae Holdings, abruptly closed all corporate-owned restaurant locations on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Read at nrn.com ↗27
Statistics Canada reported that employment in Canada fell by 41,700 jobs in August 2026, marking the first decline since April.
Read at insurancejournal.com ↗28
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia is sending senior management to New York this week to meet with major Wall Street firms, including Apollo, Blackstone, and KKR.
Read at semafor.com ↗29
Bravo Italian Kitchen and its sister chain Brio Italian Grille have closed multiple locations throughout 2026 following their parent company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in August 2025.
Read at thestreet.com ↗30
For the week ending August 29, 2026, U.S. hotels recorded their 20th consecutive week of year-over-year growth.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗What court rulings and legal actions hit hospitality & travel this week?
Court rulings, filings and legal actions reported this week.
31
On September 9, 2026, the European General Court upheld a 2023 decision blocking Booking Holdings from acquiring the Swedish company Etraveli for approximately 1.63 billion euros.
Read at skift.com ↗32
The trial of three men accused of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad has begun in Ensenada, Mexico.
Read at theguardian.com ↗What incidents and outages hit hospitality & travel this week?
Incidents, outages and safety events reported this week.
33
A coach carrying 48 Dutch passengers overturned in the Swiss Alps on September 10, 2026.
Read at bbc.co.uk ↗34
O’Charley’s, a restaurant chain founded in 1971, closed all its corporate-operated locations nationwide on September 9, 2026.
Read at thestreet.com ↗35
A fire broke out at a ski resort in Chile on September 7, 2026.
Read at aljazeera.com ↗36
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on September 7, 2026, due to a staff protest.
Read at bbc.co.uk ↗What partnerships were announced in hospitality & travel this week?
Partnerships, integrations and joint projects announced this week.
37
Remington Hospitality has assumed management of the 358-room Hyatt Regency Long Island hotel in New York.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗38
Marriott International has expanded its partnership with travel technology company Spotnana to integrate its hotel distribution systems.
Read at hoteldive.com ↗2 of 3 partnerships events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What people moved in and out of hospitality & travel roles this week?
Executive appointments and departures reported this week.
39
Aimbridge Hospitality has assumed management of three historic hotels.
Read at hoteldive.com ↗40
Aperture Hotels has taken over the management of the Courtyard by Marriott Pensacola I-10 West, a 124-room hotel located in Pensacola, Florida.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗41
Constellation Hotels, a Luxembourg-based investment group, appointed Neil Jacobs as CEO of its new hotel operating company on September 2, 2026.
Read at skift.com ↗What else happened in hospitality & travel this week?
Developments from the week that fit none of the other sections.
42
Restaurant chains are adopting a 'barbell' strategy to attract diverse consumer segments by simultaneously offering low-cost and premium menu options.
Read at nytimes.com ↗43
In July 2024, a couple booked two vacation apartments in Hawaii through Booking.com.
Read at nytimes.com ↗44
The Skift Global Forum 2026, scheduled for September 22–24, focuses on five strategic decisions facing travel industry leaders amid technological and economic shifts.
Read at skift.com ↗45
The global spa industry has evolved from historical medical institutions to leisure-focused facilities and is now returning to a clinical, medical-spa model.
Read at ehl.edu ↗4 of 27 other developments events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.