The Hospitality & Travel week,distilled.

QDOBA Mexican Eats has signed a development agreement with Hyperion Brands, LLC to open 17 new restaurants in San Diego County, California.

New Zealand-based restaurant booking platform First Table has raised $10 million in a funding round led by existing investors including Altered Capital and new backers such as K1W1 and Icehouse Ventures.

Navan announced on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, that it has acquired BoomPop, an AI-powered platform for corporate meeting and event planning.

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.

Cloud5 Communications has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the business of interTouch CALA.

Private equity-backed Flagship Group has announced its first three acquisitions in the travel experiences sector: Amigo Tours, WalksDevour, and Askos Tours.

Clementon Park & Splash World, a 119-year-old amusement park in New Jersey, has permanently closed following the end of its 2026 summer season.

HVS Europe reported six hotel transactions occurring across Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, and France for the week ending September 4, 2026.

Radisson Blu Mall of America has completed a full renovation of all 500 guestrooms across 13 floors in Bloomington, Minnesota.

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.

Chicken Salad Chick is opening its first restaurant in New York, located in Clifton Park at The Shops at Village Plaza.

Lighthouse has released a guide on conducting hotel displacement analysis, detailing the use of data inputs, ancillary revenue, and demand forecasting.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by George Lucas, is set to open to the public in downtown Los Angeles on September 22, 2026.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced plans to open the first Dolce by Wyndham hotel in Ridgeland, Mississippi, as part of a $120 million public-private development project.

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.

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.

Statistics Canada reported that Canadian travel to the U.S. increased by 8.8% in August 2026, marking the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year growth.

The Lefebvre d’Ovidio family, which acquired a majority stake in Abercrombie & Kent in 2019 for $521.1 million, is leveraging the company's cash flow to fund the expansion of Crystal Cruises.

Denny's has closed five additional restaurant locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin due to the franchisee M15 Inc. filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Casual-dining chain O’Charley’s, owned by Cannae Holdings, abruptly closed all corporate-owned restaurant locations on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Statistics Canada reported that employment in Canada fell by 41,700 jobs in August 2026, marking the first decline since April.

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.

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.

Bloomin' Brands is closing two Outback Steakhouse locations in Evansville, Wyoming, and Baltimore, Maryland, as part of a multi-year turnaround strategy.

The Dorchester hotel in London is planning to sell a car belonging to a Qatari sheikh to recover an unpaid debt of £460,000.

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.

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.

A study of 148 luxury hotels conducted by researchers found that Forbes Travel Guide ratings and Michelin Keys account for 55% of AI recommendation frequency.

Mews analyzed data from over 6,000 hotels to evaluate the impact of its RMS Autopilot feature.

A coach carrying 48 Dutch passengers overturned in the Swiss Alps on September 10, 2026.

O’Charley’s, a restaurant chain founded in 1971, closed all its corporate-operated locations nationwide on September 9, 2026.

A fire broke out at a ski resort in Chile on September 7, 2026.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed on September 7, 2026, due to a staff protest.

Marriott International has expanded its partnership with travel technology company Spotnana to integrate its hotel distribution systems.

IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a Master Development Agreement with Australian developer ALAND to launch the Staybridge Suites brand in Australia.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Delta Air Lines have announced a long-term strategic loyalty collaboration linking the World of Hyatt and Delta SkyMiles programs.

Aimbridge Hospitality has assumed management of three historic boutique hotels owned by Gorman & Company, located in Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Rockford.

Also: 10 Sep — hotelsmag.com