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What changed in hospitality & travel regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
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The Australian government has announced a migration crackdown targeting international students, 'visa hoppers', and backpackers.
Read at bbc.co.uk ↗03
More than 800 UK hospitality businesses have signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reduce the VAT rate from 20 per cent to 10 per cent ahead of the October 28, 2026, Budget.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗04
The UK Labour government is considering the implementation of new tourism levies.
Read at wsj.com ↗05
The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory for the United Kingdom in September 2026, emphasizing that all U.S. citizens must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travel.
Read at thestreet.com ↗What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in hospitality & travel this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
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Highgate and Eternam have jointly acquired the 191-key Zafolia Hotel Athens, marking Highgate's first investment in Greece.
Read at hotelsmag.com ↗07
Greg O'Hara, founder of Certares, is investing €300 million into Trenitalia France, a subsidiary of the Italian state railway.
Read at skift.com ↗08
Slutty Vegan, a plant-based burger brand founded by Pinky Cole Hayes, has signed a franchise agreement with Soul Republic Hospitality Group to expand into Cincinnati, Ohio.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗09
LeBron James announced on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, that he has joined Mike’s Red Tacos as an investor.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗10
Lindblad Expeditions is acquiring a 60% stake in the luxury Antarctic travel company White Desert and the adventure operator Echo Charlie for $69 million.
Read at skift.com ↗11
Field & Stream Lodge Co., backed by Starwood Capital Group and AJ Capital Partners, announced the acquisition of two hotels in Bend, Oregon, and Big Bear, California.
Read at skift.com ↗12
HVS Europe reported six hotel transactions across the UK, Spain, Germany, and Denmark for the week ending 11 September 2026.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗13
Allies of Donald Trump and Marco Rubio are competing to acquire assets in Cuba as foreign companies exit due to new US secondary sanctions.
Read at theguardian.com ↗8 of 9 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.
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TOURISE has announced its 2027 Summit, themed 'Alliances That Move the World,' scheduled to take place in Riyadh from March 23 to 25, 2027.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗15
Peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace Turo is launching a new product called Turo Delivered in November 2026.
Read at skift.com ↗16
Indian online travel agency Cleartrip has launched a new loyalty program called Elite, aimed at reducing travel anxiety by focusing on pre-transaction flexibility.
Read at skift.com ↗17
Q-KON has expanded its Twoobii Smart Satellite services to support luxury tourism and hospitality sectors in Southern Africa.
Read at spaceinafrica.com ↗18
Universal Studios Hollywood opened the new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster to the public on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
Read at wired.com ↗19
Unifocus launched a new AI-native workforce management and operations platform called Unifocus Claira in Dallas, Texas, on September 16, 2026.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗20
Crunchtime announced the launch of the industry's first connected operations management suite on September 16, 2026.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗21
The Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point, California, will be rebranded as The Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point, a JW Marriott Resort, following a multimillion-dollar renovation.
Read at hoteldive.com ↗8 of 40 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.
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OneSpaWorld, a company operating wellness centers on over 200 cruise ships, is projected to exceed $1 billion in annual revenue in 2026.
Read at skift.com ↗23
Abu Dhabi experienced a 14.2% year-to-date decline in hotel guests, totaling 3.2 million, with August figures dropping 5.2% year-on-year to 512,000.
Read at skift.com ↗24
In 2025, hotel transactions in the Asia-Pacific region reached USD 17.0 billion, marking a 51.9% increase compared to the previous period.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗25
Meritage Hospitality Group, a major Wendy's franchisee based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2026.
Read at nrn.com ↗26
The U.S. hotel industry experienced a decline in performance metrics for the week of September 6–12, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗27
U.S. hotel RevPAR declined by 6.2% during the week ending September 12, 2026.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗28
UN Tourism reported 690 million international tourist arrivals during the first half of 2026.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗29
The HotelData.com H1 2026 Labor Report, covering approximately 5,000 U.S. hotels, indicates a decline in Hours Per Occupied Room (HPOR) by 3.1% for Full Service and 3.5% for Select Service properties compared to the previous year.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗What court rulings and legal actions hit hospitality & travel this week?
Court rulings, filings and legal actions reported this week.
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The Spanish travel startup Weyeboo Business Travel has entered involuntary bankruptcy proceedings following a ruling by a commercial court in Girona.
Read at thestreet.com ↗31
Meritage Hospitality Group Inc., a major Wendy's franchisee operating over 350 locations across 15 U.S. states, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan on September 17, 2026.
Read at thestreet.com ↗32
Humble Baron, a bar owned by Keith Weaver located at the Uncle Nearest distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, has been ordered into Chapter 7 bankruptcy by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Nicholas W. Whittenburg.
Read at thestreet.com ↗33
A South Korean court in Seoul fined the operator of the two-Michelin-star restaurant Evett 10 million won and its chief executive, Ginny Kim, 15 million won for serving unapproved ant toppings on desserts.
Read at theguardian.com ↗34
A federal judge has ordered trustee oversight for entities linked to Uncle Nearest co-founder Keith Weaver following allegations of disputed insider transfers.
Read at inc.com ↗35
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery Inc., a Pennsylvania-based winery, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 11, 2026, to restructure debts.
Read at thestreet.com ↗What research was published in hospitality & travel this week?
New research findings and studies published this week.
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A survey conducted by Sodexo Live and You.Gov among 2,166 air travelers in the U.S. and U.K. reveals that culinary quality is a primary driver for airport lounge satisfaction.
Read at nrn.com ↗37
Research by Menufy indicates that 59 percent of consumers avoid ordering from restaurants due to missing online information, with the figure reaching 71 percent among Gen Z. Additionally, 74 percent of consumers state that a restaurant's online presence influences their ordering decision, rising to 80 percent for millennials. The study highlights that 35 percent of consumers prioritize positive online reviews as the primary trust factor when selecting a new restaurant.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗38
The State of Distribution 2026 report, published by RateGain, NYU SPS, and HEDNA on September 15, 2026, reveals that over 50% of hotels have adopted AI technologies.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗39
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits released its 'Raise the Bar: H2 2026 Edition' report on September 15, 2026, highlighting shifting consumer alcohol preferences.
Read at modernrestaurantmanagement.com ↗40
Tashlin Lakhani, a professor at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, published a study on June 19, 2026, regarding HR standard implementation in U.S. fast food franchises.
Read at cornell.edu ↗What incidents and outages hit hospitality & travel this week?
Incidents, outages and safety events reported this week.
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The 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, have faced significant logistical challenges including accommodation shortages, transport issues, and national anthem errors.
Read at aljazeera.com ↗42
An 82-year-old man died following a physical altercation over a sunlounger at a beach in Vouliagmeni, Greece, on Sunday, September 20, 2026.
Read at theguardian.com ↗43
A man died after being bitten by a shark off Sorrento Beach in Perth, Western Australia, on Friday, September 18, 2026.
Read at theguardian.com ↗What partnerships were announced in hospitality & travel this week?
Partnerships, integrations and joint projects announced this week.
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Hapi and Upgrade have entered a partnership to integrate Upgrade's Flex Pay buy now, pay later solution into Hapi's connectivity platform for hotels.
Read at lodgingmagazine.com ↗45
Bahrain will host the International Tourism Investment Forum in January 2027 in partnership with UN Tourism.
Read at hospitalitynet.org ↗2 of 13 partnerships events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.