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🏨 Jonathan Morrow has been appointed as the Senior Managing Director of investment sales at Walker & Dunlop, headquartered in New York. Walker & Dunlop's multi-family real estate has been foundational in its market growth. The company is now expanding into other asset classes, leveraging Morrow's deep knowledge of the hospitality industry, transaction history, and leadership skills. The hospitality investment sales market rebounded post-pandemic, with a climb from $12.8 billion in 2020 to $49 billion in 2022. Urban markets are seeing strong hospitality performance, with average daily rates surpassing pre-pandemic levels, driven by business and leisure travel.

🏨 The HCR sector (hotels, cafes, restaurants) is facing rising energy costs, raw material costs, and very low margins, leading to an alarming increase in business failures. This is partly due to a lack of management skills specific to the sector. A mandatory training program is being initiated to help entrepreneurs manage daily operations and address the challenges of starting a business in this sector. The aim is to make this training obligatory for all new entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry to prevent mass failures and ensure business longevity.

🍴 EquipHotel salon returns in November 2024, themed "Osons!". The Open Stage in Hall FoodService features competitions, round tables, culinary performances, and promotes multicultural exchanges with a focus on diverse flavors and chefs. Highlights include a chef showdown between Nordic and Southern chefs featuring Matthieu Goguet and Toni Muzi (Nov 3, 14h), home-made delights by Maria Nikolai and Sophie Frémont (Nov 3, 16h), the inaugural Asian Gastronomy Awards contest (Nov 5, 9h30), and keynote by Rwandan chef Dieuveil Malonga (Nov 5, 15h30).

🚲 In a 2023 study, the Véloscénie—a 450 km bike route from Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel—is highlighted for its unique appeal and sustainable tourism potential, accessible to 12.4 million Ile-de-France residents (1/6 of France's population). The route is notably rural and initiates 35% of its riders into cycling tourism, a record compared to other bike paths. High frequentation by daily cyclists in Ile-de-France suggests significant growth potential for the Véloscénie. Isabelle Mesnard, its President, aims to make cycling tours more desirable to beginners.

🍕 Paolo Ambrogio, 29, becomes the new chef at restaurant Tosca within the 5-star Splendide Royal hotel in Paris's Faubourg Saint Honoré. With a background in Alain Ducasse's La Ciuta and Philippe Mille's Les Crayères, Ambrogio's menu features authentic Italian cuisine, blending tradition and innovation, and changes seasonally. Tosca's Mediterranean flavors span from the Alps to Sicily, offering dishes like Langoustine with burrata, Tagliolini with black truffle, and grilled Octopus. Prices: €52 for lunch, €130 for tasting menu.

💰 Leif Hakanson, 20 ans, poursuit ses études à l'EHL Hospitality Business School, visant une carrière dans le business des franchises de restauration ou d'alimentaire. Élevé entre l'Europe, l'Asie et les États-Unis, il admire la diversité culturelle à l'EHL, qui accueille environ 4000 étudiants de plus de 125 nationalités. Hakanson est en deuxième année de bachelor et envisage de servir au moins deux ans dans le Corps des Marines des États-Unis après ses études.

📈 Amadeus report indicates 46% of 300+ tech leaders prioritize generative AI for the travel sector, with 61% in Asia-Pacific. Over half report a significant current presence, primarily for booking assistance (53%) and personalized recommendations (48%). Challenges include talent shortages (34%), data security concerns (35%), ROI uncertainty (30%), and inadequate tech infrastructure (33%). Yet, 41% of firms have resources and budget for AI development, with 87% open to external collaboration.

🎬 Expedia's "Horizons 2025" report highlights "set-jetting" and "social shopping" as key travel trends. Since 2023, "set-jetting," choosing destinations from films or series, surged, with Dubai searches increasing by 30% after "The Real Housewives of Dubai." Other popular locations include Montana, Wyoming (from "Yellowstone"), and Cape Town (from "One Piece"). However, 50% of consumers abandon social media travel bookings due to lengthy processes. Expedia's influencer-curated "Travel Shop" is in the USA and UK, expanding in 2025.

🏖️ Sandaya Group expands in 2024 with 8 new destinations in France, including the first in Aveyron (Les Rivages, Millau) and a third in Ardèche (La Roubine, Vallon-Pont d’Arc), plus 4 sites in Italy (Veneto and Tuscany). Ondres Plage to undergo €8 million refurbishment for 2025 season with 150 new rentals. The Village Flottant de Pressac will double capacity with a new 900 m² lagoon, 2500 m² white sand beach, and 30 new cottages. The eco-friendly Village Flottant de Pressac in the NATURA 2000 zone offers unique floating accommodations, with 21 cabins on a 6.5-hectare pond.

🧥 RoomRaccoon, a leading hotel management system for independent establishments, partners with PXier to offer a new, comprehensive management solution. This bidirectional integration enables real-time data synchronization between RoomRaccoon's PMS and PXier's event, sales, catering, and spa management tools, available on RoomRaccoon's marketplace. The partnership aims to optimize operations and enhance guest experiences, featuring three essential API connections: booking flow, point of sale, and channel manager. The integration is now globally available to hoteliers.