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🏠 In April 2023, Airbnb paused adding new experiences to focus on core accommodations. By the fall of 2024, Airbnb discreetly reopened its platform for hosts to add new experiences without an official announcement. Mitch Batch, CEO of Tripschool, noticed the change browsing properties in Tuscany. Airbnb aims to offer a diverse selection of experiences reflecting the culture of global cities.

🌍 - An Opodo study found that 33% of French people are influenced by social media for their travel destinations. The impact is greater among younger demographics, with 58% of individuals aged 25-34 and 52% of those aged 18-24 being influenced. In contrast, only 13% of those aged 55-64 are affected. Additionally, 47% share travel content online to keep memories, while 41% of 25-34 and 36% of 18-24 year-olds have experienced disappointment from social media-influenced trips. Social media's influence extends to other European countries, with 49% of Spanish and Portuguese and 47% of Italians acknowledging its impact, compared to 32% of Germans.

📈 Olivier Dufit named new CEO of The Originals Human Hotels & Resorts on July 1, celebrating the company's five-year anniversary with over 330 hotels. Predecessor Philippe Marguet led for 23 years. In 2023-2024, reservation volume reached €123M, a 15% increase, while Jan-Aug 2024 revenue slightly rose to €83.15M from €81.53M in the same period in 2023, despite a disappointing June and July.

🏖️ Grand Est's summer tourism in 2024 reached 17 million overnight stays, with a slow start in July due to poor weather and a busy political and sports context including the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, from July 20, the season surpassed 2023's results. Hotel occupancy rates in the region increased by 1% to 70%, average prices rose by 2%, and revenue increased by 3%. Seasonal rentals saw a 20% increase in supply and a 10% increase in bookings, with about 3 million overnight stays, a 5% rise from 2023. Despite the growth, occupancy rates fell by 6 points to 54%, and rental income decreased by 5%.

🏠 Reiwa Travel, a Japanese digital travel agency, raised €30,595,200 (about $33 million or 4.8 billion yen) for their recent funding round led by SMBC-GB Growth No. 1 Investment Limited Partnership, with participation from PKSHA Technology and existing investors. To date, the company has secured a total of €44,618,000 in financing. This capital boost will fund AI integration into their travel search engine, development of a smart travel concierge, and optimization of dynamic pricing. A joint AI project with PKSHA Technology is set to launch in October.

📧 Hotelus, a Montreal-based consulting firm, managed the technological equipment for Entourage sur-le-Lac, a resort in Québec. More than 80k emails and 9k SMS, with an average campaign open rate of 70%, led to over $30k in additional revenue last year. The resort offers 166 rooms and suites, various amenities, and year-round activities. Automated communication, a virtual logbook, targeted email campaigns, and upselling via their Guest App significantly improved guest experience and operational efficiency.

🌎 John Wagner joins Zeal Hotels to support the development of their carbon-zero emission brand and promote ESG collaboration in the hospitality industry. Zeal Hotel aims to surpass the 2050 energy efficiency goal by producing more energy than it consumes. Wagner, with over 40 years in the industry, has been a cofounder and CEO at Cycas Hospitality and a VP at IHG, with experience in the US, Paris, Prague, London, and Amsterdam. He emphasizes the sector's potential to make a real difference in combating climate change.

🏠 Summer 2024 saw a 2% increase in mountain resort occupancy rates in France compared to 2023, as reported by ANMSM. July's occupancy decreased by 4%, while August showed significant improvement, with rates reaching 74% from August 3-9, and even 81% from August 10-16. A temperate climate and a 7.5% rise in peer-to-peer rentals contributed to these numbers. The Alps of the South and the Pyrenees observed a +5% and +8% increase respectively. ANMSM President Jean-Luc Boch cites nature, spaciousness, and a range of activities for attracting French vacationers.

🏨 The hotel industry is evolving with multifunctional spaces and a mix of classic rooms and dorms, embracing coliving to meet new demands. Brands like The People, Eklo, Jo & Joe have been market changers, with new players like Melt (with Jost) and Zoku, which started in the Netherlands in 2016 and in France by 2023, targeting corporate clients with adaptable lofts and multipurpose furniture. The hybrid trend includes hotel-tourism residence combos, as seen with Galia Group's upcoming "new generation" hotels.

🏖️ In summer 2024, despite uncertain politics, erratic weather, reduced purchasing power, and the Paris Olympics, vacation rentals in metropolitan France saw a 6% increase in booked nights. Popconnect, the European leader in seasonal and short-term rental marketing, reports a positive season. A survey in early June showed 74% of French planned holidays between June-September, a 1% increase from 2023. Bookings went up by 5% in the high season and 10% during the shoulder months compared to 2023, despite a 12% drop in July bookings year-over-year.