20 Risk-Taking Travel Leaders, Marriott’s Split Performance and Hyatt’s All-Inclusive Boom
Photo Credit: An aerial photo of a StudioRes hotel in Fort Myers, Florida. This is the first hotel to open under Marriott's new StudioRes brand. Marriott
Skift Take
To wrap up the week we look at our new list of risk-taking travel leaders, Marriott's tale of two economies, and Hyatt's all-inclusive wins.
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In the latest installment of our Generation Next series, we profile 20 women who are reshaping the travel industry and pushing boundaries.
Those leaders include Julie Coker, who’s preparing New York City for the 2026 World Cup final, and Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson. We also feature Shaika Nasser Al Nowais, who will become the first Emirati and first woman to lead UN Tourism.
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Next, Marriott’s luxury hotels are booming, but the company’s more affordable mid-tier chains are showing softness — a performance split that tells a tale of two U.S. economies, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.
Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano described a “bifurcation of the consumer” at a conference on Thursday. Capuano said higher-income consumers are continuing to prioritize spending on travel and experiences. However, he added that lower-income customers are directly feeling the impact of economic headwinds.
In addition, Capuano said that while government spending at Marriott hotels is down double-digits, the company is seeing early signs of improvement in business transient and leisure bookings coming out of Labor Day.
Finally, Hyatt has gotten a boost from its all-inclusive resorts, with holiday bookings running ahead of last year, writes Hospitality Reporter Luke Martin.
CEO Mark Hoplamazian said on Thursday that Hyatt’s all-inclusive business in the Americas is up 9% for the festive season. Martin notes Hyatt has, in particular, seen strong demand for luxury and an increase in Canadians shifting trips from U.S. resorts to Mexico and the Caribbean.
Hoplamazian added that Hyatt might sell a stake in ALG Vacations, a distribution arm that creates packages, including all-inclusives. Martin writes the prospect of Hyatt selling down ALG Vacations is surprising because the distributor is so central to filling its resorts.
