For football icon Lionel Messi, the partnership allows his hotel brand to scale without the burden of direct management. For Meliá, there's a potential to turn athlete branding into long-term global growth.
The dollar's decline is splitting the hotel industry along regional lines. European and Asian chains are feeling the pinch while U.S.-based operators barely mention the turbulence.
For today’s pod we look at Airbnb’s aggressive expansion approach, IHG’s good news in the U.S., and Melia’s equally good news about Mediterranean numbers.
Based on their six-year growth rates, Hilton Honors is expected to surpass Marriott Bonvoy's membership count in mid-to-late 2026. Other loyalty programs with standout growth rates include Hyatt and IHG.
The new Novotel Rayong Star Convention Centre is the newest hotel from Accor’s Novotel brand in Rayong, Thailand, while the first INNSiDE by Melia hotel to open in Thailand just opened its doors, too.