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IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed management agreements with Misr Holanda and Avenue for Development to bring Holiday Inn Aswan and Holiday Inn Resort New Aswan to the market, adding a total of 400 keys to IHG’s growing Egypt portfolio. The agreements, signed with Misr Holanda & Avenue for Development, will bring Holiday Inn Aswan & Holiday Inn Resort New Aswan on the market, adding 400 keys to IHG’s growing Egypt Portfolio. Holiday Inn is one of the most iconic and trusted hospitality brand in the world, with over 1,200 hotels. The brand is rooted in a service philosophy that focuses on creating brighter experiences and genuine moments of connectivity. Its goal is to help guests make the most out of every trip. Holiday Inn Aswan, which will have 200 keys, will be located near the city centre and the major tourist attractions. Holiday Inn Resort New Aswan is located in a newly developed part of New Aswan and will offer quality branded accommodations. The resort is set to open in 2030 and will have 200 rooms that are designed to appeal travellers who want a resort-style experience in a destination defined for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. We are proud to continue that legacy with the signing of Holiday Inn Aswan & Holiday Inn Resort New Aswan. This expansion will take place in one of Egypt’s most important tourist gateways. Aswan continues attracting both domestic and foreign travellers. These signings allow us meet the growing demand of high-quality branded accommodations with globally trusted brands. They also reflect our long-term commitment to Egypt and the strength of our partnerships with local owners as we continue to grow in this important market.”ADVERTISEMENTCommenting on the signing, Dr. Eng. Ibrahim Sadek is the CEO of Misr Holanda for Tourism and Hotel Investment and Avenue for Development. He said: “Our collaboration reflects our confidence and trust in IHG’s strong brand portfolio and operational experience. Holiday Inn Aswan, Holiday Inn Resort New Aswan, and Holiday Inn Aswan are important additions to our growing hospitality sector. We see a lot of potential in the area for a high-quality international hospitality offering to serve both local and foreign visitors. We are confident that the Holiday Inn resort hotel, with IHG’s expertise and the strength in the Holiday Inn brand will be an important addition to the destination’s hospitality landscape. “Aswan is one of Egypt’s most fascinating tourism destinations, celebrated by its stunning Nile scenery, rich Nubian cultures, and exceptional concentrations of ancient heritage sites. Aswan’s strategic location along the Nile, its rich history, and the proximity to attractions like the Temple of Philae continue to position it as a key tourist hub. It offers a unique blend of natural and cultural beauty, as well as river-based travel and iconic attractions. The Group’s commitment to Egypt’s tourism sector is further emphasized by the pipeline of 23 hotels that are scheduled to open over the next few years.

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As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, the classic American road trip is making a comeback. More families are opting for drivable vacations this summer that combine value, flexibility and meaningful experiences—trading crowded itineraries for time together on the open road.

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail (USCRT) offers a powerful way to explore the nation during this milestone, connecting more than 130 historic sites across 14 states and Washington, D.C. From immersive museums to walkable historic districts, the trail provides dozens of multi-generational opportunities for families to experience American history firsthand.

Tennessee: Music and Movement
In Nashville and Memphis, families can explore the intersection of music and civil rights. The National Museum of African American Music offers interactive exhibits spanning 50+ genres, The Museum of Christian & Gospel Music explores how the music and its musicians served as a source of hope and unity, while the Jefferson Street Sound Museum highlights the legacy of legendary performers. In Memphis, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the National Civil Rights Museum—which debuts its new “Legacy Experience” May 16th —provide engaging ways for families to connect past and present.

Arkansas: A Defining Chapter
The Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site brings one of the most pivotal moments in civil rights history to life. Nearby, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center explores African American culture and community in a setting that resonates with visitors of all ages.

Virginia: A Ready-Made Road Trip
Virginia offers a ready-made route along the trail, with stops including the Caroline County Historic Courthouse Campus—site of Loving v. Virginia—and the Robert Russa Moton Museum, tied to the student protests that lead to Brown v. Board of Education. The route blends history with charming towns and walkable downtowns.

Beyond the Major Cities
In Abilene, Kansas, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home offer insight into the leadership of President Eisenhower. In Charleston, South Carolina, the International African American Museum on the historic site of Gadsden’s Wharf provides an immersive experience tracing African American history, with summer programming designed for families.

“The Trail transforms a traditional road trip into a journey with purpose,” said Mark Ezell, Chairman of the USCRT Marketing Alliance. “Families can learn and connect while exploring the stories that shaped America.”

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Amadeus’ Senior Vice President of Commercial, Hospitality Americas, Jill Boegel, takes a look at how hoteliers can maximize the impact of the upcoming competition

This summer, the USA, Canada and Mexico are stepping into the spotlight to host the world’s largest football tournament. A total of 104 games will be played across 16 cities. Current estimates anticipate over five million fans to attend the tournament far outpacing some of the largest sports events in the United States. 

In the hospitality industry, five million fans equates to tens of millions of critical data points: flight searches, hotel searches, booking windows. All coming together to map a blueprint of opportunities. 

But how do you actually use this data to drive demand and additional revenue? What do you do if you don’t have analysts and dedicated teams to collate and interrogate data? How do you know when to target travelers and offer promotions? To demystify the opportunities at hand, let’s explore how occupancy levels and flight booking data can be used to drive profitable demand and unlock additional streams of revenue. 

While everyone fights over match day, smart hotels win extra time

In soccer, sometimes the biggest wins are determined by the final goal in extra time, and for hotels, that means the shoulder nights. 

This summer, we can see that across North America, cities hosting games will see occupancy spike on the night before and of a fixture. However, it falls sharply around these two nights. For instance, Amadeus data from Demand360 shows that the night before and of first game in Mexico City, average occupancy stands at 23%, up from 9% over the same nights in 2025. During the three days prior, occupancy averages just 13%. For me, this data showcases a clear opportunity to drive occupancy around these nights and drive profitable demand beyond the event. 

A simple and effective way for hoteliers to capture these opportunities is to run promotions that incentivize additional nights, for instance a complimentary breakfast when you stay for three nights or more. In destinations where games are spread out, Destination Management Organizations can keep travelers engaged between matches by hosting and promoting local events, tours, and activities, helping retain visitors longer, maximize economic impact and cultivate a positive brand across the host city. There is also the potential for hotels and DMOs to partner to offer the types of packages that enable these potentially new travelers to explore beyond the stadium. 

Know the fixtures, predict the fans, score the demand

Beyond the buzz and headlines, hoteliers need some granularity to convert a global event into day-to-day bookings. In other words, when the whole world is coming to your market – where do you start? 

Hoteliers should consider investing in targeted regional media campaigns to capture demand at its source. By focusing on flight bookings, we can identify which markets are driving demand and where host cities and neighbouring markets should focus their media campaigns. Across the tournament, data from Amadeus Travel Intelligence shows that international arrivals are led by Europe, with the UK accounting for 18% of bookings overall made in the month following the match schedule announcement on December 6th, and routes from Scotland to Boston surged 162-fold during the same period. If hoteliers or DMOs are unsure about which fixtures to focus their campaigns on, flight bookings can offer the context needed to make an informed decision on traffic in and out of the region. 

Get the team together and go for the trophy

International soccer tournaments draw in loyal groups of fans, families and tours. This is a great window to win block bookings, leveraging group trips to drive additional revenue. 

For some of these travelers it may be their first time visiting these new destinations, and the logistics of traveling to the games can be daunting. Hotels have an opportunity to help them enjoy the experience and focus on their team and deliver an unforgettable tournament stay. Co-ordinating transport to stadiums, promoting spaces that they can watch other games in and offering catering packages for hungry fans could help you stand out from the crowd while unlocking additional revenue. 

For group hotels with a footprint in multiple host cities, a smart way to capture group bookings could be offering packages for loyal fans traveling to follow their team across different cities. This doesn’t just simplify their trip and drive bookings, it also provides multiple touchpoints to build long-term loyalty. 

Don’t wait for kick-off — the winning strategy starts now

Events of this scale present a prime opportunity to fill rooms, sell ancillary packages, and reach new markets. With resources tight in 2026, every promotion, media campaign, and local event must be optimized for maximum impact. Leveraging data to pinpoint precise pockets of demand and revenue opportunities is essential. 

This year, occupancy data highlights that shoulder nights remain under booked, while flight data shows that European travelers are driving international bookings. In this environment, data is like a map in a maze guiding hoteliers to the most effective path to success.

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The FIFA World Cup 2026 is already leaving its mark on global travel, with international interest climbing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—but not at the same pace.

New analysis from Data Appeal and Mabrian (Almawave-Almaviva Group), in collaboration with PredictHQ— the leader in real-world context for AI and forecasting—shows that while demand is clearly building, converting that interest into arrivals will depend on air connectivity, domestic travel momentum, and how effectively destinations prepare for peak periods.

The analysis is based on the report “FIFA World Cup 2026: Mapping Demand, Spend and Experience,” which combines global flight search behaviour, air connectivity and capacity, OTA-based hotel pricing, and predicted event-related spending.  The analysis focuses on the three host countries and their 16 official host cities, with specific deep dives into selected matches and destinations for pricing dynamics.

#1 Demand is up—but the picture is mixed. International travel intent—an indicator of future demand—is rising across all three host countries, but patterns differ. Mexico is showing the most consistent growth, averaging approximately +0.11 percentage points year-on-year since January 2026, while the United States is experiencing a sharper late-stage acceleration by the end of 2026 first quarter, reaching +0.31 p.p. in March. Canada’s growth, meanwhile, has been steadier and more gradual. At the city level, demand is concentrated around key destinations. Boston, Mexico City, and Vancouver seeing some of the strongest gains, while New York continues to build on its role as a global anchor.

#2 Domestic travel and connectivity as key drivers. Domestic travel is emerging as a significant driver of overall demand for the FIFA World Cup, particularly in the United States, where travel intent to host cities increased by an average of +3.82 percentage points year-on-year during the tournament period. Connectivity will also play a decisive role. The United States maintains direct air links to 40 of the 48 competing nations, compared to 32 for Canada and 18 for Mexico, positioning it as the primary gateway for international visitors. European markets—particularly the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands—are among the main long-haul sources of demand, alongside growing interest from emerging markets.

“The 2026 FIFA World Cup format is expected to distribute both demand and event impact across multiple venues, cities, and countries, creating simultaneous peaks across different locations and generating opportunities for each host nation,” says Maria Pradissitto, North America Market Manager at Data Appeal. “Early signals from air capacity, search behaviour, and booking patterns suggest that demand will be highly fluid. In this context, success will not be defined by visibility alone, but by a destination’s ability to interpret and act on real-time demand signals, optimising connectivity, pricing strategies, and capacity management to capture value as it shifts.”

#3 Spending patterns and pricing. Overall, the tournament is expected to generate approximately $4.3 billion in tourist event-related spending, with more than 80% concentrated in hospitality, followed by food and beverage. Hotel pricing is already reflecting anticipated demand, with moderate increases in all host cities while the sharpest increases are tied to high-profile fixtures such as the opening match and the final, such as the final in New York/New Jersey: $414–$1,024 (+10.8% YoY), the third place match in Miami: $261–$744 (+25.5% YoY), and the opening match in Mexico City: $145–$742 (+48.9% YoY)

“Demand alone will not determine outcomes. What will ultimately differentiate destinations during the 2026 FIFA World Cup is their ability to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences under pressure,” explains Data Appeal spokesperson. “What we’re seeing in the data is that travellers already have very high expectations—particularly around attractions and food—but operational aspects like transport and service consistency will be under real pressure at peak moments. This is where reputation will be won or lost in real time. Destinations that succeed will be those that can maintain service quality at scale, using real-time feedback and sentiment signals to quickly identify friction points and adapt —ensuring that the visitor journey remains seamless, and that short-term demand translates into long-term perception and repeat visits.”

Download the full report: https://datappeal.io/full-report-fifa-world-cup-2026/

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Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has announced that exhibit floor space for the 2026 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) is officially sold out, with more than 360 companies exhibiting across 83,000 net sq. ft. of exhibit space. With expanded exhibit floor space this year, attendees can explore a broad mix of companies and dive into dozens of technology categories and solution options.
The HITEC 2026 exhibit hall will be open June 16–18, 2026, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio with more than 5,800 attendees expected. The event remains the world’s largest and longest-running hospitality technology conference and exhibition.

“We’re proud to see HITEC 2026 sell out and are thankful for the enduring support of returning exhibiting companies; as well as the new companies who are coming on board,” said Debra Cukjati-Lineberry, HFTP Chief Sales Officer. “What makes the show valuable to every stakeholder is that it’s a concentrated showcase of technology from new and legacy companies who are challenged to address a forever changing landscape. This is where operators get to compare and contrast solutions critical to their operations.”

Innovation Across the Show Floor
The HITEC exhibit hall will spotlight cutting-edge hospitality solutions across a wide spectrum, including:
Artificial Intelligence and Chatbots
Property Management Systems
Cybersecurity and Data Protection
Cloud Infrastructure
Payment Processing
Robotics and In-room Technology
Guest Engagement Platforms
Energy and Sustainability Solutions
Mobile Apps and More

In light of the sold-out status of the exhibit hall, HFTP reminds the industry that HITEC has a policy against pirate exhibitors (often known as outboarders or suitcasers). It is common for unaffiliated or non-exhibiting vendors to take advantage of the show’s popularity by promoting their wares leading up to and near the show, on the exhibit hall floor, a nearby meeting or party in an unofficial capacity. For those who missed the chance to exhibit, HITEC has started a waiting list for opportunities in case of cancellations. To learn more, contact [email protected].
HITEC North America is the world’s largest and longest-running hospitality technology exposition and conference. It offers a unique combination of top-notch hospitality technology education, led by industry peers and experts, and an unparalleled trade show showcasing the latest hospitality technology products and services. Attendee registration is available, with the Early Registration rate running through May 4