Something about Hakone always feels like a slow exhale, and the announcement of The Okura Resort Hakone Gora adds another layer to that feeling — a quiet promise of refinement tucked deep into one of Japan’s most cherished hot spring regions. Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., together with Nishimatsu Construction, is shaping this new retreat into the first Okura Resort property in Japan, … [Read more...] about The Okura Resort Hakone Gora, Opening 2029 — A Forest Hideaway Above the Steam and Silence of Gora
Travel Market
Marriott’s Luxury Reset: When High-End Travel Stops Being About “Having” and Starts Being About “Becoming”
Marriott’s latest declaration from ILTM Cannes reads almost like a manifesto, a quiet but confident admission that the rules of luxury have changed and there’s no going back. You sense it most clearly in the way their Luxury Group talks about emotional return on investment — a phrase that, a decade ago, would have sounded like a tagline, but today lands like a truth affluent … [Read more...] about Marriott’s Luxury Reset: When High-End Travel Stops Being About “Having” and Starts Being About “Becoming”
Hyatt’s Luxury Momentum Picks Up Speed at ILTM Cannes
Hyatt used the spotlight of ILTM Cannes to sketch out a vision that feels both ambitious and strangely intimate for a global heavyweight: a tighter, more personality-driven luxury universe guided—at least for now—by Tamara Lohan, stepping in as interim Global Brand Leader for Luxury. Lohan’s appointment lands with a kind of quiet inevitability; after all, she spent two decades … [Read more...] about Hyatt’s Luxury Momentum Picks Up Speed at ILTM Cannes
Ubigi Tops the World for eSIM Connection Quality — And It’s Not Just Marketing
It’s almost funny how many tech brands promise “lightning-fast global connectivity,” and yet the real story begins the moment you step off a plane and your video call freezes mid-sentence. So when an independent benchmark steps in and says, actually, here’s who’s doing it best, that tends to cut through the noise. The latest Latency Report 2025 just did exactly that, and Ubigi … [Read more...] about Ubigi Tops the World for eSIM Connection Quality — And It’s Not Just Marketing
KFC Rome Flagship Opening, December 2025, Italy
Something about walking near the Trevi Fountain and suddenly seeing a bright, bold KFC sign feels almost surreal — like two completely different layers of history overlapping for a second. Rome, with all its marbled fountains, baroque drama, and tourists flipping coins into the water for luck, isn’t usually where you expect a global fast-food icon to make a statement. And yet, … [Read more...] about KFC Rome Flagship Opening, December 2025, Italy
Midosuji Runway 2025, November 3, Osaka
Osaka isn’t shy about putting on a show, and this year’s Midosuji Runway felt like the city standing straight-backed with a grin, saying: “Yes, this is who we are.” The whole thing unfolded along Midosuji — that wide, iconic artery of Osaka — with an estimated 200,000 people crowding sidewalks, waving flags, snapping photos, and occasionally stretching on tiptoes just to catch … [Read more...] about Midosuji Runway 2025, November 3, Osaka
A Quiet Ending to a Long Chapter: The Hilton San Francisco Sale and Park Hotels’ Reset
Sometimes a corporate announcement reads less like fresh news and more like the final punctuation to a drawn-out story — and this one has that tone. Park Hotels & Resorts has confirmed the completed sale of the two once-flagship San Francisco properties: the 1,921-room Hilton San Francisco Union Square and the 1,024-room Parc 55. Together, these hotels represented over 2,900 … [Read more...] about A Quiet Ending to a Long Chapter: The Hilton San Francisco Sale and Park Hotels’ Reset
Aimbridge Expands in Mexico: Six Hotels, One Strategic Vision
There’s a quiet but undeniable momentum happening across Mexico’s hotel landscape, and this latest development feels like another chapter in that story. Aimbridge Hospitality just unveiled a six-property expansion across key urban and tourism markets throughout the country — a move that strengthens not only its footprint but also its influence as the largest third-party … [Read more...] about Aimbridge Expands in Mexico: Six Hotels, One Strategic Vision
AEG and Marriott Bonvoy: A Renewed Global Partnership Redefining Live Experiences
AEG and Marriott Bonvoy have extended one of the most influential partnerships in sports, music, and live entertainment — a collaboration that first took shape back in 2013 and has since evolved far beyond a conventional sponsorship model. What began as a single-market activation is now a global ecosystem stretching across three continents, embedded into legendary arenas, … [Read more...] about AEG and Marriott Bonvoy: A Renewed Global Partnership Redefining Live Experiences
Holiday Travel Forecast: Interest Up, Prices Down — and a Bit More Hope in the Air
It's quietly reassuring to see travel interest rise again. According to fresh data from KAYAK, search activity for holiday travel is up about 10% year-over-year, signaling that people aren’t just browsing—they’re emotionally ready to go somewhere. What makes this rise even more interesting is that prices aren’t marching upward with it. Instead, they’re leveling out or dipping, … [Read more...] about Holiday Travel Forecast: Interest Up, Prices Down — and a Bit More Hope in the Air