NH Hotels

Apple Hospitality REIT declared a regular monthly cash dividend and a special distribution. Bluegreen Vacation Holdings' acquisition by Hilton Grand Vacations moved forward with the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Several new hotel openings and acquisitions were announced, including AC Hotels by Marriott in Naples, Moxy by Marriott in Houston, IHG's first Garner hotel, and Choice Hotels International's 100th Suburban Studios hotel.

China launches a pilot project allowing visa-free travel for visitors from several countries, with Malaysia reciprocating for Chinese and Indian visitors. IHG, Accor, SM Hotels, Hilton, and Artyzen Hospitality Group announce new properties and partnerships across Asia. The former Palazzo Versace in Australia is up for sale with a $100 million price tag.

DJIA rose 391 points, Nasdaq up 277, and S&P 500 rose 68, with notable movements in lodging stocks, Hilton, and Marriott. PwC predicts economic challenges for hotels through 2024. CBRE reports mixed trends in the U.S. hotel industry, with RevPAR contraction, short-term rentals gaining market share, and outbound U.S. travelers surpassing inbound. Several hotel developments and expansions are underway, including in Banff, Nashville, and Park City. Hilton expands to Monaco, Marriott brings The Luxury Collection to Greece, and Minor Hotels debuts in Paris. Various hotel acquisitions, developments, and renovations are announced across the United States, reflecting a dynamic and evolving hospitality landscape.

Stock market performance: DJIA, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 rose while the 10-year treasury yield was down. Lodging industry updates: Sonder Holdings downgraded, EF Hutton assumes coverage of Selina Hospitality, Ryman Hospitality Properties acquires JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. New hotel developments: Chartwell Hospitality and Rockbridge developing three new hotels, Innisfree Hotels and RREAF Holdings open Fairfield Inn & Suites Pensacola Beach, Great Wolf Resorts opens Great Wolf Lodge Maryland.

American visitor arrivals to Japan increased by 3.6% in the first four months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, making the U.S. the only Western nation, apart from Mexico, to experience a rise in tourism to Japan. Hongkong Land unveiled its $8 billion Shanghai West Bund Financial Hub project, which will include office buildings, luxury residential apartments, hotels, a public art center, and retail spaces. The development will be completed in three phases by 2027, and Hongkong Land plans to roll out 10 new developments in China in the next five years. Macau Legend Development announced its intention to sell its Laos gaming operation for $45 million to a Japanese citizen, as the company has faced financial difficulties and its owner has been arrested. After the sale, Macau Legend will have remaining plans to build a hotel and casino in Cape Verde.

The big news was a rumor with the Wall Street Journal reporting Choice Hotels is making a move to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts . Truist upped their price target on Hyatt Hotels to $149 from $145. This follows H’s Investor Day and the tours of Apple Leisure Group resorts. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust gave their monthly update saying for 2Q23, overall demand and profitability trends continue to remain within expectations .

Mandarin Oriental announced that Laurent Kleitman will be taking over for James Riley as group chief executive from September 1, 2023. Radisson Hotel Group and La Vie Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of a Master Collaboration Agreement to add over 30 hotels to the Group’s portfolio over the next 10 years. ONYX Hospitality Group has signed a business alliance agreement with Walton Asset Management Co., Ltd. to manage Shama Luxe Sukhumvit Bangkok .

Lodging stocks were modestly higher. The biggest movers included ABNB and SOHO both rising 5% while SONDwas down -6% on the day. Hotel Asset Value Enhancement gave their findings of the ALIS conference.Attendees believe the frustrating transaction market will change in the second half of this year and that there will be more transactions than foreclosures this year. A class-action lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges that four of the main Las Vegas Strip resort operators colluded, via data-sharing software, to artificially inflate the prices of their hotel rooms.

Macau has received 245,000 visitors in the first four days of the Chinese New Year/Spring Festival holiday week. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of The Earth Amritsar, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, its first hotel for the brand in India . Sarovar Hotels and Resorts announced the opening of Shyama Sarovar Portico in the city of Orai, Uttar Pradesh in India.

Truist said they are finding the sentiment at the ALIS Lodging Conference as mostly positive , with lots of “hope” that the most well-anticipated recession in the history of recessions will be a mild one. STR and Tourism Economics made a modest upgrade to the 2023 U.S. hotel forecast released at ALIS. Four Seasons said they started 2023 with new leadership, brand extensions and strategic portfolio growth.