Orlando

InterContinental Hotels Group announced Keith Barr has informed the Board of his decision to step down from his role as Group Chief Executive Officer and from the IHG Board. Playa Hotels & Resorts reported a 1Q beat and repurchased 5 million shares for $42.6 million in 1Q as well as another 2.1 million shares for $20 million in April. During Q1 2023, RevPAR grew 13% compared to 2019 , fueled by higher ADR and growth in business and group demand as well as strong leisure travel, according to JLL’s latest U.S. Hotel Investment Trends report.

According to the latest STR U.S. bubble chart update , for the four weeks ending April 15, recovery growth across a range of industry indicators took a small backstep, with occupancy falling from the prior month. Each of the four world regions showed a year-over-year decline in hotel construction activity , with Asia Pacific coming closest to its 2022 comparable, according to March 2023 pipeline data from STR. The Hospitality Asset Manager Association released the results of its Spring 2023 Industry Outlook Survey .

Craig-Hallum initiated coverage of LuxUrban Hotels with a Buy rating and a $10 price target. A New York hotel union reached a deal with hotel owners and operators, boosting the wages of hospitality workers by $7.50 an hour, the largest increase in the union’s 100-year history . Beginning this month, Waldorf Astoria Orlando in Florida will undergo a comprehensive, multi-phase re-imagination expected to debut in December 2023.

DJIA, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all rose on Friday, and lodging stocks saw gains as well. New properties were acquired or announced in Montana, Atlanta, Ohio, Texas, Colorado, and Madrid. Multiple hotels were sold, and Blackstone secured a €680 million loan for Hotel Investment Partners.

Wells Fargo has cut price targets on lodging stocks under coverage due to concerns over regional banks and their impact on the hotel industry. The bank only downgraded two names - Park Hotels and Xenia Hotels - but reduced price targets on many others, including Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. STR's global "bubble chart" update shows growing momentum in the Asia Pacific region and more than half of markets globally with better than 20% growth in RevPAR versus 2019. Israel, Switzerland, Singapore, the Dominican Republic, and New Zealand led in RevPAR on an actual basis. HEI Hotels & Resorts has taken over management of the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida, which will undergo a comprehensive renovation in the planning stages with completion anticipated in the first quarter of 2024.

Red Roof will open 50 properties, new builds and conversions , in 2023, representing 60% year-on-year growth. The Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association wants the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of short-term rental regulations in Clark County, Nevada. The newly minted penny stocks, VCSA and SOND, both traded down to new lows, dropping another -4% and -7% respectively. SLNA hit a new low, down another -7%.

If you are wondering about who in the sector has exposure to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank , Sonder Holdings confessed to having $2 million in an operating cash account and approximately $20 million in deposit accounts with SIVB. Marriott International, Inc. received approval from Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission for the acquisition of the City Express brand portfolio from Hoteles City Express, S.A.B. de C.V. According to a new report from HVS , hotel operators need to learn to manage the entire building they operate and start thinking of performance in terms of the total revenue or profit per available square meter.

Walt Disney World’s Star Wars hotel has seen demand cool so dramatically that the Florida theme park giant has been forced to reduce dates during the busy Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Membership Collective Group reported strong 4Q results, a profitable quarter, today STR reported U.S. lodging data for the week ended March 4. Hotel RevPAR was up 12.1% year over year for the week.

Choice Hotels International announced the board of directors approved a 21% increase in the quarterly cash dividend on their common stock. Concord Hospitality is preparing for a year of expansion in 2023 as the company recounts 2022 milestones and projects significant growth for the year ahead. AC Hotels by Marriott has opened its newest property in St. Petersburg, Florida, AC Hotel by Marriott St. Petersburg Downtown .