Whilst former Kempinski employees and consultants are discussing the luxury hotel group’s current predicament on LinkedIn, the Board of Directors has now appointed a new CFO, following the appointment of a new developer. It is unclear whether CEO Barbara Muckermann is still in post.

Artificial intelligence has firmly established itself within hotel chains, but the sector still lacks a comprehensive, company-wide strategy, according to a robust new study involving 113 hotel chains across the EMEA region. The hospitality industry remains a long way from fully integrated, scalable solutions.

PRISM continues its German acquisition spree as all eight Seminaris hotels move under the Belvilla umbrella. Meanwhile, reports of mounting layoffs coupled with mass recruitment drives at newly acquired Prism properties are turning traditional German labour practices upside down.

Anke Bogansky, Björn Wilkens, Martin Gotschewski, Ronald Giese / Salim Ahkouch, Sabrina Cendral, Sarah Jackson, Ben Chatzkelson, Ben Russell, Xavier Mufraggi / Amar Lalvani / Ole von Beust, Prof. Dr. h.c. Stephan Gerhard, Andreas Grandt, Dirk Jessen, Reiner Nittka, Marcus Vitt, Thomas Willms / Marco Ercolano / Tako Kim Plate, Roland Hoogerbrugge / Jens Stallkamp

Arabella Hospitality/Munich, Art-Invest/Taufkirchen, Barceló/Phuket, Berwanger Hof/Berwang, Brera/Munich, CA Immo/Frankfurt, COOEE alpin Hotels/Kaprun, Dorint/Zurzach, Ennismore/Hamburg, EPH Group AG/Burgenland, Falkensteiner/Salò, Frasers/Bangkok, Gorfion/Malbun, IHG/Madrid, Liguria/Pigna Thermal Baths, Marriott/London, Minor/San Gimignano, Oman/decline in turnover, Palazzo Sogni/Florence, Patrizia/Berlin, Rome/Giacomo Acqua, Roomers/Frankfurt, Sophos/Bulle, Tuscany/L’Andana, TUI/Varna

The Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV) has taken drastic action and officially filed a complaint against Booking.com with the European Commission. The goal is to secure a non-compliance ruling that will force the platform giant to play by fair rules.

Unusual: Accor has linked its existing partnership with the Paris Saint-Germain football team to the Novotel Longevity programme. The global campaign "The Long Game" was launched in Paris this week.

For months now, the topic of AI has been dominating the headlines – and this following a record-breaking hot summer and historically low water levels in many lakes and rivers. A new report aims to provide the industry with important insights into the circular economy and demonstrate that circularity in hotels is not only possible but also makes good business sense.

Johan Lundgren, Dieter Zetsche / Harald Ultsch, Andrea Bastel, Valentina Ultsch / Tristan Delmas / Tristan Delaittre

Accor/Berlin, Bypillow/Naples, Center Parcs/Lusatian Lake District, Citygrove/Hanover, Dot Life/Lugano, DSR/Tegernsee, Emilia-Romagna/Matilde di Canossa Resort, Essence/bond issue, Five E/Boltenhagen, Hilton/Frankfurt, H World/Aswan, IHG/Amman, Leonardo/Dortmund, Limehome/Lugano, Meliá/Lerici, Novum/Frankfurt, Sandals/Royal Caribbean, Stayery/Vienna, Trofana Suites/Ischgl

In hotel interiors, design that stands the test of time is essential. It is particularly evident with elements that remain visible at all times – such as switches, sockets and control panels – just how important a clear, consistent system is. The history of JUNG’s LS range began in 1966 with a design that remains as relevant today as ever.

Geopolitical shifts, climate change, evolving guest expectations: international tourism is changing rapidly. For the hotel industry, the priority now is to identify developments early and act strategically. Put simply, there is a clear need to talk.

Sometimes, the best answers to the challenges facing the hospitality industry lie outside the sector itself. This is exactly where Markus Milz comes in. The highly sought-after coach will open the QR "Redebedarf" event on 22 October 2026 with a keynote speech. He brings a dual perspective to the stage.

For many hotel guests, smartphones, tablets and laptops are an essential part of their travel kit. It is therefore important to have easily accessible sockets that cater for different power requirements whilst being intuitive to use. With the PD 60 USB charger and SCHUKO® sockets featuring an integrated USB-C port, JUNG combines convenient charging with a consistent design for the electrical installation.

The German hotel market is undergoing profound change. Whilst traditional business travel segments are suffering because of economic developments, new opportunities are simultaneously emerging in international source markets.

In the first half of 2026, the German online distribution specialist QR Quality Reservations secured 19 new partner hotels and increased its business travel turnover by 26.6 percent. The first hotels are already implementing the new AI agent in their day-to-day operations. 

The topic of AI dominates today's media. How is AI changing our society, the economy, education, healthcare, and our jobs? Where does its use make sense? Will AI solve everything? Is it taking away jobs or creating new ones? The race is on …

Stylish and long-lasting hotel interiors are created through design concepts that stand the test of time. Timeless design is particularly valuable for permanently visible elements such as switches and sockets.