Dear Insider,
The holiday month of August brought little respite, neither on the motorways nor in our inboxes, and certainly not in the hotel sector. Hardly a week goes by without a bankruptcy, a scandal or some bizarre story. We immediately channelled our holiday energy into two major stories. Our (hotel) finance and investment fund specialist, Beatrix Boutonnet, takes an in-depth look at what would happen if the Adlon Kempinski were to be sold, either with or without the brand.
The bidding war over the naked real estate and the sexy brand has begun; neither the Jagdfeld family, as brand owners, nor the Fundus Fund, nor Kempinski are currently managing to sell the two together. I've also added a few provocative thoughts of my own to Beatrix’s in-depth analysis. Yesterday, over 4,000 investors in the Fundus Fund voted for or against the sale of the property; the result will not be known for a few days. Whatever happens, we're sticking with it. This announcement that the property is up for sale set things in motion – and brings the matter to the public's attention.
Story 2 is really just a short story; the names 12.18., Lindner and the Berlin Dental Association’s Pension Fund (VZB) make it exciting once again. Investment Company 12.18 has filed for insolvency under self-administration on behalf of its parent company: Behind this are the associated companies. Susanne Stauss has raised the first important questions though. And her sense is that there's tension between 12.18 and the VZB. ... More
Transaction activity in the European hotel sector slowed in the first six months of 2026, falling 10% below the figure for the first half of 2025.
A new practical paper offers guidance on the transparency obligations for AI-generated and AI-edited content—applicable to tour operators, hotels, intermediaries, and other tourism businesses since 2 August 2026—with specific guidance on images, video, text, and chatbots.
The e-money license gives Mews the regulated standing to process payments on its own infrastructure, giving hotels more control over how their money flows within the system they already run on.
New figures show that the world’s top 50 hotel brands grew by 21% to USD69.8 billion. For the 11th year in a row, Hilton tops the list of the most valuable hotel brands. Taj Hotels stands out as a "Brand to Watch", whilst Booking.com is also featured in the ranking.
How do you build customer loyalty to your brand in an age of non-commitment and AI? FTMG is now rolling out a new loyalty programme designed to replace the Spirit Club and the Direct Booking Club. The new concept: bespoke benefits rather than simply collecting points.
Editor's note: The article "Resilient business models wanted" of 31 July 2026 has been updated and clarified with regard to certain details and background information. Click here for the article.
Photos from the HITT Think Tank in Brussels
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.
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