Dear Insider,
Latest from the court: In proceedings in Amsterdam, the Pension Fund of the Berlin Dental Association (VZB) had applied for an investigation into the business practices and management of Grand Metropolitan Hotels Holding B.V. (GMH), for the suspension of the chairman and for the appointment of an independent person (a lawyer) to the board. The court granted this request yesterday. Both companies are linked through a joint venture.
GMH Holding B.V. announced the "split" yesterday in a press release of its own. The general consensus was that an agreement with the VZB was clearly no longer possible. Smura points out that B.V. is an investment holding company within the existing structure and should not be equated with the GMH Group.
And we're staying in Amsterdam for a while longer. This time, Dutch hoteliers have taken the city to court – because it is set to raise taxes relentlessly and consistently until 2031. The first step was to increase VAT from 9% to 21% on 1 January this year. Then there's the tourist tax on top of that. Already, instead of paying €100 for the room, they're paying €133.50, and by 2031 it will be €141. Crazy. The first impact is already apparent. ... More
Italy sees greater alignment of interests between capital and operators, increased investment in infrastructure, and the achievement of a critical mass capable of ensuring adequate profit margins.
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.
Europeans' travel behaviour this summer is characterised by a subdued sense of optimism. Eleven percent of those surveyed are even staying at home altogether. That said, short breaks are booming and many a travel dream is still coming true.
From September, Accor and H World will gradually open their loyalty programs to offer members of both groups even more choice in terms of hotels and destinations. ALL Accor and H Rewards together count 430 million members.
New flight routes far from major cities, a demand for more than 42,000 jets and a boom in medium-haul flights: this is how the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus envisages the future of air travel.
Saudi has announced the launch of Package Visa, a new digital initiative that integrates tourist visa application directly into curated travel bookings. The launch is currently underway.
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Photos from the HITT Think Tank in Brussels
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.
There are certain phrases that people in Germany now merely smile wearily at. One of them is: "The coalition has reached an agreement.” This time on 34 points. Imagine if a chef were to prepare a dish using 34 ingredients, only for the end result to be: lukewarm water with parsley. More on the reform from a hospitality perspective.
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