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1. UK to outline third runway at Heathrow once again
The United Kingdom’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is expected to outline the government’s support for a third runway at the country’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, the BBC reports. The same proposal was tabled and then abandoned twice in the past 15 years or so.
The project is intended to help spark the economy but faces — as has its past two proposals — numerous hurdles, notably environmental issues for an area of West London that has a huge population beneath the airport’s flight paths, according to the BBC.
Reeves also outlined her plans for an “Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor” that would reduce journey time between the two university cities and encourage innovation in IT and startups, with the intention of creating a “Silicon Valley of Europe."
2. Global hoteliers remain positive at ALIS conference
On the first day of the 2025 Americas Lodging Investment Summit, hoteliers spoke about the generally positive environment for the overall industry while acknowledging there are still several headwinds, notably in regard to labor, Hotel News Now’s Bryan Wroten, Sean McCracken and Stephanie Ricca report.
It was unveiled at the conference that for full-year 2024, United States revenue per available room saw 1.8% growth over full-year 2023. CoStar and Tourism Economics are forecasting the same growth in 2025.
The firms’ latest forecast revision, released at ALIS, predicts that average daily rate will increase 1.6% in 2025, similar to the 1.7% growth achieved in 2024.
3. Zleep sets date for Four Points Flex flag rebranding
Taastrup, Denmark-based hotel brand Zleep Hotels will officially rebrand its Danish portfolio of Zleep hotels as Four Points Flex by Sheraton on Jan. 31, according to a news release. Core Hospitality, Zleep's founding company, struck a deal with Marriott International in October 2024 to convert its Danish Zleep properties to Four Points Flex by Sheraton flags.
Core operates 14 Zleep hotels in Denmark, as well as three other hotels in Denmark and two in Norway. All are under the Marriott International umbrella, save for one independent hotel. Core’s pipeline has three hotels, again all with Marriott.
Peter Haaber, Core’s CEO, said “this shift is about more than just a name change. It’s about elevating Danish hotel operations to an international level, where we can combine our local expertise with Marriott’s strong brand and distribution channels.”
4. IHG partner with lender Avana to tune of $250 million
IHG Hotels & Resorts and commercial loans lender Avana have agreed to partner on a co-lending construction program to spur IHG’s growth in the U.S., HNN's Natalie Harms reports. The companies will put $250 million into the plan, predominantly to aid expansion across four IHG flags — Atwell Suites, Avid Hotels, Even Hotels and Holiday Inn.
A release from the two partners said the program “aims to reduce development timelines and supports IHG’s US pipeline, which accounts for nearly 950 hotels and represents nearly half of its overall global pipeline.” In the third quarter of 2024, IHG signed 54 hotels in the U.S.
"The recent easing of inflation and long-term interest rates are driving owner and developer confidence, and our new co-lending construction program will help further unlock opportunities to accelerate hotel projects," Lori Tirado Celniker, director of capital investments and transactions, Americas at IHG, said.
5. Mike Deitemeyer joins Rockbridge
Former Aimbridge Hospitality CEO Mike Deitemeyer has been named executive vice president for Columbus, Ohio-based Rockbridge Holdings, as well as president of its development company, HNN's Bryan Wroten reports. Deitemeyer will lead the company's luxury lifestyle development efforts along with its strategic affiliates, including ZaZa Hotels and Resorts.
"When I think about people in the space that are innovative and like-minded, Rockbridge was a natural fit,” Deitemeyer said in a news release.
Deitemeyer departed from Aimbridge at the end of 2023 after serving as CEO for about two years. He previously held executive roles with Interstate Hotels & Resorts and Omni Hotels & Resorts.