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1. Madrid’s New Hotels Aim for Luxury Tourists
Madrid city officials' plan to attract the development of high-end hotels to appeal to wealthy tourists is paying off, Reuters reports. By the end of 2023, Madrid will have more than 2,700 luxury rooms, a 50% increase compared to 10 years ago. It has 33 new hotels in the pipeline, half of which are in the upscale segment.
Among other high-end hotel projects, the Four Seasons Madrid opened near the central Puerta del Sol, according to the article. Marriott International reopened the Santo Mauro Palace, and it’s now working on adding 400 rooms to the Westin Palace.
“Madrid hopes to avoid the saturation seen in Barcelona or the Balearic islands, while betting that the luxury sector helps it generate the same income,” Reuters reports. “Barcelona, by contrast, is restricting the building or expansion of hotels in its center to address unmanageable volumes of visitors.”
2. Strong Storms Disrupt US Flights
Lingering thunderstorms delayed 3,000 U.S. flights and canceled another 1,100 as of Tuesday, CNBC reports. That’s in addition to the 8,800 delayed flights and 2,246 cancellations on Monday.
Airlines have faced government pressure to improve systems and operations following significant disruptions last spring and summer, according to the article. The airlines struggled this weekend, however, as the storms continued for days.
These issues arise as millions are expected to fly over the July Fourth holiday, The Transportation Security Administration has projected more passengers will be screened than in 2019.
3. Hotel Tech, Marketing Experts Push for Innovation
In their first day of coverage of the 2023 HITEC conference and HSMAI's Marketing Strategy Conference in Toronto, HNN's Sean McCracken and Trevor Simpson report that industry experts said the status quo isn't good enough.
“What we need to do is become chess players instead [of checkers players]. ... Every player is a piece that has a different role, not everyone all jumbled together trying to do their own little thing and trying to get to the end to become king," said Monika Morrobel, senior corporate director of commercial strategy for Kessler Collection, about collaboration among sales, marketing and revenue management. "Everyone has a unique part to play, and the only way that we win is if they are aligned in their strategy and working together towards one [goal].”
4. Wealthy Travelers Hit Obstacle in Spontaneous Trips
The demand for high-end travel and the resulting price points means that wealthy travelers aren’t able to take off on a whim as they previously could, Barrons reports. Instead, they’re having to book ahead.
“Our clients are incredibly wealthy and used to getting what they want, but that’s not the situation this year,” said Stacy Fischer Rosenthal, president of the membership-based Fischer Travel.
Travelers looking for luxury trips over the summer and autumn are running into high occupancies, making it difficult to stay at their preferred properties, according to the article. When they are able to find accommodations, they have to pay “staggeringly high prices.”
5. Haze from Canadian Wildfires Settles Over Great Lakes Region
The haze from the ongoing Canadian wildfires has settled over the Great Lakes region, worsening air quality until winds shift the smoke to another location, the Associated Press reports.
“Until the fires are out, there’s a risk,” said Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “If there’s any north component to the wind, there’s a chance it’ll be smoky.”
When the wildfire smoke settled over New York in early June, the haze caused multiple flight disruptions in the area.