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1. Strikes expected to disrupt travel in Europe
Travelers to Europe must brace for significant disruptions to flights and train travel due to expected strikes — particularly in Italy and France — this holiday season, Euronews Travel reports.
A 24-hour general strike will hit Italy on Dec. 13, and airports in the country will be affected by an air traffic control strike on Dec. 15. French trains and ports are going to be subject to strikes through Christmas, the news outlet notes.
2. A look at Delano's planned expansion, revamp in Miami
With officials at the original Delano hotel — the Delano Miami Beach — announcing the results of an extensive renovation and plans to reopen in 2025, Bloomberg took a look at Cain International and Accor's Ennismore division's plans to expand the Delano brand globally.
"Now the pipeline includes properties in Mexico, Costa Rica and London — no details yet on what these projects will entail, or when they will come to fruition — with longer-term goals in destinations from New York City and Los Angeles to Mallorca and Rome," the news outlet reports. "Indeed, the list of construction sites seems to be snowballing."
Cain officials are promising further deals in Europe, the Middle East, U.S., Caribbean and Latin America.
3. How hoteliers are reacting to the UK budget
HNN's Terence Baker reports that room rate increases and operational cuts are in the cards for hoteliers adjusting to the latest U.K. government budget.
Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, said challenges for hoteliers in the latest budget include increased taxes, higher National Insurance contributions and a rising National Living Wage.
During a webinar outlining the budget, Nicholls said there are some silver linings to the new Labour government's approach.
There is “certainty and stability on macroeconomics, long-term planning … It is a government by technocrats. [Prime Minister Keir] Starmer started as a civil servant. We are back to having an annual budget,” not fiscal shocks every few months, Nicholls said.
4. Consumer prices jumped up in November
The Consumer Price Index saw its biggest increase in seven months in November, climbing 0.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Reuters reports that falls in line with economists' expectations for the month.
"The annual increase in inflation has slowed considerably from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022," the news outlet reports. Nonetheless, progress in lowering inflation down to the U.S. central bank's 2% target has virtually stalled in recent months."
It might not be dire news for those hoping for interest rate cuts, though, as Reuters notes Fed officials have pivoted to focusing more on employment numbers than consumer prices.
5. JetBlue's plan to soar back
After hopes for a merger with Spirit Airlines to achieve dominance among discount airlines have fallen apart, executives with JetBlue are pivoting to a plan focused on premium flyers in hopes of climbing back to profitability, the Wall Street Journal reports.
"JetBlue is installing first-class seats and opening its first airport lounges in New York and Boston, a strategy that envisions some passengers are willing to pay a premium for a nicer flying experience," the newspaper reports. "The New York-based airline also is jettisoning dozens of money-losing routes across the country in an overhaul that leaves it focused on serving leisure-trip seeking passengers in the Eastern U.S."