Airbnb taps Holder: Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was hired by Airbnb as an adviser to develop a strategy to address potential racism and other discrimination against customers. This follows a recent Harvard Business School study finding that hosts were less likely to rent to people with “black-sounding names.”
Expansion for Oakwood: Oakwood Worldwide announced plans for expansion with new branded properties in key regions, including the Asia Pacific, Australia, Singapore Malaysia and Vietnam. In November, Oakwood Pacific will launch Oakwood Studios, the fourth product category to launch under the Oakwood brand name in Asia.
Safety and security concerns: According to a recent study from GfK Research, 37% of U.S. consumers say they are “always concerned” about their safety and security, five percentage points above the global 32% average. Respondents in Brazil, Mexico, Turkey also reported high levels of worry, while respondents in Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands have the highest levels of perceived safety and security.
Holiday Inn LAX sold: Esong Group subsidiary US OCG purchased the Holiday Inn at Los Angeles International Airport for US$52 million. The 405-key hotel is the China-based company’s first U.S. hotel acquisition.
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