Mövenpick in Thailand: Swiss management company Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts and developer Nusasiri Plc are launching three projects in Thailand: the Mövenpick Residences Ekkamai, Bangkok, a serviced apartment brand of 160 residences, and the 114-room Mövenpick Resort Khao Yai, both scheduled to open in Q4 2016, and the 220-room Mövenpick Resort Mai Khao Phuket which will open in Q4 2017. That will increase the number of Mövenpick hotels to seven in the country.
The end of distribution as we know it? Meta OTAs, artificial intelligence and other factors may fundamentally disrupt the future of travel distribution, according to a study by the London School of Economics that was commissioned by Amadeus, a provider of tech solutions to the travel industry. Consumer expectations will change, along with the role of gatekeepers whose interfaces direct travel distribution.
YTL in the UK: YTL Hotels acquired three properties – the Glasshouse Hotel, part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, in Edinburgh; Monkey Island in Berkshire, which will be redesigned by Champalimaud Design; and the Academy Hotel, comprising five restored Georgian townhouses in London.
Central Square management: Hay Creek Hotels will manage the new Central Square Hotel, a 70-room hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Opening is slated for autumn 2018; the developer prefers to remain anonymous.
TripAdvisor shifts animal stance: TripAdvisor and its booking service, Viator, will stop selling tickets to hundreds of attractions featuring endangered or captive animals, although information and reviews on the sites will remain on the website. The company says its decision was made after research and consultation with animal rights groups. The travel website is creating a wildlife tourism education portal in partnership with animal protection groups.
Zoku expansion: Hans Meyer, co-founder of Zoku, the micro-loft hotel that opened in Amsterdam in June, told Business Insider that he aims to expand internationally within the next 10 years to 50 locations, including in the US by 2018. The company is talking to developers in New York City, Chicago, Boston and Seattle.
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