Wyndham lawsuit: A federal judge rejected efforts by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to throw out a proposed class action lawsuit against it over claims that its website didn’t communicate the full cost of customers reservations before booking.
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M&C revenue: Millennium & Copthorne Hotels said rooms revenue fell in 2016 as militant attacks across Europe hurt tourism, while an influx of rooms in major cities and increased competition from non-traditional services hurt business elsewhere.
Carnival occupancy down: The Brazilian Hotel Industry Association reports that Rio de Janeiro hotel chains are only registering 72% full for the Carnival holiday. Last year, average hotel occupancy rate for the city, which is in the midst of an economic crisis, stood at 85.93% in the period.
Microsoft and MGM agreement: Microsoft Corp. and MGM Resorts International have entered into a new multi-year agreement. To MGM Resorts, the deal represents the largest single-corporation meeting event ever hosted by the leading global entertainment company. For Microsoft, it marks the first time the computer giant has combined four separate annual events, with as many as 30,000 participants, into one signature meeting.
TripAdvisor marketing move: TripAdvisor is considering a “multi-year brand marketing investment, including a return to TV advertising,” the company said in prepared remarks accompanying its most recent financial earnings report.
Plateno expansion: Chinese hotel group Plateno is expanding via the company’s second 7 Days Premium Hotel in Vienna, the company’s fourth in Austria.
Marriott’s Delta flag: Baltimore area’s Hunt Valley Inn will take on the Delta flag in March or April. Under the Wyndham flag since 2013, the new name of the 392-room hotel will be Delta by Marriott Hotel Hunt Valley Baltimore. The company will announce the exact date of the brand change later this month.
Palm Springs bribery: A real estate developer behind two boutique hotels in Memphis has been accused of bribing the mayor of Palm Springs, California. One of the largest real estate developers in Palm Springs, John Wessman had been in the process of converting two area properties into boutique hotels – it’s not clear whether those projects would continue.
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Iberostar App: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts launched an app in an effort to streamline the hotel chain’s browsing, searching and booking process. Features of the Iberostar App include: an e-concierge, interactive map that provides guests with access to the hotel’s services and facilities, and options for late check-out and luggage storage.