News to Know

Hotel Openings in Europe Boosted by Luxury and Upscale Growth
SOURCE: BTN EUROPE, 8/19

Europe is forecast to open just over 300 new hotels during 2026 fuelled by growth in luxury and upscale properties, according to the latest “pipeline” report from industry analyst Lodging Econometrics (LE).

The hotel development report said that 112 new European properties opened in the first half of 2026, adding just under 14,000 rooms in total. The second half of the year is set to see another 195 hotels open in Europe, which will collectively account for around 26,000 rooms.

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GBTA Research
AI Investment Is Creating New Business Travel Demand

Technology growth is fueling project-based travel and cross-border collaboration

AI and technology investment are emerging as important drivers of business travel growth, particularly in North America and Asia Pacific.

Investment in digital infrastructure, data centers and enterprise technology deployment is increasing demand for project-based travel, customer engagement and cross-border collaboration.

The trend is helping strengthen the U.S. outlook while contributing to broader business travel activity across key global markets.

Explore the industries, regions, and economic forces shaping the outlook in the 2026 GBTA Business Travel Index report, made possible by Visa.