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1. Google AI can now book hotels, track flight prices
Google's AI Mode can now book hotels, track flight prices and see the cost of flights and hotels in points or miles, Tech Crunch reports.
For users planning a trip, they can describe their hotel preferences to AI Mode and it will generate a list of options with details such as reviews and other key factors. Users will then have the ability to choose a listed a hotel and complete the booking with Google Pay.
"Hotel booking in AI Mode has started rolling out in the U.S. in English and will be available over the coming weeks with offerings from Booking.com, Choice Hotels International, Expedia, Hilton, Hotels.com, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Priceline, Trip.com, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts," the news outlet reports.
2. NOLA convention center pledges $120 million to Omni hotel project
The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority has pledged $120 million in funding from the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to build a new Omni hotel connected to the convention center, WDSU New Orleans reports.
Funding for the project had stalled after a disagreement between state and local leaders about the project last week, the news outlet reports. The State Bond Commission needs to approve the funding before construction can begin.
"This brings us another step closer to delivering a project that has been decades in the making. That progress reflects close collaboration with state leaders to find a model that balances the efficient use of tax dollars with the activation of new tax revenues and long-term employment opportunities," Russ W. Allen, president of the authority, and Jim Cook, president and CEO of the convention center, said in a joint statement.
3. Kasa provides hotel standards for alternative accommodations
Kasa's professionally managed aparthotel model provides guests with the assurance they'll get what they signed up for and an opportunity to stay in areas most traditional hotels won't be, Chief Commercial Officer Kelly McGuire said in an interview for the "CoStar News Hotels" podcast.
“It’s a combination of those two things: the certainty of what the experience will be like, and then access to a neighborhood you might otherwise not have been able to stay in,” she said.
4. Trump administration limits internships for foreign college students
The Trump administration is limiting internship opportunities for international students, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some university officials are worried the move could affect enrollments from these students.
Under new federal regulations, "international students may only complete internships if employers have a partnership with their school," the newspaper reports. The purpose of this change is to lessen the chances of an international student taking a job that could be filled by an American.
“Schools and employers should consider themselves on notice: Under President Trump, abuse of this generous system will no longer be tolerated,” a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said.
5. Prague Marriott sells for largest price in region this year
The 416-room Prague Marriott and the adjacent Millennium Plaza mixed-use office and retail property have been sold by PH Properties to J&T and Dosfield for €200 million ($233 million), CoStar News' Terence Baker reports.
CBRE said in a news release that the deal is the largest single hotel transaction in Central and Eastern Europe this year.
“The sale attracted strong interest from investors and resulted in a highly competitive process, demonstrating the depth of demand for well-positioned hospitality real estate,” said Christian Kaufmann, director of hotels for Europe at CBRE.