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1. Congress to vote on shutdown-ending bill while TSA mulls airport closures
The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a Republican proposal Thursday that would fund the Transportation Security Administration as well as parts of the Department of Homeland Security, but the motion is expected to fail, according to the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said at a House hearing that the situation at U.S. airports is dire, and the agency is weighing its options for closing airports. She said that the rate of agents calling off work has risen to 11% across the country.
“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” she said. “And that does require us to, at some point, make very difficult choices as to which airports we might try to keep open and which ones we might have to shut down as our callout rates increase.”
2. US import prices see biggest increase in four years
Prices for U.S. imports rose in February at the highest rate in four years, Reuters reported based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data. While economists polled by Reuters expected a 0.5% increase after the 0.2% rise in January, the Bureau's actual increase in February was 1.3% — the biggest jump since March 2022.
"It wasn't just an increase in fuel import prices but also non-fuel import prices," said Eugenio Aleman, chief economist at Raymond James. "The fact that non-fuel import prices increased so much is a wake-up call for policymakers and will keep the Fed on pause for longer than expected."
3. Houston hotels see strong spring demand
Houston is seeing a surge in visitors this spring, and hoteliers are riding the wave of increased bookings sparked, in part, by the 21-day Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as well as business conferences that take place throughout the season.
Ahead of hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup games, Houston is primed to showcase what it has to offer visitors, said Lisa Fuentes, vice president of strategy at Houston-based ZaZa Hospitality, which also has two hotels in the market.
"Houston is so much more than what meets the eye. People maybe have a perception of Houston that I would say often ... sells us short," Fuentes said. "It might have been a place where you used to come for business and left when the work was done. But today, there's so much more to taste and experience and explore."
4. Hyatt names new exec focused on growth in Americas
Julienne Smith returns to Hyatt Hotels Corp. as head of Americas growth, the hotel company announced Thursday. Smith will lead expansion of Hyatt's Luxury, Lifestyle, Classics and Essentials brands across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Julienne is a highly respected industry leader with deep expertise and a proven ability to deliver results,” said Mark Hoplamazian, chairman, president and CEO of Hyatt, in a news release. “Her experience across development, brand strategy and owner engagement positions her exceptionally well to drive Hyatt’s next phase of growth in the Americas. She leads with a strong sense of care that embodies Hyatt’s purpose — supporting colleagues and fostering trusted relationships with owners. We are delighted to welcome her back to Hyatt.”
Smith rejoins Hyatt after serving as chief development officer for the Americas at IHG Hotels & Resorts, but previously held the role of senior vice president of development and owner relations during her 14 years at Hyatt.
5. MGM Resorts to offer all-inclusive experience at two Las Vegas hotels
MGM Resorts International revealed its take on an all-inclusive package at two of its two hotels on the Las Vegas Strip — Luxor Hotel & Casino and Excalibur Hotel & Casino.
The package, which has pricing options beginning at $330 plus tax for a two-night stay for two guests at either hotel, will include three meals a day for each guest, two tickets to a show, parking for one vehicle and two rides on The Big Apple Coaster.
"Las Vegas has long been known for its diverse collection of unforgettable experiences, and this new option combines many of them together in a fresh, compelling way," Mike Neubecker, president and chief operating officer of MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York, Luxor & Excalibur, said in the news release. "By bundling hotel, dining, entertainment and parking into a single upfront price, we're offering guests a convenient, turn-key way to explore our hotels and make new memories without any hassle or surprises."