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1. Luxury brand Anantara to make US debut in Miami
Bangkok-based Minor Hotels will debut its luxury Anantara brand in the U.S. with the Anantara Miami Resort & Residences, according to a news release. The 50-story tower, scheduled to open in 2030, will sit near Biscayne Bay.
The property will offer 100 private branded residences and 120 resort residences, which will allow owners to decide whether to make their units available to guests. There will also be an additional 50 hotel suites.
2. Europe airline risks rise over fuel supply concerns
The summer travel season will strain Europe's airlines as the International Energy Agency said the continent is facing increased jet fuel demand while the war in Iran continues, CNBC reports. The Strait of Hormuz, currently closed, had carried about 20% of the world's oil supply before the war started.
“In August, jet fuel demand is about 40% higher than in March, so demand will increase, and if the supply stays where it is now, the challenge can be even bigger, but I very much hope that Europe will be importing energy,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA.
3. Accor execs address effects of war in Iran
During the French hotel firm's first-quarter earnings call, company executives spoke about the impact they're seeing from the war in Iran on Middle East hotel performance, reports CoStar News Hotels' Terence Baker. Accor's global revenue per available room grew by 5.1% year over year to €69 ($80.77), but RevPAR fell by 9% in the United Arab Emirates, which makes up 27% of the company's room count in the Middle East and Africa.
“The conflict in the Middle East, which began at the end of February, has since severely disrupted the macroeconomic and geopolitical context. Activity in the Middle East, primarily in the United Arab Emirates, has been strongly impacted,” Accor's earnings release said.
4. JetBlue sued over pricing practices
Consumers have filed a class-action suit against JetBlue, alleging the airline used customers' personal data to set their ticket prices, The Guardian reports. The suit claims JetBlue uses hidden trackers to set prices dynamically with the help of third parties using programs to determine when to raise ticket prices.
“Consumers should not have to have their privacy rights violated to participate in [JetBlue’s] digital rat race for airline tickets which should cost the same for each similarly seated passenger,” the plaintiff, Andrew Phillips, said in the complaint.
JetBlue did not provide a comment to the newspaper beyond denying the use of personal data or artificial intelligence in setting ticket prices.
5. Americans' confidence in economy drops
Gallup's latest Economic Confidence Index dropped from -27 in March to -38 in April, the lowest reading since November 2023 but above the -58 of June 2022. Among those surveyed, 47% described current economic conditions as "poor" as compared to 40% a month ago.
Americans were also asked for their assessments of the job market. Thirty-three percent said it's a good time to find a quality job wile 63% said it's a bad time.