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1. Spain records record visitor numbers as travelers shift from Middle East
War in Iran has significantly shifted travel patterns this summer, leading to record numbers of visitors in Spain, the BBC reports.
In total, 9.1 million international visitors came to the country in April, a 5.2% year over year increase.
Spain is the second-most-visited country in the world, with some cities seeing their population growing by five times their normal amount due to inbound travel. Tourism accounts for 13% of the country's GDP, the news outlet reports.
2. Second-largest hotel in Hong Kong faces possible foreclosure
Bloomberg reports the Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Tung Chung could soon be taken over by a group of banks after owner Shimao Group Holdings defaulted on a 4.5 billion Hong Kong dollar ($574 million) loan.
The Sheraton complex is the second-largest hotel in Hong Kong with more than 1,200 rooms. It opened in 2020 and was unsuccessfully put up for sale in late 2024.
3. Hotel union authorizes strike ahead of World Cup
Workers at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square voted in favor of authorizing a strike just ahead of the city hosting FIFA World Cup matches, the Seattle Times reports. The property is located within walking distance of Lumen Field, which will see its first match on June 15.
The last contract for employees at the property expired in May, and organizers are pushing for “year-round healthcare coverage, protections from ICE, fair raises, and a return to pre-pandemic staffing levels.”
4. Historic hotel in Texas town returns to roots
CoStar News' Natalie Harms reports on the renovation and rebirth of the historic Faust Hotel in New Braunfels, Texas, a two-year, $10 million project that brought the nearly 100-year-old hotel back to its roots.
In addition to reworking the internal systems of the building, the renovation also included bringing back elements of the hotel's original design.
The Faust "was a glittering jewel in the 1920s and '30s," Andy Duettra, owner of the property, said. "What if you were doing that today, what would it look like? And that's what this [renovation] is. It's upgraded, roaring '20s and '30s style. ... The entire lobby has the original cast iron chandelier fan units there, the sconces in the ballroom, and we kept everything that we could."
5. Airfare increases 'inevitable' as fuel prices jump $100 billion
The International Air Transport Association claims spikes in airfares are inevitable as global airlines have added $100 billion in fuel costs due to spikes in oil prices, CNBC reports.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh also claimed net profits for airlines in 2026 will be half they were compared to 2025.
“The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity,” he said.