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1. US job market grew more than expected in May
According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, nonfarm jobs jumped a seasonally adjusted 172,000 in May, which is less than the revised 179,000 for April and well over the 80,000 estimated by the Dow Jones consensus. The unemployment rate remained 4.3%, which was predicted, CNBC reports.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that the number of Americans who filed for unemployment in the week ending on May 30 had increased by 13,000 applications to 225,000, according to Labor Department data. It's the biggest increase since early February, but still a historically low level.
2. Hoteliers in Cuba halt operations to avoid US sanctions
At risk of sanctions from the U.S., several international hotel companies plan to exit Cuba, CoStar News' Terence Baker reports. Hotel firms that cease operations on the island by today will avoid sanctions that were expanded by President Donald Trump in May.
The two largest foreign-owned hotel operators in Cuba, MeliĆ” Hotels International and Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, have halted operations. Both companies' hotel portfolios in Cuba were owned by Havana-based Grupo de Turismo Gaviota.
Trump's sanctions target Gaviota's larger organization, Grupo de AdministraciĆ³n Empresarial S.A, which is owned by the Cuban military, and the administration calls the organization a threat to U.S. national security.
3. American Airlines cuts flight routes due to rise in jet fuel cost
American Airlines is temporarily suspending some of its routes in August and September because of the steep increase in jet fuel prices due to the Iran war, the Associated Press reports. The airline did not reveal which routes were canceled to AP News, but other outlets reported it would be six routes, mostly from Los Angeles.
In its statement, American Airlines emphasized that none of the routes were being suspended indefinitely.
4. Protesters rally against resort development in Albania tied to Trump family
Protesters in Tirana, Albania, gathered outside Prime Minister Edi Rama's office this week in opposition of a project on the Adriatic coast that includes Affinity Partners, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's firm, as an investor. According to the BBC, the site of the tourism project is home to flamingos, a protected species, and other species in the protected wetlands area.
"The protesters are also angry about what they see as a lack of transparency over Affinity Partners' involvement, with negotiations between the company and the government dating back to 2024," reads the article.
It's not Kushner's first time receiving opposition to a hospitality project. He planned to construct a Trump International Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia, but was forced to withdraw earlier this year.
5. Hilton releases report on AI, other effects on workforce satisfaction
In its latest trends report entitled āThe Hospitality Mindset: A New Blueprint for Culture and Performance for Any Industry,ā Hilton found that workers cite human-led factors driving growth in the increasingly digital world, according to a news release.
The research merges data from Ipsos and Morning Consult, along with insights from Hilton's hotel leaders, and looks at job satisfaction as a whole, with a section focusing on AI.
"Fifty-two percent of workers feel anxious about AIās impact on their jobs, while 55% expect employers to provide AI tools, skills and workplace training, creating an AI skills gap," the release said.