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1. Henderson Park To Acquire 2,424-Room Hilton Portfolio
Henderson Park, a European real estate investment platform, is in contract to acquire a 2,424-room portfolio of Hilton-branded hotels across the U.K. and Ireland for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close at the end of this year, according to a news release.
The portfolio of 12 full-service hotels spans across London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin.
"This transaction presents us with a rare opportunity to acquire a large, high-quality portfolio of assets, timed to capitalize on the potential for a near term return to travel as well as a wider post-pandemic recovery over the years to come. Hospitality remains a high conviction asset class for Henderson Park, and one where we have an experienced team who are excited to manage this landmark portfolio," Nick Weber, founding partner of Henderson Park, said in the release.
2. Southwest Airlines Canceled Thousands of Flights, Disrupting Weekend Travel
Southwest Airlines over the weekend canceled more than 2,000 flights, and the disruption is continuing today, a federal holiday, CNN reports.
On Saturday, 808 canceled flights — roughly every three out of 10 flights — left travelers stranded across the U.S. It canceled on Sunday. About one in 10, or 337 flights, have been canceled today.
Southwest Airlines "blamed the cancellations on air traffic control problems and limited staffing in Florida as well as bad weather," CNN reports. However, the Federal Aviation Administration said there were no air traffic related cancellations since Friday. Instead, airlines are experiencing delays because aircraft and flight crews are "out of place."
3. Leisure Travelers' Changing Behavior Presents New Marketing Opportunities
The way leisure travelers are taking trips is changing because of the pandemic, and that is presenting new opportunities for travel marketers, writes HNN's Sean McCracken.
One change is an increase in the time spent driving.
"Commutes are way down, and leisure travel and weekend driving is way up," Waze's director and head of sales, Andrew Kandel, said during the 2021 HSMAI Marketing Strategy Conference, noting he believes that trend will "hold in the near term."
4. US To Accept International Travelers With WHO-Approved Vaccine
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States will begin accepting international travelers who are vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines either authorized by U.S. regulators or the World Health Organization, Reuters writes.
"Six vaccines that are FDA authorized/approved or listed for emergency use by WHO will meet the criteria for travel to the U.S.," a spokeswoman for the CDC told Reuters Friday.
Additionally, starting Oct. 19, Singapore will ease entry requirements for vaccinated travelers from the U.S., USA Today reports.
Fiji will also open up to international travelers on Dec. 1 after being closed off for nearly two years, Tourism Fiji announced. Those arriving will need to comply with vaccination and testing requirements.
5. Takeaways From Condor's Pending Transaction With Blackstone
Hotel real estate investment trust Condor Hospitality Trust filed a preliminary proxy statement late last week for its pending $305 million deal with investment management company Blackstone Group.
Baird Equity Research issued key takeaways from the statement, which include that: "buyer interest was robust; the sale process moved quickly; and the range of indicative valuations was tight."
Of the more than 400 potential bidders contacted 126 executed non-disclosure agreements. Additionally, Baird notes Condor received 11 initial non-binding offers and six second-round offers.