European hotels: STR reports that the European hotel industry saw growth in occupancy (up 3.3% to 65.6%), ADR (up 2.5% to €102.82, or US$115.46), and RevPAR (up 5.9% to €67.47, or US$75.76). STR attributes some of the performance to the devaluation of the British pound, growth in Portugal as tourists see security concern in other markets, and a surge in business and leisure travel in Eastern Europe.
TripAdvisor app: Travel site TripAdvisor updated its iOS app to improve its design and hotel search pages that prioritize price comparisons. It also updated its activities and restaurants categories, and added an itinerary capability.
Anbang’s U.S. data: Unite Here, a union in contract negotiations with one of Anbang Insurance Group’s American hotels, is requesting shareholder data of the secretive Chinese company. The premium paid for the three hotels suggests that the company might have other plans for their use, a union representative said.
REIT refinancing: Nashville, Tennessee-based REIT Ryman Hospitality Properties completed a series of refinancing transactions: It refinanced its existing secured US$700 million revolving credit facility, obtained a new secured US$200 million term loan, and refinanced and upsized another loan from US$389 million to US$500 million. The maturity of the Term Loan B was extended from 2022 to 2024. Ryman assets include Marriott-managed Gaylord Hotels brand and the Grand Ole Opry.
Mama Shelter: AccorHotels’ Mama Shelter brand is planning to open a property in Dubai in 2020. The company is partnering with Khamas Group of Investment Companies on the 201-room hotel, which will be designed by Franklin Azzi Architecture.