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Briefs: IHG supports marriage equality | China pipeline update

Asia corporate preferences. According to Sabre Corp.’s 2017 Asia Pacific Corporate Traveller study, a key trend suggests almost half (43%) of all corporate travelers deviate from their corporate travel policy, making changes ahead of and during their trips. Also, 80% of travel managers believe mobile and virtual payment is a top priority, highlighting the importance placed on moving toward a mobile first strategy. Amid economic uncertainty, companies are cutting back on premium class air travel and as such, premium economy options have become the next best alternative without significantly impacting comfort.

 

 


 

Irma relief fund. The Caribbean Hurricane Tourism Recovery Fund, uniting the Caribbean hotel and tourism Industry with the Tourism Cares organization, has been launched to lead private-sector efforts. Donations are tax deductible where applicable.

 

 


 

IHG supports marriage equality. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Australasia announced its support of Australian Marriage Equality. “With the Australian Marriage Law Survey now confirmed to go ahead we felt this was an important time to add our community message of support for a social issue that speaks to our belief about equality,” said Karin Sheppard, IHG’s COO Australasia and Japan. “LGBTI people may find themselves surrounded by difficult conversations over the coming weeks as the topic is debated in the public domain. Our message to our colleagues, and their friends and families, is that we are with them 100%.”

 

 


 

Host evolves. Host Hotels & Resorts announced that CFO Greg Larson will retire in November after approximately 25 years with the company. He is being replaced by Michael Bluhm, who most recently served as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. Additionally, Nathan Tyrrell has been named EVP and chief investment officer.

 

 


 

China pipeline update. Lodging Econometrics reports that according to the recent China Construction Pipeline that the total pipeline has 2,410 projects/525,225 rooms, up 7% year-over-year. There are 1,724 projects/356,816 rooms under construction, up 4% by projects YOY. The top hotel companies in China’s construction pipeline are Hilton Worldwide with 292 projects/71,895 rooms, Marriott International with 253 projects/72,062 rooms, and InterContinental Hotels Group with 206 projects/56,354 rooms. Cities in China with the largest pipelines are Shanghai with 120 projects/23,941 rooms and Guangzhou with 113 projects/21,890 rooms.

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