Sean O'Neill

2 weeks ago | skift.com | Sean O'Neill

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is undertaking a significant brand refresh, marking the first major update to its visual identity since 1985. The luxury hotel operator, known for its celebrity-filled "I'm a Fan" advertising campaigns, told Skift it would announce Thursday its plan to roll out modernized branding, a new mobile app, and changes to its loyalty program as it prepares to more than double its global portfolio by 2033.

2 weeks ago | skift.com | Sean O'Neill

The U.S. hotel industry is navigating significant challenges stemming from President Trump's tariff war, according to a leading hotel asset manager whose team runs a $12.5 billion portfolio of properties on behalf of owners. Michelle Russo, founder and CEO of HotelAVE, reports that trade disputes are disrupting supply chains and tourism forecasts. She has downwardly revised the firm's outlook for the year.

2 weeks ago | skift.com | Sean O'Neill

Canada has quietly updated its travel advisory for citizens heading to the United States, warning them to "expect scrutiny" from border officials who have broad powers to search electronic devices without warrants. CBC first reported the change Friday. The guidance was updated on the government's official travel website amid growing tensions between the two neighboring nations following the Trump administration's recent trade disputes with Canada.

2 weeks ago | skift.com | Sean O'Neill

The hotel sector faced a complex, fast-changing new reality as tariffs announced by President Trump on Wednesday threatened to increase the cost to outfit, renovate, and develop properties — and to potentially reshape travel patterns. "All that concrete coming from Mexico and all that lumber from Canada will now be more expensive, putting downward pressure on the number of hotels breaking ground or getting renovated," said Jan Freitag, national director, hospitality analytics at CoStar Group.

3 weeks ago | skift.com | Sean O'Neill

Richard Branson's adults-only cruise venture, Virgin Voyages, had a challenging pandemic-era launch, with its first ship, Scarlet Lady, setting sail in 2021. But two more ships launched in quick succession: Valiant Lady in 2022 and Resilient Lady in 2023. "Last year, we saw this real inflection in momentum,” said CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu. "We were up 60% on revenue."The CEO said 2025 is tracking similar growth in bookings.