Aligned Hospitality Management

Global travel and tourism sector deals declined by 4.3% in 2024, with private equity deals rising, M&A deals slightly increasing, and venture financing deals dropping, while Europe saw growth and other regions faced declines.

Financial markets plunged with major indices and lodging stocks down sharply, except for SHCO which rose 6%.

The Ritz-Carlton brand will make its debut on Mexico's Caribbean coast with The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Riviera Maya, featuring 127 residences, with sales and construction starting this year and the first phase debuting in 2026.

MCR has refinanced a 16-hotel portfolio for $333 million, generating $51 million of net proceeds. In less than three years, MCR doubled the portfolio’s new operating income, increasing it from $15 million at acquisition to $36 million.

STR reported US lodging data for the week ended December 30. RevPAR was down -9.7% led by a -7.1% decline in occupancy. Speculators are questioning whether everyone is thinking the Fed is going to cut interest rates more than they really will. Real estate developers  Fort Partners and Merrimac Ventures  are building a  Four Seasons  hotel and condo resort in  Telluride, Colorado .

Canopy by Hilton in Scottsdale, Arizona sold for roughly $102 million, and Home2 Suites by Hilton in Colonie, New York was acquired for $12.75 million. The Floridian Palace Hotel in Tampa is undergoing a $30 million renovation to become "The Flor" and join Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, while Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal partners with Mattel for a Barbie-themed experience. Online travel companies, including Orbitz and Expedia, face a lawsuit in Nevada over alleged avoidance of hotel room taxes, potentially amounting to over $1 billion in damages.