Hospitality & Leisure

Atlanta – October 15, 2026 -- Popmenu has launched Spotlight Menu, a video-led menu product that pairs its SEO and AEO tools with Instagram-style dish videos, as U.S. consumers cut restaurant spending to an average of $100 a week from $115 in June 2025.

The product is aimed at helping restaurants rank higher in Google and AI searches and win more orders. Popmenu serves more than 12,000 restaurants globally.

Popmenu survey finds 82% of U.S. diners favor menus with photos and reviews

In a 2026 Popmenu survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, 82% said they are more likely to choose restaurants whose online menus feature photos and reviews over text-only menus. The same share said they are more likely to order a dish that has a video than one with only a photo.

Zagreb – October 15, 2026 -- Bilateral trade between Croatia and Serbia reached nearly EUR 1.9 billion in 2025, according to the Croatian Chamber of Economy, and tourism and business professionals from both countries met in Zagreb to turn that base into deals tied to EXPO 2027 Belgrade.

Zagreb event pairs panel with speed-networking for hospitality partnerships

The "Visit Expo B2B Networking" event combined business presentations, a panel discussion and targeted B2B meetings. The panel, "Opportunities and Impact of EXPO 2027", covered openings for tourism and regional businesses. A speed-networking session let participants discuss potential hospitality and tourism partnerships.

San Francisco – October 14, 2026 -- Revinate has launched what it calls hospitality's first data activation platform, built on 1.25 billion guest profiles, with the global release of Revinate Pathways, Revinate Vault and a new version of Revinate Chat. The company says 60% of its customers report an ROI of 20X or more on the platform.

The launch targets a gap between AI adoption and results. In h2c's AI Opportunity Study 2026, 91% of hotel chains said they use AI, but only 13% reported a measurable return so far. Revinate says the releases advance its move into the enterprise segment, where major hotel brands are already customers.

Bethesda – October 14, 2026 -- Embassy Suites by Hilton Dulles Airport in Herndon, Virginia, has new ownership and management, with a renovation of guest suites, public spaces, meeting facilities and amenities scheduled to begin in 2027.

Hotel keeps Embassy Suites by Hilton flag and Hilton Honors participation

The all-suite property near Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will continue to operate under the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand and remain part of the Hilton Honors loyalty program. The announcement was distributed by B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group. The release does not name the new owner or disclose a transaction value.

Atlanta – October 14, 2026 -- Slutty Vegan has converted its Fulton Street restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, into its first operating franchised location, handing ownership to Destiny Correa, the general manager who ran the site for nearly five years.

Founder gifts the store and waives two fees

Founder and CEO Pinky Cole Hayes gifted Correa the store outright. Slutty Vegan also waived both the initial franchise fee and the recurring marketing fee that new franchise partners typically pay. The brand cited Correa's years-long commitment as the reason.

Correa helped build Fulton Street into one of the brand's flagship restaurants. The location now operates under her ownership.

"I walked into this store five years ago as a manager, and now I'm walking back in as the owner," Correa said.

New York – October 14, 2026 -- LALIGA North America and Panini America announced a multi-year extension of their regional partnership, which dates back to 2023, after the 2026 U.S. Gaming Challenge generated more than 40 million impressions and 5.2 million video views.

Panini America stays on as title sponsor of the U.S. Gaming Challenge

Panini America, a subsidiary of the Panini Group, returns as title sponsor of the LALIGA North America U.S. Gaming Challenge presented by Panini. It has held the sponsorship since 2023. The Challenge launched in 2021 and has become a fixture in the league's annual calendar in the region.

Fans and amateur gamers compete for collectibles and prizes. They can also play against celebrities and soccer legends, and the top prize is a trip to Spain.

Kissimmee – – October 14, 2026 -- Experience Kissimmee has launched Film Kissimmee, the official film commission for Osceola County, with more than 100 scouted filming locations ready for production companies, location managers and digital content creators.

Location scout documents 100+ sites across Osceola County

Experience Kissimmee hired a professional location scout with more than 20 years of experience to identify and document the sites. The locations are being added to an online directory powered by Reel-Scout, a location management platform. Filmmakers can use it to search available properties, review photography and access production-related information.

The portfolio covers natural waterways, cypress-lined wetlands, historic downtown streets, ranchlands, hospitality properties and modern innovation centers. It also includes vacation homes, from luxury estates and themed properties to contemporary residences and resort-style retreats.

Atlanta – October 14, 2026 -- Capacity Sports Group now owns the 78-acre LakePoint Sports property in Emerson, Ga., comprising the Baseball Village and Publix Fields, and holds a lease to operate the 170,000-square-foot Champions Center Indoor Pavilion.

Capacity takes ownership of two venues and leases a third at LakePoint

The transaction expands the multisport operations of the youth sports company, which brings together event brands, operators and facilities. The source does not disclose financial terms. LakePoint Sports sits near Atlanta and welcomes millions of guests annually.

Three venues anchor the destination. The Baseball Village has eight major league-sized synthetic turf fields. The Champions Center accommodates 12 basketball courts or 24 volleyball courts. Publix Fields offers three multiuse turf fields for soccer, lacrosse and football.

Las Vegas – – October 14, 2026 -- The China National Tourist Office (CNTO) in Los Angeles is pitching six Chinese destinations to North American meeting buyers from an approximately 1,000-square-foot pavilion at IMEX America 2026, held Oct. 13-15 at Mandalay Bay.

China Pavilion groups Beijing, Hunan, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Sichuan and Guangxi under one theme

The island runs under the theme "China: Where Business Meets Extraordinary Experiences" and includes MICE industry partners alongside the six destinations. It targets meeting planners, incentive travel companies and corporate decision makers, and presents convention facilities, international hotel networks and customized incentive programs.

Each destination carries a distinct selling point:

Talladega, Alabama – October 14, 2026 -- Eggs Up Grill, which describes itself as the largest and fastest-growing daytime restaurant franchise in the U.S., has tied its Alabama expansion push to NASCAR's Yellawood 500, with more than 200 restaurants open and in development.

The partnership covers race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, October 23-25. The brand will appear on driver Cole Custer's No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet Camaro, sponsored by Sysco, during Sunday's premier race.

Franchisee base leans toward multi-unit ownership

More than 60% of Eggs Up Grill franchise owners operate or are developing multiple locations. The company says it sees significant whitespace for expansion across Alabama and nationwide, and it is actively recruiting qualified franchisees for new communities.

The company says its simplified restaurant format and daytime-only operations continue to appeal to franchise groups seeking scalable concepts.