Hospitality & Leisure

Beijing – – October 13, 2026 -- Beijing Marriott Marquis Hotel has completed hosting the China Open delegation less than a month after opening on September 15, 2026, using its 666 guest rooms and suites to accommodate players, coaches, officials and event staff.

Hotel received tournament groups from late September

The property began welcoming delegation members in late September. It describes the assignment as one of the larger international sports delegations it has hosted since opening, and as a test of its group-reception capabilities. Tournament organizers recognized its operational organization and service execution during the opening phase, according to the hotel.

Dedicated team built group workflows around match schedules

The hotel set up a tournament service team in advance and introduced several group-specific measures:

Zagreb – October 13, 2026 -- Serbia is taking its EXPO 2027 Belgrade pitch to Croatian tourism and business leaders on 14 October 2026, targeting a bilateral trade relationship that reached nearly EUR 2.5 billion in 2025, according to the Croatian Chamber of Economy.

Visit Serbia B2B Networking event opens Zagreb stop of international roadshow

The "Visit Serbia B2B Networking" event takes place at Hotel Westin, Kršnjavoga 1, Zagreb. It is part of the international "Visit Serbia" roadshow promoting Serbia's tourism and business potential ahead of the expo. The programme includes presentations, targeted B2B meetings, a press conference, a panel discussion and a cocktail reception.

Jersey City – October 13, 2026 -- BetMGM LLC reported Q3 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $86 million, up 112% year over year, on net revenue of $710 million, up 7%. The North American sports betting and iGaming operator is jointly owned by MGM Resorts International and Entain plc. It reiterated full-year guidance but said it expects to land at the lower end of the ranges.

iGaming delivers $483 million as online sports adds $216 million

iGaming net revenue rose 6% to $483 million, and online sports net revenue rose 7% to $216 million. iGaming contribution exceeded $135 million, while online sports contribution was positive. Year-to-date adjusted EBITDA stands at $185 million.

BetMGM holds a 14% gross gaming revenue share in its active markets, including 20% in iGaming and 8% in online sports.

Los Angeles – October 13, 2026 -- Sizzle, Inc. has launched Rosa, a conversational video "Synth Human" that serves guests of Sheraton Universal Hotel around the clock in more than 33 languages, with no app download and no dedicated hotel hardware.

Guests scan a QR code in their arrival welcome letter to start a face-to-face video conversation on their own phones. Rosa answers questions on reservations, parking, valet, room service, dining, amenities and shuttle information. She connects guests with the appropriate hotel team when human assistance is required.

Beijing – October 13, 2026 -- The second season of the reality show "From Far Lands to China's Farmlands" has drawn 420 million online views, putting Xiangfeng Village in Changsha County, Hunan Province, at the center of a "courtyard economy" push for rural cultural tourism.

Seven foreign youths from six countries film in Xiangfeng Village

The show placed seven young people from six countries, including the United States, Germany and Malaysia, in the village as "new farmers". They worked alongside local villagers and took part in courtyard-centered rural tourism activities.

Activities included herbal hot pot and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) experiences. Visitors could also buy oven-baked bread and specialty coffee in the village.

Miami – October 13, 2026 -- Queen Suthida of Thailand will open the 2026 Global Wellness Summit (GWS) on the morning of November 11 at the Angsana Laguna Phuket, the organization announced. The appearance marks the conference's 20th anniversary.

Summit runs November 10-13 in Phuket

The four-day event convenes leaders from what GWS describes as a $6.8 trillion global wellness economy. Accredited media can apply to attend.

Queen's athletic record anchors the wellness link

GWS cited Suthida's sporting credentials as the basis for the invitation. She served as strategist and navigator on Thailand's sailing team, which won gold at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) named her its first Women's Global Ambassador. She also ran the half marathon alongside Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge at the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2025.

Fort Lauderdale – October 13, 2026 -- Dream Vacations won five 2026 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, three Gold and two Silver, for its work in advisor education, AI adoption, search visibility and business growth.

Agent Directory, destination training and CLIA credits take three Gold awards

The franchise won Gold in Web Marketing/Advertising for its Agent Directory. The platform is integrated with TravelLeaders.com and optimized for both traditional and AI-powered search. It is designed to help advisors improve online visibility and connect with high-intent travelers.

A second Gold, in Business Strategy, went to its destination certification programs covering Alaska, the Caribbean and Hawaii.

Hong Kong – October 12, 2026 -- American Express has become Title Sponsor of the inaugural American Express Hong Kong Sail Grand Prix, which opens the Rolex SailGP Championship 2027 Season on January 23-24, 2027 at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

The deal gives the card issuer integration across the SailGP Race Stadium and the wider event experience. SailGP describes the format as a mix of high-speed racing, premium hospitality, technology and entertainment.

American Express Cardmembers get first access to tickets on October 21-22

Eligible Cardmembers receive priority booking from 10am HKT on Wednesday, October 21 until 5pm HKT on Thursday, October 22, or until allocations are exhausted. They also receive exclusive savings on ticket purchases and other race-day experiences.

Seoul – – October 12, 2026 -- Arirang TV will put 20 Korean small and medium-sized sports enterprises in front of 169 million households in 140 countries when it premieres "K-Sports Beyond" on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 9 a.m. KST.

The program was built to support the overseas expansion of the 20 companies amid the global K-culture boom. It covers sports safety equipment, recovery solutions, AI-powered motion analysis and health management, smart fitness, taekwondo IT convergence and screen sports, along with functional sportswear.

Ten episode categories pair 20 companies across product segments

The main episodes group the participants as follows:

Valletta – October 12, 2026 -- The Malta Tourism Authority and Trip.com Group signed a 2026–2029 Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, as Malta plans to lift the share of arrivals from outside the EU to 40% within the next decade.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the 2026 WTTC Global Summit, held 7 to 9 October at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. Malta's Minister for Tourism, Jo Etienne Abela, witnessed the agreement. Carlo Micallef, CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, and Edison Chen, Vice President of Trip.com Group, led the talks.