INdustry news
JUNE 18, 2026
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mandate for state workers to return to the office is back on, and many public employees are fighting to stop it with little time to spare. Dozens showed up at a Senate hearing last Wednesday to support a bill that would strengthen telework standards for state agencies and—they hope—result in more flexibility than Newsom would allow. The measure itself would not stop the governor’s July 1 mandate.
JUNE 17, 2026
Most Americans say they love working from home, but surveys of over half a million Americans from the last 15 years revealed an uncomfortable truth: despite its advantages, remote work has significantly deepened Americans’ isolation and distress. The research doesn’t suggest that work can occur only in the office, but it does mean that employees and companies should make a greater effort to prioritize face-to-face time with colleagues.
JUNE 17, 2026
AAA Travel’s latest data suggests that an estimated 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Independence Day holiday travel period, which runs from Saturday, June 27 to Sunday, July 5. If the estimate holds, it would surpass the 2025 record of 71.8 million travelers. While the number of Americans driving or flying to their destinations remained about the same, the number of people taking a cruise for the holiday increased the most.
JUNE 15, 2026
U.S. officials have unveiled a new initiative that aims to make airport security screening more efficient. TSA Gold+ will allow airports across the country to opt into utilizing private contractors to perform security and screening duties at checkpoints. The public-private partnership is an expansion of the agency’s existing Screening Partnership Program, which received renewed attention during the most recent government shutdown.
JUNE 15, 2026
With the cost of living increasing at a rapid rate, travelers aren’t necessarily spending less; they’re spending with far more intention. Guests are choosing fewer, more elevated experiences that feel emotionally rewarding, exclusive, and genuinely worth remembering. This is the “splurge or stay home” mindset, and it’s reshaping how hotels think about everything—from design and FF&E investment to operations and guest experience strategy.
JUNE 12, 2026
Global travel platform Skyscanner has announced the launch of Sportscast, a new search tool that is designed to transform how sports enthusiasts plan their trips, guiding them to destinations that ensure optimal, fair-weather conditions for their favorite sports and activities. The company’s latest update responds directly to evolving traveler behavior, where sports interests and hobbies are increasingly influencing travel choices.
JUNE 12, 2026
A California bill aimed at reining in surveillance pricing is raising some concerns in the restaurant industry. While AB 2564 includes a carve-out for “loyalty, membership, or rewards programs,” loyalty discounts must be “uniformly offered or made available to all consumers” who are eligible to join the program. Some operators have interpreted this as a curb on personalized loyalty campaigns.
JUNE 11, 2026
So far, World Cup host cities have seen lower-than-expected international visitation, but that could change as the tournament progresses. The group stage of the tournament, June 11-27, will whittle the field from 48 to 32 teams. By July 7, the competition will have shrunk to 16 teams, which is when host cities could see influxes of last-minute foreign arrivals. Historically, the World Cup has generated late-booking demand as supporters see whether their teams advance.
JUNE 9, 2026
Hyatt says its AI-powered sales tools are helping employees save roughly one day per week while increasing the company’s share of group bookings. AI is also helping surface operational insights by analyzing a wide range of internal and external information. The goal is to identify operational friction points, help employees focus on the most impactful tasks, and free up more time for guest interactions.
JUNE 4, 2026
Hilton recently debuted a report that identifies the emerging behaviors shaping the future of work and examine how hospitality-inspired leadership can strengthen workplace culture. The project found that workers continue to seek connection, trust, and belonging in a hybrid world. And as organizations navigate AI-driven change, work is becoming more transactional, creating new pressure on leaders to build cultures that foster genuine human connection.
JUNE 3, 2026
Live ticketed events from sports to music festivals are inspiring more Americans to travel this summer, with the youngest generations leading the way. New data from Allianz Partners shows that almost two-thirds of Gen Z (65%) and Millennials (63%) are planning to attend live entertainment or experiences while traveling this summer. More than half of Gen Z travelers (52%) say a ticketed event is the main reason they are traveling.
JUNE 2, 2026
Assembly Bill 1640, the "California Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act" by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani (San Francisco) was approved last week. The bill would prohibit the unauthorized sale or transfer of restaurant reservations for profit without the restaurant's consent. It is intended to protect diners from deceptive markups and give restaurants, which already operate on thin margins, new tools to fight fake bookings, no-shows, and lost revenue.
JUNE 1, 2026
CoStar and Tourism Economics unveiled significant upward revisions to their 2026 U.S. hotel forecasts last week. The revised forecast projects RevPAR growth of 2.8% for the year, up from a prior estimate of just 0.6% and last year's 0.3% RevPAR decline. CoStar attributed the revision to a strong first quarter, with room demand up more than 8 million room nights year over year through the first four months of 2026.
MAY 30, 2026
Operating on a sharply pared-down budget this year, Brand USA faces an uphill battle to get full funding restored for the coming fiscal year. In November, a bipartisan group of six senators introduced the Visit USA Act to restore the $100 million funding for Brand USA. The bill now has 14 co-sponsors. U.S. Travel has also begun focusing on Brand USA reauthorization ahead of its expiration in fall 2027.
MAY 30, 2026
According to a new report from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of people experiencing homelessness decreased both in California and nationwide last year. There were 181,934 homeless Californians counted last year—a 2.8% decrease from 2024. Nationwide, an estimated 745,652 people are homeless—a 3.3% drop and the first decrease since 2016. California was among the five states that reported the largest decreases.
MAY 26, 2026
The 2026 summer travel season carries extra significance as the U.S. prepares to welcome the world for historic events like the World Cup and America 250 celebrations. Recent research highlights the enormous economic opportunity presented by the World Cup, with international visitors expected to spend more than $5,000 per trip. Tourism Economics projects the tournament will drive more than 1.2 million international visits this summer.
MAY 25, 2026
The California gubernatorial race has become the latest testing ground for modern digital campaigning, which in the last ten years has morphed from individual politicians doing stunts to go viral on Facebook to a system of paid outreach to creators in exchange for their support and promotion.
MAY 20, 2026
Long a force in presidential politics — most recently through its opposition to Donald Trump — the industry is entering the California midterms with a more urgent, self-interested agenda, driven less by celebrity donors and national or international causes than by workers and executives alarmed that California could lose its signature business.
MAY 20, 2026
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman has expressed frustration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's plan to scale back a proposal mandating travelers from Visa Waiver Program countries to provide five years of social media history.
MAY 18, 2026
Americans are preparing for a busy summer travel season, with younger travelers planning multiple trips and increasingly relying on AI tools to research and book their vacations, according to PwC’s U.S. Consumer Poll on Summer Spending.
MAY 15, 2026
CalTravel Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy Emellia Zamani joined CalChamber and others to participate in a press conference supporting Senator Anna Caballero at a news conference promoting her bill SB 690 on May 13 at the state Capitol.
MAY 11, 2026
AAA projected that 45 million Americans traveled at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25. This year’s domestic travel forecast is slightly higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record with 39.1 million people traveling by car and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations.
APRIL 23, 2026
Last week, California’s six leading candidates for governor squared off on the debate stage. It was the first chance for voters to hear from the candidates following former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit from the race. Republicans Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco were joined on the Democratic side by former Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire activist Tom Steyer, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
APRIL 23, 2026
More than 120 civil society organizations have issued a travel advisory warning of safety risks for fans, players, and journalists attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. The advisory highlights risks including arrest, deportation, electronic device searches, and violent immigration enforcement, among others. The groups also allege that travelers from immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals face an outsized risk.
APRIL 22, 2026
According to a new report commissioned by Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA), sports-related travel in the United States generated $111.2 billion in direct economic impact in 2025, with a larger, indirect economic impact of $274.5 billion.
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