How Japan is overcoming its drop in Chinese travelers
How Japan is overcoming its drop in Chinese travelers
Experts say travel demand replaced by various markets
After growing diplomatic tensions with China, Japan has had to attract more tourists from other countries to make up for the drop in inbound Chinese travelers. (Getty Images)
https://www.costar.com/article/1799979054/how-japan-is-overcoming-its-drop-in-chinese-travelers?
this While Japan has enjoyed a prolonged period of outperformance in hotel demand in recent years, many worried that would come to an end when Chinese officials urged China's citizens to not visit amid diplomatic tensions.
But even as Japan lost more than half of the travelers from its top source market, the country managed to replace that by cobbling together increased demand from other countries, said Matthew Burke, STR regional director for the Asia Pacific region.
Speaking during the latest episode of the CoStar News Hotels podcast, Burke said tourism demand to Japan has been remarkably resilient.
"They've been able to, from a collection of different parts of the world, essentially replace all of that international demand," he said. "South Korea, that's up 20-odd percent. Taiwan's up 20-odd percent. The U.S. is up 10%, and I could go on."
While some Japanese destinations have seen an overall drop, others have actually grown significantly with occupancy up in the double digits, he said.
Currency exchange is still heavily weighing in favor of international demand into the country, with the Australia-based Burke saying travelers from his home country are essentially enjoying a 10% discount on trips to Japan for that exact reason.
Closer to home, Burke said his native Australia is facing some headwinds from perceptions of fuel costs making travel more difficult, but he notes Australia still has plentiful options for air travel, and costs have remained manageable.
The bigger question for Australian demand, he said, is where interest rates will trend, although that was answered in part Tuesday when the Reserve Bank of Australia increased rates, citing inflation concerns.
Rates "have a much stronger correlation to overall demand," he said.
For more from the interview with STR's Matthew Burke and Jesper Palmqvist, listen to the podcast above.
Higher demand for all hotel segments leads Marriott to raise its outlook
Execs expect Middle East to feel travel and airlift pain throughout 2026
Marriott International signed another 10 hotels with Vietnam's Sun Group. Pictured above is a rendering of the W Phu Quoc and and Phu Quoc Marriott Resort & Spa, scheduled to open in 2027. (Marriott International)
https://www.costar.com/article/1156146486/higher-demand-for-all-hotel-segments-leads-marriott-to-raise-its-outlook?
By Bryan Wroten
Broad demand levels across the globe and guest demographics drove better-than-expected first-quarter results for Marriott International, leading it to upgrade its full-year outlook.
During the first quarter, Marriott’s global revenue per available room grew 4.2%, Marriott President and CEO Tony Capuano said on the company’s earnings call with analysts. In the U.S. and Canada, it grew by 4%, and while luxury and resort properties led in the region, there was broad strength across all segments and chain scales. Luxury RevPAR grew nearly 7% while select-service RevPAR increased 3.5%, an improvement compared to a 1% decline in the fourth quarter.
Leisure RevPAR grew 6% globally, and by 5% in the U.S. and Canada, he said. Group RevPAR grew 5% both globally and in the U.S. and Canada specifically. Business transient RevPAR grew 1% globally and by 2% in the U.S. and Canada, but there was a mid-single-digit decline in government roomnights and slight declines in other business travel roomnights offset by a higher average daily rate.
The global first-quarter results are encouraging, but the strength in the U.S. and Canada is a main point, he said. Leisure and group continue to be solid, as is the business transient segment when excluding government-related travel.
“We're also seeing strength across sectors, which I think is quite exciting to me,” he said. “We have talked for the last number of quarters about the continued strength in luxury, but over the course of a quarter to go from relative weakness in the select-service tiers to about 3.5% RevPAR growth in the first quarter — I think it's a really, really encouraging sign about continued strength really across all the tiers where we operate.”
The conflict in the Middle East weighed on results in March, but international RevPAR grew by 4.6% during the quarter, he said. RevPAR in the Asia-Pacific grew over 7%, driven by strong ADR growth and an increase in demand from Chinese guests. The disruption in the Middle East travel corridor in March affected select APAC markets, including India and the Maldives.
In Greater China, Marriott’s hotels continued to gain market share and stronger leisure demand through the first quarter. The nearly 6% increase in RevPAR was led by Hong Kong and Hainan Island, both of which were up about 20% year over year.
RevPAR grew 2% in the Caribbean and Latin America, driven by record leisure demand in the Caribbean, Capuano said. That was partially offset by a decline in RevPAR in luxury resorts in Mexico.
In the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, RevPAR grew over 3% with increases in Europe and Africa partially offset by a decline in the Middle East due to the war in Iran, he said. In March, Middle East RevPAR dropped over 30% while it grew 4% in Europe.
Upgraded outlook
For the full year, Marriott expects 2% to 3% global RevPAR growth, said Jen Mason, executive vice president and chief financial officer. That new outlook, up from 1.5% to 2.5% last quarter, incorporates the outperformance during the first quarter and the higher-than-anticipated RevPAR growth in the U.S. and Canada as well as the strength seen across the chain scales continuing into April.
The FIFA World Cup matches in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are still expected to add 30 to 35 basis points to global RevPAR growth this year, she said.
Marriott is also raising its outlook in Greater China, where it now projects full-year RevPAR growth in the low single-digit range, reflecting strong first-quarter performance, she said. At the same time, it expects RevPAR growth for the near-term in the Asia-Pacific region to be lower than previously anticipated due to softer long-haul demand in certain markets that rely on Persian Gulf hub connectivity.
The company is also slightly reducing its outlook in the Caribbean and Latin America for the rest of the year primarily due to conditions in Mexico, she added.
Due to the ongoing war with Iran, Marriott is also lowing its RevPAR outlook for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, reflecting a year-over-year decline in its Middle East properties, with the greatest decline occurring in the second quarter, Mason said. The new outlook assumes the conflict could affect full-year global RevPAR growth by 100 to 125 basis points.
“We assume that air capacity and travel sentiment will continue to be impacted, particularly in the Middle East, through the end of the year,” Mason said, noting that the region accounts for 3% of Marriott’s open rooms and 7% of its pipeline rooms.
There are signs of booking activity showing some signs of recovery from the lows experienced in March, but the company expects the impact to Middle East properties will continue through the end of the year, she said. It’s anticipating a 15% reduction in RevPAR during the second quarter, and while it believes that will continue into the third and fourth quarters, conditions should improve as the year goes on.
The Middle East had an incredible fourth quarter last year, driven by some large city-wide events that drove higher rates, so Marriott expects recovery during the second half of the year, she said.
Development update
During the quarter, Marriott added approximately 15,900 net rooms, of which 7,500 net rooms were in international markets, according to the company’s earnings release. As of March 31, its global portfolio had more than 9,900 hotels with nearly 1.8 million rooms.
First-quarter deal signings increased by 9% year over year, Capuano said. Some of those include a 10-hotel deal with Vietnam’s Sun Group, an 11-hotel deal in Italy and the United Kingdom to debut its Series by Marriott brand in Europe, and its joint venture with luxury wellness hospitality brand Lefay.
The company’s global pipeline increased by 5% year over year to a new record of nearly 618,000 rooms by the end of the quarter, he said. Forty-three percent of the pipeline rooms are under construction, including those that are pending conversions.
Conversions, including multi-unit deals, represent over 35% of signings and over 40% of openings in the quarter, he said.
Marriott expects net room growth between 4.5% and 5%, which includes its typical assumption of between 1% and 1.5% room deletions, he added.
By the numbers
For the first quarter, Marriott reported revenue of $6.65 billion, a 6% increase over the first quarter of 2025, according to its earnings release. It reported net income of $648 million, a 3% year-over-year decrease.
The company achieved adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of nearly $1.4 billion during the quarter, a 15% increase compared to last year.
As of March 31, Marriott's total debt was $16.5 billion. Its cash and equivalents totaled $500 million. This is compared to $16.2 billion in debt and $400 million of cash and equivalents at year-end 2025.
During the first quarter, it repurchased 2.1 million shares of common stock for $700 million. Year-to-date through April 29, it has repurchased 3.1 million shares for $1.1 billion.
As of press time, Marriott's stock was trading at $356.70 per share, up 14.98% year to date and 41.6% year over year. The NASDAQ Composite was up 10.2% and 44.8% for the same respective periods.
I Discovered the Secret to No Crowds at This Bucket List Destination
Summit Art Creations/Shutterstock
https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/iceland/experiences/news/the-secret-to-visiting-icelands-blue-lagoon-without-the-crowds
Get ready for the most sublime spa experience of your life.
Nobody would ever call the Blue Lagoon a hidden gem. With over 700,000 annual visitors (that’s double Iceland’s population), it regularly tops the list of the must-see destinations in the entire world. Considered by many to be a modern wonder of the world, its milky blue waters surrounded by volcanic rocks and green moss don’t just make for stunning photographs; the geothermal seawater is rich in microalgae, silica, and salt, and has long been acclaimed for its healing properties (these ingredients also make up the popular, and expensive, line of Blue Lagoon skincare products sold on-site).
The Blue Lagoon is actually not as unique as you might think, at least not in Iceland. The small island country is one of the most volcanically active spots in the world, thanks to its location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This means the island is riddled with volcanoes that can and do erupt (most recently, Fagradalsfjall in 2023, just around the corner from the Blue Lagoon), but it also means that the country’s underbelly is filled with geothermal energy.
While the looming threat of volcanic eruption is not ideal, geothermal energy actually is. It helps literally keep the lights on in Iceland (almost 70% of the country now runs on geothermal energy), and it is also the reason for the existence of its hundreds of hot springs. These hot springs, or “baths” as they are often called, are both privately and publicly owned. Some of the private ones have entire set-ups with restaurants, spas, and hotels. Many of the public ones are in the middle of nowhere, and you only find out about them because someone told you exactly where to go, or you stumbled upon it on a hike.
Long story short: you are spoiled for choice when it comes to relaxing in an Icelandic hot spring, but it seems like everyone still wants to come to the Blue Lagoon. Like with nearly all bucket list destinations, that means you’ll hear a lot about it being overrated, overcrowded, and that snarkiest of all snarky travel terms: a tourist trap. But unlike many other tourist traps, there is a secret trick to visiting the Blue Lagoon and embracing it in all its awe-inspiring glory: its on-site hotel and spa, the Retreat at the Blue Lagoon.
The Typical Blue Lagoon Experience
Most visitors to the Blue Lagoon enter via the main reception building after having booked a timed ticket in advance online. There are a few tiers of ticket options, and the least expensive gets you access to the lagoon, a mud mask, a rented towel, and a free drink. You can pay more money to add drinks, more masks, and a rented bathrobe. This can all feel more like an amusement park entrance than anything else: you’re going to pay extra for every little thing, and you’re going to be sharing space with a lot of other people.
The smart advice is to book early or later in the day to avoid the crowds as much as possible, but chances are that you’re going to experience a Blue Lagoon that’s more of a public pool than a relaxing spa experience (albeit a very, very beautiful public pool).
The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon
To guarantee you have a quiet, relaxing experience at the Blue Lagoon, head to the Retreat Spa. Part of the Lagoon’s spectacular luxury hotel of the same name, hotel guests and non-hotel guests alike can take advantage of the spa treatments and private lagoon here. You’ll be able to enjoy the same hot blue waters in what often feels like a completely secluded environment (you still have access to the public lagoon in case you want to compare experiences). Quality spa treatments, all using the celebrated products from the Blue Lagoon’s skincare line, are available for booking, including a unique in-water massage where you float on a yoga mat in the serene waters.
But the highlight of a visit here is the Blue Lagoon Ritual, a four-step experience using the salt, clay, and algae found in the Blue Lagoon. The Ritual is included with your spa visit, as are a sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and several other relaxation rooms (including a darkened space where napping is encouraged), along with a private changing room for two people and one complimentary drink per person.
An on-site restaurant offers tasty lunches. Smartphones and photos are not allowed in the spa, which helps to keep you grounded in the breathtaking natural environment (staff are more than happy to take a photo of you and send it to your phone).
An afternoon at the Retreat Spa will certainly be more expensive than visiting the Blue Lagoon on its own, but it’s honestly not crazy (around $700 for two people for 5 hours), especially considering what you get. Being able to shower and nap immediately after a flight is, quite frankly, a revelation (most flights from the U.S. arrive early in the morning), and every part of the spa experience made me want to shout about the joys of a wellness vacation from the rooftop.
Promote Iceland
There is something really spiritual about the Blue Lagoon itself, with its misty steam, rejuvenating waters, and stark yet beautiful mossy volcanic landscapes. Being alone in the pools while at the Retreat is special, but so is venturing into the public area of the Blue Lagoon to share in the communal experience of wellness and relaxation, and to appreciate a beautiful place with complete strangers.
For a Real Splurge
And of course, if you really have money to spend, the Retreat Hotel is maybe just the best one in the country. Hotel guests have full access to the spa, and therefore the lagoon, at any time during their stay. The luxurious rooms (and at nearly $1,500 a night, we do mean luxurious) come equipped with luxe linens, a complimentary minibar, walk-in rainfall showers, and the ever-talked-about Blue Lagoon toiletries. All overlook either the lagoon or volcanic rock formations; some even have their own private hot pools.
Also on-site is the excellent Michelin-starred Moss Restaurant, serving a sublime six-course tasting menu featuring an always-changing line-up of high-quality Icelandic ingredients from chef Aggi Sverrisson. A vegan tasting menu is also available, as are impressive wine and non-alcoholic drink pairings. A seat at the restaurant won’t get you into the Lagoon itself, but it’s a delicious way to end your day there or to enjoy a meal with those magical blue waters in the background.
The 10 Best Soul Food Restaurants in America
Scott Lynch/Hell Gate/Taste of Heaven
https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/the-best-soul-food-restaurants-in-america
From Alabama to California, these are the best soul food restaurants in America serving fried chicken, mac and cheese, gumbo, cornbread, and unforgettable comfort food.
When most of the world thinks of “American food,” their minds usually go to hamburgers, hot dogs, ….maybe a slice of pizza or two…then back to hamburgers. It isn’t entirely false, but it isn’t the whole picture either. Especially when it comes to American Soul Food.
Soul food originated in the American South during the Transatlantic Slave Trade era, specifically in the states of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, by enslaved Africans who needed to create an entirely new culture after slaveowners violently stripped them of their own. Discarded and undesirable animal scraps became dishes that connected an entirely new ethnicity of Americans descended from slavery.
Soul food was resistance in the form of comfort, and is now the backbone of true American cuisine. Fried chicken, catfish, candied yams, mac and cheese, and dressing (or stuffing, depending on where you’re from), cornbread, and even banana pudding got their humble start in the kitchens of African-Americans in the South and are now the most decadent dishes on any menu.
Well, chitlins are still chitlins, but I digress.
Today, the cuisine is gaining global recognition, with discussions spanning cooking television shows, community platforms like Who Made the Potato Salad by KJ Kearney, and books like American Soul by Anela Malik, all exploring the flavorful roots of soul food and its impact on the larger American food system.
Soul food kitchens are constantly evolving, and so are their menus, serving everything from classic favorites to innovative takes on recipes that span centuries. In no particular order, these are the ten best soul food restaurants in the US, so good they’ll make you wanna slap yo mama.
1 OF 10
Yo’ Mama’s
WHERE: Birmingham, Alabama
Speaking of, we have to start this list off where the cuisine began – in the Deep South. Yo’ Mama’s is owned and operated by the mother-daughter duo Denise and Crystal Peterson. Yo’ Mama’s was the only restaurant in Alabama to receive a James Beard Foundation grant, along with numerous other accolades, such as a feature on Netflix and being routinely ranked as one of the best restaurants in Birmingham.
But Yo’ Mama’s menu never strays far from home, with familiar comforts like chicken and waffles, fish and shrimp plates, and shrimp and grits. Plus, its convenient location places diners near city attractions like the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, the McWane Science Center, and other things to do in Birmingham.
2 OF 10
Sol’Delish Express
WHERE: Charlotte, North Carolina
It’s hard to have a bad meal in the Carolinas, but make room in your itinerary (and stomach) to eat at Sol’Delish Express in Charlotte, North Carolina. Though new on the scene, Sol’Delish Express has already solidified itself as a community favorite.
Known for its Carolina Gold rice, a crop already steeped in Black history, the region’s Gullah Geechee culture of the Lowcountry was a large contributor to rice-based dishes being considered soul food. Get a taste of it at Sol’Delish Express with their crab cakes and yellow rice dishes; it’ll keep you energized throughout exploring Charlotte’s best tourist attractions.
3 OF 10
Bo-bobs
WHERE: Houston, Texas
Nestled inside a gas station, Bo-bobs has made waves with its unassuming exterior, hosting the best soul food in Texas and an atmosphere that feels like a homecoming. Though Texas BBQ may arguably be the most popular food item, the thing to order at Bo-bobs is anything seafood, especially the gumbo – after all, one of Houston’s nicknames is Bayou City.
Like many soul food dishes, gumbo pulls from a variety of influences, African Americans to create the new cuisine. Bo-bobs is nearby Freedmen’s Town, also known as the “Mother Ward” in Fourth Ward Houston, a community built by formerly enslaved people in the late 19th and 20th centuries. So after your soul and stomach are full, you can learn more about Houston’s Black History.
4 OF 10
The Grey
WHERE: Savannah, Georgia
The expansion of soul food throughout the USA started with the railroads. As African-Americans moved out of the Jim Crow South, in an exodus known as The Great Migration, they took their recipes and seasonings with them. One of the best soul food restaurants in America, The Grey, bases its concept on this history. Plus, eating at The Grey is one of the best things to do in Savannah, Georgia.
Occupying a lovingly restored 1938 former segregated Greyhound Bus Terminal, The Grey represents the soulful message of Southern food, layered with the personal stories co-owner and Executive Chef Mashama Bailey learned from the generations of matriarchs in her family. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but to get you started with a few staples, order blackened pecans, cornbread dressing, and the smoked sweet potato.
PHOTO: Isaac/Courtesy of Soul Vibez Signature Chicago
5 OF 10
Soul Vibez
WHERE: Chicago, Illinois
Chicago was often the first stop for many African-Americans moving out of the South, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that the city is also home to one of the best soul food restaurants in America. Soul Vibez, now expanded to multiple locations, has brought a new level to soul food veganism. Black Americans are leading the plant-based movement, with research showing they are up to three times more likely to be vegan or vegetarian than the general U.S. population.
Chef Fab, owner of Soul Vibez, folds robust plant-based options into the menu that feel cohesive to the restaurant’s story. You could spend a lifetime exploring Chicago’s attractions, but if you’re only visiting for a vacation, there are plenty of things to do in Chicago in between delicious bites.
PHOTO: Will Hightower/Soul 2 Go
6 OF 10
Soul 2 Go
WHERE: Columbus, Ohio
Coming up on its five-year anniversary, Soul 2 Go is a family-owned soul food restaurant that has already become a favorite in the Columbus culinary scene. Chef Will curated a menu that both celebrates the rich culinary traditions of the South while leaving room to innovate with modern twists that incorporate the multicultural landscape of America.
The city of Columbus itself was instrumental in innovating soul food, with the company Glory Foods creating a line of canned, pre-seasoned Southern staples that made traditional soul food accessible to a wider audience. Soul 2 Go’s signature item is the soul bowls, which combine the best soul food items into one dish. Bring your appetite because the portions are hearty while still maintaining flavor in each bite.
7 OF 10
The Reserve Restaurant
WHERE: Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore is a pillar of America’s Black culture, so it’s no wonder that Maryland’s top soul food restaurant, The Reserve Restaurant, would also make the ranks of one of the best soul food restaurants in the country. With Executive Chef Phil Crump at the helm, diners can order entree platters of honey-baked BBQ, crab cakes, lamb chops, fried fish, and more, with a generous helping of two classic sides.
But Baltimore’s Black history – and future — doesn’t stop at its food. Center your next trip to the city at The Ivy Hotel, owned by philanthropic couple Eddie and Sylvia Brown, and get a comfortable welcome to exploring the cultural side of Baltimore, Maryland.
8 OF 10
Sunshine Soulfood Cafe
WHERE: Orlando, Florida
Recently named one of the top food destinations in America, Orlando has much more to offer than just a lot of great theme parks. There are many fantastic restaurants in Orlando, but if you’re looking for soul food, the correct answer is always Sunshine Soulfood Cafe. Pulling from the area’s Caribbean demographic, Sunshine Soulfood Cafe blends American soul food with the island influences of Jamaica and Haiti.
Combining rich collard greens with succulent empanadas is not an entirely new concept to soul food; as the country and its scope of Black identity grow, so does the cuisine to reflect that. In a state as diverse as Florida, fusion seems as second nature as breathing, but for Sunshine Soulfood Cafe to top the list, it makes sure to stay rooted in flavor.
PHOTO: James Park/Jamesy World/Taste of Heaven
9 OF 10
Taste of Heaven
WHERE: Brooklyn, New York
New York City truly is the city that never sleeps, and that includes in its soul food. Named after the owner’s daughter, Taste of Heaven is a family-owned restaurant in the borough of Brooklyn that has been hailed as one of the best soul food restaurants in the state by celebrity food reviewer Keith Lee.
With a menu full of soul food classics like spare ribs, turkey wings, and BBQ chicken, don’t be surprised if you find yourself leaving the restaurant still licking your fingers. If you haven’t visited Brooklyn in a while, the neighborhood may feel unrecognizable. Thankfully, Taste of Heaven is one staple that holds solid.
10 OF 10
The Toast & Jam
WHERE: Inglewood, California
The essence of soul food is the culinary traditions that get passed down through generations, and that’s exactly what’s happening now at The Toast & Jam in Inglewood, California. Loved for over ten years as Rusty Pot Cafe, owner and Head Chef Linda Credit learned the art of soul food from her mother, the restaurant baton is now being passed to her daughter.
Rebranded as The Toast & Jam, the menu keeps its same charmingly delicious signatures that make it one of the best brunch restaurants this side of Los Angeles County. But if you’re coming from other parts of the city, don’t worry. Their specialty scrambles are worth the highway traffic. The future of soul food is still being written, but one thing is guaranteed: it will be delicious.
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