Proposed Passport Rule Will Make Parents Prove Their Own Citizenship
Proposed Passport Rule Will Make Parents Prove Their Own Citizenship
istock/Zimmytws
https://www.fodors.com/news/news/proposed-passport-rule-will-make-parents-prove-their-own-citizenship
New State Department passport rules could require parents to prove their citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for their children.
The State Department is considering new rules for children’s passports that would require parents to submit proof of their own citizenship or immigration status. The proposal, if implemented, would mark a significant departure from how the State Department currently processes passport applications for children.
Under the current rules, parents applying for passports for their children must provide proof of the child’s eligibility for a passport—generally proof of citizenship status such as a birth certificate or an expired passport—and proof of their relationship to the child. The new rules would also require parents to submit proof of their own citizenship—even if they’re not applying for a passport for themselves.
A draft proposal was reviewed by the news agency Reuters. It was unclear how the State Department planned to use citizenship documentation provided by parents should the rule become final. The draft made reference to Executive Order 14418, which was signed by President Trump in August 2026, saying that citizenship cannot be granted to consular officials, children of people belonging to foreign terrorist organizations, or people who have engaged in what the administration terms “birth tourism,” or come to the United States expressly to give birth to children who would be conferred U.S. citizenship. The order instructed the State and Homeland Security Departments to take all steps to prevent “birth tourism,” including revoking visas or permanently barring offenders from entering the United States.
The executive order was issued in response to a Supreme Court ruling in June that upheld birthright citizenship, or the constitutional right to citizenship for all children born in the United States, regardless of the citizenship status or nationality of their parents. A district court judge on Tuesday separately prevented that executive order from being enforced while a lawsuit against it works its way through the courts.
It appears the State Department’s proposal aims to require citizenship paperwork from all parents applying for passports for their children to verify them against the executive order, but the proposal raises legal questions, particularly if the Department were to ultimately deny a passport to a child who is a U.S. citizen because of the citizenship status of the parents.
Requiring proof of citizenship from parents of children applying for passports could also be used as a pretext for immigration enforcement actions, which could have a chilling effect on passport applications for U.S. citizen children who are otherwise entitled to them, but whose non-citizen parents worry about administrative difficulties.
Neama Rahmani, former federal prosecutor and president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Newsweek, “Practically speaking, parents who have no [citizenship] status are unlikely to apply for passports for their citizen children out of fear of being arrested and deported.”
If the rule becomes final, it would likely face immediate legal challenges, especially now that the underlying executive order that the State Department claims as authority for requesting proof of citizenship has now been blocked by the courts.
“The President has no power to unilaterally rewrite the Constitution, and he should be enjoined from denying citizenship to the members of the certified class under this or any other executive order,” attorneys for the plaintiffs in the district court case wrote last week.
The State Department issued 27.3 million passports in 2025, a record high—nearly double the number issued just ten years ago. There are 183.1 million valid U.S. passports, meaning around 58% of U.S. citizens who are eligible for a passport have one that is currently valid.
What to Pack for Europe in the Fall Without Overpacking
Mauro Del Signore/Shutterstock
https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/experiences/news/photos/what-to-pack-for-europe-in-the-fall-without-overpacking
Travel light but keep layers to fight off the fall chill.
Fall is a beautiful season to visit Europe. The crowds are considerably less, and museums have more spots. The colors turn vibrant with the foliage, but you’ll have a harder time trying to find pumpkin spiced lattes. No matter, black coffee is also sweet in Europe because you’re in Europe! Heed to the old-time advice of traveling light—you don’t want to be lugging multiple suitcases up and down the stairs. In fall, a light bag requires ninja-like precision to prepare for the possibly wet and chilly weather. To help you get started, here are my recommendations.
PHOTO: DORALIN SAMUEL TUNAS/SHUTTERSTOCK
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What’s the Plan?
As someone who has made packing mistakes around the world, I’m telling you to not underestimate the weather. Even if you’re all ready to go, the day before your trip, look at the weather app again because it does change without notice. Don’t forget to check what the temperature “feels like” because a windy dawn at 35 degrees is not the same as a sunny day at 35 degrees.
Early September temperatures are very different from late November, and it varies dramatically when you move west to east and north to south. Are you heading to Greece? Then you will experience mild weather in early fall, and it’ll get chilly in November. In Denmark, it can go as low as 50 degrees in September and November drops to 35 degrees. Hungary falls somewhere in between.
London and Amsterdam might be completely overcast and cloudy, while Lisbon and Prague might be sunny and cheerful. So, depending on your destination(s), you’ll need to make choices. But be prepared for last-minute flips—with climate change, things have become unpredictable.
PHOTO: MARIA MARKEVICH/SHUTTERSTOCK
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Layer, Layer, Layer
Is it hot? Is it cold? Is it rainy? In Amsterdam, it can be all three in one day, and London and Paris are not much different. The winning strategy is layering. A t-shirt, a pair of pants, a cardigan, a waterproof jacket, and a scarf are my go-to. This way, I can take off layers at restaurants and museums, without sweating through my facepores. And don’t be fooled by the afternoon sun, evenings are cool and you will need to cover up.
You’ll be tempted to bring your hoodies and sweatshirts, but edit mercilessly. A merino wool sweater or a light cardigan will help you layer better and it’ll be easier to pack in your suitcase. If you build a capsule wardrobe with neutrals, you’ll also be able to mix and match effortlessly and blend better with stylish Europeans.
PHOTO: FLYSTOCK/SHUTTERSTOCK
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Rainproof It
Before I moved to Denmark, I was told, “You will get wet.” Boy, does it rain there. Now that I’m in Amsterdam, I also get caught in showers every now and then. You can bet that it will rain in Northern Europe from September onwards, but the southern part of the continent is much drier until November. Fall is also windy, so don’t underestimate how cold you might feel when it’s raining. It’s also not a light downpour—I have seen days of endless rain.
It might put a damper on your holiday if you’re dripping and miserable, so make sure to get a rainproof jacket (and sneakers if you have them) to make the grey skies more bearable. Pro tip: Uniqlo has pants that are water-resistant, and I live in them in fall and winter.
PHOTO: O. KALACHEVA/SHUTTERSTOCK
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A Well-Heeled Journey
This seems like obvious advice, but it bears reminding: wear comfortable walking shoes in Europe. You will be walking way more than 10,000 steps in a day, and on cobblestone, you’ll appreciate some cushion. The time for flip-flops is gone. Pack another pair of more formal shoes, like loafers or boots, to smarten up for evening drinks and dinner, and leave the heels behind.
PHOTO: DALI BEK/UNSPLASH
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Scarves and Woolies
Evening temperatures can drop low without notice. A woollen cap and a scarf go a long way, especially as days get colder, darker, and wetter.
PHOTO: DASHA LAPSHINA/SHUTTERSTOCK
6 OF 8
Socks and More Socks
Did I mention that it rains a lot in some places (Ireland, the U.K., Scandinavia, the Netherlands)? It’s the worst feeling to move around with sloshy socks, and even worse when you don’t have extras for the following day. Don’t go crazy, but pack extra pairs to keep your feet cozy. Tights and leggings might come in handy under skirts and dresses, too.
PHOTO: APEKSHA BHATEJA
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Room for a Bag
A crossbody bag for being out and about all day is your best bet. Make sure it has enough space for your phone, hotel key, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a water bottle. A foldable bag for groceries or knick-knacks is also useful—I buy snacks wherever I go, so I’ve picked up the habit of bringing a tote with me.
PHOTO: VICTORIA FOX/SHUTTERSTOCK
8 OF 8
Dressing Up
You don’t have to compromise on style though. There are smart ways to jazz up your look without bringing more clothes. Exchange your sneakers for boots or loafers, have a blazer at hand to complement your jeans or tights and dresses, and wrap up in a lightweight scarf.
Business travel has changed, and hotels can do more to adapt
Office demand, flight availability, and experiential stays all play a part
(Getty Images)
https://www.costar.com/article/1668406187/business-travel-has-changed-and-hotels-can-do-more-to-adapt?
By Bryan Wroten
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Business travel has long been an essential part of hotels' demand mix, but the segment has yet to return in full force from the pandemic.
The business travel segment is active and growing, but the current environment makes it a challenge for hotel revenue managers to form strategies.
During the "What's next for business travel" panel at the 2026 Hotel Data Conference, CoStar Group Director of Hospitality Market Analytics Didio Pequeno said that across the top 25 office markets, office demand has largely declined while office rent has increased. That increase in rent is due largely to a flight to quality.
“A lot of the office space that is currently being leased is being skewed toward the higher end of the market,” he said. “In the past, a lot of class B and C buildings would lower rates to fill occupancy, but nowadays they're having a hard time getting tenants, even when there's those lower rates.”
Another reason office rents are high is because of the concessions landlords are making, such as free rent and construction allowances, Pequeno said. It’s akin to a hotel reservation for five nights at $500 a night, but the fifth night is free. Even with the rent increases, however, many of these office markets haven’t been able to keep up with the pace of inflation.
Teleworking rates in 2019 were about 6.5%, but then because of the pandemic, those rates increased and peaked at about 35% in May 2020, he said. Since then, that rate has leveled out at about 23% year to date in August. There was a dip in early 2025 due to the federal return-to-office order.
The increase in teleworking rates led to a reduction in average office visits, and office visits bottomed out in early 2020 before steadily increasing until they leveled out over the past year or two, Pequeno said.
“Weekday [hotel] transient demand has followed a very similar trajectory, and that may be an indication that office visits have really started to approach stabilization or have already stabilized,” he said.
The core days of the week for business travel demand in hotels are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with shoulder days of Sunday and Thursday, he said. In recent years, the shoulder nights have grown the most.
The increase in teleworking and the reduction in average office visits has led to a decline in office demand, but, conversely, weekday transient hotel demand has continued to grow. There isn’t much correlation between office demand and weekday transient hotel demand because performance varies wildly.
Some markets that have had a dip in office demand as well as a dip in weekday transient hotel demand, such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, he said. Others have seen office demand decline while they’re top performing markets for weekday transient demand, including Atlanta, Phoenix and Detroit.
There is better alignment between weekday transient hotel average daily rate and office rent growth, dating back to 2019, he said. The best-performing markets have been Las Vegas and Miami, which achieved the highest weekday transient ADR and highest rates of office rent growth.
“These trends have been driven by inflation, office leasing strategies and a flight to quality that has driven up rents,” he said.
Business traveler behavior
Hotel revenue managers must focus on how much business on the books will appear in the next two weeks, said Karen Carroll, vice president of revenue strategy and e-commerce at hotel management, ownership and consulting company GF Hotels and Resorts. Pre-pandemic, revenue managers could look to the 90-day bookings pace to tell them about how their month would end.
Michael Dominguez (right), of Associated Luxury Hotels International, speaks alongside Karen Carroll, of GF Hotels and Resorts, at the 2026 Hotel Data Conference about the business travel demand segment. (Bryan Wroten)
“Nowadays, in our environment, it’s a little bit different,” she said. “You have to look at those business travelers and the demand that often materializes within a two-week window.”
The hotels that are succeeding in this aren't necessarily those that can detect the shifts in business, she said. Revenue managers can get the data to show what’s really happening, but it’s about how the team will act on it faster than the next hotel.
“It’s been the challenge that we face,” she said.
When looking at which days it’s less expensive to travel, Pequeno said he found airfare to be more expensive on Sundays and Mondays. There are more discounts for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
How long business travelers stay in a market can depend on the market itself, he added. For example, business travelers to Nashville often tack on an extra day or two.
Even when employers are back in the office, it’s often not for the full week, said Michael Dominguez, president and CEO of global hotel sales organization Associated Luxury Hotels International. His company used to have Friday morning meetings, but not anymore. The meetings now occur on Mondays to take advantage of the front end of the week.
There was also a realignment of air service during the pandemic, and regional destinations were hit a little harder, because it’s both about where the traveler is going as well as where they’re from, he said. As someone who travels every week, Dominguez tries to avoid Sunday night flights, but sometimes there are no other options.
“I do think that’s a little bit of the redeployment of the airline inventory and our lack of new planes because Boeing’s well behind right now, and they’re trying to catch up,” he said.
Meeting business travelers’ needs
Business travelers are adding in more personal experiences and touches to their trips, as indicated by the growth of shoulder nights, Pequeno said.
“I think that does provide hotels with an opportunity, even if you cater to more corporate accounts and business travelers, to treat yourself almost as a lifestyle brand and make sure you’re providing a travelers with a really unique and cultural and local and authentic experience,” he said. “Give the traveler reasons to come back outside of just business.”
When it comes to wellness at a hotel, having a health club doesn’t check the box anymore, Dominguez said.
“Can I do free weights? Do it. Do I have a Peloton? Do it. Do I have the right equipment?” he said. “Now it’s an expectation. It’s no longer an exception.”
It’s important to study the locale and know who’s coming as a business traveler, Dominguez said. If a hotel’s guest mix is 10% East Coasters, but the last decent flight to the region is at 3:30 p.m., why is the check-out time at 11 a.m.?
“If that's the audience you want, how can you help them?” he said. “I know what this does for housekeeping, so you have to think it through. But I don’t think we’re doing that. I think we’re treating everybody equal and we’re treating the environment the same.”
For the traveler, it’s a difference of having to check out, check their bags and then find a place to take a Zoom call versus staying in their room an extra hour and a half without it being a big deal, Dominguez said.
“If you could offer that, then you get to own it because you’re saying we understand you, we are trying to make your life a little easier,” he said.
Hoteliers are all looking to capture business travel, particularly the business clients who would give them the stronger life cycle of an account, Carroll said. Acts of service can go a long way, such as handwriting them a note, getting them some water, or even asking how their day was.
“I think a lot of those things go a long way, and that’s how we’re going to be successful,” she said. “That’s how we’re going to beat the competitor next door, by providing that service and making sure that we’re taking care of those people so they want to come back every single week.”
Aimbridge Hospitality launches new labor management tool
https://hotelsmag.com/news/aimbridge-hospitality-launches-new-labor-management-tool/
Aimbridge Hospitality has launched a proprietary labor tool across its portfolio called Labor Insight & Forecasting Tool, or Lift, which brings together labor data from multiple systems into one connected view, giving property and finance leaders a common reference for planning labor daily, weekly, and monthly.
LIFT applies data science and AI-assisted forecasting to labor planning, giving leaders a real-time view of staffing needs. Staffing levels affect the guest experience that drives repeat bookings and occupancy, while scheduling affects GOP flow-through and associate turnover.
“Launching LIFT reflects Aimbridge’s broader commitment to invest in technology that directly supports owner profitability. We have a tremendous amount of data across our hotels, and we want to use it to help our teams act quickly and give owners a clear line of sight into how those decisions show up in hotel performance,” said Keryn McNamara, chief information officer of Aimbridge.
The platform connects three core pieces of labor management — forecasting, scheduling, and execution — into a single view, so property and regional teams can see where labor and demand are drifting out of alignment before they actualize. This allows leaders to adjust staffing proactively, before a property is over- or under-staffed. LIFT leverages existing property system data and automatically updates, reducing administrative burden on hotel teams.
Results from the company’s recent pilot showed labor productivity gains, with the biggest improvements in housekeeping and laundry. Scheduling accuracy improved, bringing planned and actual labor into closer alignment without a tradeoff to the guest or team experience. Early results after the full rollout show similar gains.
“Labor is typically one of the hardest areas to get right, but one of the most consequential in determining profitability of a hotel,” said Chris O’Donnell, president of select service of Aimbridge Hospitality. “It’s difficult to determine the true cost of a staffing decision if you don’t have visibility until the financials come out later. LIFT puts forecasting, scheduling, and real-time execution on one screen, so our leaders catch a staffing gap the moment it happens.”
LIFT is the second proprietary technology platform Aimbridge introduced in 2026, following S.P.A.R.K. earlier this year.
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