by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Tue July 28, 2026
There have been a large number of big headlines as far as hotels and resorts are concerned, from new hotels and resorts opening around the world to new data showing the positive impact the World Cup has had on the U.S. host cities.
Read on to learn about the most important news you should know, including which hotel loyalty program has been ranked as the best this year, and why one hospitality executive was investigated for misconduct.
New Hotels & Resorts
Four Seasons Mykonos Hotel (Photo Credit: Four Seasons)
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced plans to expand its footprint in Canada with nearly 40 new hotels in its development pipeline, adding to more than 200 hotels already in Canada. Future hotels include several brands, including a Crowne Plaza hotel in Toronto and four Staybridge Suites across Canada.
Lopesan Hotel Group celebrated its biggest resort expansion in the Caribbean this July, opening three new resorts in the Dominican Republic. The resorts, Lopesan Caoba Lagoon Resort Spa & Casino, Lopesan Serenity Bay Spa & Casino and Lopesan Splash Cove Spa & Casino, offer both family-friendly and adults-only resort options to the brand’s Dominican Republic portfolio.
Club Med has begun construction on its Club Med St. Croix resort, formerly known as the Carambola Beach Resort, this month. The all-suite resort will open at the end of next year and bring the brand back to U.S. territory.
The Four Seasons brand celebrated the opening of a new resort in Mykonos in July: the 200-guest Four Seasons Resort Mykonos. The resort offers a luxury stay just 20 miles away from Mykonos’s main city, with two pools, a full spa and several dining and drinking venues.
Marriott continues its all-inclusive expansion around the world, noting the development of several new resorts across the globe. It announced the development of the Marriott Hotels All-Inclusive Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica and an Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort in Zanzibar, Tanzania, expected to open in 2028 and 2027, respectively.
North America Hospitality & World Cup Impact
World Cup trophy outside of NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo Credit: Adobe/dima)
We’ve covered reports about the impact of the FIFA World Cup on the U.S. and North America hospitality sector recently, along with a fun report on what’s driving hotel satisfaction in the region, so let’s dive in.
First, the JD Power 2026 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index was released earlier in July. It found that North America’s hotel guest satisfaction increased from 2025, especially when it came to food and beverage and value for price paid. Read more about the insights here.
Data from CoStar about the FIFA World Cup’s impact on the hospitality sector in the U.S. found that cities like Kansas City and Philadelphia led a surge for the nation, with World Cup host cities seeing a 23% surge in RevPAR during the start of the knockout stage, showing that the hospitality sector is experiencing better outcomes than originally predicted when the games first began.
Due to the impact of the World Cup, industry leaders from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and others are calling for an extension of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which the Trump Administration formally declined to renew on July 1, 2026, as a successor to NAFTA would facilitate free trade between the three countries.
MGM Resorts Buyout
MGM Resorts has formed a special committee to consider People Inc.’s $18 billion buyout offer for the resort and casino operator. People Inc. owns just over a quarter of all MGM stock, but has been seriously considering acquiring the brand in full since earlier this year.
Accor CEO Under Investigation
Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin launched an independent investigation about himself following an anonymous report alleging favoritism and conflicts of interest. Following the investigation, Bazin was cleared of his alleged misconduct.
The Best Hotel Loyalty Programs
The U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Travel Rewards Programs launched in July, ranking the best hotel travel rewards programs. In order, the top five include Wyndham Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, Choice Privileges and Sonesta Travel Pass.
Big Renovations
The hotel was originally constructed in 1939. (Photo Credit: South Palm South Beach / Marriott International)
There have been some big headlines about resorts being renovated in July.
The first was the Ka Laʻi Waikīkī Beach, an LXR Hotels & Resorts by Hilton resort. The resort is the first in the luxury resort brand to be located in Hawai’i, and was formerly a Trump International resort before Hilton purchased it. It’s undergone a $100 million renovation to update its rooms and public spaces.
Three Sandals resorts in Jamaica will be reopening later this year following a $200 million renovation and restoration project that went beyond post-hurricane repairs. Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals South Coast will offer new experiences including new room categories, dining concepts, pools and more.
Hard Rock Hotel Cancun and Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta in Mexico will be closing through December, 2026 for sweeping property upgrades and enhancements.
Lastly, Miami’s Royal Palm South Beach has reopened following a $100 million renovation. The property, which dates back to 1939, offers updated accommodations and new room categories, along with flexible event spaces.
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