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HomeExchange scales up with the arrival of Verlinvest
Home swapping is no longer a niche for insiders. HomeExchange is bringing Verlinvest on board as an investor at a time when the platform reports 2.3 million travelers who have completed an exchange in the last twelve months and 11.8 million nights booked. Co-CEOs Emmanuel Arnaud and Charles-Édouard Girard remain at the helm and are increasing their stake. The goal is clear: to improve the user experience, accelerate the premium HomeExchange Collection offering, and further grow the community in Western Europe and the United States.
France: International tourism accelerates as locals tighten budgets
France continues to attract foreign visitors, but the behavior of French travelers is shifting. International tourism revenue reached 49.5 billion euros between January and the end of July 2026, with July showing a 3.7% year-on-year increase. At the same time, the percentage of French people vacationing within France dropped by 5 points to 59% during July and August, while trips abroad increased. June and September are gaining ground: the tourist season is extending, but budget trade-offs are becoming more apparent.
OTAs or direct sales: the real issue is profitability
Pitting OTAs against direct sales is no longer enough. A high-performing hotel now builds a distribution mix tailored to its positioning, brand awareness, and margin goals. OTA commissions remain visible—often 15 to 20%—but direct sales also have a cost: website, booking engine, SEO, SEA, loyalty programs, and conversion. The right question is no longer "should we leave Booking?", but rather what each reservation actually costs, what net revenue each channel generates, and what direct sales trajectory the property can realistically build over 24 months.
In Aix, Adagio and ibis Styles share much more than just an address
One reception, two brands, and 172 units: in Aix-en-Provence, Adagio Access and ibis Styles are piloting a hybrid hotel model. The site combines 84 apartments and 88 rooms, sharing common spaces and services while maintaining each brand's distinct identity. A meeting room, bar, laundry room, gym, parking, and bike storage round out the facilities. This opening is part of Adagio’s takeover of nine sites previously operated for Sergic, totaling 1,152 keys, and illustrates a strategy of resource sharing that can improve operational efficiency without diluting brand identity.
In Japan, a giant Poké Ball becomes a hotel room
Three meters in diameter, a round bed, and a lake view: in Tomakomai, on the island of Hokkaido, NOT A HOTEL has partnered with Pokémon Sleep to transform a Poké Ball into a hotel room. The nods to the Pokémon universe extend to the interior lighting, which changes based on the character selected on an iPad. The experience remains ultra-exclusive, however: only Japanese residents using Pokémon Sleep can enter a contest to win a stay between October 8 and 18. It is a marketing masterstroke that turns nostalgia into a genuine hospitality experience.
Tiffany turns its boutiques into gourmet destinations
Tiffany & Co. is accelerating the rollout of its Blue Box Cafés. Following openings in Hong Kong and Singapore this summer, the brand has just launched the only Tiffany café on the U.S. West Coast in Costa Mesa, featuring a menu by Daniel Boulud. Born in New York in 2017, the concept now spans from London to Dubai, Taipei, and Tokyo. Behind these Tiffany-blue breakfasts lies a broader strategy: transforming the boutique visit into an immersive experience that draws customers in on its own merits—a strategy LVMH is also developing across several of its other houses.
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