Latest Hospitality and leisure industry News
Legalized online sports betting advances in Mississippi Legislature
A panel of Mississippi lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday that would permit mobile sports betting, a move proponents say would satisfy strong consumer demand and produce millions in new tax revenue. House Gaming Chairman Rep. Casey Eure, R-Saucier, is trying again to pass...
Legoland Florida plans to layoff 234 workers who are mostly performers
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Legoland Florida plans to lay off 234 workers, primarily performers, in an effort to be more competitive in central Florida's thriving theme park market, company officials said. The theme park resort in Winter Haven, Florida, said in a notice to the state...
Irish tourist dies following fall at Bulgarian mountain ski resort
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — A 29-year-old man from Ireland died on Wednesday from injuries sustained the previous day in a fall at the Bansko mountain ski resort in southern Bulgaria. The tourist was seriously injured after falling on Tuesday from a height of about 600 meters (1,900...
No, Spain isn't banning tourists. Here’s what to know before planning a trip
MADRID (AP) — Spain attracted a record 94 million tourists last year, making the Southern European nation famous for its Mediterranean coastline, sweeping landscapes and historic cities among the most visited countries on earth. The surge in visitors has stoked complaints at times...
A new luxury hotel towers over Havana as Cuba's economic troubles mount and tourism plummets
HAVANA (AP) — It’s impossible to miss. The huge rectangular mass of concrete and glass — the tallest building in Havana — dominates the city skyline, towering 150 meters (490 feet) above colonial homes with its 542 luxury rooms and majestic views of the city and the sea. The...
5 economic forces that could shape the first year of Trump's presidency
WASHINGTON (AP) — Like most presidents, Donald Trump faces an economy that seldom bends to political ambitions. The Republican has promised strong growth, high tariffs, income tax cuts and booming oilfields. But despite the solid job market and low 4.1% unemployment rate, he has to...
Haitians demand priority after government spends $3.8M for a brief visit from Colombia's leader
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The money materialized as soon as Colombia’s president confirmed his visit to southern Haiti. The Haitian government invested more than $3.8 million to more than double the runway at the airport in the coastal city of Jacmel, repair its streets,...
Starbucks' policy change flushes out a debate over public restroom access
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom policies that has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to use the loo and when. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and...
Witnesses describe chaos and panic at Turkish ski resort as fire ripped through hotel where 79 died
KARTALKAYA, Turkey (AP) — As flames tore through a 12-story hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey, friends Esra Karakisa and Halime Cetin watched helplessly as the horror unfolded before them. Some people were leaning out of smoke-filled rooms pleading for help, while others made...
At least 76 people killed in a hotel fire at a ski resort in Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A fire raged through a 12-story hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey early Tuesday during a school holiday, killing at least 76 people — at least two of them when they jumped from the building to escape the flames, officials said. At least...
