Travel Market Insights
The Mark Hotel appoints Kenchington as GM

US: Five-star Manhattan property The Mark Hotel has named Elon Kenchington as its general manager.
Prior to joining The Mark, Kenchington held senior executive roles at luxury hotels across Europe and the Americas, including The Curtain Hotel & Members Club, The Park Tower Knightsbridge, The Bryant Park Hotel, The St. Regis New York, and more
He brings more than 30 years of experience in the luxury and lifestyle hospitality sectors to the role.
“It’s an honour to join The Mark, an emblematic hotel that has redefined modern luxury with bold vision and timeless style,” said Kenchington. “From its signature design to its cultural touch points, The Mark is one of those rare places that feels both classic and unexpected – iconic, beautiful, and distinctly New York. I look forward to working alongside the extraordinary team here to continue elevating what makes this hotel so exceptional.”
The Mark Hotel features 106 rooms, 44 suites and three penthouses, alongside three F&B venues, a meeting room, fitness centre, a Frédéric Fekkai hair salon, in-room wellness treatments, and a seasonal sailboat available for private charter and ticketed experiences.
Highlights:
• Elon Kenchington has been appointed general manager of The Mark Hotel.
• He brings over 30 years of global hospitality experience, having held senior roles at hotels including The St. Regis New York, The Curtain Hotel & Members Club, and The Park Tower Knightsbridge.
• The Mark Hotel offers 106 rooms, 44 suites, and three penthouses, along with amenities such as F&B venues, a Frédéric Fekkai salon, in-room wellness services, and a private seasonal sailboat experience.
Travel Market Insights
Delta Says It Will Not Use AI to Target Customers

Key Points
- Delta Air Lines clarified it does not use AI to set individualized airfares based on personal data, following criticism from lawmakers.
- The airline uses AI, via a partnership with Fetcherr, to assist in dynamic pricing for a growing portion of its domestic flights, but claims all fares are determined by market dynamics and are publicly available.
- Lawmakers and officials have expressed concerns about potential predatory or ‘surveillance’ pricing, prompting Delta to stress its commitment to fair, competitive pricing and data privacy.
Summary
Delta Air Lines has publicly stated that it does not use AI to set individualized prices based on personal customer data, responding to recent criticism and inquiries from U.S. lawmakers. The airline acknowledged using AI technology, through a partnership with Fetcherr, to assist analysts in setting fares for a portion of its domestic flights, with plans to expand this use. However, Delta emphasized that fares are determined by market competition, not personal data, and all prices are transparently published, aiming to dispel concerns about privacy and potential predatory pricing.
Travel Market Insights
U.S. Dollar Slide Hurts Accor, Minor, and Meliá

Some of the world’s largest hotel companies saw their earnings dented by currency swings in the first half of 2025, as euro and baht-reporting groups absorbed losses while U.S.-based chains appeared largely insulated from the volatility.
Accor, Meliá Hotels, and Minor International all reported currency-related losses that offset solid operational performance. Meanwhile, U.S.-based Hilton and Wyndham, which report in dollars, did not mention foreign exchange impacts in their earnings calls and appeared shielded from the same pressures.
The U.S. dollar index dropped 10.8% in the first half of 2025 following the Trump administration’s April tariffs and public clashes with the Federal Reserve. The resulting investor pullback caused the dollar to weaken sharply against the euro, baht, and other currencies.
Accor: Currency Among Its Biggest Headwinds
Paris-based Accor repo
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