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Hilton has spent the post-pandemic years growing its brand portfolio mostly through acquisitions such as Graduate and NoMad. That's about to change. In an exclusive interview, chief development officer Christian Charnaux told Skift that organic brand launches are coming "in short order," part of CEO Chris Nassetta's push toward a portfolio of more than 30 brands.

Charnaux also pulled back the curtain on RISE, a little-discussed program that discounts franchise fees for consistently high-performing hotels. For owners being asked to bet capital on unproven new brands, that context matters.

Skift IDEA Awards

The brands that define an industry get built before the market proves them right. If you're launching one, the IDEA Awards put it in front of the people who decide what works.

Judged by leaders from Hilton, IHG, Accor, Marriott, and Carnival, with winners taking a Skift Global Forum stage. Final entry deadline July 1.

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Hilton Says It Will Build New Brands Again — Owners Will Want to See the Math

Hilton Says It Will Build New Brands Again — Owners Will Want to See the Math

by Sean O'Neill

A trademark and a domain suggest that a new Hilton lifestyle brand called Tortoise may be in the works. But the bigger question for the newish chief development officer is whether Hilton's model still mints the best returns for owners.

World Cup Week 1: Boosting Hotel Revenue, But Occupancy Lags

World Cup Week 1: Boosting Hotel Revenue, But Occupancy Lags

by Bailey Schulz

The global soccer tournament is juicing revenue per available room, even if it’s not delivering the occupancies hotels had been expecting.

Karak Chai, Luxury Retail, and the Invisible Millions of the Gulf Hub Airports: An Audio Essay

Karak Chai, Luxury Retail, and the Invisible Millions of the Gulf Hub Airports: An Audio Essay

by Rafat Ali

The largest purpose-driven travel flow on earth passes through the most commercially aspirational spaces on earth, and the dissonance is jarring if you stop long enough to watch who is actually walking past the glittering Hermes store...

ZURICH COVER-MORE + SKIFT

With Skift Global Forum just 3 months away, revisit the key insights from last year and start thinking about the conversations you'll want to be part of in 2026.

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SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK

Everyone wants to build the AI agent that plans your trips. The question is who travelers will trust enough to let into their lives.

Seth Borko and Gilad Berenstein discuss why the future of travel may come down to a new trust layer between consumers, brands, and AI.

SKIFT TRAVEL 200

How are public travel companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to understand global market movements. Paid subscribers get full access here.

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