This week in hotel news saw Hilton announce plans to transfer its common stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq, as well as Hyatt Hotels open its first Hyatt Centric property in Missouri.  

Additionally, Q3 earnings season kicked off with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and IHG Hotels & Resorts posting U.S. RevPAR gains. Check back to Hotel Dive over the next couple of weeks for additional earnings coverage. 

Meanwhile, according to a fall survey by the Hospitality Asset Managers Association, the majority of hotel asset managers anticipate their portfolio will see RevPAR growth for full-year 2026. 

Here are some other headlines from the week that hoteliers may have missed: 

Expedia Group launches autonomous onboarding for hotels

Travel technology company Expedia Group has launched an Autonomous Onboarding program, allowing properties to join its platform through their existing software, according to a news release. 

With the program, hotels can select Expedia Group as a distribution channel and go live in less than 24 hours, without any duplicate data entry required, per the release. The technology essentially bypasses the manual setup previously required, as the program now automatically transfers the critical data needed to set up the hotel. 

“Adding a new source of demand should not add a new layer of work,” said Chris Hodges, Expedia vice president of global connectivity and partner solutions, in a statement. 

Autonomous Onboarding is an “important first step” for the company’s broader “autonomous distribution” strategy, which strives to allow partners to “spend less time on manual processes and more time growing their business,” Hodges added. 

Signia Hilton Savannah in Georgia tops out

Signia Hilton Savannah in Georgia topped out this week, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the 444-room headquarters hotel, Hilton announced. 

Construction crews placed the highest structural beam on the building roughly a year after it broke ground. The hotel will connect to the Savannah Convention Center and is slated to open in 2028, per Hilton. 

Upon completion, the hotel will feature more than 34,000 square feet of meetings and events space, including a 13,000-square-foot ballroom; five food and beverage venues; a Club Signia executive lounge; and an outdoor pool.

The hotel is among several other Signia by Hilton properties underway across the country, including an 800-key hotel in Indianapolis serving the Indiana Convention Center and a resort in Naples, Florida, set to open next year. Additionally, the brand made its Texas debut last year. 

Driftwood Hospitality Management appoints several GMs, other leaders

Driftwood Hospitality Management made a series of new general manager and corporate appointments across its U.S. portfolio, according to a news release shared with Hotel Dive. 

The recent general manager appointments include Chris Steele at the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront hotel in Florida, Brock Taylor at the Canopy by Hilton West Palm Beach Downtown in Florida, Nathan Paerels at the Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown in Arizona and Tim Whitehead at the Crowne Plaza Springfield and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Springfield in Illinois. 

Driftwood also named Alex Shelton as director of sales and marketing at The Scottsdale Resort and Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton in Arizona. And on its corporate team, the hotel management company promoted Suzi Miller to regional director of sales and marketing. 

The recent appointments come after Driftwood appointed Gregory Maliassas CEO earlier this year. 

Hard Rock Casino Tejon breaks ground on hotel project

Hard Rock International and the Tejon Indian Tribe have started work on a $725 million project that will transform the Hard Rock Casino Tejon in California into a full-service resort and entertainment destination, according to a news release. 

The upcoming Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon will have 406 rooms, including 119 suites, as well as a bigger gaming section, new dining and offerings, additional meeting space, two resort-style pools and a full-service Rock Spa, per the release. 

“This next investment builds upon that success and brings us closer to our long-term vision of creating a world-class resort destination that will serve our guests, strengthen our regional economy and create opportunities for generations to come,” said Octavio Escobedo III, chairman of the Tejon Indian Tribe, in a statement. 

Construction is expected to begin immediately, and the resort is expected to open in summer 2028. The Hard Rock Casino in Tejon, located on tribal land in Mettler, California, first opened in November 2025.