Holiday & Hospitality News

10,000 hotels across Europe launch class-action lawsuit against Booking.com, accusing the online travel platform of engaging in unfair business practices. 

The National Theatre of Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Accra City Hotel to strengthen ties between the arts and hospitality sectors and promote Ghanaian culture locally and internationally. 

The agreement will see weekly performances at the hotel by the National Theatre’s three resident groups—the National Drama Company, the National Dance Company, and the National Symphony Orchestra—showcasing music, drama, and symphonic presentations that reflect Ghana’s diverse cultural heritage. Acting Executive Director of the National Theatre, Henry Herbert Malm, said the initiative aims to “spread our culture” while providing in-house entertainment for guests, encouraging other partners to collaborate in boosting cultural tourism.

The Ghana Hotels Association says it can comfortably accommodate a surge in international visitors, even if guest numbers double this year. 

Citing the Ghana Tourism Authority’s 2024 report, which recorded 1.29 million international arrivals—a 12% increase—
President Dr. Edward Nyamike noted that existing infrastructure is sufficient but stressed the need for continued investment to expand capacity and maintain quality, especially during peak seasons.

The Creative Arts Agency has indefinitely postponed the Kumasi edition of a candlelight vigil in honour of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, originally scheduled for Saturday, 9th August 2025.
This decision was announced in a press statement dated 7th August, 2025 and signed by the acting Executive Secretary of the Agency, Gideon Aryeequaye. 

It comes in the wake of a directive from President John Dramani Mahama, who has declared three days of national mourning from 7 to 9th August 2025, following a fatal helicopter crash in Adansi.

Over 10,000 hotels across Europe have launched a class-action lawsuit against Booking.com, accusing the online travel platform of engaging in unfair business practices. Coordinated by the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes in Europe (Hotrec) and backed by 30 national hotel associations, the case targets the company’s use of “best price” clauses, which allegedly forced hotels to maintain the same rates across all booking channels. 

Hoteliers argue that this practice restricted their ability to offer discounts directly to customers and increased their dependence on Booking.com, especially as commission fees rose.

The lawsuit, filed in Amsterdam, seeks compensation for losses incurred between 2004 and 2024 and draws on a 2024 European Court of Justice ruling on the legality of such clauses. Industry observers say the outcome could reshape the balance of power between online booking platforms and the hospitality sector.

Source : Property Express Holiday & Hospitality News