China’s fourth-biggest airline group, HNA Group, has bought a 20 percent stake in leading Spanish hotel chain NH Hoteles for 431.6 million euros, NH Hoteles said on last week. Mariano Perez Claver, president of NH Hotels praised the agreement. Mariano Perez Claver, president of NH Hotels praised the agreement.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC reported global revenue growth of 6.9 percent, including rate growth of 1.9 percent, for the first quarter of 2011, ended March 31. Total system size of 652,456 rooms (4,422 hotels) was up 0.1 percent year on year. Added were 15,153 rooms (53 hotels), including 6,986 rooms (two hotels) from the first InterContinental Alliance Resorts, and 9,858 rooms (68 hotels) removed.

Amadeus IT Holding, S.A., parent company of the Amadeus Group, reported adjusted profit for the quarter increased 11.7 percent to reach 144 million euros. This was backed by a growth in revenue from continuing operations of 2.8 percent to 704.3 million euros and an improvement in EBITDA of 6.8 percent to 291.4 million euros.

The most recent jobs report by the U.S. Labor Department illustrates the U.S. travel industry's ability to create jobs, the U.S. Travel Association noted. The report shows that the travel industry added 14,900 jobs in April and, in the first four months of 2011, it expanded employment payrolls by 59,300, accounting for eight percent of all jobs created so far this year.

Today’s completed acquisition of AirTran by Southwest Airlines represents a unique opportunity for Southwest to extend its network into key markets the airline does not yet serve, such as Atlanta and Washington, D.C., via Ronald Reagan National Airport, said Gary Kelly, CEO, chairman and president of Southwest Airlines. Southwest said that the total transaction value of the purchase is $3.2 billion.

Passengers flying to St. Lucia now pay an extra $35 in roundtrip ticket costs, thanks to the new Airport Development Charge that took effect May 1.