The accommodation and food services industry saw the largest percentage decrease across the UK in vacancies on the year between February and April, according to the ONS.

The Financial Conduct Authority has confirmed that eight insurers will take part in a test case to clarify wording in claims relating to Covid-19.

“It is clear, if there is going to be a year of the staycation, this is the year it’s going to happen” Deirdre Wells OBE, CEO of Visit Kent and Go To Places told us in the most recent In Focus podcast series from Hospitality Insights.

Marriott International saw its share price rise by 8% after CEO Arne Sorenson said that all the group’s 350 hotels in China had reopened.

Customer demands for refunds have put Parkdean Holidays under pressure, according to ratings agency Moody’s.

The impact that COVID-19 is having on the hospitality industry is palpable. There is no time more important than right now to come together, share information, and discuss what this means for our future. Julie Rey-Gore and Katherine Doggrell join us this week to discuss the latest news in hospitality. Sign up to our newsletter for the latest in hospitality news and development.

Investors have never been more interested in what is now a mainstream asset class, with M&A expected to flood out of this crisis, according to the first quarterly Hospitality Investor Sentiment Assessment, conducted by Questex and ABP Invest.

TUI CEO Fritz Joussen said that the company could plan for holidays for Majorca, the Spanish mainland and the Canary Islands after Spain announced plans for a return to international tourism from July.

This week was full of good news for the sector, with France the latest country to have a clear line to reopening hotels.

Concerns that the pandemic would mean sustainable goals being abandoned were unfounded, according to Xenia zu Hohenlohe, managing partner, Considerate Group.