The UK and Ireland were expected to lead distress-driven transactions this year, according to Whitebridge Hospitality.

Whitbread said that it would continue to protect its liquidity as it anticipated opportunity as a result of the pandemic.

This week’s debate to create a Minister for Hospitality in the UK government ended with a unanimous vote in favour of the motion.

The Chancellor’s economic update to the House of Commons was described as “disappointing” by John Webber, head of business rates, Colliers International.

TUI Group has launched a rights issue to raise around €545m to pay down debt and strengthen the group’s liquidity position.

UK transactions dropped by 70% on the year in 2020, with the main drivers retirement sales, hotels sold for alternative use, non-core assets sold to bolster equity and non-alignment of shareholder interests.

Independent hotel businesses with constrained financial resources or liquidity will be hardest hit in the latest lockdown in the UK, according to HVS.

The current pandemic focus is the race to vaccinate the world at a time when the virus seems to be ever-more the dramatic player in our lives, ducking and diving and mutating and generally making itself the unpopular visitor.

Analysts were enthused about Airbnb’s long-term prospects, although largely cautious on its pricing, after the platform saw a strong start to trading last month.

A total of 81 deals were announced in the global travel and tourism sector during December, a decrease of 9% on the month according to GlobalData.