CJN Media and Messaging Highlights – May 2025
This briefing captures the most significant news mentions of CJN in May, selected from reputable outlets. It is a curated overview, not a comprehensive media roundup.
Executive Summary:
Media coverage in May highlighted Hilton’s global growth, with particular focus on its aggressive expansion plans in India. Articles also supported the growth narrative around investments in lifestyle and luxury categories with expansion plans in Japan and Texas.
Articles Mentioning Christopher J Nassetta:
Hilton CEO’s 10x Plan for India: 30 Hotels Today, 300 in a Decade, Skift
• Over the next couple of years, the company plans five new Hilton brands to launch in the country, including Curio Collection by Hilton, Signia by Hilton, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria, and Spark by Hilton.
• “There’s no market with more opportunity and higher growth than India,” Hilton’s President and CEO Christopher Nassetta said during the Hilton Brand Showcase in Bengaluru on Tuesday. “What’s been happening in the hospitality market in India over the last 20 years and what will happen in the next 20, there’s no other market that has more opportunity.
Hilton’s Global CEO has his eyes on India—and a few thoughts on toilets and tariffs, CNBC TV18
• Hilton CEO Christopher J. Nassetta, who began his career at the lowest level position of a hotel in the engineering department, has become a force behind Hilton. Since becoming the CEO in 2007, Nassetta has led the company through plenty of crises in modern economic history. Meanwhile, his emphasis on long-term value, disciplined expansion, and adaptability has helped transform Hilton into one of the world’s leading hospitality brands.
• “We take succession planning seriously- spend a lot of time on it as a public company. We are preparing people at various levels in the company to make sure we have continuity, but I intend to do this for a lot longer,” Nassetta told CNBC-TV18.
Hilton latest to open lifestyle hotel in growing Fort Worth, Texas, Hotel Dive
• On a recent earnings call, CEO Chris Nassetta said Hilton’s collection brands, including Tapestry, are supporting the growth of the company’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, which accounted for 30% of its hotel openings in the first quarter of 2025. Fort Worth has seen an increase in luxury and lifestyle hotel development.
• Hilton is expanding its Tapestry Collection as it plans to double its lifestyle portfolio to 700 hotels, according to an announcement last June. Conversion-friendly collection brands are key to that growth, noting that Tapestry, Curio Collection and Small Luxury Hotels of the World supported growth across the category in Q1.
High-end hotel boom in Tokyo as tourism to Japan continues to rise, Karryon
• As Japanese tourism continues to rise, a wave of high-end hotels is expected to open within the coming year. Among these high-end hotels, Waldorf Astoria Tokyo Nihonbashi is included.
• Christopher J. Nassetta says, “Tokyo is an iconic city that holds a special place in Hilton’s history, and Japan represents a key market for our business. We look forward to extending our legendary True Waldorf Service to our guests in Tokyo, offering flawless experiences tailored to each guest.”
Gloria Guevara: Strong Leadership Needed for Tourism’s Future, Breaking Travel News
• Gloria Guevara, former World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) CEO, has become a leading candidate for Secretary-General of United Nations (UN) Tourism. Among more than 100 global tourism leaders endorsing her candidacy, Christopher J. Nassetta said, “Gloria has been an incredibly strong advocate for travel and tourism. Her deep understanding of the global tourism landscape and ability to shape impactful policy make her an excellent choice for Secretary-General of UN Tourism.”
• Nassetta’s endorsement is significant given his dual role as Hilton’s CEO and Chairman of the WTTC. His backing signals strong confidence from the highest levels of the global hospitality industry, reinforcing Guevara’s credibility and underscoring the importance of proven leadership to guide UN Tourism.
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