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5 things to know for Oct. 16. Today's headlines: Lawsuit alleges Expedia inflates hotel prices; Air ticket sales reached $10.2 billion in September; Hotel developers see opportunities in historic building conversions; Jump in US wholesale prices highest since March 2022; UK economy grew 0.1% in August CoStar News October 16, 2026 | 7:25 AM Editor's Note: Some linked articles may be behind subscription paywalls. 1. Lawsuit alleges Expedia inflates hotel prices. A lawsuit is alleging Expedia Group has been making consumers pay inflated prices for hotels, including consumers who have never used one of the online travel agency's booking platforms, the New York Times reports. The plaintiffs are seeking class-action status. "It claims Expedia violated federal antitrust laws by enforcing contracts that prevented hotels from offering lower rates via their own websites, loyalty portals or call centers," the newspaper reports. "If a hotel offered a lower price on a competing platform, the suit claims Expedia would ensure the hotel was harder to find on the company's platforms." The newspaper reports an Expedia spokesperson called the lawsuit "meritless," adding that Expedia has brought transparency, competitive offerings and better value to consumers. 2. Air ticket sales reached $10.2 billion in September. A new report from the Airlines Reporting Corporation shares that U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales reached $10.2 billion in September, an 18% year-over-year increase, according to a news release. Third-quarter sales this year amounted to $29.7 billion, also an 18% year-over-year increase. "Demand for travel remains strong despite geopolitical uncertainty and inflationary pressure, with over 77 million airline trips ticketed through travel agencies in the third quarter. This reflects a 3.5% increase in trips from the same period in 2025," said Steve Solomon, ARC's chief commercial officer, in the news release. "Even as the summer season wound down, passenger volume held steady with September air ticket sales of $10.2 billion, up 4% from August." 3. Hotel developers see opportunities in historic building conversions. The combination of guest desires for experiential stays and a challenging new-construction environment is pushing hotel owners to further explore the conversion of historic buildings, reports CoStar News Hotels' Trevor Simpson. "A byproduct of COVID [is it] pushed a lot of the hotel flags and higher-end hotels outside of the major cities. They're doing new construction elsewhere," said Chris Hennessy, senior director of Boston-based Shawmut Design and Construction. "So then you have all this infrastructure and all these buildings in these cities. It's prime real estate. The real estate's there, on top of the whole boutique movement and hotel movement." 4. Jump in US wholesale prices highest since 2022. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that producer prices increased 1.3% on a monthly basis in September, more than twice as fast as recorded in August and the largest increase in a single month since March 2022 when supply chains were still contending with pandemic-related disruptions, ABC News reports. Wholesale prices have grown 6.3% this year through the end of September, the largest one-year jump since December 2022. "Since the outbreak of the Iran war hiked fuel costs earlier this year, the monthly wholesale-price measure has drawn close attention as an indicator of a potential pass through to consumer prices," the news outlet reports. 5. UK economy grew 0.1% in August. The U.K. economy grew by 0.1% year over year in August despite a decrease in consumer spending, the Guardian reports. Economists expected a 0.1% decline. The overall services sector showed no growth in August, but strength in manufacturing drove a 0.8% increase in the wider production sector, the newspaper reports. "The largest negative contribution came from sports, amusement and recreation activities, alongside a slump in food and drink services," the Guardian reports. "Analysts said the fall could be a sign of a reversal from an earlier boost from the World Cup and unusually hot weather, or could reflect households trimming their spending." Have feedback or questions? Email us at [email protected]

Tes appoints new technology chief. Global education technology company Tes, headquartered in London, has appointed Camila Kill as chief technology officer to lead its technology strategy and support the development of its digital platforms. Camila joins following almost a decade at Expedia Group, most recently as vice-president of engineering, where she led teams using data, machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop digital experiences. She brings 20 years' experience across the technology sector, having also held roles at TUI, Legal & General and Jaguar. In her new role, Camila will oversee Tes's technology strategy, with a focus on strengthening its data capabilities, simplifying its technology systems and identifying opportunities to integrate AI and machine learning. A key priority will be accelerating Tes360, the company's initiative to connect technology and data across schools and academy trusts. The platform aims to simplify administrative processes, improve access to information and give teachers and school leaders more time to focus on pupils. Camila said: "What attracted me to Tes was the opportunity to use technology to make a genuine difference to education. "Schools already have a wealth of technology and valuable information, but there is a huge opportunity to make it work better together. "I've spent much of my career looking at how you bring together products, data and engineering at scale to create experiences that feel simpler and more useful. "I want to bring that same thinking to Tes: using technology to remove complexity, uncover better insights and solve real problems for schools. "Tes360 gives us the opportunity to do that across the whole school environment. "And with AI and machine learning advancing so rapidly, we have an opportunity to rethink what education technology can do - not technology for its own sake, but innovation that gives teachers and leaders time back and helps them support pupils more effectively." Rod Williams, chief executive of Tes, added: "Camila brings a specialised combination of deep engineering expertise and experience of delivering technology and innovation at enormous scale. "She understands how to connect complex products and data behind the scenes while focusing on the user experience. "That is exactly the kind of thinking we want to bring to education. "Tes360 is about moving beyond fragmented technology towards a more connected approach, and Camila will play a major role in further shaping that vision and determining what comes next. "This appointment is an important step in our ambition to build technology that genuinely changes how schools operate and supports teachers and pupils, particularly in areas such as safeguarding." Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here. Explore these topics. Enjoy the read? Get Bdaily delivered. * Occasional offers & updates from selected Bdaily partners

DPAA summitamerican Eagle and Expedia cmos to discuss real-world Connections. October 13 event in New York will explore how brands combine digital marketing, AI and physical experiences to engage consumers. October 9, 2026 by John Berkovich American Eagle Outfitters and the Expedia Group will bring their perspectives on connecting digital engagement with physical experiences to the 14th annual DPAA Global Video Everywhere Summit, taking place October 13 at Pier Sixty in New York City. The event's theme, "Real Connections," will focus on how brands can use digital technology, including AI, while maintaining meaningful interactions with consumers in physical environments. The two companies will examine how digital discovery and marketing translate into activities such as shopping in stores and traveling to destinations. Connecting screens and stores. American Eagle Outfitters CMO Craig Brommers will join Stagwell Vice Chairman David Sable for a session titled "Screens, Scrolls & Stores: The Return of Real-World Connection." The discussion will cover the retailer's use of digital campaigns, Times Square advertising, content creators and mall activations to engage younger consumers. Physical retail remains an important component of the customer journey. According to eMarketer figures cited by DPAA, 82.6% of U.S. retail sales in 2026 are expected to take place in physical stores. The session will examine how brands can convert digital attention into store visits and other real-world interactions. AI and the travel experience. Expedia Group CMO Jochen Koedijk will address the role of AI in travel planning and booking during a session titled "Where AI Meets the Real World: Rethinking the Traveler Journey." The discussion will explore how travelers use AI to discover destinations and plan trips while still relying on established travel brands when making purchases. According to Expedia Group research cited in the announcement, 68% of travelers prefer booking through a trusted travel brand rather than an AI chatbot or agent, even when AI booking options are available. Koedijk will also examine how brands can connect with travelers throughout their journeys, including at transportation hubs and destinations. The DPAA Global Video Everywhere Summit is expected to attract approximately 1,000 attendees from brands, agencies, media platforms and technology companies.