Business Briefs: News from up and down the Eagle Valley … and beyond

East West Hospitality No. 2 in Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards

Avon-based East West Hospitality ranked No. 2 among the World’s Best Luxury Villa Rental Companies in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2026, marking the third straight year the company has earned recognition in the publication’s annual reader survey.

East West Hospitality ranked No. 2 in 2024 and earned the publication’s top honor in the category in 2025 in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards selected by readers. The annual World’s Best Awards recognize companies delivering outstanding travel experiences through exceptional service, accommodations and guest satisfaction.

“Being recognized as one of the world’s best luxury villa rental companies for the third consecutive year is an incredible honor,” Colleen Weiss Hanen, president and CEO of East West Hospitality, said in a press release. “For more than four decades, we’ve had the privilege of building meaningful relationships with our associates, homeowners, guests, boards, partners and communities. Those relationships continue to define our purpose: creating connections that matter.

“Whether we’re welcoming guests to a luxury vacation rental or resort, managing a homeowners association, or caring for a private residence, our goal is always the same — to deliver exceptional service while protecting the long-term value of every property entrusted to us,” Weiss Hanen added. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our incredible associates, whose passion, local expertise and commitment to our guests, homeowners and one another continue to set East West Hospitality apart.”

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For more information about East West Hospitality, go to eastwest.com.

DestiMetrics by Inntopia survey shows summer bookings still up

Bookings made in June for arrivals in June through November edged up 1% at western mountain destinations, but there was more action for the more attractively priced months of September through November compared to the pricier months of June through August, according to the most recent results from DestiMetrics, released by Inntopia in their monthly Market Briefing with data from 17 mountain destinations through June 30.

And even though seasonal occupancy, rates, and revenue dipped during June, all three categories remain ahead of last summer at this time. But consumer price-sensitivity is emerging across the data set with changes to the preferred months for bookings, length-of-stay, arrival day of the week, and even performance at luxury properties — the bedrock of the industry for more than a year — pointing to pressure on consumers. 

June occupancy was up 2.4% compared to last June, with the Average Daily Rate (ADR) up 4.9% and the combined growth in both metrics delivered a 7.4% gain in monthly revenue. Once again, there was a slight easing in all three metrics during June, but the full summer continues to pace ahead of Summer 2025.

“Early season momentum that started back in February and continued through mid-May established a very strong foundation for occupancy, rates, and revenue for almost the entire summer and really locked in visitation,” said Tom Foley, director of Business Intelligence for Inntopia. “And with a variety of headwinds ranging from wildfire smoke to economic pressure on consumers, this strong foundation will be crucial to staying ahead of last year as we move through the remainder of the summer.”

Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon No. 3 in Travel + Leisure awards

The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley ranked as the No. 3 Resort in Colorado in the Travel + Leisure 2026 World’s Best Awards, one of the travel industry’s most respected honors recognizing the world’s leading hotels, resorts and destinations. 

More than 661,000 Travel + Leisure readers participated in this year’s World’s Best Awards, sharing their favorite travel experiences and recognizing the properties that consistently deliver exceptional service, memorable stays and outstanding hospitality. 

“We are honored to be recognized by the readers of Travel + Leisure,” said Veronica Moretti, general manager of The Westin Riverfront. “This award reflects the passion and dedication of our entire team, who work every day to curate memorable experiences and meaningful connections for every guest. Whether someone is visiting for a ski vacation, a wellness retreat or a summer escape, we are proud to help create moments they’ll remember long after they return home.” 

Managed by award-winning East West Hospitality, The Westin Riverfront continues to elevate guest experience through service, wellness offerings and mountain hospitality. This summer, the resort welcomed Colletta Vail Valley, a Northern Italian restaurant by The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, while continuing to enhance its award-winning Spa Anjali programming and guest amenities. 

The recognition follows another prestigious honor for the resort, which recently received Condé Nast Traveler’s Triple Crown Award. The distinction recognizes the select group of hotels that have earned all three of the publication’s highest honors over the past 30 years: the Hot List, Gold List and Readers’ Choice Awards. 

Fore more information about The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley, go to westinriverfront.com or call 866-949-1616.

Study finds Vail among most stressed tourist destinations

A new national study has revealed the U.S. tourist destinations where residents feel the greatest stress when peak-season visitors arrive — and three Colorado destinations, including Vail, appear in the rankings.

Vail ranked No. 70, Breckenridge was No. 78, and Estes Park topped all Colorado destinations at No. 51 among the tourist destinations where residents reported feeling the strain of visitor traffic, crowds, noise, parking pressure and disruption to everyday life.

Tourist towns sell the dream of escape with charming main streets, mountain views, beach days, lake weekends, historic districts, seafood restaurants, boardwalks, festivals and the kind of scenery people travel hundreds of miles to enjoy. But for the people who live there year-round, peak season can feel less like a vacation and more like an endurance test, the study found.

A new survey of 3,042 residents of traditional tourist towns across the U.S., commissioned by AMFM, and carried out by Cherry Data Signals, explored how the seasonal influx of visitors affects local stress levels, daily routines and overall wellbeing. 

The findings suggest that while many residents recognize the economic importance of tourism, the emotional cost is harder to ignore. More than 6 in 10 residents said they feel crowded out of their own town at least sometimes during peak season, while 46% said they have felt burned out by living somewhere other people visit for vacation. 

The No. 1 most stressed tourist town in America? Charleston, South Carolina.

— Compiled by David O. Williams (dwilliams@vaildaily.com)