If you’ve ever checked the sugar content on yogurt, the country of origin on a jacket, or whether your skincare is cruelty-free, you already understand the idea: spending money is voting.
So why, in 2026, is it still so hard to know who actually owns the hotel you’re booking?
This question popped up again this week after the Financial Times reported that Booking.com suspended hotel listings linked to a sanctioned Iranian banker – a rare moment where a major travel platform took a public step toward transparency.
The uncomfortable truth: hotels aren’t neutral
Travel is marketed as escapism – sunshine, spa menus, rooftop cocktails. But behind the dreamy photos, hotels are often serious financial assets, and in some cases, they’re part of a global system that allows powerful individuals to:
- move wealth out of authoritarian countries
- park money safely in Europe
- earn income from Western tourism
- maintain influence while remaining untouchable politically
And here’s the key issue: European politicians can talk about human rights all day, but many can’t (or won’t) sanction property income unless it’s politically convenient.
So the same people tied to harsh policies at home can still get richer through Western travel spending.
We label food. We label clothes. Why not hotels?
The idea isn’t radical — it’s overdue.
We already live in a world where consumers expect transparency:
- Clothing shows where it was made
- Food shows calories, sugar, additives
- Electronics show certifications and origin
- Even YouTube adds labels for content linked to state-backed propaganda networks
So why shouldn’t Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, and Airbnb add something as simple as:
“Ownership: Company / Investor Group / Country of Control”
Not as a political attack – as basic consumer information. Sure, we can all Google it, but the truth is that few to none actually do that.
Just how big is Booking.com’s listing?
Booking.com isn’t a small site with a few thousand listings. It’s one of the largest accommodation platforms in the world, with well over 28 million total property listings spanning hotels, apartments, villas, B&Bs, and unique stays in more than 220 countries and territories.
With that scale comes an obvious complexity: Booking.com hosts an enormous variety of properties — from globally known chains to local gems like a beachfront resort in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. That sheer volume makes tracking who owns what a huge challenge.
Sure, it’s much harder to trace the real owners behind small local properties like the Khanom Beach Resort & Spa than it is to identify who runs a Hilton or Marriott. And yes, verifying ownership for every one of millions of listings would be an enormous job.
“Personal sanctions” are the new reality
Governments move slowly. Bureaucracy moves even slower.
But travelers can act instantly.
If we know a property is owned by someone linked to repression, corruption, or sanctioned banking networks, many of us would choose to stay elsewhere — not because we’re perfect, but because we’d rather not fund it.
That’s not “cancel culture.”
That’s the same logic as refusing to buy products tied to unethical supply chains.
Booking platforms could lead — and it would actually help trust
Travel platforms already show:
- check-in time
- breakfast policies
- whether the room has a balcony
- whether pets are allowed
But the one thing they don’t show — the thing that matters most financially — is who profits from your stay.
Adding an ownership label would: help travelers make conscious choices, reduce platform reputational risk and discourage “sanctions laundering” through tourism
Who Owns What: Top Global Hotel Chains & Ownership 2026
| Hotel Brand / Group | Parent Company / Owner | Headquarters Country |
|---|---|---|
| Aman Resorts | Aman Group. Privately owned and controlled by Vladislav Doronin (Owner, Chairman, CEO). External equity investment from Cain International. | Switzerland (Baar) |
| Hilton Hotels & Resorts | Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. | USA |
| Marriott International | Marriott International, Inc. | USA |
| Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts | Jumeirah Group (part of Dubai Holding) | UAE |
| Accor | Accor S.A. | France |
| Ascot Hotels | Ascott Limited (part of CapitaLand Investment) | Singapore |
| Hyatt Hotels & Resorts | Hyatt Hotels Corporation | USA |
| InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) | IHG Hotels & Resorts plc | UK |
| Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | Cascade Investment (Bill Gates) is now the majority owner (71.25%). Kingdom Holding retains 23.75%. | Saudi/USA(ownership split) |
| Radisson Hotel Group | Jin Jiang International (state-owned Chinese group) | China |
| Best Western Hotels & Resorts | Best Western International | USA |
| Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group | Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (part of Jardine Matheson) | Hong Kong |
| Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. | USA |
| Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts | Shangri-La International Hotel Management | Hong Kong |
| Loews Hotels & Co. | Loews Corporation | USA |
| Rosewood Hotels & Resorts | Rosewood Hotel Group (Central China Real Estate) | China |
| The Ritz-Carlton | Marriott International, Inc. (brand) | USA |
| Fairmont Hotels & Resorts | Accor S.A. | France |
| Sofitel | Accor S.A. | France |
| Park Hyatt | Hyatt Hotels Corporation | USA |
| The Luxury Collection | Marriott International, Inc. | USA |
| OMNI Hotels & Resorts | Omni Hotels & Resorts | USA |
| Belmond (formerly Orient-Express) | LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) | France, UK |
| SLS Hotels | sbe Entertainment (now part of Accor) | USA / France |
| Meliá Hotels International | Meliá S.A. | Spain |
| NH Hotel Group (part of Melia) | Meliá S.A. | Spain |
Notes on Hotel Ownership
✔ Brands vs. Owners
Many hotels operate under franchise or management contracts. The brand (e.g., Hilton, Marriott) isn’t always the owner of the physical property — local investors often own the buildings and pay fees to the brand.
✔ Investment Groups Often Behind the Scenes
Institutional investors (pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, private equity) increasingly hold hotel real estate — but aren’t always obvious from booking sites.
✔ Ownership Transparency Isn’t Simple
Even major platforms don’t publish real-time ownership data, and sometimes properties are held through offshore companies, trusts, or holding groups.
Hotels aren’t just places to sleep. They’re part of the global money system.
And if we can see how much sugar is in yogurt, we should be able to see who owns the hotel we’re supporting.
Because the future of travel isn’t just about hidden gems.
It’s about informed choices.
