Latest news: Avana to lend in India; Hyatt Centric to Osaka; US hotels down last week

Avana to lend in India. Glendale, Arizona-based Avana Companies is expanding its lending services into India after receiving a certificate of registration for a non-deposit taking non-banking financial company license from the Reserve Bank of India, for its wholly owned subsidiary LendThrive Finance Private Ltd. The company has opened a regional office in Pune, India and plans to launch direct commercial lending operations to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India within the next six months. This expansion provides a direct bridge for U.S. capital into India’s $300 billion MSME funding gap, offering both diversification and growth potential. Avana has committed an initial capitalization of $1.5 million to meet license requirements and plans to invest another $20 million to grow the business, with a total investment goal of $25 million over three years.

Hyatt Centric to Osaka. Hyatt Hotels Corp. has entered into a management agreement with Osaka, Japan-based Kanden Realty & Development Co. Ltd. for the first Hyatt Centric hotel in Osaka, which is scheduled to open in 2031. The 267-key new-build hotel will be part of a redevelopment project led by Kanden, Nankai Electric Railway Co. Ltd., and Osaka Metro Co., Ltd., and will be part of a 28-story, mixed-use complex that will connect directly to Namba Station in the city. There are currently two Hyatt Centric hotels in Japan with a third set to open near Sapporo’s Odori Park in 2026. There are currently 65 locations worldwide.

US hotels down last week. The U.S. hotel industry for August 10-16 reported mostly negative year-over-year comparisons, according to CoStar data. Occupancy was 66.3% (-0.9% YOY); ADR was $157.51 (+0.4% YOY); and RevPAR was $104.50 (-0.5%). Among the top 25 markets, Seattle saw the highest increases in occupancy (+7.5% to 83.9%) and RevPAR (+10.9% to $178.62), while Houston recorded the steepest drop in occupancy (-24.0% to 57.2%) and RevPAR (-27.1% to $66.84) largely due to the elevated displacement demand period that followed Hurricane Beryl in 2024. New Orleans reported the second-largest declines in occupancy (-13.7% to 45.0%) and RevPAR (-17.2% to $53.82).

Disneyland cuts early park entry. California’s Disneyland Resort is eliminating its 30-minute early park entry benefit for hotel guests, beginning January 5, 2026. Disneyland said it will instead provide hotel guests with one Lightning Lane entry to a Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction during their resort stay. Under the current system, guests staying at Disneyland Resort hotels receive early admission to designated theme parks each day of their stay. Disneyland Park offers hotel guests early entry on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while Disney California Adventure Park provides the benefit on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

G6 launches 24-hour support. Dallas-based G6 Hospitality, the parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6, launched its new 24-7 customer support service exclusively for guests. This service expands the previous 18-hour support window.