Data firms Lodging Econometrics, PricewaterhouseCoopers and STR all forecast strong performance numbers for hotels this year as the industry emerged from a 2013 rife with government-related setbacks, such as the partial government shutdown and cutbacks on government travel. The $2.35 billion initial public offering filed by Hilton Worldwide is regarded as the industry’s high point during the previous year, signaling the return of investor confidence in hotels. Read the Travel Weekly story here.