A weekly curation of the most compelling stories across the leisure landscape, featuring leisure clubs that build community in large cities, social walks as an operating practice, and artists that give people a reason to get outside and get together.

My favorite story in this week’s roundup is about Charles Town’s “Walk about Nothing.” Feelings of community, responsibility, and civic engagement can diminish as we live in larger and larger cities. But the “Walk about Nothing” brings people together in a way that is reminiscent of small village life.

Leisure experience has the power to do this in large cities too. In my time in Hong Kong, I was impressed by the government-run Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which managed a robust range of recreational facilities and community events and activities.

Instead of feeling lost and anonymous in a city of 7.5 million people, you can become a part of the badminton community, the volleyball community, the windsurfing community, the tai chi community, or more. Community members build teams, host events, and engage with the city staff to continuously improve the offering.

These activities bring together locals and expats from across different demographics and generally make Hong Kong a fun place to live. It shows the power of leisure experience to make citizens more engaged, communities more connected, and governments more efficient.

Jeremy

If Public Engagement Is Worthless, What Should Replace It?
Charles Town’s twice-monthly, agenda-free “Walk About Nothing” grew from nine people and two dogs to regular groups of 50–60, and shared observation helped prompt a new neighborhood crosswalk within a week. It showcases that recurring, low-barrier rituals rooted in the actual place can drive engagement, belonging, and customer insight. (Strong Towns)

Good NAtured Thrives as ‘Third Place’ Leisure Hub
Good NAtured pairs food with a family-friendly, accessible Sioux Falls setting and a recurring programme spanning crafts, karaoke, civic meetings, Reiki, and makers markets. It’s a good example of how you take a “service” business and turn it in to a community experience. (SiouxFalls.Business)

Holiday Travel Is About Getting Together, Not Getting Away
AARP’s survey of 1,023 adults aged 50-plus finds that 24% expect holiday travel; among travellers, family time is a primary motive for 67%, while cost concerns lead at 52% and 43% expect to spend at least $2,000. Multigenerational connection trumps mere escapism for holiday travel. (AARP Research)

HVS U.S. Market Pulse: 2026 Demand to Finally Surpass 2019
HVS maps a hotel market shaped by occupancy recovery, rate resilience, capital costs, outsourcing, transactions, and convention-season demand. Owners and executives can use that mix as a decision lens for pricing, labour, capital expenditure, and group and leisure programming. (HVS)

CitySquash / Gluck+
CitySquash combines athletics, academics, and mentorship in a neighbourhood centre. The Gluck+ unique design helps bring people outside the building into the experience. (Gluck+ and ArchDaily)

From artist vision to global experience: a new model for touring art
Imagine’s platform combines artist vision with exhibition design, engineering, fabrication, visitor-flow planning, and local participatory programming for creative community institution developments. (Imagine and blooloop)

Tourism dollars fund over $8M in North Tahoe projects
North Tahoe’s visitor-funded district directs tourism assessments to trails, transit, workforce housing, heritage revitalization, lake stewardship, and other community projects. Tourism has the power to subsidize the leisure experience for locals. (Sierra Sun)

Puerto Rico’s New Harbor District Based on “Work, Play, Live”
San Juan’s active Harbor District combines the existing Distrito T-Mobile visitor anchor, PRISA Group investment, CDBG-backed pedestrian, bicycle, and waterfront links, and a planned public park with mostly free areas. The public access and resident-oriented leisure amenities turn a convention-and-resort district into a lived neighborhood as well as a visitor draw. (Caribbean Business)

Featuring exciting updates from Leisure Alchemy clients and partners.

What Role Should Hotels Play in Guest Wellbeing?

Hospitality Net’s expert panel—including Leisure Alchemy’s Jeremy McCarthy—explores whether hotels should offer pampering, clinical optimization, or restoration, with McCarthy highlighting two practical roles: supporting guests’ existing wellness habits and inspiring them to try something new. (Hospitality Net)