Travel & Tourism
Oxygen Hospitality’s Welwood Hotel Draws Inspiration from Palm Springs’ History and Design

Rebranding reveal with name and logo taps into pioneering spirit of city’s founding father and first hotelier, Dr. Welwood Murray
Palm Springs, CA (June 3, 2019) – Oxygen Hospitality’s new vision for the Ivy Palm Resort near downtown Palm Springs today began to emerge as property renovations officially commenced. Repositioning of the 100-room hotel also took a step forward with the announcement of the hotel’s new name, logo and identity: Welwood Hotel. Its name, Welwood Hotel, taps the rich history of this iconic city and from Palm Springs’ first hotelier and important philanthropic founders, Dr. Welwood Murray. The words ‘Wel’ also suggests wellness, an ever-growing lifestyle choice and ‘Wood’ describing the natural design elements within the hotel.
Renovations at the four building, two-story, 3-acre hotel include new guest rooms and suites, relocation of lobby and redesign of entrance with exterior circular entry, two remodeled pools with cabanas and new restaurant/bar concept. Guests will enter the newly designed hotel lobby and sit down to check-in with front desk associates at conversational tables. Reservations open November 2019. Renovations are scheduled for completion winter 2019.
Inspired by the pioneering spirit and vision that led Dr. Welwood Murray to plan an oasis and open the Palm Spring’s first hotel in 1886, Oxygen Hospitality presented the hotel concept to the Murray family.
Dr. Murray’s great grandson Philip Welwood Murray II said, “Our family was amazed when asked to have the Welwood name associated with a new generation hotel recognizing our great grandfather. Welwood Murray roots run deep in this area, especially Palm Springs, a city near and dear to our hearts. I personally have always dreamed of opening up a restaurant, and now, Oxygen Hospitality is opening up a hotel in our family’s honor.”
‘Powered by Oxygen’ brand. The rebranding heralds in the next step in Oxygen Hospitality’s strategic growth, building a brand of mid- to-upper scale hotels in excellent U.S. Sunbelt locations that embrace the local spirit of the city. Branded and independent hotels owned and managed within Oxygen Hospitality’s portfolio, such the Welwood Hotel, will earn the distinction and brand standard ‘Powered by Oxygen’. ‘Powered by Oxygen’ instills warmth and amenities of American hospitality and celebrate local influences for a first-class guest experience.
“The elevated rebranding of this Palm Springs hotel is our entre’ into the local hotel scene where guests will experience our brand of service and how we differentiate for loyalty and operational success,” said Yaron Ashkenazi, chief executive officer of Oxygen Hospitality.
Mid-century modern architecture redesign. The Welwood Hotel redesign is inspired by mid-twentieth century modernism architecture. Redesign is described as angular and artistic with colorful motif for the outside pool area ranging from royal blues, white and yellow. Guest room design offers a palette of clean, neutral white and cream colors — paired with shades of aqua and complemented with sleek, rich modern wood furnishings for a desert climate.
The architecture firm for the Welwood Hotel is MDR Architects, Inc. Hotel designer is Amsterdam-based SZ Design.
Visit www.welwoodhotel.com for renderings and to sign up for updates on the Welwood Hotel.
About Dr. Welwood Murray
Dr. Welwood Murray, a Scottish pioneer, horticulturist, philanthropist, and a founding father of Palm Springs. In 1876, Murray moved from Scotland to Banning, California in order to improve his health with the dry desert air. Ten years later in 1886, he purchased five acres of land in nearby Palm Valley (which would later become Palm Springs), and built the city’s first hotel, the Palm Springs Hotel. Murray planted 22 varieties of fruit trees and shrubs surrounding the hotel, creating a veritable oasis. Today, Dr. Murray’s name graces the city’s first cemetery, the Welwood Murray Library and Murray Canyon.
About Oxygen Hospitality Group
Oxygen Hospitality Group, Inc., is an owner-operator hospitality company that acquires, renovates and manages a portfolio of mid- to upper scale branded and independent hotel assets in the U.S. Sunbelt and other advantageous destinations. The Company works with accredited investors, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and family offices looking to direct invest in capital appreciation and income-producing hotel real estate projects. These assets undergo a ‘Revive and Thrive’ value creation turnaround strategy that includes proprietary software technology to drive bottom-line results and gain positive guest experience reviews for proven return-to-profitability management. Founded in 2017, Oxygen Hospitality is privately held and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, please visit: http://www.oxygenhospitality.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Offers to sell or the solicitations of offers to buy securities may only be made through official offering documents that contain important information about risks, fees and expenses. Renderings, reservations and booking dates subject to change.
Travel & Tourism
FAA Awards Ontario International Airport another $10.77 million for taxiway, airfield improvements

Ontario International Airport has received an additional $10.77 million in infrastructure funding from the FAA.
Ontario International Airport will receive another $10.77 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to invest in infrastructure improvements at the aviation gateway of choice for millions of Southern Californians.
The FAA announced this week that it is awarding a total of $518 million to airports across the country, under its 2022 Airport Improvement Program. ONT will receive the largest amount within California – for taxiway improvements and expanding the lighting vault that serves the airport’s runways.
The announcement comes less than a year after ONT was awarded $12.68 million through the FAA and the American Rescue Plan Act for taxiway and runway improvements.
“I’m grateful to our staff for preparing a successful funding application and to the FAA for continuing to bring infrastructure and airfield improvement dollars to the fastest-growing passenger airport in the U.S.,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority Board of Commissioners and Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Ontario.
ONT has been one of the aviation industry’s great success stories, eclipsing pre-pandemic passenger volumes and ranking among the Top 10 cargo airports in North America. The airport also plays a critical role in the Inland Empire’s emergence as one of the fastest-growing population centers in the United States and a global supply chain hub.
“In communities of all sizes, airports are vital to local economies, sustaining jobs and getting people and goods where they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in announcing this week’s funding awards. “We’re pleased to announce this important funding to help improve airports around the country and better serve all Americans.”
Travel & Tourism
Ontario International Airport passenger volume exceeds pre-pandemic levels for second straight month in April

Traveler count grew 7% over 2019 level with domestic volume up 10%
The number of passengers who traveled through Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) in April was nearly 7% above the April 2019 total, beating pre-pandemic levels for the second straight month, officials announced today.
Total ONT passenger volume was almost 476,000 last month, 6.92% more than April three years ago. The number of domestic travelers increased by 9.65% to more than 461,000.
Passenger traffic increased by 4% in March compared with the same month in 2019.
“Demand for air travel through Ontario International remained strong in April as passengers took to the airways for spring break vacations and to visit friends and family for religious holidays. Ontario International was rapidly growing before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is not a surprise that we’re among the quickest to recover,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.
From January through April, total passenger volume was more than 1.62 million, within a percentage point of the total from the first four months of 2019. The number of domestic passengers was 1.57 million, an increase of 1.6%.
Passenger Totals |
April 2022 |
April 2019 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2019 |
Change |
Domestic |
461,300 |
420,699 |
9.65% |
1,571,080 |
1,545,621 |
1.6% |
International |
14,441 |
24,249 |
-40.45% |
56,300 |
95,660 |
-41.1% |
Total |
475,741 |
444,948 |
6.92% |
1,627,380 |
1,641,281 |
-0.8% |
Passenger Totals |
April 2022 |
April 2021 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2021 |
Change |
Domestic |
461,300 |
295,186 |
56.27% |
1,571,080 |
847,680 |
85.3% |
International |
14,441 |
3,598 |
301.36% |
56,300 |
14,748 |
281.7% |
Total |
475,741 |
298,784 |
59.23% |
1,627,380 |
862,428 |
88.7% |
Air cargo shipments also remained strong in April at 67,000 tons, 8.6% greater than April in 2019. On a year-to-date basis, shipments of freight and mail combined were 15.5% higher than the January through April period in 2019, at nearly 270,000 tons.
Air cargo (tonnage) |
April 2022 |
April 2019 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2019 |
Change |
Freight |
62,291 |
59,359 |
4.94% |
250,623 |
224,346 |
11.7% |
|
4,860 |
2,454 |
98.05% |
19,068 |
9,192 |
107.4% |
Total |
67,152 |
61,813 |
8.64% |
269,692 |
233,539 |
15.5% |
Air cargo (tonnage) |
April 2022 |
April 2021 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2021 |
Change |
Freight |
62,291 |
70,422 |
-11.55% |
250,623 |
278,143 |
-9.9% |
|
4,860 |
4,085 |
18.98% |
19,068 |
14,383 |
32.6% |
Total |
67,152 |
74,508 |
-9.87 |
269,692 |
292,526 |
-7.8% |
“Ontario International remains a point of pride as an increasingly popular passenger gateway in Southern California and attractive hub for e-commerce,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the OIAA. “With our growing customer base in the Inland Empire, support of our community neighbors and strong political will of our city and county leaders, I am confident Ontario International will continue to attract new and increased flights from passenger and cargo air carriers.”
Travel & Tourism
Ontario International Airport achieves milestone in March as passenger volume exceeded pre-pandemic level

March passenger total 4% higher than March 2019; cargo shipments up 22%
Ontario International Airport (ONT) officials had eagerly awaited a month in which passenger volume would be higher than the same month before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the wait is over as the Southern California airport welcomed 454,000 air travelers last month, 4% more than in March 2019.
“Ontario is setting the pace of recovery among airports in California and, as a result, it is an attractive metropolitan gateway for airlines restarting suspended services and establishing new routes as public health restrictions ease and demand for air travel increases,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.
Domestic passengers totaled 439,531 last month, while the number of international travelers was almost 15,000, increases of 71% and 446%, respectively, compared with March of last year. The total number of ONT passengers was 75% higher in March.
Most importantly, domestic and international passenger volume combined was 3.97% higher in March compared with March 2019. Domestic travel increased more than 6.5% to 439,531 while international volume was 40% lower at 14,492.
“The March passenger numbers are a tremendous achievement for our airport and airline partners, launching Ontario International’s pandemic recovery to an even higher level. We can’t say for sure what the coming months will bring, but the March passenger count shows what full recovery looks like,” said OIAA Chief Executive Officer Atif Elkadi,
The emergence of ONT as an increasingly popular aviation gateway comes as the Inland Empire experiences a steady influx of new residents, particularly from the coastal areas of Los Angeles and Orange counties, drawn by employment opportunities, available housing and high quality of life. According to U.S. Census data, San Bernardino and Riverside counties have experienced the fifth-largest population gain among the top 50 metro areas in the U.S.
Passenger
Totals |
March 2022 |
March 2021 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2021 |
Change |
Domestic |
439,531 |
256,837 |
71.13% |
1,109,780 |
552,494 |
100.9% |
International |
14,492 |
2,654 |
446.04% |
41,859 |
11,150 |
275.4% |
Total |
454,023 |
259,491 |
74.97% |
1,151,639 |
563,644 |
104.3% |
From January through March, the number of passengers who traveled through ONT doubled compared to the same period last year. The first quarter figures were 3.7% lower than 2019.
Passenger
Totals |
March 2022 |
March 2019 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2019 |
Change |
Domestic |
439,531 |
412,440 |
6.57% |
1,109,780 |
1,124,922 |
-1.3.% |
International |
14,492 |
24,261 |
-40.27% |
41,859 |
71,411 |
-41.4% |
Total |
454,023 |
436,701 |
3.97% |
1,151,639 |
1,196,333 |
-3.7% |
Shipments of air cargo likewise remained strong in March compared with March 2019, increasing by 22%. On a year-to-date basis, shipments of freight and mail combined were 18% higher than the first quarter of 2019 as the Inland Empire continued to be a hub for commercial freight movement.
Compared to 2021, March and year-to-date cargo shipments decreased 6.5% and 7%, respectively.
Air cargo
(tonnage) |
March 2022 |
March 2021 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2021 |
Change |
Freight |
67,795 |
74,367 |
-8.84% |
188,332 |
207,720 |
-9.3% |
5,303 |
3,828 |
38.54% |
14,208 |
10,298 |
38.0% |
|
Total |
73,098 |
78,195 |
-6.52% |
202,540 |
218,019 |
-7.1% |
Air cargo
(tonnage) |
March 2022 |
March 2019 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2019 |
Change |
Freight |
67,795 |
57,582 |
17.74% |
188,332 |
164,988 |
14.1% |
5,303 |
2,325 |
128.06% |
14,208 |
6,738 |
110.9% |
|
Total |
73,098 |
59,907 |
22.02% |
202,540 |
171,725 |
17.9% |
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