TOURISM SECTOR OF EGYPT AND JORDAN AFFECTED BY THE WAR
Egypt has ordered businesses to close earlier each night as part of a government‑mandated curfew aimed at reducing electricity consumption and fuel use amid soaring costs linked to the Iran‑related war. The measure targets the evening peak around 9 p.m., cutting traffic and energy spending, but small retailers report revenue drops of 30‑50 percent. While tourist‑heavy zones remain open to safeguard the sector that welcomed 19 million visitors last year, early data show a decline in arrivals, especially in Jordan where Petra recorded only about 2,000 visitors after Ramadan. The combined energy squeeze and conflict‑driven fuel price spikes threaten the tourism‑dependent economies of both countries.
China Is Number 1 and Unstoppable as a Tourism Giant with 6 Billion Trips Yearly
China’s tourism engine now moves roughly 6 billion domestic trips each year, eclipsing the United States’ 2.4 billion. The sheer volume translates into about $1.4 trillion in domestic travel spending, outpacing most economies in sheer activity. While inbound tourism is modest—around 80 million foreign...
Royal Caribbean’s New Credit Card Points To Alliances
Royal Caribbean Group introduced a single credit card, the Royal Caribbean ONE and ONE Plus, that consolidates rewards across its three cruise brands—Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea. The card offers 2x‑4x points on everyday spend, 4x points on...
Booking a 'Day-Use' Hotel Room: The Best $16 an Hour Spent for Rest After a Red-Eye
Travelers facing early arrivals or red‑eye flights can avoid costly overnight stays by booking day‑use hotel rooms, which are rented by the hour. The author secured a Sonesta LAX room from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $116, roughly $16.50 per hour,...
The $7 Billion Loyalty IOU: What Marriott and Hilton Owe Members
Hotel giants Marriott and Hilton together carry nearly $7 billion in unredeemed loyalty points, with Marriott alone responsible for about $4 billion and Hilton close to $3 billion. The liability stems from rapid growth in co‑branded credit‑card partnerships and soaring program enrollment, which...
Points and Miles Expiration Policies: Overview of 80+ Airline, Hotel, and Bank Programs
A new comprehensive guide catalogs the expiration rules of over 80 airline, hotel, credit‑card, and other loyalty programs. It highlights three core models: never‑expire balances, fixed‑date expirations, and extendable validity that resets with qualifying activity. The guide notes recent policy...
Brightline’s Vegas Train Will Reshape US Short Haul Flights
Brightline West is allocating roughly $21 billion to construct a high‑speed rail line linking Los Angeles and Las Vegas, slated for completion before the 2028 Olympics. The two‑hour train will compete directly with a three‑hour door‑to‑door flight that currently serves about...
Easter Tourism Boom: Record Travel Meets Rising Challenges
Easter 2026 delivered a robust tourism rebound, with bookings across Europe, North America and Asia reaching or surpassing pre‑pandemic levels. Travelers gravitated toward spring destinations such as Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Spain’s Andalusia and Japan’s cherry‑blossom sites, driving near‑full capacity for...
Voting Is Now Officially Underway for the 13th Annual World Golf Awards 2026
The World Golf Awards have launched voting for their 13th annual ceremony, recognizing top golf tourism destinations, courses, and resorts worldwide. Open to industry professionals and the public, the ballot runs until 1 October 2026, covering categories from Best Golf Course to...
The New Age of Hotel Minibars
High‑end hotels are reinventing minibars, swapping generic snacks for locally sourced foods, handcrafted cocktails, wellness products, and even pet‑friendly treats. Properties such as Aman New York offer complimentary, apothecary‑style cocktails, while Equinox Hotels stock superfood bites and collagen masks. In...
United & Make-A-Wish to Host ‘Make More Wishes’ Events Across Nation
United Airlines and Make‑A‑Wish have unveiled a seven‑city "Make More Wishes" tour running from May to November 2026, offering children with critical illnesses immersive aviation experiences at United’s hub airports. The program includes flight‑simulator sessions, ramp tours, pilot meet‑ups and...
Yas Waterworld Expansion Is Now Open to Guests
Yas Waterworld on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island has opened a major expansion featuring 11 new slides and attractions, pushing the park’s total to more than 70 experiences. The highlight is Matamir’s Drop, the UAE’s tallest waterslide at over 40 metres, alongside...
Delta Air Lines Cuts Flights Between Los Angeles & Anchorage Amid High Fuel Costs
Delta Air Lines announced it will cancel its seasonal Los Angeles‑to‑Anchorage service, originally slated for May 22‑September 9, due to soaring fuel costs. The route, which operated 50‑60 flights per month and generated over 20 million available seat‑miles during peak summer...
Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card Review: Earn Valuable Rewards and Elite Status With a Low Annual Fee
The Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Card offers a $99 annual fee, a 40,000‑mile welcome bonus, and automatic Silver Elite status. Earn rates are 2× miles on Avianca purchases, groceries and restaurants, and 1× on other spend, with no foreign transaction...
The 5 US Airlines Offering The Widest Domestic First Class Seats This Year
A new ranking of U.S. carriers evaluates domestic first‑class seat width, placing Spirit Airlines’ Big Front Seat at the top with a 20.9‑inch width. Alaska Airlines follows closely with 20.45‑21.3‑inch seats that include premium leather, memory‑foam cushions and extensive power...
How Montage Is Scaling Luxury Brands — Slowly, and With Purpose
Montage Hotels & Resorts is choosing a disciplined, slow‑growth path, expanding only when markets can sustain genuine luxury. Over 20 years the company has built 14 properties under two brands, emphasizing authentic hospitality and meticulous guest service. Its hiring model...
Armenia Tourism at a Crossroads: Growth Potential, Structural Gaps, and the Path Forward
Armenia’s tourism sector is gaining momentum, with roughly 300,000 visitors in the first two months of 2026—a 17% year‑on‑year rise. The World Bank’s Tourism and Regional Infrastructure Project is committing about $130 million to develop wine, heritage, and nature clusters in...
U.S. Hospitality Jobs Surge Ahead of Summer Travel Boom
U.S. leisure and hospitality firms added 44,000 jobs in March 2026, the sector’s strongest monthly gain since the pandemic and the second‑largest contributor to private‑sector employment growth after health care. The surge follows a February loss of 11,000 jobs and...
‘We Never Say “No” – Unless It’s Illegal’: The Secret Life of a Raffles Butler
Raffles’ newly restored Old War Office hotel in London offers ultra‑luxury suites where a dedicated butler team delivers hyper‑personalised service, from last‑minute floral arrangements to in‑room ice rinks. The butlers act as personal assistants, confidants and logistical coordinators, handling extravagant...
Navigating NYC’s Updated Safe and Sick Leave Law: A Practical Guide for Restaurants
Effective February 22, 2026, New York City’s safe and sick leave law adds 32 hours of unpaid leave, 20 hours of paid prenatal leave, and broadens qualifying reasons for time off. Restaurants must now track three distinct leave categories—paid safe...
Clean for 2026: How Smart Restaurant Operators Are Rebuilding Their Hygiene Playbooks
Restaurant and hospitality operators are moving from reactive cleaning to system‑driven hygiene programs that are documented, verified, and audit‑ready. York Building Services illustrates how digital verification logs, real‑time inspections, and standardized protocols improve inspection scores and reduce troubleshooting time. Green,...
The New Qantas Reward Search Tool Is Great for Avios AND Virgin Points Collectors Too
Qantas has introduced a new reward‑flight finder on its website, using a SeatSpy‑style engine to display award seat availability across the oneworld alliance and partners like Air France‑KLM and Emirates. The tool addresses frequent complaints that reward seats are hard...
Viasat Positions IFC as Strategic Platform for Brand Loyalty
Viasat is positioning inflight connectivity (IFC) as a strategic brand‑building platform for airlines, citing its 2024 Passenger Experience Survey where 75% of travelers say quality Wi‑Fi makes them more likely to rebook. The company’s Amara solution delivers a scalable, multi‑orbit...
F/LIST Shines a Light on Integrated Lighting Technology for the Cabin
F/LIST unveiled its Lightshifter concept at AIX 2026, embedding LED lighting directly into wood‑veneer surfaces for cabin interiors. The system transforms static panels into programmable, softly illuminated touchpoints that can change color, intensity, and pattern on demand. Lightshifter supports full customization...
Muirhead Brings Circularity In-House
Muirhead announced the launch of an in‑house BioPRO foam production facility within the Scottish Leather Group, moving full‑scale manufacturing of its circular foam under one roof. The patented foam incorporates 20% reclaimed protein from Muirhead’s own processes, reducing reliance on...
FlightPath3D Reframes the Role of the Inflight Map
FlightPath3D has upgraded its AI‑driven inflight platform, Luci, with Luci Live, enabling passengers to ask natural‑language questions and receive actionable answers. The system operates both offline, using real‑time flight data, and online via Starlink‑based Cloud Map, which now powers more than...
RAVE Aerospace Builds on Seatback Success
RAVE Aerospace, renamed from Safran Passenger Innovations after Kingswood’s acquisition, is pivoting to seat‑back inflight entertainment (IFE) as the data‑driven hub of the connected cabin. Its new RAVE Ultra OS platform adopts an open‑platform, modular design that lets airlines preserve brand...
Geven Reinforces Position in European Market Ahead of AIX 2026
Geven is leveraging its modular Elemento and Comoda seat platforms to deepen its foothold in Europe ahead of AIX 2026. The Elemento entered Edelweiss’s A350 economy cabin while the Comoda launched on Eurowings, showcasing flexible, lightweight designs with integrated digital...
Marriott Switching to Coke From Pepsi After 35 Years
Marriott International announced it will replace Pepsi with Coca‑Cola as its in‑house soft‑drink provider after a 35‑year partnership with PepsiCo. The transition is slated to begin this summer across the chain’s U.S. properties. Marriott cited strategic alignment and cost efficiencies...
New Economy Prime Service Set for TAP Long-Haul Flights
TAP Air Portugal will roll out Economy Prime, a new premium‑economy cabin for long‑haul flights, starting June 1, 2026. The product sits between standard Economy and Business Class on the airline’s A330 and A321LR aircraft, featuring 12 seats in a...
175-Hotel Insolvency Case in Germany Highlights Growing Pressure on European Operators
German insolvency courts have opened proceedings for a portfolio of 175 hotels linked to Revo, marking one of the largest recent hotel bankruptcies in Europe. While occupancy and room rates remain relatively stable, operators face surging labor, energy, and maintenance...
Earn up to 110k Miles and Bonus PQP With Elevated United MileagePlus Card Offers
United’s MileagePlus credit‑card suite is rolling out hefty welcome offers, with premium cards delivering up to 110,000 bonus miles and 3,000 Premier Qualifying Points after meeting spending thresholds. Annual fees range from $0 for the basic Explorer and Gateway cards...
ASTA Leads Industry Effort Amid DHS Shutdown
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has launched a dedicated resource hub to guide travel professionals through the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. ASTA is coordinating with the U.S. Travel Association and other partners to pressure Congress for...
Downtown Seattle’s Hotel Seattle Listed for Sale with Redevelopment Flexibility
The historic Hotel Seattle at 315 Seneca Street has been placed on the market by CBRE Hotels as a fee‑simple interest, free of brand or management ties. Recent upgrades—including a new roof, façade work, elevator, and modernized electrical and plumbing—eliminate many...
Cunard Expands Entertainment on 2026 Transatlantic Crossings
Cunard announced an expanded entertainment slate for its 2026 transatlantic voyages on Queen Mary 2, highlighted by a partnership with the Olivier Awards. The schedule features a "London Theatre at Sea" event starting May 22, a Royal Shakespeare Company production...
Prime Investment Properties Lists the Basalt Mountain Inn for Sale - A Premier Roaring Fork Valley Hospitality Opportunity
Prime Investment Properties has listed the Basalt Mountain Inn, a 25‑room boutique hotel in downtown Baslet, Colorado, for sale. The property is offered at $6.25 million and features 10,738 sq ft of renovated space, positioned less than 20 minutes from Aspen and Snowmass ski...
How Adding Fried Foods Can Help Pizza Shops Build a Stronger Menu, and a More Profitable Business
Pizza operators are turning to fried side items such as mozzarella sticks, wings, and fries to boost revenue and diversify menus. Frozen, portion‑controlled products deliver higher margins and lower waste, while ventless fryers simplify kitchen upgrades. Add‑on items raise average...
Accor and Risma Announce New Projects and Training Academy in Morocco
Accor and Moroccan developer Risma announced a multi‑project partnership in Morocco, highlighted by the upcoming Sofitel Tangier luxury hotel on the city’s corniche. The collaboration also includes a comprehensive renovation program to modernize existing Accor properties and improve market segmentation....
HVS Southern Europe Expands Team with New Leadership in Asset Management and F&B
Hospitality consulting firm HVS Southern Europe announced two senior appointments on April 3, 2026. Rúben Paula was named Head of Asset Management and Investment, bringing more than 25 years of hotel operations and turnaround experience across Europe, the Caribbean and Africa. Giovanni Fiorin joined as...
Why Events Like Harry Styles' Tour Demand a Smarter Direct Channel Strategy for Your Hotel - By Paige Lopez
Hotels can tap into “live tourism” by targeting event‑driven travelers, such as those attending Harry Styles’ 2026 Together Together Tour. Lighthouse data shows a 67% year‑over‑year spike in forward demand in Amsterdam and a 700% surge in bookings after the...
Southwest Passenger Says Airline Canceled Her Ticket After Agent Said She Was Too Big For One Seat, Demanded $450
Southwest Airlines canceled a Nashville passenger's ticket after a gate agent demanded she purchase a second seat under the carrier’s new "customer of size" policy, which costs roughly $450. The policy, effective Jan. 27, 2026, requires passengers who cannot fit...
Quick Hits: This Week’s Travel Headlines
Travel industry headlines this week highlighted a potential rebound in Asia‑Pacific tourism to pre‑pandemic levels by 2028, contingent on easing geopolitical and economic pressures. Norwegian Cruise Line celebrated the christening of its new ship, Norwegian Luna, in Miami, while Royal Caribbean...
TMGOC Ventures Breaks Ground on First Ritz-Carlton in Savannah
TMGOC Ventures broke ground on Savannah’s first Ritz‑Carlton, a 168‑room luxury hotel occupying the historic “Savannah Skyscraper.” The property will feature a signature restaurant, rooftop bar and pool, a 5,000‑sq‑ft spa, and over 5,000 sq ft of meeting space. Approved by the...
Proper Hospitality, Realberry Close $298M Financing for Cal Neva Redevelopment
Proper Hospitality and Realberry have secured a $298 million financing package to redevelop the historic Cal Neva Hotel into the Lake Tahoe Proper Resort and Casino, slated to open in 2027. The capital stack includes a $223 million C‑PACE loan from Nuveen...
Aloft Hotel Las Colinas Changes Hands
Hunter Advisors has brokered the sale of the 136‑room Aloft Hotel Las Colinas in Texas. Built in 2008, the property was part of a four‑hotel Aloft portfolio but was sold separately because its strong in‑place cash flow appealed to yield‑focused...
Caesars Entertainment Launches All-Inclusive Summer Hotel Package
Caesars Entertainment unveiled an Inclusive Summer Package for stays from April through August 2026 at Harrah’s, The LINQ and Flamingo on the Las Vegas Strip. The offering starts at $200 per night, taxes and resort fees included, with additional guests...
G6 Hospitality Introduces Bookable Early Check-In
G6 Hospitality, the parent of Motel 6 and Studio 6, has added a bookable early check‑in option that lets guests guarantee a room as early as 11 a.m. or the property’s standard check‑out time for a fee starting at $15. The service is...
U.S. Hotel Results for Week Ending March 28
U.S. hotel performance for the week of March 22‑28 showed solid year‑over‑year gains, with occupancy climbing to 66.8%, average daily rate (ADR) rising to $170.30, and RevPAR increasing 8.3% to $113.81. San Francisco led the top‑25 markets, posting a 26.5‑point occupancy...
Why Margaritaville at Sea Is Resonating with Laid-Back Travelers
Margaritaville at Sea, launched in 2022, has grown from a single‑ship operation to a three‑ship fleet serving the Caribbean and Bahamas. The line added the Islander in summer 2024 and plans to debut the Beachcomber in Miami by early 2027,...
B&B Hotels Scales Its European Operations, Fast. The U.S. Is Another Story
B&B Hotels has cemented its position as Europe’s largest budget hotel operator, now running 900 properties in 19 countries. The chain plans 57 new openings in 2025, concentrating growth in France, Germany, Italy and Spain while testing markets in the...