Palace Hotel Tokyo Awarded Industry-Leading GSTC Certification for Sustainability
Palace Hotel Tokyo has become the first Japanese‑owned and managed hotel to earn the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification, confirming compliance with 167 sustainability benchmarks. The hotel’s Eco‑Palace program integrates rigorous staff training, waste‑to‑compost initiatives, and a Sustainability Liaison Group that meets monthly. Community actions include donating surplus bakery items to Food Bank Net and sourcing the majority of ingredients and produce locally. Partnerships with the Ministry of the Environment protect the adjacent Wadakura moat, underscoring a holistic approach to environmental stewardship.
How Certified Laundry Solutions Reduce Allergen Exposure in Hospitality Fabrics
Hospitality operators are turning to certified laundry detergents to dramatically lower allergen and chemical residue levels in linens, towels, and upholstery. The Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification requires >95% allergen removal, non‑sensitizing ingredients, and VOC emissions below strict limits. When...
Walk-On’s to Open New Nashville Restaurant with Country Music Star Cole Swindell
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux announced a new franchise partnership with Marriott franchisee Jamie Daniel of Daniel Hospitality and country music star Cole Swindell to open a Walk-On’s location on Broadway in Nashville, slated for 2027. The collaboration adds a high‑profile celebrity...
Five London Hotels Capture 57% of AI Recommendations: What a New Study Reveals About AI Travel Distribution
A LuxDirect CS7 study of 2,700 AI queries across 25 London luxury hotels found five properties captured 57% of AI recommendations. The concentration appears faster than early SEO trends and is independent of hotel size or brand, with a 26‑room...
Garner Becomes Fastest-Scaling Global Brand for IHG
Garner, IHG's midscale conversion brand, has opened 100 hotels worldwide since its August 2023 debut, making it the fastest‑scaling brand in the company’s history. A pipeline of roughly 80 additional properties will almost double its footprint, extending the brand to...
Sonic Launches Caffeinated Refreshers as QSR Drinks Boom
Sonic is adding three lightly caffeinated fruit refreshers—Strawberry Passionfruit, Mango Peach and Berry Citrus—to its permanent menu on March 23, available in still and sparkling formats for $2.99. Each 20‑ounce drink contains about 45 mg of caffeine, a green‑tea base, and...
Coco Wolf Delivers Outdoor Furnishings for Oceanus Mustique
Coco Wolf was chosen to outfit the exterior spaces of Oceanus, a luxury villa on Mustique, with a fully bespoke collection that mirrors the interior aesthetic while withstanding the island’s harsh climate. Each piece is handcrafted in Britain from responsibly...
Red Roof Reports Success in 2025
Red Roof announced that 2025 was a transformative year, positioning the brand for profitable growth through operational excellence, technology upgrades, and heightened franchise demand. The company lifted market share, with The Red Collection gaining 2% and Red Roof Inn 1.1%,...
Choice Hotels’ Ascend Collection Surpasses 500 Openings
Choice Hotels’ Ascend Collection has crossed the 500‑property threshold, highlighted by recent openings such as The Harrison Hotel in Florida and The Gould Hotel in New York. The brand now boasts a pipeline of 70 additional properties in key U.S....
Empiria Group Arrives in Milos with Eréma
Empiria Group will launch Eréma, a Design Hotels member, on June 15, 2026, marking its first property on Milos and expanding its presence in the Cyclades. The 41‑suite resort, designed by Athens‑based Laboratorium, integrates volcanic stone, marble and earth tones...
Inside V&E Hospitality’s Vision to Create Spaces Where Guests Feel Valued
V&E Hospitality Group, led by CEO Matias Pesce, is pursuing a customer‑centric strategy that spans quick‑service coffee shops, casual‑dining restaurants and boutique hotels under five core concepts, generating $150 million in annual sales across 28 locations. The firm emphasizes a differentiated...
Not Just Travel Names New Chief Financial Officer to Drive Growth
Not Just Travel has appointed ICAEW‑qualified chartered accountant Helen Foottit as chief financial officer to steer its accelerated growth strategy. Foottit joins from The Property Franchise Group, where she spent over ten years supporting the CFO through multiple acquisitions and...
Experience the Future of Baggage Handling at PTE World 2026
Cognex is showcasing its next‑generation 360° automated tag reading (ATR) system at PTE World 2026 in London. The AI‑powered solution claims up to 99% read accuracy, full IATA compliance, and seamless integration with RFID, dimensioning and OCR technologies. Its 360‑degree...
Mott MacDonald Boosts Aviation Business
Mott MacDonald has reinforced its aviation, maritime and offshore practice by appointing Jason Buckland as aviation director and Kim Yates as sustainable aviation and green ports market lead. Buckland brings senior roles at British Airways, Etihad, GE and Arcadis, and will steer the...
Emirates Reroutes Flights After Drone Attack on Dubai’s Airport
Emirates responded to a drone strike at Dubai International Airport by rerouting flights to nearby hubs, temporarily suspending operations at the main terminal. The incident forced a shutdown for safety inspections, prompting the carrier to shift services to Abu Dhabi...
India and Maldives Tourism Boost with New Celebrity-Led Curated Tours, Get the Details Here
India and the Maldives have unveiled a series of celebrity‑led curated tours aimed at Indian travelers seeking luxury experiences. The itineraries combine high‑end accommodations, private island access, and immersive marine activities, all marketed through the personal brands of Indian celebrities....
Traveller Made Highlights Branding as Key to Luxury DMC Growth
Traveller Made’s CEO Quentin Desurmont warns luxury destination management companies (DMCs) that superior logistics alone no longer secures profitability; they must develop distinct brand identities. He suggests borrowing branding tactics from the luxury goods sector, where desirability and exclusivity have...
AI Adoption at Marriott Bonvoy - Drew Pinto, Chief Revenue & Technology Officer, Checks-In on Progress to Date
Marriott Bonvoy has completed a major re‑platforming of its core systems, creating a flexible, cloud‑native architecture that readily accommodates artificial‑intelligence solutions. Executives say AI is now embedded across finance, HR, marketing and other functions, with partnerships to OpenAI and Google...
Recognition Is the Loyalty Perk Most Restaurants Aren’t Offering
New Toast survey of 1,400 U.S. diners shows only 20% receive a personalized experience. While discounts remain popular, diners—especially Boomers—prefer recognition, preferential seating, and tailored perks. Operators in the South, Midwest, and rural areas lag in personalization, creating an opportunity....
Sri Lanka Unveils Ambitious ‘Love Sri Lanka, Always’ Campaign to Redefine Tourism, Attract Year-Round Visitors and Strengthen Its Position as...
Sri Lanka has launched the "Love Sri Lanka, Always" campaign to revitalize its tourism sector. The initiative targets year‑round visitors by promoting cultural, natural, and culinary attractions through a digital‑first strategy. It includes partnerships with airlines, influencer collaborations, and a...
Singapore Airlines Renews Distribution Agreements with Amadeus
Singapore Airlines has renewed its multiyear distribution agreements with Amadeus, covering both legacy EDIFACT messaging and the newer New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology. The deal guarantees continued access for travel sellers on the Amadeus platform to SIA’s fares, products, and...
Air Fares From Asia to the UK Soar Amid Middle East Crisis: Are Airlines Profiteering or Providing a Service?
Air fares from Asia to the United Kingdom have surged as the Middle East conflict disrupts key flight corridors, limiting available seats and prompting airlines to adjust pricing. Capacity cuts and rerouted paths have pushed ticket costs up by 30‑40...
Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok Redefines Thailand’s Luxury Landscape: A New Era of Bespoke Wellness and Organic Suite Amenities
Kimpton Maa‑Lai Bangkok has launched a suite of organic in‑room amenities and partnered with Araksa to serve premium teas, positioning the property as a wellness‑focused luxury hotel in Thailand’s capital. The initiative blends bespoke spa services, locally sourced organic toiletries,...
New Direct Flights From Jakarta to Da Nang: Vietjet Links Indonesia to Vietnam’s Beach Paradise, Boosting Travel Between Jakarta, Da...
Vietjet announced the launch of direct flights between Jakarta and Da Nang, set to begin in April 2026. The new service offers discounted fares, providing a faster, cheaper option for travelers heading to Vietnam’s coastal resorts. By linking Indonesia’s capital...
Dusit Thani Bangkok Joins Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection
Preferred Hotels & Resorts has added Bangkok’s iconic Dusit Thani to its Legend Collection, its elite group of luxury properties. The hotel reopened in late 2024 after a major redevelopment as part of the Dusit Central Park project, offering 257...
UAE’s Armada Club Launches Exclusive Yacht Access: How Members Are Sailing Into Ultimate Luxury with Private Yachts and Bespoke Experiences
Armada Club in the UAE has unveiled a private‑members yacht access program, granting elite subscribers direct booking of a curated fleet of luxury vessels. The offering includes bespoke itineraries across the Gulf, on‑board concierge services, and exclusive events tailored to...
Kenya Airways Boosts Cargo Ops via B747 Capacity Partnership
Kenya Airways has added a Boeing 747‑400 freighter through a capacity agreement with Terra Avia, raising its cargo lift from roughly 70 tonnes to about 180 tonnes. The airline plans to push capacity beyond 250 tonnes as part of a broader push to position...
Hyatt Announces the Opening of Andaz Lisbon
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has launched Andaz Lisbon, its first Andaz property in Portugal, located in the Baixa neighborhood overlooking Praça do Comércio and the Tagus River. The 170‑room hotel integrates Portuguese materials such as cork and mosaic with contemporary design...
IHG Brings World’s First and Largest Luxury Hotel Brand Back to Manila
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of InterContinental Manila, a 212‑key luxury hotel slated to open in 2032 in Bonifacio Global City. The project marks the brand’s return to the Philippine capital after more than 15 years, underscoring IHG’s...
IHG Hotels & Resorts Appoints Neetu Mistry as Managing Director for UK & Ireland
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced Neetu Mistry as Managing Director for the UK & Ireland, overseeing more than 400 open and pipeline hotels across its eleven brands. Mistry brings over two decades of hotel industry experience in the UK and...
Motto by Hilton to Debut in Australia with Sydney CBD Property
Hilton announced the debut of its Motto by Hilton lifestyle brand in Australia with the signing of Motto by Hilton Sydney City Centre on York Street. The 152‑room hotel, slated to open in late 2027, will feature flexible room types,...
Hilton Strengthens Goa Portfolio with the Opening of Hilton Garden Inn Goa Calangute
Hilton announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Goa Calangute, its first Garden Inn brand in the state, adding a 116‑room upscale hotel in the heart of North Goa’s tourist hub. Developed with Kokra Resort & Spa, the property offers a...
Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur Unveils Landmark Culinary Collaborations
Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur announced a sweeping culinary partnership with Michelin‑starred Indian chef Garima Arora and celebrated French‑Asian chef Jean‑Georges Vongerichten. Arora will open Yaari, a modern Indian restaurant that reimagines regional dishes and street‑food classics. Vongerichten will launch three...
Hilton Accelerates Multi‑Brand Growth in Brazil with Plans to Double Portfolio by 2030
Hilton is accelerating its multi‑brand expansion in Brazil, aiming to double its hotel count from roughly 30 to 60 properties by 2030. The company opened Tru by Hilton Chapeco, Hampton by Hilton Caraguatatuba Serramar and DoubleTree by Hilton Caracol Canela...
An Activity-Rich Island Escape Awaits Families This Easter at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has launched a week‑long Easter programme aimed at families, featuring beach games, snorkelling, crafts and a dedicated Kids’ Club agenda. The highlight is an Easter Sunday dinner buffet with global flavours, a chocolate fountain and live crêpe station....
How Frankfurt Airport Is Making the Energy Transition Real
Frankfurt Airport’s operator Fraport is executing a multi‑pronged renewable energy plan that combines long‑term offshore wind power purchase agreements with on‑site vertical photovoltaic installations. Starting mid‑2026, an 85 MW PPA with the He Dreiht wind farm will supply roughly 372 GWh of...
The Big Interview: Peter Foster, CEO, Air Astana
The latest content roundup highlights several key developments across travel and hospitality. Avios Shop doubled its redemption limit to 50%, offering greater flexibility for frequent flyers. A boutique hotel review of The Hoxton Shoreditch underscores the growing demand for experiential...
RUSSIA'S DOMESTIC TOURISM BOOM: 173.9 MILLION TRIPS IN 2025
Russia recorded 173.9 million domestic trips in 2025, a 7.4 % increase over 2024 and nearly a 44 % rise since 2021. Travel peaked in July‑August, with ten regions—including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar Krai—accounting for more than half of all journeys. The average...
MOST TRAVELER COMPLAINTS INCLUDE DELAYED FLIGHTS AND CANCELLATIONS
European Consumer Centres (ECC) processed a record 165,000 travel‑related complaints in 2025, with German inquiries up 25% year‑over‑year. Delayed flights, cancellations and booking changes dominate the grievances, underscoring persistent disruption despite post‑pandemic demand recovery. The EU261/2004 regulation obliges airlines to...
THE MOST CASHLESS-FRIENDLY AND UNFRIENDLY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS REVEALED
The Cashless Travel Index ranks about fifty destinations on how easily visitors can pay without cash, using 2026 data on card access, transit tap‑to‑pay, ATM density, and electronic transaction frequency. Seoul tops the list, with roughly 800 card transactions per...
US Airlines Urge Government to Pay TSA Workers as Shutdown Disrupts Air Travel
Major U.S. airlines and cargo carriers have urged Congress to restore funding for the Transportation Security Administration as the federal shutdown leaves roughly 50,000 TSA officers working without pay. The unpaid workforce is triggering staffing shortages, temporary lane closures, and...
Azuma Farm Koiwai Opens in Iwate, Bringing Boutique Farm-Stay Luxury to Japan’s Tohoku Region
Azuma Farm Koiwai, a boutique farm‑stay developed by Azumi Japan with JR East, will open on April 23, 2026 in Iwate Prefecture. The eight‑hectare retreat sits within the historic 3,000‑hectare Koiwai Farm estate, offering luxury rooms, farm‑to‑table cuisine, and seasonal...
Caribbean Tourism Sounds Alarm at ITB Berlin: Climate Talk Is Cheap Without Real Funding
Caribbean tourism leaders used ITB Berlin to warn that climate adaptation plans are ineffective without accessible financing. CTO Secretary‑General Dona Regis‑Prosper highlighted the region’s exposure to hurricanes, beach erosion, and coral loss, stressing that ideas alone won’t bridge the resilience...
All Nippon Airways Renews International Amenity Kits with Industry-First Collaboration
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will refresh its First and Business Class amenity kits on international long‑haul and select medium‑haul routes starting April 2026. The new kits pair recycled‑polyester pouches from Italian leather brand FRANZI with luxury skincare from Japan’s DECORTÉ...
The Dubai Bubble: A Tourism Powerhouse in a Turbulent Gulf
Dubai has transformed from a modest trading port into a global tourism powerhouse through massive investment in aviation, luxury hospitality, and finance. The city now welcomes millions of visitors annually, leveraging its reputation for safety and connectivity. However, escalating Gulf...
Kansai Airports to Reopen Renovated T2 at KIX with Smart Security Lanes and Enhanced Passenger Facilities
Kansai Airports announced that the renovated domestic Terminal 2 at Kansai International Airport will reopen on 1 April 2026. The upgrade adds self‑baggage‑drop kiosks, three 20‑metre smart security lanes, and a larger departure lounge with a new food court and refreshed retail space....
End Of An Era: Emirates Removes All Airbus A380 Flights To This Major European City
Emirates will cease its daily Airbus A380 flights between Dubai and Copenhagen on May 31, 2026, ending a brief one‑year service. Starting June 1, the carrier will operate two smaller wide‑bodies—a 298‑seat A350‑900 and a 421‑seat Boeing 777‑300ER—providing a combined...
Churchill’s War Office Is Now a $1,000/Night Hotel
Raffles London has opened in the former Old War Office on Whitehall, after a $1.76 billion, eight‑year restoration. The historic Edwardian Baroque building now offers 120 guest rooms, 85 private residences, and five Heritage Suites located in former offices of Winston...
Revealed: Lufthansa’s New A380 Cabins To Debut On These Four Routes In April
Lufthansa will launch its newly retrofitted Airbus A380 cabins on four long‑haul routes from Munich—Boston, Los Angeles, Washington Dulles and Delhi—in April 2026. The upgrade replaces the old 2‑2‑2 business‑class layout with Thompson Aero Vantage XL seats in a 1‑2‑1 configuration, reducing business seats from 78...
Virtuoso Survey: Partners Are Bullish On 2026
Virtuoso’s January 2026 Network Pulse Survey of 908 travel partners and 1,468 advisors shows optimism climbing to 62% among suppliers and 71% among advisors. Bookings rose for 59% of partners, while pessimism fell to a historic low of 3% on...