North Korea Resumes Passenger Train Service to Beijing, Boosting Tourism and Regional Connectivity
China has resumed passenger train service linking its northern regions directly to Beijing, reviving a route suspended during the pandemic. The reinstated service is expected to draw international tourists, enhance cross‑border travel, and showcase scenic landscapes en route. Officials highlight the rail line’s role in promoting sustainable, low‑carbon transportation and supporting local hospitality businesses. The move aligns with Beijing’s broader strategy to expand its rail network and boost tourism‑driven economic growth.
AmaWaterways Launches City Escapes Program for 2026-2027, Offering Extended Stays in the Iconic European Cities to Enhance Cruise Tourism Growth
AmaWaterways announced its City Escapes program for 2026‑2027, adding overnight and daylight extensions to river‑cruise itineraries on the Seine, Rhine and Danube. The new schedules guarantee more than 24 hours in each port, letting guests explore museums, historic districts and local cuisine...
Ghana Culture Week 2026: A Vibrant Display of Art, Cuisine and Cultural Tourism, Everything You Need to Know
Ghana launched its 2026 Culture Week on March 13 in Accra, opening with traditional dance, art exhibitions and a high‑profile showcase of iconic textiles such as Kente and Fugu smock. The festival also presented 69 traditional dishes to mark the country’s...
Fraport Greece Sees More than Nine Pecent Increase in Its Passenger Traffic in February 2026, Boosting Greece’s Travel and Tourism...
Fraport Greece reported a 9.1% rise in February 2026 passenger traffic, handling 720,000 travelers across its 14 regional airports. Domestic travel led the growth with 448,000 passengers, a 10.5% year‑on‑year increase, while international traffic rose 6.9% to 272,000. Key hubs...
Is Wet Leasing Becoming Aviation’s Crisis Strategy as War Disrupts Global Routes?
Airlines are increasingly turning to wet leasing—providing aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance—to keep long‑haul routes alive amid Middle‑East airspace closures caused by war. The model, illustrated by Air Seychelles’ Etihad‑leased A330 to Paris and a Qatar A380 rerouted to Manchester,...
This Taiwanese Restaurant Group Hopes to Build a National Chain in the U.S. Specializing in Elevated Thai Food
Taiwanese restaurant group TTFB launched its first U.S. concept, Very Thai, in Los Angeles’ Westfield Century City mall. The 5,000‑sq‑ft venue offers an elevated Thai menu, family‑style sharing plates and a bar with Thai‑infused cocktails, with average checks of $60‑$70. TTFB,...
ATLF Moves to Limpopo, as Polokwane Sets to Host Global Delegates in September
The Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) and Awards will convene in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, in September 2026, marking the forum’s first event in the region. Organisers—including Africa Tourism Partners, UN Tourism and BDO—highlight the city’s cultural heritage and biodiversity as...
Flynas Delivers Historic Record Adjusted Net Profit
flynas reported a record adjusted net profit of SAR 556 million for FY 2025, a 28% increase year‑on‑year, while carrying 15.8 million passengers, up 7%. The airline expanded its fleet to 71 aircraft, added 25 new routes and entered nine additional countries, boosting its...
TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR SECOND ANNUAL PUERTO RICO WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
Tickets are now available for the second annual Puerto Rico Wine & Food Festival, scheduled for April 23‑26, 2026 at San Juan’s La Concha Resort. The four‑day event will showcase more than 75 wineries, 15 acclaimed chefs, and a mix...
This Hotel Loyalty Program Unlocks Top-Class Sporting Experiences Around the World
Hilton Honors has deepened its partnership with McLaren, letting members bid points for premium Formula 1 experiences such as pit‑lane access and hospitality. The program recorded a record nine million points redeemed for the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, highlighting strong demand...
IHG’s Six Senses London Hotel Is Now Open …. In Bayswater
Six Senses London opened in the renovated Whiteleys department store in Bayswater, offering a luxury wellness experience anchored by a 2,300 sqm spa, London’s first magnesium pool, and a hyper‑baric chamber. The hotel preserves the Grade II‑listed Art Deco façade while adding...
Bits: 10000 Bonvoy Points in London, United Card Pre-Registration, Singapore Airlines Adds Flights
Marriott is offering up to 10,000 bonus Bonvoy points per night at four London hotels, effectively matching refundable rates while delivering a £50‑valued perk. United Airlines is opening a UK‑focused debit card, with pre‑registration closing on March 16 and a...
EUROPEAN AIRPORTS WITH THE BEST PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONNECTIONS
Fit Reisen evaluated public‑transport links for 66 European airports, scoring each on travel time and fare cost. Southern and Eastern European hubs such as Málaga, Vilnius and Poznań topped the list with sub‑15‑minute trips priced under €2. In contrast, northern...
Maastricht: The Dutch City Germans Love for a Day — and Students Stay for Years
Maastricht’s strategic position on the Dutch‑German‑Belgian border has turned it into a magnet for German day‑trippers and a hub for international students. The city welcomes thousands of visitors each week, while Maastricht University enrolls about 23,000 students, 61% of whom...
High Ticket Prices and Geopolitical Uncertainty Weigh on Early World Cup Hotel Bookings
Hotel operators in the United States, Canada and Mexico report slower‑than‑expected early bookings for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Rising ticket prices and heightened geopolitical uncertainty are cited as key factors dampening international fan travel. Analysts caution that demand typically...
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This Underrated German City Is the 2026 World Design Capital and It Just Got a Chic New Hotel With a...
Frankfurt has been named the 2026 World Design Capital and has welcomed The Florentin by Althoff Collection, a new five‑star hotel housed in a renovated 1901 villa. The property features 98 rooms, 49 suites, a 10,000‑sq‑ft wellness area with a...
Chicago Will Become Etihad’s Biggest US Market, As Airline Goes Double Daily
Etihad Airways will double its Abu Dhabi‑Chicago service to two daily flights starting June 15, 2026, using Airbus A350‑1000 aircraft with 371 seats each. The new schedule adds morning and midday departures from Abu Dhabi and two return flights from...
Virgin Voyages Announces Two Loyalty-Focused Red Hot Sailing Club Voyages for 2027
Virgin Voyages unveiled two 2027 Red Hot Sailing Club cruises, a 7‑night sail from Athens (July 4‑11) on the Scarlet Lady and a 5‑night sail from Miami (Nov 8‑13) on the Valiant Lady. Both voyages target Sailing Club members with exclusive events, bonus Virgin...
Foreign Aisles: Why Supermarkets Are the Most Underrated Tourist Experience
The piece argues that supermarkets are the most underrated tourist experience, offering travelers a direct window into a country’s everyday life and culinary habits. By navigating aisles filled with regional brands, specialty ingredients, and local packaging, visitors can discover authentic...
YY Group Welcomes The Landmark Bangkok to Growing Hospitality Client Portfolio
YY Group Holding’s Thailand arm, YY Circle Thailand, has signed a one‑year manpower outsourcing agreement with The Landmark Bangkok, one of the country’s flagship luxury hotels. The deal expands YY Circle’s portfolio, which already features top brands such as Shangri‑La,...
Sale E Pepe Mare Brings Italian Coastal Dining to The Langham London
Sale e Pepe, the iconic Knightsbridge Italian eatery, is opening a seafood‑focused spin‑off called Sale e Pepe Mare inside The Langham hotel on Portland Place. The venture is backed by the Thesleff Group, owners of Los Mochis and Juno Omakase, and features a design that fuses Mediterranean...
Delta Air Lines Cancels Hundreds Of Flights Ahead Of Winter Storm
Delta Air Lines preemptively canceled hundreds of flights across its Midwest network as a major winter storm approached the region. The airline’s Minneapolis‑St. Paul hub bore the brunt, with roughly 200 departures and an equal number of arrivals scrubbed on...
Bits: Free Infants on Finnair Avios Redemptions, Last Day for 100% Hilton ‘Buy Points’ Bonus
Finnair Plus allows infants under two to travel on Avios redemptions without using any Avios, only paying taxes, unlike the typical 10% Avios surcharge on other carriers. The adult fare remains 42,000 Avios, making the infant ticket essentially free in...
WTCE 2026 Launches Discover Zone Connecting Onboard Food and Beverage Brands with Airlines
World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) 2026 is debuting the Discover Zone, an interactive product‑discovery space at its April 14‑16 Hamburg show. The zone, located next to the VIP Buyer Lounge, showcases more than 30 food, beverage and...
Ocean City, Maryland, US Launches Powerful Discover OC Campaign To Transform Beach Escape Into Business Events Hotspot
Ocean City, Maryland has launched the Discover OC brand to reposition the seaside resort as a year‑round hub for conferences, meetings, sports tournaments and group travel. The initiative consolidates sales, marketing and partner outreach under a single B2B identity, highlighting...
Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany & Italy Tourists Set to Flood Austin Flights as Bastrop County Film Studios Trigger Major Surge...
Bastrop County’s new state‑of‑the‑art film studios, unveiled at the 2026 SXSW Expo, are sparking a wave of film‑tourism that’s driving international travelers to Austin. Airlines including Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta and United have added or expanded direct routes from...
Hundreds of Passengers Impacted at John F. Kennedy International Airport as Delta, JetBlue, Lufthansa, American, Aer Lingus and More Airlines...
Hundreds of travelers at John F. Kennedy International Airport faced major disruptions on March 14, 2026, as 22 flights were canceled and 323 experienced delays. Major carriers including Delta, JetBlue, Lufthansa, American and Aer Lingus were among those affected. The knock‑on effect reached secondary hubs...
How Qatar Airways' New Business Class Stacks Up Against Emirates In 2026
Qatar Airways is introducing its next‑generation Qsuite on the A350‑1000, featuring seats two inches wider and one inch longer, while Emirates is completing a massive retrofit of its A380 fleet, expanding business‑class capacity to 76 seats per aircraft and redesigning...
Tourism Stimulus Eyed to Address Slowdown
Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) is preparing a stimulus package aimed at reviving short‑haul and domestic travel as the Middle East conflict depresses visitor numbers. The plan includes establishing a tourism “war room” with private operators to monitor flight capacity, oil...
Spirit Airlines Files Restructuring Plan, Targets Emergence From Chapter 11 by Early Summer
Spirit Airlines filed a restructuring support agreement and reorganization plan in New York bankruptcy court, targeting emergence from Chapter 11 by early summer 2026. The plan calls for cutting debt from roughly $7.4 billion to about $2 billion, right‑sizing the fleet to 76‑80...
UAE Air Traffic Rebounds: 1.4 Million Passengers Served as Flights Gradually Resume
UAE air traffic rebounded sharply, with more than 1.4 million passengers processed between March 1 and March 12 and 7,839 aircraft movements recorded. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) attributed the recovery to limited flights on approved contingency routes that kept the Gulf...
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Growth Is ‘Full Speed Ahead’ Under New CEO Jim Bitticks
Dave’s Hot Chicken posted a 58% increase in store count last year and was acquired by Roark Capital, the private‑equity firm behind Subway. In January, COO Jim Bitticks was promoted to CEO, pledging to sustain the brand’s rapid growth. Under...
Trend: Legacy Designs Now and Then
Legacy restaurant chains are overhauling their interiors to blend heritage with modern appeal. Mellow Mushroom has instituted a unified design system that still celebrates local artwork and quirky details across its 162 locations. Cousins Subs shifted to an industrial, Midwestern‑inspired aesthetic,...
Introducing The Suite Talk Travel Show: The Prince of Travel Podcast
The Prince of Travel team has launched The Suite Talk Travel Show, a round‑table podcast aimed at Canadian travelers. The debut episode, released March 14, 2026, dives into Aeroplan’s shift to a revenue‑based elite status system, eUpgrade availability, and optimal...
Inkaterra Opens Luxury Retreat in Peru
Inkaterra has launched Inkaterra Cabo Blanco, a luxury eco‑resort on Peru’s northern Pacific coast featuring 13 ocean‑view suites with private terraces and plunge pools. The 1,000‑sq‑ft suites open onto a curved main pool and beachfront dining venues, offering high‑end amenities...
Cathay Pacific to Increase Fuel Surcharges on All Flights
Cathay Pacific will double its fuel surcharges on all routes starting March 18 2026, raising short‑haul fees to HK$290, medium‑haul to HK$541, and long‑haul to HK$1,164 per direction. The increase reflects jet‑fuel prices that have roughly doubled since March. Because the airline...
Airport Security Workers to Miss Paycheck as Shutdown Drags On
The federal government entered its second consecutive shutdown on February 14, 2026 after Congress failed to agree on a funding bill that ties Department of Homeland Security appropriations to reforms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices. While the agency’s immigration...
What Is the Global Distribution System (GDS)? A Guide for Hotels and Travel Professionals
The Global Distribution System (GDS) is a technology layer that lets hotels, airlines and car‑rental firms share real‑time inventory with travel agents and corporate booking tools. Major GDS operators—Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport—handle the bulk of worldwide travel reservations, feeding data...
Minor International Sees Q4 ‘Uplift’ for UAE Bookings After ‘Major Cancelations’
Minor International, operator of 18 UAE hotels, suffered major booking cancellations after the Iran war but reports a slight uplift in fourth‑quarter reservations as travelers rebook. The company is redirecting marketing toward more resilient source markets such as Russia, India...
Bleisure Travel Becomes a Growing Force in Corporate Travel Demand
Bleisure travel—mixing business trips with leisure—is gaining traction as flexible work policies let employees extend corporate trips for personal experiences. Research from the Global Business Travel Association and Skift shows a rising share of travelers adding extra nights for sightseeing...
Form + Function: Outdoor Dining
Restaurants are redefining outdoor dining, from game‑filled patios at O.H.S.O Brewery in Phoenix to refined riverfront wine bars like The Easy Company in Washington, DC. Designers emphasize climate‑specific shade, heating and cooling solutions, and seamless indoor‑outdoor aesthetic continuity. A 2025...
SSP Awarded New F&B Contract at JFK Terminal 6
SSP America has been awarded the food‑and‑beverage contract for four outlets in JFK’s new Terminal 6. The concepts – For Five Coffee, P.J. Clarke’s, Le Grand Comptoir and Gotham Burger Social Club – will roll out in two phases, with the first...
Sofitel Rio De Janeiro Ipanema to Open as Flagship Hotel at the End of 2026
Sofitel will launch its first Brazilian flagship, the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema, slated for completion by the end of 2026. The 172‑room tower will become the tallest structure on Ipanema, offering 360‑degree city and ocean vistas. Architect Patricia Anastassiadis...
IHOP Is Bolstering Its Catering Channel
IHOP is intensifying promotion of its catering business as off‑premise sales climb, now representing 21% of total revenue. The chain has introduced proprietary packaging and local‑store marketing kits aimed at hotels, schools and conferences, while also targeting late‑night breakfast demand....
'We Agents Will Shine Through Another Crisis', And Nine Other Things We Took Away From the 2026 Jet2holidays Conference
The 2026 Jet2holidays conference underscored travel agents' pivotal role in navigating post‑pandemic volatility. Speakers highlighted new product bundles, flexible booking tools, and sustainability initiatives aimed at boosting demand. Jet2holidays announced a partnership with Planet Technology to enhance AI‑driven pricing. The...
Top Headlines: This Week in Travel News
Travel this week was marked by a series of disruptions and recoveries. Cruise ships have returned to Puerto Vallarta after a week of cancellations tied to cartel violence in western Mexico. Safety concerns stemming from the Iran‑Israel conflict are prompting...
PennDOT Proposes Autonomous Shuttle Service at Pittsburgh International Airport
PennDOT has launched a public consultation on an autonomous shuttle system for Pittsburgh International Airport, inviting comments from March 15 to April 14, 2026. The Allegheny County Airport Authority will sponsor the project, which envisions a dedicated guideway linking landside...
Cayman Islands Records Best Ever January Visitation Numbers
The Cayman Islands welcomed 47,047 stayover visitors in January 2026, a 13.6% year‑over‑year rise and the strongest January on record, surpassing the 2020 benchmark by 9.7%. Total visitation, including cruise passengers, hit 192,754, marking the second consecutive month of record...
What Are Plaza Premium First Lounges, And How Can They Be Accessed?
Plaza Premium First Lounges represent the premium tier of the independent lounge operator, offering a first‑class experience that rivals airline‑run facilities. Launched a decade ago, the concept now exists in seven airports—including DFW, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Phnom Penh and Vancouver—with...
Beef Costs Exceed Burger Prices, Pressuring QSRs
Beef production costs have jumped 32% since January 2023, while restaurant burger prices have risen only 14%, according to Datassential’s Burger Price Index. The increase mirrors overall food‑away‑from‑home inflation of 13% but varies by segment, with limited‑service burgers up 16% versus...