CIE Tours Expands Into Portugal With New Itinerary for 2027
CIE Tours announced its first foray into Portugal with a new Northern Spain & Portugal itinerary launching in 2027. The 11‑ and 12‑day guided tours start in Madrid, travel through northern Spanish regions, and finish in Lisbon, with select departures limited to 26 guests. The product is part of the company’s Inclusive Advantage program, bundling accommodations, most meals, and sightseeing into a single price. Departures are scheduled monthly from February through December 2027.
Royalton Vessence Barbados Opens on the Platinum Coast
Royalton Vessence Barbados, an adult‑only all‑inclusive resort, opened on the island’s Platinum Coast, marking the first Royalton property in Barbados and the global debut of the Vessence brand. The beachfront hotel features 220 rooms, including ocean‑front suites and swim‑out options,...
Michelin Guide Recognizes 60+ Orlando Restaurants
The 2026 Michelin Guide Florida announced that more than 60 Orlando-area restaurants earned recognition. Sorekara retained its two‑star status, joining only one other two‑star venue in the state, while five establishments received one star. Fourteen eateries earned the Bib Gourmand...
Silversea Sets Sail for Alaska and the Arctic in 2026
Silversea announced its 2026 Alaska and Arctic cruise seasons, featuring 30 Alaska sailings and 21 Arctic voyages. The Arctic program, aboard Silver Endeavour and Silver Wind, reaches latitudes as far north as 80 degrees and includes stops in Svalbard, Disko...
Hilton Aruba Adds a Boutique Tower to Its Palm Beach Resort
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino has opened The Westerly, a new boutique‑style tower on Palm Beach. The 161‑room addition offers ocean‑front terraces, private concierge service, and an adults‑only rooftop venue called Terrace on 10. The tower complements the existing...
Celebrity Cruises Adds New Captain’s Club Milestone Rewards
Celebrity Cruises is expanding its Captain’s Club loyalty program on June 11, 2026, adding five new milestone benefit tiers for Elite Plus (750‑2,999 points) and Zenith (3,000+ points) members. At 1,500 points guests receive 480 minutes of free Premium Wi‑Fi,...
Flightpath: Airlines on the Radar
American Airlines will begin installing SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi on 500 narrow‑body A321XLR and A321neo aircraft in early 2027, joining a growing roster of carriers that rely on low‑Earth‑orbit connectivity. Avianca is launching daily Fort Lauderdale‑to‑Barranquilla and Fort Lauderdale‑to‑Cali routes...
What’s New at Six Senses: Savings, Spa & Summer Getaways
Six Senses unveiled three new wellness‑focused offers: the Essence of Grenada Grand Edition, a four‑night stay in Grenada with daily breakfast and a flexible $1,000 resort credit for spa or dining; the Alpine Reboot in Crans‑Montana, a single‑day diagnostic and...
Hilton Signs New Curio Resort on the Samana Peninsula
Hilton’s Curio Collection announced the signing of Almare Beach Resort Las Terrenas, slated to open in 2028 on the Dominican Republic’s Samana Peninsula. The beachfront property will comprise 252 accommodations, including 90 hotel rooms and 162 residential units, some featuring...
AccuWeather Partners With Disney on New Weather Forecast and Alert System
Disney Experiences has entered a long‑term partnership with AccuWeather to launch "Disney Weather Check powered by AccuWeather," a hyper‑local forecasting platform for park guests. The service delivers location‑specific forecasts, real‑time alerts, and AccuWeather’s MinuteCast and RealFeel data through a customized...
From Mexico City to New York: Hotels Roll Out Pride Month Deals and Experiences
Hotels in Mexico City, New York and Canada are launching Pride Month packages to attract LGBTQ+ travelers. Mondrian Mexico City Condesa offers 20% off, a complimentary room upgrade and daily breakfast for two. Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown bundles a Pride‑themed...
Riviera Travel Workshop Turns Fam Trips Into Group Sales Engines
Riviera Travel has teamed with River Cruise King Academy to launch a six‑day Group Sales Workshop on the Riviera Radiance from March 14‑19, 2027, scheduled right after the ASTA River Cruise Expo. The program replaces traditional fam trips with a revenue‑focused...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Debuts Refurbished Seven Seas Voyager
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has returned its flagship Seven Seas Voyager to service after a 25‑day, multimillion‑dollar dry‑dock in Marseille. The refurbishment revamps every suite, adds separate showers and bathtubs, and refreshes public areas such as the atrium, library and...
Scientists, Storytellers and Explorers Headline PONANT 2027 Voyages
PONANT Expeditions is expanding its partnership with The Explorers Club for 2027, unveiling 12 new itineraries that pair luxury cruising with on‑board experts. The lineup includes the m/s Paul Gauguin for the first time, an eight‑night Seychelles sail led by...
America250 Travel Experiences in Florida
Florida’s top resorts are unveiling summer and America250‑themed experiences to capture holiday travelers. Grande Lakes Orlando’s “Summer by the Lake” runs through Sept. 6 with family entertainment, wellness retreats, and a $50 resort‑credit package. Miami‑Dade’s America250 initiative rolls out year‑long cultural...
Barcelona Raises Taxes, Takes Other Steps Against Overtourism
Barcelona is intensifying its fight against overtourism ahead of the 2026 summer. The city will double the cruise passenger tax to $9.30, raise hotel taxes to $10‑17 per night and vacation‑rental taxes to $14, and cut cruise terminals from seven...
Memorial Day Cruise Deals & Savings
Travelers can tap Memorial Day promotions from four cruise operators, each offering deep discounts for 2026‑2027 sailings. AmaWaterways provides up to $2,500 off U.S. staterooms (and $3,000 for Canadians) plus free land packages. Celebrity Cruises discounts a second guest’s fare...
Win a Voyage on Aurora Expeditions’ Douglas Mawson
Aurora Expeditions is running a Travel Advisor Appreciation Month promotion that runs through June 30, 2026. North American travel advisors who book eligible 2026‑27 small‑ship cruises to Europe, the Panama Canal or Costa Rica are entered into a random draw...
Nevis Tourism Launches ‘Spring Into Summer’ Travel Deals
Nevis Tourism Authority unveiled the “Spring Into Summer” campaign, offering a suite of hotel promotions to stimulate summer travel to the island. Discounts range from 15‑30% off, free nights, resort credits and meal perks across properties such as Four Seasons...
Caribbean Tourism Leaders Gather for Marketplace 2026
Last week the Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM) convened over 500 delegates from the Caribbean, North America, Europe and Latin America at the American University of Antigua. The event featured a Sandals Grande Antigua forum on investment, air connectivity and sustainability,...
A Focus on Balance and Nature at Banyan Tree Samui
Banyan Tree Samui has launched "Banyan Tree Connections," a private, immersive wellbeing journey for two that begins this month. The program tailors a 30‑minute wellness consultation and a curated itinerary of activities such as duo yoga, sound‑healing meditation, Thai boxing,...
Cruise News Roundup: Star Clippers’ Holiday Sailings, Royal Caribbean World Cup Plans, Advisor Tools From Crystal
Star Clippers has opened bookings for its December‑January holiday sailings in the Caribbean, Costa Rica and Panama, offering a $400 air credit and complimentary Champagne for early reservations. Royal Caribbean will broadcast every FIFA World Cup 2026 match across its...
The Latest in Travel & Tourism News
The 2026 FIFA World Cup’s tourism forecasts are being revised downward as early data suggests lower visitor spending than originally projected. Viking announced Leah Talactac as its new CEO while reporting robust forward bookings for 2026‑2027 sailings. ASTA’s latest industry...
Pleasant Holidays Adds Nearly 60 New Luxury Hotels to Its Global Portfolio
Pleasant Holidays has expanded its inventory by nearly 60 luxury hotels and resorts across Asia, Europe and Mexico, adding brands such as Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, Helsinki, and a Ritz‑Carlton Reserve in Nayarit. The new properties range from iconic luxury chains to...
Whales and Waterfalls Star in G Adventures’ Dominica Tours
G Adventures has introduced its first Dominica itineraries, adding two Geluxe‑style tours that spotlight the island’s waterfalls, volcanic terrain, Kalinago culture and resident sperm whales. The 8‑day land program weaves visits to Trafalgar and Middleham Falls, the Indian River, Champagne...
Disney Cruise Line Unveils New Onboard Entertainment This Summer
Disney Cruise Line is adding a slate of new onboard entertainment for the summer, debuting Frozen‑themed sing‑alongs, scavenger hunts and a Nordic‑inspired dining menu on the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. The line is also expanding its Broadway Stars Series,...
Orient Express Sailing Yachts Launches Wellness Retreat
Orient Express Sailing Yachts and luxury beauty brand Guerlain have unveiled Ocean Rebirth, a 14‑day wellness retreat sailing from Lisbon to Bridgetown in October 2026. The program blends personalized nutrition, movement, mindfulness and sleep protocols with Guerlain’s new LongeviSkin aesthetic...
Brendan Vacations Features Ireland FAM for Travel Advisors
Brendan Vacations is debuting a six‑day Ireland familiarization (FAM) trip for U.S. and Canadian travel advisors from Oct. 17‑22, 2026. The program uniquely merges three distinct travel styles—Seamless Rail, Luxurious Private Driver, and Intimate Small‑Group—into parallel itineraries that converge at...
Hurtigruten Announces 2027/28 Norway Season, New Signature Voyages and Offers
Hurtigruten opened bookings for its 2027‑28 Norway cruise season, offering a 10% discount on select departures for reservations made by June 21 2026. The promotion covers sailings from April 2027 through March 2028 and introduces the Signature Limited Collection, a premium line of three...
Norwegian Cruise Line Launches First Responder, Military and Teacher Savings
Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled a First Responder Discount, giving eligible law‑enforcement, fire, and EMT personnel a 5% fare reduction across its fleet. The line also boosted its Military Appreciation Program, offering a temporary 20% discount on select sailings and extending...
Divi And Tamarijn Aruba Add New Features For 2026
Divi and Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusives are rolling out a suite of upgrades across their oceanfront resorts, including refreshed pool areas, renovated beachside rooms, and expanded coffee offerings. The properties will add a rooftop bar and cocktail lounge in late...
Melia’s INNSiDE Mexico Roma Norte Opens in June 2026
Melia Hotels International will open INNSiDE Mexico Roma Norte on June 8, 2026, marking the brand’s first presence in Mexico City. The 91‑room lifestyle hotel sits in the creative Roma Norte district and targets the growing bleisure traveler with flexible...
Virtuoso: Sustainability Is Shifting When Luxury Clients Travel
Virtuoso’s March 2026 survey of over 250 U.S. luxury travel advisors shows a clear shift toward sustainable travel. Seventy‑seven percent of respondents say clients now prioritize avoiding overcrowded destinations and supporting local communities, with 57% naming crowd avoidance as the...
Travelty Collection Launches New Booking Platform
Fiesta Americana Travelty Collection, part of Grupo Posadas, unveiled the Travel Advisor Booking Platform, a centralized system for its luxury resort portfolio. Built with Travel Center, the platform consolidates hotel stays, air‑inclusive packages, transfers, tours and commissionable services for travel...
Here’s What Advisors Need to Sell for Summer 2026
Classic Vacations’ Summer 2026 Luxury Travel Trends Forecast shows sustained demand for high‑end European trips while domestic luxury is accelerating. Travelers are booking later, favoring shorter windows and showing heightened price sensitivity, especially on airfare. Multi‑destination itineraries, agritourism and curated...
Scenic Unveils Extensive Discovery Yachts Voyages for 2028-29
Scenic has unveiled its most expansive Discovery Yachts program for 2028‑29, featuring voyages to over 600 ports in more than 100 countries across all seven continents. The fleet will include the newly introduced Scenic Ikon alongside Scenic Eclipse and Scenic...
River Cruising, Reimagined for Independence
Teeming River Cruises, a Florida‑based startup, is redefining European river cruising by swapping rigid group itineraries for a flexible, independent experience. Guests receive curated destination guidance and real‑time updates via the Wanderlog app, allowing them to explore ports at their...
Spirit Airlines Shutdown Expected to Have Ripple Effect on Prices, Accessibility
Spirit Airlines announced in early May that it will cease operations and liquidate its assets, leaving its signature canary‑yellow fleet grounded. The shutdown stripped one Pennsylvania airport of any commercial service and removed a low‑cost option from several U.S. markets....
U.S. Travel Spending Expected to Reach Record Levels Through 2027
The U.S. Travel Association forecasts record travel spending of $1.37 trillion in 2026, climbing to $1.42 trillion by 2027, driven primarily by domestic leisure demand that accounts for 87% of all expenditures. Domestic leisure travel alone is projected to reach $909 billion in...
From Truffle Hunting to Swiss Alpine Adventures: Hotels Redefining Experiential Travel
Hotels across Europe and South America are reshaping experiential travel by embedding hands‑on activities into luxury stays. Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany reopened for 2026 with truffle hunts, private flight tours and a restored 12th‑century villa; Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador...
This South Beach Hotel Debuts Custom Experiences
The Ritz‑Carlton, South Beach has unveiled a new portfolio of custom experiences for spring, ranging from on‑site wellness rituals to off‑site cultural tours. Offerings include the Journey of Serenity and Renewal wellness session, Deco Spirits cocktail workshops, a Mini Master...
Alaska Railroad Debuts Summer Package for Active Travelers
Alaska Railroad is launching a refreshed 2026 summer program that emphasizes active‑travel experiences, highlighted by a 12‑day Grande Alaska Tour linking Anchorage, Seward, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks. The itinerary adds glacier rafting, coastal cruises, flightseeing and a sternwheeler ride on...
Viking Opens Bookings for 2028-29 Expedition Voyages
Viking has opened bookings for its 2028‑29 expedition season, adding new departure dates across Arctic, Antarctic and Great Lakes itineraries. The line will sail its purpose‑built Polar Class ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris on three flagship voyages, including a...
ALGV’s Advisor Portal Offers Smarter Business Insights
ALG Vacations launched an Advisor Portal, a web‑based dashboard that gives agency owners and advisors real‑time performance data and operational tools. The platform aggregates sales insights, booking trends, support ticket status, and customizable reporting in a single interface. Users can...
Silversea Launches Advisor Appreciation Campaign and Sweepstakes
Silversea has launched the "Extraordinary Journeys Begin With You" campaign to celebrate Travel Advisor Appreciation Month. From May 1‑31 2026, every advisor booking enters a sweepstakes that awards a pre‑owned Hermès bag to the winner, with $500 and $250 gift cards for...
Celestyal Debuts New Cooking Video Series
Celestyal has launched a monthly video series called “Cooking with Celestyal” to highlight authentic Mediterranean cuisine and shore‑side experiences as the cruise line returns to the region. The inaugural episode features Greek‑born host Natalie Papoutsoglou preparing a traditional Greek salad...
Picture‑Perfect Patagonia: AndBeyond Launches New Photography Tours
AndBeyond is launching two ultra‑small group photography tours in Patagonia, a winter expedition from Aug. 5‑12 2026 led by Chilean photographer Guy Wenborne and an autumn journey from Apr. 15‑22 2027 guided by French photographer Timothy Dhalleine. Each trip caps at eight guests and...
Royal Caribbean Launches Limited-Time Rewards for Travel Advisors
Royal Caribbean announced two limited‑time incentive programs, Booked & Elevated and Booked & Celebrated, to reward travel advisors during Travel Advisor Appreciation Month. The offers run through May 15 2026 and apply to short‑haul Caribbean, West Coast and Mexico sailings departing Sept 1 2026‑Mar 31 2027....
Oceania Eliminates NCFs to Boost Advisor Commissions, Debuts Oceania Aurelia
Oceania Cruises announced it will eliminate Non‑Commissionable Cruise Fares on all new sailings, allowing travel advisors to earn commissions on the full fare. The change takes effect as new itineraries open for sale in May‑June 2026 and covers the 2028...
Sandals and Beaches Resorts: One Love to Travel Advisors
Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts are celebrating Travel Advisor Appreciation Month with a two‑tier incentive that runs through May 31, 2026. Advisors can earn up to $150 in cash bonuses on qualifying six‑night bookings of Butler Suites, plus tiered commission...