Latest headlines in Travel News

  • A New Direction for the Okavango Delta: Okavango Horse Safaris Launches Artist-Led Retreats (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 07:11:16)
    Okavango Horse Safaris is introducing something new for the Delta. For 2027, the family-run safari operation is launching a series of artist-led retreats, offering a different way to experience the landscape beyond the traditional safari format.Set within a vast private concession in the western Okavango Delta, the retreats are designed to open the safari experience up to a broader audience. Artists, designers and creatively curious travellers are invited to engage with the Delta not just through wildlife viewing, but through observation, interpretation and making.
  • For the Modern Wayfinder: Auko Eco Wellness Lodges Announces Its Arrival in Phong Nha, Vietnam (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 07:08:56)
    Set along the Son River and embraced by the limestone peaks of Phong Nha–Ke Bang UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the world’s largest cave system including the legendary Son Doong caves, Auko Eco-Wellness Lodges is set to open in Q3, 2026 as a new expression of regenerative hospitality in Southeast Asia.
  • DREAM OF THE DESERT ESTABLISHES RIYADH HEADQUARTERS, MARKING ENTRY INTO DELIVERY PHASE (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 07:04:03)
    Dream of the Desert, Saudi Arabia’s first ultra-luxury train by Arsenale Group, marked a major development milestone with the opening of its headquarters in Riyadh and the appointment of Raffaele Breschi as General Manager of Dream of the Desert and CEO of Arsenale International. This step marks the next phase of the project’s delivery in the country, reinforcing its central role in Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation as it advances toward its 2026 debut.The establishment of a permanent base in Riyadh anchors the project firmly within Saudi Arabia’s tourism and transport ecosystem and marks Arsenale’s first international headquarters, underscoring a long-term, on-the-ground commitment beyond project development.
  • Avani Brings Pride 2026 to Life Across Bangkok, Madrid and Amsterdam (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 07:01:49)
    Avani Hotels & Resorts is marking Pride 2026 with a programme of city-led experiences across Bangkok, Madrid and Amsterdam, connecting travellers with local LGBTQ+ culture through movement, nightlife, literature, performance and community celebration.
  • Financial uncertainty and price emerge as the main booking barriers due to geopolitical instability (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:59:45)
    Protect Group, a leader in ancillary travel products, has identified a significant increase in booking hesitancy among travellers, largely driven by rising global geopolitical instability and stricter regulations. The company defines this emerging behaviour as “booking anxiety,” with financial uncertainty and price as the main barriers to decision-making. As a result, travellers are increasingly delaying bookings, prioritising price over other factors, and adopting a “wait and see” attitude in response to a perceived volatile environment.
  • BTN exclusive with Victor Abou-Ghanem, CEO, STORY (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:52:57)
    BTN exclusive with Victor Abou-Ghanem, CEO, STORY Hospitality addressing the current mood across the UAE hospitality sector, particularly among hotel owners, operators and investors?
  • Qatar Airways & Philippine Airlines Strengthen Partnership, Expand Markets and Benefits for members (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:50:34)
    Qatar Airways and Philippine Airlines are expanding their strategic partnership by enhancing the connectivity between both airlines’ networks. Starting 1 June 2026, Philippine Airlines will place its (PR) code on Qatar Airways flights from Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao to Doha, and connect to over 20 major European cities, including Paris, Rome, and Frankfurt via Hamad International Airport.
  • Just You adds new ‘Five Stans’ departure date (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:49:32)
    Just You has introduced a new departure date for its ‘The Silk Road: Legends of the Five Stans’ tour.The specialist solo escorted tour operator originally launched the 21-day itinerary in April with departure dates in April 2027 and September 2027.
  • Celestyal Journey celebrates maiden call to Agios Nikolaos, Crete (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:43:17)
    Celestyal has marked a new milestone in its Mediterranean deployment, with the 1260-guest Celestyal Journey making her first call to Agios Nikolaos, Crete.The call, which took place on May 12, 2026, forms part of the cruise line’s seven-night ‘Idyllic Greece’ itinerary. Celestyal Journey is scheduled to visit the port a further 21 times throughout the 2026 season, which runs through to November.
  • MANDARIN ORIENTAL HYDE PARK, LONDON INTRODUCES CREATIVE MASTER CLASSES FOR TEENS (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:41:48)
    Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, is delighted to introduce a new collection of Creative Master Classes for Teens, developed in collaboration with experiential travel specialist The Luminaire.Building on the hotel’s award-winning Families by M.O. – Little Ranger Adventures offering, the new collection has been thoughtfully designed to extend the experience for older children and teenagers, offering exclusive access to some of London’s most influential cultural spaces, from world-renowned recording studios and emerging digital design environments to celebrated culinary ateliers and creative communities shaping contemporary culture.
  • Virgin Voyages releases latest impact report (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-19 06:39:56)
    Virgin Voyages has released its latest sustainability and social impact report, titled “Sea Change: Changing Sailing for Good”.The report outlines the brand’s ongoing environmental, social and operational commitments across its four-ship fleet. It highlights a number of milestones and performance metrics across the business, including its commitment to decarbonization., while detailing the operational changes, Crew initiatives and community programmes implemented since the brand launched in 2021.
  • Barbados Appoints Businessman Peter Harris as New Tourism Chairman (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 16:28:10)
    Barbados has appointed prominent businessman and former national field hockey player Peter Harris as chairman of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. as the island posted a solid 3.3% increase in stay-over tourist arrivals for 2025.Harris, executive chairman of PVH Group Inc., succeeds businesswoman Shelly Williams, who served four years in the role, Tourism and International Transport Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill confirmed in a statement. The appointment is intended to accelerate the island’s tourism growth through expanded airlift and deeper penetration of emerging markets.
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines launches ‘LOVE SVG’ (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 16:24:54)
    St. Vincent and the Grenadines has launched “LOVE SVG,” a national tourism enhancement initiative that places people, community and country at the center of its development agenda.Led by the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development, Dr. Kishore Shallow, the initiative signals a new chapter for tourism in the destination, grounded in national participation and a shared commitment to ensuring that the benefits of tourism reach communities across the country.
  • Qatar Airways to Enhance Operations in Africa (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 16:22:34)
    Qatar Airways is expanding its African network, with flight resumptions and frequency increases launching from 16 June 2026.Boosting connectivity across Africa, the airline will restart four weekly flights to Seychelles (SEZ) and two weekly flights to Kigali (KGL) from 16 June, and daily flight to Marrakesh (RAK) from 1 July.
  • Few Are Smiling About the Friendly Skies (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 16:17:18)
    With the summer travel season approaching, American air travelers are preparing for the most stressful airport experience in recent memory.According to a new survey commissioned by Ship&Play, a door-to-door luggage and gear shipping company, travelers plan to arrive nearly two hours earlier than usual for their summer flights, dread standing in long lines, and brace for mounting fees for checked bags.
  • Emirates Palace, LEAD Development, and Mandarin Oriental unveil plans for 35 private residences (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 15:59:44)
    Emirates Palace Company (EPCO), together with LEAD Development and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, today announced Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, a limited collection of thirty-five uniquely designed private residences located within the grounds of Emirates Palace. The development marks the first-time private ownership has been introduced within one of the UAE’s most historically and institutionally significant destinations. Completion is anticipated in 2029.
  • JA The Resort Makes Eid Al Adha Feel Effortless with Stays Shaped Around Every Guest (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 06:37:45)
    Home to three distinctive hotels, each reflecting the brand’s familiar warmth and genuine hospitality, JA The Resort offers a stay experience to suit every way of celebrating Eid Al Adha. Helping guests make the most of the long weekend and this joyful occasion, each destination presents a dynamic stay reflecting its unique character, complete with elevated comforts, personalised experiences, and exclusive savings. Guests can choose an Eid filled with shared moments and family time at JA Beach Hotel, stay active at JA Lake View Hotel, or slow things down with an unhurried break at JA Palm Tree Court.
  • A HISTORIC MILESTONE FOR THE ONE PALÁCIO DA ANUNCIADA (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 06:16:37)
    The One Palácio da Anunciada, the 5-star flagship of H10 Hotels’ luxury brand in Lisbon, marks a milestone in Portuguese hospitality by becoming a member of Beyond Green. This global alliance represents the world’s most rigorous sustainability standard for hotels, recognizing properties that demonstrate exceptional leadership through pillars that extend beyond conservation toward true regeneration.
  • voco Darwin Suites opens in Australia’s Northern Territory (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 06:14:15)
    voco Darwin Suites has officially opened its doors in the heart of the city centre, bringing IHG Hotels & Resorts’ fast-growing premium brand to the Northern Territory for the first time. The new-build hotel also marks the debut of a voco Suites product in Australia, with one- and two-bedroom suites blending the convenience of self-sufficient facilities with a productive work environment, all while retaining the playful characteristics of voco.
  • Hilton Expands Lifestyle Presence in China’s Yangtze River Delta with Two New Hotel Signings (Breaking Travel News 2026-05-18 06:11:09)
    Hilton has announced the signing of a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel in Nanjing, and a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property in Wuxi, expanding Hilton’s lifestyle brand presence in Jiangsu province. The signings reflect the company’s continued investment in the Yangtze River Delta and its commitment to meeting growing demand for distinctive, experience-driven stays in sought-after destinations. These hotels will join the upcoming Xi Zhe Wuxi, Curio Collection by Hilton hotel, set to debut in the region later this year.