Latest headlines in Travel News

  • Dominican Republic Launches Dedicated Luxury Training to Support Agents’ Knowledge of Beaches (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:24:26)
    The Dominican Republic’s tourist board is launching a dedicated series of luxury-market webinars for UK travel agents. The webinars featuring the leading premium market stakeholders are designed to deepen agent knowledge of the country’s new and expanding luxury hotel portfolio and give them the tools to sell confidently to the affluent customer.
  • HOTEL LÜRZERHOF REOPENS FOLLOWING €10 MILLION TRANSFORMATION (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:22:15)
    Hotel Lürzerhof has reopened following an extensive €10 million transformation, unveiling a spectacular adults-only rooftop wellness sanctuary where a 20-metre infinity pool appears to float above the surrounding Radstädter Tauern mountains.
  • The China Ready® Workshop will return to WTM Africa 2027 (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:20:18)
    The China Ready® Workshop will return to WTM Africa 2027, offering African tourism stakeholders the opportunity to gain the practical knowledge and market intelligence needed to tap into one of the world’s largest outbound travel markets.
  • The Latest from Vegas – August 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:17:16)
    This month, discover the most exciting new openings and events happening in Las Vegas, ‘The Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World’. Whether it’s dining celebrating the best that Caesars Palace has to offer, new attractions, or global icons taking centre stage for a legendary performance, Las Vegas is ready to beckon travellers for an unforgettable trip.
  • New survey reveals Britain’s top EV staycation locations (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:15:17)
    As more drivers take to the roads in electric vehicles (EV), Fastned, the EV charging network powered by 100% renewable energy, commissioned research among 2,000 UK drivers, including 1,000 dedicated EV drivers, to explore the nation’s changing attitudes towards summer road trips.One of the top findings from the survey revealed that 87% of Brits have already travelled, or would consider travelling, to staycation destinations by electric vehicle.
  • Samoa’s Teuila Festival Returns in 2026 Celebrating the Heart of Samoan Arts and Culture (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:14:15)
    Samoa’s flagship cultural celebration will return from 30 August to 05 September 2026, inviting European travellers to experience the colour, creativity and traditions of one of the Pacific’s most vibrant cultural festivals.Following a 35-year legacy as the Teuila Festival, the 2026 celebration will take place under the name Measina Festival, reflecting Samoa’s commitment to showcasing and preserving its rich arts, culture and traditions. Under the theme “Celebrations of Arts and Culture”, the festival will bring together communities, artists and visitors for a week-long celebration of fa’a Samoa – the Samoan way of life.
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises® Unveils the Leadership Team Guiding Seven Seas Prestige™ into Service (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:05:43)
    Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the world’s leading ultra-luxury cruise line, announces the senior officer team that will lead Seven Seas Prestige™, the inaugural vessel in Regent’s first new ship-class in a decade, into service ahead of her highly anticipated debut this December. Led by Captain Luksa Kristovic, the seven senior officers bring more than 150 combined years of maritime and hospitality expertise, years of experience working together across The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet®, and a shared commitment to shaping every detail of the guest experience. Together, they are helping bring Seven Seas Prestige to life while guiding the 630 crew members who will deliver Regent’s renowned Heartfelt Hospitality™ to guests on board.
  • World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance Sets Agenda for Hospitality’s Net-Positive Future (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 12:02:54)
    The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA) has unveiled the agenda for its Global Summit in Paris (8-9 Dec 2026), bringing together senior leaders from hospitality, finance, technology and sustainability at a critical moment for the sector to tackle the industry’s most pressing challenges.As hospitality faces rising climate risk, shifting regulation, cost pressure and rapid technological change, the Global Summit will focus on the partnerships, insights and practical solutions leaders need now to build a resilient, net-positive future.
  • Emirates marks two million passengers at London Stansted (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:30:22)
    Emirates has welcomed its two millionth passenger at London Stansted Airport, marking a significant milestone for the airline’s third London gateway since first launching services in 2018.To mark the occasion, one lucky customer on EK66, Jeanne Fostel, received an upgrade to Business Class and an Emirates Skywards Gold membership, providing access to a range of premium travel benefits including complimentary lounge access, additional baggage allowance, complimentary seat selection and bonus Skywards Miles. Eleven additional passengers on the same flight were also upgraded to Emirates Skywards Silver membership, unlocking benefits including complimentary Business Class Lounge access in Dubai, extra baggage allowance and bonus Skywards Miles.
  • SITE launches three Specialty Certifications for incentive travel professionals (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:29:53)
    The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) has launched the first three of its new Specialty Certifications, expanding its professional development offering with focused, on-demand education in incentive travel psychology, risk management and wellness.
  • MERCURE OPENS NEW HOTEL IN ORADEA (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:26:05)
    Mercure Hotels & Resorts, renowned for its authentic and locally inspired hospitality, announces the opening of Mercure Oradea, a new hotel located in the western part of the city, with convenient access to the historic city centre, Oradea Arena and the city’s main business hubs.Since its founding in 1973, Mercure has invited guests not just to stay, but to belong. Rooted in local discovery and shaped by the spirit of its surroundings, the brand creates experiences that connect people to culture, community and place. With more than 1,000 hotels across 65+ countries, Mercure is global in reach and local at heart, creating where hotels each address reflects its destination through design, gastronomy, rituals and human connection.
  • Five ways Emirates is helping customers travel with greater confidence (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:24:57)
    From free date changes to industry-first comprehensive travel insurance, Emirates continues to give customers greater flexibility and more choice, as well as the ability to tailor their travel plans for more peace of mind, from booking to the moment they arrive at their destination.
  • Walk Japan Launches the Self-Guided Salt Road Wayfarer Tour (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:22:22)
    Walk Japan has just launched its newest self-guided itinerary, the Self-Guided Salt Road Wayfarer – a six-day, five-night journey traversing the historic Salt Road, an ancient trading route that once connected the Sea of Japan with the castle town of Matsumoto.
  • Fliggy unveils its next-generation agentic AI travel assistant (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:03:49)
    Fliggy, a leading online travel services platform and a wholly owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group, today announced the latest generation of its agentic AI travel assistant designed for personalized and direct task implementation, further upgrading its consumer-facing AI capabilities.
  • GLOBAL BUSINESS AVIATION LEADERS CHOOSE MEBAA SHOW 2026 AS THE UAE CONTINUES TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 07:00:06)
    The companies shaping the future of global business aviation are choosing MEBAA Show 2026, underlining the event’s position as the Middle East’s leading business aviation exhibition and reinforcing the region’s growing importance within the global aviation industry.Taking place from 8–10 December 2026 at DWC, Dubai Airshow Site, the 11th edition of MEBAA Show will bring together aircraft manufacturers, operators, charter companies, FBOs, MRO providers and technology innovators from more than 100 countries. Their collective presence not only reflects more than the strength of the event itself, it also demonstrates the industry’s confidence in the UAE as one of the world’s most dynamic and resilient business aviation markets.
  • IHG Introduces its new premium collection brand, Noted Collection to the Middle East (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 06:55:03)
    IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, has signed a franchise agreement with Morina Development & Investment Co. LLC to introduce Cantonal Hotel Riyadh Noted Collection by IHG to the Kingdom. The signing marks the first Noted Collection hotel in the Middle East and a significant milestone for IHG’s premium collection brand, bringing a distinctive conversion-led proposition to one of the company’s most dynamic growth markets.
  • TUI highlights Croatia hotel as gateway to three-country holidays with TUI Musement experiences (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 06:50:04)
    TUI is showcasing how travel agents can help customers maximise their holiday experience by combining a stay in Croatia with excursions to Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, all from a single hotel base.Located just off the coast of Dubrovnik, TUI BLUE Kalamota Island offers customers the opportunity to experience three countries during one holiday, without the need for additional flights, hotel changes or lengthy travel days.The adults only, all inclusive property sits on a car-free island in the Adriatic and provides a convenient base from which customers can explore the wider Balkans region through TUI Musement’s range of experiences and excursions.
  • Saudia Ranks First Worldwide in On-Time Performance for the Third Consecutive Month in 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 06:48:36)
    Saudia, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been ranked the world’s most on-time airline for arrivals in July 2026, according to the latest monthly report from Cirium, the global aviation analytics provider. The airline recorded an on-time arrival rate of 87.24% after operating 16,406 flights during the month.The ranking comes during the peak summer travel season, making it particularly significant as airlines worldwide manage higher flight volumes and increased operational complexity. Despite these demands, Saudia maintained the highest level of operational reliability among airlines globally.
  • Azerai La Residence, Hue Offers ‘Festival Package’ for Hue Wonderverse Fest 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 06:46:43)
    Azerai La Residence, Hue, the luxury heritage hotel in central Vietnam, has rolled out a stay package ahead of Hue Wonderverse Fest 2026, an upcoming cultural event expected to attract more than half a million visitors later this month.The three-day festival, held from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, will blend music, art, interactive media and laser performances into an international-scale multi-sensory experience. Organisers envision it becoming an annual cultural event that promotes Hue’s heritage, creative economy and tourism.
  • Sun Valley Resort Achieves First-Ever Dark Sky Lodging & Resort Certification for a U.S. Resort (Breaking Travel News 2026-08-12 06:42:18)
    Sun Valley Resort has been recognized as a DarkSky Certified Resort, becoming the first resort in the United States to receive the designation through the DarkSky Approved Lodging Program.The certification recognizes Sun Valley Resort’s commitment to preserving night skies through responsible lighting practices, environmental stewardship, and ongoing efforts to reduce light pollution in central Idaho’s high alpine environment. DarkSky International is the leading global nonprofit dedicated to combating light pollution and protecting the night environment. Through vetted and verified certifications, they recognize communities, parks, reserves and resorts that preserve pristine night skies through responsible outdoor lighting and public education.