Latest headlines in Travel News

  • WTTC Targets One Million Tourism SMEs to Benefit from its Together in Travel Community (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 17:31:48)
    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today set out its ambition for one million Tourism SMEs to benefit from its Together in Travel Community, strengthening support for independent and growing businesses across the sector through free research and knowledge, practical guidance, a global community, enhanced advocacy, and a greater focus on understanding their priorities, addressing barriers to growth, and meeting their needs.
  • No Bounce. No Dip. Just a Booking You Never Knew You Lost (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 15:31:52)
    As AI agents move into travel search and booking, airlines face a new commercial blind spot: losing customers before they ever enter the funnel.
  • AA launches Great British Detour campaign to showcase the best of Britain (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 12:05:51)
    AA Media has launched The Great British Detour, a new campaign celebrating the best of Britain’s hospitality, heritage, landscapes and local experiences.The campaign is about reminding travellers that getting from A to B can be about more than simply reaching their destination, encouraging them to look beyond the obvious tourist trail and discover the places, people and experiences that can turn a journey into part of the holiday.
  • dnata Travel reports 31% surge in UAE staycation bookings for October half-term (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 12:02:13)
    UAE staycation bookings have increased by 31% year-on-year ahead of the October half-term break, according to the latest booking data from dnata Travel, highlighting growing demand for convenient getaways closer to home.The UAE is the top destination booked by residents for the school holiday period, as families increasingly opt for shorter breaks that offer quality time together without extensive travel. Outbound travel also remains robust, with the Maldives, Spain, France, Thailand, and Mauritius ranking among the most popular overseas destinations.
  • Saudi Arabia and the UAE Generate 80% of MENA Business Trips as Autumn Season Returns (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 11:58:57)
    Tumodo, the UAE-based online business travel platform, reports on corporate travel demand, pricing and destination trends for Q3 2026. The region had a difficult beginning of 2026, but forecasters expect a recovery. International travel in MENA and South Asia will grow 17% in 2027, more than twice the global rate of 8%.Compared with Q3 2025, trips on Tumodo’s platform rose 112% and spend rose 132%. Against Q1 2026, trips were up 44% and spend was up 72%. A recent report projects that Middle East business travel spending will reach $16 billion in 2026.
  • THE RISE OF PLACE: MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL REVEALS ASIA PACIFIC’S FUTURE OF FOOD (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 11:50:34)
    Local cuisine emerges as the region’s strongest dining force, as traditional restaurant settings give way to fluid, social spacesMarriott International has unveiled Future of Food 2027, its latest report exploring food and beverage trends across Asia Pacific excluding China. Drawing on conversations with leading chefs, hospitality experts and regional influencers, alongside insights from Marriott International properties across the region, the report reveals a pivotal transformation: the rise of place. As dining breaks free from traditional restaurant boundaries into fluid, social formats, diners increasingly seek experiences that are hyper-local, authentic and deeply connected to their destination.
  • Namibia puts the luxury of space and silence centre stage (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 11:46:42)
    There are few destinations that can make remoteness feel quite as desirable as Namibia. Its vast desert landscapes, extraordinary wildlife and lodges seemingly suspended between earth and sky give the country a powerful proposition in luxury travel. The opportunity now is to turn that appeal into stronger international business, while protecting the qualities that make it worth travelling for.
  • Professor Francesco Frangialli Receives WTTC Icon Award for Elevating Tourism to the United Nations (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 11:45:50)
    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has presented its prestigious WTTC Icon Award to Professor Francesco Frangialli, recognising his lifetime contribution to global tourism governance and his role in securing Travel & Tourism’s place within the United Nations system.The award was presented during a VIP Dinner at WTTC’s 26th Global Summit in Malta, bringing together more than 1,000 delegates, including over 200 of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism CEOs and government ministers.
  • Phoenix Hospitality Group Welcomes Manish Ahluwalia as Group CEO (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 11:43:14)
    Phoenix Hospitality Group (PHG), the UAE-born hospitality group with a growing portfolio across hotels, restaurants, nightlife and lifestyle concepts, has appointed Manish Ahluwalia as Group Chief Executive Officer, effective October 2026. Manish Ahluwalia will lead the Group’s growth and global expansion, strengthen its corporate structure, nurture a people-first culture and build a robust pipeline of new opportunities.
  • Five Decades of Bespoke Linen Craftsmanship Enter a New Chapter in Saudi Arabia (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 10:11:05)
    Antoine Karam, the Beirut-born luxury linen house renowned for its bespoke home linen and refined lifestyle pieces, is opening a new boutique at Solitaire Mall, marking the latest step in its journey in Saudi Arabia. Present in the Kingdom since 2019 through its Mansard Hotel boutique, the brand has a loyal local clientele, including royal families and private clients who entrust Antoine Karam with bespoke projects for private residences, palaces, and diplomatic residences. The new boutique now brings Antoine Karam’s distinctive combination of Italian fabrics, Lebanese craftsmanship, and highly personalised service to more clients in Riyadh.
  • Simpson Travel acquires South France Villas (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 10:07:00)
    Luxury specialist tour operator Simpson Travel has acquired South France Villas, bringing exceptional new properties across the Languedoc and around the Côte d’Azur/French Riviera to its France portfolio. The acquisition was completed on 4 August 2026.Simpson Travel has watched South France Villas grow over many years and is delighted to welcome the business as the next step in its growth strategy. The deal comes after Simpson added Affinity Villas to its collection in 2025, a move that introduced a highly successful Portugal programme.
  • DUBAI-BORN JA RESORTS & HOTELS CELEBRATES JA MANAFARU’S SELECTION IN THE 2026 MICHELIN GUIDE (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 10:05:52)
    JA Manafaru, the private Maldivian island resort located in Haa Alifu Atoll, has earned a place in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, bringing international recognition to the island retreat of Dubai-born JA Resorts & Hotels. On this island in the northern Maldives, hospitality takes its character from the destination: Maldivian flavours served among the branches of a living banyan tree, days spent exploring the surrounding waters, and a team whose personal welcome brings guests into island life.
  • Emirates Holidays unveils Thailand Pass, unlocking exclusive perks and savings for holidaymakers (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 07:11:40)
    Emirates Holidays has launched the Thailand Pass, offering exclusive benefits across shopping, dining and leisure activities for customers travelling to and throughout Thailand.Available to Emirates Holidays customers traveling to Thailand, the pass unlocks exclusive offers of up to 40% off, with no minimum spend.In Kenya, travellers can reach Thailand through Dubai. Emirates operates 21 weekly flights between Nairobi and Dubai, with onward connections to Bangkok and Phuket.
  • SILVERSEA UNVEILS 103 NEW SAILINGS FOR 2028-2029 (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 07:08:48)
    Silversea, the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, has revealed new sailings within its Voyage Collection 2028-2029, ‘Let the World Surprise You.’ Itineraries are timed to the world’s most captivating cultural moments, from Carnival in Venice and Rio de Janeiro to New Year’s Eve in Funchal and Sydney, alongside new S.A.L.T. Culinary Voyages built around Europe’s truffle season and Southeast Asia’s iconic markets. Spanning September 2028 to May 2029, the programme comprises 103 voyages across 219 destinations in 56 countries, including 29 new ports of call across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and South America. General sales open on 8 October, 2026.
  • Grenada Commits to the UK Trade with Marketplace and ‘Meet Me in Grenada’ Offer for Agents (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 07:02:44)
    Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) is emphasising its commitment to the UK travel trade, following the success of its first Grenada Exchange with two engaging initiatives for UK travel professionals: Grenada Marketplace, taking place on island this November, and “Meet Me in Grenada”, a familiarisation offer for UK agents and tour operators travelling before the end of 2026.
  • Golf tourism’s international map is being redrawn by investment in a growing market (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 06:58:52)
    Golf tourism is no longer confined to a handful of established destinations. According to Future Market Insights[1], the global golf tourism market is forecast to reach USD 29.5 billion in 2026, and increasingly that growth is coming from destinations that would once have been considered off the beaten fairway.That shift is visible right across the map. From the Gulf to the Caribbean, and from East Africa to East Asia, a new generation of destinations is investing in golf tourism and competing for the attention of international travellers - nowhere more visibly than in the GCC, where Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the most closely watched golf destinations in the world.
  • Regulator invites industry to help shape how new information management system will be implemented (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 06:55:36)
    The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a public consultation on the implementation of a new information management system, which is fundamental in the UK’s transition to data-driven, interoperable air traffic management operations.
  • Escape to Egypt’s North Coast for an Autumnal Break at Address Beach Resort Marassi (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 06:53:45)
    Swap grey skies for Mediterranean sunshine this autumn and into winter with a stay at Address Beach Resort Marassi, the luxurious beachfront retreat on Egypt’s spectacular North Coast, which will remain open throughout the winter season.The cooler months on the Egyptian North Coast offer an altogether more laid-back way to experience the destination. Pleasantly warm days invite long walks along Marassi’s white-sand shoreline, afternoons by the pool and leisurely rounds of golf, while the resort’s location makes it an ideal base to combine a beach escape with a dose of culture in Alexandria or Cairo.
  • Trafalgar Launches “The Great Godmother Search”  Ahead of Trafalgar Dreamer’s 2027 Seine Debut (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 06:51:35)
    Trafalgar is launching a search for the Godmother of its newest river ship, Trafalgar Dreamer, ahead of her debut on the Seine in April 2027. Through The Great Godmother Search, the brand is inviting past guests to submit a meaningful story or memory from their travels with Trafalgar for the chance to become part of Trafalgar history. The selected Godmother will christen Trafalgar Dreamer and sail on the ship’s inaugural voyage. If the winner names a travel agent in their application, that agent will also receive a complimentary place on the inaugural sailing.
  • DUNES 2026 is expanding, and more brands are joining the lineup. (Breaking Travel News 2026-10-08 06:41:24)
    With new partners, exhibitors and federations coming on board, the DUNES ecosystem continues to bring together more of the businesses, organizations, and experiences shaping Saudi Arabia’s outdoor and adventure market.This November, DUNES 2026 brings the industry together at RICEC, Riyadh, November 17–19, 2026.