Day Headlines in Travel News: 2024-12-23

  • Saadiyat Island, Middle East’s Leading Beach Destination, unveils a series of festive wonders (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 12:53:14)
    Step into the heart of winter wonder on Saadiyat Island, where cultural treasures, luxurious escapes, and breathtaking natural beauty come together. This season, immerse yourself in unforgettable festivities that capture the island’s unmatched allure and create memories to cherish forever. Saadiyat Island was voted as Middle East’s Leading Beach Destination 2024 by the World Travel Awards
  • Air capacity to Spain up +9.4% this Christmas, driven by European markets (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 10:21:20)
    This Christmas, Spain continues to establish itself as a leading global tourist destination, with notable growth in demand from both European and long-haul markets. This trend aligns with the increase in air capacity from key source markets for Spain, as highlighted by Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform.Mabrian analysed seat availability data from Spain’s primary source markets, cross-referencing it with inspirational demand using the Share of Searches Index*. For this analysis, the index reflects the level of interest in traveling to Spain based on flight search behaviour, regardless of confirmed bookings, for the period between December 20th, 2024, and January 5th, 2025.
  • World Travel Awards 2024: A Record-Breaking Year and a Thrilling Road Ahead in 2025 (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 08:02:18)
    The World Travel Awards (WTA), the most prestigious accolades in the global travel and tourism industry, celebrated an extraordinary and record-breaking year in 2024. This achievement further solidified its status as the gold standard for recognizing excellence across all sectors of the travel world.As the curtains close on 2024, all eyes are now on the exciting prospects of the 2025 program. The WTA’s are set to elevate the bar yet again, with a promise of new host destinations and awards for groundbreaking developments in the hotel, cruise, tourism, and aviation industry’s.
  • IHG Hotels & Resorts introduces Shanghai Snow World Hotel, Vignette Collection (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:59:05)
    IHG Hotels & Resorts has introduced Shanghai Snow World Hotel to its fast-growing Vignette Collection, a family of one-of-a-kind hotels in destinations to remember. The property is now open within the Guinness World Records-certified “World’s Largest Indoor Ski Facility” – Shanghai L+SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort – and has 272 rooms and 17 suites with direct access to more than 90,000 square meters of authentic indoor year-round snow.
  • Crowne Plaza opens in Adelaide Mawson Lakes and Sydney Airport (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:57:28)
    IHG Hotels & Resorts continues the growth of its Crowne Plaza brand in Australia with two new openings to top out 2024, marking a significant new era in the brand’s promise to deliver innovative guest experiences for guests to balance work and life. Crowne Plaza Adelaide Mawson Lakes and Crowne Plaza Sydney Airport, both opened in December, mark the first of five Crowne Plaza hotels to open in the next twelve months.The growth in Australia complements a burst of development across the broader Asia Pacific region, with more than 90 Crowne Plaza hotels in the pipeline to open, including Crowne Plaza Bangkok Grand Sukhumvit and Crowne Plaza Bangkok Rama 9 in South East Asia
  • Hilton ​Expands​ ​Luxury Portfolio with Signing of Conrad Los Cabos (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:53:56)
    Hilton has announced the signing of an agreement with Parks Hospitality Holdings for a Conrad Hotels & Resorts hotel in Los Cabos. Expected to open in 2027, Conrad Los Cabos will usher in a new era of luxury hospitality and resort living to Mexico’s state of Baja California Sur, a stunning coastal destination known for its dramatic desert landscapes, pristine beaches and scenic mountain ranges. Conrad Los Cabos will mark the brand’s debut in the Baja California peninsula, where Hilton currently welcomes guests across eight properties.
  • Motto by Hilton to Debut in Mainland China with Qingdao Property (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:50:53)
    Leading hospitality company, Hilton has announced the signing of Motto by Hilton Qingdao Zhanqiao, in partnership with Qingdao Urban Construction Group, marking the entry of Motto by Hilton into mainland China. The debut of Motto by Hilton Qingdao Zhanqiao strengthens Hilton’s lifestyle brand presence in Asia Pacific, bringing a new stay proposition to the major port city of Qingdao, one of China’s most dynamic regions.
  • Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts Set to Make Bahrain Debut (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:46:39)
    Hilton and Al Sorouh Hospitality Development Real Estate have announced the signing of Waldorf Astoria Bahrain Bay in the heart of Manama, marking the brand’s debut in Bahrain. The landmark signing will bring Waldorf Astoria’s signature service and sophisticated accommodations to Bahrain Bay, one of the capital’s most exclusive districts.
  • Emirates introduces experiential Travel Store in Karachi (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:44:47)
    Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has officially launched its new Travel Store in Karachi, making it the airline’s first experiential retail concept to be rolled out in West Asia.Located in the prestigious Sky Tower, Karachi Towers, on Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue in Clifton, the 183-square-meter store offers immersive experiences grounded in technology, and best-in-class support from dedicated teams on the ground.
  • Five Community-Based Tourism Experiences in the Brazilian Amazon (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:42:05)
    Across various regions of the Brazilian Amazon, traditional Indigenous, riverside, Quilombola, and rubber-tapper communities have been developing experiences and activities to welcome travelers, offering an up-close look at their culture and history. Through community-based tourism, where the communities themselves take center stage, tourists have the opportunity not only to experience transformative and unique moments but also to support the preservation of these cultures and the rainforest itself.
  • SwimTrek Achieves B Corp Certification, Demonstrating Commitment to Balancing Purpose with Profit. (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:40:29)
    SwimTrek, the world’s leading open-water swimming holiday provider, has proudly announced its certification as a B Corporation (B Corp), joining a global movement of businesses committed to balancing purpose with profit. SwimTrek has been certified by B Lab, the non-profit behind the B Corp movement, for meeting rigorous social and environmental standards, reflecting its dedication to positively impacting people, communities, and the planet.
  • The Pink Flamingo Wow Moment: New Kuoni Campaign “It’s Not Where, It’s Why” (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:39:39)
    From a little girl discovering flamingos are real to a teenage son and his mum getting to know each other on a whitewater rafting adventure, worldwide travel company Kuoni is putting the spotlight on the reason why people go on holiday, rather than where they go.It’s a new direction for Kuoni, which has recently revealed its contemporary new premium brand designed to capture the imagination for new clients of all ages, including families.
  • What’s New in the Florida Keys for Winter 2024/25 (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:31:56)
    From the latest marine conservation initiatives to resort renovations and a fresh take on historic attractions, here’s what’s new in the Florida Keys for 2025.Winter in the Florida Keys is sunny and breezy, typically offering the warmest winter weather in the continental United States. The 125-mile-long island chain is particularly popular with visitors for its wide variety of resort accommodations and experiential outdoor and on-the-water activities, framed by picturesque swaying palms and warm turquoise waters.
  • 2024 was an extraordinary year for TAKARA Restaurant in Al Khobar (Breaking Travel News 2024-12-23 07:22:14)
    Discover the ultimate Japanese dining experience at TAKARA Restaurant, Al Khobar, which just became 5 years old.Expect favorites like TAKARA miso, Kunafa Shrimp, Chicken Teriyaki, and Crispy Salad to be part of your unforgettable dining experience. Whether hosting a private business dinner or enjoying a relaxed lunch, TAKARA is your go-to destination in the heart of Khobar.The team secured this year the top recognition by World Culinary Awards – Saudi Arabia’s Best Restaurant.