Day Headlines in Travel News: 2025-09-15

  • Kempinski Hotels Names Frank Veenstra as Chief Development Officer (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 06:17:24)
    Kempinski Hotels has announced the appointment of Frank Veenstra as Chief Development Officer, tasking him with helping to shape the brand’s next phase as Kempinski continues to move into the ultra-luxury segment.Veenstra will lead the evolution of Kempinski’s development strategy, focusing on curating its portfolio in ways that resonate with a new generation of high-end travellers while honouring Kempinski’s legacy as Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. As Chief Development Officer, Veenstra will be responsible for advancing and refining the organization’s growth strategy, selectively determining hotel assets for investment while navigating continued growth through management agreements, and developing and strengthening the larger development team for long–term success.
  • Kerzner International Announces New One&Only Resort and Private Homes to Open in Fiji (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 06:14:35)
    Kerzner International Holdings Limited (“Kerzner”) recently announced the signing of the first One&Only resort and community of Private Homes to be developed in Fiji. Located in the Yasawa Islands, an archipelago in Western Fiji, the resort is slated to open in 2029 with Private Homes going on sale this November.
  • Wyndham Rewards Adds KrisFlyer as Newest Point Transfer Partner (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 06:10:46)
    Wyndham Rewards®, the #1 hotel loyalty program as named by readers of USA TODAY, has added KrisFlyer, the lifestyle rewards program of the Singapore Airlines Group, to its roster of point transfer partners, giving its approximately 120 million enrolled members new ways to unlock added value from their membership.
  • Grand Hyatt Evolves Offerings in Holistic Wellbeing, Experiential Programs and Food & Beverage (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 06:07:39)
    The Grand Hyatt brand, Asia’s standard bearer of premium hospitality for more than 35 years, is strategically investing in evolving its offerings across the region to further support the changing needs of meetings and events planners and attendees. The shift includes placing sustainability and wellbeing at the heart of the event experience, implementing innovative event features at new properties to inspire creativity, and elevating Hyatt’s signature focus on dining with fresh banquet and catering menus.
  • IHG’s first dual-branded hotel in Australia opens (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 06:04:04)
    IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s largest and leading hotel companies, has opened its first dual-branded hotel in Australia, with the opening of Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins & Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall. The highly anticipated openings are part of an eight-year development in the heart of the reimagined ‘Melbourne Walk’ precinct and on the doorstep of Bourke Street Mall – one of the city’s most coveted retail destinations. The opening marks a significant milestone for the Holiday Inn brand as it returns to Melbourne’s CBD with its newest interior design style, while Hotel Indigo offers guests a distinct stay experience through its strength as a neighbourhood storyteller.
  • Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique Celebrates its Recent Opening (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 05:59:09)
    Hilton welcomed government officials and project partners to Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in elegant, sustainable hospitality in the Guanacaste region. Set atop the dramatic cliffs of Punta Cacique with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, the ceremony marked a major milestone in Hilton’s global luxury expansion—particularly across Latin America.
  • Waldorf Astoria Chengdu’s Infinite Luck Recognized as Michelin‑Selected Restaurant in the 2026 Guide (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 05:54:24)
    Waldorf Astoria Chengdu is delighted to announce that its signature dining destination, Infinite Luck Chinese Restaurant, has been recognized as Michelin-Selected restaurant in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Chengdu. Celebrated for its inspired interpretation of Sichuan cuisine and refined guest experience, Infinite Luck proudly carries forward Waldorf Astoria’s storied culinary legacy on the global stage.
  • Lisbon Meets Andaz. Bold, Local, and Ready to Rock (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 05:53:46)
    Andaz Lisbon is proud to announce the upcoming opening of the brand’s FIRST property in Portugal and will welcome its first guests in Q4 2025. The hotel will offer a vibrant and immersive experience that reflects Lisbon’s rich cultural heritage and artistic spirit, welcoming both locals and global travelers alike.
  • W Maldives Partners With Mars for One of the Maldives’ Largest Coral Restoration Projects (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 05:51:00)
    Known for its bold experience and vibrant reef life, W Maldives is diving deeper into sustainability with a high-impact collaboration aimed at restoring and improving the resilience of one of the Maldives’ best and its award-winning house reefs. In partnership with MARS Sustainable Solutions, the resort will out plant 6,000 coral fragments, helping to restore over 400 square meters of coral reef in a bold reef restoration initiative beginning 25 October 2025. This marks the second-largest single MARS Reef Star deployment event in the Maldives to date.
  • Journeyscape Launches New Rocky Mountain States Holiday (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 05:49:14)
    Journeyscape, the UK-based North America travel specialist and sister brand of Journey Latin America, is thrilled to unveil its latest immersive holiday: Elements of Nature: A Journey through the American West. This brand-new 18-day itinerary invites travellers to explore the awe-inspiring landscapes of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho, with prices starting from £4,987 per person.
  • Fairfield by Marriott Celebrates 150 Hotels in Greater China Open and Pipeline Portfolio (Breaking Travel News 2025-09-15 05:47:14)
    Marriott International, Inc. announced that the Fairfield by Marriott has reached a milestone of 150 combined open and pipeline hotels in Greater China, underscoring the brand’s strong growth momentum and accelerated expansion in the region’s select service segment.