Day Headlines in Travel News: 2026-09-15

  • TAT Celebrates the Success of the Amazing Thailand Ambassador Campaign (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 10:01:41)
    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) celebrates the success of the “Amazing Thailand Ambassador” project, which generated more than 448 million impressions across media and digital channels. The initiative reflects TAT’s efforts to evolve how Thailand is communicated as a destination in response to today’s changing traveller behaviours and digital landscape, using contemporary stories, content, and perspectives to connect audiences with Thailand’s unique charm. As part of the initiative, LISA, as the Amazing Thailand Ambassador, helped showcase Thailand’s stories and perspectives to travellers through the “Feel All the feelings” campaign, sparking widespread conversation and inspiring people to experience and discover Thailand for themselves.
  • Jamaica to Host World Travel Week as Minister Bartlett Advances Global Tourism Resilience Agenda (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:54:15)
    Jamaica will host World Travel Week, a major gathering of global tourism stakeholders, from October 10–15 at Princess Resorts in Negril. Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett made the announcement at the World Travel Awards in Dubai on Sunday, calling it “a statement that Jamaica is ready, willing, and able to lead the global conversation on the future of travel.”
  • CHTA PUTS WORKFORCE AT CENTER OF AI TRANSFORMATION WITH NEW CARIBBEAN HOSPITALITY GUIDE (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:49:17)
    As businesses navigate evolving workforce needs, artificial intelligence (AI) presents new opportunities to strengthen productivity, develop talent and support operations. Realizing that potential, however, requires businesses to prepare their people to use AI effectively and responsibly. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is helping the region’s hospitality and tourism businesses do just that with the release of the AI Workforce Transformation Guide for Caribbean Hospitality: Practical Strategies for People Management, Learning and Leadership – the third edition of its AI Guidebook Series.
  • AMAWATERWAYS LAUNCHES 2027 BROCHURE WITH LIMITED-TIME SEPTEMBER INCENTIVES FOR TRAVEL AGENTS (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:47:37)
    AmaWaterways has launched its new 2027 Journeys That Move You brochure, showcasing its Exotic programmes, latest itineraries including City Escapes and upcoming ship launches including AmaMaya on the Mekong, AmaRudi on the Danube and AmaNubia on the Nile.
  • Etihad unveils next evolution of guest experience and new A330neo cabins (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:43:44)
    Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has launched its Beyond Borders product and experience, bringing its ambition to life through the next evolution of the Etihad guest journey.Making its world debut at Arabian Travel Market, Etihad’s new Airbus A330 cabin provides a major showcase of Beyond Borders, with all-new First, Business and Economy interiors and a signature design language that will progressively extend across the airline’s growing fleet and premium spaces. Alongside the A330, Etihad is showcasing how the Beyond Borders look and feel will extend to the A321LR across First, Business and Economy, creating greater consistency across the Etihad journey.
  • Hilton signs 10 Spark by Hilton hotels as UK growth gathers pace (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:40:16)
    Hilton has announced a significant expansion to its value-focused brand Spark by Hilton with the signing of 10 hotels across the UK, boosting the brand’s footprint across England and Wales. The additions will bring 672 Hilton rooms to Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Hull, Peterborough, Runcorn, Sunderland, Wakefield and Washington, with the hotels expected to open between late 2026 and 2028.Paul Blackmore, vice president, development, UK & Ireland, Hilton, said: “These signings underline the strength of demand for Spark by Hilton we are seeing from owners across the UK. With nearly 700 rooms in the pipeline, including the brand’s first hotel in Wales, Spark continues to gain momentum as owners recognise the strength of its value proposition and its ability to meet the needs of today’s travellers.”
  • MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL AND ÖZAK GYO SIGN AGREEMENT TO OPEN A RITZ-CARLTON RESORT (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:33:44)
    Marriott International, Inc. today announced it has signed an agreement with Özak GYO to introduce its first luxury, all-inclusive resort in the Europe, Middle East & Africa region.  Situated in Kemer within the Antalya region, The Ritz-Carlton, Kemer, All- Inclusive is set to deliver legendary service and an elegant aesthetic, along with an immersive resort experience in one of Türkiye’s most coveted coastal destinations.
  • PRICETRAVEL HOLDING expands international distribution of MANGIA’S HOTELS & RESORTS (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:31:22)
    PriceTravel Holding, one of Latin America’s leading travel distribution companies, has signed a new direct connectivity agreement with Mangia’s Hotels & Resorts, connecting 12 properties across Sicily and Sardinia with its international distribution network and expanding the Italian hotel group’s access to leisure demand across Latin America and other international source markets.The partnership gives Mangia’s access to PriceTravel Holding’s network of more than 16,000 affiliated travel agencies and 28,000 active travel agents, while its wholesale business reaches more than 180 source markets. The agreement forms part of Mangia’s broader strategy to strengthen the international distribution of its portfolio and connect its Sicilian and Sardinian properties with new travel trade partners worldwide.
  • Technology, talent and customer focus key to future competitiveness of travel sector (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:05:15)
    Technology, talent and an unwavering focus on the customer will be critical to maintaining competitiveness as the travel industry enters its next phase of growth, according to senior industry leaders at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026.
  • AMAALA Yacht Club opens, putting the Red Sea on the global yachting map (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 09:02:36)
    Red Sea Global (RSG), the regenerative tourism developer, has announced that AMAALA Yacht Club has officially begun operations, marking a major milestone in establishing the Saudi Red Sea as a new global destination for luxury yachting, sailing and marine tourism.
  • VIVA Cruises launches new coach transfers for winter sailings (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:58:23)
    River cruise operator VIVA Cruises has launched dedicated coach departures for its three-night ‘Advent on the Rhine’ and four-night ‘City Hopping Netherlands’ sailings.The departures - on November 14 for ‘City Hopping Netherlands’ and December 14, 2026, for ‘Advent on the Rhine’ - are on an executive-class coach departing from London, with an additional pickup stop in Maidstone, Kent, before heading to the Eurotunnel and on to Düsseldorf to board VIVA MOMENTS.
  • Virgin Voyages’ biggest-ever UK ship tour sends agent confidence soaring (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:54:39)
    Virgin Voyages has completed its biggest UK and Ireland trade activation to date, welcoming more than 1,200 First Mates (travel agents) onboard Valiant Lady this summer.The ‘Valiant Lady UK Summer Tour 2026’ took place throughout August, calling at Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Belfast, Edinburgh and Portsmouth (twice). It marked the highest number of ports and ship visits Virgin Voyages has included in a single UK and Ireland trade initiative.
  • dnata Travel reports surge in ski holidays and Arctic adventures among UAE travellers (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:53:45)
    All-inclusive ski holidays and Arctic adventures are among the fastest-growing travel trends for UAE residents this winter, according to the latest booking data from dnata Travel.The company is seeing growing demand for snow-based holidays and cooler-climate escapes across Europe and Asia. Japan has entered dnata Travel’s top five most-booked international destinations for winter 2026/27 to date, while Finland, France, Switzerland, and Georgia are recording some of the strongest year-on-year increases in bookings and climbing the company’s top 20 winter destinations ranking.
  • Rediscover Autumn in Italy (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:49:39)
    Aethos invites travellers to rediscover autumn in Italy — from a final stretch of alpine summer and Sardinia’s coast before it closes for the year, to Milan’s autumn programming and the harvest season in Umbria’s hills.
  • Lion welcomes a new season above Dubai (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:40:11)
    LION welcomes guests back on September 25th, marking the return of a familiar home on the 62nd floor of Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai. With Mediterranean cuisine at its heart, the restaurant brings renewed focus to open-fire cooking and a personal approach to hospitality, inviting familiar faces and first-time guests to settle into its home above the city.
  • Aer Lingus unveils the most popular destinations for autumn and winter travel (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:39:52)
    London, Paris and Amsterdam are among the most popular European city breaks for customers travelling this autumn and winter, while New York and Boston top the list of transatlantic destinations, according to new Aer Lingus booking data.Aer Lingus recently launched of one of its biggest sales of the year, offering savings across its global network. The airline is offering discounts on millions of seats across over 100 routes, giving customers the opportunity to plan their next getaway for less.
  • Luxury Group and Sotheby’s Elevate Global Partnership (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:36:42)
    Luxury Group by Marriott International and Sotheby’s continues to deepen their global partnership, bringing their exclusive masterclass series to Asia Pacific for the first time. Building on last year’s debut through private tours at Sotheby’s Maison during Sotheby’s Hong Kong’s Luxury Week, this next chapter introduces “The Art of Knowing,” a multi-faceted series spanning digital masterclass content and exclusive in-person experiences that offer deeper access to the worlds of rare craftsmanship, heritage, and high-value collecting.
  • Seychelles puts GCC at heart of high-value tourism growth with Emirates MoU at ATM 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:31:46)
    With approximately six in ten international visitors reaching its shores through Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, Seychelles Tourism Board is placing the GCC at the centre of its strategy for high-value, sustainable tourism at Arabian Travel Market 2026.The destination’s participation is anchored by plans to sign an MoU with Emirates, stronger engagement with the regional travel trade and a renewed ambition to introduce Middle Eastern travellers to a Seychelles experience that extends far beyond its world-famous beaches.
  • Rotana Highlights 40 Properties Under Development and Next Phase of Growth at Arabian Travel Market (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 08:28:18)
    Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye, is highlighting the scale and direction of its growth strategy at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, with 40 properties and 8,334 keys under development alongside 78 operating properties representing across the region.Saudi Arabia accounts for 10 of Rotana’s 40 properties under development, representing 1,404 keys and one quarter of the group’s pipeline. The developments span Riyadh, Jeddah and Makkah, as well as Hail, Abha and Al Baha, reflecting an approach that balances established gateways with emerging destinations supported by growing domestic demand.
  • Quito Airport among the 12 airports worldwide with the highest passenger experience accreditation (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-15 06:43:55)
    Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport renewed Level 5 of the Airports Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Accreditation Program for the third time, the highest level of this international program specializing in the assessment of how airports manage the passenger experience.With this renewal, Quito Airport remains among a group of only 12 airports worldwide that have achieved Level 5. In the Americas, only two airports have reached this level.