The UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Côte d'Ivoire, including within 40km of borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, northern Zanzan and Savanes provinces, Comoé National Park, and within 20km of the border with Liberia, due to risk of terrorist attacks and kidnaps.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Ethiopia travel advice on 25 September 2026, adding new information on health screening on arrival, updating conflict and violence guidance, and removing content on elections and the Danakil desert. The FCDO advises against all travel to Tigray, Amhara and Gambela regions, and against all but essential travel to parts of Afar, Oromia, Somali and Benishangul-Gumuz regions. All civilian flights to and from Tigray were suspended on 22 September 2026, and flights to and from northern Ethiopia could be suspended or cancelled at short notice.
The US Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Mexico, advising increased caution due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. Violent crimes include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery. US government employees are restricted from traveling between cities after dark, must use regulated taxis or app-based services, and should avoid traveling alone. US citizens are strongly advised to follow these restrictions.
Alibaba Group announced a multi-year partnership with UEFA and UC3, becoming the official and exclusive AI, cloud computing services and e-commerce partner of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League from 2027/28 to 2032/33, and of UEFA EURO 2028. The partnership will deploy Alibaba Cloud and the Qwen LLM for fan engagement, media and content management, and offer official merchandise via its global e-commerce network.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for the Bahamas, adding information about Ebola screening upon arrival. It advises travelers to obtain appropriate travel insurance and read all advice.
Alibaba Group announced a multi-year partnership with UEFA and UC3, becoming the official and exclusive AI, Cloud Computing Services, and E-commerce partner for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League from 2027/28 to 2032/33, and UEFA EURO 2028. The partnership will deploy Alibaba Cloud and Qwen AI to enhance fan experiences and content management.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for the Central African Republic, advising against all travel to the whole country except the capital Bangui, including areas like Bimbo, Begoua, and Coline. It advises against all but essential travel to Bangui and its international airport. Additionally, an Ebola outbreak declared in DRC may affect health risks.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Angola, advising against all but essential travel to Cabinda Province (except Cabinda city) and within 1km of the DRC border in Lunda Norte Province. Reasons include separatist attacks and kidnap risk, as well as insecurity and banditry in border areas.
Amadeus introduced the Amadeus Travel Advertising Platform at its Advertising Summit in Nice, France, developed in collaboration with Accenture. The AI-powered platform helps travel brands make smarter advertising decisions based on where demand is forming, not just historical conversions. The first live capability is the Omnichannel Budget Allocator, already used in Amadeus' managed services.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Liberia, adding information about heightened health screening measures for travelers arriving into Liberia. It advises travelers to obtain appropriate travel insurance and read all advice.
SAP Concur's blog explains why organizations choose its travel and expense management platform over competitors like Navan, Ramp, and Coupa. It highlights proven ROI, unified T&E, strong ERP integration, and scalability. Citing IDC research, it reports annual staff-time savings of $77,600 and travel-related savings of $1.18 million, along with efficiency and compliance gains.
SAP Concur's blog discusses how AI is transforming travel management by connecting booking, expense, and approval processes. It cites that organizations using AI-powered Concur Travel and Expense report 19.2% faster travel bookings, 21% lower travel and expense costs, and 78% improvement in policy compliance.
SAP Concur's blog highlights the real value of AI in spend management, unifying travel, expense, and invoice processes. It cites that users achieve 406% ROI over three years, 21% lower travel and expense costs, and 78% improvement in policy compliance.
SAP Concur's blog offers practical tips for business travelers, covering preparation, during-trip management, and post-trip expense reporting. It emphasizes using the company's unified travel platform, submitting expense reports promptly, avoiding common mistakes, and leveraging mobile apps and AI tools.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Sri Lanka travel advice on 21 September 2026, adding information on heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides. Heavy rainfall during the inter-monsoon season has increased the risk of flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka, with possible disruption to transport and other services. Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, affecting plans even if the destination is not in the Middle East. Some flights from Colombo to the UK via Middle Eastern hubs may be delayed, postponed, or re-routed. The Government of Sri Lanka is limiting fuel purc…
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Solomon Islands, removing information about Tropical Cyclone Maila. However, Middle East escalation causes global travel disruption, potentially affecting flights. Travelers are advised to monitor airline updates and purchase travel insurance.
Expedia Group announced that CEO Ariane Gorin will participate in a fireside chat at Evercore's 2026 Global TMT Conference on June 2, 2026. The session will be webcast live, with a replay available for 3 months.
Tongcheng Travel reported Q1 2026 results: revenue up 14.4% YoY to RMB5,005.8 million, adjusted net profit up 19.4% to RMB941.1 million. Annual paying users reached a record 253.9 million. Core OTA revenue grew 17.3%, with transportation ticketing up 6.2%, accommodation up 14.7%, and other businesses (including hotel management) up 59.6%. Over 87% of registered users are from non-first-tier cities. The company continues to deepen AI applications and expand its hotel management business.
The U.S. Department of State updated the travel advisory for Anguilla, maintaining Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Anguilla is generally safe but regularly experiences hurricanes. Travelers are advised to enroll in STEP, purchase travel insurance, and be aware of weather and natural disasters.
The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 1 travel advisory for the British Virgin Islands, advising normal precautions. The destination is generally safe but experiences hurricanes regularly. Travelers are encouraged to enroll in STEP, purchase travel insurance, and review local laws and weather risks.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Burundi, advising against all travel to parts of Bujumbura Province, parts of Butanyerera Province, and the Burundi-DRC border due to security risks. Travelers should monitor local developments and note that insurance may be invalidated.
SAP Concur has been named #1 in the G2 Summer 2026 Expense Management Grid Report, also ranking #1 across 38 G2 Grid Reports. The recognition is based on feedback from 7,000+ customers, highlighting ease of use, automated workflows, and the value of integrated travel and expense management.
The U.S. State Department maintained Tunisia at Level 2, adding 'Crime' and 'Unrest' risk indicators. Do not travel to areas within 16 km of Algerian and Libyan borders, mountainous regions in Kasserine governorate, etc. A nationwide state of emergency is in effect, with ongoing terrorism risk.
Expedia Group released Unpack '26 Summer, revealing a shift toward domestic travel, with global social conversation about domestic vacations up 77% YoY. The report also highlights trends like hotel hopping, beach readaways, sports events, and set-jetting.
The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for Timor-Leste, maintaining Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution). Risks include unrest and crime, with police sometimes using force, stone-throwing incidents, and prevalent sexual violence. Travelers are advised to keep a low profile and avoid demonstrations.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 advisory for Tunisia, advising increased caution due to terrorism, crime, and unrest. Do not travel to areas within 16 km of Algerian and Libyan borders, mountainous regions in Kasserine governorate, etc. State of emergency continues.
Expedia Group released its Unpack '26 Summer report, showing domestic travel demand dominates summer holiday planning, with global social conversation up 77% YoY and 45% of Britons more interested in UK breaks. The report highlights trends like hotel hopping, sports event divergence, and set-jetting, along with top destinations and international cities with lower hotel rates.
The U.S. State Department lowered New Caledonia's advisory to Level 2, removing the 'Unrest' indicator, but still advises increased caution due to crime. Police and military presence remains elevated after 2024 unrest, and demonstrations may disrupt transportation. Crime risk is higher outside Noumea at night.
The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for the Cayman Islands, maintaining Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). The islands are generally safe, but medical services may be limited, and carrying firearms or ammunition is illegal. Travelers are advised to enroll in STEP and purchase travel insurance.
The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for Andorra, maintaining Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). Andorra is generally safe, but travelers are advised to enroll in STEP, avoid demonstrations, and purchase travel insurance.
The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for the Marshall Islands, maintaining Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). The islands are generally safe, but travelers are advised to enroll in STEP, purchase travel insurance, and check health information.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 advisory for Somalia, advising against all travel due to crime, kidnapping, terrorism, health, landmines, and other risks. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services, and aviation safety is restricted.
The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for Somalia, maintaining Level 4 (Do Not Travel). Risks include crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, health, landmines, systematic mistreatment of women and LGBTQ+ individuals, piracy, abuse in rehabilitation centers, and passport confiscation. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services.
Expedia Group released the first-ever summer edition of its Unpack '26 report, revealing that domestic travel demand dominates summer vacation planning. Social conversation about domestic vacations increased 77% year-over-year globally, with 63% of U.S. travelers planning a domestic trip. The report highlights trends such as hotel hopping, sports-driven travel, and set-jetting, along with top destinations.
Tongcheng Travel reported Q1 2026 results: revenue up 14.4% YoY to RMB5,005.8 million, adjusted net profit up 19.4% to RMB941.1 million. APUs reached a record 253.9 million. Core OTA revenue grew 17.3%, with hotel management as a new growth driver. The company continues to deepen AI applications and announced management changes.
Travelport's TripServices Flights API release AirReservation 26.11.21W supports returning fees some carriers charge when using credit card form of payment in the Reservation Retrieve response. These fees are returned in Reservation/Offer/Price/PriceBreakdown/Amount/Fees; credit card fees are identified by feeCode=OB, and the fee total, amount, and tax are returned. This feature applies to GDS only.
Booking.com unveiled AI-driven innovations for car rentals, including an app in ChatGPT, AI Car Rental Helper, AI review summaries, and Smart Search. These tools aim to simplify the rental process from discovery to booking and management. Data shows 26% of travelers plan road trips this year.
In a letter to shareholders, Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai and CEO Eddie Wu said the company stands at a critical inflection point in AGI development, with AI agents becoming the primary interface between humans and the digital world. Cloud Intelligence Group's external revenue growth accelerated to 40% in the final quarter of fiscal 2026, with AI-related products contributing 30%. The company launched the Qwen app and Wukong, an AI-native agentic platform for enterprises, and named quick commerce a core strategic pillar for Taobao and Tmall.
Expedia Group B2B announced at Explore 26 a new AI toolkit and Intelligent Experience Platform to help partners build travel experiences more easily. It also announced the acquisition of CarTrawler to expand ground mobility and Insurtech solutions, along with new marketing and media capabilities.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 1 travel advisory for Antigua and Barbuda, recommending normal precautions. The country is generally safe, but hurricanes are common. Travelers are advised to review weather and natural disaster information and enroll in STEP for emergency alerts.