Use the filters below to find published updates by topic, region, source and time.
25 updates.
25 updates shown
UK budget hotel group Travelodge announced CEO Jo Boydell has stepped down following months of pressure over its handling of a sexual assault case. The case involved a man obtaining a female guest's key card by falsely claiming a relationship. CFO Ray Reidy is interim CEO. New safety measures include requiring explicit guest permission for extra keys and a UK-wide deadbolt audit.
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened formal investigations into Virgin Atlantic and Trainline over drip pricing, where mandatory fees are omitted from advertised prices. Virgin Atlantic Holidays may not disclose resort fees and local taxes, while Trainline's booking fees are core revenue. The CMA can now rule directly and impose fines up to 10% of global turnover.
American Airlines paused its contrail-avoidance trial due to spring fuel price spikes, avoiding conflicting instructions to pilots and dispatchers. The trial aims to reduce aviation's climate impact by rerouting flights to avoid contrail-forming conditions. American's 2025 trial covering 2,400 flights found no statistically significant extra fuel burn, but modeling of 85,000 flights suggests fleet-wide implementation could increase fuel use by only 0.08%-0.11% while reducing warming by 73%. American hopes to resume in the fall pending fuel price normalization, targeting a larger sample in 2026. Meanwhile, the EU proposes ETS incentives for contrail avoidance, and a mandatory UK-funded opera…
Operation Blue Skies, a UK-backed trial, will test AI-guided flight rerouting to avoid climate-warming contrails over the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area over two winters. Part-funded by the UK Department for Transport, the £5 million trial uses AI contrail forecasts from Google and others. Modelling suggests altitude adjustments of up to 2,000 feet could cut contrail formation by 60-70% for only ~1% more fuel burn. Contrails account for about one-third of aviation's climate impact.
Expensify announced the expansion of Expensify Card spend rules to 14 countries, allowing businesses to control card usage before purchase. Admins can set rules such as locking to subscriptions, capping one-time purchases, setting expiration dates, restricting merchants or categories, and limiting currencies. The card enforces policy at the point of sale, not after-the-fact review. Available countries include the US, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, and more.
Booking.com published a press release promoting staycations for September. Research shows 72% of global travelers would book an overnight or short stay close to home, defined as under two hours by car and maximal relaxation. The article recommends properties in Santa Elena, Colombia; Bowral, Australia; the Catskills, USA; and Upper Slaughter, UK, all within short drives from major cities, ideal for using remaining annual leave.
IHG and Harilela Group signed a landmark agreement to add The Hari London (85 rooms) and The Hari Hong Kong (210 rooms) to Vignette Collection, and convert Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre (324 rooms) into The Hari Singapore, opening in 2027. This brings their partnership to six hotels and marks Vignette Collection's debut in Singapore.
In an interview ahead of Skift Global Forum 2026, Virgin Atlantic's new CEO Corneel Koster outlines a strategy centered on human-designed premium experiences as the key differentiator, not just AI. The airline plans a 30% increase in Upper Class and Premium seating via new A330neo deliveries, a 787-9 cabin refit, and a JFK Clubhouse refresh, while accelerating Starlink rollout. Loyalty initiatives include High Five Rewards and status matching for British Airways Club members, attracting over 10,000 members.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Romania travel advice on 18 September 2026, adding new information about drones crossing into Romanian airspace under the 'Safety and security' page. The advice remains marked as current. The FCDO says it provides travel risk advice to help people make informed decisions, and notes travellers should read all the advice in the guide and consider travel insurance covering their itinerary, planned activities and emergency expenses.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Hungary travel advice on 23 September 2026. The latest change removes information about restrictions on LGBT+ marches and events from the 'Safety and security' page. The advice also reiterates that no travel can be guaranteed safe, and directs travellers to read the full guide, research destinations and obtain appropriate travel insurance covering itinerary, planned activities and emergency expenses.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has appointed Anne Heal as a non-executive director. Heal brings over twenty years of experience in regulation, governance, and strategy, having held senior roles at BT Group and Openreach. She currently holds several regulatory positions. The appointment supports the CAA's commitment to governance and consumer protection.
TravelDaily China compiled tourism capital activities for the second half of July 2026, including five M&A deals: CITIC Capital's 3 billion yuan acquisition of Jianye's theatrical project, Zhejiang Tourism Investment Group's 616 million yuan purchase of 10% of Xiangyuan Cultural Tourism, Travel + Leisure Co.'s $343 million acquisition of two resort operators, and five financing deals including Fora's $60 million Series D at a $1 billion valuation.
A Harri survey of over 600 hospitality professionals found that nearly 40% of operators see scheduling and labor optimization as AI's biggest opportunity, while about one in five see no use for AI. Operators want AI embedded in existing workflows, not standalone dashboards. Over 90% prefer AI built into existing tools or as proactive background alerts. AI should handle logistics, not personnel decisions.
PPHE Hotel Group, a £2.2 billion international hospitality real estate company, owns the art'otel brand and is the exclusive EMEA master licensee for Radisson's Park Plaza brand. Across 17 European properties, including a 1,000+ room flagship, the group is bypassing app stores by using a zero-download web experience, native Apple/Google Wallet room keys, self-service kiosks, and an open-API backend. This aims to reduce guest friction, address lobby congestion, and break down data silos. SVP of Technology Jawad Sabir explains the technical execution, including Bluetooth/RFID lock integration and a unified guest data layer.
The UK CAA published its annual Airport Accessibility Report for 2025/26. A record 5.9 million passengers used assistance services in 2025, up 115.8% since 2015. Of 28 airports, 19 were rated 'Very Good' and 9 'Good', with none 'Needs Improvement' or 'Poor'. However, satisfaction among disabled passengers (82%) is lower than overall (88%), and 58% of disabled consumers reported difficulties.
Amadeus Travel Intelligence data reveals strong travel demand for the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe. Estimated international air arrivals for August are up 16% year-on-year, with top origin markets Italy and the US (15% each). Emerging markets like China (+70%) and Saudi Arabia (+57%) are growing fast. Hotel occupancy averages 70.7% with ADR of $467. Nearby cities like Dundee offer cost-effective alternatives.
The Access Group, a UK-based business management software provider, has agreed to acquire hospitality applicant tracking system Talent Funnel for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close next month. Talent Funnel will join Access Hospitality and become part of the Access Evo platform.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Trinidad and Tobago travel advice on 21 September 2026. The latest change was the removal of information about a State of Emergency from the 'Warnings and insurance' page. The FCDO states that no travel can be guaranteed safe, advises reading the full guide before travelling, and recommends obtaining appropriate travel insurance covering itinerary, planned activities and emergency expenses. The advice also links to guidance for women travellers, disability and travel abroad, LGBT+ travellers, solo and independent travel, and volunteering and adventure travel.
The UK CAA published its final decision on the regulatory treatment of early costs for Heathrow expansion. It allows Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) to recover early costs incurred in 2025-2026 through airport charges, capped at £320 million (2024 prices), with safeguards. It also allows Heathrow West Limited (HWL) to recover approximately £4.14 million. The maximum charge per passenger is expected to increase by around 15p in 2028, rising to an estimated 30p in subsequent years.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published its Airspace Architecture Concept of Operations, outlining a vision to move drone operations from isolated trials to widespread commercial use. It explores enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drones alongside crewed aircraft through technology, digital services, and risk-based safety measures. The vision includes electronic detection, conflict avoidance, reliable communications, digital traffic management, and information sharing.
Travelport and EGYPTAIR announced a long-term distribution agreement covering both EDIFACT and NDC content. The agreement gives Travelport-connected agencies continued access to EGYPTAIR's content through established EDIFACT channels while adding a new, richer layer of NDC content, including a broader range of NDC-enabled content and ancillary services. EGYPTAIR's content will be accessible through both Smartpoint, Travelport's booking application, and TripServices, its cloud-native API platform. Amr Adawy, VP commercial at EGYPTAIR, said adding NDC content alongside existing EDIFACT distribution allows the carrier to reach Travelport's global agency network with a broader range of products…
Vrbo released the Built to Stay Report, surveying over 1,700 travelers across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, and Australia. The study found that 86% of travelers would pay more for a higher-quality listing, and 81% would pay more for a property with strong trust signals. Cleanliness, reliable amenities, and quick host response are key quality signals, while verified reviews and overall scores are important trust signals.
Evotec, a global drug discovery company, has selected Navan to manage its complete corporate travel and expense (T&E) program across Germany, the UK, the US, Italy, and France. The move aims to eliminate manual expense reporting and streamline processes through automation, providing real-time visibility and control to support operational excellence.
Loveholidays has expanded to eight markets, holding about 15% of the UK packaged travel market (up from 5% in 2019). Package penetration grew from 61% to 69%, and dynamic packaging rose from 2% in 2009 to about 25% now. AI chatbot Sandy handles 60% of chats and 20% of calls, saving about £4 million annually. The company uses a three-pronged AI strategy: revenue growth, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued a warning advising passengers to pack lithium battery devices correctly to avoid flight delays and cancellations. With over 550,000 people expected to travel on July 24, incorrectly packed power banks and vapes pose fire risks, potentially causing diversions or evacuations.