Trivago has filed an antitrust suit against Google, alleging that Google systematically favors its own hotel metasearch over competitors, harming competition. The suit is based on EU antitrust provisions and German competition law, seeking full compensation. Trivago also reported Q1 2026 results: revenue increased 15% YoY to €142.9 million, but net loss was €7.3 million.
The UK FCDO has updated travel advice for Hong Kong, covering dual nationality, e-cigarettes, and illegal drugs including CBD. Hong Kong does not recognize dual nationality and does not recognize BN(O) passports as valid travel documents. If you hold both British and Chinese nationality, local authorities may treat you solely as a Chinese citizen, and the British Consulate-General may not be able to offer consular assistance. Additionally, e-cigarettes and CBD may be subject to legal restrictions.
The UK FCDO has updated its travel advice for Kazakhstan with new information about IMEI registration for local SIM cards. Travelers are advised to get appropriate travel insurance and stay informed about local safety.
Spain's High Court of Justice of Madrid has denied Airbnb's request to halt a €64 million fine, which Airbnb must now pay. The fine was issued in December for advertising unlicensed short-term rentals, incorrect licenses, or misleading advertising. The ministry said the fine was six times the profit Airbnb gained from illegal listings, identifying around 65,000 violations. Airbnb has removed the listings and is collaborating with Spain's Ministry of Housing on the new national registration system.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for the Turks and Caicos Islands, mainly regarding passport validity requirements. As a British Overseas Territory, there is no British Embassy, and the local government provides support. Travelers are advised to obtain appropriate travel insurance.
The US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has sent letters to Booking Holdings, Expedia Group, Lyft, and Uber requesting details on AI pricing policies, investigating whether 'surveillance pricing' uses personal data to discriminate prices. Uber denies involvement, Expedia says it does not raise prices based on user data.
The Amsterdam District Court ruled that German hotels have not provided evidence that Booking.com's past parity clauses restricted competition. The court also raised concerns about the narrow market definition applied by German authorities, noting that substitutability of other sales channels was not considered. Booking.com has not used parity clauses in Germany since 2016.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Marriott, Hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and STR's owner CoStar Group over suspected sharing of competitively sensitive information through the use of STR. The initial investigation is expected to run for six months until August. The CMA emphasized no assumptions of law-breaking, but could issue a statement of objections if competition law is infringed. CoStar and IHG said they will cooperate fully. A similar class-action lawsuit in the U.S. was dismissed in August 2025.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Madagascar travel advice on September 9, 2026, adding information on Ebola entry requirements to the "Entry requirements" page. The FCDO states no travel can be guaranteed safe and advises travelers to read the full guide and obtain appropriate travel insurance covering their itinerary, planned activities and emergency expenses.
SAP Concur's blog shares how the University of Massachusetts (UMass) transformed its fragmented travel and expense tools into a unified Concur platform for nearly 10,000 employees by first updating policies, building an innovation team, and choosing the right partners. Key success factors include strategy before technology, leadership support, and partnership.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for St Kitts and Nevis, with the latest update on 5 January 2026 and still current as of 8 September 2026. The update adds information on the 'Entry requirements' page that all visitors to St Kitts and Nevis must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation before travel. The FCDO also notes that no travel can be guaranteed safe and advises travellers to research destinations and obtain appropriate travel insurance covering itinerary, planned activities and emergency expenses.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Macao, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK. Macao does not recognise dual nationality; those with both British and Chinese nationality may be treated as Chinese citizens by local authorities, even if entering on a full British citizen passport. In such cases, the British Consulate-General may not be able to offer consular help. Those who have formally renounced Chinese citizenship should carry evidence of doing so.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Martinique, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Gabon, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for French Polynesia, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for French Guiana, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for São Tomé and Príncipe, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for San Marino, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice notes that entering San Marino requires travelling through Italy and recommends reading Italy travel advice, while also covering warnings, insurance and travel insurance.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Eswatini, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Réunion, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Dominica, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published travel advice for Panama, still current as of 8 September 2026 and last updated on 10 December 2025, adding new information about dual nationals returning to the UK (see the 'Entry requirements' page). The advice covers warnings and insurance, before-you-travel guidance, and travel insurance, noting that no travel can be guaranteed safe.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore synergies between the EU Flight Emissions Label (FEL) and IATA's environmental data ecosystem—EcoHub and the CO2 Connect calculator. The goal is to streamline processes so CO2 emissions data is visible and consistent for passengers at the time of booking. The FEL stems from an EU regulation launched in 2024 under EASA's responsibility; airlines from both EU and non-EU countries covered by Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 'ReFuelEU Aviation' can voluntarily join, and only participating airlines may display emissions to passengers in the EU.
Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration has become the first authority in the world to deploy Amadeus' biometric corridors at scale. The technology uses AI-enabled biometrics to validate passenger identities in motion through wide corridors, without stopping or presenting documents. As part of the 'All Indonesia' initiative, two corridors are deployed at Jakarta airport and one at Surabaya, initially for elderly and disabled travelers, with future plans for all passengers. During the Hajj pilgrimage, each corridor processed 30+ border crossings per minute at peak times, a more than ten-fold capacity increase over existing eGates, processing over 50,000 pilgrims.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Norway's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Norway) signed a cooperation agreement at the Zero Emission Regional Aviation Conference 2025 (ZERAC25), driving innovation, research and learning through Norway's International Test Arena. The Test Arena, set up by CAA Norway and infrastructure and airspace provider Avinor, connects industry, research and regulators. The partners will work on real-world demonstration of cutting-edge solutions such as electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, coordinating joint activities on technology testing, knowledge development, regulatory gaps and professional training, aiming to fast-track the transition to zero…
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) launched the fifth release of its Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) Hub on 9 October 2025, alongside an updated SORA 2.5. The new version simplifies authorisation for UAS operations in the specific category by clarifying text, reducing room for interpretation, and lowering the evidence required for most low-risk Visual Line of Sight (SAIL II) operations, while relaxing certain requirements on containing drones within the operational volume. Release 5 adds a Drone Rule Navigator, the eSORA tool with a cross-border operations feature, a UAM guide co-created by UIC2, and new population density and land use data.
Amadeus announced the extension of its collaboration with the Australian Department of Home Affairs and its subsidiary Vision-Box Australia under a new multi-year agreement to continue supporting the Departure SmartGates program across ten Australian international airports. The agreement includes a mid-life refresh of the SmartGates infrastructure and deployment of Amadeus Visiontec facial recognition technology to extend asset life and ensure contemporary technology. Amadeus has been the provider since the program's inception in 2015.
The U.S. Department of State updated its Cuba travel advisory on May 7, 2025, keeping it at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution due to crime and unreliable electrical power. It notes rising petty and violent crime, and stresses that U.S. law prohibits travel to, from or within Cuba for tourist activities, with OFAC regulating such travel; traveling without an appropriate license is illegal and violations may lead to penalties and criminal prosecution. Since October 2024 Cuba has seen several prolonged nationwide power outages, with daily scheduled and unscheduled cuts of up to 12 hours in Havana and longer outside the capital.
The U.S. REAL ID federal compliance deadline is May 7, 2025. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendation to set minimum security standards for identification such as driver's licenses; state-issued IDs from non-compliant states will no longer be accepted by federal agencies such as TSA. Compliant IDs are generally marked with a star, and travelers can verify their state's status via the Department of Homeland Security's REAL ID page. Travelers without a REAL ID can still fly domestically using other acceptable identification, including a U.S. passport, passport card, DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry, permanent resident card, or an e…
This SAP Concur blog lists 7 key components for a corporate credit card policy: eligibility requirements, acceptable uses, credit limits, documentation requirements, cardholder responsibilities, consequences for non-compliance, and written agreement.
SAP Concur published an article outlining the importance of strong expense reimbursement policies and six best practices. These include defining qualifying reimbursements, requiring receipts, reducing paperwork, setting submission deadlines, creating an approval workflow, and including quality and compliance audits. The article notes that clear policies protect both employees and the company, reduce the risk of noncompliant spend, and improve reimbursement efficiency.
SAP Concur published an article providing a template and best practices for building sustainability into travel policies. The article notes that nearly 2 in 5 travel managers expect their policies to change in the next 12 months to comply with sustainability goals. The template covers the full process from enlisting support, building knowledge, considering diversity and inclusion, to employee engagement and supplier assessment. Specific recommendations include limiting trips of two days or less, encouraging videoconferencing, directing travelers to lower-emission flights and trains, prioritizing greener accommodations within walking distance, and avoiding luxury hotels and resorts. The arti…
A SAP Concur podcast with Oren Geshuri of Deloitte discusses duty of care, emphasizing the legal obligation to protect employees. Topics include legal differences across countries, mental health, safety for LGBTQ+ and disabled travelers, risks for women travelers, policy inclusivity, and how information sharing and flexible policies improve employee experience and retention.
A SAP Concur blog post shares a podcast conversation with Lyndon Group about optimizing T&E management during disruption. Lyndon Group won the SAP Concur Partner Growth award for helping customers optimize platforms. The conversation covers ERP transitions, automation, policy creation, auditing, and regulatory changes. Key advice includes early involvement in ERP planning, leveraging automation, clear policies, and healthy auditing.
A SAP Concur blog post discusses government contract travel compliance requirements, focusing on FAR 31.205-46. This clause states that costs are allowable only if the contractor maintains specific documentation to support claimed travel costs. Required information includes date, location, purpose of travel, and traveler's name and title. The post emphasizes the importance of independent transaction records (such as cancelled checks, credit card receipts, or hotel bills) and explains how Concur Travel and Concur Expense help contractors meet compliance through OCR, TripLink integration, and automated audits.
The U.S. Sunshine Act (Open Payments) expanded the definition of 'covered recipient' to include five additional provider types: physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives. Starting with 2021 data collection, life sciences companies must track payments or transfers of value to these new HCPs. The CMS Final Rule requires reporting direct or indirect payments, with penalties up to $10,000 to $100,000 per line item. Companies need to update systems, data management, and training to handle a potential increase of 350,000 to 400,000 reportable individuals.
A SAP Concur blog post advises UK SMBs to prepare for Brexit, whatever the outcome. It notes that businesses trading with or traveling to the EU may need to adjust travel, expense, and invoice processes. Specific recommendations include updating travel policies, considering prepaid currency cards, and preparing for changes to VAT refund processes.
A SAP Concur blog post states that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) anti-bribery provisions prohibit giving anything of value to a foreign official to obtain or retain business, and enforcement actions often involve leisure activities such as travel, meals, gifts and entertainment. It says the definition of government official extends to employees of government departments or agencies, state-owned enterprises, healthcare providers and even third-party consultants helping plan hospitality events. It outlines five compliance steps: understanding your business network, implementing controls, maintaining clear records, building a comprehensive audit process and educating on clear polici…
A SAP Concur blog post notes that U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement actions continue to focus on corporate hospitality spending. Recent cases involved gift cards, spa services, sightseeing tours, shopping excursions, national park excursions and sporting-event tickets. The FCPA treats employees of state-owned or state-controlled companies and foreign health care providers as 'foreign officials,' so providing things of value to them can trigger risk. The post advises companies to track hospitality expenditures and set oversight criteria, and cites government-commended remedial measures such as compliance oversight across a broad category of business expenditures and pre-a…
SAP Concur published an article analyzing an FCPA enforcement action announced by the DOJ and SEC in August 2020. Two employees of a health and personal care products company operating in China received approximately $775,000 in reimbursements over fewer than six months through fake meal and gift invoices to fund a bribery scheme. The company agreed to pay $123 million. The article also covers the DOJ's revised Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (ECCP), emphasizing that compliance personnel need sufficient data access for timely and effective monitoring.