Digital travel platform Agoda has been announced as the Official Travel Partner of Eurovision Song Contest Asia, as the iconic song contest makes its debut in Asia. The inaugural Asian edition will see the Grand Final held in Bangkok, Thailand on 14 November 2026. Agoda will be integrated across broadcasts and offer special travel deals to help fans attend the event.
Novotel will launch its inaugural 'Longevity Week' on September 7, 2026, offering free masterclasses and expert tips to promote daily wellness habits. Based on a survey of 13,000 consumers, which found 71% are more interested in their future wellbeing than five years ago, the initiative will be available across its 630+ hotels worldwide.
Hospitality Technology announced Canary Technologies as the exclusive sponsor of the 2026 Hotel Visionary Awards. Now in its 21st year, the awards recognize the hotel industry's most innovative technology initiatives, partnerships, and leaders. The 2026 winners will be announced live during the awards banquet on Nov. 18 at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, part of Hotel Technology Forum taking place Nov. 17-19. Canary Technologies CEO Harman Singh Narula expressed pride in supporting the awards to inspire ideas, partnerships, and progress that move hospitality forward.
At its annual gala in Chicago, the GBTA Foundation honored leaders and organizations driving sustainability and raised $83,250 to support the NextGen Program, which provides career scholarships for students. Winners included Sarah Martin from Amex GBT, Shirley Stroud from BCD Travel, Anna Rose Feinberg from Alo Index, and Meta and United Airlines. Dave Hilfman received the Luminary Award.
MGME, a meetings and events specialist and part of InteleTravel, has acquired San Francisco-based Key Meetings & Events for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will double MGME's revenue and employee base. Key Meetings & Events founder Heather Keenan will join MGME's senior leadership.
Civitatis' new CEO Andrés Spitzer spoke at Phocuswright Europe about AI and trust as the industry's biggest challenges. He emphasized the importance of discoverability in the age of AI agents and building trust through genuine user feedback. Civitatis is expanding in Latin America and partnering with Despegar to integrate inventory.
Expedia Group released global research revealing strong traveler demand for booking and managing full trips on a single platform, including car rentals, flights, activities, and trip protection. The survey of 2,500 travelers across 10 markets found 77% are likely to book multiple trip elements on the same platform. Expedia is expanding its Rapid API ecosystem to enable partners to offer full-trip booking capabilities, driving growth and loyalty.
A SAP Concur blog post summarizes highlights from Fusion Exchange DC 2022, an event for regulated industries including federal, state and local governments, higher education, government contracting, utilities, and healthcare. Attendees discussed travel, expense, and accounts payable challenges and shared best practices. Topics included return to travel, expense reconciliation, sustainability, change management, travel safety, data & reporting, auditing, cost control & compliance.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for Kyrgyzstan, noting the World Nomad Games opening ceremony at Bishkek Arena on August 31, followed by events in the Issyk-Kul region from September 1-6. Travelers are advised to check for latest updates and review travel insurance.