Travel Industry News Page 98
Sun-Soaked Greek Escapes for Every Generation with H Hotels Collection
As UK travellers increasingly move away from long-haul travel amid ongoing global uncertainty Greece stands out as a closer-to-home option, offering consistent sunshine, accessible travel, and a strong sense of escapism. H Hotels Collection a family-run group of hotels in Rhodes and Athens, has recently renovated several of their hotels across the portfolio offering refurbished rooms, enhanced dining concepts and refreshed leisure facilities, ensuring a more elevated and contemporary guest experience.
Jamaica to Host 2nd CTO Air Connectivity Summit Next February
Jamaica will host the second annual Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Air Connectivity Summit in Kingston on Feb. 23, 2027, building on the success of this year’s inaugural event in Bermuda and aiming to advance regional air travel amid ongoing global challenges. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett made the announcement while speaking at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua on Thursday.
World first: CHTA Marketplace goes virtual
Virtual World Internet, https://www.virtualworldinternet.com/ has created the first immersive digital twin of Caribbean Travel Marketplace, opening the region’s flagship travel trade event to a global audience 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For the first time in its 44-year history, Caribbean Travel Marketplace can now be experienced virtually.
Barbados to host Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2027
Barbados has been confirmed as host destination for the 45th edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace, bringing the region’s flagship tourism business event back to the island in 2027. The announcement was made by Sanovnik Destang, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, during the closing ceremony of this year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua and Barbuda.
WIZZ AIR STRENGTHENS ITS POSITION AS EUROPE’S RELIABLE AIRLINE WITH STRONG OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Wizz Air, one of Europe’s leading low-cost airlines, has delivered strong operational performance during the first four months of 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the continent’s most reliable airlines ahead of the busy summer travel season. At a time when travellers across Europe are looking for reassurance, predictability and stability amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and disruption affecting parts of the aviation industry, Wizz Air’s operational results demonstrate the resilience of its network and the strength of its day-to-day operations.
THIRTY, FLIRTY AND FLYING HIGH: VIRGIN ATLANTIC MARKS MANCHESTER MILESTONE
Virgin Atlantic is celebrating a major milestone for its home in the North, as the airline marks thirty years of flying from Manchester Airport this week. Since Sir Richard Branson launched operations from Manchester on 17th May 1996 with services to Orlando, the Northern base has remained a key part of Virgin Atlantic’s UK network and to mark the occasion, the airline is excited to welcome a new A330-neo aircraft to its fleet. The aircraft, named Champagne Supernova after the iconic Oasis track, is set to carry the registration G-VMAN in a nod to the airline’s longstanding connection to the region. To celebrate the milestone, Virgin Atlantic will also host a customer activation at Manchester Airport on Monday 18th May, inviting travellers to join in the celebrations with a dedicated photo opportunity, signature treats and a themed gift giveaway.
HFTP Announces 2026 Hospitality Technology Honors
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is pleased to recognize two champions of hospitality technology. Mary Gerdts will be inducted to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame, recognized for the development of game-changing, hospitality payment technology. Gerdts is the founder and CEO of two payment processing companies, POST Integrations, Inc. and EboCom, LLC. Bob Gilbert will be posthumously recognized with the HFTP Award of Merit, which recognizes individuals who have made a significant innovation or breakthrough that established a path for others in hospitality technology. Gilbert, was the president and CEO of HSMAI Americas for more than 30 years.
Data Appeal Becomes the World’s Largest Travel Intelligence Ecosystem for Tourism Destinations
The Data Appeal Company, part of Almawave / Almaviva Group, today unveiled its new brand framework that brings together their combined capabilities into a cohesive family of solutions, with Mabrian as its Tourism Destinations division. This step reflects the shared vision of building the world’s largest travel intelligence ecosystem for data-driven destination management.
Unforgettable Croatia launches 2027 season and Michelin Star add on
Unforgettable Croatia has launched its 2027 small-ship cruising programme, featuring 136 guaranteed departures. The specialist luxury operator will offer 12 cruise itineraries and nine cruise and land journeys during the season, taking place from May to October across six ships. Each cruise has a maximum of 18 cabins. Unforgettable Croatia has unveiled two new themed cruises as part of its recently launched 2027 programme.
Ramada Residences by Wyndham at Dubai Islands - a Q&A with Abhishek Jalan, CEO of Grovy Developers
This development will mark an important milestone for Grovy's growth. It will be our first entry into the branded residences sector and thus represents a significant strategic evolution for the company. BTN puts the questions to their CEO
RAY HOTEL BY CLOUD 7 APPOINTS MOHAMMAD TAHA AS GENERAL MANAGER
Global lifestyle hospitality leader Kerten Hospitality has announced the appointment of Mohammad Taha as General Manager of Ray Hotel by Cloud 7, bringing more than 25 years of international hospitality leadership experience to Kuwait’s newly launched lifestyle hotel in Mangaf.
LATEST TOURISM DATA SHOWS PALMA’S SUCCESSFUL DESEASONALISATION STRATEGY
Palma de Mallorca continues to strengthen its position as a leading year-round city break destination, with the latest tourism data highlighting the success of its long term deseasonalisation strategy driven by a rich and evolving cultural offering. The Balearic capital is increasingly establishing itself as a premier cosmopolitan city break within the Mediterranean, attracting culturally minded travellers beyond the traditional summer season. New figures reveal a clear shift in visitor behaviour, with significant growth recorded outside of the traditional peak summer months. In the early shoulder season, overnight stays by British visitors in Palma increased year on year by 13.64% in April 2025 and 11.48% in May 2025, demonstrating that the destination is successfully attracting visitors earlier in the year.