Travel Industry News Page 129
Shangri-La Kunming Debuts as a New Gateway for Cultural Discovery
Shangri-La Group (“Shangri-La” or “the Group”) announces the grand opening of Shangri-La Kunming, a new gateway to Yunnan’s cultural discovery where design-led storytelling, tea traditions, and immersive moments are inspired by the region’s landscapes and artistry. Rooted in the concept of a “Tea Merchant’s Mansion,” the hotel blends Shangri-La’s signature Asian hospitality with Yunnan’s rich local culture, bringing to life the art and joy of Asian hosting for guests exploring “The Best of Yunnan.”
The City of Cologne Congratulates Lufthansa on Its Anniversary
Last Thursday evening in Cologne, numerous guests from the worlds of politics, the aviation industry, local society, and sports gathered for a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first Lufthansa. The Mayor of Cologne had hosted a reception at the Historic City Hall. Cologne Mayor Torsten Burmester: “Cologne is proud to have played a major role in Lufthansa’s corporate history since World War II. Cologne is growing as an aviation hub, because in addition to being home to the headquarters of EASA and the DLR, as well as the prospect of a European space hub, Cologne/Bonn Airport is the cargo hub of Western Europe. I hope that the relationship between Cologne and Lufthansa will intensify again even beyond this anniversary year. I therefore congratulate all Lufthansa employees from the bottom of my heart on the company’s 100th anniversary.”
Elegance takes flight - Lufthansa unveils new uniform
Lufthansa is introducing a new uniform for its employees that combines tradition and innovation as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. The new outfits for cockpit, cabin, and ground staff were unveiled at a fashion show at the Lufthansa Group's "Hangar One" visitor and conference center. The design was created in collaboration with many employees from all uniformed departments, who tested all styles for comfort, functionality, and sustainability and provided the design team with valuable feedback on how to refine the elements. The designs were then brought to life in collaboration with the renowned fashion brand BOSS.
The Lux Collective Sharpens Women Leadership
Global hospitality group The Lux Collective continues to accelerate its commitment to advancing women in leadership with the appointment of Aubrey Wang as General Manager of LUX* Chongzuo Guangxi in China. Following the promotion of Sheila Malloo to General Manager of LUX* Belle Mare, Mauritius, this latest move reinforces the Group's intentional focus on cultivating a new generation of female leaders across key markets.
Egypt Leads Record African Hotel Boom as Pipeline grows by 35.5%
Africa's chain hotel development pipeline has reached a record high of 675 hotels and 123,846 rooms as of early 2026, representing an 18.6% increase year-on-year, according to the 18th annual Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa report published by W Hospitality Group. At the heart of this surge is Egypt, the continent's undisputed hotel development powerhouse with 185 planned hotels and 45,984 rooms, representing 37.1% of the entire African pipeline. North Africa as a whole now commands 50% of all pipeline rooms across the continent, with its pipeline growing 27% year-on-year - well over double the 11% growth recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. The North African pipeline stands at 284 hotels and 62,630 rooms, drawing from four active development markets: Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. There is no current development pipeline in Libya.
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Virgin Atlantic to offer accredited Autism Awareness training for cabin crew
Virgin Atlantic has announced the launch of an accredited Autism Awareness training programme for its cabin crew, developed in partnership with autism travel specialists, Autism Double-Checked. The programme forms part of the airline's ongoing commitment to inclusive travel and supporting customers with non-visible disabilities. Launching this May, the mandatory digital training consists of two modules - one covering general autism awareness, and a second designed specifically for the cabin crew role with a focus on the inflight experience. All cabin crew will complete both as part of their annual recurrent learning, giving every crew member the confidence and practical tools to support autistic customers onboard, from recognising sensory sensitivities and signs of distress, to adapting how they communicate and providing reassurance throughout the journey. Virgin Atlantic also plans to extend the training to all customer-facing ground teams in 2026, ensuring consistent support at every stage of the travel experience.
Shura Island Residences Welcomes First Homeowners
Shura Island Residences, part of Red Sea Global (RSG), has welcomed its first homeowners to SLS The Red Sea Residences, bringing SLS’s bold, lifestyle-led approach to residential living to Shura Island, marking a significant milestone for the destination. “Welcoming our first homeowners to SLS turns our vision into a lived reality. These residents are now part of our story, shaping life on Shura Island and helping us in pioneering a regenerative approach that benefits both people and the planet. This is just the beginning of a vibrant new chapter for our community at The Red Sea,” said Stephen Cheesebrough, Head of Development at Red Sea Global.
Dubai’s Hotel Community Unites Behind GCC Resident Offer Push to Drive Regional Travel Demand
Dubai’s hospitality community is mobilising behind a coordinated effort to strengthen GCC resident offers across the city’s hotels, restaurants, attractions and tourism experiences. This industry-led initiative brings together hospitality partners to align, refresh, and amplify existing GCC and UAE resident offers into a unified, market-wide push, timed to upcoming peak travel periods, school holidays, and the summer season. The Dubai Hotel Group (DHG) is supporting this effort across its members and wider UAE industry partners, encouraging broad participation and alignment across the sector.
Visit Oman Launches Revolutionary AI Digital Hub and Global Collaboration to Transform Tourism Indus
The small Gulf country of Oman is now poised to become a pioneer in the development of AI-powered tourism as Visit Oman introduces an AI digital hub that will revolutionize the travel and tourism industry all over the world.
Minor Hotels Signs First Colbert Collection in Asia and New Avani Resort in Koh Phangan
Minor Hotels, a global hospitality leader with more than 640 properties in operation and committed development across 63 countries, announces the signing of two new resort properties in Thailand in partnership with Rasa Group: Colbert Collection Koh Samui and Avani Koh Phangan. The dual signing marks the debut of the Colbert Collection brand in Asia and reinforces Minor Hotels’ continued expansion in key resort destinations across the region. Located on Chaweng Beach, Colbert Collection Koh Samui will become the first property under the brand in Asia. The 32-key beachfront resort, operating as Buri Rasa Village Samui, will transition to Minor Hotels management on 1 May 2026, with rebranding scheduled for Q1 2027 following an extensive renovation programme.
Travelsphere and Just You launch ‘Holiday Assurance’ promotion
Escorted touring brands Travelsphere and Just You have launched a ‘Holiday Assurance Guarantee’. Valid on new bookings made until May 31 and for tours departing in 2026, it allows travellers to amend their booking as many times as required up to 75 days prior to departure without any amendment fees*.
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Virgin Voyages launches 2026 Eat & Drink Festival with new ‘Festival of Senses’
Virgin Voyages has confirmed the return of its annual Eat & Drink Festival, with a new ‘Festival of Senses’ concept. The programme will run across the four-ship fleet on a limited number of August and September sailings, offering a series of food and beverage-led experiences designed to enhance onboard dining for Sailors (guests). New for 2026 is ‘A Feast for the Senses’, an immersive culinary event hosted in the onboard nightclub, The Manor. The experience combines film, interactive elements and tasting opportunities, with Sailors moving through a series of staged food and drink moments.