Travel Industry News Page 148
SILVERSEA ENHANCES ITS VENETIAN SOCIETY WITH NEW LOYALTY TIERS AND ENHANCED BENEFITS
Silversea, the leading experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, is enhancing its Venetian Society loyalty program, offering guests more ways to earn status, earlier recognition, and meaningful benefits throughout their journey – becoming the richest loyalty program among any luxury cruise brand. Guided by guest feedback, the enhanced program will debut on July 1, 2026, with two new loyalty milestones and enriching benefits across every tier.
Audi at Portrait Milano for Milan Design Week 2026
We wanted to share details of an exciting moment taking place at Portrait Milano during Milan Design Week. Audi will be activating within the property from April 20 to 26, bringing a major installation and a series of key previews to the space. We would be delighted to see any potential coverage highlighting Portrait Milano as one of the central locations for this activity.
Catalonia Launches the Grand Tour Catalunya Gravel
Catalonia strengthens its position as a global cycling destination with the launch of the Grand Tour Catalunya Gravel, a comprehensive 2,500 km journey across 42 stages, designed to showcase the region's natural beauty, cultural richness, and culinary heritage through five sections:
Minor Hotels Unveils Global Data and AI Platform
Minor Hotels has unveiled plans to build a new global data and AI platform from the ground up in partnership with Google Cloud, Salesforce, OneTrust and Deloitte, marking a major acceleration of the group’s long-term digital transformation strategy. The initiative represents one of the most significant technology investments in Minor Hotels’ history. It also marks a deliberate move to lead the hospitality sector in using data and AI to personalise experiences and strengthen direct relationships with guests across its more than 640 properties in operation and committed development worldwide.
Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives Achieves Dual Nominations
Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives is delighted to announce its nomination in the Resorts category for the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 (UK) and Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 (US) — marking another proud milestone in the resort’s continued global recognition. Widely regarded as one of the most influential accolades in the travel industry, the Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate excellence through the voices of discerning travellers worldwide. The dual nomination reflects Kuda Villingili’s growing presence across key international markets, as well as the enduring connection it shares with its global guests.
Asia Pacific travel enters a new era as structural shifts reshape demand
Asia Pacific travel is undergoing its most significant structural realignment in more than a decade, according to new research from Phocuswright. The report, A Market Rewired: Ten Structural Shifts Redefining Asia Pacific Travel, outlines how demographic divergence, geopolitical tensions, new mobility patterns and financial infrastructure are reshaping how and where demand forms across the region.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC FLYING CLUB UNVEILS LIMITED-TIME TIER POINT BOOST ON HOLIDAY BOOKINGS
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is giving new and existing members the perfect excuse to stop scrolling and start booking, with a limited-time Tier Point promotion designed to fast-track leisure travellers to Silver status. For two weeks only, Flying Club members will receive 300 bonus Tier Points as the lead booker when they spend £4,000 or more on a Virgin Atlantic Holidays booking, making this the most generous Tier Point promotion ever offered by Flying Club.
Minor Hotels Signs Anantara's First Resort and Urban Hotel in India
Minor Hotels, a global leader in hospitality with more than 640 properties across 63 countries, announces the first signings in India under its luxury Anantara Hotels & Resorts hotel brand for 2026: Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort and Anantara Kolkata Hotel. Both properties represent firsts for the brand in India: its first resort and first urban hotel in the country.
How Korea is Boosting Domestic Spending Through a Nationwide Shopping Event
Amid evolving global economic conditions, South Korea is exploring a distinctive approach to economic stimulus – one that goes beyond traditional fiscal or monetary measures, and instead focuses on mobilizing consumption. At the center of this approach is the Donghaeng Festival (K-Shopping Festa or 동행축제 in Korean), a nationwide initiative led by Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups, literally meaning a "shared journey" or collective participation.
Dida signs 5-year partnership with Tsinghua University
Global travel technology company Dida has signed a five-year strategic partnership with Tsinghua x-lab –a non-profit innovation and entrepreneurship platform at Tsinghua University in Beijing– to develop next-generation travel tech solutions and strengthen the industry’s global talent pipeline. The agreement marks a shift from ad-hoc collaboration to a deep, ecosystem-level integration between one of the world’s leading academic institutions and a global powerhouse in travel technology.
Wyndham Will Pay You $20K to Live It Up Exploring Route 66 with Your Grandma This Summer
This summer, buckle up—because grandma's calling shotgun. As Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and its award-winning loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards®, are bringing generations together—paying one lucky road tripper $20,000 (inclusive of a travel stipend) to hit the highway with their grandparent. Dubbed The (Grand) Mother Road Trip, the selected traveler will prove once and for all that the best travel companions might just be family.
European Commission announces European Capitals of Tourism competition 2027
Today, the European Commission launches the 2027 edition of the European Capitals of Tourism competition1. Tourism destinations across Europe are invited to submit their innovative practices in smart and sustainable tourism and position themselves as leading examples in European tourism. As one of the EU's largest economic sectors, tourism plays a key role in economic growth and job creation. The initiative recognises cities implementing innovative solutions, including digitalisation, accessibility, sustainability and support to cultural heritage, creativity and local talent.