The newly opened Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan marks a bold new chapter not only for the brand, but for the evolving riverside district it calls home. As the Qiantan District of Pudong rapidly transforms into one of the city’s most vibrant lifestyle destinations, the hotel brings Waldorf Astoria’s global gastronomic excellence into the dynamic, Bund-adjacent neighborhood, redefining Shanghai’s luxury dining scene through its thoughtfully curated culinary offerings.

The year 2025 marked a turning point for artificial intelligence in the travel industry. AI solutions moved beyond demos and pilots to deliver real impact across every customer touchpoint, from initial interaction to final booking. Platforms such as Maya have shown that a well-integrated AI agent can turn interactions into measurable opportunities, enhance the customer experience, and free human teams from repetitive tasks. In 2025, it became clear that AI does more than support the customer journey: it has the potential to strengthen data-driven decision-making, optimize revenue, and set a new standard for multichannel travel experiences.

Civitatis, the leading curated online marketplace for guided tours and activities for Spanish and Portuguese speaking consumers, today announces a planned leadership transition. Founder and CEO Alberto Gutiérrez will step down from his executive role and name Andrés Spitzer, currently Chief Product and Technology Officer, as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1st. Alberto will remain on the Board of Directors, lending his extensive technology experience, industry knowledge, and credentials to continue supporting the company's growth strategy and vision. This transition marks a natural evolution for the company. After nearly two decades of success and rapid growth, Alberto Gutiérrez leaves a legacy that has transformed a personal project into a global category leader where 1.2 million travelers book activities monthly.

An official attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest showcase of cheese varieties in one place will be held in Dubai at the Radisson Blu Hotel Deira Creek on January 28, 2026, in conjunction with Gulfood, the world’s biggest food show. The record to beat is 1,001 varieties of cheese, which was achieved in Lyon, France in October 2023, and currently holds the world record.

Hilton has announced the signing of AMARIS Grace Bay to its exclusive LXR Hotels & Resorts portfolio, a distinctive resort and residential development set to debut in 2028 on the world-renowned Grace Bay Beach. Located along pristine shores, AMARIS brings a new dimension of curated luxury to Turks & Caicos, offering travelers an intimate escape defined by exceptional design and personalized service. AMARIS Grace Bay, LXR Hotels & Resorts is owned by SEFAMM (TCI) Ltd.

Pittsburgh welcomes new Aer Lingus nonstop making access to the city even easier for UK & Irish travellers in 2026. Following the recent Aer Lingus announcement detailing a new nonstop flight to Pittsburgh International (PIT) from Dublin Airport (DUB), travellers from the UK and Ireland now have even easier access to the vibrant US city of Pittsburgh.