The long-standing problem of water shortage that has plagued the Negril tourist resort and surrounding areas is to be addressed with a US$221 million government investment in creating a water supply system for the area. Making the announcement to loud applause from stakeholders, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett said the required water would come from connecting sources such as the Bulstrode Treatment Plant and Roaring River with Trelawny’s Martha Brae River, providing adequate water supply all the way to Llandilo. He said the procurement process had begun and construction for the laying of the pipes would commence in three months.

The board of directors of Marriott International, Inc. have announced the election of Sean Tresvant, Chief Executive Officer of Taco Bell Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., as an independent director of the company, effective February 12, 2025. Mr. Tresvant is expected to be included in the company’s slate of nominees for election at its upcoming 2025 annual meeting of stockholders.

Safestay PLC, one of Europe’s largest hostel groups, is pleased to announce its partnership with Cloudbeds, the industry’s premier hospitality management platform. As part of the multi-year partnership starting in January 2025, Safestay will move its 20-strong Europe-wide hostel portfolio onto the Cloudbeds Enterprise Platform, building its technology stack on Cloudbeds’ award-winning PMS. The move is part of Safestay’s ‘Platform for Growth’ strategy through which it is investing for future success.

A newly re-imagined event space is launching at Battersea Power Station in Spring 2025, from NEON, a global leader in immersive experiences and exhibitions. This new venue, the first-ever purpose-built entertainment and cultural exhibition space in Central London, located next to the iconic Battersea Power Station on Circus Road East, will bring NEON's world-renowned immersive experiences to the heart of the city, with a soon-to-be-announced exhibition as the first of many to come.

The 13th edition of the section will be focused on data spaces, the smart destination platform and technological solutions for tourism. For the second consecutive year the AI for Tourism Awards 2025 will be held, recognising the best solution based on Artificial Intelligence applied to the industry.

Finnair has expanded its codeshare with oneworld alliance member, British Airways, as the Finnish airline continues to expand its reach in the UK and targets new customers in the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. The expanded agreement will see Finnair add its code to an additional seven of British Airways’ domestic routes, enabling customers to benefit from increased connectivity when travelling to Finland and beyond.