Etihad Airways is preparing for one of its busiest winter travel seasons to date, with December expected to welcome more than 2 million guests through Abu Dhabi as travellers celebrate the festive season. While UAE residents take advantage of extended school holidays to travel, the capital’s expanding cultural and leisure offerings are attracting visitors from around the world. The strong demand reflects Abu Dhabi’s rising appeal as a global destination and Etihad’s accelerated network growth throughout 2025. With newly launched routes, additional frequencies across high-demand markets, and enhanced connectivity through Zayed International Airport, guests flying to or transiting through Abu Dhabi this December will benefit from a smooth, efficient, and well-coordinated airport experience. Etihad continues to enhance the end-to-end journey in collaboration with its airport partners, ensuring guests enjoy reliable and seamless travel throughout the peak season.

Portrait Milano, part of the Lungarno Collection, has transformed its Piazza del Quadrilatero into a winter destination with the launch of The Gift: Portrait of a Winter's Tale - a large open-air ice-skating rink set in the heart of Milan. Open daily from 11am to 7pm until 6 January 2026, the rink invites residents, families, and visitors to experience the festive season in a uniquely atmospheric setting. Admission is €15, with all proceeds donated to Fondazione Mente, the Milan-based organisation supporting children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Shizuoka, just an hour from Tokyo by bullet train, is welcoming visitors with a host of new experiences that spotlight its scenery, flavours and culture. This season brings the opening of Bentenjima Cycle Gate on the shores of Lake Hamana, offering bicycle rentals and a new beginner-friendly route, the return of the popular Suruga Afternoon Tea and the debut of the Soratto Makinohara roadside station - making it an ideal time to explore the region.

Cultural and gastronomic experiences lead demand among American travellers, according to the report Mapping Activities and Experiences Supply and Demand in Spain*, which also highlights the high level of satisfaction these tourists express regarding the leisure activities they enjoy during their visits to Spanish destinations. The study, prepared by Mabrian, the global travel intelligence and tourism advisory partner, analyses the supply of tourist activities and experiences in Spain and the interests of demand for these types of products, leveraging data from Civitatis and GetYourGuide, the main online experiences sites. The analysis considered both the domestic market and five key international markets: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, and the United States.

Anantara Chiang Mai Resort announces the official opening of the Dibba Yana Chitta Museum, marking one year since the unveiling of Dibba Yana Chitta — an extraordinary vessel created by Thailand’s acclaimed National Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, recognised for Wat Rong Khun, or the world-famous White Temple of Chiang Rai.

From the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) in Cannes, Marriott International’s Luxury Group – which encompasses the unrivaled portfolio of seven brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, JW Marriott, and W Hotels – announced a bold redefinition of the pursuit of luxury – one shaped not by possessions, but by emotional return on investment. Responding to a powerful shift in the world’s most affluent travelers, the Luxury Group is unveiling a transformative strategy centered on wellbeing, connection, cultural immersion, and legacy living.