Building on almost three decades of strong and successful partnership, Emirates and South African Airways are further enhancing their relationship, working towards a reciprocal codeshare agreement, ahead of the busy peak travel season.  With single ticket fare and hassle-free baggage handling, Emirates customers will be able to enjoy seamless access from Johannesburg to three domestic points in South Africa – Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and a further thirteen regional points in Africa including Abidjan, Accra, Botswana, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Windhoek, Lagos, Lusaka, Lubumbashi, Harare, Victoria Falls, Windhoek, and Mauritius. The codeshare will enable Emirates to tap into feeder traffic from South Africa, and regionally alongside long-haul connecting passengers from the UK and US.

Cheval Collection, the UK-based, award-winning luxury hospitality company specialising in top quality serviced apartments, has signed an agreement with KSA’s Ladun Investment Company to open a second site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, further strengthening the group’s presence in the Kingdom and reinforcing its commitment to growth in Middle East. Set to open in 2028, the new-build property will operate under the Cheval Maison brand, with around 150 luxury, contemporary studios, one bed and two bed apartments, with a focus on long-stay and residential. There will also be a gym and pool, with public memberships available, along with a selection of food and beverage outlets. Construction is expected to begin in 2026

Lisbon is gearing up for an exceptional year of music as the 2026 editions of Rock in Rio Lisboa and NOS Alive unveil some of the biggest global names set to perform in the city next summer. Rock in Rio Lisboa returns over the last two weekends of June, 20-21 June and 27-28 June, at Parque Tejo, one of Lisbon’s largest waterfront venues overlooking the Tagus River. The festival has already revealed a standout selection of international headliners.

Swan Hellenic has thrown down the gauntlet this Black Friday with an offer that is nothing short of extraordinary. In a move characteristic of the brand’s generous spirit, the boutique expedition line has launched a double layered giveaway: significant reductions across its all-inclusive fares plus an impressive $1,000 onboard credit per cabin to spend entirely as guests wish. With savings reaching up to £2,600 per stateroom, this is one Black Friday that demands attention from agents, travelers and editors alike.

To mark the 2026 Winter Games, Palace Merano is launching the Revital® 2026 Winter Games Hospitality programme, a stay reserved for a limited number of guests that allows them to experience the skiing and snowboarding finals from a privileged and exclusive viewpoint. A unique experience that combines the adrenaline of international sport with the Revital® deep-down regeneration programmes. From 7 to 22 February 2026, Palace Merano will open its doors to guests who would like to experience the Winter Games first-hand, with a programme that combines performance and wellness, adding the enjoyment of the competitions to the tailored programmes from the Medical Spa that created the Revital® Method. Guests will be able to choose between five signature programmes - Detox & Longevity, Revital Spa, Sport & Remise en Forme, Sport Performance and Relax & Balance - enhanced by other benefits and dedicated services, for a truly memorable stay.

Protect Group, a leader in ancillary travel products, has today unveiled its Agent Platform, which lets any offline travel advisor or agency sell refund protection quickly and easily, with no technical integration. The web-based tool gives agents a simple way to add the company’s flagship Refund Protect service to their itineraries, opening up a brand-new ancillary revenue stream. It not only gives the agency an opportunity to earn a revenue share based on sales, but also creates a mechanism to provide a commission structure for its agents to incentivise their sales activity.