Hilton announced the grand opening of Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan and celebrated its milestone of 888 trading hotels across Greater China and Mongolia. This achievement reinforces Hilton’s position as the largest and fastest-growing international hospitality company in the region with the company on track to double its presence in the region in the coming years. After opening its first hotel in Chinese Mainland in 1988, Hilton has grown its room inventory nearly tenfold in the past 12 years.

Hilton has announced the signing of Conrad Corfu following a franchise agreement with the Troulis family. Slated to open its doors ahead of the 2026 summer season, the luxury hotel will feature 136 rooms, suites and villas, a 200-metre beachfront and indoor and outdoor heated pools. Managed by Numo Hotels and Resorts, the property will also include a signature Aqua Piazza lagoon, lush, landscaped gardens, three restaurants, two bars, an extensive wellness centre, and open-air cinema and a kids club in collaboration with Worldwide Kids, with a treehouse-like micro village among olive trees and eucalyptus.

Hilton has announced the opening of Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, a landmark addition to the brand’s luxury portfolio in China. The property’s debut marks a significant chapter for Waldorf Astoria in Shanghai, as the third city worldwide to have two Waldorf Astoria properties. Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan sits on the southern stretch of Shanghai’s new Bund, in the vibrant Qiantan District of Pudong and on the opposite side of the Huangpu River from Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund. Together, the properties underscore the brand’s long-term vision and growing presence in China.

The Charles Hotel, Munich, unveils its newly redesigned Monforte Royal Suite, led by Lady Olga Polizzi, Director of design at Rocco Forte Hotels, in collaboration with Magdalena Onisko. The suite is the largest of the 28 suites at The Charles Hotel and one of three Forte Suites located on the eighth floor. Named after the Italian mountain village of Monforte, overlooking the picturesque Valle di Comino, the ancestral home of the Forte family, the suite offers unique interiors and breathtaking views of Munich.

Accor, a global hospitality leader with a portfolio of more than 5,700 properties across 110+ countries, is pleased to announce the signing of the Creekside Hotel in Dubai, one of the city’s most iconic hospitality and sporting landmarks. Owned by Dubai Duty Free and operated by United Hospitality Management, the hotel will join the Accor network under a white-label franchise agreement before being fully repositioned and added to the MGallery Collection following a detailed renovation plan.

Four in five (79%) travellers in EMEA intend to go on more or the same amount of holidays in 2026 compared to 2025, including 39% who plan to go on an increased number, according to new industry research conducted by Mortar, of more than 22,000 adults across 11 key travel markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Figures from the research, included in Marriott Bonvoy’s 2026 EMEA Ticket to Travel Report, suggest continued overall momentum for the region’s travel sector next year. The average traveller in EMEA is planning five holidays in 2026, with two domestic holidays within their own country, two short-haul breaks (a four-hour flight or less), and one long-haul trip.