Travel News Page 23
Saudi Red Sea Authority Issues Yacht Chartering License to 1760 Limited Company
Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) has issued a yacht chartering license to One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Limited Company, as part of its continued efforts to build a more regulated and reliable coastal tourism sector, enhance the readiness of maritime and navigational tourism activities in the Red Sea, ensure service quality, protect the marine environment, and enable specialized investment growth in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Jamaica Takes Over the UK’s Largest Travel Agency
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) brought the warmth, culture and energy of the island directly to the heart of the UK’s biggest retail travel agency. In a full-scale Jamaica Takeover Day at Hays Travel’s head office, the JTB partnered with a number of leading hotel brands to immerse the agency’s team in the spirit of Jamaica, from its cuisine and culture to its world-class resort offering. Hays Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel retailer with over 500 shops nationwide, welcomed the JTB and hotel partners across its sales, social media, accounts and support teams, ensuring the entire office, including more than 60 homeworkers joining online, experienced a taste of Jamaica first-hand.
Cunard unveils 2027 programme of world-class entertainment
Cunard has unveiled its 2027 entertainment programme, headlined by the return of four acclaimed Event Voyages on board Queen Mary 2 and a new line-up of exclusive Entertainment Residencies across its iconic fleet. Developed in partnership with some of the world’s leading cultural organisations, the 2027 line-up on board the world’s only ocean liner brings together award-winning theatre, ballet, classical music and literature. Guests can enjoy immersive performances, workshops and exclusive access to world-renowned artists at sea.
JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI MARKS WORLD WELLBEING WEEK WITH FITNESS AND SPA OFFERS
This June, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai joins the global celebration of World Wellbeing Week with two activations designed to offer guests a meaningful pause. Running from 24th to 30th June 2026, the hotel is bringing together BodyBase Studios and Saray Spa, its reformer fitness studio and luxury spa, for a week focused on supporting a greater sense of balance, both physically and mentally. Bringing together the complementary benefits of movement and recovery, the week’s activations reflect JW Marriott’s commitment to holistic wellbeing and creating space for guests to be more present. Whether building strength through reformer training at BodyBase Studios or unwinding at Saray Spa, the experiences invite guests to prioritise their wellbeing through purposeful movement and restorative recovery. Guests can choose between two limited-time wellness experiences, detailed below:
LAB7 Backs CONIX.AI to Advance Automated Building Code Compliance Validation
LAB7, the venture building arm of Aramco, has backed CONIX.AI, a Saudi-based technology startup developing AI-powered architectural design and regulatory compliance solutions. Through this partnership, LAB7’s award-winning B2Code engine will be integrated into CONIX.AI’s regulatory compliance platform, E-Comply, and will help strengthen its ability to deliver end-to-end solutions for engineering offices, developers, and government entities.
Schematic design under way at Cheval Maison Sulaymaniyah as ground works progress
Concept design has been concluded with schematic design now under way at Cheval Maison – Sulaymaniyah in Riyadh, the new, top-flight serviced hotel apartment offering from the UK’s award-winning luxury hospitality company, Cheval Collection. Construction site ground works are also in progress, with project construction expected to begin in Q1 2027 and anticipated for completion in Q4 2028, the company said.
WIZZ AIR NAMED WORLD’S MOST PUNCTUAL LOW COST AIRLINE IN MAY AS IT PREPARES FOR SUMMER PEAK
Wizz Air has been recognised by OAG* as the world’s most punctual low cost airline in May 2026, achieving an on time performance score of 87.8 per cent and a flight completion rate of 99.99 per cent across its network. As the airline enters one of the busiest periods of the year, operating a record 1,200 flights a day and carrying more than 200,000 passengers daily, Wizz Air has also introduced a range of operational and customer service measures designed to support reliable performance throughout the summer travel season.
Tourism Malaysia Takes Flight at Global BirdFair 2026
Tourism Malaysia London is set to make its return to Global BirdFair 2026, the world’s biggest event for wildlife and nature travel. Taking place at Lyndon Top, Rutland, United Kingdom, on July10-12, 2026, Global BirdFair brings together wildlife enthusiasts, conservation voices and specialist tour operators from around the world. Tourism Malaysia will once again present the country as one of the world’s most compelling destinations for wildlife, birding and sustainable nature travel.
Mews named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape
Mews, the operating system for hospitality, has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Revenue Management Systems in Hospitality 2026 Vendor Assessment (doc # US53542126, June 2026). According to the IDC MarketScape, “Hospitality operators should consider Mews if they are seeking a unified architecture and are prioritizing a unified PMS-RMS-BI workflow, high-frequency automated pricing, and a roadmap toward total guest revenue optimization within a single ecosystem.”
Spalba Appoints Rahul Sharma to Lead Mumbai Operations Amid Expansion Push
Spalba, Asia’s first immersive experience-led events infrastructure platform, has appointed Rahul Sharma as Branch Head for Mumbai as it strengthens its presence in one of the country’s most strategic markets for events, entertainment, and brand experiences. In his new role, Rahul will lead Spalba’s Mumbai operations, focusing on business expansion, client acquisition, strategic partnerships, and team building. He will work closely with brands, agencies, venues, and corporate clients to accelerate the adoption of Spalba’s technology-enabled event solutions while strengthening the company’s regional footprint.
World Economic Forum and Tencent Cloud Collaborate
Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, today announced that it is collaborating with the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as “Summer Davos.” The event will bring together more than 1,700 global leaders in Dalian, China, from June 23 to 25, 2026.
Tourist spend in Saudi Arabia reaches SAR82.7 billion as Q1 guest numbers grow to 37.2 million
Tourist spend in Saudi Arabia reached SAR82.7 billion in Q1 2026, with visitor numbers growing 8% year-on-year to 37.2 million during the quarter, says leading real estate advisory and hospitality sector consultancy, Cavendish Maxwell. Between January and March, the number of domestic tourists rose 16% to almost 29 million, accounting for 78% of all visitors, while inbound visitor figures dropped 13% to 8.3 million, according to Cavendish Maxwell’s latest hospitality sector insight.