Lisbon is set to sparkle this festive season, with Christmas markets, open-air concerts, seasonal gastronomy and New Year celebrations across the city. From late November to early January, Visit Lisbon highlights key events and festivities inviting visitors to experience the city’s winter magic.

The organisation that represents the global private sector in travel and tourism, WTTC (the World Travel and Tourism Council), which is a global authority on the economic and social impact of sector, confirms it is likely to move its head office outside of the UK for the first time in its history. The Board of WTTC has endosed a plan to ensure the organisation continues to play the leading role in global travel and tourism and advocate for long-term, sustainable growth in the sector.  WTTC is considering whether to locate its headquarters in Italy, Spain or Switzerland. It has begun an evaluation assessment and is consulting with all of its staff currently based in London.

W Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of over 30 extraordinary hotel brands, today announces the completed transformation of W Hoboken, a luxury urban oasis in the heart of Hoboken’s vibrant dining, social, and cultural scene. Perched on the waterfront directly across from New York City, W Hoboken breathes new life into the city with its reinvented spaces that invite creativity and connection, inspired by the charm of Hoboken. W Hoboken follows the brand’s recently unveiled global flagship, W New York - Union Square, which honors the brand’s storied heritage and propels W Hotels confidently into the future, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to redefining luxury lifestyle hospitality.

Travelsoft, a global reference Travel Tech group, whose technologies power more than €40 billion in bookings each year for travel players in over 90 countries, and which unites nine leading platforms - Atcore, Orchestra, Tigerbay, Traffics, Travel Compositor, Travel Connection Technology, Travelgate, Travelsoft Services, and Eventiz (including the recently acquired Travolution) - announces the appointment of Axel Nazarian as Managing Director, effective September 2025.

Premier Inn Middle East has appointed Jennifer Edwards as its new Operations Excellence Director. Edwards joins the Middle East division from Premier Inn UK, bringing over a decade of experience in operations management and commercial leadership across the UK and Australia. With a proven track record of leading change and delivering results, she will play a key role in supporting the brand’s ambitious growth journey in the Middle East.

At the recent Middle East Gala Ceremony of the World Travel Awards held in Dubai, Blacklane was honored as Dubai’s Leading Chauffeur Company 2025, marking its third consecutive year receiving this prestigious accolade. This recognition underscores Blacklane’s unwavering commitment to excellence in providing premium chauffeur services in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Operating in over 50 countries, Blacklane has established itself as a global leader in luxury chauffeur services. Its Dubai operations exemplify the company’s dedication to quality, professionalism, and customer satisfaction. Whether it’s airport transfers, city tours, or corporate travel, Blacklane offers a seamless and sophisticated travel experience tailored to the needs of each client.