Monthly Archives: July 2026

Contour Airlines has announced new nonstop service connecting two of the Caribbean’s most iconic destinations: St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and St. Maarten. The new route will operate between Cyril E. King Airport (STT) and Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), beginning October 5, 2026, providing travelers with a convenient and seamless connection between the islands. […]

Emirates is transforming journeys for Economy Class passengers with the introduction of the U-Dream Headrest, a game-changing new seat addition that enables Economy Class customers to experience a whole new level of support and comfort inflight. Backed by a significant investment, installation is already underway across Emirates’ fleet, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to helping Economy […]

Expedia has released its 2026 Island Hot List, revealing the next wave of island destinations gaining global momentum with searches for islands rising an average of 55 percent year-over-year, alongside social media mentions up 20 percent. Based on Expedia’s search data, the Island Hot List highlights 10 fast-rising islands offering travelers an alternative to traditional […]

More than one-third of Americans traveling this summer are using or planning to use artificial intelligence to plan their vacations, according to new data from Allianz Partners‘ Global Travel Confidence Index. The survey found 37 percent of American travelers are turning to AI for tasks that have long been the bread and butter of the […]

Internova Travel Group is expanding its investment in sustainable travel education through Green Circle, its companywide sustainability initiative, with an exclusive Arctic educational expedition designed to prepare luxury travel advisors with firsthand expertise in expedition travel, an increasingly popular segment of the luxury travel market. Developed in partnership with Atlas Ocean Voyages, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) […]

Alaska Airlines announced Tuesday that Hawaiian Airlines‘ Neighbor Island fleet will transition to Hawaiian-branded Boeing 737-800s, replacing the carrier’s retiring Boeing 717s beginning in 2028. For travel advisors, the headline news is a substantially upgraded onboard product on interisland hops, including twice as many First Class seats, more than 30 Premium Class seats, and fast, […]

Like those of so many travelers, my mental images of Germany — cute villages, dirndls and lederhosen, and fairy-tale castles — come from southern Bavaria, in the foothills of the Alps. You could easily spend a week here, soaking up culture as you bike along fragrant fields, tour the sights, and hop between quaint towns. […]

Yanolja Research on July 16 announced the 2026 results of the Yanolja Attractiveness Index, officially titled the Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index, a demand-driven ranking that measures how strongly major tourism cities capture global traveler attention and emotional appeal. Developed jointly by Yanolja Research, Purdue University’s CHRIBA Institute in the United States and Kyung Hee […]

Royal Caribbean Group has appointed Tara Bunch, former senior vice president and global head of operations at Airbnb, to its board of directors, the company announced Monday. Bunch brings more than three decades of experience scaling global technology organizations, leading complex operations, and advancing digital transformation across major consumer brands. At Airbnb, she oversaw customer […]

GBTA has welcomed the U.S. House of Representative’s passage of a bipartisan package of aviation security and travel facilitation bills, including the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2026 and the One Stop Pilot Program Extension Act, legislation that strengthens Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operations and improves the passenger experience across the aviation system.  These measures address challenges that GBTA members continue to […]