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To celebrate the opening of their new base at Newcastle, easyJet and easyJet holidays have teamed up with Geordie institution Greggs to take sausage rolls to the air as they launch limited-edition Sausage Roll dipping sauces.

The weird and wonderful flavours, inspired by new easyJet holiday destinations include a spin on the French classic Tarte Tatin, an original twist on the much-loved Spanish Sangria as well as a Kebab-inspired flavour that delivers a taste of Turkey.

United Airlines today announced the United Relax RowSM: a set of United Economy seats that can transform into a couch, creating a more comfortable option for customers traveling in the United Economy cabin on long-haul flights. United is the first North American airline to offer this kind of seating option and holds North American exclusivity on the design.

As GCC travellers look for greater flexibility, value and reassurance when booking long-haul holidays, Diamonds Resorts is responding with two timely Maldives offers designed to make the journey feel more seamless from the outset. At Diamonds Athuruga Maldives and Diamonds Thudufushi Maldives, the group is promoting a “GCC Exclusive Maldives Escape – Seaplane Included” package that combines complimentary seaplane transfers, high-speed Wi-Fi, daily activities, curated island and marine experiences, and free cancellation up to seven days before arrival for stays of seven nights or more.

Diamonds Resorts is targeting Gulf travellers with a twin Maldives campaign built around Diamonds Athuruga Maldives and Diamonds Thudufushi Maldives. Both resorts are promoting a “GCC Exclusive Maldives Escape – Seaplane Included” offer for stays of seven nights or more, bundling complimentary seaplane transfers, Wi-Fi, daily recreational activities, and a programme of family-friendly and marine experiences into a longer-stay package.

As Independent Accommodation Day takes place today, 24 March, industry data suggests independent accommodation providers are increasingly turning to practical AI tools to improve efficiency and stay competitive in a more demanding market.

The shift comes as PwC’s latest hotels forecast says the UK hotel sector enters 2026 with “a sense of resilience and renewed confidence,” supported by strong international demand, event-led travel and a steady recovery in domestic leisure. PwC forecasts 1.5% RevPAR growth and 1.2% occupancy growth across the UK regions in 2026. But, it also points to ongoing cost pressure, tighter margins and softer rate growth, increasing the need for operators to find new efficiencies.

Marriott International, Inc. signed a multi-property agreement with Sun Group, Vietnam’s leading integrated destination and resort developer, to bring 10 new hotels and resorts, spanning eight of Marriott’s extraordinary brands and comprising almost 4,500 keys across Phu Quoc and Vung Tau. This agreement is set to mark the debut of two brands in Vietnam – W Hotels, the luxury lifestyle offering, and stylish and playful Moxy Hotels. These new properties are scheduled to open between 2027 and 2030, as integral elements of Sun Group’s game-changing developments.

Marriott International were voted the World’s Leading Hotel Brand and Sun Group received the award for Asia’s Leading Integrated Tourism Group 2025 at the 2025 World Travel Awards.

Virgin Voyages will bring together all four of its kid-free ships at sea for the first time in February 2027, in what the line says will be the largest coordinated fleet gathering in cruise history.

The event, named ‘Sisters at Sea’, will take place on February 16, 2027, when Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady meet at a fixed point in the Caribbean, approximately 44 miles north of Nuevitas, Cuba.

More than 15,000 passengers and crew are expected to be onboard across the four vessels.

As IHIF EMEA 2026 convenes under the theme Returns Redefined, Value Reimagined, a new briefing published by Valpas exposes a structural gap in how hotel assets are valued: every physical condition risk in a hotel — structural integrity, fire safety, water quality, HVAC performance — has a standardised inspection, a certification requirement, and a recognised impact on transaction value. Every risk except one.
Bed bug infestation risk has historically sat in facilities budgets as an unpredictable operational cost: invisible in due diligence, unquantifiable in underwriting, absent from ESG reporting. The briefing — titled The Valuation Blind Spot — maps the regulatory, technological, and market forces that are converging to close this gap, and examines what the evidence from Paris and other early-adopting markets reveals about how quickly the shift is occurring.

As Crete continues to emerge as one of the Mediterranean’s most compelling luxury destinations, JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa, the luxury seafront resort which launched in 2025, will reopen for the summer season on April 15, welcoming guests to a serene coastal retreat where architecture, nature and understated hospitality come together above the island’s dramatic shoreline near Chania.

United Airlines today announced the next phase of its long-term plan to win brand loyal customers and further differentiate itself from competitors.

The airline expects to take delivery of more than 250 new aircraft by April 2028 – the most by any airline in a two-year period – to further modernize its fleet, add new aircraft variants, create a new experience for transcontinental travelers and introduce new onboard products for every customer, reinforcing United’s position as a leading premium airline.