Blog

Etihad Reports November 2025 Traffic Statistics

Etihad Airways welcomed 2.1 million passengers in November 2025, achieving a 28% year-on-year increase, marking a new peak in the airline’s traffic for 2025.

The airline maintained strong operational efficiency with passenger load factor 89% for the month. Through the first eleven months of 2025, Etihad has flown 20.2 million passengers, a 20% increase on the same period in 2024, while sustaining an 88% average passenger load factor across the period

WTTC Considers Six Leading Destinations for New Office

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today confirmed that Dubai, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland have each shown strong and proactive interest in hosting the organisation’s new office location. Their engagement underscores the strategic value these destinations place on closer collaboration with WTTC and the high regard governments and private-sector leaders hold for the organisation’s global role.

Air New Zealand opens the Lookout Lounge ahead of major Auckland lounge redevelopment

Located on Level 2, closer to the departure gates, The Lookout Lounge will open daily during peak travel times (5:00–10:00am and 3.30–9:15pm), giving customers more room to relax and enjoy the friendly Kiwi service Air New Zealand is known for.

The Lookout Lounge will operate alongside the Koru Lounge during the summer holiday season and during the construction of the new lounges at Auckland International Airport. Customers will be welcomed at either lounge depending on availability, with both serving up the same signature Kiwi hospitality, great food and drinks, and that unmistakable Air New Zealand warmth before take-off.

Ras Al Khaimah to Welcome The New Year With the Largest Fireworks Display Ever Seen

Ras Al Khaimah is set to captivate the world once again with its most spectacular New Year’s Eve celebration to date, promising the biggest firework ever launched in an attempt set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title.

This year’s celebrations will feature a creative concept inspired by symbols of strength, renewal, and Ras Al Khaimah’s spirit of progress. Fusing innovative fireworks with a dazzling display of illuminated drones and lasers, the show will transform the night sky into a breathtaking stage where light, colour, and stunning visuals unfold on unprecedented scale.

The Royal Commission for AlUla Advances the Preservation of AlUla Old Town

The Royal Commission for AlUla and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii continue to advance their joint work on the preservation of AlUla Old Town, under the cooperation agreement signed in January 2025. The partnership aims to deepen research and protection efforts at this historic site and guide its development through a comprehensive heritage-led approach. The collaboration brings together two of the world’s leading open-air heritage destinations, linking active archaeological work with visitor-facing cultural development.

What’s New in Canada’s Yukon in 2026

Situated in northwest Canada beside Alaska, the Yukon is one of North America’s last great undiscovered destinations, home to Mount Logan, the planet’s largest non polar icefields and vast untouched wilderness. New for 2026, travellers can enjoy an exciting lineup of wilderness experiences, from Up North Adventures’ private off grid island retreat and Yukon Wide Adventures’ bundled winter aurora packages to premium aurora domes, ice fishing on frozen Lake Laberge and luxury viewing at Epic North’s new Aurora Lounge. Adventure lovers can explore remote northern highways by motorcycle, join small group hiking and cultural tours, experience northern lights by snowmobile or unwind in Indigenous owned wellness retreats with glass fronted aurora capsules. With new lodges, new operators and expanded winter and summer programmes, the Yukon is offering more ways than ever to experience its wild beauty.

RIU Hotels & Resorts opens the Riu Ventura, its sixth hotel in Cancun

RIU Hotels & Resorts has just opened the doors of the Riu Ventura, its new hotel in Mexico located right next to the iconic Playa Delfines beach in Cancun’s hotel zone. This establishment represents a new commitment to quality and product diversification, designed to offer a comprehensive holiday experience with RIU’s renowned 24-hour all-inclusive concept. It features an exclusive adults-only area with a pool and a Sky Bar on the sixth floor, a first for RIU in Mexico.

The Riu Ventura offers a total of 705 elegant, contemporary and bright rooms, including 36 with private swim-up pools located on the first floor that offer better views and more privacy thanks to their elevated position. The establishment is RIU’s first hotel in Mexico to offer guests this option.

Jumeirah Unveils Eco Village, an Immersive Sustainability Destination at Madinat Jumeirah

Jumeirah, a global leader in luxury hospitality and member of Dubai Holding, today announced the launch of Jumeirah Eco Village – a thoughtfully curated sustainability destination at Madinat Jumeirah designed to inspire sustainable living through engaging, educational experiences.

Jumeirah Eco Village offers a dedicated platform that brings to life Jumeirah’s initiatives in environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, food security, and responsible production. The destination supports the brand’s mission to curate distinctive and purposeful guest experiences through a curated journey that uses immersive storytelling and interactive exhibits.

Rotana Launches Rotana DISCOVERY, Connecting Members to a World of Rewards and Recognition

We are pleased to announce the launch of Rotana DISCOVERY December 2025, its new global loyalty programme developed under the framework of its membership in the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) and integrated into the award-winning GHA DISCOVERY platform.

This launch marks the transition of Rotana Rewards Select into Rotana DISCOVERY, connecting members to a world of benefits. Through this partnership, Rotana’s loyalty members gain access to 950 hotels across 100 countries and join a global community of over 32 million travellers. This milestone reinforces Rotana’s long-term commitment to delivering on its brand promise of Treasured Time while expanding its international recognition and loyalty reach.