Hotel Management Company Aqua-Aston Hospitality Announces Brand Updates for Fall 2023, Expands Footprint in North America

Disney fans may soon be able to live in a North Carolina residential community designed by the company’s theme park designers, as Disney announced plans Wednesday to expand its new residential living concept — even before its first community has opened, and amid the company’s recent high-profile financial challenges.

As you begin holiday shopping for all of your loved ones, you might be stumped on what to get the hardest person to shop for on your list—a teenager. Finding the best gift for the teen traveler in your life can be quite the challenge—no one stays up to date on the latest trends quite like them. But don’t worry, we have plenty of gift ideas that your teenage daughter, grandson, or niece will appreciate.

Happy Friday, folks! I’m still in rainy London trying to catch up with the news, and meet industry folks in Europe. 

We are officially one week out for our second annual Skift Global Forum East, hosted by Dubai, on December 12-14 at Atlantis The Royal. We plan to welcome approximately 300+ attendees and speakers into the Diamond Ballroom boasting over 1,000 square meters of luxurious event space. 

The global hotel tech company RoomRaccoon is reinforcing its presence in Ireland with the completion of its first acquisition, iHotelligence.

In the vibrant heart of the St. James Quarter, W Edinburgh encapsulates Scotland’s Capital City.

Perla La Paz, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and Tropicana Los Cabos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton mark the brand’s arrival in the region adding to the company’s Baja California portfolio of award‑winning hotels.

Over 200 top companies plan to attend Skift Global Forum East in Dubai on December 12-14. This includes household names like Air Arabia, Auberge Resorts, Booking.com, Emirates, Hilton, Seera, and Shangri-La Group, just to name a few.

Today, the Belizean Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations is calling on COP28 to put tourism centre stage at the summit and has announced its own ambitious initiative to update its National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan. This process was carried out by a collaboration between the University of Belize and the University of Melbourne, with the primary objective of ensuring Belize remains on a path of sustainable growth. As a result, the updated National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan has prioritized the need to plan and develop within a future that demands climate resilience and has developed an adaptation strategy for the tourism sector.

The Mount Hood stratovolcano, around two hour’s drive east of Portland, Oregon, is the most transfixing ski destination you’re ever likely to lay eyes on. It’s a perfect snow-topped pyramid, pushing high through the clouds, with a belt of fir trees and pistes that crisscross the forest like strands of a spider’s web. Get closer and you’ll see the pattern is the result of several exciting ski areas: Timberline, Mount Hood Skibowl, Mount Hood Meadows, Summit Ski Area and Cooper Spur. For those who love winter sports, this region always offers another reason to stay longer. 

It's one thing to book a lie-flat business-class seat to travel overseas with some added comfort. What might qualify as "next-level," though, is doing so on a private jet that will fly you around the world, stopping on every continent (excluding Antarctica) along the way.

Amazon Cyber Monday deals are here, and that means there are still plenty of opportunities for travelers to save on holiday gifts or travel gear restocks of their own. As always, discounts span nearly all categories, from tech to apparel to luggage. Among the highlights: Tablets from Samsung and Google, Yeti coolers and drinkware, and suitcases from Samsonite and American Traveler. Below, find dozens of the best Cyber Monday deals on Amazon to shop now, and keep checking back for more discounts you'll want to snag before Cyber Week comes to a close.