Iceland Targets Space Tourists With New Campaign

Wheels Up is again turning to Delta Air Lines for C-suite leadership. After appointing the Atlanta-based airline’s CFO Dan Janki as Chairman last month, the New York-based private jet flight provider is tapping Delta Board Member George Mattson as CEO.

Marriott continues to be a go-to choice for Saudi Arabia when it comes to operators for hotels within the giga-project portfolio. The U.S. hotel giant will be involved in every government-backed tourism project – the latest is an AlUla hotel.

In recognition of their continued commitment to the travel advisor community, Scenic has announced a promotion that will reward one lucky advisor and their guest with the ultimate new year’s getaway: 13 days in Antarctica aboard the line’s newest Discovery Yacht, Scenic Eclipse II.

In the United States, 1 in 6 people have sensory needs or sensitivities, and 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism, so the importance of accessible spaces has never been so important. With this in mind, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has become a Certified Autism Center™, thanks to a new partnership with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).

Design-led lifestyle brand AC Hotels by Marriott has this week announced its brand debut in Croatia. The AC Hotel by Marriott Split is housed within the 135-metre-high Westgate Tower and boasts incredible views of the cityscape as well as unobstructed views of the Adriatic Sea. The new hotel is also set to offer the Perfectly Precise Hotel™ experience.

“Sell five, sail free” returns.

Several big-name hotel companies have entered 2023 with tech partnerships to modernize operations and services. 

Rocked by a Covid relief financial scandal that led to the jailing and resignations of now-former CEO Fabio Cannavale and chief operating officer Andrea Bertoli, Amsterdam-based Lastminute.com’s shareholders elected Luca Concone as an executive director, and he’ll serve as CEO.

Egypt is building a new, yet-to-be named capital city at a cost of $59 billion that’s scheduled to open in 2023 as part of its strategy to decongest Cairo, one of Africa’s largest cities. Travel executives believe the gargantuan project will also provide a significant boost to the country’s tourism industry.

G Adventures, the small group tour operator, is restructuring as G Travel Community (GTC). The holding company sets the scene to bring its existing brands into one stable but with expanded space for new brand acquisitions.

Top executives at Marriott International said they believe the pandemic surge in travelers having blended trip purposes of both business and leisure will have a long-term impact on the hotel sector. The growing trend will affect everything from data collection to the types of properties developers want to fund.

Accor, the Paris-based hotel giant, will reveal on Thursday a new global “soft” brand, Handwritten Collection, featuring so-called lifestyle hotels. These mid-priced properties have funky furniture and buzzy restaurants and bars but don’t offer the full services of a premium boutique.