Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and OMRAN Group Forge Strategic Partnership

Since its inception, Alpine’s vision has been and continues to be, to ensure students gain the specific skills, professional attitude, updated knowledge and practical experiences in the hospitality industry that employers want and need, now and in the future.

The IFES and GMA partnership, with a focus on education, knowledge sharing, and enhanced visibility, is set to create a meaningful impact on the Exhibition and Meetings Industry. By working together, these organisations aim to elevate the industry, fostering innovation and creating a stronger, more united global events community.

The acquisition operation has benefited from the expert guidance of the consulting firm Bluebull, an investment banking firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions for technology companies, and the specialized law firm Cuatrecasas.

In a showcase of global engagement across 100 categories and participation from 51 countries, the “GrINN Awards” underlines a united commitment to promoting sustainability and responsibility in the tourism industry.

During the closing ceremony, La Rioja handed over the symbolic amphora to Armenia, marking the country’s status as the next host for the 8th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism in 2024.

Train journeys are booming in popularity thanks to dozens of new rail routes and more eco-conscious travellers who want to avoid the hassle of flight delays.

Toronto hotel brand Four Seasons is likely to announce its own resort and standalone villa project in United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) Ras Al Khaimah. The proposed super-luxury resort is currently going through its master planning stages and has already found a plot of land “very close” to the $3.9 billion Wynn integrated resort opening in 2027.

New Hotels in the Cayman Islands for 2024 Scheduled to open in Q2 2024 is Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman. The 282-room 10-storey beachfront property will provide an upper midscale experience featuring multiple restaurants, a 6,700 square foot ballroom, a pool deck and a rooftop bar. Indigo’s restaurants and bars around the world are known as a favourite destination for visitors and locals alike. With sustainability in mind, the hotel is being built to LEED standards, which ensures high-performance buildings that have less of an impact on the environment. Hotel Indigo will use a geothermal/ice storage combination and will feature insulated glazing throughout to reduce energy consumption. The latest in Cayman real estate developer, Dart’s, hospitality portfolio, Hotel Indigo is expected to generate several hundred jobs when it opens. In 2022, Dart launched its Hospitality Training Programme, which provides Caymanians with the opportunity to obtain first-hand industry experience via a three-month work experience within the Dart hospitality portfolio.

The Saudi tourism delegation returned to WTM with more than 75 Saudi partners including key DMOs, DMCs, hotels, tour operators, airlines, cruise companies and more – a 48% increase on last year and its largest-ever delegation – to share the latest developments and create new business opportunities for the Saudi tourism ecosystem.

Revisiting Panem, the dystopian country in which The Hunger Games novels and movies are set, in prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes offered director Francis Lawrence an opportunity to present the world through a new lens. Set 64 years before those earlier works, the new film (based on a 2020 novel of the same name) showcases the familiar country just 10 years post-war—the thriving political Capitol, 12 outlying districts. As part of reconstruction, the Capitol has introduced the series' titular competition.

With the majestic domes of the Royal Pavilion as its backdrop – lit in magical neon colours if you go after dark – this real ice rink is a popular highlight of Brighton’s yuletide offering, and the only one in the UK powered by renewable energy. Families are warmly welcomed, with penguin skate aids available for £5 and a beginners’ rink where young skaters can safely build confidence on the ice. Rinkside, a covered bar and café and outdoor terraced areas offer mulled wine, mince pies, cakes, snacks and a decent children’s menu – and a great place to sit and watch if you don’t want to risk the ice yourself.Adults and children aged 12 and over £18, concessions £15, 12 and under £14, royalpavilionicerink.co.uk; family room, B&B, from £179, queenshotelbrighton.com

European tour operator TUI’s tours and activities division, TUI Musement, has expanded its collaboration with National Geographic Expeditions, launching 40 new NatGeo Day Tours.