The International Society of Hospitality Consultants debuts ISHC CapEx 2023: A study of capital expenditures in the hotel industry

Safety is top of mind for many travelers as they plan out their trips for 2024 and beyond. But for those in the LGBTQ community, and their allies, knowing which countries are welcoming towards gay travelers is an important consideration. Part of measuring that sentiment is knowing where residents stand on rights, including same-sex marriage. The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about issues and attitudes shaping the world, released a new study showing which country’s residents support same-sex marriage the most, and which countries have the lowest level of support.

The Transportation Security Administration expects busy airport checkpoints this winter holiday season and is warning travelers to come prepared.

“Once upon a time, the planets and the fates and all the stars aligned..." — Taylor Swift

With busy airports, full flights and the ending of most travel restrictions, 2023 marked a return to travel, mostly as we knew it before the pandemic began. Nearly every peak travel period in 2023 broke air travel records, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. An estimated record-breaking 4.7 billion people are expected to travel in 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Tourism leaders from around the world will join together in Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh, for 2023’s United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Day on September 27 and 28. Global tourism ministers and others in the industry will participate in events to connect and collaborate. The location of this year’s event shows how far tourism has come in the few short years since Saudi Arabia opened to tourists in 2019.

Global market research company Euromonitor International has released its annual rankings of city destinations based on tourism, sustainability and economic performance. Europe dominates the field. Paris was crowned the most attractive city destination in the world in the Top 100 City Destinations Index 2023, with seven European destinations landing in the top 10 and the continent owning 63 spots in the top 100 overall. Nadejda Popova, Senior Manager (Loyalty) at Euromonitor International, said: “Paris has retained the title of the world's leading city following exceptional performance across the Tourism Policy and Attractiveness, Tourism Infrastructure and Tourism Performance pillars.” Paris was followed by Dubai in second place, Madrid in third, Tokyo in fourth and Amsterdam in fifth. The top 10 was rounded out by Berlin (6), Rome (7), New York (8), Barcleona (9) and London (10).  

“Our goal is not to replace our workers, but rather empower them to make them more productive so they can automate certain tasks and focus on providing more value to our customers,” explains Adrian Lopez, who recently stepped into a newly created role as Head of AI for Corporate at Flight Centre Travel Group(FCTG).

Lonely Planet staffers try out a lot of different gear on our travels, but there are just certain items we think truly make a difference in the life of an avid traveler. Whether it's a camera that makes our travels a little more whimsical, or something to help get that bottle of wine or olive oil back home without breaking, these items have helped us on the road.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is joining with Infecar (Feria de Gran Canaria) to identify entrepreneurs playing a key role in reshaping the hotel and new business model landscapes.

As major players in the travel industry, cruise lines have a responsibility not only to operate in an environmentally conscious manner but to lead global future-proofing efforts from the vanguard of maritime innovation.

Selina, a hotel and experiences brand focused on youth travelers, has to give investors a haircut to receive a capital injection of up to $50 million from Global University Systems (G.U.S). Here are key points in its financial restructuring, which it hopes to finalize within a week or two.

Welcome back to another episode of the TravelPulse Podcast!