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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has named Saadia Zahidi as its new Director General. Ms Zahidi will officially take over from outgoing IATA chief, Willie Walsh on November 1. Mr Walsh officially leaves the post at the end of July, to take over as CEO of Indian airline IndiGo. Sandrine Le Borgne, IATA’s Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, has been appointed Interim Director General for the intervening period. Ms Zahidi s

The Travel Corporation (TTC) Ireland is delighted to announce that, in partnership with ITTN, Zoe Walsh will provide dedicated Business Development support for the Irish travel trade from 1 August 2026. Zoe will lead TTC's travel trade engagement across Ireland, focusing on strengthening relationships with existing agency partners, identifying new commercial opportunities and expanding the market presence of TTC's award-winning portfolio of touring brands, including Costsaver

Avignon has been named the best city in Europe for a Fringe festival trip. The French city ranked first after balancing a large programme of 1,780 shows with warmer weather and relatively affordable dining. The team at Stasher analysed UK and European cities with established Fringe or Fringe-style festivals. Each destination was scored across seven weighted factors: number of shows, festival duration, meal and hotel prices, historical average temperature during the festival d

Fattal Hotel Group, owner and operator of 329 hotels in 22 countries, including the flagship Leonardo Hotels brand, has signed an agreement to acquire The Blakely Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The acquisition marks the company’s first hotel investment in the United States and a significant milestone in its evolution from a leading European hospitality operator into a global hotel group. The acquisition completed on 7th July 2026. Located on West 55th Street between Sixth and Se

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has debuted its luxury Vignette Collection brand in Italy with the opening of The Venice Times Hotel, Vignette Collection, in partnership with Pacini Group. Located in one of the city’s most enviable locations, the 30-room property is now open, and is the latest addition to IHG’s first collection brand underscoring IHG's commitment to strengthening its portfolio in Italy, while leveraging Pacini Group's well-established expertise and presence in the

Emirates has announced cryptocurrency as a payment option for passengers; officially launching Crypto.com Pay™, allowing its customers to use the digital payment solution on the airline’s website and app platforms. Customers with a Crypto.com account booking on emirates.com and the Emirates App can now select Crypto.com Pay™ at checkout, with transactions processed securely and in compliance with UAE regulatory standards. Crypto.com Pay™ is available to eligible UAE residents

Tides of Time, a newly restored visitor centre in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, has been officially opened. The project was awarded over €352,000 in funding through Fáilte Ireland's Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under the EU Just Transition Fund. Carrick-on-Suir Development Association invested a further €88,000 in the development bringing the total investment to over €440,000. The new vis

A 12-person media and travel trade delegation from China visited Ireland this week, as guests of China Eastern Airlines, Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The group arrived on the inaugural flight of the new Shanghai to Dublin service, operated by China Eastern Airlines. The group arrived on the inaugural flight of the new Shanghai to Dublin service, operated by China Eastern Airlines. The travel trade’s itinerary included Causey Farm, Birr Castle Demesne, the Burren and Cl

Loganair has signed an order with BETA Technologies to purchase five all-electric ALIA conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) (CX300) aircraft, with options for five more. The UK, and Scotland in particular, is a natural first market for commercial electric flight. Across the country, island and remote communities depend on short routes that road and rail cannot serve, making regional air service critical infrastructure. Most of Loganair's regional sectors are under 100 mil

The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has announced details of its flagship Irish Travel Trade Show events for Cork and Dublin next year. Here are the full details... 1. Irish Travel Trade Show Cork Event: Irish Travel Trade Show Cork When: Wednesday 14th April, 2027 Where: The Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street, Victorian Quarter, Cork, T23 PX44 Time: Trade Show: 5pm – 7.30pmAfter Show Networking Event: 7.30pm – 10.30pm Who can attend:

Virgin Atlantic has signed a definitive agreement with air taxi producer Joby Aviation to bring the latter's services to the UK. The agreement converts the partnership announced in 2025 into a binding, multi-year commercial framework, establishing Virgin Atlantic as Joby's exclusive airline partner for air taxi services in the UK. The collaboration builds on Joby's existing partnership with Delta Air Lines, which holds a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, bringing together three b

TUI Blue has announced an expansion from just beach resort destinations into European city break destinations as well; with its first leisure hotels to open in Lisbon and Seville. The expansion marks a significant milestone in the brand's growth strategy and opens a new chapter for TUI Blue beyond its established portfolio of leisure hotels in beach, mountain and resort destinations. TUI Blue Sevilla Suites will become the first TUI Blue hotel to open in a European city. The

Irish-owned bespoke luxury travel company OROKO Travel has appointed TravelMedia.ie as its PR and media representative in the Dublin market. OROKO is a luxury travel company specialising in tailor-made journeys worldwide. Its expert Travel Designers create highly personalised itineraries, drawing on extensive destination knowledge and a network of trusted global partners to deliver seamless and memorable travel experiences.

EasyJet has launched a new winter route from Belfast International Airport to Aberdeen International Airport. Flights will take off for the first time on 4 January 2027 and will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays. The new route further strengthens EasyJet’s UK domestic network, offering customers more choice when travelling between Northern Ireland and Scotland, whether for business or leisure. Travellers wishing to explore more of Scotland this winter will find tha

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke officially launched the Ireland Home of Halloween 2026 programme at the Hill of Uisneach, Co. Westmeath, last week. Now in its second year, Ireland Home of Halloween is a collaborative all-island programme led by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland that celebrates the island's role as the birthplace of Halloween through festivals and visitor experiences inspired by Samhain traditions. The Ire

Oceania Cruises is spotlighting the latest round of its acclaimed Wellness Discovery Tours - featuring everything from practicing tai chi in Bangkok, to dance therapy in Colombo, to yoga and wine tasting in Santorini. Responding to a growing interest in wellness experiences, Oceania Cruises offers more than 50 Wellness Discovery Tours in destinations throughout Asia, Europe and South America, as luxury travellers are increasingly seeking journeys that allow them to learn new

Emirates Skywards - the loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai - is expanding how its global base of members can explore Europe, unlocking access to more than 12,000 rail destinations across the continent with the newly launched Skywards Rail. With access to over 40 major operators across 12 European countries, Emirates Skywards members can now use their Miles to purchase rail tickets seamlessly via the dedicated booking tool www.skywardsrail.com either online or via the

Leading Irish rental provider, Europcar, has launched a new fast-track care rental service at Dublin Airport. Available as an optional upgrade, the new Europcar Express service enables priority in-terminal pick-up allowing customers to simply collect their keys and get on the road without delay. Europcar Express capitalises on the latest digital innovation to carry out the essential identity and driving license checks online when a vehicle booking is made ahead of travel. Com

Amsterdam’s canals are amongst the city’s most recognisable landmarks and a key part of its international appeal. Each year, visitors explore the city from the water, discovering its architecture, bridges and historic houses. However, the human stories behind Amsterdam’s diverse identity are not always equally visible. Personal narratives, migration histories and contemporary cultural perspectives can remain outside the visitor experience, limiting opportunities for tourism t

VIVA Cruises has unveiled a new bespoke AI-powered platform as part of its travel agent toolkit. The ‘AI Travel Advisor’ is now live on the river cruise line’s website and can be accessed by clicking the star symbol located on the right-hand side of the page. Users can input their own specific preferences – such as destination, travel duration, interests, travel style and budget – which the system will use to then suggest suitable available itineraries. Follow-up questions ca