Portugal has announced a ban on new licences for Airbnb accommodation and other short-term holiday rentals and an end to its Golden Visa scheme, which grants non-EU nationals passports in return for investment in property and other areas of the national economy. The moves –...

World Culinary Awards – the global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in the culinary industry – has announced the winners of its 2022 programme at a glittering dinner reception in Dubai. The results follow a year-long search for the world’s leading culinary brands. Votes...

The MSC Group and the MSC Foundation have organised an urgent response to support the population in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. A wide effort is underway across the MSC family and the company is closely co-ordinating with the Turkish...

In the wake of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, SunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, has operated 236 relief flights in order to bring rescue and medical staff to the emergency regions as quickly as possible. Over 5,600 rescue...

This week was a bumper week for the Travel Directory as we welcomed Air Transat and Dome Hotels as our newest Premium Members – stay tuned for lots of great content! He’s no stranger to the industry, but you will also now find contact...

The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has backed up claims from its UK counterpart ABTA (formerly the Association of British Travel Agents) that holidaymakers are increasing their business with travel agents in a bid for security and value for money in a high inflation...

After months of advocacy, high level discussions and partnerships, Jamaica has been successful in receiving the necessary support to have today, February 17, officially declared Global Tourism Resilience Day.  The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York adopted the resolution on February 6 with the...

After three years of virtual events, Tourism Ireland’s first in-person sales mission to Australia and New Zealand since before the pandemic is taking place this week. Tourism Ireland, together with 9 tourism companies from Ireland, is undertaking the ten-day sales blitz which will visit Brisbane,...

Brazil has officially relaunched its Marca Brasil brand – last used in 2018 – to promote the country as a tourist destination focused on sustainability and the environment. The country will use the branding in its international tourism promotion campaigns, saying it stands for “a...

Peru’s world famous heritage site Machu Picchu has reopened, having been closed on safety grounds for nearly a month. The 15th Century lost city of the Incas – a Unesco World Heritage Site – was closed in late January over safety concerns arising from the...

Ireland was promoted to more than 50 top tour operators and travel agents from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland – at Tourism Ireland’s 2023 Nordic trade workshop, which took place this week in Copenhagen. The workshop was hosted in conjunction with VisitBritain. A total of 22...

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD has announced the following five new appointments to the board of the National Tourism Development Authority (Fáilte Ireland): •           Ms. Catherine Toolan               • ...

Air France-KLM remains interested in buying TAP Air Portugal, according to the Franco-Dutch giant’s chief executive. Ben Smith, Air France-KLM’s chief executive, said – on the back of a strong set of financial results for the group – that Air France-KLM is interested in the...

Florida welcomed 33.2 million travellers in the final quarter of 2022- a 5% increase over the previous best in 2019. Visit Florida now estimates a record 137.6 million visitors for 2022 in total. It has now achieved 21 consecutive months of domestic visitation growth. “We could not...

Shannon Airport has become the first Irish airport to take delivery of an electric Medical Response Vehicle.  The vehicle, called “Rescue 14”, replaces its diesel-powered model and will be used for emergency medical responses that may arise at the airport.  Rescue 14 is designed and built to similar specifications as the National Ambulance Service vehicles and is fully equipped with a defibrillator,...

The Verdi Union organised strikes predicted for today are underway at seven German airports, including Frankfurt and Munich, Bremen and Hamburg. Flag carrier, Lufthansa has expressed regret at having to cancel more than 1,300 flights. “We regret the enormous impact of this strike, which is being...

Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle hospitality brand of the MSC Group, has partnered with Pelorus, the ultimate experiential travel company, for destination experiences in Scotland and Iceland. Explora Journeys will offer guests onboard EXPLORA I the chance to experience extraordinary and immersive land-based adventures before...

In December 2022, the Globus family of brands – consisting of Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways – distributed a “Wish List” survey to past travellers asking them to share travel interests and plans for 2023. The company received 28,971 responses, including 20,000 from Globus...

Disney released a spectacular advert to celebrate its 100th year and thank supporters and fans during the Super Bowl in the US on Sunday. While there was some criticism of the move in the US media, due to the extravagant ad being produced in the...

From dining in Honeybelle Restaurant in the PGA National Resort (home to the PGA Tour's Honda Classic) to tasty tacos in the Warehouse District, there's something for everyone in West Palm Beach. Throw in a golfing lesson and this was truly a unique experience...