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Qatar Airways CEO urges fair and transparent regulation in aviation
Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker has emphasised the need for a fair and transparent regulation in the aviation industry. Al Baker delivered a keynote in front of leading aviation experts and executives from around the world, gathered at the Centre for Aviation conference in Sydney. He opened his speech addressing the crowd on Qatar Airways’ resilience on the anniversary of the illegal blockade against the State of Qatar. He then shifted on the importance of fairness and regulation in the aviation sector. CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “This week has brought airline CEO and aviation leaders from around the world together in Sydney for the IATA Annual General Meeting, providing the perfect platform for this Centre for Aviation event, of which I am delighted to have taken part.” Al Baker and Willie Walsh, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG) “The aviation industry continues to grow, and events such as the IATA AGM and these Centre for Aviation events, are crucial to bring together leaders from all over the world and enable face-to-face discussion and debate. In my capacity this year as Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors, I will continue to champion such open debate in the name of fairness and regulation in the aviation sector,” he said. Al Baker did not specify on what he meant of “fairness and regulation in the aviation industry”. However, a quick search on Google, the general idea is to ensure a fair and transparent market. This is quite ironic coming from one of the state-owned, heavily subsidized Gulf carriers accused of unfair market practices. Moreover, this is the same chief executive that claimed in his keynote that the airline must be led by a man "because it is a very challenging position". Al Baker immediately apologised for this sexist remark. While women accounted for 5% of all airline CEOs; as of 2014, 12 out of the 248 airlines operating worldwide were led by women.
Awqaf Abu Dhabi partners with ADIB
The Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority (Awqaf Abu Dhabi) has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) to enhance cooperation in developing the endowment ecosystem, supporting its digital transformation, and facilitating the growth of sustainable endowment contributions within Abu Dhabi. The agreements were signed by Mohamed Abdelbary, Group Chief Executive Officer of ADIB, and Fahad Abdulqader Al Qassim, Director General of Awqaf Abu Dhabi, during an official ceremony held in Abu Dhabi. Through this partnership, Awqaf Abu Dhabi and ADIB are introducing an integrated framework that supports licensed endowment entities across the Emirate, including endowment companies, institutions, real estate units, farms, and other certified endowment structures. The collaboration enables these entities to open dedicated, independent bank accounts with ADIB and access a tailored package of preferential Sharia-compliant banking services that facilitate the effective, accountable, and sustainable management of endowment funds. Under the agreed framework, ADIB will provide Sharia-compliant banking solutions to endowment entities regulated by Awqaf Abu Dhabi, offering access to ADIB online banking services, collection & payment solutions, payroll services, and account management tools designed to enhance financial transparency and operational efficiency. In support of Awqaf Abu Dhabi’s mission to expand impactful and accessible giving, the partnership also enables members of the public to contribute directly to a range of approved endowment portfolios through ADIB’s mobile and online banking platforms. This initiative enables customers to contribute directly to six different endowment programs managed by Awqaf Abu Dhabi, including healthcare, education, social welfare, and Islamic affairs. By integrating these services within ADIB’s digital channels, the initiative makes it easier and more convenient for the community to participate in charitable giving and support endowment projects that advance social development. Fahad Abdul Qader Al Qassim, Director General of Awqaf Abu Dhabi, said: “We aim to develop an advanced and trustworthy endowment ecosystem that serves society with transparency, efficiency and compassion. This partnership will support facilitating independent banking solutions for endowment entities and enabling secure digital giving channels, strengthening the foundations of sustainable philanthropy in Abu Dhabi. Every contribution is safeguarded, governed and directed to where it can deliver real, lasting impact for our community.” Commenting on the agreements, Mohamed Abdelbary, Group Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, said: "Our partnership with Awqaf Abu Dhabi reflects ADIB’s ongoing commitment to supporting the UAE’s endowment sector and enabling greater community participation through innovation and digitalization. By introducing seamless digital contribution channels and empowering endowment entities with enhanced banking services, we are advancing financial inclusion while reinforcing our shared values of transparency, governance, and social responsibility." The partnership framework reinforces Awqaf Abu Dhabi’s supervisory and regulatory role by providing structured mechanisms for oversight, while advancing the authority’s broader vision to position Abu Dhabi as a regional hub for innovative and transparent endowment models. By working with leading national financial institutions such as ADIB, Awqaf Abu Dhabi continues to build a resilient, inclusive, and well-governed ecosystem where endowments contribute meaningfully to social welfare, healthcare, education, and community development.
Hong Kong’s Hotel Artz Fair 2025 draws to successful conclusion
The 2025 edition of Hong Kong’s Hotel Artz Fair concluded on Sunday, 23rd November, marking another successful celebration of art, culture, and imagination, and reaffirming its position as Asia’s premier boutique art experience. Held at the Conrad Hong Kong from 21st to 23rd November, the Fair transformed hotel rooms into intimate art spaces. Guests embarked on a unique journey, discovering diverse works from artists across 12 countries and regions, whilst engaging directly with creators. This distinctive format fostered dialogue, interaction, and meaningful connections between art enthusiasts, collectors, artists, and gallerists. Founders Garth Grierson and Terry Ma jointly remarked: “Hotel Artz Fair is built upon the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, it has again proven its role and positioning as a leading hotel art fair in Asia with several breakthroughs that underscored our deep commitment to nurturing Asia’s thriving art ecosystem.” An homage to Basquiat This year’s edition focused on Basquiat: Two Years, Four Moments, as envisioned by LG and Fingerprint. The exhibition featured four rarely seen works by Jean‑Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) in collaboration with a private collector. Yuri Han, managing director of LG Electronics Hong Kong, remarked: “We are delighted to collaborate with Hotel Artz Fair this time. Through the transparent screen of the world’s first wireless transparent OLED TV, the LG SIGNATURE OLED T, the animation seamlessly connects with the physical artwork behind it, creating a richly layered visual depth. This partnership not only demonstrates LG’s brand philosophy of integrating cutting-edge technology into art and daily life but also underscores our commitment to supporting the local art ecosystem and fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations.” Han expressed gratitude to artist William Kan for enabling the organisers to delve deep into the dialogue on the myriad collaborative possibilities between technology and art. Behind the screen, William Kan and Fingerprint used Swiss Droptix technology to create a work that added a third visual dimension, allowing audiences to experience how technology enriches art through layered light and imagery. A gallery to view The Fair also partnered with acclaimed British art adviser Tanya Baxter, recognized by Spear’s among the world’s top 500 art advisers. Baxter noted: “Hotel rooms create an intimate ambiance and if you hang properly with the right artists like Tracey Emin, David Hockney, Pip Todd‑Warmoth, to Bridget Riley that it’s a mix of giving them information as well as an opportunity to buy limited editions or small works, so access into the art market starts all levels. I feel like there is so much potential for this art fair that is going really, it has legs and it’s going to fly and it was dealt with in a very professional way and very pleased to be part of it.” Another highlight was the collaboration with Gabangel, presenting the historic debut partnership between Japan’s legendary ULTRAMAN and Hong Kong artist William Kan. Angelo Lee, director of Gabangel Limited, commented: “This is our first time participating in a hotel art fair. Our theme centres on Art Player Cards, and we are proud to have launched an officially licensed ULTRAMAN project, which sparked enthusiastic interaction and strong resonance among audiences. We are deeply grateful to the Organizer for their professional support, which allowed us to focus fully on the creative aspects. This experience has greatly strengthened our confidence, and we look forward to presenting more cross-disciplinary innovations and continuing to shine at future Hotel Artz Fairs.” Australian muralist Jamie Torpey added: “This is my first time exhibiting in Hong Kong. I have a few commissions on the way and sold about five pieces so I would say it was a massive success. I have a lot more unfinished business in Hong Kong so I will definitely be back.” Local photographer and gallery director Laurence Lai also reported strong results, selling over 20 works alongside two emerging talents and connecting with both high‑net‑worth collectors and art enthusiasts. Baxter further praised the event’s organization by saying: “We were so thrilled with the organization of this Fair, they were more than helpful from the beginning, the press were very well organized, they got a good crowd of people coming in, steady flow all the time.”
Hotel101 Group signs agreement with two key Philippine government departments
Filipino hospitality firm Hotel101 Group formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the country’s Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Migrant Workers (DWM) in support of the Balik Bayani sa Turismo (BBST) Programme. The signing was held on Thursday, 27th November, at the DOT headquarters in Makati. This partnership champions IPON Tourism, an initiative designed to promote the sustainable and productive reintegration of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) into Philippine society by providing investment and livelihood opportunities in the tourism sector. The agreement was signed by Hotel101 Group General Manager Charley Magabo together with tourism secretary Christina Frasco and Hans Leo Cacdac, secretary for migrant workers. Frasco declared: “Today’s signing with IPON Tourism marks the newest and most expansive component of our partnership with the DMW. This pillar opens pathways for OFWs to engage in tourism through industries covered by our private sector partners—as investors or entrepreneurs. Opportunities include condotel investments, offering structured and credible options for long-term financial security, among others.” A great help for a nation’s unsung heroes Led by the DOT in partnership with the DMW, the BBST Programme supports the national government’s reintegration initiatives for OFWs. To do so, it formalises both agencies’ commitment to creating and establishing opportunities for livelihood, entrepreneurship, savings, investments, and financial literacy for OFWs and their families. Under this programme and through the partnership with the hospitality management firm, OFWs can invest in Hotel101 projects such as Hotel101-Davao and Hotel101-Libis Bridgetowne, and enjoy a 30 percent share in gross hotel revenues, along with ten free stay vouchers redeemable at any Hotel101 property worldwide. Frasco lauded the initiative, saying: “We commend Hotel101 for its success in bringing a homegrown Filipino brand to the world and for opening accessible investment pathways in the accommodation sector.” For his part, Magabo added: “Hotel101 proudly steps forward to offer investment opportunities to OFWs that are transparent, accessible, and rewarding. To our OFWs: You are not just contributors to the economy; you are partners in progress. This initiative gives OFWs a stake in the hospitality industry and a passport to experiences in key destinations in the Philippines and across the globe.” Magabo also pointed out during the event that the Group is in the process of expanding into Davao and Cebu in the coming year, on top of its impending global expansion in Madrid, Spain and Niseko, Japan. He said: “This expansion is not just about hotels, it’s about creating a network where every Filipino as a guest or as a unitowner feels at home anywhere in the world.”
UK Autumn Budget 2025: What Travellers and Hotels Need to Know
Representative Image The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, presented her 2025 Autumn Budget to Parliament on 26 November and published supporting documents on the gov.uk website. The UK's Autumn Budget announced that regional mayors in England will gain the power to introduce a visitor levy, or tourist tax, on overnight stays in hotels, holiday lets, and B&Bs. This new tax, which could range from £1 to £5 per night, aims to generate revenue to support local economies and infrastructure from tourists. At the same time, it has announced major multi-year funding settlements for mayors to invest in skills, business support, transport and local growth. However, any negative impact on consumer demand for holidays would directly contradict the Chancellor’s own growth agenda. Does the Budget risk taxing growth in UK Tourism? The UK's 2025 Autumn Budget has elicited varied reactions from industry leaders, primarily concerning the proposed tourist tax and broader economic implications for the travel sector. Let us find out what the industry reactions are to this Autumn Budget. Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said: “Against a difficult economic and fiscal backdrop, it will take some time to assess the impact of Budget. But what is clear, is that the success of the travel industry has never been more critical to the overall health of the UK economy. Support through lower level of business rates welcome As such, the move to support high street businesses, including travel agencies, through a permanently lower level of business rates, is very welcome. However, ABTA remains concerned about the cumulative impact of taxes and levies on travel businesses and consumers. Negative impact on consumer demand for holidays should be avoided The introduction of a wide range of new taxes and tax increases, largely targeted at middle- and higher-income earners, is something that will need to be monitored carefully. With travel powering the UK economy over recent years, any negative impact on consumer demand for holidays would directly contradict the Chancellor’s own growth agenda. Similarly, changes to employment and business taxes, including further increases in the National Living Wage, especially for younger workers, will increase the cost of employment. The government must be careful not to deter businesses from hiring staff, especially those younger people who are looking to start their careers in travel. However, there were also some positive moves in this area, including enhanced access to apprenticeships for SMEs.” New tax, risks creating confusion and additional costs for the industry Rob Russell, CEO of AC Group, comments on the proposed taxation of hotel rooms announced in UK’s Autumn budget: “While a hotel tax may seem intended to align the UK with other European, it must be implemented carefully. It’s important to note that this would apply to every hotel guest - corporate visitors, meetings and events, domestic travellers, or families staying overnight - not just tourists. Tourism, particularly inbound tourism, is vital to our economy, and any new tax risks creating confusion and additional costs for an industry still recovering from the impact of COVID-19, which received little targeted support for inbound tourism. In most destinations where similar taxes exist, the charge is offset by a lower rate of VAT on accommodation, which is not currently proposed here. Tax needs to be transparent and proportional If introduced, the tax must be transparent, proportional, and clearly communicated well in advance, allowing businesses and operators to plan accordingly. Percentage-based charges could create significant practical difficulties for operators like AC Group, who work with international tour operators and pre-packaged travel, where rates for hotels, flights and transfers are agreed months in advance. For example, a small fixed rate, such as £2 per night, could be manageable, but a one-size-fits-all approach risks adding another fee to what is already an expensive destination compared to most of Europe. We need clarity on the process - who collects the tax, how it is applied, and how it is passed on to consumers - to avoid unintended consequences. Any measure must support a sustainable tourism sector rather than inadvertently placing additional burdens on visitors or businesses.” Pay-per-mile scheme for EVs would slow the shift towards greener choices Responding to the newly announced EV investment + proposed pay-per-mile scheme in the budget and its broader implications for the wider chauffeur and taxi industry, James Dow, General Manager UK & IE at Blacklane, said: “The new pay-per-mile scheme for electric vehicles (EVs) risks undermining efforts to drive greater EV adoption, potentially slowing the shift towards greener choices. This is especially a risk in a city such as London that will also be hit with the removal of exemption for EVs in the Congestion Charge zone from next year. Policy needs to support high EV adoption “We encourage sustained policy-maker investment and collaboration with industries driving high EV adoption, as well as individual EV owners. This should include enhancing public charging infrastructure, reviewing VAT on public charging as a priority, and targeted support for those now facing higher ownership and running costs ensuring that momentum in EV adoption is supported, and not lost. “Blacklane is engaged in conversations with our chauffeur partners to fully understand the impact of these changes, and to develop meaningful incentives to ensure EVs are an attractive option to professional chauffeurs. Despite operating environment challenges, we remain committed to EVs remaining the dominant vehicle type on our platform throughout the UK.”
Trafalgar recognised at TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 – Asia
The company won for promoting a destination-first approach to sustainable tourism. Trafalgar bagged the Tour Operator of the Year - Singapore category at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 - Asia, which underscored its exemplary efforts in redefining the way people explore the world through its destination-first tourism model. For Trafalgar, sustainable travel is about ensuring that tourism benefits both people and the planet. The company promotes responsible travel and encourages exploration of lesser-known destinations to build a transparent, accountable, and regenerative tourism model. Trafalgar’s approach centres on its Be My Guest Experiences, which invite travellers to share moments with locals around the world. This supports small-scale farmers, local artisans, and family-run businesses, and preserves cultural traditions and food heritage. In Japan, guests enjoy lunch with a local farmer’s family on a traditional tea plantation in Nara. In Britain, travellers visit the Dyer family’s dairy farm, where they explore an ancient manor house and enjoy a homemade lunch featuring family recipes passed down through generations. These create meaningful memories whilst also supporting local livelihoods. Amidst its target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Trafalgar has already achieved significant progress after reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 23% and Scope 3 emissions by 20% since its 2019 baseline. Moreover, Trafalgar and its sister brands in 2024 contributed $353,307 to sustainability projects through TTC’s pioneering Carbon Fund, bringing the total investment to over $2.23m since 2023. The company also launched a Partner Sustainability Hub, which provides suppliers with the tools and resources to help decarbonise the travel industry. Additionally, every Trafalgar trip includes at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, which is a hands-on activity that supports one or more United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). For instance, on the Best of Portugal tour, guests visit the award-winning organic vineyard Vale da Capucha that promotes responsible consumption and production. Meanwhile, in Iceland, travellers explore the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Station to learn about renewable energy solutions that align with the UN goal of Affordable and Clean Energy. Trafalgar has developed itineraries that spotlight secondary cities, small towns, and rural communities. This approach helps distribute the benefits of tourism more evenly. Trafalgar’s vision is that travel should enrich the lives of those who experience it and those who host it to shape a future where tourism thrives responsibly. TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards - Asia is a premier awards programme presented by Travel Daily Media. It seeks to honour the pinnacle of excellence in Asia's travel industry, covering the best hotels, airports, cruise lines, tour operators, travel agencies, booking platforms, and travel technology. The TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 - Asia is presented by Travel Daily Media Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. For more information on the awards programme, you may contact Danica Avila at (+65) 3158 1386 or danica@traveldailymedia.com.
Revolutionising Travel: How AI and Tech Enhance Personalisation and Trust
From AI and automation to integrated booking ecosystems, technology is reinventing the way travel brands engage customers. This session brings together travel tech leaders to discuss personalisation, operational efficiency, platform connectivity, and the digital tools reshaping service. We bring you excerpts from the panel discussion on the topic 'Connected Journeys: How Tech is Rebuilding Trust, Speed & Loyalty' taking place at TDM Global Summit Singapore 2025. The session is being moderated by Edward Wright, CMP, regional vice president, Asia, Hospitality Hong Kong, Amadeus, Panellists include: Sanghamitra Bose, vice president traveller care, American Express Global Business Travel; Deepshikha Sehgal, head of lodging, round & sea - APAC, Sabre; Steven Hopkinson, SVP APAC, Shiji, Johnson Ong, regional director SEA (ex. Malaysia & Thailand) and Oceania, Trip.com Group The travel industry has always been about connection—connecting people to places, cultures, and experiences. But in today’s digital-first world, that connection increasingly depends on technology. From AI-driven personalisation to integrated booking ecosystems, tech is not just a support tool—it’s the backbone of how we deliver trust, speed, and loyalty to travellers. The panellists explored how innovations in automation, data, and platform connectivity are reshaping the traveller experience. Personalisation & Trust With AI-driven personalisation becoming the norm, Edward queried the panellists on how travel brands can ensure that these experiences feel authentic and not intrusive? How transparency in data usage can play a role in rebuilding traveller trust. Trust is absolutely critical Johnson said: "So whatever that we recommend to the guests, it is recommend to our users based on the information that actually the guests have acquired from us. So whatever we are giving back to them is actually based on the users' behaviour, their historical bookings. They have trusted us on our platform. You create something that when the next time you search for it, it's relatable to them and not a booker. And then we are going to give them the actual items that they can click on, not just giving them a list of like 10, 20 choices, but you know, based on accurate information and which are the ones that they can click on." "And I think we want to respect, you know, when they sign up to us, make sure they are not interjected from the shop side. But all in all, I would say that they have trusted us with the information that we may go use again and we will do anything we need to do on their side. Trust is absolutely critical." Make the journey simple... Sanghamitra added: "The travel experience in the business travel space is largely covered by a strong framework. And that framework is defined by the client organisation in terms of their travel programme goals, their duty of care, their preferred supply of content, and what they want to basically drive with the programme as a policy. And so the ask for all business travel companies is how do you create a personalised, seamless travel experience for the traveller within this framework? Some of the areas that we focused in on and used AI for is to keep the journey simple, to make it seamless, to also use the data. So the good things that we've got great and protected personal travel profiles." All of that together builds up that level of personalisation and simplifies the complexity which exists in business travel. And I think we've all probably heard the saying that GDS is dead and travel agents are no longer to stay with us. And of course, that is absolutely not the case post-COVID. Duty of care is becoming incredibly, incredibly important. AI fuelling the growth of next-generation personalisation Deepshikha added: "And when we talk about meaningful personalisation, they have to be built on accurate, extensive data. They have to be built on a foundational layer of privacy, you know, that the data is secured. And I think when, because your data, and you talked about, you know, the confidence and the trust of the end-user as well. When your data is as powerful as the tools that interpret it and as secure or as trusted as the systems that are holding it or are safeguarding it. So if your personalised or personalisation is built on all these factors, then meaningful personalisation becomes more of a value exchange than a privacy risk. And at least at Sabre, this is exactly the foundation that we're following." "So recently we announced the launch of our agent AI, the MCP server, which carries 50 petabytes of data. And to put in context, 50 petabytes is actually all of the written work of humanity can be rewritten many times over in every language. So that's the depth of the travel data cloud that Sabre has. Then on top of that is a layer of what we call as Sabre IQ, which is our personalisation engine. And on top of that sits the Assurance IQ layer, where the data is transparent. The explainability is there. The context is there. And to all of these ecosystems, we apply anonymisation. We apply encryption and aggregation." "So there is safety component and there is transparency. Because it's very important for the user to know they are able to and more willing to share more data. But the question is, what's in it for me? And as long as the partners are able to communicate the value clearly and able to cut through the noise and pass through all the options that are there, provide them the meaningful options, I think, you know, and travellers are more willing to share personal information. " Talking about bottlenecks, Edward remembered the time when technology in hotels used to be servers locked in basements, never to be seen or maybe to be seen once in a blue moon. He queried Stephen on what happened in the last five years with regards to cloud automation and overall investment in technology. Moving to the cloud is inevitable Steven elaborated on what they are doing for the actual team members at the hotel. He said: "We've got a company called ReviewPro. It's all about online reputational management. But we've layered with AI, so therefore the hotel staff now have to respond in a very articulate manner. It doesn't auto-respond, but we don't think that's what hotels are meant for. It's about how do you help the teams to be able to take the responses coming in, to be able to respond in such a way which is articulate and is on message and related to the brand. So it's about helping the teams, but also multiple languages. So if I'm working at a hotel in Bangkok and I don't necessarily know English that well and somebody's put a review on booking.com or on Google or whatever, I want to be able to respond." But now I can see it in my local language, I can respond in my local language and then put it back into English and give it back to the person who actually wrote the original response. So that's taking AI in a very real sense and helping the team members to actually be able to get that message across. So I don't want to hijack that, but when you talk about AI, I'll give you a real example of how we really help the hotels." "And I think in terms of where we're moving cloud, everything we're seeing, everything is now moving to the cloud. Everything that we're doing, all our solutions are cloud-based. And obviously we've just done a recent deal with Amadeus on a global basis, which is taking what Amadeus is doing with their central reservation solutions, plugging it into our probably management solutions to be able to take everything to the next level, to make it really easy for the hotels to be able to deploy, understand what is happening at the CRS level, at the EMS level, get all that different points of sound in the hotel. Everything is cloud-orientated from that view. Clearly there's a lot of people who are still on legacy-based systems, and now they're going through that migration to get onto the cloud. It's inevitable that's where we're all moving." 2026 to see shift from Gen AI to Agentic AI: Planning to Bookability Deepshikha added: " I think we will see 2026 is going to be that leap year where the travel industry will shift from GenAI to more GenTech AI or Agentic AI. GenAI has been more about the planning and the ideation stage. GenTech AI is going to be more about the execution stage. So today, if you go on any of the AI channels, you can do the searches. There will be recommendations. But what lacks is the bookability. And I think GenTech AI or Agentic AIis going to bridge that gap to bookability. But the big question is, are the systems, the hotels or the hoteliers are ready for it? It's a similar change or a similar journey that the industry has gone through when it came from, when it adopted RMSs, revenue management systems. There was that fear, right, that the systems are going to overtake and there's going to be automation when people go out to the jobs. But the reality is technology has always become a co-pilot. The humans still stay in the pilot." Edward queried Johnson on: "Are we going to have agents? Am I going to have an Android agent helping me go on a trip to connect my internet experience, whether that's on a ferry, plane, train? Is that where you see the setting? Johnson said: "But right now, we are seeing that engaging with our trip genie, which is our travel planner and assistant AI. They are engaging us during the trip as well, asking real-time questions. And through it, because of the connectivity, the APIs are helping our partners. We are able to help them make reservations, whether it's restaurants, spas, hotels, flights. I think over the last six months, we have seen the usage of our trip genie. We are seeing more than 200% growth in the conversation. People are engaging us with over 200 countries. I think people are getting more and more comfortable using AI in their holidays and travel plans. And I think as an industry player, we need to keep it up in order to make it up, to catch up with the speed of our customer behaviour. "And I think we've seen a lot of brands embracing everything from digital concierges. We're hearing now about Whisper. So when you actually go ahead and call a reservation agent, they'll be able to understand the intent, motion, and be able to prompt an upsell during the actual individual conversation all the way through automating the entire conversation automatically." So technology and AI are your partners for growth, embrace AI but be selective!
Top 5 travellers as per ‘Magellan Travel Index Rankings’
The Extraordinary Travel Festival (ETF), in partnership with Atlântico Business School (ABS), is pleased to announce the 2025 update of the ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index (MTI) — the world’s most comprehensive benchmark for identifying and celebrating the most accomplished travellers on the planet. Travelling to engage with the world Named in honor of the legendary explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the MTI evaluates both quantity and quality of travel to produce a total index score. Using verified data from the Most Traveled People (MTP), NomadMania, and the Travelers’ Century Club (TCC), the MTI reflects not just how far people travel, but how deeply they engage with the world. João Paulo Peixoto, co-founder of the Magellan Travel Index and professor at ABS, added: “Our goal with the MTI is to elevate global travel by creating a transparent, data-driven way to measure exploration. This index celebrates not only the number of places visited but the richness and quality of each traveller’s journey. We are proud to honour those who represent the very best of global citizenship.” “The ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index has quickly become the gold standard in global travel rankings,” said Ric Gazarian, Founder of the Extraordinary Travel Festival. “This collaboration with ABS allows us to recognize travelers who explore with purpose, curiosity, and respect — the true spirit of global exploration.” 2025 Top 5 Travellers — ETF/ABS Magellan Travel Index The top ranked were recognized at the Most Traveled People Summitt in November of 2025 in Addis Ababa. The 2025 rankings highlight five extraordinary individuals whose global journeys reflect unmatched depth and breadth of exploration: Michael Runkel — Total Index: 95.61 Quantity: 69.80 | Quality: 43.98 Renowned German travel photographer and explorer, Runkel retains a leading position due to his unmatched global reach and exceptionally well-rounded exploration. Sascha Grabow — Total Index: 94.17 Quantity: 68.62 | Quality: 43.07 A long-time leader in the extreme travel community, Grabow’s extensive journeys and deep regional coverage secure him the second position for 2025. Harry Mitsidis — Total Index: 97.03 Quantity: 68.56 | Quality: 40.09 Founder of NomadMania and one of the world’s most recognized global travelers, Mitsidis excels in the quality-focused portions of the index, achieving one of the highest quality scores worldwide. Igor Sergeev — Total Index: 91.61 Quantity: 68.56 | Quality: 45.50 Sergeev’s incredible combination of volume and depth places him firmly in the top five, with one of the strongest quality scores in the community. Thomas Buechler — Total Index: 89.80 Quantity: 68.33 | Quality: 46.86 Known for his sustained, multi-decade travel achievements, Buechler ranks fifth, supported by an impressive quality score reflecting his deep cultural and geographical engagement. Extraordinary Travel Festival In 2026, the MTI Awards ceremony will return to Bangkok for the Extraordinary Travel Festival on October 22-25, 2026. João Paulo Peixoto will be announcing the top ranked travelers at the event.
MyAgentRates.com launches globally
Representative Image Officially launching in early 2026, MyAgentRates.com is a closed user group for verified My Booking Rewards (MBR) agents, offering them the opportunity to book personal, educational travel at heavily discounted rates. Aiming to further build loyalty between suppliers and the most active global travel agents, including those within the UK & Irish markets, MyAgentRates.com will act as an extension to MyBookingRewards.com, ensuring agents have a one stop shop for boosting their earnings via rewards, accessing training and important supplier marketing content, and now, as a place to formally book their own trips at rates that will see them make significant savings. Suppliers joining MyAgentRates.com will benefit from access to the most active sellers across the My Booking Rewards agent network, allowing them to build meaningful relationships and true agent advocacy as the go to option for knowledge, rewards and now great value for money educational getaways. This private B2B platform will see its agent members join by invitation only, ensuring a secure and controlled audience that has the same goal – booking the perfect holidays for their clients. As a closed network, agents can only join after professional validation. However, once verified, they will have access to exclusive offers and discounts from varied suppliers across industry sectors including many of MBR’s preferred partners such as Royalton Hotels & Resorts, True Blue Bay Grenada, and Temptation Resorts to name a few. And, whilst agents will be enjoying personal travel discounts, their first-hand educational experience of the supplier product will boost their knowledge and make them better able to sell the product to clients. MyAgentRates.com will work via API connectivity or static supplier contract. The platform’s agile technology will see agents have access to live availability in real time. Bookings will be made instantly with suppliers and will be confirmed directly with full reservation details – all communication is transparent and automated leaving little room for error. A deposit is collected at the time of confirmation with the remaining balance taken on property, and in line with the supplier terms and conditions available during the booking process. Comments Darren Pearson, Founder and CEO, MyAgentRates.com and My Booking Rewards: “The launch of MyAgentRates.com is an important strategic move that will see our efforts to strengthen the relationship between agent and supplier take a giant step forward. These relationships are at the heart of what we do via MBR and the launch of the MyAgentRates.com private platform levels this up – we are now a one stop shop for agent rewards, training and great value personal, educational travel!” The partnership between MBR and MyAgentRates.com delivers so many benefits to both agents and suppliers. Its cyclical nature offers the opportunity for agents to take on FAM like trips whilst enjoying personal time away, during which their first-hand product experience will help them better sell to clients. Plus, those increased sales can be logged via MBR for impactful additional rewards – it’s win, win! And, for true financial efficiency, agents using their banked MBR rewards to purchase educational trips via MyAgentRates.com will not have tax deducted from that portion of their spend, a huge bonus for self-employed agents. For suppliers, the partnership enables them to build a valuable following of true sales ambassadors as they host far more agents than their current FAM trip schedule allows. By utilising travel agents’ sales professionalism and credibility, they will reap the benefits of increased sales, as well as create and maintain strong, meaningful agent relationships. Pearson further notes: “MyAgentRates.com is already in contracting and testing phase and will launch early 2026. Suppliers will benefit from direct access to the best sales ambassadors in the business; agents who will visit their properties at preferred rates and experience the product first hand. This can only help sales and, ultimately, we hope it will generate true advocacy for our suppliers.” My Booking Rewards is a global incentive, loyalty and training platform that equips suppliers with white label programs to reach its 150,000 engaged agent community across worldwide markets including Europe, Latam, North America and the Pacific Ocean. Within the last 12 months, MBR has generated $1.3 billion in revenue for its supplier members and issued $4 million in tangible rewards to its agent community. The launch of MyAgentRates.com is set to compliment this offering, building a reciprocal partnership with MBR that sees both agents and suppliers alike benefit from increased knowledge, sales and additional rewards.
Hospitable launches ‘Owner Payouts’
Representative Image Property management software Hospitable announces the launch of Owner Payouts, a new feature that allows property managers to pay their property owners directly through the platform. With this release, Hospitable becomes the first PMS in the short-term rental (STR) sector to bring owner payments entirely in-house and fully integrated, removing one of the most persistent operational challenges for property managers. Paying owners has long been one of the most time-consuming and error-prone parts of running an STR management business. Many managers still calculate payouts manually, enter figures one by one, or rely on a mix of spreadsheets and external tools. With no recognized standard, managers are left stitching together their own processes, creating avoidable stress and often holding back growth. Owner Payouts provides a clear and dependable alternative. When a manager publishes an owner statement in Hospitable, the platform pays the owner automatically based on the final amount. Managers and owners connect their bank accounts through a verified onboarding process, and once connected, payouts run on schedule. Each party can check the status of transfers or review past payments. The workflow is streamlined into one simple process that removes friction, repetition, and administrative load. By tying payouts directly to statements inside Hospitable, the most common causes of error are removed. Managers no longer need to calculate totals manually or type amounts into their bank accounts, significantly reducing missed or incorrect payments and helping maintain strong owner relationships. No other property management software offers this capability as a native feature. Most systems depend on external accounting or payment platforms that charge monthly fees and even bill per bank account verification. Hospitable covers verification costs itself and delivers the functionality within the platform that managers are already using. Hospitable has already introduced detailed owner statements, native accounting features including expense management and profit and loss reports, a native QuickBooks integration, and branded owner portals that give owners a real-time view of property performance and the ability for owners to book their own stays. Together, these releases form one of the strongest and most complete owner management suites in the STR industry. Pierre-Camille Hamana, CEO and Founder of Hospitable, said: “Owner payments are one of those parts of the business that everyone struggles with but nobody talks about. It is slow, it is manual, and it becomes more stressful the moment your portfolio grows. We wanted to take that weight off managers completely. With Owner Payouts, the process becomes predictable, transparent, and something you never have to second-guess again." The feature is available on the Mogul plan and currently supports bank accounts in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Support for Canada and Europe will follow.
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