World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards has unveiled its 2026 nominees and opened global voting, following the assessment of hundreds of entries spanning 60 countries and territories.

Two of Thailand’s most iconic beachfront resorts, Banyan Tree Samui and Banyan Tree Krabi, have been awarded Two Keys by the MICHELIN Guide to Thailand for the third consecutive year. Equivalent to MICHELIN stars for restaurants, the award of “Two Keys” is bestowed on a hotel or resort described by MICHELIN as “an exceptional stay”, in that it offers a remarkable experience in every regard, including distinctive character, outstanding design and impeccable service.

Joseph Karam has moved from running individual hotels to shaping an owner-operator platform, bringing experience across Asia and the Gulf to a portfolio where performance, people and responsible growth must reinforce one another.

Shaikha Al Kaabi has recast an institution rooted in service to the UAE Armed Forces as a contemporary Emirati hospitality brand, using food, sport, heritage and welcome to connect national identity with global guests.

Hussein Sherif returned to AIRCAIRO after previously multiplying its fleet, bringing more than three decades of commercial aviation experience to a carrier now entering its next stage of growth.

Adel Mardini founded Jetex to bring hotel-style service and consistent standards to business aviation, then expanded the Dubai company into an international network of terminals and ground support.

At Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, Said Al Shanfari has turned venue leadership into destination advocacy, positioning meetings and exhibitions as a route to investment, knowledge and year-round visitation.

Paul de Salis has taken the helm of RoyalJet with four decades of aviation experience and a mandate to strengthen a business spanning charter, aircraft management, medical evacuation and VIP terminal operations.

Siddeek Ahmed is chairman and managing director of ITL World, a travel-management company operating across corporate travel, leisure, meetings and related services. His leadership sits within the wider Eram Holdings group, a diversified business with interests across dozens of verticals. That entrepreneurial ecosystem has given ITL access to networks, capital and operating experience beyond travel alone. Ahmed has led ITL World since 2006, building on a business history connected with India and the Gulf. The company has grown in markets where corporate clients require much more than ticketing. Travel management now includes policy compliance, data, traveller security, payments, negotiated content, round-the-clock service and the […]

Ahmed Ben Zaied serves as cluster general manager of Sharjah Collection, overseeing seven retreats built around the emirate’s natural and cultural settings. The portfolio ranges across desert, mountain, coastal, archaeological and wellness environments. His responsibility is to give each property operational strength while ensuring the collection adds up to a coherent destination proposition. Cluster leadership is often described as an efficiency measure, but in Sharjah it has a larger strategic purpose. The emirate’s attractions are geographically and experientially diverse. A coordinated portfolio can encourage guests to move between landscapes, extend their stay and understand Sharjah beyond a single city break. Ben Zaied sits at […]

Julien Bergue is co-founder and managing partner for the Middle East and CIS at Valor Hospitality Partners, where he has helped establish a third-party management platform across a region extending from the Gulf to Central Asia. With two decades in hospitality and 17 years focused on project development, he operates at the boundary between investment concept and hotel performance. Bergue co-founded Valor’s regional operation in 2018. Since then, the business has assembled a pipeline of about 3,900 keys across Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Pakistan and Kazakhstan. The geographic range reveals the strategy: enter markets where owners need international operating capability but may prefer an independent manager […]

Marco Mejia has served as acting chief executive of King Salman International Airport Development Company since 2021, placing him at the centre of a project intended to transform Riyadh’s connectivity and urban future. The planned airport is not merely a replacement terminal. It is conceived as a vast aviation, logistics and commercial platform supporting the capital’s growth and Saudi Arabia’s wider economic diversification.

Simon Leigh leads Premier Inn Middle East at a moment when the region’s hotel conversation is broadening beyond luxury. The company has outlined investment of about $545 million to add six to eight hotels and roughly 3,500 rooms across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, effectively doubling its inventory. Leigh’s task is to make that expansion feel disciplined rather than opportunistic, preserving the simple promise on which the brand depends.

SCHLOSS Spa, located in the elegant 5* SCHLOSS Roxburghe Golf Resort, has once again been crowned Scotland’s Best Hotel Spa at the prestigious World Spa Awards, this time taking the 2026 title. Having retained the accolade it first won in 2025, the spa’s back-to-back success is the perfect excuse for an autumn or winter getaway to the Scottish Borders. With state-of-the-art facilities, an outdoor heated infinity pool and panoramic views over the Scottish countryside, SCHLOSS Spa continues to set the benchmark for wellness in Scotland. The award reflects the spa’s ongoing commitment to exceptional treatments, tranquil surroundings and a genuinely restorative guest experience.

Tivoli Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the opening of a new landmark address in the capital, Tivoli LA VIE Muscat Hotel & Residences, introducing the brand’s renowned European elegance enriched with Oman’s rich culture and heritage. Located in the prestigious LA VIE development and inspired by the joy of life, Tivoli LA VIE has been developed as a destination that feels both timeless and contemporary.

Rail Europe is offering travellers access to Interrail’s limited-time promotion from today, 24 September, until 10:00 CEST on 30 September. Continuous Global Passes valid for one, two or three months are 50% off the regular price, whille other Global and One Country Passes included in the promotion are discounted by 15%; an invitation to finally take “the trip you always said you’d take.”

The Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) and Wizz Air, one of Europe’s leading low-cost airlines, today announced a renewed strategic cooperation agreement alongside the resumption of Wizz Air services to Jordan, commencing on 22 September 2026 with the return of direct flights between Budapest and Amman. The agreement marks an important new chapter in the longstanding relationship between Jordan and Wizz Air and reflects a shared commitment to strengthening air connectivity between the Kingdom and key European markets, supporting the recovery and sustainable growth of Jordan’s tourism sector, and making Jordan more accessible to international travellers.

Accor and its world-renowned luxury hospitality brand Fairmont Hotels & Resorts,in partnership with Hersonissos Group Hotels, today announced the development of Fairmont Chania Resort on the historic Greek island of Crete, a 104-key resort slated to open in 2029. The project further strengthens Fairmont’s global growth strategy and reinforces Accor’s luxury portfolio across key Mediterranean destinations. Omer Acar, CEO, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts said, “We are delighted to announce the signing of Fairmont Chania Resort, a landmark moment marking Fairmont’s inaugural entry into Greece. This development stands as a testament to the enduring strength of the brand, extending our distinctive heartfelt hospitality to the […]

The Nautilus Maldives proudly announces its debut in The MICHELIN Guide’s global hotel selection with Two MICHELIN Keys, earning Two MICHELIN Keys in its first year of inclusion. This remarkable achievement places The Nautilus among the world’s most exceptional hotels and represents a defining milestone for the independently spirited Maldivian hideaway. Described by The MICHELIN Guide as representing “an exceptional stay,” Two MICHELIN Keys recognise hotels that are truly unique, memorable and distinguished by their character, sense of place and consistently outstanding hospitality.

IDeaS, a SAS company and the world’s leading provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, has deployed the G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) at Giza Palace Hotel & Spa in Cairo, Egypt. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Giza Palace Hotel & Spa is a brand-new luxury hotel in a prime location in West Cairo. The grandiose hotel features 560 rooms, eight distinctive dining venues, a spa, and extensive conference and meeting facilities. Blending architectural excellence with a curated art collection, the hotel is renowned for its exceptional service and guest experience.