Latest from Travel Weekly
Travel Weekly
an hour ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Intrepid Travel acquires hotels in Tasmania and Morocco
Intrepid Travel has acquired boutique properties in Tasmania and Marrakech. The family-run Edge of the Bay, located near the town of Coals Bay in Tasmania, is a 20-room coastal resort that overlooks Wineglass Bay. The property is on 18 acres and close to Freycinet National Park. The hotel offers oceanview studios and secluded chalets. The resort will be refreshed to align with Intrepid's "impact-led ethos," the company said in its announcement. The revamp will include nature-based activities and environmental education programs developed with Greening Australia, an Intrepid Foundation partner and environmental organization founded to restore and conserve Australia's native vegetation. Intrepid also plans to work with the Palawa people, the indigenous inhabitants of the land, to conduct a cultural heritage assessment of the property. Intrepid also bought a 17-room riad in Marrakech, minutes from Medina, the city's old town. The traditional Moroccan guesthouse opened this month and offers culinary experiences with The Amal Association, a nonprofit that trains women in hospitality. Intrepid will fully operate the property beginning in July. "Our approach to accommodation is underpinned by a commitment to preserving culture, fostering connection, supporting communities and boosting travel's economic contribution with the local community," said Intrepid CEO James Thornton. The 20-room Edge of the Bay resort near Coals Bay in Tasmania. Photo Credit: Intrepid Travel Intrepid said last year that it was accelerating its expansion into hotels. It aims to acquire 20 properties by 2027. The brand hopes to acquire properties in Asia, Africa and the Americas, adding to its previous acquisition of Daintree Ecolodge in Australia and its multiyear lease of a Vietnam hotel. Since acquiring Daintree Ecolodge in Queensland, Australia, Intrepid said it has introduced solar power, advanced wastewater treatment, composting and vegetable gardens while eliminating single-use plastics. The lodge is certified as a B Corp, which means it has met high standards of social and environmental performance.
Travel Weekly
9 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
The big travel brands diving into Europe river cruising
Clockwise from top right: Lisa Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Travel; host Rebecca Tobin and river cruise editor Brinley Hineman talk about the new developments in river cruising. Subscribe now using your favorite service: Today is all about travel brands making an entry into Europe river cruising. We've been surprised this year by the number of established names moving in to the Rhine, Danube and beyond: Celebrity, Trafalgar and National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions among them. With Lisa Fitzgerald, a river-cruise expert advisor and founder of Fitzgerald Travel, and river cruise editor Brinley Hineman, we're exploring why each of these brands is approaching river, and how they're doing it in different ways. We'll also look at the popularity of emerging destinations around the world, and numbers from Viking, the biggest river cruise line. We also talk about Brinley's trip on Riverside Luxury Cruises - this episode was recorded in mid-May, so that trip has already concluded, and we've included some of her reporting in the show notes. This episode was edited for length and clarity. Episode sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Globus Family of Brands. At the end of this episode, stay on for a special, bonus discussion about the latest from the Globus Family of Brands between Camille Olivere, Globus' chief sales officer, and Mary Pat Sullivan, the executive vice president of marketing partnerships for Northstar Travel Group, Travel Weekly's parent company. Related reports Trafalgar's river cruise debut is seen as just a first step Lindblad, Trafalgar, Waldorf: More companies are attracted to river cruising River cruise lines are excited that Celebrity is wading into the business -- why? No slowing down for river cruising: 2026 looks better than 2025 Dispatch, Riverside Debussy: An indulgent, fine-dining experience Fitzgerald Travel
Travel Weekly
10 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
High travel costs overshadow political concerns for overseas visitors, says U.S. Travel's CEO
CHICAGO -- On U.S. destinations' list of concerns, high prices rank higher than presidential politics, said U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman. "As I walk on the floor here and talk to people, the biggest concern I hear from buyers is not about administration policy. The number one concern I hear is the cost of travel," Freeman said on June 16 at U.S. Travel's annual IPW conference this week. "I was talking with someone earlier today who just said they went and got a latte and it was $8. That's just a really expensive latte. And it's fair to say that could be a shock for many travelers and it's something we've got to pay attention to." Freeman also said that while there is some weakness in inbound travel, the numbers are "fine," except for Canada. However, "fine" is a missed opportunity. "We should be driving an increase year-over-year in inbound travel to the United States," he said. "It should be a priority for the country. I appreciate that major events are a priority for the administration -- the World Cup, the Olympics, America's 250th birthday -- and they're driving a lot of focus. I hope we can earn the same focus on driving travel to the United States every day of the week. And we're making inroads with the administration to be able to have those conversations." The National Travel & Tourism Office's most recent overseas visitation numbers showed an 8% year-over-year increase in April, followed by a 2.8% dip in May. Year-to-date international visitation to the U.S. is down 0.8%, mainly due to a weak March, when travel fell 11.6%. The NTTO's numbers do not include Canada, the top source market for U.S. visitors, or land crossings from Mexico. Freeman said there has been a "handwringing, sky is falling" narrative about inbound travel in the media. "That's not what the numbers say," he said. "The numbers say that we have some weakness and softening. A lot of that is fueled by Canada. Canada is a market where the decline cannot be debated, and it also can't be argued why they're doing it. They're rallying around their flag, and we've got work to do to earn their business in the future." Freeman said he's disappointed with mainstream media coverage of international travel to the U.S., saying that the media wants to "use our industry to embarrass the administration. They want to make travel the victim and push this angle that the sky is falling. It's very disappointing." He pointed to efforts from the administration to send a welcoming message to travelers, including the presence of Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance for the rollout of the World Cup Task Force, where Trump and Vance said "very clearly in front of the journalists, 'We want you to come to America.' I think that was the first time they had made that comment in this administration. So we very much appreciate that. "That's not to say there aren't areas I think we can do better," he added. "I think we have to acknowledge that a perception has formed that the U.S. is not as welcoming as it was. That at a customs checkpoint you might get detained or your device might be searched. There's more we need to do to assure the world that we do want them to come, that they are a priority for us. And that's a combination of the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, Brand USA, all working together to address this."
Travel Weekly
18 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Epic Universe: An epic impact
While Epic Universe has already spurred increased business for travel agencies, they are far from the only ones benefitting: Throughout its construction, the park has produced economic impact to the tune of billions of dollars throughout the country, and it is expected to generate billions more now that it is fully operational. Much of that is in central Florida. 'When a major new park debuts, the entire region benefits,' said Casandra Matej, CEO of Visit Orlando. 'Visitors don't just go to one park — they stay in our hotels and resorts, dine in local restaurants, shop in our stores and explore our diverse attractions. It's truly a rising-tide-lifts-all-boats scenario, from global brands to our small businesses.' Universal Destinations & Experiences engaged economist Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Institute for Economic Forecasting, to perform an analysis of Epic's impact locally and nationally. The report found that Epic's five-year economic impact from 2019 to 2023 totaled $44 billion and that the construction of the park generated 65,000 jobs across the country. Further, in its first year of operation, Epic is expected to generate an economic impact of $2 billion in Florida. Visit Orlando's Matej called Epic's opening a 'landmark moment' for the region, the most visited in the U.S. with 75.3 million visitors in 2024. Stays this year are already trending positively: From April to June, hotel bookings were pacing 2.5% ahead of the same period last year, according to Matej. Short-term rental bookings were up 16%. 'For more than five decades, theme parks have played a key role in transforming Orlando from citrus groves into a global tourism destination — driving growth, expanding infrastructure and boosting the local economy,' she said. Jorge Ridderstaat, associate professor of finance, accounting and econometrics at UCF's Rosen College, said the park's overall economic impact expanded well beyond Florida in its planning and construction phase. Going forward, it will be felt more in Florida and the Orlando area, he said, with an estimated $1 billion in additional tax revenue and nearly 18,000 direct employees. 'The direct and indirect economic impacts are major.' Jorge Ridderstaat, UCF 'There's also an indirect effect, and that's coming from additional restaurants, hotels; and you can even think about banking activities,' Ridderstaat said. 'The direct and indirect impacts are major here.' Universal's other projects under development may be smaller in scale than Epic but will provide significant economic benefits. Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round attraction in Las Vegas, will open this year; the Universal Kids Resort is slated to open in Texas in 2026; and Universal's first theme park in England is set to debut in 2031. Ridderstaat said the new parks would impact local and national economies as well as motivate other operators to compete. 'Because these technologies being used are very sophisticated, that gives a run on Disney to increase the quality of their product,' he said. 'Because otherwise, you don't catch these types of people who are interested in innovative types of products. I think that's a challenge for the competition.'
Travel Weekly
a day ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Carnival Cruise Line unveils new loyalty program: Carnival Rewards
Carnival Cruise Line will introduce a new loyalty program, Carnival Rewards, for which guests compile points based on what they spend on the cruise fare and onboard the ship. The launch date is June 1, 2026. The current program, Very Important Fun Person (VIFP), compiles points based solely on the number of nights that Carnival customers sail. Carnival president Christine Duffy said it was time for a loyalty overhaul. In a message to customers, Duffy said that from 2021 to 2024, the number of Platinum and Diamond guests doubled and tripled, respectively. She also said the average cruise on an Excel-class ship has 1,200 guests who are Platinum or Diamond status, "making it nearly impossible to provide meaningful priority benefits." "When so many guests have elite status, it is much more difficult to make everyone feel special," Duffy said. "These realities will only continue to erode the recognition and rewards of the current VIFP Club program, and we feel that change is necessary in order to better recognize our guests." Carnival said it wanted to wait almost a full year before implementing Carnival Rewards to "provide guests plenty of time to learn about the changes." Earning stars for status In the new program, guests will accumulate Carnival Rewards points that can be redeemed on Carnival purchases. Guests earn status-qualifying stars that will determine tier status. The status tiers will be the same -- Red, Gold, Platinum and Diamond -- but how guests will earn status will be different. Gold status is 10,000 stars, Platinum is 50,000 and Diamond is 100,000. Guests receive three stars for every $1 spent on Carnival purchases. Guests earn stars when they buy the cruise, shore excursions, drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments, onboard merchandise and when they gamble in the casino. Purchases on the Carnival Rewards credit card will enable guests to reach status quicker. A guest's status on June 1, 2026, will be based on status as of May 31, 2026 (for sailings that have returned as of that date). Existing status will be honored for a two-year period (except for Diamond-level guests), unless subsequent activity qualifies the guest for a higher status level. Diamond-level guests will retain their Diamond status for a 6-year period ending May 31, 2032. As long as there is activity within a three-year period, points will not expire. Status will be earned over a two-year period and retained for the following two years. No matter a guest's status, Carnival said it will "incorporate ways to recognize their achievement of various milestones, including the number of cruise days sailed." Guests will continue earning VIFP status as usual until the new program launches. Upon launch of Carnival Rewards, current cardmembers will have the balance of their Fun Points converted to Carnival Rewards points. Customers can learn more at
