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In a year when the travel industry has been forced to confront both uncertainty and resilience, WiT Phocuswright Middle East will take place in Barcelona on June 15, a day before Phocuswright Europe.
The two events, held at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, will bring together global and regional leaders for a timely conversation on the future of travel in and beyond the Middle East.
Published: Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:54:00 +0000
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Virgin Atlantic has become the first airline in the world to launch an app within ChatGPT, opening up a new way for customers to discover and plan their next trip simply by asking.
Building on Virgin Atlantic’s AI-powered Concierge, the Virgin Atlantic app in ChatGPT allows customers to search for flights using everyday language, whether they’re dreaming of a beachside escape to sun-soaked Barbados, planning a last-minute trip to the bright lights of New York, or looking to soak up the vibrant energy of Delhi.
Published: Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:18:47 +0000
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The global airline industry currently generates an estimated 3.6 million tonnes of cabin and catering waste annually, based on 2024–2025 data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF). This volume is to be at four million tonnes by late 2025 and could potentially double by 2040 if current practices are not changed, primarily due to the increased passengers’ numbers.
Published: Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:56:45 +0000
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The tool allows more than 100,000 members in 139 countries to manage bookings, check points, and administer their professional profiles in real time from iOS and Android devices.
What benefits does the new application offer to travel agents?
The tool has been designed to optimise the daily operations of the retail sector. The application focuses on the digitalisation of processes that previously required more complex management, now allowing immediate access to the entire portfolio of RIU Hotels & Resorts.
Published: Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:50:18 +0000
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All indications are that 2026 will be the year of agentic AI, succinctly defined as gen AI that can accomplish real-world tasks rather than simply outputting content. Agentic AI is already playing a key role in next-generation automation within companies, increasing productivity and reducing costs. According to Phocuswright’s latest research report Budgets, Barriers and the Race to Agentic AI, more than 60% of travel businesses surveyed are experimenting with or scaling agentic AI, with 6% already actively scaling and 22% beginning to scale.
Published: Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:00:22 +0000
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dnata Catering & Retail exhibits a live microfarm installation at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE), offering visitors a tangible demonstration of how freshness, sustainability and culinary creativity are shaping the next phase of onboard dining.
Inspired by dnata’s catering facility in Melbourne, the microfarm enables culinary teams to cultivate selected herbs onsite for use in menu development. Since its introduction in 2025, the initiative has supported more than a dozen menu presentations and contributed to improved freshness, reduced waste, sustainability and enhanced menu creativity.
Published: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:59:35 +0000
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Sequoia’s $7 billion fund highlights strong confidence in the future of AI. The fund aims to increase capital in AI, influencing startups and established enterprises using innovative technologies. Leadership changes at Sequoia allow younger partners to drive investments in AI startups. Sequoia plans to invest the entire fund across various stages of the business life cycle without segmentation. This fund signals that investors are betting heavily on AI’s impact on the economic landscape ahead.
Published: Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:05:49 +0000
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DerbySoft, an innovative global technology company dedicated to accelerating travel commerce, today announced that Spring Airlines, China’s largest and best performing low-cost carriers (LCC) in China, has joined DerbySoft’s Global Data Network (GDN) for Flights—a next-generation flight distribution model that transforms the traditional hub-and-spoke model into a true network of direct connections among all participants.
Published: Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:22:36 +0000
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SITA’s 2025 Air Transport IT Insights report finds that, while the air transport industry invested a record $50.8 billion in technology in 2025, a common obstacle keeps emerging: where data does not flow freely between systems and partners, that investment cannot fully deliver what it was designed to unlock. The cost of this data coordination gap is higher than ever now that the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt the industry at a global scale. Operators investing in closing that gap are building foundations that will outlast the current disruption.
Published: Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:58:42 +0000
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Stellantis boosts investment in AI, partnering with Microsoft to enhance mobility and streamline operations. The partnership aims to integrate advanced AI technologies to create smarter, more connected vehicles. AI will personalize in-car experiences, improve navigation, and assist drivers in real-time. Inside the company, AI will automate tasks and enhance decision-making across various departments. This collaboration reflects a broader automotive trend toward software-driven cars and highlights AI’s essential role in future mobility.
Published: Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:53:23 +0000