COMO Hotels and Resorts | Announced the Reopening of a 19th - Century Property in Pauillac, France

COMO Hotels and Resorts, a Singapore - based company that operates hotels in Australia, Bhutan, France, Indonesia, Italy, the Maldives, Thailand, Turks and Caicos, the United Kingdom, and the United States, founded by Christina Ong in 1991 has announced the reopening of a 19th century property in Pauillac, a municipality in the Gironde department within Nouvelle - Aquitaine region in southwestern France, situated midway between Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave along the Gironde, the largest estuary in western Europe. 

COMO Cordeillan - Bages nestled within the historic hamlet of Bage, in the heart of the Médoc vineyards which include three of Bordeaux’s five Growths, near the Gironde estuary, is located along the Route des Châteaux, in an area 30 kilometres from the Atlantic coastline also highlighted by pine forests, artisanal boutiques, a bistro, and offering an easy access to other villages with independent shops,  restaurants and wine boutiques.

The property will reopen its doors on May 1, 2026 in collaboration with the Cazes family, owners of Château Lynch - Bages, an initiative will give guests access to exclusive experiences not generally available to the public.

The operations of renovation are led by Italian designer Paola Navone, who previously worked on COMO Le Montrachet, a stylish property set in the heart of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune.

The luxury property, featuring 17th - century turrets will offer 28 rooms and suites, including two COMO Suites, a restaurant, a gym, and a sauna.

This upcoming opening will be COMO Hotels and Resorts’ third property in France, joining COMO Le Montrachet in Burgundy and COMO Le Beauvallon in the Gulf of Saint - Tropez, which is set to open on April 24, 2026.

COMO Cordeillan - Bages will operate seasonally from March to November, with rates starting from €350 per night in low season.

Links

https://www.comohotels.com/france/como-cordeillan-bages

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article140080.html

Hilton | Announced the Future Opening of a New Conrad Resort in Lagos, The Algarve, Portugal

Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., American multinational hospitality company based in Tysons, Virginia, has announced the future opening of a new Conrad Resort in Lagos, a town in southern Portugal’s Algarve region, known for its walled old town, cliffs and pristine Atlantic beaches.

The property, a new luxury beachfront resort will open its doors above Meia Praia, a premier 4 - 5 km long, expansive and sandy beach, one of the longest in the region, stretching from the Lagos marina to the Odiáxere River, known for its calm waters, and relaxed, less crowded atmosphere. It offers a wide, open shoreline ideal for long walks, sunbathing, and popular water sports, with numerous beach bars, restaurants, and amenities available.

The Conrad Meia Praia Algarve, scheduled to open in spring 2027 is the result of a franchise agreement by Hilton with a project being developed by a joint venture between PGIM, te global asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc., based in London, England, UK, Sonae Sierra, an international retail real estate company headquartered in Lisbon with a significant office in Maia, Porto, and Iberian Hospitality Solutions (IHSP),  Lisbon - based investment asset firm specializing in the acquisition and development of hospitality projects, marking the second collaboration between Hilton and the joint venture.

The joint venture between Sonae Sierra and Iberian Hospitality Solutions aims to acquire, develop and manage hospitality assets, with a target gross asset of approximately €200 million. Its first acquisition was completed in April 2024 with the opening of Cénica Porto Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, located in Porto.

The developer for the project is Wonder Hotel Ventures S.A., a Portugal - based private company founded in 2024, specializing in the acquisition, development, and management of luxury hospitality assets and the property will operated under the Conrad Hotels & Resort brand.

The resort will feature 116 rooms and suites, all with ocean views, including seven suites with private plunge pools, and the property will also include 21 Conrad - branded residences.

The establishment will include various amenities such as two restaurants, a lobby bar, a pool bar, a contemporary beach club, indoor and outdoor pools, a Conrad spa, a fitness centre, and event space.

The property will join Conrad & Resorts, a brand features contemporary design, impactful experiences, and curated art, appealing to the modern, globally connected traveller.

Hilton’s portfolio in Portugal currently includes 30 operating hotels and 16 in the pipeline. The new resort will join other upcoming Hilton luxury hotel openings in Europe, including Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch and Sandblu Santorini, LXR Hotels & Resorts.

Links

https://stories.hilton.com/emea/releases/hilton-signs-conrad-meia-praia-algarve-a-new-luxury-beachfront-resort-in-portugals-algarve

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article140063.html

Argentina | Posted the Strongest Percentage Growth in Air Traffic Across Latin America in 2025

Argentina posted the strongest percentage growth in air traffic across Latin America in 2025, reaching 33.3 million passengers numbers rising 13.2% year - on - year, equivalent to an additional 3.9 million travellers, fuelled by an “open skies” policy deregulation, and 63 new routes. 

Domestic traffic grew 9.1% (17.4 million passengers), while international traffic surged 18.2% (15.9M). Key features include increased competition, a 18.5% rise in international capacity, and a 12% total airport system growth to 50.6 million passengers, setting a record.

This increase in the offer of international flights was reflected in a significant growth of routes to Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. 

Key Features of Argentina’s 2025 Air Traffic Growth: 

•    “Open Skies” Deregulation: The government’s liberalized aviation policy, introduced late 2024, drove rapid expansion, enabling 63 new connections throughout 2025.
•    Strong International Growth (+18.2%): International traffic reached 15.9 million passengers, with significant capacity increases to and from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. 
•    Robust Domestic Growth (+9.1%): Domestic demand reached 17.4 million passengers, supported by low – cost carriers. 
•    Increased Competition and Connectivity: JetSMART and other carriers increased their market share, challenging traditional operators like Aerolíneas Argentinas. 
•    Passenger Traffic Records: The Argentine airport system handled 50.6 million passengers in 2025, a 12% increase, setting a new historical peak. 
•    International Seat Capacity Increase: International air capacity/to/from Argentina grew by 18.5% in 2025, totalling over 9.3 million seats. 

In the general context total air traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 477.3 million passengers, with a year - on - year growth of 3.8%, according to Diario la R, a news agency and digital portal based in Montevideo, Uruguay. 

Brazil was also a key player in air traffic growth in the region, reaching 129.6 million passengers, representing an increase of 9.4% year - on - year. 

This performance was driven by the sharp increase in inbound tourism, especially from Argentina, Panama, for its part registered a year - on-– year increase of 9% in 2025, reaching almost 21 million passengers, and stood out in connectivity with the United States. 

Meanwhile, other countries in the region also experienced positive growth, such as Peru with an increase of 5.9%, and the Dominican Republic, which stood out for a 3.1% increase in its air traffic. 

Overall, the dynamism of the airline sector in Latin America is driven by competition, increased flights and infrastructure expansion, which augurs well for the future of the region. 

Link 

https://tvbrics.com/es/news/argentina-lider-el-crecimiento-del-tr-fico-a-reo-en-am-rica-latina-en-2025/

Morocco | Launched “Stay Cashless”, an Initiative to Digitise Tourism Payments

Morocco’ Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with Attijariwafa bank and Visa, launched “Stay Cashless”, an initiative to digitize tourist payments, offering secure and seamless transactions. 

This national programme aims to accelerate digital payments across the tourism sector, simplify transactions for visitors through international commissions, pay - by - link, tap - on - phone, dynamic currency conversion, with rollout beginning in the coming days via terminal deployment and industry training, as well as enhancing the overall visitor experience. 

The move targets higher spend capture and service consistency amid strong demand, Morocco recorded nearly 20 million visitors and MAD 138 billion in travel receipts in 2025, and ahead of major events including the 2030 FIFA World Cup the country is moving step by step in a digital transformation.  

The programme addresses long - standing frictions in a cash - reliant market, where over 60% of card operations in 2024 were ATM withdrawals, currency in circulation reached MAD 444.3 billion (about 26% of GDP) and just 94.387 POS terminals are concentrated in key cities.

This initiatives follows fee reforms capping interchange at 0.65% and opening the acquiring market to new players in 2025, and targets small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to curb practices such as surcharging and card refusal. 

With mobile wallets underused, 13.8 million accounts but only 28% active, and mobile payment at 2%, “Stay Cashless” initiative is positioned to broaden acceptance, improve visitor experience and support tourism - led growth. 

Key Features and Goals of Stay Cashless: 

•    Digital Adoption: Accelerating the transition to digital payments for tourists in the tourism ecosystem. 
•    Partnership: The Ministry of Tourism, Attijariwafa Bank, and Visa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive this, with further support from the National Tourism Confederation (CNT). 
•    Convenience and Security: Providing tourists with secure, modern payment options to improve their experience during their stay. 
•    Operator Support: Supplying tourism operators with electronic payment terminals, particularly aiding in the digitization of smaller businesses.
•    Economic Impact: Aims to boost tourism competitiveness and support the broader national digital economy, following a record of 19.8 million arrivals in 2025.

The programme addresses the need to modernise financial services in the tourism sector, moving away from historically cash - dependent economy.

Link 
https://atta.travel/resource/morocco-launches-stay-cashless-to-digitise-tourism-payments.html

Czech Republic | Ranked Among the Safest and Most Peaceful Countries Globally

The Czech Republic consistently ranks among the safest and most peaceful countries globally. Renowned for low crime rates, political stability, high - quality healthcare, and efficient, safe public transport, the Central European nation is considered safe to explore, with its capital and largest city, Prague, and other centres like Brno, Karlovy Vary, Olomouc and Ostrava being secure destinations for travellers and residents.

Czechia consolidates its position as a global benchmark for safety by reaching 6^th place out of 180 nations in the latest edition of the Travel Safety Index, a platform that according to 35 different criterias ranks public safety, political stability, health, and environmental risks, offering real - time, verified insights, often using hybrid models to assess crime, natural disasters and infrastructure.

The country also ranks 11^th place in the Global Peace Index (GPI), a premier annual report produced by an Australian organization, the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), using internationally recognized academic methodology analysing 163 independent states and territories, covering 99.7% of the world’s population, based on their levels of peace. GPI measures peacefulness using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three core domains: Social Safety and Security, Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict, and Militarisation.

With outstanding health indicators, low crime and institutional strength, Czechia outperforms most of its European neighbors and this security is the pillar of the 2026 - 2030 tourism strategy, aimed at sustainable and quality growth.

These results undoubtedly reinforce the Czech Republic as a destination of peace and stability in the face of current international uncertainty.

This is a significant competitive advantage for tourism as well as for long - term stays. The Czech Republic is regularly rated as one of the most comfortable countries to live in and summer reviews have long recommended it for families with children.

Safety is the foundation of an unforgettable travel experience in the country. The fact that Czech Republic is one of the safest countries in the world allows the nation to offer visitors absolute peace of mind: the freedom to walk around Czech cities and towns at any time and enjoy the local culture without worries. This environment of safety and peace undoubtedly makes the country one of the most reliable destinations in the heart of Europe.

And an example of this: New record for Prague Castle in 2025 with 2.7 million visitors on its guided tours, the highest figure recorded so far, surpassing the record of 2019, when one million fewer attended.

According to Radio Prague International, most of the paying visitors were, as in previous years international tourists, while more than nine million people passed through the entire site, including the gardens.

Tourism revenue in the Czech Republic are reinvested in the conservation of the monument and in improvements in the safety and lighting of the site.

Link

https://infoturlatam.com/chequia-entre-los-paises-mas-seguros-del-mundo/

China | Launched a Mobile Museum Aboard a High - Speed Train

In China, a mobile museum was launched aboard a high - speed train. Passengers on the G - 848 train which travels from Lanzhou, the capital and largest city of Guansu province in northwest China, serving as a key historic hub on the silk road and a modern transportation link on the Yellow River to Guangzhou, formerly known as Canton, China’s third - largest city, and a major, historic, subtropical port on the Pearl River in Guandong Province, will be able to visit the collection of nine museums featuring cultural relics and interpreters during a journey along a route of more than 2.600 kilometres.

The travelling museum was established through the collaboration of the Lanzhou Railway Administration, the Gansu Department of Culture and Tourism and the provincial cultural heritage bureau. 

This initiative, part of a broader effort to blend cultural heritage with travel during the Spring Festival rush, and allows passengers to experience exhibitions, including traditional customs while on the move.

Passengers on the train, can get to know the culture of Gansu province thanks to this mobile museum that operates in the convoy under the concept “one wagon - one museum - one theme” as reported by the digital People’s Daily. 

On display in the wagons are reproductions of frescoes, memorabilia, and artwork showing polychrome potter, bamboo tablets from the iconic Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), paleontological fossils and other representatives artifacts. 

For passengers, 22 guides from different museums take tours of the carriages, where interactive areas were organized with workshops of printing frescoes, sealing bamboo tablets, making bookmarks with images of artifacts and presentations of popular songs, as well as informative brochures on regional culture. 

Key Details of the Initiative: 

•    Location/Route: Train G848 travelling between Lanzhou West Railway Station and Guangzhou South Railway Station. 
•    Cultural Context: Nine national first – grade museums from Gansu province contributed to the exhibition, highlighting local cultural heritage. 
•    Purpose: The initiative brings history and culture directly to passengers, allowing for an immersive experience, especially during the busy Spring Festival travel period. 
•    Context: This is part of a growing trend in China to enhance train journey by integrating regional, cultural, and even photographic elements into rail travel. 

In addition to this, other cultural and themed trains have been introduced in China, such as the “Starlight  · Yanzhao” sightseeing train and other immersive cultural tourism trains. 

Link 

https://tvbrics.com/es/news/en-china-lanzaron-un-museo-itinerante-a-bordo-de-un-tren-de-alta-velocidad/

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) | To Develop a New Tree of Life Resort in Nashik, India

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), a hospitality firm part of Tata Group and based in Mumbai has signed an agreement to develop a new Tree of Life resort in Nashik, an ancient holy city within the state of Maharashtra in western India, situated on the banks of Godavari River, known for being one of the most relevant Hindu pilgrimages sites, as that of Kumbh Mela which is held every 12 years, and famous for its links to the “Ramayana” epic poem.

The hotel will open its doors in the area of Trimbakeshvar, a site  set against the backdrop of the Western Ghats, noted for its scenic trails, landscapes, and waterfalls, and famous for the Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, a destination for pilgrims and penance for centuries, drawing flowers looking for comfort and spiritual fulfilment. Here, pilgrims perform age - old rituals and make prayers to Lord Shiva to obtain blessings for themselves and their loved ones among the hallowed shrines and holy waters.

Nashik has become a relevant destination for travellers for travellers from Mumbai and Pune, offering a mix of adventure, nature, and spirituality.

The project is being developed in partnership with Onzal Farms LLP, a firm based in Nashik dedicated to development in the hospitality industry,  represented by Dr. Milind Pimprikar, Sr. Vijaya Shelke, Dr. Shubhangi Pimprikar, and Mrs. Shreeys Shelke (Patel).

The resort will feature 49 rooms on more than three acres, with amenities including an all - day dining restaurant and bar, a meeting room, a swimming pool, and a spa.

The property will join Tree of Life Resorts & Hotels, a collection of boutique properties in India, acquired by Ambuja Neotia Group and managed by IHCL, offering tranquil, experiential stays in serene, offbeat locations across India, focusing on authentic local experience, wellness, and nature escapes, with plans to expand significantly. They provide curated getaways from city life, featuring unique properties from villas to resorts in places like Gujarat, Rajassthan, and Uttarakhand among others.

With the signing, The Indian Hotel Company Limited will have four hotels in Nashik, including two under construction. No opening date for the resort was provided.

Links

https://www.ihcltata.com/press-room/ihcl-announces-the-signing-of-a-tree-of-life-resort-in-nashik-maharashtra

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article140067.html