Whitbread PLC | Unveiled Plans to Open a 108 - Room Premier Inn Hotel in Hunstanton, North Norfolk, England, UK

Whitbread PLC, a British multinational hotel and restaurant company headquartered in Houghton Regis, England, UK has unveiled plans to develop a 108 - room Premier Inn hotel in Hunstanton, a quintessential Victorian seaside resort in North Norfolk, famous to be the only west - facing resort on England’s east coast, offering spectacular sunsets over The Wash.

The town, often dubbed “Sunny Hunny” combines old - world heritage with classic family entertainment and natural attractions like the famous 20 - metre - high cliffs reveal million of years of Cretacean history, composed of Carstone, red chalk and white chalk.

With a planning application expected to be submitted in he autumn, Premier Inn, part of Whitbread PLC, intends to invest in a multimillion – pound hotel development in a very attractive destination like Hunstanton, subject to planning approval.

 The proposed hotel would be located on Southend Road, a prime coastal location alongside major residential, tourism, and lifestyle developments on a section of the Seagate East Car Park. The coach park and the Honeystone Public House car park are not included in the proposed development site.

 Whitbread PLC is in early discussions with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk regarding the hotel’s design. If approved the Hunstanton Premier Inn would be the first of the brand to open its doors on the North Norfolk coast and the first to open in the county since the Great Yarmouth Seafront Premier Inn opened in 2019.

The proposal follows Whitbread PLC’s recent planning approval for the redevelopment of its Norwich Nelson hotel on 9 July and the company is also seeking additional sites for other Premier Inn hotels in the county of Norfolk.

The proposed Hunstanton Premier Inn aligns with the Borougjh Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s masterplan for the town, which is under public consultation until 27 July 2026. The masterplan aims to promote and diversify the town’s tourism offering.

Plans for the future hotel includes 108 rooms with the brand’s latest room design, including Premier Plus rooms, a guest - focused restaurant, and dedicated on - site car parking spaces.

 Whitbread PLC expects the hotel, once operational, to generate multi - million - pound benefits for the Hunstanton economy through staff salaries and year - round visitor expenditure. 

The hotel company has conformed it does not have any agreement with national government department to house asylum seekers at any of its trading Premier Inn or hub by Premier Inn hotels in the UK and Ireland.

Premier Inn currently operates close to 850 hotels across the UK. The company reports that its customers are split equally between leisure and business guests, with a higher proportion of leisure visitors expected at the Hunstanton  location due its seaside setting.

Link

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article142206.html

Hyatt Hotels Corporation | Announced the Opening of a 282 - Room Me and All by Hyatt Hotel in Leipzig, Germany

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, American multinational hospitality company based in Chicago, Illinois has announced the opening of a 282 - Room Me and All by Hyatt hotel in Leipzig, the largest city in the German state of Saxony, located in east - central Germany, approximately 150 km southwest of Berlin and 120 km northwest of Dresden at the junction of the White Elster,  Pleiße, and Parthe rivers.

Leipzig is a dynamic city renowned for its rich musical heritage linked to Johann Sebastian Bach, historic trade fair network, and vibrant art scene. Often dubbed “Hypezig,” the city features a unique combination of greatly preserved Renaissance architecture, expansive urban waterways, and former industrial spaces that have been transformed into modern creative hubs.

The launch of Me and All Hotel Leipzig by Hyatt marks the brand’s ongoing growth  in regional German markets and expanding its footprint within the country’s lifestyle segment.

The hotel is operated by the Lindner Hotel Group, a family owned hospitality company headquartered in Düsseldorf,  a group offers premium business and leisure - stays, urban lifestyle boutique, and luxury resorts across Europe, as part of its strategic collaboration with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. The property reflects the successful combination between Hyatt’s global brand expertise and Lindner’s deep understanding of the German hospitality market.

The hotel combines Bauhaus - inspired design, local culture and social experiences in the heart of Leipzig, located in Leipzig Zentrum - Ost, the eastern fringe of the the city centre, known for its blend of historic architecture, vibrant arts scene and cultural landmarks. It seamlessly connects the traditional downtown with the eastern neighbourhoods, making it a highly accessible and character - filled part of the city.

The hotel is located at Wintergartenstraße 15./17, just a 5 - minute wqalk from the Leipzig Markt S - Bahn station and a 11 - minute walk from Leipzig Central Station. The hotel places guests within easy reach of popular attractions, cultural institutions and business hubs. The historic Old Town, Leipzig Market Square, St. Thomas Church and the renowned Gewandhaus concert hall are all nearby, while Leipzig Central Station provides convenient connections across Germany and beyond.

The surrounding neighbourhood reflects Leipzig’s evolving identity as a hub for creativity, innovation and culture. Independent cafes, galleries, bars and event venues sit alongside a growing startup ecosystem, creating an energetic atmosphere that appeals to both visitors and locals.

The city is also recognized for major events including the Leipzig Book Fair and music festivals of relevance. Through collaborations with local partners, the hotel aims to become a vibrant meeting place within Leipzig’s creative scene, offering guests authentic connections to the destination beyond a traditional hotel stay.

Designed by Kitzig Interior Architects, an international interior and design firm headquartered in Düsseldorf, specializes in bespoke, storytelling - driven spatial concepts that seamlessly blend aesthetics with functionality in collaboration with Grimach Nogales Hochbauarchitekten, an architecture and design company also based in Düsseldorf, the hotel draws inspiration from the Bauhaus movement, one of Germany’s most influential design traditions, defined by the philosophy that “form follows function,” prioritizing minimalism, clean lines, and geometric shapes without ornamentation.

The hotel blends clean architectural lines with organic forms, creating spaces that feel both contemporary and welcoming.

A dynamic palette of colours, fluid shapes and thoughtfully selected materials runs throughout the hotel, reflecting the Me and All Hotels philosophy of individuality, creativity and local connection. Bauhaus - inspired artistic influence can be found throughout the property, creating an environment that celebrates both Leipzig’s cultural heritage and its forward - looking spirit.

At the heart of the property is Biladi & All, a vibrant social hub where hotel guests and locals come together to enjoy handcrafted drinks, authentic Neapolitan pizza and unforgettable experiences.

The culinary focus is on authentic Neapolitan pizza, prepared using traditional methods with carefully selected ingredients and long - fermented dough, then baked at high temperatures to achieve the characteristics light, airy crust and unmistakable flavour.

At the hotel lively bar and event venue, Biladi & All comes alive throughout the day and well into the evening. Guests can enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, local beers, and a carefully curated drinks selection, while regular DJ sessions, live entertainment and community events create an energetic yet welcoming atmosphere.

More than just a restaurant, Biladi & All is a place where food, music and people come together, reflecting the vibrant spirit of Leipzig and the Me and All Hotels brand.

Me and All Hotel Leipzig is designed as a true gathering place where locals and travellers naturally come together to work, meet, relax and experience the city. Its relaxed atmosphere reflects the brand’s community - driven approach, with regular programming and social experiences creating a dynamic environment throughout the day and in the evening.

Managing Director, EAME North, Hyatt, Michel Morauw said that Leipzig has emerged as one of Germany’s most exciting urban destinations, attracting creative talent, entrepreneurs, international businesses and cultural travellers alike. Me and All Hotel Leipzig perfectly captures the energy of the city through its vibrant social spaces, design – led approach and strong connection to the local community. The opening reflects Hyatt’s continued focus on expanding its Lifestyle portfolio in sought – after destinations across Europe.

Links

https://www.hyatt.com/me-and-all-hotels/en-US/lejjl-me-and-all-hotel-leipzig?src=corp_lclb_google_seo_lejjl&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=lmr

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article142202.html

IHG Hotels & Resorts | Officially Opened a 229 - Room Kimpton Hotel in Shanghai, China

IHG Hotels & Resorts, British multinational hospitality company based in Windsor, England, UK, has officially opened a 229 - room Kimpton hotel in Shanghai, sprawling city on China’s central coast, a vibrant metropolis highlighted by a mix of historic architecture and futuristic skyscrapers, a major hub for business, culture, finance and technology, as well as a world - class shopping destination,   often called the “Magic City” or “Paris of the East” for its dynamic international feel of old and new.

Kimpton Nine Trees Shanghai opening marks the second Kimpton property in the city, part of IHG’ s exopansion in East Asia and China in key destinations like Shanghai, which welcomed a record 9.36 million inbound tourists (including both foreigners and travellers from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). This marked, a nearly 40% year - on - year increase. Of the total 7.14 million were international visitors, a nearly 50% surge from the previous year.

The property is conveniently located near Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA), in Fengxian, a livable eco - distrct in South Shanghai, known for its mix of expansive woodlands, lush urban greenery, forest parks, natural beaches and booming biopharma/ cosmetics industries, 42 km from downtown, it offers a relaxing retreat focused on ecology, wellness and local Jiangnan cultural heritage.

The hotel features 229 comfortable guestrooms and suites, including pool rooms, family - oriented accommodations and pet - friendly amenities.

The establishment offers three on - site food and beverage venues ; SOLA & LUNA provides all - day menus and a private dining space; SONG, a Chinese restaurant features 11 private rooms and serves fusion Jiangnan –Zhejiang cuisine, and the cockrtail bar ECHO located in a separate building within the hotel.

The EverNine Spa & Wellness facility covers 913 square metres and includes eight private treatment rooms, an indoor heated swimming pool, a shallow leisure pool, a 24 - hour fitness centre, multifunctional spaces, and an outdoor activity lawn. The outdoor plunge pool is integrated into the hotel’s landscaped area.

The Next Kids Club offers climbing zones, creative studios, and activity spaces. Zombilee Pet Park provides an open - air retreat for pets, with fencing, wash areas, and installations.

Additional facilities at the hotel include meeting and event space exceeding 2.150 square metres. The Ballroom spans approximately 1.200 square metres on the ground floor, with a sunlit outdoor lawn adjacent to it. Four multi - function rooms on the second floor are designed for board meetings, private dinners, and other event formats.

Guests at the property receive daily complimentary coffee and premium teas through Kimpton Kickstart, as well as a nightly Kimpton Social Hour with complimentary beer, wine, and chef - prepared bites in the lobby.

Kimpton Nine Trees Shanghai is part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Lifestyle & Luxury portfolio and joins Kimpton’s 87 hotels currently welcoming guests worldwide.

The Kimpton brand is characterized by hotels known for their boutique style, focusing on unique design, often incorporating local art and culture to create a distinctive environment, and highlighted by personalized service, as well as an immersive atmosphere.

Links

https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media/news-releases/2026/kimpton-nine-trees-shanghai-officially-opens-next-generation-wellness-escape-in-south-shanghai

https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article142204.html

The Dominican Republic | Senate Advances Two Key Bills to Boost Gastronomic and Health Tourism

The Dominican Republic’s Senate Tourism Commission is advancing two key bills to boost gastronomic and health tourism, declaring these segments as national priorities within the national tourism sector offerings.

With this move, the Dominican legislation seeks to create regulatory councils and strategic frameworks to boost international arrivals, diversify tourism offerings, and strongly promote its agricultural, gastronomic and medical sectors.

The Caribbean country is actively working to place gastronomic tourism into the top list of its offerings with various proposals and establish a National Council for the Development of Health Tourism (CONDETUSA), highlighting its notable quality services with affordable costs in the medical sector.

The commuissions chaired by Senator Ginnette Bournigal de Jiménez reviewed amendments to both initiatives to refine the legislation before submitting favourable reports to the Senate for consideration.

The Gastronomic Tourism Bill, proposed by Senator Rafael Barón Duluc Rijo, aims to establish culinary routes, preserve traditional recipes, and position the Dominican Republic as a top - tier Caribbean culinary destination, expanding then country’s tourism offering and supporting local economic development. It highlights that food and dining account for approximately 40% of global tourism spending.

The Health Tourism Bill submitted by Senator Daniel Rivera is designed to formalize standards for medical and wellness tourism. By creating CODETUSA, a specialized regulatory and advisory body, the country aims to capitalize on its high – quality, cost – competitive healthcare services to attract medical travellers, promote health tourism nationwide while declaring the sector a national priority.

Lawmakers said the initiatives are intended to provide stronger legal frameworks to diversify the Dominican Republic’s tourism industry and enhance its competitiveness globally.

Link

https://dominicantoday.com/dominican-senate-advances-bills-to-boost-gastronomic-and-health-tourism/

Algeria | Reviewing its Visa - on - Arrival Scheme as Tourist Arrivals Grow

Algeria is revviewing its Visa - on - Arrival Scheme as tourist arrivals grow. The Ministry of Tourism and Handicraft of the North African country has begun reviewing  the scheme for internatiomnal tourists as part of wider efforts to boost the country’s tourism competitiveness.

Introduced in 2023 for travellers visiting the southern Saharan regions, the initiative has so far welcomed almost 39.000 visitors from 190 nationalities, according to Tourism Minister Houria Meddahi.

Algeria targeted a record 4 million visitors in 2025, an increase following a benchmark of approximately 3.5 million tourists in 2024. Last year’s figures were heavily driven by the country’s vast desert, accounting for around 2.5 foreign nationals and 1 million members of the Algerian  diaspora returning to the country.

The government is actively pushing to open up its market, aiming to reach 12 million visitors by 2030. To support this growth, a significant infrastructure drive is in program to iincrease accommodation capacity across the nation alongside a diversification of tourist products.

Supporting this ambitious objective, the Algerian government says that the visa - scheme, has played an important role in supporting sustainable tourism development and increasing the appeal of Ageria’s desert destinations.

Officials are now evaluating the programme and exploring further improvements as the country continuesd its broader strategy to expand international tourism and strengthen the sector’s contribution to local economic growth.

Link

https://atta.travel/resource/algeria-reviews-visa-on-arrival-scheme-as-tourist-arrivals-grow.html

Bolivia | Established an Agreement with Chile on Cooperation Mechanism to Manage Shared Waters

Bolivia has established an agreement with Chile on cooperation mechanism to manage shared waters, a project that aims of strengthening bilateral cooperation, preserving high Andean ecosystems and jointly facing the challenges of climate change.

According to Vision 360, a Bolivian digital media outlet based in La Paz, the two South American countries agreed to create a binational mechanism for cooperation and management of shared waters during the IV Meeting of the Binational Roundtable on Transboundary Water Resources held in the Bolivian capital La Paz.

During the meeting, a work agenda was also consolidated that gives continuity to the technical process for the delimitation of transboundary basins, with special attention to the pilot basin of the Lauca River, a 255 - kilometre binational waterway originating in the Cotacotani lagoons within Chile’s Lauca National Park crossing the Andes into the Bolivian Altipiano before terminating in the Coipasa salt flat.

The governments of the two countries resumed relations after years of tensions stemming from disputes over the sea and water of the Silala, a river arising from springs in Bolivia and following naturally westward into Chile, at the International Court of Justice.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Carlos Paz, stressed that the shared basins should be conceived as spaces for cooperation and strengthening mutual trust, while the Consul General of Chile in La Paz, Roberto Ruiz, highlighted the importance of consolidating the Binational Table as a permanent mechanism for political and technical articulation.

Link

https://tvbrics.com/es/news/bolivia-y-chile-acuerdan-mecanismo-de-cooperaci-n-para-gestionar-aguas-compartidas/

Kenya | Targeting Five Million International Tourist Arrivals Annually to Drive Foreign Exchange Growth

Kenya through the Tourism Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok has announced a government target to double international tourist arrivals from the current 2.7 million to five million annually, citing tourism as the country’s leading foreign exchange earner, projected to drastically boost the roughly $3.86 billion currently generated by the sector.

Speaking in Eldoret, a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya, capital of Uasin Gishu County lying south of the Cherang’s any Hills, the Tourism Principal Secretary announced this ambitious goal highlighting that each international visitor contributes an average of Sh300.000 (approximately US$3.000) to the country, meaning current arrivals already generate significant national revenue, with the proposed increase set to substantially boost these figures.

Beyond foreign exchange, the official underscored tourism broader economic impact, noting that every international tourist supports an estimated 11 jobs across the tourism value chain and he called on young Kenyans to pursue careers and entrepreneurial opportunities within the sector, pointing to established hospitality and tourism training institutions as well as small - scale visitor - oriented businesses as viable entry points,  reinforcing the sector’s potential to drive inclusive economic growth alongside technology as one of Kenya’s key growth industries.

The push for 5 million annual visitors is supported by several key initiatives and projections:

·      The eTA System: The rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) visa framework is designed to ease global entry process, as well as boosting regional integration.

·       Diversification of Tourism: The Government is aggressively expanding beyond traditional wildlife safaris and beach holidays into MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), promoting eco – tourism, agro – tourism, tea and coffee tours sports, wellness, and cultural tourism.

·       Aggressive Global Marketing: Transitioning to experience – led marketing such as the “Experience Wonder” campaign and utilizing smart digital tools like the Magical Kenya Souvenir Passport to build longer, multi – regional itineraries.

·       Ecosystem and Community Protection: Balancing increased capacity with conservation science and sustainability to ensure iconic landscapes and local communities are not damaged by unchecked expansion.

·       Safety and Security: Strengthening the Tourism Police (TPU) and increasing cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the National Police Service to guarantee visitor safety.

Link

https://atta.travel/resource/kenya-sets-five-million-tourist-target-to-drive-foreign-exchange-growth.html