Patrick Whyte

A prolonged period of uncertainty over Catalonia's future does nobody any favors. The region and the city of Barcelona have endured a difficult 2017 and it will be interesting to see if this has any impact on tourism in 2018.

Unbundling has been one of the biggest buzzwords in the airline industry in recent years, and for good reason. Full-service carriers like Delta think it is a great way to hit a broader range of consumers, but it doesn't come without its risks.

It is easy to see why Lufthansa, which sells flights and ancillary services, would be interested in blockchain. Airlines, hotels and tour operators might be able to use blockchain to dramatically reduce their distribution costs. At this stage, it is hard to tell how close this is to being a reality, and how fearful online travel agents and others should be.

Coming together and trying to carve out a deal from the UK government makes sense for the tourism industry. The only problem with that is the country's looming separation from the European Union, which is casting a shadow over its political and economic future.

While some of the deals done by AccorHotels have raised eyebrows, this one seems like a good strategic fit. The Orient Express brand is known the world over and will give AccorHotels a greater presence in the luxury space.

While there might be too many European airlines, Monarch's demise shouldn't necessarily be seen as being symptomatic of wider industry problems. Like Alitalia and Air Berlin before it, the UK-based airline and tour operator had plenty of self-inflicted wounds that were exacerbated by external issues.

Delta's move will delight plenty of its passengers and the promise of better Wi-Fi to come is even better news. But please set your phones on silent while you’re texting.

It's clear that Redzepi's stints in Japan, Australia, and Mexico have been crucial in helping him develop new ideas. The new Noma will be very different from the old one, but that's a good thing.

Hilton's plan for an urban micro-brand is certainly intriguing, but we'll have to wait until next year for more details.

With privacy and data protection becoming bigger issues for consumers, it's not a surprise to see the European Union step up its regulation. Travel companies all over the world should be paying attention.