Skift Travel News Blog

Berlin-based hospitality brand Numa Group has acquired Dutch aparthotels operator YAYS Group from Proprium Capital Partners. The companies did not disclose details of the deal. 

But the deal was likely funded with Numa’s latest fundraising round in September. Numa raised $59 million and said the funds will be used for expansion across Europe. 

Together the combined entity holds over 5,200 units. 

YAYS Group operated 489 units across the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, which will now be added to Numa’s portfolio. YAYS Group was taken over by Proprium Capital Partners in 2017. 

Numa was founded in 2019 by Christian Gaiser, Dimitri Chandogin, Gerhard Maringer, and Inga Laudiero. Gaiser’s isn’t new to hospitality — growing up in a family hotel in the Black Forest in Germany. Meanwhile the other co-founders come from financial services.

Its portfolio consists of 4,500 units, in ten countries and across 28 major European cities including Berlin, Munich, Rome, Milan, Barcelona and Paris. Its latest addition being 24 units in two properties in Madrid. 

​​A new tool has been launched by Qantas to help small and medium sized Australian businesses manage their travel requirements.

The new service will allow users to streamline the travel management process – from booking flights and hotels to implementing travel policies – whilst providing real-time data and analytics to manage costs and prepare expense reports.

Developed based on feedback from existing members of the Qantas Business Rewards program, the new tool will be available as part of the program in addition to the existing benefits.

“We’ve been listening to our Qantas Business Rewards members who have told us that making it easier to manage their business travel will add more value to the program,” said Olivia Wirth, CEO of Qantas Loyalty in a release. 

“The investment we’re making in Qantas Business Rewards will provide Australian businesses with a one-stop platform to manage their business travel needs and make the most of their rewards.”

The new tool was successfully trialed in August, and has now been rolled out to all program members.

Turkish Airlines is moving forward with plans to spin off its leisure brand Anadolujet next year as its own airline, AJet.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, AJet will launch as an independent airline with its own operating certificate at the end of March. Anadolujet, while its own brand, has operated as part of Turkish Airlines since its launch in 2008. The new AJet will maintain bases at the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and Ankara airports.

“We fully believe that AJet, with its new name, will become an important part of the low-cost aviation industry on global scale,” Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat said.

Turkish has big plans for AJet. Earlier this year, it unveiled a 10-year business plan that calls for significant capacity growth at the discounter and a fleet of roughly 200 narrowbody aircraft — either Airbus A320neo-family jets or Boeing 737 Maxes — by 2033. To put that in context, Anadolujet operated just 87 planes at the end of September. Future AJet destinations include Cairo, Casablanca, Madrid, Muscat, and Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

“The low-cost arm of Turkish Airlines will have quite a growth story to tell potential investors; a growth story impressive even by the superlative standards of its globetrotting parent,” Airline Weekly analyst Jay Shabat wrote earlier this year on the plans for Anadolujet.

AJet, despite having the backing of major global carrier Turkish Airlines, still faces a competitive market. Pegasus Airlines is Turkey’s leading budget airline, as well as the largest at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen airport, and Lufthansa-Turkish Airlines joint venture SunExpress caters to holiday travelers to Turkey’s beach markets.

And Turkey’s major airports, including main gateway IGA Istanbul Airport, are actively courting budget airlines for new flights.

The Atlantis The Royal resort in Dubai has appointed a managing director. The property’s long-time SVP and general manager, Tom Roelens, takes on the role, who has led the mega-resort since its pre-opening phase.

Roelens joined Atlantis The Royal in January 2020, taking charge of 795 guestrooms and suites, 231 private residences and 17 restaurants. He also played a pivotal role in the resort’s grand opening party where Beyonce held a private concert.

Prior to joining Atlantis Dubai, Roelens spent more than 20 years with Four Seasons.

His move up to managing director comes at a time where Atlantis Dubai is shifting around its leadership team and moving more towards global operations. In October, Timothy Kelly was named president of Atlantis Global – a clear sign the group is planning more hotels beyond Dubai.

Kelly now oversees Atlantis Dubai, Sanya and the expansion of the Atlantis brand globally. This puts him in charge of both Atlantis The Palm and Royal, and the China hotel.

In May of this year, Kelly told Bloomberg he wants as many as four more Atlantis hotels around the world. “We’re hoping this year to earmark a couple of deals,” he said, adding that the company is looking at Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North America.

Amazon launched what one executive said was its “first-ever” Cyber Week Travel Deals.

Amazon’s travel deals hub offered sales from the likes of American Airlines, Disney, Universal, Budget, Choice, Avis, IHG and Carnival, for example.

American Airlines, for instance, was offering a Black Friday deal of $89 for a one-way Philadelphia to Charlotte flight on January 24, for instance.

The ads appeared on Amazon.com in its travel deals hub, and when users clicked on an ad, then Amazon directed them to the supplier website.

Amazon offers flights in India in partnership with MakeMyTrip, but doesn’t currently have a U.S.-oriented travel offering.

Six Senses Southern Dunes, the Red Sea has officially opened in Saudi Arabia.

The Foster + Partners designed resort features 36 guest rooms and 40 pool villas that have been strategically placed to embrace the expansive views of the surrounding Arabian Desert.

According to Six Senses, the architecture and landscaping of the resort has been designed to ‘reflect the harmonious coexistence between Nabataean cultural roots and contemporary amenities,’ with the interiors reflecting the ‘tones and textures of the sandy dunes and soft furnishings drawing from the rich colors and patterns of traditional Bedouin tribal dress.’

Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea also aims to be the first LEED Platinum resort in Saudi Arabia, through a number of initiatives including electricity produced at a dedicated solar farm, a plastic-free policy, and chef’s garden for growing produce.

“Everything we’re doing here reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation, while also pushing the boundaries of adventure and wellness. This part of the world holds much intrigue for visitors and immense potential for regenerative tourism. We aim to showcase the unique beauty and cultural richness of this region, while promoting sustainable tourism practices that contribute to economic growth and heritage conservation,” said Fredrik Blomqvist, general manager of Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea in a press release.

In a strategic move to jumpstart its tourism sector, China has declared temporary exemption from visa requirements for citizens from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia.

Announcing this on Friday, the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, Mao Ning said the exemption period is set to last from December 1 to November 30, 2024.

Citizens from these six countries would be allowed to visit China for various purposes, including business, tourism, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, or transiting, for a period of up to 15 days without the need for a visa.

China’s recent initiatives to facilitate travel extend beyond this announcement. Just last week, the country broadened its visa-free transit policies to include 54 countries, with Norway as the latest addition. Foreign travelers transiting through China to visit a third country, can enjoy a six-day stay in specific Chinese cities without the hassle of obtaining a visa.

According to the National Immigration Administration, by the end of October, the number of foreigners visiting China had surged to 26.51 million.

China International Culture Association recently inked a three-year memorandum of understanding with online travel company Trip.com Group to promote inbound tourism.

Part of this collaboration involves supporting the Nihao! China campaign, an initiative launched by the China International Culture Association. The campaign aims to cultivate and promote cultural exchanges.

In a bid to enhance the overall visitor experience, Trip.com Group will also collaborate closely with Chinese cultural centers, tourism boards, and other organizations, working together to showcase the diverse and enriching tourism experiences that China has to offer. As China opens its doors, these collaborative efforts aim to position the country as a premier destination for global travelers.

Over the next three years, Trip.com Group had said it plans to invest in platform technology, marketing and promotion, and product integration to accelerate the development of inbound tourism in China.

With less than three months to go until the Super Bowl LVIII touches down in Las Vegas, the destination has launched a new campaign urging football fans to ‘celebrate excessively’ during its inaugural stint as host city.

As part of the campaign, which has been created by R&R Partners, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has launched an official petition on Change.org, proposing that ‘everyone in Las Vegas must be allowed to celebrate freely on February 11, 2024.’

You can view the petition here, which at the time of writing has 137 signatures.

As part of the campaign, an original track and music video has been released featuring Grammy-nominated artist Tobe Nwigwe and former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. You can view the video below: 

“Las Vegas is built for celebration,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) in a press release. 

“People come to Vegas because they know that the excitement surrounding the game is just as important as the game itself. Whether they travel to watch the game in person or at a viewing party, fans know they will be surrounded by energy that is simply unmatched anywhere else in the world. As we prepare to welcome the Super Bowl for the first time, we are determined to show the world that when it comes to celebration, Las Vegas is in a category of one.”

When overdoing the celebrations at sporting events is usually discouraged, it is interesting to see Las Vegas take ownership of its status as the ‘home of Excessive Celebration.’

Foster + Partners has released concept images of its design for the pavilion for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at Expo 2025, taking place in Osaka, Japan.

The pavilion will be located on the Yumeshima waterfront, and has been designed to create a ‘spatial experience that echoes the exploration of Saudi Arabian towns and cities,’ according to a release from Foster + Partners.

The pavilion has taken inspiration from the organic textures and shapes of traditional Saudi villages, and will be built around a central courtyard – called the ‘Saudi Courtyard’ – which will provide a space for quiet reflection during the day whilst transforming into a venue for performances and events at night. 

From the courtyard, visitors will be able to explore a series of meandering ‘streets’ that will provide entry to a number of immersive spaces.

The pavilion, which will have the ability to be ‘deconstructed and reassembled, or completely reconfigured, to meet different requirements in a future location,’ will also be made from low carbon materials, and feature a host of sustainable features.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky was actively involved in advocating for and advising ousted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in the run-up to his reinstatement “in principle” to the generative AI company, according to multiple published reports. OpenAI announced that deal for Altman’s return Tuesday.

Skift reported earlier in the week about the close years-long friendship between Altman and Chesky, and that the Airbnb CEO could be in line for an OpenAI board seat if Altman indeed returned.

The Information reported Thursday that Chesky was among a small pack of Silicon Valley heavyweights working behind the scenes for Altman’s return to the company he co-founded.

“Among them was Brian Chesky, the well-known co-founder and CEO of travel behemoth Airbnb, who has spent the past five days as a behind-the-scenes adviser to Altman,” The Information story said. “At one point he even acted like a media spokesperson by tweeting, and then deleting, a post saying that Altman and his OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman would soon have a statement to share.”

The Information added: “Chesky’s backing became one of Altman’s most important in the saga. Chesky was among the small circle of tech insiders on Tuesday negotiating for Altman’s return and for the composition of a new board of directors, a person familiar with the matter said.”

That story also said that Chesky wasn’t a favorite to win a highly coveted slot on a reconstituted OpenAI board precisely because Chesky and Altman are so tight.

After the sudden ousting last week, the OpenAI board has agreed “in principle” Tuesday for Altman to return as CEO. A new board is being instituted and will include former Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo and the former Salesforce CEO Bret Taylor as the chair.

In an X post, OpenAI’s account wrote, “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo. We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.”

Sam Altman added: “i love openai, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. when i decided to join msft on sun evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. with the new board and w satya’s support, i’m looking forward to returning to openai, and building on our strong partnership with msft.”

Skift Executive Editor Dennis Schaal contributed to this report.