Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, announced a strategic joint venture with PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR) to launch a new budget hotel brand, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued growth and expansion into new market segments. Through this partnership, Centara and OR will develop a network of budget hotels located adjacent to PTT Station service complexes, creating a convenient and accessible accommodation option for modern travellers. The collaboration combines Centara’s hospitality expertise with OR’s extensive nationwide network of service stations and lifestyle retail spaces.

Radisson Hotel Group has reached a significant milestone in Africa, with more than 100 hotels across the continent in operation and under development. Radisson Blu continues to anchor the legacy footprint. At the same time, the Radisson brand is the fastest riser, supported by a strong conversion engine and a concrete pipeline that continues to translate into openings. Building on this momentum, the Group has signed over 15 new hotels and roughly 2,500 rooms in the last 12 months, including new market entries in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe.

Club Travalia continues to grow its curated All-Inclusive Resort Collection with the addition of four highly sought-after resorts across Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. These new additions reflect the Club’s ongoing commitment to offering members flexible, experience-driven vacations in destinations that consistently deliver value, comfort, and memorable stays.

In a town built on storytelling, Key West has found a new way to carry one of its most iconic legacies forward. Just a Few Friends Key West, taking place September 3–7, 2026, has quickly evolved from a local grassroots tribute into a national pilgrimage for those drawn to the lifestyle Jimmy Buffett made famous. More than a festival, the five-day Labor Day weekend celebrating the life, legacy, and lore of Key West’s favorite son transforms the entire island into a stage, featuring free performances by CMA winners, Grammy-nominated songwriters, and legendary Coral Reefers.

As generative AI becomes a bigger part of how people search for and plan trips, new research from travel marketing agency Dune7 and boutique market research firm Flesh & Bone suggests the next frontier is already emerging: letting AI actually book travel on a consumer’s behalf. In an online study of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18+ who traveled by plane in the past 12 months, 71% said they are interested in using an AI travel assistant that can search, compare, select, and book travel based on their preferences.

This spring and summer, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Office of Tourism (IOT) will highlight some of the best of the state’s warm-weather adventures in an updated advertising campaign inspiring people to “Meet in the Middle.” Giving the existing “Middle of Everything” platform a fresh twist, the new creative showcases Illinois as a place where experiences, cultures, and people truly come together because of its variety, whether it’s a big city or an area of natural beauty.

Matrix Fitness has renewed its partnership with the International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) for a second year, reinforcing the company’s continued focus on the global luxury hospitality sector and its commitment to supporting premium hotel brands worldwide. Through this partnership, Matrix will continue collaborating with hotel owners, operators, and developers across the ILHA network while contributing leadership and insights on fitness and wellness.