Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed on Friday that two attacks had targeted airport facilities and an aircraft belonging to the national carrier. Several Saudi citizens and residents of other nationalities were injured, with injuries ranging from minor to serious, according to the authority.

Emergency teams responded under the airport’s approved emergency plans, and those injured were taken to hospital. GACA said it was coordinating with security authorities to assess the damage and protect passengers and staff.

Statement from #Saudia https://t.co/2pXOpwIgTs

— Saudia Group | مجموعة السعودية (@SaudiaGroup) October 9, 2026

Cause of aircraft fire remains unclear

The aircraft was parked near a terminal when it caught fire. Three people briefed on the incident told Reuters that it may have been struck by shrapnel from an intercepted missile or another projectile. No passengers were believed to be on board.

Reuters verified footage showing smoke rising from the airport by comparing buildings, lighting structures and tarmac markings with satellite imagery. However, the precise cause of the aircraft fire remains unconfirmed.

Footage from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh appears to show an aircraft destroyed in a Houthi missile attack. https://t.co/VtQOfwFCeZ

— Quick updates (@unseen_updates) October 8, 2026

Reports suggesting the aircraft could be a hull loss have not been supported by an official write-off announcement. Neither the airline nor the authorities have published a detailed assessment establishing whether the aircraft can be repaired.

Saudia separately announced the death of Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami following the incident at King Khalid International Airport. The airline has not established publicly whether he was aboard the damaged aircraft when the fire broke out.

Lufthansa and Indian airlines suspend services

The attacks prompted international airlines to suspend Riyadh services. Lufthansa Group announced a suspension through 16 October, while Air India and Akasa Air cancelled flights through 10 October. IndiGo suspended services through 9 October.

An Air India flight travelling from Delhi to Riyadh returned to the Indian capital on Thursday. The cancellations extended the disruption to connections between Saudi Arabia, Europe and India.

According to Cirium figures cited in the supplied reports, almost half of Riyadh’s scheduled departures had been cancelled by 3:00 pm GMT on Thursday.

Riyadh Airport is closed again. No flights have landed or taken off in the past hour. So far today, 124 flights have been cancelled. https://t.co/oIzLAYAQFO

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) October 9, 2026

In an update on Friday afternoon, Saudi civil aviation authorities said air traffic at Riyadh airport had returned to normal. Reuters also reported a gradual resumption of flights, including services operated by some Middle Eastern airlines. Airport operations resuming does not necessarily mean suspended international routes have restarted.

Further attacks threatened

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on Riyadh airport, saying it was responding to Saudi support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

The latest fatalities were separate from earlier attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports, which reportedly killed three people and injured 36 others.

The Houthis have threatened further strikes against Saudi airports and energy infrastructure, adding uncertainty for airlines operating in the region.

L’article Saudia aircraft damaged in Riyadh airport attacks that killed three est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Recommendations adopted on Monday evening, 5 October, received 34 votes in favour, none against and seven abstentions. They follow the European Commission’s High-Speed Rail Action Plan, presented in November 2025, which aims to deliver a faster, better-connected European network by 2040.

MEPs describe high-speed rail as a strategic asset for the EU’s competitiveness, territorial cohesion and climate objectives. Their recommendations focus on creating a network that works across borders, connects with other forms of transport and delivers value for passengers and public investment.

The newly launched high-speed rail plan is not just about cutting travel times, it’s about uniting Europeans. The plan seeks to harmonise a truly interoperable European high-speed rail network. Find out more: https://t.co/wDhOxLCGPn #EUTransport #ConnectingEurope #TEN_T https://t.co/OV4imgkMDc

— EU Transport (@Transport_EU) November 26, 2025

Connecting regions, not just capitals

The committee advocates a “network-first” approach, integrating high-speed infrastructure with regional rail, urban public transport, walking and cycling routes, and major transport hubs.

Rather than concentrating solely on links between EU capitals, MEPs want the network to serve major cities across Europe’s regions and key neighbouring countries. Access could come through direct high-speed services or effective connections to the wider network.

The aim is to improve connectivity in peripheral and less-developed regions while reducing territorial disparities. The report also calls for completion of the trans-European transport network, known as TEN-T, and identification of missing links, abandoned or underserved sections, and valuable cross-border connections.

As previously reported by Travel Tomorrow, the Commission’s plan could transform five major European rail routes, including connections between Berlin and Copenhagen and Lisbon and Madrid.

Dedicated funding for expansion

MEPs want existing and future EU funds used more effectively to support high-speed rail development. They call for adequate, dedicated funding in the EU’s next long-term budget, covering 2028–2034.

Their recommendations include preserving and strengthening the Connecting Europe Facility, alongside support for investments promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion through National and Regional Partnership Plans.

More than €100 billion from EU programmes has been allocated to rail infrastructure projects since 2014, according to the Parliament’s press release. However, Europe’s major railway tunnel projects illustrate the scale of the infrastructure work and delivery challenges involved.

More affordable fares and clearer ticketing

The committee also urges governments and railway operators to make high-speed travel more affordable through accessible fares, reduced-fare schemes and subscriptions. Lower and more predictable prices could attract additional passengers and encourage a shift towards rail.

MEPs want greater transparency in ticket pricing and welcome ongoing legislative work on the Commission’s Passenger Package to support more compatible European ticketing systems.

The recommendations build on efforts to simplify international journeys, including proposals for unified European rail booking.

The committee vote does not constitute final parliamentary approval. The non-binding resolution will now go before the full European Parliament during its second October plenary session.

L’article MEPs call for faster EU high-speed rail expansion and more affordable tickets est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The national park extends well beyond the 205-hectare Tervuren Park beside the AfricaMuseum. Its designation brings nature, heritage, agriculture and tourism into a shared regional project, with a long-term plan to strengthen, expand and connect natural habitats.

A landscape connected by nature and history

Brabantse Wouden’s masterplan covers the period 2024–2048, with particular attention to rare and sensitive animal and plant species. Connecting habitats involves both extending natural areas and reducing the barriers created by roads and other infrastructure.

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Agriculture also has a place in this landscape, through sustainable local food production and practices that support biodiversity. The partnership involves twelve municipalities, including Tervuren, with cooperation addressing issues such as drought and flooding.

Alongside its forests and valleys, the national park encompasses a cultural landscape shaped by centuries of settlement. Beersel Castle, dating from the 14^th century, is one example of the heritage found across the wider area.

Tervuren’s gateway to the Sonian Forest

Tervuren’s connection to the national park centres on the Sonian Forest, known in Dutch as the Zoniënwoud. Its avenues and branching paths provide options for short walks and longer excursions, with Tervuren Park forming one of its Flemish gateways.

Five strictly protected areas within the forest received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2017 as components of the transnational site, Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe. This designation applies to those specific reserves, rather than the entire forest or national park.

De Warandepoort visitor centre provides information for planning local excursions. During autumn, changing foliage adds a seasonal dimension to the walking routes around Tervuren, from pond-side paths to woodland trails.

A walking itinerary through the arboretum

Established in 1902, Tervuren’s geographical arboretum brings together trees and forest types arranged according to their geographical origins. The collection offers a different perspective on woodland, placing forest communities from different regions within a single walking destination.

The approximately seven-kilometre Royal Walk provides a structured itinerary through the Tervuren arboretum. Sequoias from western North America and araucarias from the Andes are among its distinctive trees.

The route can form the main excursion of a day focused on woodland, with a separate park walk or museum visit adding a cultural element.

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Combining parkland with architectural heritage

Tervuren Park brings together French gardens, ponds and wooded avenues on the former hunting grounds of the Dukes of Brabant. The 5.5-kilometre Warande Walk passes the AfricaMuseum, Africa Palace and Chapel of St Hubert, linking the estate’s natural surroundings with its historical landmarks. It features among six routes for discovering Tervuren on foot.

The baroque chapel dates from 1617, while the remains of the ducal palace recall the estate’s earlier role as a residence. The Africa Palace, formerly the Palais des Colonies, was built for the Brussels International Exposition of 1897. Today’s AfricaMuseum occupies a separate building inaugurated by King Albert I on 30 April 1910.

The exhibition’s collections formed the basis of a permanent museum established in 1898. Today, the institution combines scientific research with exhibitions on Central Africa’s societies, history and natural environments. Its reopening in 2018 followed five years of renovation.

Exploring beyond Tervuren

For a first visit, choosing the Royal Walk or Warande Walk as the main excursion creates a manageable day itinerary. A shorter alternative follows the 1.5-kilometre AfricaMuseum promenade between the museum and Tervuren’s church, with nine information panels explaining the institution’s connection to the town.

Longer stays allow time to explore the national park’s other landscapes, from Hallerbos near Halle to Meerdaalwoud and the Dijle Valley near Leuven. Tervuren provides an introduction to a regional destination whose forests, waterways, farmland and heritage can be explored over several outings.

L’article Discovering Brabantse Wouden National Park through Tervuren est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Organised by VISIT Vlaams-Brabant, the initiative combines beer tourism with walking and cycling, with several stops accessible by public transport from Brussels. Flemish Brabant’s brewing heritage is also gaining visibility beyond Belgium, with regional beers served on Brussels Airlines flights. 

Lambic owes its character to spontaneous fermentation involving wild yeasts from the air. Blending young and older lambics produces geuze, bringing together nature, time and craftsmanship. This October, breweries and blending houses across the region will host a range of events showcasing both the tradition’s history and its continued evolution.

1. Lambiek Fabriek: contemporary flavours beside the canal

Founded in 2016 by Jo Panneels and Jozef Van Bosstraeten, Lambiek Fabriek in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw takes an experimental approach to lambic. Its ram’s-head labels and “No Brett, No Glory” slogan reference Brettanomyces, the wild yeasts associated with these beers.

The range includes Rhub-Elle with rhubarb, Pluri-Elle with berries and Caram-Elle with roasted malt. The Lambiekland Passport also allows visitors to collect stamps at participating breweries and blending houses, turning individual outings into a broader exploration of the region.

2. Timmermans: centuries of brewing in Itterbeek

Operating since 1702, Timmermans is recognised as the world’s oldest lambic brewery. Its traditional wooden maturation vessels and cooling equipment now sit alongside a new visitor attraction, the Immersive Lambic Experience, introduced in March 2026.

Bus routes R10 and R16 serve the nearby Itterbeek Breugeldal stop, making the brewery accessible from Brussels. Timmermans can also be reached by cycling along the Brussels–Charleroi canal, offering visitors the option of combining a brewery visit with a scenic ride. For those who prefer to explore the area on foot, the 7.6-kilometre Bruegel Walk provides another way to discover the surrounding Pajottenland.

During Lambic Month, nearby Krok & Ko is also serving a “KROK LAMBIEK”, adding a food stop to the outing.

3. Boon: a family story and vintage bottles in Lembeek

Frank Boon championed traditional geuze when its future appeared uncertain in the 1970s. Today, his sons Jos and Karel continue the family business in Lembeek, where the brewery maintains its own cooperage.

A walk from Lembeek railway station brings visitors to the brewery, while the nearby 7.1-kilometre Alambic Walk explores the Zenne Valley.

A highlight this month is Boon’s Cellar Days, running from 16 to 18 October. Older geuze and kriek bottles, rarities and vintage tastings will be available, alongside additional bookable brewery tours. The event offers an opportunity to discover how these beers develop with age.

4. 3 Fonteinen: traditional craft with creative collaborations

At 3 Fonteinen, an emphasis on terroir and traditional methods leaves room for experimentation. Selected vintage blends feature artwork by Felix De Boeck, while a collaboration with Brussels rapper Zwangere Guy produced a grape lambic.

Its Lambik-O-Droom in Lot is within walking distance of the railway station. Free guided tours introduce the brewing process and maturation in wooden barrels. A visit can be paired with Belgian dishes in the brasserie, including shrimp croquettes and beef stew made with geuze.

For a longer outdoor excursion, a proposed 15-kilometre micro-adventure combines walking through the valley with packrafting on the Zenne.

5. Boerenerf: where lambic meets wine

At Boerenerf in Sollenberg, Senne Eylenbosch and Vincent Alluin explore the relationship between lambic and wine. The organic farm and blending house uses fruit grown on-site or sourced from local farmers, creating drinks that extend beyond familiar geuze and kriek styles.

Accessible on foot from Huizingen station, Boerenerf regularly hosts farm events and dinners with guest chefs, with upcoming dates listed in its agenda.

Another suggested pairing is the four-kilometre interactive beer walk through Halle, exploring the town’s brewing history and its association with Duivelsbier.

Together, the five stops offer different perspectives on lambic culture, from centuries-old brewing equipment to fruit-led experiments. The full Month of Lambic programme lists October activities across the region, with practical details for planning visits.

L’article 5 lambic breweries and blenders near Brussels to discover this October est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Speaking to Travel Tomorrow in an exclusive interview in Brussels, Sengstschmid, who has led the Azerbaijan Tourism Board since 2018, discussed the opportunities created by better connectivity, efforts to attract European travellers and the potential for tourism itineraries spanning several South Caucasus countries.

“Europe always has been a priority,” he said. However, building awareness and attracting visitors requires sustained engagement in a competitive market.

Four weekly flights from Brussels

As reported by Travel Tomorrow, Azerbaijan Airlines plans to launch four weekly flights between Baku and Brussels from 8 May 2027, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. 

For Sengstschmid, the Belgian connection forms part of a wider effort to make Azerbaijan easier to reach from European markets.

“Brussels is another chapter,” he said, pointing to the country’s connections with other European cities.

Yet flights alone cannot build a destination’s appeal. Sengstschmid argued that European travellers and tourism partners need a clearer understanding of Azerbaijan’s culture, history and identity.

Selling the destination involves explaining “what is Azerbaijan, what is the reality, what is people, what is the culture”, he said. That process takes time, particularly when established European destinations already compete strongly for visitors.

Connectivity remains a bottleneck

“What is important is the bottlenecks: connectivity and accessibility,” Sengstschmid said.

He explained that expanding air services also involves the regulatory framework governing international aviation. Bilateral agreements remain relevant to the development of routes, and he highlighted the interaction between passenger and cargo traffic rights as a consideration.

From the tourism board’s perspective, improving access is central to growth. A destination may have a varied offer, but turning interest into bookings depends partly on how easily visitors can get there.

The Brussels route therefore represents a practical opportunity to develop tourism links alongside the business and cultural exchanges that direct flights can support.

European stories across Azerbaijan

Sengstschmid also challenged the idea that Azerbaijan should be understood only through its position between larger neighbouring powers. He described a country with historical European connections that visitors can encounter through architecture, industrial heritage and former German settlements.

He pointed to the legacy of European architects in Baku, the activities of the Nobel and Siemens families, and German influences on the country’s wine industry.

Travelling across Azerbaijan, he said, reveals European stories “in crafts”, “in culture”, “in religion” and “a lot in architecture”.

These connections, in his view, offer familiar reference points for European visitors while introducing them to a distinct destination. He also highlighted the country’s religious diversity, describing Muslim, Christian and Jewish heritage as part of its tourism appeal.

From Formula 1 to health tourism

Azerbaijan’s European outreach sits alongside efforts to attract visitors through major events and specialised tourism experiences.

Baku’s 10 years of Formula 1 provided one recent opportunity. As Travel Tomorrow reported, Azerbaijan introduced a temporary visa-on-arrival arrangement for race ticket holders and accredited personnel, which ended on 30 September 2026. The initiative sought to facilitate visits and encourage fans to explore beyond the race weekend.

In the interview, Sengstschmid described major events as a way for international audiences to see visitors enjoying Baku, helping shape perceptions of the destination through the experience itself.

Meanwhile, health tourism has been incorporated into Azerbaijan’s State Programme on the Development of Tourism for 2026–2030. Plans include a dedicated strategy and action plan, international accreditation for medical tourism facilities and an annual Health Tourism Conference. The Azerbaijan Tourism Board has also joined the European Spas Association as an advisory member, strengthening links with European sector specialists. 

A wider South Caucasus itinerary

Looking further ahead, Sengstschmid sees potential for visitors to explore several South Caucasus countries within one journey, particularly travellers arriving from Asia or the Americas.

Drawing on his Austrian background, he compared that possibility with the established Vienna–Prague–Budapest itinerary, which allows visitors to experience several Central European capitals in one trip.

He envisages a similar appeal in the South Caucasus, subject to the resolution of border issues and the conditions needed for easier regional travel.

For Azerbaijan, the opportunity is to combine improved access with a stronger understanding of what the country offers. The forthcoming Brussels connection adds another entry point, while culture, heritage, events and health tourism provide reasons to explore further.

L’article “Europe always has been a priority,” says Azerbaijan tourism chief ahead of Brussels route est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Brussels Airport has confirmed the lengthy queues, which mainly affected passengers arriving from outside the Schengen Area and required to pass through passport control before entering Belgium.

The disruption was mainly linked to technical issues affecting EES, the EU’s biometric border registration system for non-EU nationals travelling for short stays. IT problems sometimes slowed down checks considerably, leading to exceptionally long waiting times.

The latest incident comes after months of warnings from airports and airlines about the impact of the new system on passenger flows across Europe.

From four-hour warnings to five-hour queues

The EES began its phased rollout in October 2025 and became fully operational across participating European borders in April 2026. It replaces the manual stamping of passports by electronically registering non-EU nationals entering and leaving the Schengen Area.

The system records travellers’ passport information, as well as biometric data including facial images and fingerprints. It is intended to modernise border management, identify overstayers and make it easier to detect cases of identity and document fraud.

Brussels Airport invested heavily in preparing for the system, installing 12 additional border control booths at arrivals, equipping 33 booths with facial-recognition cameras and providing 61 self-service pre-registration kiosks.

However, the rollout has repeatedly encountered operational problems.

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As early as February, Travel Tomorrow reported that ACI EUROPE, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) were warning that EES could result in queues of four hours or more during periods of heavy traffic.

The organisations pointed to insufficient staffing, technical problems with automated border systems and the limited deployment of pre-registration tools as key concerns.

Brussels Airport itself experienced an early warning of the system’s vulnerability in February, when an e-gate failure forced passport checks to be carried out manually, resulting in waits of up to 90 minutes.

The situation deteriorated as the proportion of travellers registered under EES increased. In March, Brussels Airport called for greater flexibility in the implementation of the system after waiting times reached two hours at departures and more than three hours at arrivals. Nearly 600 passengers missed flights over four days, according to the airport.

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More passengers sent to staffed border controls

One of the problems at Brussels Airport concerns how non-European passengers can use automated border infrastructure.

Until April, passengers from certain countries, including the United States, could register through EES kiosks and subsequently use automated gates to cross the border.

That is no longer possible, meaning more travellers now have to pass through staffed border-control posts. Combined with technical difficulties affecting EES, the change can create bottlenecks when large numbers of passengers arrive within a short period.

The airport says work is ongoing to find structural solutions to the congestion.

The issue comes as passenger traffic at Brussels Airport continues to grow. Around 5.2 million passengers were expected to use the airport during July and August alone, 4% more than during the same period in 2025.

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IATA warned of six-hour waits

The five-hour queues come only weeks after the aviation industry renewed its concerns about EES.

At an EU media briefing in Brussels on 3 September, IATA called for greater flexibility in the implementation of the system, arguing that airports should retain the possibility of partially suspending EES procedures when infrastructurecannot cope with passenger volumes.

The association identified four conditions it said were necessary for the system to operate reliably: adequate staffing at border crossings, stable hardware and software, functioning self-service kiosks and automated gates, and wider use of pre-registration tools.

Asked about previous industry warnings of queues lasting as long as six hours, Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s Senior Vice President for External Affairs, said such waiting times were “certainly not an exaggeration”, noting that extreme cases had already occurred during the summer.

The latest disruption at Brussels Airport appears to reinforce those concerns. While EES was designed to modernise Europe’s external borders and eventually make controls more efficient, its implementation continues to create significant operational challenges almost a year after its rollout began.

L’article Up to 5-hour queues hit Brussels Airport as EES border problems persist est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

All arrivals and departures at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport have been suspended until 11:59 pm local time on Monday, 28 September, according to airport operator SAC. The decision follows continued volcanic ash emissions from Mount Etna and weather conditions carrying ash into airspace used by aircraft.

Passengers have been advised to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before travelling to the airport, with further updates expected depending on volcanic activity and weather conditions.

The disruption began on Saturday, 26 September, when volcanic activity and weather conditions forced authorities to suspend both incoming and outgoing flights. Restrictions continued throughout Sunday before being extended again on Monday.

Catania is Sicily’s busiest airport and Italy’s fifth busiest by passenger traffic, making prolonged closures particularly disruptive for tourism and connectivity on the island.

A summer of disruption

The latest shutdown is far from an isolated incident. Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano, has caused repeated disruption at Catania throughout the summer of 2026.

On 14 September, flights were again suspended because of volcanic ash, just weeks after a much longer period of disruption in August.

As Travel Tomorrow reported in August, another eruptive phase forced Catania Airport to suspend incoming flights on 10 August after ash drifted into surrounding airspace. At the time, the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation was at red, the highest aviation colour code.

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The situation subsequently deteriorated. During the August disruption, the airport remained affected for five consecutive days, with hundreds of flights cancelled or rerouted during the peak Italian summer travel season. Reuters reported that 36% of nearly 2,000 flights scheduled to arrive in Catania between 6 and 12 August were cancelled, while more than 600 were diverted to airports including Palermo, Trapani, Comiso and Lamezia Terme.

That episode followed another major disruption on 7 July where around 130 flights were cancelled and approximately 50 diverted after an eruption sent large clouds of ash into the sky and forced the suspension of all arrivals and departures at Catania.

The problem predates this summer. In July 2024, another Etna eruption forced Catania Airport to suspend flights, affecting an estimated 15,000 passengers and resulting in around 90 initial cancellations. A similar situation ocurred in August 2023, when an eruption of Mount Etna once again forced the closure of Sicily’s main airport.

Why volcanic ash is dangerous for aircraft

Although Mount Etna erupts frequently, volcanic ash presents a specific risk to aviation. Fine ash particles can reduce visibility and enter aircraft engines, where the high temperatures can cause them to melt and potentially damage critical components.

“Volcanic ash can be a great risk for aircraft,” Boris Behncke, a researcher at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology’s Etna Observatory, previously explained. “It can be sucked into the motors, and force them to stall.”

The recurrent closures underline the challenge faced by Catania Airport, located around 30 kilometres south of the volcano, as Etna’s activity repeatedly intersects with one of southern Italy’s most important aviation and tourism gateways.

The latest disruption has also put additional pressure on other Sicilian airports. During the weekend, aircraft were diverted to Palermo, Comiso and Trapani, contributing to congestion elsewhere in the island’s transport network.

With the situation remaining dependent on volcanic activity, ash dispersion and wind direction, passengers travelling to or from Catania are advised to continue monitoring their airline’s information before heading to the airport.

L’article Mount Etna ash shuts Catania Airport for third consecutive day est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

That question was at the heart of World Tourism Day 2026, marked on Sunday, 27 September, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”. El Salvador hosted this year’s official celebrations, bringing together governments and tourism leaders to discuss the growing influence of digital technologies on the sector.

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In his message for World Tourism Day, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted both sides of the transformation.

AI, he said, is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the industry operates and how travel experiences are designed. The technology can strengthen small businesses, improve services and create new opportunities. Yet Guterres also issued a warning: left unchecked, it could “funnel tourists to the same few places and platforms”, leaving other destinations behind.

AI is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the industry operates & how travel experiences are designed.

Tourism workers, local communities & emerging destinations must help shape what comes next.

Let us build a digital future for tourism that is open, inclusive &…

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 27, 2026

The warning comes at a time when some of the world’s most popular destinations are already struggling to manage visitor numbers. Across Europe in particular, overtourism has become an increasingly important political and social issue, from pressure on housing and infrastructure to congestion and the impact of tourism on residents’ quality of life.

The concentration is significant. As Travel Tomorrow reported in July, just seven regions account for almost 20% of all nights spent in tourist accommodation across the European Union. Canarias, Jadranska Hrvatska, Île-de-France, Cataluña, Andalucía, Veneto and Illes Balears dominate the list.

AI could help spread tourism beyond the hotspots

AI could potentially become part of the solution.

Better data and predictive tools can help destinations understand visitor flows, anticipate periods of particularly high demand and encourage travellers towards different neighbourhoods, regions or seasons. Recommendation systems could also give smaller destinations and businesses access to travellers they previously struggled to reach.

The technology is already influencing those decisions. A study reported by Travel Tomorrow in August found that 54% of travellers had already used AI to plan a trip and 75% intended to do so in the future. Around 40% had discovered places through AI, while 29% had changed their destination based on AI recommendations.

When algorithms reinforce overtourism

But algorithms can also produce the opposite result.

If millions of travellers ask similar AI assistants for the “best” European city break, beach, restaurant or attraction, recommendations risk becoming increasingly concentrated around a relatively small number of highly visible places. Destinations that are poorly represented online, lack structured digital information or do not have the resources to compete for visibility could become even less discoverable.

The same challenge is already emerging in the accommodation sector. Hotels that spent years mastering search engine optimisation, online travel agencies and review platforms are now having to consider how they appear in AI-generated answers.

That makes the debate about AI in tourism not only technological, but also economic and political. Who determines which destinations appear in an AI-generated itinerary? How transparent are those recommendations? And how can small businesses and emerging destinations compete as travellers increasingly move from traditional search engines towards conversational AI?

The debate also comes at a particularly uncertain moment for international tourism. According to the latest UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals increased by just 0.4% during the first half of 2026, with around 690 million people travelling internationally.

Europe nevertheless remained resilient, welcoming almost 350 million international tourists, 3% more than during the same period last year. Travel Tomorrow reported last week that the Middle East conflict, higher oil prices, inflation and disruption to air connectivity were increasingly influencing where and how people travel.

Within the EU, Eurostat recorded 1.32 billion overnight stays in tourist accommodation during the first six months of 2026, an increase of 1.7% compared with the same period last year.

Managing tourism rather than simply attracting more

Europe therefore faces a challenge that is increasingly about managing tourism better, rather than simply attracting more visitors.

World Tourism Day 2026 offered an opportunity to consider whether AI can contribute to that shift.

Technology alone will not solve overtourism. But used intelligently, AI could help destinations better understand demand, spread visitors geographically and throughout the year, connect travellers with places outside established tourism hotspots and give smaller tourism businesses greater visibility.

The alternative is that the same technology designed to expand choice ends up narrowing it.

As Guterres put it in his World Tourism Day message, “Technology must serve humanity.” For tourism, that increasingly means ensuring that the algorithms helping decide where millions of people travel next also work for the communities and destinations receiving them.

L’article Can AI reshape tourism without worsening overtourism? World Tourism Day puts AI at the centre of tourism’s future est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, an estimated 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June 2026, around three million more than during the same period last year.

The figures represent a significant slowdown after international tourist arrivals increased by 4% in 2025, when 1.52 billion people travelled internationally, 60 million more than in 2024.

At the beginning of 2026, UN Tourism had expected international arrivals to grow by between 3% and 4% this year. High costs and geopolitical instability were already identified among the main risks to that outlook.

Growth reverses in second quarter

The latest figures show how quickly the international tourism environment changed during the first half of the year.

International arrivals increased by 2% during the first quarter of 2026 before declining by 1% in the second quarter. Arrivals fell by 3% in April, partly due to the timing of Easter, which started in March this year, as well as disruption linked to the Middle East conflict. Another 3% year-on-year decline was recorded globally in June.

Western Europe registered a particularly pronounced 6% fall during the month, partly attributed to heatwaves affecting some destinations. South-East Asia saw arrivals decline by 5%, reflecting weaker demand from Asian source markets, geopolitical tensions, disruption to air travel through the Middle East and higher travel costs.

Some destinations in Oceania were also affected by Typhoon Sinlaku during the second quarter.

“The latest data shows a sector absorbing real pressure and finding a way forward. Tourism has not stopped growing, but that growth is fragile,” said UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais.

She added that the Middle East situation had affected destinations far beyond the region itself, demonstrating the interconnected nature of international tourism and the need for destinations to strengthen their resilience.

Europe and Africa continue to grow

Despite the global slowdown, regional results remained highly uneven. Africa recorded the strongest growth during the first six months of the year, with international arrivals up 4%, followed by Europe at 3% and the Americas at 2%.

Europe’s performance reinforces a trend already highlighted by Travel Tomorrow. In July, European tourist arrivals were reported to be up 5% despite geopolitical tensions, according to European Travel Commission data. Travellers were becoming increasingly selective, with affordability, safety, proximity and value for money playing a greater role in destination choice.

The resilience has also been visible in aviation. European airport passenger traffic grew by 2.6% in the first half of 2026, despite the Middle East conflict, higher fuel prices and disruption linked to the EU’s Entry/Exit System.

Europe had already consolidated its position as the world’s largest tourism region in 2025, welcoming 793 million international visitors. More recent data has also shown demand shifting towards some less traditional destinations. As Travel Tomorrow reported in August, Czechia became Europe’s fastest-growing booked destination, with bookings increasing by 18% year-on-year.

Asia and the Pacific, meanwhile, recorded growth of just 1% between January and June and remained 11% below 2019 international arrival levels. North-East Asia performed comparatively strongly, growing by 3%, while South Asia declined by 5% and South-East Asia by 1%.

Middle East arrivals fall 22%

The largest decline was recorded in the Middle East, where international arrivals fell by 22% during the first half of 2026 as the region bore the direct impact of the conflict.

The deterioration marks a dramatic reversal for a region that had been one of the strongest drivers of the global tourism recovery. In 2025, the Middle East welcomed almost 100 million international visitors, 39% more than in 2019.

The scale of the potential disruption had already become apparent earlier in the year. In May, Travel Tomorrow reported that the Middle East could lose 23 million international visitors and almost $34 billion in tourism spending under an early-resolution scenario, according to Tourism Economics estimates. A prolonged conflict could result in losses of 38 million visitors and $56 billion in spending.

The consequences have extended beyond tourism destinations themselves, particularly into aviation. US airline fuel costs surged to $6.5 billion in April, a 78% increase compared with 2025, as the conflict drove up jet fuel prices.

The International Air Transport Association subsequently cut its forecast for combined airline net profits in 2026 to $23 billion, compared with an earlier projection of $41 billion and the $45 billion recorded in 2025.

Travellers increasingly looking for value

High travel costs are becoming another important factor shaping international demand. UN Tourism expects consumers increasingly to seek value for money, choose destinations closer to home or opt for domestic travel as elevated prices and uncertainty influence travel decisions.

Evidence of that shift is already emerging across Europe. Despite strong overall demand, travellers have increasingly looked towards destinations perceived as more affordable or offering alternatives to traditional Mediterranean summer hotspots.

In August, Travel Tomorrow reported that Czechia, Iceland and Denmark were among Europe’s fastest-growing destinations, while searches were also rising strongly for Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland, Belgium and Norway.

The changing environment reflects wider structural challenges identified earlier this year. In July, the OECD warned that record tourist arrivals were being accompanied by new risks for destinations, including geopolitical instability, climate-related disruption and changing traveller behaviour.

UN Tourism cuts 2026 growth forecast

Against this backdrop, UN Tourism has lowered its expectations for the full year. International tourist arrivals are now forecast to grow by between 1% and 2% in 2026, down from the 3% to 4% growth predicted at the beginning of the year.

The final result will depend significantly on geopolitical developments and their impact on oil prices, inflation, consumer confidence and travel costs.

The revision represents a notable change from the optimism at the beginning of the year. Following 4% growth in international tourism in 2025, 58% of experts surveyed by UN Tourism had expected tourism performance to improve further in 2026.

Six months into the year, international tourism is still growing, but at a considerably slower pace. The rapid expansion that characterised the post-pandemic recovery has given way to a more fragile environment in which geopolitical events, transport costs, climate conditions and affordability are increasingly determining where and how people travel.

L’article Global tourism growth slows to 0.4% as Middle East conflict weighs on travel est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Then came 11 September 2001.

The hijacking of four commercial aircraft and the deaths of 2,977 people transformed aviation security, triggering changes that remain part of the experience of flying today. Governments tightened access to airports and aircraft, reinforced cockpit doors, expanded baggage screening and introduced new layers of passenger checks, while international cooperation on aviation security accelerated.

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A quarter of a century later, some of those measures are beginning to change again as technology improves and authorities attempt to reconcile security with a passenger experience that has become increasingly complex.

The timing could hardly be more symbolic. As reported by Travel Tomorrow, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now allowing non-ticketed visitors back into secure gate areas at 13 airports under its new Gateside programme. Approved visitors must still undergo security screening and meet strict conditions, but the initiative partially restores something that largely disappeared after 9/11: saying goodbye to someone at their departure gate or waiting there to welcome them home.

The move offers a striking illustration of how airport security has evolved over the past 25 years. The airport experience may be gradually regaining some of its pre-9/11 freedoms, but the security architecture behind it is fundamentally different.

9/11 changed who was responsible for security

One of the most significant changes came in the United States itself. Before 9/11, airlines hired private contractors to operate passenger screening checkpoints. In November 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act created the TSA, shifting responsibility for screening to the federal government and establishing national standards across US airports.

Other fundamental changes followed. Cockpit doors were reinforced and access to flight decks became far more restricted. Knives were prohibited from cabins, while checked baggage, air cargo and airport workers became subject to tighter security controls.

But modern airport security was not created in a single moment. Some of its foundations predate 9/11, while many of the procedures travellers associate with the post-9/11 era actually resulted from attacks and foiled plots that came afterwards.

The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988 had already exposed vulnerabilities in checked baggage. An explosive hidden inside a radio-cassette player in an unaccompanied suitcase destroyed the Boeing 747 travelling from London to New York, killing 259 people on board and another 11 on the ground. The attack led to tighter baggage controls and greater scrutiny of luggage travelling without its owner.

After 9/11, aviation security would continue to develop in much the same way: layer by layer, with new measures introduced when attackers exposed another vulnerability.

#OTD in 1988: Lockerbie Bombing (Scotland). Pan Am Flight 103, a B-747 on a transatlantic route, explodes over the town of Lockerbie. All 259 aboard and 11 on the ground die. Attack was traced to Lybian intelligence, in retaliation from US airstrikes on the country in 1986. pic.twitter.com/fj3XyZMUhX

— Francisco Cunha – Aviation et al (@OnDisasters) December 21, 2025

Shoes, liquids and body scanners

Just over three months after 9/11, Richard Reid boarded an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami with explosives concealed in his shoes. He attempted to detonate them during the flight but was restrained by passengers and crew.

The failed attack eventually led to mandatory shoe screening in the United States, creating one of the most recognisable airport rituals of the post-9/11 era. Almost 24 years later, in July 2025, the US ended the general requirement for passengers to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints.

Liquids followed a similar trajectory. In 2006, British authorities disrupted a plot to destroy transatlantic aircraft using liquid explosives concealed in drink containers. Almost all liquids were initially prohibited beyond security checkpoints before rules were adapted to allow passengers to carry limited quantities.

The attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day 2009 exposed another weakness. Explosives had been concealed beneath the passenger’s clothing, where conventional metal detectors could not identify them. The incident accelerated the rollout of advanced full-body scanners at major airports.

Today, many airports are moving towards another generation of technology. Computed tomography scanners can produce detailed three-dimensional images of cabin baggage, potentially allowing passengers to leave liquids and electronics inside their bags, while biometrics and facial recognition are increasingly being used for identity verification.

The result is somewhat paradoxical: airport security is becoming technologically more sophisticated while some of the procedures passengers experience are becoming less intrusive.

Europe changed too

Although the attacks took place in the United States, their impact on European aviation was profound. Before 9/11, the European Union had no legislative competence in aviation security, leaving responsibility to individual Member States.

The attacks prompted the creation of a common EU aviation security regime from 2002. Today, EU-wide standards cover passenger and baggage screening, airport access, aircraft security, cargo and mail, airport supplies, and the recruitment and training of staff. 

Those rules have continued to evolve in response to subsequent threats. The 2006 liquid explosives plot led to additional European restrictions on liquids, while the attempted attack in 2009 involving explosives concealed on a passenger prompted further consideration of security scanners. 

The EU framework also illustrates how one of the biggest consequences of 9/11 occurred largely out of sight of passengers. Aviation security became much more coordinated internationally, with governments increasingly sharing standards, intelligence and passenger information rather than treating individual airports or countries as isolated systems.

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A global response

That international dimension is being emphasised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the world marks the 25^th anniversary.

Within two weeks of the attacks, 169 countries gathered at ICAO headquarters in Montréal and unanimously condemned the use of aircraft as weapons, pledging greater international cooperation to prevent future terrorist attacks against civil aviation.

“We must honour the victims of the 9/11 attacks – the 2,977 innocent people killed that day and the uncountable number of others who have also suffered then and now in immeasurable ways – by ensuring nothing like this can happen again,” ICAO Council President Toshiyuki Onuma and Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar said in a joint statement marking the anniversary.

The organisation points out that the international security framework has expanded significantly since 2001, including through new treaties, security standards, audits of Member States and greater use of passenger information. But it also warns that implementation remains uneven and that aviation security cannot be treated as a finished project.

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From hijackers to cyberattacks and drones

The nature of the threat is changing too. Hijacking and explosives remain security concerns, but the aviation system of 2026 faces risks that were far less prominent, or barely imaginable, in 2001.

Cyberattacks can target the increasingly interconnected digital systems used by airlines, airports and air traffic management. Drones can disrupt airport operations or potentially be used maliciously. Insider threats involve people who already possess authorised access to secure areas, while GPS interference, supply-chain vulnerabilities and conflicts can create risks far from conventional passenger checkpoints.

ICAO identifies cybersecurity, insider threats and the misuse of unmanned aircraft systems among the challenges requiring constant review, alongside navigation interference and risks arising from conflict zones.

The shift helps explain why measuring aviation security solely by what passengers experience at checkpoints can be misleading. Twenty-five years ago, preventing prohibited items from entering an aircraft was at the centre of the response. Today, protecting aviation also means securing digital infrastructure, controlling access to sensitive areas, analysing passenger information and anticipating threats that may never pass through a security lane.

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Could the airport become more open again?

Against that background, the return of non-flyers to departure gates in the US is particularly significant.

The Gateside programme is far from a return to the largely unrestricted airport access of the pre-9/11 era. Participants must belong to TSA PreCheck or another eligible trusted traveller programme, apply in advance, receive approval, carry valid identification and pass through airport security.

Still, the symbolism is difficult to ignore.

The TSA says the programme will allow people to once again welcome relatives at the gate, accompany loved ones before departure, meet friends during layovers or simply use terminal restaurants and shops. Critics may question whether commercial considerations are also helping drive the change, particularly as US airports seek more non-passenger spending.

It also comes as debate continues over the future organisation of US airport security, including proposals to expand the use of private screening contractors. As Travel Tomorrow has previously reported, supporters see private participation as a way to improve efficiency, while critics warn against allowing commercial considerations to weaken a system created precisely because of the shortcomings exposed by 9/11.

Yet the Gateside experiment also suggests something broader. After 25 years of additional rules, technology and intelligence, authorities increasingly believe that security does not always have to mean imposing more visible restrictions on passengers.

That may be one of the most significant changes since 2001. The immediate response to 9/11 was necessarily about closing vulnerabilities and adding barriers. The challenge in 2026 is increasingly about maintaining those protections while deciding which barriers are still necessary.

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Airport security today looks very different from the system that failed on 11 September 2001, and the threats it must confront are different too. As Onuma and Salazar noted, the framework created through years of international adjustment “remains a work in progress”.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, that may be its most enduring lesson. Aviation security cannot eliminate every risk, nor can it remain frozen in the response to the last attack. It has to continue changing before the next threat reveals where its weaknesses lie.

L’article 25 years after 9/11: How the attacks changed airport security forever  est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.