Weight-loss medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide have moved rapidly from specialist clinics into mainstream culture. They are discussed at dinner tables, in boardrooms and across social media, and they are increasingly shaping how people think about food, health, confidence and mobility. Yet a fresh analysis published in The BMJ offers a cautionary message for stakeholders hoping to interpret the trend too narrowly: weight loss does not automatically translate into better quality of life.

The review assessed 262 randomised trials involving 99,791 participants and 19 obesity drugs. It found that some treatments produced substantial reductions in body weight after one year, led by tirzepatide and CagriSema, but most did not show clinically meaningful improvements in quality-of-life measures. Greater weight loss was also associated with more side effects, higher discontinuation rates and, in some cases, loss of lean mass.

Why this matters for travel

Travel is closely tied to physical comfort, confidence, and perceived freedom of movement. For some travellers using obesity medicines, weight loss may make long-haul flights, walking tours, adventure activities, or resort experiences feel more accessible. Destinations and operators may see growing demand for wellness trips, active holidays, and post-weight-loss lifestyle travel from people who previously avoided certain kinds of journeys.

But the BMJ findings suggest the tourism sector should avoid assuming that pharmacological weight loss equals a straightforward improvement in travel experience. Gastrointestinal side effects, fatigue, treatment burden, and muscle loss can all affect how people plan and enjoy trips. A traveller may lose weight but still need flexible itineraries, rest periods, accessible transport, medical guidance or reassurance around food and medication storage.

Airlines and hospitality may need to rethink comfort, not just capacity

The travel industry has sometimes framed obesity in terms of seat width, passenger weight, and operational costs. The new evidence points to a more human-centred interpretation. If many users do not report meaningful quality-of-life gains after one year, airlines, hotels, cruise operators, and attractions should continue investing in inclusive design rather than assuming medication trends will reduce the need for it.

That means comfortable seating, clear mobility information, non-stigmatising service, flexible dining options, and easy access to medical support remain commercially relevant. GLP-1 use may change some passenger profiles over time, but it does not remove the need to serve travellers with different body sizes, health conditions, and levels of stamina.

A new chapter for medical and wellness tourism

The boom in obesity medicines is also likely to influence medical tourism. Patients already travel for bariatric surgery, cosmetic procedures, and lower-cost care. As GLP-1 access expands, a new category of traveller may emerge, as people seek consultations, prescriptions, follow-up care, or post-weight-loss procedures abroad. Some may look for destinations offering integrated programmes that combine medical oversight, nutrition, exercise, mental wellbeing, and recovery.

However, the study’s findings also underline the risks of marketing weight-loss travel as a quick transformation. Tourism businesses entering this space will need credible clinical partners, transparent pricing, realistic claims, and strong aftercare pathways. Because weight regain after stopping treatment remains a concern, short-term packages that promise lasting change could expose travellers to disappointment and providers to reputational risk.

Food tourism faces subtle shifts

GLP-1 medicines can reduce appetite and alter eating patterns, which may have implications for restaurants, hotels, cruise lines, and gastronomy and food production tours. Some travellers may prefer smaller portions, lighter menus, protein-forward meals, or alcohol-free experiences. Others may want to participate in food culture without overconsumption, making tasting menus, shared plates, and flexible dining formats more attractive.

For destinations known for gastronomy, this does not mean food tourism will decline. Instead, it may become more experiential and less volume-driven. Storytelling, provenance, local producers and sensory experiences could matter more than abundance. The opportunity is to design hospitality that welcomes travellers whose relationship with food is changing without making them feel singled out.

L’article Weight-loss drugs are changing travel but not always as industry expects est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

North America and North Africa links

Air Canada will launch a unique North America–Tenerife route on 25 October, flying Toronto to Tenerife Sur twice weekly. From Halloween, the Canadian flag carrier will also serve Gran Canaria weekly from Montréal to Las Palmas on Saturdays, returning on Sundays.

Lufthansa’s leisure carrier Discover Airlines will fly two Morocco connections from October 2026: Frankfurt to Agadir and Munich to Fes. Between December 2026 and April 2027, it will add weekly Munich–Ivalo flights in Finnish Lapland.

Eurowings, Lufthansa’s budget branch, is adding direct connections from Berlin, Cologne / Bonn, Hamburg, Hanover, and Stuttgart. The schedule is unconfirmed, but likely candidates from November include Alicante and Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, Cairo in Egypt, Klagenfurt in Austria and Pristina in Kosovo.

Lufthansa itself meanwhile is set to fly Frankfurt to Kuala Lumpur from late November.

easyJet expands from UK airports

EasyJet will launch 13 routes from 10 UK airports, starting with Manchester to Nuremberg from 2 November, twice weekly. Nuremberg flights from London Gatwick begin on 19 November, followed by London Luton on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 23 November. The links will support seasonal market trips and corporate travel to Nuremberg’s business and trade fairs.

Like Lufthansa, easyJet is adding Morocco flights to Rabat from Luton and London Southend in early November and early December, respectively. North Africa also gains twice-weekly London Southend–Sharm El Sheikh flights from January 2027.

Bristol and Belfast will both connect to Budapest on Tuesdays and Saturdays from mid-November, joined by a twice-weekly Liverpool service on Thursdays and Sundays.

EasyJet is also targeting Norwegian short breaks, flying to Tromsø from Edinburgh from late November. Scotland gains another link with Glasgow to Poland twice weekly from mid-November.

EasyJet’s twice-weekly Manchester–Vienna service starts on 19 November, while a weekly Isle of Man–Geneva flight begins on 19 December.

Winter sun and long-haul additions

Air France is anticipating demand for premium winter sun. It will serve the Maldives twice weekly from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Malé until 7 March 2027, and increase Dominican Republic flights to three weekly.

The Caribbean is in ITA’s sights too, with a weekly Rome–Dominican Republic flight launching on 30 November and later rising to twice weekly.

Finnair will connect mainstream European cities to Lapland, with Brussels and Zurich flights to Kittilä and Paris operations to Rovaniemi. It also launches its first Australia service on 25 October, flying Helsinki to Melbourne via Bangkok.

Low-cost and regional European growth

Ryanair is closing some airport operations over cost complaints, but expanding elsewhere with 30 confirmed routes, mostly for winter 2026-7. Warsaw gains 12 routes, including Bratislava and Bristol, underlining Ryanair’s regional focus. Bratislava also gains Turin. Tirana, Paphos, Parma, Reggio, and London Stansted will also benefit.

Singapore Airlines will launch a Southeast Asia–Madrid service via Barcelona from 26 October, flying five days a week and reflecting Spain’s surging popularity, as well as long-haul premium demand from Europe.

Spain’s Soltour is also chasing city-breaks and winter sunshine, linking Almeria with Strasbourg, Asturias with Ljubljana, Badajoz or La Rioja with Prague, Murcia with Cologne, Palma de Mallorca with Budapest, and Zaragoza with Venice. Alicante, Bilbao, and Seville routes to Istanbul are also forthcoming.

SWISS will begin flying to India’s Bengaluru over the winter.

And, after focusing on Italian growth, Wizz Air is again rapidly expanding, this time in Spain. From Madrid, it will fly to Asturias, Palma de Mallorca, and Santiago de Compostela. Valencia gains links to Asturias, Bilbao, Palma, Santander, and Santiago. International additions include Pisa, Brașov, Naples and more Milan Malpensa flights, plus Bilbao–Malaga, Bilbao–Santiago and winter links involving Spain, such as London Luton to Asturias, Granada and Malaga, Bucharest–Almeria and Wrocław–Bilbao. New non-Spanish routes include Varna–Basel and Vilnius–Berlin.

L’article New flight routes launching to and from Europe in autumn and winter 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Although the two pastries look almost identical, their names reflect different histories. Pastel de Belém can only be made at the historic Fábrica Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon using a closely guarded recipe dating back to 1837. The original recipe was created by monks from the nearby Jerónimos Monastery, who used leftover egg yolks in their baking. Similar custard tarts produced elsewhere are known as Pastéis de Nata, which have since become one of Portugal’s best-known culinary exports and are now enjoyed around the world.

While Portugal claimed the top two positions, the ranking shows that excellent desserts can be found across the globe. The rest of the top 10 includes:

3. Antakya künefesi, Türkiye

Dessert made with shredded pastry, filled with unsalted cheese, baked until crisp and soaked in sweet syrup.

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4. Cornish clotted cream ice cream, England

Rich ice cream made with the region’s famous clotted cream, giving it a smooth and creamy texture.

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5. Strudel, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Flaky pastry traditionally filled with apples, raisins, cinnamon and pine nuts.

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6. Gelato al pistacchio, Italy 

One of Italy’s most popular gelato flavours, made with pistachios, often sourced from Sicily.

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7. Fıstıklı sarma, Türkiye

Pistachio-filled variation of baklava wrapped in a thin layer of phyllo pastry.

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8. Tembleque, Puerto Rico 

Coconut milk pudding topped with cinnamon that is especially popular during celebrations.

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9. Gaziantep baklavası, Türkiye 

The city’s famous pistachio baklava, considered one of the country’s best-known traditional sweets.

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10. Crêpes sucrées, France 

Thin sweet crêpes served with fillings or toppings such as fruit, chocolate, whipped cream or sugar.

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The full Top 100 demonstrates just how diverse the world’s dessert traditions are. Italy features repeatedly with regional specialities including tiramisù, different gelato flavours, brioche con gelato and pistachio-based desserts. France is represented by classics such as crème brûlée, chocolate soufflé, crêpes Suzette and kouign-amann, while Greece, Brazil, Poland and Peru each have several entries. The Netherlands also makes the list with Nonnevot, Appeltaart, Stroopwafel and Poffertjes, showing that many countries are known for far more than a single signature dessert.

Many of these desserts also reflect centuries of cultural exchange. Portugal’s famous custard tarts inspired similar pastries elsewhere, including Hong Kong’s popular egg tarts, which developed after Portuguese influences reached nearby Macau. Italian tiramisù depends on ingredients such as coffee, chocolate and sugar that arrived through international trade, illustrating how recipes often evolve through the movement of people and products.

For travellers, these desserts have become attractions in their own right. Visitors travel to Lisbon to taste the original Pastel de Belém fresh from the bakery, while Türkiye’s cities of Gaziantep and Antakya are renowned for their baklava and künefesi. Italy continues to draw visitors with its regional gelato culture, and many travellers make a point of stopping at local cafés and pastry shops to sample traditional sweets. Whether it is enjoying a Belgian waffle in Liège, a stroopwafel in Gouda or a slice of Basque cheesecake in San Sebastián, desserts often provide a delicious introduction to a destination’s history and culinary identity.

TasteAtlas says the list is intended to celebrate local food traditions rather than provide a definitive verdict on the world’s best desserts. To produce the ranking, the platform filters out suspected bot activity and local patriotic voting while giving greater weight to users it considers knowledgeable about food. The result is a list that showcases both internationally famous classics and lesser-known regional specialities. Readers looking for more sweet inspiration can explore the complete Top 100 ranking on the TasteAtlas website.

L’article TasteAtlas names the world’s 100 best desserts, with Portugal taking the top two spots est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The friendly wager was agreed ahead of Sunday’s match, with the two airlines promising that the losing carrier would temporarily adopt the winner’s logo on its Instagram account. Following England’s comeback victory, Norwegian honoured its side of the deal, congratulating both British Airways and the England team.

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A bet that went beyond the football pitch

The playful rivalry began in the days leading up to the match, when Norwegian challenged its British counterpart to “risk its logo” should Norway’s national team emerge victorious. British Airways accepted the challenge, setting the stage for a marketing campaign that quickly attracted attention across social media.

Norway looked set to win after Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring in the 35^th minute. However, England turned the game around thanks to two goals from Jude Bellingham, securing a 2–1 victory and a place in the semi-finals, where they will face Argentina on 15 July.

Keeping its promise, Norwegian replaced its Instagram profile picture with the British Airways logo and posted a message congratulating its rival.

“Well played,” the airline wrote. “While the tournament is over for us, this friendly bet will forever live in all our hearts.”

The airline also wished England success in the remainder of the tournament, saying it sincerely hoped the Three Lions would “bring football home”.

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British Airways embraces the rivalry

British Airways responded in equally good spirits, stressing that the rivalry had only lasted 90 minutes.

“While our rivalry lasted only for the match, we’ll be friends forever,” the airline wrote on Instagram.

Drawing a parallel with football stars Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham, British Airways added: “Just like Haaland and Bellingham, we feel a blossoming friendship between our two airlines.”

The carrier also jokingly offered return flights between London and Norway for Norwegian’s social media team, promising: “We’ll be in touch.”

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Turning defeat into a marketing opportunity

Despite the result, Norwegian quickly turned the loss into a promotional campaign of its own.

“Well played, England. Fancy a trip to Norway?” the airline posted shortly afterwards, announcing a flash sale on flights to what it described as its “Norwenglish” destinations.

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The exchange has been widely praised as an example of creative social media marketing in the aviation industry. Several airlines had joined the online banter before the match, but the wager between Norwegian and British Airways became one of the tournament’s most talked-about brand interactions.

Rather than focusing on rivalry, both carriers used the occasion to showcase humour, sportsmanship and customer engagement, demonstrating how major sporting events can provide airlines with an opportunity to connect with travellers far beyond the airport.

L’article Norwegian swaps its logo for British Airways after losing World Cup bet est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Gen Z are “leading the trend,” Mastercard reveals. During a February 2026 survey asking more than 27,000 holidaymakers across 28 European countries about their travel and tourism motivations, the financial products and services firm found 57% of 18–24-year-olds and 52% of 24–34-year-olds had already gone ahead and planned a dedicated skill-based trip this year.

Experiences over things

Across all age groups, more than a third (37%) of people had already booked up to boost their skills. More than half (51%) of travel consumers said travel feels more meaningful when they learn something new, and a similar number (48%) believe new skills are now “a more valued memento than souvenirs.”

The data reflects a wider spending trend where consumers increasingly value experiences over things—an important phenomenon for Mastercard, which, through its experience platform, Priceless.com, is offering a variety of skills-based experiences, such as traditional candy-cane making or Dala-horse painting in Sweden, making art by the sea in Croatia, or perfume creation in France. The strength of the trend is also shown by the fact that Mastercard is not the only one getting in on the act. Airbnb is offering bookable experiences, Netflix is going immersive with Netflix House, and even premium goods brands such as LVMH are partnering with Orient Express on an ultra-luxury yacht.

Skillcations spread tourism’s benefits more evenly

But back to skills and holidays. Despite the cringe-worthy neologism (“skillidays”) that Mastercard insists on using, the appetite for learning displayed by today’s consumers is opening a new revenue opportunity for tourism SMEs, which employ one in nine people in Europe, and account for 10.5% of EU GDP, World Travel and Tourism Council figures say. For any of those providers wondering what to call their offer instead of “skillidays,” perhaps “learnaways,” “skillcations,” “upstays” or even “learning escapes” are more elegant solutions.

Whatever term is used, two in five tourists (42%) are “happy to pay more for a trip that teaches them a skill,” Mastercard says, boosting the bottom lines of local providers that can offer authentic experiences. As Natalia Lechmanova, Chief Economist, Europe, Mastercard Economics Institute, puts it: “From winemaking and woodworking, to pottery, painting and even permaculture, consumers are opening their wallets for local businesses that can give them a taste of the culture, and a lesson that lasts long after they’ve arrived home.”

It’s also a trend that can balance footfall and income-generation, helping to mitigate overtourism, as Lechmanova explains: “Skill-based travel tends to draw people beyond the crowded hotspots and into smaller towns, rural areas and quieter seasons, helping to spread tourism’s benefits more evenly.” 

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Languages, food, wellness, and crafts dominate the wishlist

When it comes to which skills travellers want to acquire, unsurprisingly languages top the European wishlist, with 30% of tourists aiming for at least some conversation with locals during their trip. Cookery workshops are the next most popular choice, for 28% of consumers, and cheese and wine or “food production” workshops are equally attractive. The wellness sector can once again pat itself on the back, with yoga, meditation, dance, and martial arts attracting 25% of travel consumers. And 24% are interested in traditional arts and crafts such as pottery, woodwork, weaving, and textiles.

Mastercard has also drawn up a map showing which skills appeal most to which nationalities. A desire to get to grips with food and drink production dominates the northern European countries, while southern European consumers are more interested in culinary skills and cooking with local chefs. A streak of passion for the creative arts runs down the spine of Europe from Denmark to Italy, while Benelux consumers stand out for their yearning for wellness and movement-oriented vacations.

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Finally, Mastercard’s latest travel report reveals which European nationalities are spending the most on life experiences when on the move around the region. Amsterdam cardholders are the biggest spenders on experiences in France, accounting for 9.7% of total spend, while Netherlands-based cardholders make up 4.9% of experience spending in the UK, and Italians account for 3.1% in Spain.

L’article Nearly half of Europeans plan to return from holiday with new skills, not just souvenirs est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The incident occurred on Friday morning aboard Ryanair flight FR1879, operated by Malta Air, which had departed Thessaloniki for Memmingen, near Munich. According to flight tracking data, the Boeing 737 climbed to around 16,000 feet before turning back and landing safely at its departure airport.

Passengers described hearing a loud bang moments after take-off, followed by the deployment of oxygen masks as the aircraft rapidly lost cabin pressure. Several witnesses told Greek media that a male passenger was pulled towards the opening by the force of the airflow after the window became dislodged.

Local reports identified the man as a 61-year-old Serbian national. Some passengers claimed he remained hanging partially outside the aircraft for several minutes before fellow travellers managed to pull him back into the cabin. Other reports said his wife prevented him from being pulled further out by holding onto his legs. Witnesses also said the fact that he was wearing his seat belt may have prevented a more serious outcome.

“We immediately realised there had been a decompression. There were screams. For a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door,” one passenger, identified only as Christina, told Radio Thessaloniki.

She added that oxygen masks fell from the ceiling and that there was a strong smell inside the cabin following the incident.

Greek media reported that the passenger was taken to hospital suffering from shock and friction burns caused by exposure to the freezing airflow outside the aircraft. Authorities have not officially confirmed the extent of his injuries.

Some passengers suggested that fragments from one of the aircraft’s engines may have struck the window, causing it to dislodge. However, Ryanair has not confirmed the cause of the incident, and this remains part of the ongoing investigation.

In a statement, Ryanair said: “A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when a passenger window dislodged inflight.”

“The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal. One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki.”

The airline added that a replacement aircraft was arranged, allowing passengers to continue their journey to Memmingen later that morning.

The Irish Aviation Authority confirmed it was aware of the incident involving the Malta Air-operated aircraft and said it would assist the relevant Greek and Maltese aviation authorities if requested as part of the safety investigation.

The aircraft involved is reported to be an 18-year-old Boeing 737. Investigators are expected to examine what caused the window to become dislodged and whether any mechanical failure contributed to the incident.

Although cabin depressurisation events are rare, they are treated as serious aviation emergencies. Modern aircraft are designed to allow pilots to descend rapidly to a safe altitude while maintaining control of the aircraft, and passengers are instructed to use oxygen masks until the cabin is safely repressurised or the aircraft lands.

L’article Passenger nearly sucked out of window on Ryanair flight, witnesses say  est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to the latest European Tourism: Trends & Prospects report published by the European Travel Commission (ETC), international tourist arrivals across Europe increased by 5.0% year-to-date compared with the same period in 2025, while overnight stays rose by 4.8%.

The figures indicate that travel remains a priority for consumers, even as travellers become increasingly selective about where, when and how they holiday. Safety, affordability, value for money and proximity are playing a greater role in destination choice, while travel is becoming more evenly distributed throughout the year.

Most European destinations continue to grow

Tourism growth remained broad-based across Europe, with almost 80% of reporting destinations recording increases in international arrivals and around one in five posting double-digit growth.

Greece emerged as Europe’s strongest performer, welcoming 38% more international visitors than during the same period last year. Italy followed with a 21% increase, while Malta recorded growth of 16%, supported by improved air connectivity and efforts to spread demand beyond traditional hotspots and the peak summer season.

Northern Europe outperformed every other subregion, with arrivals increasing by 10% and overnight stays by 8.4%. Central and Eastern Europe also posted healthy gains, with arrivals rising by 5.2% and nights by 6.9%, reflecting growing demand for destinations offering fresh experiences and better value for money.

Southern and Mediterranean Europe continued to deliver solid results in absolute terms, with broad-based growth across destinations including Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.

Conflict in the Middle East disrupts aviation

Despite the positive overall picture, the report highlights the impact of ongoing conflict in the Middle East on parts of Europe’s tourism sector.

Disruption to air routes between Europe and several mid-haul and long-haul markets slowed aviation growth during the second quarter. European airlines recorded a 7% increase in Revenue Passenger Kilometres during the first quarter of 2026, but growth fell sharply to just 1% in April as regional instability affected flight operations.

Some destinations also experienced weaker tourism performance. Cyprus saw international arrivals decline by 17.9%, partly due to Easter calendar effects but also because of travellers’ concerns about the island’s perceived proximity to the conflict.

Türkiye likewise recorded a 2.1% decline in arrivals, reflecting softer demand from both European and long-haul markets.

Visitor spending generally outpaced arrivals

Travel expenditure increased faster than visitor numbers in many destinations, suggesting that average spending per visitor has risen compared with last year.

Greece again stood out, with tourism receipts increasing by 64.3% alongside a 38.3% rise in arrivals, indicating significantly higher spending per trip.

Italy presented a different picture. Although arrivals grew by 21.1%, travel spending increased by just 4.3%, pointing to lower average expenditure per visitor despite strong demand.

Cyprus and Türkiye were among the few destinations where both visitor numbers and tourism receipts declined.

Value, safety and flexibility shape travel choices

For the rest of 2026, ETC expects leisure travel demand to remain robust despite continued economic uncertainty.

Consumer spending on leisure travel across Europe’s main source markets is forecast to remain stable at around 13% of total household expenditure this year, well above the global average of 8.5%.

At the same time, travellers are becoming increasingly price-sensitive. According to ETC’s latest Travel Industry Monitor, 48% of respondents identified affordability and value for money as one of Europe’s key competitive advantages during the second quarter, up from 32% in the first quarter.

Destinations offering competitive prices, easy accessibility and flexibility are therefore expected to perform particularly well during the summer and autumn travel seasons.

Travellers are also increasingly favouring destinations closer to home. Interest in Southern and Mediterranean Europe for trips between June and November has risen to 61%, while shoulder-season travel continues to gain momentum as visitors seek to avoid overcrowding and increasingly frequent episodes of extreme heat.

Trends reinforce changing traveller behaviour

The latest findings reinforce trends identified in ETC’s recent Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel survey, previously reported by Travel Tomorrow, which found that 81% of Europeans intend to travel between June and November despite geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

That survey showed travellers increasingly prioritising safety, affordability and climate considerations when choosing destinations. It also found growing interest in lesser-known locations and travel outside the traditional peak summer period, with many visitors seeking quieter experiences and greater flexibility.

Interest in sustainable tourism also continues to grow. Google Trends data show rising searches for sustainable tourism in 2026 compared with the previous year. However, ETC notes that awareness has yet to translate fully into behaviour, with only 41% of consumers saying environmental concerns are likely to influence how they travel.

Commenting on the report, Miguel Sanz, President of the European Travel Commission, said European tourism had continued to demonstrate resilience despite an increasingly uncertain global environment.

“Travel remains a priority for consumers, but the way people travel is changing,” he said. “Affordability, safety, proximity and value for money are becoming increasingly important in destination choice. For European destinations, the priority is to remain competitive while supporting more balanced visitor flows across regions and seasons.”

L’article European tourist arrivals rise 5% despite geopolitical tensions  est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Wall Street Journal reports that fuel prices have now dropped 40% since April, when the fuel supply chain was in crisis due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that ensued after US-Israel attacks on Iran in February 2026.

Those frantic energy markets saw airlines putting up ticket prices eight times to cover the cost of fuel, meaning fares were up nearly $100 year-on-year by May. But even though fuel costs have fallen again, almost by half, fare prices are not aligned. Investment firm Raymond James says average domestic fares booked a week in advance now cost over 34% more compared to June last year.

It’s a situation predicted by Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan in May. He told investors he was “bullish that the industry will retain a much higher percent of the fare increases than would be typical.” Jordan pointed out that carrier control over the marketplace and pricing has been bolstered by the demise of budget airline Spirit.

Jordan is not the only cynical one. American also admitted it would benefit from the bankruptcy, having lost a key competitor. “For American, let’s face it—we competed with Spirit across the board,” American CEO Robert Isom said in May. He noted “across-the-board improvement in all those places that we compete directly,” when the budget rival started slashing its services. And Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, also noted the unusual lack of “elasticity” in ticket pricing, blaming a demand environment that is “pretty strong.”

If US travel demand remains that powerful, analysts do not expect the fuel savings to be passed on any time soon. The question is, how long can the high demand last? An Ipsos survey in May showed 56% of respondents were “extremely or very concerned” about rising airline costs, meaning caution could start to infiltrate buying habits.

“The real test is what happens after Labor Day [in early September] when leisure demand tapers and airlines adjust fall capacity for a lower-fuel environment,” said Conor Cunningham, an analyst at Melius Research. He foresees a return to “fare sales and discounting” only if demand softens.

Yet in Europe, consumer travel sentiment is positive despite geopolitical concerns, with over 80% of Mastercard survey respondents saying they were planning to travel over the next six months—well beyond America’s Labor Day.

L’article Jet fuel prices down 40% but airline ticket fares remain high est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Transport & Environment commissioned the New Economics Foundation (NEF) to report on aviation’s contribution to fuelling unaffordable housing across Europe. NEF’s research “reveals that the average annual rents in five of Europe’s largest tourism-dependent economies are projected to rise by up to €250 per year over the next five years (2026-2031) as a consequence of incoming air tourism. These rises will primarily affect lower-income households, as income fails to keep pace with rental costs.” In short, more air tourism results in housing cost inflation. “In Europe, emissions from international tourist arrivals by air are projected to rise over 60% between 2016 and 2030.” As Transport & Environment point out, despite the growing concern over the impacts of tourism on local communities and the growing climate risks to the region, European governments continue to double down on aviation and tourism-driven growth – Spain has committed €12.9bn to airport investment, Athens is spending €1.3bn to boost capacity by 25%, and terminal expansions are underway in Lisbon.

Data Journalist, Thomas Hinton, has been looking at the evidence on the impact of tourism on rising rents and housing shortages. As he points out “when housing shortages, rising rents, and tourism accommodation are treated as one and the same problem, the policy discussion can quickly become blurred.” As so often when addressing overtourism, the local details matter. As Hinton points out “STRs may affect housing availability in specific neighbourhoods, but they are only one piece of a broader puzzle that includes zoning laws, construction permits, demographic shifts, urban concentration, and wider cost pressures.”

The issue is not whether STRs have an impact on housing for local people; they do. The challenge is to determine the scale of the tourism impact and whether or not “policies aimed at short-term rentals are proportionate, non-discriminatory, and aligned with EU-level rules designed to protect fair access to services across the internal market.” Research conducted by  Eurocities Monitor in 2025 found  76% of mayors identify demand outpacing supply as the main driver of housing unaffordability in European cities; only 25% cited STRs as a cause. According to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, STRs represent around 1.2% of total housing. In Barcelona, short-term rentals make up 7.1% of local housing stock, compared to 2.8% in Paris and 1.9% in New York.

And we should remember that a quarter of Europeans cannot afford a week-long holiday.

L’article Short-term rental challenge est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The controversial president of the international federation has had his movements by private jet during the tournament tracked by BBC Sport and BBC Verify. They found he had racked up thousands of air miles going from match to match, generating a similar climate impact in the first two weeks of the competition to that of 78 people during an entire year.

One of the biggest days, the BBC reported, was 15 June, when he flew 5,500 km, going from America’s southeast in Miami to the northwest in Seattle for Belgium’s encounter with Egypt, then heading south to Los Angeles where he attended Iran v New Zealand.

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What’s more, the climate implications of the 2026 World Cup are particularly severe since the tournament takes place not in one country, but across a whole continent, from Mexico to Canada. Despite teams being hosted regionally to reduce their travel, and notwithstanding FIFA’s supposed promotion of electric vehicles, public transport, and use of existing stadiums, Infantino and fans too have been doing far more air travel than during a regular World Cup event.

A 2025 report from Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) put the overall carbon footprint of this World Cup as high as nine million tonnes of CO₂e, twice as much as the average for the past four events, making this year’s the most polluting ever.

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The BBC analysis showed that Infantino’s private jet, reportedly a Gulfstream G650ER, had travelled at least 50,122 km, clocking up over 66 hours of airtime, from the start of the competition to 27 June alone. The plane’s average fuel burn rate of roughly 1,817 litres an hour means those journeys emitted an estimated 516 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO₂e), based on UK government conversion data. The average carbon emissions for one person in a year total, around six tons, meaning Infantino’s jet use during that fortnight period generated as much carbon as 78 people in a year. (The BBC reporting does acknowledge, however, that up to 19 people could be flying on the jet, though the actual number of passengers on board with Infantino for the various trips is not known.)

It’s arguable that as FIFA’s president, Infantino has a duty to attend as many matches as possible to meet dignitaries and officials and support the teams taking part. A FIFA spokesperson has defended the travel as routine.

@foot__jr_

Gianni Infantino during the World Cup so he doesn't miss any match FIFA World Cup 2026 has matches spread across dozens of stadiums across North America, yet somehow the FIFA President is present at what feels like every single game. One day he's in one city, a few hours later he's at another stadium hundreds or even thousands of miles away, and by the next kickoff he's already there again. At this point, I'm done trying to understand the logistics. Fans are debating tactics and refereeing decisions, while I'm just trying to figure out what kind of teleportation technology this man has unlocked.

♬ original sound – Foor Jr

But critics point out Infantino has regularly travelled around 4,000 km in one day, an approach to the tournament that seems to be at odds with his stated position on climate change. In the federation’s 2026 World Cup sustainability and human rights strategy, the president said: “Whether we speak about climate, human rights, diseases, or disabilities, we are committed to play our part.” As a body, FIFA has pledged to cut its emissions by half and hit net-zero before 2040.

For Infantino, the disquiet over emissions adds to the controversy building around his relationship with another fan of private jets, President Donald Trump. The FIFA president is accused of having succumbed to pressure from the president over a red card issued to US star player Flo Balogun. The red card should have precluded Balogun from playing the next match with Belgium but, after an admitted intervention from Trump, Balogun’s ban was lifted (though in the end, it did not prevent Belgium from winning the crucial game). Some fans and stakeholders around the world are calling for Infantino’s resignation, but for now he continues his role, in the skies, and perhaps, on borrowed time.

L’article Infantino under fire for private jet emissions during 2026 World Cup est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.