At the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) annual general meeting in Doha, the association representing 39 Middle East and North African airlines predicted a net loss of $4.3 billion (€3.82 billion) in 2026 and a 5.2% decline in air cargo traffic. Although the body expects the sector to remain profitable overall for the year, “ongoing operational disruptions” and “exposure to conflict-affected markets” are pressuring margins.

Held under the patronage of the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and hosted by Qatar Airways in Doha, day two of AACO’s 59th AGM discussed the aviation industry’s outlook, shared challenges and strategic priorities, highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in shaping the future of air transport.

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) November 3, 2026

The surge in global fuel prices that has occurred since the US-Israel war on Iran and subsequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is a big factor. The industry as a whole is expected to make less money than it has done for 12 years, with fuel accounting for 31.4% of operating costs, compared to 25.4% in 2025. But for AACO airlines, the figure is much higher, 37.3% (up from 27.9%) – a 9-point rise in the Middle East versus the overall sector’s 6 points.

With four million jobs and the sector’s $290 billion (€258 billion) contribution to the regional economy at stake, Hamad Al-Khater, CEO of host Qatar Airways Group Chief CEO, said the solution lies in partnership working: “As our industry faces a very difficult period, with geopolitical developments continuing to disrupt global connectivity, regional cooperation has become our greatest strength,” he said.

One policy area in particular where Middle East airlines believe pulling together will ease the financial pressure on them is lobbying against the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS). International flights arriving in Europe from destinations within 5,000 km will be required to pay for their CO2 emissions starting in 2029, under new rules put forward by the European Commission earlier this year. The proposal has intensified complaints from the global aviation industry about taking responsibility for their planet-warming activity.

During his address at the Arab Air Carriers Organization’s 59th Annual General Meeting, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer and AGM Chairman, Hamad Al-Khater, emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration among Arab airlines and aviation partners to address current and future challenges and drive the region’s aviation growth.

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) November 2, 2026

Abdul Wahab Teffaha, AACO’s Secretary General, speaking to Euronews Travel, pointed to the Arab region’s existing obligations under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), and said already-strained Arab carriers could end up paying twice unless the two systems recognise each other and align.

In rhetoric that signals heightening tension over the issue, Teffaha said the expansion of ETS was a matter of “sovereignty” and that the EU’s attempt to broaden the system’s scope was “extra-territoriality, trespassing on the sovereignty of others.” He added: “And that applies for all the countries within the 5,000 kilometres, which are basically, we start from Turkey, through Iraq, down till Dubai, up until Sudan, Egypt, up to Morocco.”

More diplomatically, Sheikh Jassim Fahad Al-Thani, VP of Aeropolitical and Corporate Affairs at Qatar Airways, told the outlet Europe is “a key market” and highlighted the connectivity win-win of the airline’s increased European schedules to major international hubs such as London and Frankfurt that “give travellers more flexibility and better connections through Doha to our global network.”

L’article Arab airlines predict net loss of nearly €4 billion for turbulent 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The first thing is that attendees are supposed to find ways they can agree on to work together. The UN itself explains that COP 31 is essentially a giant meeting intended to “allow governments to assess progress and negotiate how to tackle a challenge that no nation can solve alone.” It should be noted, too, that political leaders are not the only ones taking part. Researchers, enterprises, First Nations, youth groups, and other sections of civil society will be there too. Whether this makes it easier to reach a consensus or not is a matter up for debate.

One major achievement was 2015’s Paris Agreement, which saw countries pledge to ensure global warming remains below 2°C and to try to limit it to only 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. (That 1.5°C threshold was breached for the last months of 2023, and for the first time, a full calendar year, in 2024, according to the World Meteorological Organization.)

The consequences of climate change remind us of a single truth: We do not have another planet, yet we have the power to transform it. A small step, the right awareness, and strong solidarity. Only 3 days left to be part of the change! https://t.co/6BI0mFq53L

— COP31 Türkiye (@turkiyecop31) November 5, 2026

However, not every COP results in a landmark international deal like the Paris Agreement, nor is every conference intended to do so. Each year, further negotiations happen, and new domestic goals are publicised, alongside sharing best practices and solutions.

While the Turks host in Antalya this year, Australia is heading the negotiations, alongside other Pacific islands, many of whom are taking the brunt of rising seas and increasingly violent weather systems that, right now, pose active threats to their lives and cultures. It’s no surprise, then, that the urgency of actually doing something that works will be high on the agenda. The UN’s top climate advisor Selwyn Hart has said he’s “running a personal campaign to rename the Action Agenda, the Implementation Agenda.”

Specifically, the Climate Implementation Bridge (BRIDGE), developed under the COP31 Presidency, aims to build up the capacity and investment that are currently lacking as countries try to put planning into practice. Partnerships between governments, international organisations, development banks, climate funds, and the private sector will be the driver.

Ideas come together at COP31 Green Zone! From climate solutions to a more sustainable future, nearly 600 panels will bring together fresh perspectives and inspiring conversations. The program has started rolling out! Explore the sessions, find the topics that interest you, and check out the details on the COP31 website. 9–20 November 2026 | COP31 Venue, Antalya Open to everyone. Free to attend!

— COP31 Türkiye (@turkiyecop31) October 29, 2026

The oceans and the seas will, also unsurprisingly given the lead participants, be a focus, as a stated COP31 priority is promoting “support for coastal communities facing sea-level rise and coastal erosion. Safeguarding livelihoods and strengthening adaptive capacity are central objectives.” (COP31 Action Plan).

We can expect to hear a lot about the ocean’s potential for absorbing around 25% of carbon emissions, and, as the World Research Institute’s Tom Pickerell (Global Director, Ocean Program) notes, the ocean absorbs more than 90% of the excess heat caused by climate change. Blue carbon ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, salt marshes, and mangroves will be entering national climate strategies, climate accounting, and target-setting. The protection and restoration of land carbon sinks, such as forests and rangelands, will be another theme.

Our future depends on the peace we make with nature. For a future in harmony with nature, let’s meet at COP31. https://t.co/Xq7iiK5TKe

— COP31 Türkiye (@turkiyecop31) November 3, 2026

But COP31 will not only be about sequestering carbon or compensating for emissions. It seeks, in addition, to find radical reductions. Waste will therefore be another keyword. Waste is the third largest source of anthropogenic methane, responsible for 30% of global warming since the Industrial Revolution. COP31 will promote ways to prevent emissions at the source through circular economy solutions, and, in doing so, slash in half the projected increase in global annual waste generation by 2035.

Similarly, green industrialisation, especially for developing nations, will be a priority, with attention on helping hitherto “hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement, chemicals, aluminium, and fertilisers” reach near-zero emissions while supporting economic competitiveness and innovation.

Climate-resilient cities, food, health, and clean energy are also on the action plan. Food insecurity looms for around 318 million people due to climate shocks, while food systems are responsible for one-third of global emissions yet receive only four per cent of climate finance. What’s more, around two billion people are still dependent on polluting cooking methods. Scaling up green agriculture, technical solutions to clean electrification, and mobilising finance for vulnerable communities are all problems COP31 will work on.

One more item that is worth mentioning regarding COP31 is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which Associate Professor Nathan Cooper, of the University of Waikato’s School of Law, Politics and Philosophy, calls “the green elephant in the room.” He points out that “work is under way on the Antalya Artificial Intelligence Pledge, a voluntary framework to support AI use for climate action. But given growing concerns around AI’s negative and growing climate footprint, the role of AI in relation to the Climate Crisis remains controversial.”

Perhaps most importantly though, as we stand on the brink of a post-1.5 °C world, hope is still in the room with us too. Selwyn Hart highlights that COP31 is taking place as the technologies are emerging that can really make a difference. “The good news, in this horrible situation of overshoot, is that the world has never been better equipped to solve this challenge,” he says.

L’article What to expect from COP31 climate summit? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Is prevention separate from lifestyle?

The disagreement emerged early. Lutz Lungwitz, president of the German Medical Wellness Association, drew distinctions between medical tourism, medical wellness and wellness tourism, associating the latter with lifestyle and enjoyment.

“So you’re suggesting that prevention is not lifestyle?” Puczkó asked, challenging a separation that would become a recurring theme throughout the debate.

For Emil Hidayatli, chief physician at TABIA Group, lifestyle and prevention are closely connected. Drawing on his work in lifestyle medicine, he argued that nutrition, physical activity and natural resources can form part of a medically supervised approach to preventing disease.

The distinction, in his view, lies partly in professional involvement. Medical wellness introduces medical assessment, consultations and personalised programmes into an experience that extends beyond general relaxation. Follow-up matters too: the ambition should be to support changes that continue after guests return home.

Yet this raised another question. If both wellness and medical wellness encourage healthier habits, how clearly can travellers distinguish between them?

Traditional spa destinations face a changing market

For Kateřina Adámková, director of Císařské lázně in Karlovy Vary, these questions have immediate commercial relevance. She described the challenge facing Czech spa destinations built around traditional treatment stays lasting two or three weeks.

Such lengthy visits are increasingly difficult to fit into people’s lives. Adámková also highlighted the loss of Russian guests and the pressure on destinations to attract different markets, including visitors interested in shorter medical wellness stays.

Thomas Bömkes, medical and health tourism adviser to ITB Berlin, argued that reaching younger generations requires a broader approach. Nutrition, cooking lessons, mental wellbeing and sleep could all help guests connect their stay with changes they can make at home.

The value of a visit, he suggested, extends beyond the days spent at the destination. Giving people something useful to take back into everyday life could also encourage them to return.

Must the benefits be measurable?

Puczkó pressed the panel to explain what visitors should expect to gain. Medical treatment often has an identifiable outcome, such as a new hip or a repaired tooth. What, he asked, is the equivalent promise in medical wellness?

“What’s the reason to believe?”

Hidayatli cautioned against promising rapid results. Some changes could be assessed during a stay, he argued, but medical wellness should focus on longer-term outcomes, supported by continued adherence and follow-up.

Puczkó challenged whether that proposition would persuade younger consumers looking for visible results. Hidayatli suggested that activity tracking and other tools could help guests monitor their progress after leaving.

Bömkes offered a different perspective, describing a two-week Ayurveda experience in India. Changes to his diet, daily treatments and restful sleep had left him feeling sufficiently better to want to repeat the experience annually.

“I don’t need figures. I don’t care. I felt it was good to me,” he said.

For Bömkes, that personal response also had marketing value: a satisfied visitor returns home and recommends the experience to friends. His example illustrated the appeal of wellness travel, while leaving open the moderator’s question about what makes its benefits specifically medical.

Who should set the rules?

The discussion became more concrete when it turned to regulation. If a service uses the word “medical”, what qualifications, supervision and safeguards should travellers expect?

Hidayatli supported certification involving cooperation between relevant authorities. Bömkes argued for government regulation of health-related activities, while allowing other bodies to oversee aspects outside that remit.

Lungwitz described his association’s work on an independent certification system combining medical involvement with hospitality standards. He also questioned whether “tourism” adequately describes a journey made specifically to receive medical treatment.

Across these different positions, trust emerged as a shared concern. Travellers need to understand what they are buying, who is responsible for their care and what claims a provider can reasonably make.

Tourist, patient or client?

Ultimately, the distinction depends on who the offer is designed for: a tourist seeking relaxation and wellbeing, a patient travelling for medical care, or a client investing in a personalised programme to improve their health.

Their motivations and expectations shape the services they need, the outcomes they seek and the level of medical supervision required. For destinations, identifying that audience is the starting point for defining a credible offer.

L’article When does a wellness holiday become medical tourism, and who decides? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The ship will operate seven-night cruises calling at destinations including Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia for Rome, Naples, Messina and Valletta. Asian influences will run through its seven districts, building on features such as the 12-metre illuminated dragon sculpture installed earlier in its construction. Travel Tomorrow

Un primo "assaggio" di ciò che arriverà nel Mediterraneo a Dicembre. MSC World Asia #MSC #MSCWorldAsia #TheArtOfCruising https://t.co/yqlMeBZLLO

— MSC Crociere (@MSC_Crociere) October 30, 2026

Asian street food meets Italian dining

A new Pan-Asian Street Food concept will bring together dishes inspired by more than five Asian culinary destinations. The venue will combine sit-down dining with complimentary grab-and-go options, an open kitchen and cocktails drawing on Asian flavours.

Italian food will also have a prominent place on board. Following its introduction on MSC World America, Eataly will make its European cruise debut aboard MSC World Asia, offering live cooking, a dedicated Chef’s Table, terrace dining overlooking the sea and wine experiences focused on Italy’s culinary heritage.

Meanwhile, a 300-square-metre Venchi venue will combine a chocolate boutique, café and gelateria. Described by MSC Cruises as its largest Venchi experience at sea, it will offer 20 gelato flavours, 20 varieties of pralines and 11 chocolate bars, alongside the cruise line’s exclusive Crunchy Waves gelato.

The wider food and drink offering will encompass more than 40 bars, lounges, cafés and restaurants. At the Masters of the Sea Pub, an onboard microbrewery will produce three beers developed with Italian brewer Baladin using desalinated seawater: Oceanic Pils, Oceanic India Pale Ale and Oceanic Asian Blanche.

Sip your way around our newest World Class ship with 25 bars and lounges to choose from. From authentic cocktails at the Pan-Asian Bar on the World Promenade to unique soda creations at the Clubhouse, #MSCWorldAsia, debuting in the Mediterranean this December, is serving up something new at every turn.

— MSC Cruises (USA) (@MSCCruisesUSA) October 30, 2026

A 12-deck slide and an over-water swing

Among the ship’s headline attractions is The Spiral @ Tree of Life, an 81.3-metre dry slide extending across 12 decks. Inspired by Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, it is described by the cruise line as the longest dry slide at sea.

The Harbour, whose family attractions were previously unveiled, will bring together a two-level high ropes course, an expanded aquapark and a Play Deck. The outdoor area will also feature Cliffhanger, an over-water swing suspending passengers 50 metres above the ocean, which MSC says will be the first of its kind at sea in Europe.

Food will be available nearby at The Harbour Bar & Bites, serving complimentary grab-and-go snacks. The area is intended to accommodate family activities during both the day and evening.

Pools, performances and new suites

Asian references will continue around the ship’s pools. The Manila Bay Pool will serve as a centre for daytime entertainment and relaxation, while the covered Coral Cove Pool will feature a retractable roof and a water-droplet installation by artist Elisabetta Milan, inspired by Philippine coral reefs.

JUST ANNOUNCED: New venues and experiences in the Aqua Deck District and Harbour on board MSC World Asia including: Manila Bay & Pearl Lagoon Bar – outdoor main pool area, perfect for fun under the sun Coral Cove & Coral Bar – indoor pool with a stunning underwater-inspired design The Tree of Life @ The Spiral – Asian-inspired 11-deck spiral dry slide, the longest at sea! All this and more, debuting this December! Discover MSC World Asia: https://t.co/NLyacPFlt3 #MSCCruises #MSCWorldAsia

— MSC Cruises (USA) (@MSCCruisesUSA) March 26, 2026

Entertainment will include six productions created for MSC World Asia. These will encompass three new shows in the World Theatre and a live music production in the Panorama Lounge.

For passengers booking the MSC Yacht Club, the ship will offer 144 suites across seven categories, the widest selection of Yacht Club suite categories in the fleet. A new Royal Duplex Suite will cater to families and groups seeking additional space within the ship’s private accommodation area.

Mediterranean debut before a Caribbean season

MSC World Asia will spend its inaugural winter and summer seasons in the Mediterranean. It will then move to the Southern Caribbean for winter 2027/2028, offering a choice of seven- and 14-night itineraries.

Its December debut will bring the ship’s Asian-inspired spaces to a European sailing programme, with dining, entertainment and family facilities forming the core of the onboard offering.

L’article MSC World Asia brings Asian influences to Mediterranean cruising est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Although it has been gaining more attention over recent years, the manosphere isn’t new. The term was first coined in 2009 and has been growing ever since. In a paper published in the medical journal The Lancet, authors Professor Sarah Hawkes and Professor Kent Buse define it as “a diffuse commercial ecosystem and loose collection of online communities united by shared beliefs about masculinity, misogyny, and male victimisation”.

Since its beginnings, the manosphere has taken on many different forms. From men going their own way to looksmaxxers and red pill communities, the phenomenon spreads over a large selection of subjects. However, there is one issue connecting them all: a fear of an apparent “crisis of masculinity”, allegedly brought on by feminism. A preoccupation that seems to only be getting bigger.

“Explanations for the rise in engagement with the manosphere are diverse and include social, psychological, cultural, and economic domains. At a time when boys are disengaging from education systems, and men are over-represented in suicide statistics and in rates of incarceration, health and social care systems that can offer support are under increasing financial pressure and are struggling to deliver services, and narratives of male disadvantage gain a great deal of traction,” the authors write. 

Although women nor feminism can be blamed for the sense of failure and abandonment members of the manosphere are experiencing, they are an easy scapegoat at a time when their needs aren’t met by health policies, systems, and services.

“This misattribution is precisely why content moderation alone is insufficient: restricting manosphere content does nothing to address the unmet needs that make its explanation attractive in the first place”, Hawkes and Buse write. 

In order to address the manosphere and the many problems it is creating in society as a whole, the authors thus propose to address it as a public health harm. By doing so, it becomes possible to look beyond strategies of content moderation, access safeguards, or algorithm diversion.

Instead, governments, healthcare systems, schools, social media platforms, and all other stakeholders could work together to address the issue through population-level prevention, education and engagement, norm change, and the strengthening of health and social systems alongside regulatory and fiscal measures. Moreover, by treating the manosphere as a public health problem, it would make seeking and giving mental health support more accessible. 

In their paper, Hawkes and Buse argue that public health approaches have previously been used to deal with other societal issues, such as gender-based violence and drug use, by targeting the underlying determinants, but also by reducing stigma and discrimination, reframing public narratives and attitudes, expanding equitable access to services, and moving beyond the carceral logic of policing and punishment as the primary responses.

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With that in mind, the authors put forward six priorities allowing for a comprehensive public health response to the health harms of the manosphere.

1. “The upstream conditions that shape vulnerability and engagement should be addressed, including educational marginalisation, social exclusion, and isolation in boys and young men.”

2. “Multisectoral collaboration between health systems and other front-line sectors that routinely engage with boys and young men should be strengthened, particularly education.”

3. Communications strategies should be developed to avoid framing masculinity as inherently toxic or boys and men as inherently problematic. Positive and inclusive framing should be encouraged instead, such as those that promote so-called healthy masculinities.

4. Platform regulation should be considered analogous to other public health regulation strategies.

5. Governments should invest in monitoring, research, and evaluation to track evolving digital ecosystems, assess the effectiveness and impact of interventions, and identify unintended consequences.

6. Although the manosphere did not create misogyny, it could be normalising and amplifying it. If the attraction and impact of the manosphere are to be tackled, the underlying misogyny and anti-equality prejudices embedded in most societies must also be confronted.

While according to the paper, reframing the manosphere as a public health threat will initially face resistance, especially from platform stakeholders and content creators. However, given the potential benefits for boys and men, women and girls, and the wider society, a coordinated answer to the issue should be given as soon as possible.

L’article Experts push to treat manosphere as public health issue est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Lemongrass predictions for how vacationers will choose to consume and experience travel reveal a rejection of overly stuffed itineraries that are planned to the nth degree to make the most of every single moment. Instead, a move towards “anti-optimisation” is taking place, relieving travellers from the anxiety around doing and seeing it all.

The brand expects “hyper-curated itineraries, rewards programmes, and pressure-filled bucket-list travel” to fade, noting that “people have had it with hustle culture and performative living – and they ’re increasingly uninterested in maximising every minute of their hard-earned holidays too.”

Lemongrass says fitness trackers, productivity apps, and biohacking techniques have leaked the idea of optimal productivity into the travel sphere, creating strain as people try to pack vacations with experiences, recommendations, upgrades, and expectations. Consumers are tiring of this, the report suggests. “Travellers don’t aspire to return home transformed but rather truly rested.” They say there is a message here for travel stakeholders, to simplify itineraries, stay longer in fewer places, and allow more unstructured time.

Cited in the report is Josh Elliott, managing director of a lodge in Zimbabwe, who argues: “Travel has begun to confuse movement with experience. A country is not understood through six lodges in ten days.” This could be seen as a new manifestation of an old split in how people approach holidays: some people behave like culture vultures; others want to watch the world go by from a café terrace.

The next trend identified by Lemongrass is a change in approaches to wellness. In a similar point to the anti-optimisation seen above, the report says the sector is evolving and beginning to shun the pursuit of maximum wellness, which can be a source of “cognitive stress,” towards a kind of passive wellness, or “nervous system health” achieved through “architecture, atmosphere, and experience of a place.” Biophilic design, already written about by Travel Tomorrow, is part of this.

As well as nervous system reset, Lemongrass talks about a “male reset” taking place in society, which, from a tourism perspective, is producing male bonding experiences and “getaways where men can ‘rediscover and redefine masculinity’ through breathwork, bushcraft, connection through nature, and community-centric emotional support.”

Trend four is sustainability-focused and sees travellers attracted by “adapted destinations.” This is a development of the popularity of the “coolcation” or “climate-proofed” planning that focuses on how “the best-prepared destinations understand localised vulnerabilities and adapt accordingly.” Active stewardship and coordinated efforts from all stakeholders are signs of this.

Trend five is about how profoundly travellers experience a destination. Rather than just ticking an item off a to-do bucket list produced by AI, consumers are seeking real engagement with a “depth list” exploring the places, people, and cultures they are visiting. Lemongrass says the rise of long-form podcasts and the resurgence of book clubs are just two examples of an increasing appetite for ideas, creativity, and intellectual capital.

Linked to that, the sixth trend is a surge in Citizen Science experiences, wherein travellers are no longer simply floating by in a kayak, but actively participating in nature logging projects, field research, and scientific partnerships. However, Lemongrass cautions that, unless stakeholders take care to shape their offer with certified schemes and academic toolkits, it may be perceived as greenwashing and backfire.

Another trend in the list (Number 7: “Earned Travel”) connects here, as Lemongrass highlights how travellers are exhibiting a “new appreciation for experiences that require effort and engagement, as well as yearning for uncurated moments and unengineered encounters.”

Another four trends in the Lemongrass roundup are all united by the ideas of “joy and connection” (Trend 8: The Joy Economy; Trend 9: Storied Landscapes & Mystic Travel; Trend 10: Female Narratives; and Trend 11: The Giving Journey). Rather than parroting other trend reports that emphasise the consumption of premium and luxury products, Lemongrass says travellers “crave play, hope, and restoration” and seek “genuine human interactions, joy over luxury, and encounters that delight and surprise.”

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Another side to that, though, is not that consumption has gone away, but that it is becoming more intentional; people are trading off between one luxury experience and cutting back elsewhere. But they are also rejecting the notion that some choices involve a trade-off at all, with train travel increasingly viewed as a win-win that combines comfort, flexibility, scenery, and sustainability. This is the no “Sacrifice or Sermon” journey. Similarly, Near is the New Far, as trips that are closer to home offer “shorter lead times, lower risk, and greater flexibility”.

Ultimately, as Lemongrass concludes: the interplay between these trends is clear and none of them stand alone: “The future of travel won’t be defined by technology alone, nor by sustainability, luxury, or wellness in isolation. It will be shaped by the way these forces interact and by the brands tuned into those connections.”

L’article Travellers want to do less on holiday, new report finds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

When the airline published its half-year results, O’Leary said Ryanair was reviewing costs across the whole group. This includes airport negotiations, possible temporary pay freezes when staff agreements end, fewer crew members on board and increased use of AI. However, the airline admits it cannot reduce crew numbers much, because it must follow legal minimums.

Ryanair H1 FY27 Results = €2.15BN profit after tax (-15% vs H1 FY26) as unhedged 20% jet-fuel prices doubled to c.$130bbl. Traffic up 6% to 125.8m Average fare down 4% 126 new Summer 2027 routes & 1 new base (Rimini)

— Ryanair (@Ryanair) November 2, 2026

Ryanair said it would use AI mainly to make its operations, office and support teams more productive. According to O’Leary, the technology has already helped the airline increase capacity by 4%. He added that, thanks to AI, current managers can now handle more work with the same resources, so the airline needs fewer middle managers and has cut back its graduate programme. Ryanair is also slowing down the recruitment of new pilots and cabin crew.

The idea of pay freezes could lead to a conflict with unions. The Unite union said it had not been told about any such plans and that its multi-year agreements did not depend on the company’s results. The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association also rejected the idea, saying other airlines pay their pilots much more despite facing the same fuel costs.

The main reason for these measures is the conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed oil prices up. At the same time, Ryanair’s fuel hedging, contracts that fix fuel prices in advance, will soon offer less protection. The airline has fixed the price of 80% of its fuel until the end of March at $67 a barrel, but it must buy the other 20% at market rates, which have roughly doubled to about $130 a barrel. O’Leary warned that, unless the conflict ends quickly, fuel prices will “remain elevated well into 2027”.

Ryanair expects short-haul fares in Europe to rise significantly next year, although it says higher prices will not be enough to cover the full cost increase. This is not the first warning: last month in Brussels, O’Leary said travellers would face “the biggest increase in airfares in history” in 2027. He explained that many airlines had failed to protect themselves against the fuel crisis caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, and that mergers and bankruptcies would reduce the number of available seats, which could push European fares up by 10% to 20%.

For travellers, the message is clear: very cheap flights may soon be harder to find.

L’article Ryanair weighs pay freezes and crew cuts as it faces €2 billion rise in fuel costs est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Flights disappear from departure boards. Conference delegates cancel. Hotel operators revise forecasts. Small businesses, with little cash to absorb the shock, begin counting the cost.

Governments depend on tourism for jobs, investment and revenue. They should give the sector a voice in preparing for the disruptions that threaten all three.

The officials responsible for tourism revenues will eventually be asked to explain the damage. They should have a role in preparing for it.

Governments should give tourism ministers a standing place in national crisis and resilience planning, with formal access to security discussions that affect the visitor economy. In countries where tourism sustains a substantial share of employment and foreign earnings, that representation should be routine.

The economic exposure warrants it

According to UN Tourism’s September World Tourism Barometer, international arrivals increased by just 0.4% in the first half of 2026. In the Middle East, they fell by 22%. The organisation cut its forecast for global arrivals growth this year to between 1% and 2%, citing geopolitical volatility and economic pressures.

Behind those figures lies an uncomfortable question for governments: who is responsible for protecting the economic system they have spent years encouraging investors to build?

Responsibility is dispersed. Transport ministries oversee connectivity. Interior ministries manage borders. Foreign ministries issue travel advice. Other agencies supervise energy, telecommunications and emergency response.

Tourism depends on all of them. A tourism minister needs a formal way to bring those dependencies into government planning before a disruption exposes them.

That does not require access to every classified briefing. It requires a clear institutional mandate: tourism officials should help assess economic exposure, prepare contingency arrangements and coordinate industry participation when a threat could interrupt travel or essential services.

Security authorities must remain free to close an airport or restrict movement when necessary. Better preparation would help governments manage the consequences of those decisions, including for the people least equipped to absorb them.

Start with contingency exercises

If a major airport closes for several days, which alternative gateways can handle arriving passengers? How will visitors reach them? Who coordinates emergency accommodation, medical assistance and reliable information? What happens when booking platforms or payment systems become unavailable?

Governments should have answers that have been tested with airlines, airports, accommodation providers and local authorities. Smaller operators need representation too. A family-run hotel cannot be expected to maintain the crisis response capacity of an international airline.

The investment agenda needs the same discipline

Ministers are quick to celebrate new resorts, terminals and convention centres. Those announcements should come with a credible account of the infrastructure and services on which the investment depends.

Water supply, backup electricity, emergency access, communications and alternative transport routes belong in the assessment from the beginning. Public authorities should identify shared weaknesses; developers and lenders should explain how their projects will operate when normal conditions break down.

This would give investors a better basis for judging risk. It would also force governments to confront gaps that can be obscured by ambitious construction targets.

Europe has a particular interest in getting this right

Its tourism economy crosses national borders every day. Visitors arrive through one country, connect through another and spend their holidays in a third. A disruption at a major hub can therefore become several governments’ problem at once.

National plans need to be coordinated. Aviation partners and neighbouring countries should agree on procedures for rerouting passengers, sharing operational information and assisting stranded visitors. Those arrangements should exist before ministers are called into an emergency meeting.

There is also a political boundary worth defending. Giving tourism a voice in security planning must support safe and predictable travel. It must not become a convenient argument for indiscriminate surveillance, unnecessary restrictions or border procedures that travellers cannot understand.

Digital systems require privacy safeguards, clear accountability and practical alternatives when technology fails. Emergency powers need scrutiny. The economic value of tourism strengthens the case for competent government; it does not remove the obligation to protect individual rights.

Credible communication matters just as much

During a crisis, tourism authorities will face pressure to reassure markets. Their first obligation should be to provide accurate information: what is operating, what is disrupted, what remains uncertain and where assistance is available. Promotional language cannot substitute for operational facts.

The OECD’s Tourism Trends and Policies 2026 calls for more anticipatory and coordinated policymaking. Governments should turn that recommendation into an institutional arrangement with clearly assigned responsibilities, regular exercises and accountability for preparedness.

A permanent seat will not prevent a conflict, a cyberattack or an infrastructure failure. It can ensure that the officials responsible for a major source of national income help prepare the response.

Governments already ask tourism ministers to deliver jobs, attract capital and generate revenue. They should give them a voice when those interests are at risk.

L’article Tourism ministers belong at the national security table est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

For a long time, artificial intelligence has been something we only thought possible in science fiction movies or maybe a far-off future. However, over the past few years, the technology has been making rapid progress, to the point where many consider it a threat to humanity as we know it.

Yet despite the cautionary messages expressed by creatives and those who are generally concerned about what humanity might become when generative AI takes over, many brands and businesses are not afraid of using the technology. Not only does AI allow them to manage their business more effectively, but an AI prompt is also cheaper than the work of a creative. 

Altogether, this has led to a never-ending amount of AI slop, or content created by artificial intelligence. Texts, images, and entire advertising campaigns are launched using the technology, which is increasingly leading people to feel fed up with it all. And in a world where AI slop is everywhere, those who specifically choose to work with humans stand out.

Prada, too, has gotten the message. Its newest Winter campaign, ‘Drawing Prada: Animated By Hand’, is explicitly taking a stance for human craftsmanship and creativity. The Italian luxury brand is thus making the most of the fact that human design is turning into a true selling point for those who no longer support the idea of generative AI.

“Drawing Prada”: a celebration of craft and process. 
Created with the anachronistic technique of hand-drawn illustration, the Prada Holiday 2026 campaign invents an ensemble of whimsical characters and landscapes, starring Luther Ford, together with Prada Ambassadors Chen Haoyu, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Sadie Sink. 
Discover the new Prada Holiday 2026 campaign: https://t.co/S7jP7Ua4nj Creative Directors: #MiucciaPrada and #RafSimons 
Photographer: #GlenLuchford 
Animation Direction: #JohnPomeroy
Campaign Creative Direction: #FerdinandoVerderi 
Cast: #LutherFord #ChenHaoyu #MayaHawke #KelvinHarrisonJr #SadieSink #PradaHoliday #PradaGifts #Prada

— PRADA (@Prada) October 27, 2026

In its campaign, Prada has combined live-action footage with hand-drawn characters. Those drawings were made by animator John Pomeroy, who might be best known for his Disney work on movies including Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too, The Fox and the Hound, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

“I learnt my craft with pencil and paper, through traditional, analogue drawing. We’ve remained faithful to that approach and want to pass it on to future generations. There’s a very distinct and purposeful reason to do hand-drawn animation, and that’s to see that there’s value in it and that hand-drawn and handcrafted work is still alive in the world today,” Pomeroy explained in a behind-the-scenes video accompanying the campaign.

The live-action scenes included in the campaign were photographed by Glen Luchford and include ambassadors such as Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Chen Haoyu, Luther Ford, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

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‘Drawing Prada: Animated By Hand’ was developed under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada herself and co-creative director Raf Simons, while Ferdinando Verderi oversaw the creative direction of the campaign. 

Although many brands, big and small, are still opting for AI slop out of convenience, Prada’s choice for human craftsmanship may be announcing a turning point. In a world where content generated by AI is within reach of virtually anyone, human creativity and expertise have become an actual luxury that is appealing to a growing, AI-sceptic public. 

L’article Prada’s hand-drawn winter campaign rejects AI slop and honours human craftsmanship est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Between January and September 2026, a record 82 incidents involving lithium batteries aboard, six of which involved laptops, were reported by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

So, what precautions should travellers take when flying, and how can such unwelcome scenarios be avoided?

The first recommendation is to check the condition of one’s laptop battery before flying. Damaged, defective or recalled batteries, particularly those showing signs of swelling or overheating, should not board the plane at all.

Travellers should also check whether their batteries and devices comply with the airline’s battery restrictions. 

The second recommendation concerns where to keep your devices during a flight; it might feel counter-intuitive, and airlines have different rules on where devices must be stowed. 

Travelers are flying with more lithium battery-powered devices than ever before but devices can pose serious risks if packed incorrectly. There are 7 essential rules everyone should follow when flying with lithium batteries. Do you know them? Learn more: https://t.co/7rZ3s5xnsu https://t.co/4vX5dujPuG

— IATA (@IATA) August 11, 2026

Southwest Airlines, for example, requires laptops weighing 0.9 kg or more to be placed under the seat or in an overhead bin during taxiing, take-off and landing, a measure meant not only to protect the devices, but also other passengers from flying objects during turbulence.

Accessibility, however, is of paramount importance when it comes to battery fires.

In October 2025, a United Airlines flight from Washington to Rome was forced to make a U-turn after a passenger’s laptop slipped behind a cabin panel and into an inaccessible part of the aircraft.

The main danger comes from lithium-ion batteries, which can enter “thermal runaway” and potentially catch fire. Here, a quick reaction can make all the difference. Passengers spotting a device “overheating, expanding, smoking, or burning” should not hesitate and should immediately report it to cabin crew.

The rules do not apply to laptops only. They include mobile phones and tablets, watches and calculators, but also electronic products such as toothbrushes, razors, kids’ toys and drones.  

Brussels Airlines, for instance, permits up to 15 battery-powered devices per passenger, normally limited to 100 watt-hours (Wh) per device for lithium-ion batteries, or 2 g lithium content (LC) for lithium-metal batteries. Devices between 100 and 160 Wh require prior approval.

The airline recommends carrying them in hand luggage, protected from shocks and unintentional activation, with devices separated by clothing or packaging. Batteries may be removed and connections isolated to prevent short-circuiting.

Additional precautions apply to checked luggage, where a maximum of three devices larger than a smartphone are permitted. All must be switched off completely, with alarms and preset activation functions disabled, and kept away from flammable items.

Finally, it demands that all portable electronic devices be visible and accessible at all times when connected to the power supply system of the aircraft.

Power banks, meanwhile, are subjected to separate regulations and must travel in the cabin.

Finally, putting your laptop in an easily accessible bag with a dedicated, padded compartment might be the safest option when it cannot be kept within reach.

Such bags will not prevent fires, but they avoid having to rummage through an entire bag in an emergency, potentially setting other contents alight. Some fire-resistant pouches have up to three protective layers designed to tamp down flames.

Again, they are not immune to fire, but they can buy precious time.

Ultimately, following airline rules cannot eliminate the risk, but it can help ensure an incident is brought under control as quickly as possible.

L’article How to keep your laptop safe when flying est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.