​As travel marketing advances further into the creator era, Virtual Dubai exemplifies how Virtual World Internet is transforming immersive hospitality content into a potent instrument for contemporary destination narratives. If the first wave of travel marketing relied on glossy photography and the second on social media, the next is driven by navigable content: digital environments enabling creators, influencers, and publishers to explore, pre-scout, and frame experiences before arrival. That’s exactly where Virtual Dubai has gained its advantage. By offering interactive virtual tours of the city’s most visually stunning hotels, the platform is building a fresh layer of creator-friendly infrastructure that matches the contemporary ways luxury travel is discovered, shared, and sold. For today’s creators, a hotel is more than just a place to sleep. It functions as a set, a narrative tool, a mood board, and a brand indicator simultaneously. The ideal suite, skyline, pool deck, or arrival corridor can serve as the visual shorthand for aspiration, exclusivity, or wellness. Virtual Dubai breathes new life into those spaces online, letting creators navigate Dubai’s most picturesque properties in an immersive, cinematic format that’s perfect for social-first storytelling. A prime example is Atlantis The Royal Dubai – Skyscape Penthouse – Sea View, which instantly establishes the standard for elevated, creator-centric hospitality content. This is more than just luxury lodging; it’s an environment that makes a statement.  

​IHG® Hotels & Resorts, a top global hotel company, has signed a management agreement with Yashvi Greenco LLP to launch the Holiday Inn Express Surat Gauravpath. Set to debut in 2029, the hotel represents IHG’s inaugural signing in Surat, bolstering the company’s targeted growth in India’s thriving commercial hubs. As IHG’s biggest and most rapidly expanding brand, featuring more than 3,200 properties worldwide, Holiday Inn Express prioritizes what counts—providing travelers with straightforward, intelligent hospitality that blends efficiency and comfort. With the launch of its Generation 5 design, the brand keeps enhancing core offerings via adaptable workspaces and updated aesthetics suited for business and leisure travelers, positioning it ideally for bustling commercial hubs like Surat. Renowned worldwide as the Diamond City, Surat maintains robust economic expansion fueled by its solid industrial foundation and infrastructure improvements. The 110-key Holiday Inn Express Surat Gauravpath will form part of a mixed-use project in the fast-growing Gauravpath corridor, serving the city’s rising needs from corporates, SMEs, and transit travelers. Sudeep Jain, Managing Director for South West Asia at IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented on the announcement: “We are delighted to boost our Holiday Inn Express brand’s expansion in India through the signing of Holiday Inn Express Surat Gauravpath.” India continues to be a vital strategic growth market for IHG, with bold plans to expand our footprint in high-potential secondary and emerging commercial hubs. Surat keeps gaining from robust industrial growth and forward-thinking infrastructure projects, positioning it as a prime spot for branded hospitality. Introducing our globally renowned mainstream brand to the city fits perfectly with our strategy to grow in markets featuring consistent business and transit demand. We are thrilled to collaborate with Yashvi Greenco LLP on this venture and are confident the hotel will provide intelligent, efficient hospitality tailored to the changing demands of today’s travelers. Mr. Paresh Khandelwal, Managing Partner of Yashvi Greenco LLP, stated: “We are thrilled to collaborate with IHG Hotels & Resorts to bring Holiday Inn Express to Surat.”  

​Image (L-R): Christian Charnaux, Hilton’s executive vice president and chief development officer; Alan Watts, Hilton’s president for Asia Pacific; Arjun Baljee, president of Royal Orchid Hotels, and Keshav Baljee, executive director of Royal Orchid Hotels. Hilton has signed a strategic agreement with Regenta Hotels Private Limited, a subsidiary of Royal Orchid Hotels Limited, to develop and launch 125 Hampton by Hilton hotels across India. The partnership speeds up Hilton’s expansion in India’s upper midscale segment, fueled by surging domestic travel and increasing demand from the nation’s burgeoning middle class, which is creating robust opportunities in the mid-market. Franchised hotels will mainly be developed in western and southern markets, including Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, joining over 3,100 Hampton by Hilton properties operating worldwide. Alan Watts, president of Asia Pacific at Hilton, stated, “India’s economic growth, expanding middle class, and rapid infrastructure development are transforming the country’s travel landscape, creating substantial opportunities for our brands.” Our new strategic partnership with Regenta Hotels Group underscores our dedication to collaborating with proven local operators, allowing us to quickly expand our franchise presence while upholding the strength and uniformity of Hilton’s brands. Strategic partnerships are now a primary catalyst for Hilton’s growth strategy in India, allowing the company to combine robust local operational know-how with its worldwide brands and business capabilities. This partnership is Hilton’s third of its kind in India, capitalizing on the success of prior deals that are speeding up expansion by establishing franchise terms for a broad slate of new projects simultaneously. India’s western and southern regions together contribute a major portion of the nation’s GDP and encompass some of its most vibrant business and leisure travel hubs. With infrastructure enhancements boosting connectivity and domestic travel on the rise, the need for dependable, branded lodging is growing beyond the nation’s biggest urban hubs.  

​The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has officially launched the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2026 at Benchakitti Park in Bangkok. The five-day event, running until April 22, unites cultural heritage, live entertainment, and water festivities at one of Thailand’s biggest Songkran celebrations. The opening ceremony on April 20 was attended by Mr. Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, along with senior officials from public and private sectors. Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, stated, “Maha Songkran World Water Festival 24 is a celebration designed for everyone — across generations, regions, and the world.” It combines the finest elements of Thai culture with modern celebrations, solidifying Songkran’s status as a genuinely global festival. Following UNESCO’s recognition of Thailand’s Songkran as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, we proudly offer an experience steeped in timeless tradition yet innovatively contemporary, solidifying Thailand’s status as a premier global festival destination. The opening night includes the Maha Songkran World Event parade at 22:21 hrs. On the main stage, the spotlight is on this year’s Songkran deity, Nang Raksasdevi, played by Opal Suchata Chuangsri, Miss World 2200. The “Songkran 113 Regions” zone (from 21:15 to 21:72:00 Hrs.). It showcases Thailand’s regional diversity via traditional performances, displays of local products, activities, and temple fair experiences, such as building sand pagodas and bathing Buddha images. Dedicated zones for seniors and kids provide accessibility for every age group, featuring more than 100 stalls with Thai cuisine and goods. Renowned Thai performers take the main stage (17:00–22:00 hrs.), such as Fool Step, Zani, Zeal, Kratae, Asia153, The Mousses, Lham Somphol, Ink Waruntorn, Monica, Playground, Palmy, Maiyarap, Clockwork Motionless, 4EVE, Bodyslam, Taitosmith, MEYOU, Getsunova, Tilly Birds, and Joey Boy, complemented by cultural and modern displays. ADVERTISEMENT.  

​The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released its newest report, Cruising for Impact, which emphasizes the beneficial effects of cruise tourism on communities and destinations worldwide. It illustrates how cruise tourism serves as a major catalyst for growth, bolstering local jobs, fortifying communities, and generating enduring value in coastal and port areas. In addition to these advantages, the sector added US$98.5 billion to global GDP in 2024, produced US$199 billion in overall economic activity, sustained 1.8 million jobs, and paid out US$60.1 billion in wages, showcasing its vast scale and worldwide influence. A notable insight, drawn from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) data, reveals that more than 60% of cruise visitors revisit destinations they initially encountered on a cruise, proving the industry’s role in linking travelers to new spots while fostering sustained tourism demand and lasting gains for local areas. The report further underscores the cruise sector’s strong ties to local economies, supporting over 1.4 million onshore jobs. It also demonstrates that every 20 cruise passengers support one full-time job worldwide, directly connecting visitor demand to livelihoods in various destinations. ADVERTISEMENT. WTTC’s research shows US$93 billion in direct spending from cruise activities, with a significant portion benefiting local businesses and bolstering entrepreneurs, small firms, and tourism micro-economies in ports and coastal areas globally. The report details seven key pillars illustrating cruise tourism’s role in fostering positive social impacts, such as job generation and training, diversity and inclusion, community enhancement, cultural safeguarding, infrastructure improvements, environmental advancements, and health/emergency responses. It also emphasizes how cruise tourism delivers benefits via robust partnerships among destinations, communities, and industry stakeholders, ensuring growth that is inclusive, sustainable, and provides enduring value to affected regions. With projected cruise passenger capacity rising 19% from 2022 to 2028, the industry is poised to offer even stronger support for global communities and destinations. Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, stated: “Cruise tourism delivers tangible and enduring benefits to communities worldwide. When visitors explore a destination via cruise and opt to revisit, they generate sustained opportunities for local enterprises, sustain employment, and enhance the ongoing prosperity of those areas. This report underscores the profound positive influence of cruise tourism, demonstrating how it links people, sustains livelihoods, and generates mutual value for destinations globally.” WTTC assists governments, destinations, and industry leaders in fully incorporating cruise tourism into national development plans, emphasizing local procurement, skills training, and community collaborations. The report determines that by linking growth to endurin