​The Hotel Sacher Vienna opened its doors in 1876 and celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026. The anniversary year begins with the presentation of the sculptures “Step Big” and “Dancer” by renowned artist Erwin Wurm in front of the hotel entrance. On 26 March 2026, these were ceremoniously unveiled in the presence of the artist, Vienna’s Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig and the owner family. They remain on display there throughout the anniversary year.  

​In a world where 68% of working adults crave better work-life balance and extreme wellness feels out of reach, Novotel has introduced the Novotel 37 Collective – a game-changing community of world-class athletes, culinary innovators, and wellness experts united by one revolutionary belief: small, sustainable changes compound into extraordinary transformations.  

​More than half of U.S. leisure travelers now use artificial intelligence to plan, book or navigate their trips, according to new research from Phocuswright, signaling the fastest behavioral shift the travel industry has seen in ten years. Phocuswright’s new report – The AI Surge: Travel’s Fastest Behavioral Shift in a Decade – shows that 56% of travelers used AI for at least one trip in the past 12 months, up sharply from 43% in late 2025 and more than double the share in 2024. Overall AI use among travelers – not limited to travel tasks – has also climbed to 59%.  

​Multi-day tour operators worldwide are entering a new phase of growth marked by rising demand for small-group travel and accelerating adoption of AI, according to The State of Multi-Day Tours, 2nd Edition, a new global research report from Arival. The findings come as the sector prepares to gather at Arival 360 Valencia, the company’s flagship global event for the experiences industry. The report, based on a survey of 569 operators and nearly 50 executive interviews and conducted with the support key sponsors TourRadar, kimkim and Lemax, shows that 78% of multi-day operators, identifies key shifts in tour products, distribution, the role of OTAs, the state of technology and AI use across the industry and much more.  

​Marriott Bonvoy®, Marriott International’s award-winning travel programme and Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline and a Star Alliance member, today announced a partnership that gives travellers more opportunities to earn and redeem points and miles across both hotel stays and flights. Starting today, eligible members of Marriott Bonvoy and ShebaMiles, Ethiopian Airlines’ loyalty programme, can convert ShebaMiles into Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays, upgrades and more, as well as Marriott Bonvoy points to ShebaMiles to book flights. Members can also choose whether to earn Marriott Bonvoy points or ShebaMiles when staying at properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.