SITA has acquired Big Blue , the company behind OCC Assistant Manager (OCCam), an AI-enabled disruption optimisation platform designed to help airlines manage operational disruptions more effectively. The acquisition forms part of SITA’s broader strategy to develop an Intelligent Operations Control Center that integrates planning, monitoring and recovery functions into a single operational framework.

Airline disruptions remain one of the industry’s most significant operational and financial challenges, costing carriers billions of dollars annually. OCCam has been developed and refined within live airline environments to address this issue by evaluating multiple operational constraints simultaneously, including aircraft availability, crew scheduling, passenger itineraries and maintenance requirements.

Unlike traditional disruption management systems that address operational issues sequentially, OCCam generates integrated recovery plans that consider all key operational variables together. The platform provides ranked recovery options, enabling airlines to assess cost implications, operational performance, passenger impact and regulatory compliance before implementing decisions.

According to SITA, airlines using OCCam have achieved disruption cost reductions of up to 30 per cent. For a mid-sized airline operating more than 100 aircraft, disruption costs can range between USD 70 million and USD 80 million annually, making operational recovery optimisation a significant area for cost savings.

The platform also enables airlines to measure the impact of operational decisions by outcomes and quantifying savings, allowing operators to evaluate performance and demonstrate return on investment.

David Lavorel, CEO of SITA, said, “Airlines have traditionally treated disruption as a fixed cost of doing business, but there is a clear opportunity to proach it differently. In an increasingly volatile and fast-moving environment, the ability to recover with the same agility becomes critical. The airlines that act on this first will recover faster, fly more, and protect more revenue than those that wait, and AI-enabled tools like OCCam are making that possible.”

SITA currently supports more than 100 airline Operations Control Centers globally through solutions such as SITA Mission Watch and has previously expanded AI-based operational tools through the rollout of SITA OptiFlight.

The acquisition also strengthens SITA’s ongoing investment in artificial intelligence, including large language models and agent-based systems. The company plans to build on OCCam’s optimisation cabilities to develop tools that can predict disruptions earlier, automate routine recovery processes and simplify operational decision-making.

Yann Cabaret, CEO, SITA for Aircraft, said, “This is the first step towards a much bigger Intelligent Operations Control Center vision, one where planning, monitoring, and recovery come together in a single system. AI allows us to handle multiple constraints at once and tailor decisions to each airline in a way that was not possible before.”

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) kicks off Caribbean Week in New York 2026 today, perfectly aligned with the start of Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

Under the theme One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences, this annual event brings together Caribbean tourism leaders, ministers and directors, marketing teams, and industry partners for a week of high-level dialogue, networking, innovation and celebration in the heart of New York City.

The official Opening Ceremony, taking place at InterContinental New York Times Square, will feature remarks from Ian Gooding-Edghill, chairman of CTO and minister of tourism and international transport of Barbados; governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands Albert Bryan Jr., and other dignitaries.

Highlighting the day’s events, Christine Valls, managing director for Latin America and the Caribbean at United Airlines, will deliver the Keynote Address at the Caribbean Women in Tourism Leadership Dinner & Awards this evening. The dinner will also mark the launch of a new CTO initiative, From Her to Her, supporting the next generation of Caribbean women in tourism.

Throughout the week, attendees can look forward to dynamic sessions on sales and marketing, leadership, diversity, and youth entrepreneurship.

As America celebrates the rich contributions of Caribbean Americans this month, Caribbean Week in New York serves as a powerful platform to strengthen partnerships, showcase the region’s infinite potential and drive sustainable tourism growth.

Businessman Peter Harris expressed humility and gratitude after his pointment as chairman of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), succeeding Shelly Williams.

Harris said he looks forward to building on her foundation while working closely with Tourism and International Transport Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill and the BTMI team.

Barbados has a fantastic product — one that the world wants, said Harris. Tasked with responsibly managing taxpayers’ money, he pledged to deliver the best returns for the island while remaining open to ideas and feedback. Tourism done right is done together, he added. Working together we can make Barbados not just a destination but a standard.

World Environment Day will be observed on June 5 under the theme Inspired by Nature: For Climate. For Our Future.

The campaign emphasizes the vital connection between healthy ecosystems, climate resilience and sustainable development.

The global observance will be hosted this year in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In Jamaica, activities will center on the Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project as part of the GraceKennedy Foundation’s 36th annual public lecture. The event will spotlight ongoing efforts to restore and improve the environmental health of Kingston Harbour.

The cleanup initiative is supported by The Ocean Cleanup, a leading international nonprofit dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in rivers, waterways and oceans. It is managed by the GraceKennedy Foundation in partnership with Clean Harbours Jamaica, a local organization specializing in marine waste solutions.

According to organizers, the project has prevented more than 13 million pounds of waste from entering the harbor over the past five years.

This year’s lecture will explore how collaboration, scientific research and innovative technology are being used to tackle solid waste pollution in Kingston Harbour.

The event builds on discussions first initiated during the Foundation’s 2019 public lecture which highlighted the environmental challenges facing the harbor and the urgent need for sustained, long-term restoration efforts.

New research from Tourism Tasmania reveals a notable shift in British traveller behaviour, with digital fatigue and always-on culture increasingly influencing how consumers define and value their holidays.
The study, conducted by 3Gem Media Group among 2,000 UK holidaymakers, suggests that traditional holidays are increasingly failing to deliver a true sense of esce, as work, social media and online expectations continue to follow travellers while abroad. As a result, tech-free disconnection is emerging as a key driver of destination and accommodation choice, with implications for travel product development, positioning and pricing.

Despite 88% of respondents actively trying to disconnect while on holiday, two in five (41%) say their screen time actually increases, equivalent to 16.7 million British travellers. More than half (51%) report that social media has made holidays feel like work, while the same proportion admit their phones have detracted from important travel moments through distraction or pressure to remain connected.
The findings indicate a broader recalibration of what constitutes value in a holiday, with disconnection increasingly positioned as a premium attribute rather than a compromise. Nearly six in ten (58%) respondents describe the ability to fully switch off as a status symbol, while 83% identify peace and quiet as the most luxurious element of a break, overtaking more traditional hotel amenities. Over half (51%) define a proper holiday as one where they cannot be contacted, and more than a third (37%) would choose to forgo Wi-Fi in favour of other aspects of the experience.
This shift is also influencing consumer spending behaviour. More than two in five (43%) British holidaymakers say they would be willing to pay more for destinations or accommodation that offer limited or no connectivity, with respondents indicating they would pay up to £32.50 extra per night for a tech-free environment. At the same time, 42% rank remote, nature-led destinations as the most pealing option for achieving a true digital reset.
The data highlights a growing opportunity for the travel trade to respond to evolving consumer demand by rethinking how experiences are designed, packaged and sold. There is increasing petite for remote, low-density destinations, smaller group travel, experience-led itineraries and accommodation that prioritises space, immersion and simplicity over connectivity and technology.
Within this context, Tasmania is well positioned to meet these changing expectations. As Australia’s only island state, its geogrhic separation, extensive protected landsces and low visitor density provide an inherent sense of distance from the pace and pressures of everyday life. More than half the island is protected in national parks and reserves, with a World Heritage-listed wilderness covering over 20% of its landmass. Across parts of the island, limited mobile coverage and low population density mean that disconnection is often a natural feature of the experience rather than something that needs to be engineered.
Tourism Tasmania CEO Sarah Kingston Clark says Tasmania offers a true sense of esce, inviting travellers to come down for air, disconnect from the pressures of everyday life and experience the kind of holiday they’re really seeking.

British travellers are telling us that holidays don’t feel like a proper break anymore when the pressure to be online follows them everywhere they go. When people say social media is making holidays feel like work, and that being unreachable is now the marker of a ‘real’ esce, it points to a deeper shift in how many of us are wanting to travel.

What’s changing for many is the role holidays play. For a long time, they’ve been about doing more, seeing more, sharing more – but that constant layer of connectivity means many travellers never truly switch off. What we’re seeing now is a growing desire to step out of that cycle altogether, and to spend time in places where there’s less noise, less connectivity, and fewer expectations.

That’s why Tasmania is resonating with so many people right now. Being an island set art from mainland Australia, there’s a natural sense of distance from the pace and noise of the rest of the world – and with it, a very different kind of holiday experience. Travellers can step away from devices, avoid large queues and crowds, and immerse themselves in remarkably pristine nature, while still enjoying easy access to world-class food and drink, distinctive arts and culture, and a vibrant calendar of events – often all within close reach.

If travellers want to stay connected, they absolutely can – but if they’re looking to properly switch off, it tends to hpen quite naturally here. And for many people, it’s not really about disconnecting for the sake of it – it’s about feeling present again, slowing down and reconnecting with what matters. For British travellers in particular, that’s increasingly what they’re looking to get out of a holiday.

Tourism Tasmania continues to work with trade partners to showcase a range of bookable experiences aligned to this trend, including off-grid accommodation, guided wilderness experiences and multi-day walking itineraries designed to support slower, more immersive travel.
For more information and trade resources, visit