Skift Travel News Blog

Foster + Partners has released concept images of its design for the pavilion for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at Expo 2025, taking place in Osaka, Japan.

The pavilion will be located on the Yumeshima waterfront, and has been designed to create a ‘spatial experience that echoes the exploration of Saudi Arabian towns and cities,’ according to a release from Foster + Partners.

The pavilion has taken inspiration from the organic textures and shapes of traditional Saudi villages, and will be built around a central courtyard – called the ‘Saudi Courtyard’ – which will provide a space for quiet reflection during the day whilst transforming into a venue for performances and events at night. 

From the courtyard, visitors will be able to explore a series of meandering ‘streets’ that will provide entry to a number of immersive spaces.

The pavilion, which will have the ability to be ‘deconstructed and reassembled, or completely reconfigured, to meet different requirements in a future location,’ will also be made from low carbon materials, and feature a host of sustainable features.

Marriott International has announced that it is continuing its partnership with UNICEF by relaunching ‘Check Out for Children,’ a program that has been created to give guests the opportunity to make a voluntary donation to the organization during their stay.

According to a release, guest donations collected as part of the program will help to fund UNICEF’s work to ‘make a better world for every child in over 190 countries and territories,’ and will power initiatives to create cleaner environments, advocate for children with disabilities, and help to protect refugees.

“Marriott is proud to continue its legacy of serving our world in collaboration with UNICEF,” said David Marriott, chairman of the board, Marriott International in a release.

“Since 1995, we have worked with UNICEF to provide much needed funding for youth health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality education and skill building, and the protection and care of children in the face of natural disaster. The Check Out for Children program is an incredible opportunity for our guests and our hotels to support UNICEF’s relentless pursuit of bettering the lives of children around the world.”

Check Out for Children is being expanded in recognition of World Children’s Day, with the program now live in over 500 properties across 40 countries.

Only 8% of U.S. tourism boards strongly prioritize addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero. In contrast, 62% of European tourism boards and 29% of Canadian tourism boards have made it a top priority. That’s according to Sojern’s “State of Destination Marketing 2024.”

The report is based on a survey of over 300 destination marketers by the Digital Tourism Think Tank, commissioned by travel marketing platform Sojern, and endorsed by Brand USA, Destination Canada and the European Travel Commission.

Compared to other regions, regenerative tourism is not a strong strategic focus for U.S. tourism boards. Only 28% in the U.S. have made it a focus, while over 40% of Canadian and European tourism boards have made it one.

Tourism boards differ regionally when it comes to diversity and inclusion. In the U.S. and Canada, over half of tourism boards prioritize celebrating racial and ethnic diversity in their marketing.  In Europe, however, 23% do so.

In addition, Canadian tourism boards stood out for their representation of Indigenous Peoples at 71%, according to the report.

When it comes to reaching travelers with disabilities, over 40% of American and European tourism boards put it as a top priority in their marketing. About 12% of Canadian tourism boards, on the other hand, do so.

Below are updates based on comments from Sojern. The headline was also updated.

• The survey’s original question was, “How are the following prioritized in your strategy?” U.S. tourism boards still prioritize climate change and net zero gas emissions commitments but not above other focuses like biodiversity and natural environment, diversity, equity and inclusion, and so on.
• The question above was intended to gauge how tourism boards are focused on sustainability overall, not just climate change.
• Europe has government policies on sustainability that the U.S. does not. That will explain some regional differences.
• Tourism board priorities are set by their funding partners. In certain destinations, climate change will logically be less of a priority than other aspects of sustainability.

European tour operator TUI’s tours and activities division, TUI Musement, has expanded its collaboration with National Geographic Expeditions, launching 40 new NatGeo Day Tours. 

Previously only available as part of a cruise itinerary package, travelers can now independently book a mix of one-day and half-day itineraries. According to a partnership update released by TUI, these NatGeo tours specialize in beach and city experiences in destinations like Barcelona, Cancun, Crete, Paphos, New York, Naples, and Tenerife.

The tours, led by National Geographic-trained guides, are conducted in small groups of about 8 to 15 people and follow the TUI groups’ Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria, it said.

NatGeo tours include exploring Miró’s diverse artworks and creations in Barcelona, Spain, guided by architectural and art restoration specialists in the Homage to Miró experience. Another example is embarking on coral reef conservation with marine biologists and oceanographers in Cancun, Mexico, as part of the National Geographic Pristine Seas project in the Unveiling the Importance of Reef Restoration tour.      

An exclusive and educational sailing and snorkeling NatGeo tour to identify bleached corals and understand reef restoration and sustainable marine practices. Source: TUI Musement.

Peter Ulwahn, CEO of TUI Musement, previously shared TUI’s tours and activities strategy as a key growth sector with Skift. He noted that city destination experiences offered as shore excursions notably increased along with the group’s cruise sector revival, seeing a 69% year-on-year growth for TUI’s cruise products between April and June this year, compared to the same period in 2022.

The booking of TUI Collections in city destinations has seen a 90% increase year-on-year. From October 2022 to September 2023, TUI Musement facilitated over 1 million direct bookings, added Ulwahn.

“National Geographic Day Tours are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. These are carefully crafted tours that tell stories of their destinations, honoring the National Geographic legacy and providing top quality, authentic, local experiences,” said Ulwahn.

Emirates has launched a limited edition collection of luggage, bags and accessories created by using upcycled materials from retrofitted aircraft.

‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ consists of a range of made to order suitcases, backpacks, handbags, cardholders, toiletry bags and belts that have been created using old aluminum headrests, leather and seatbelts collected during the retrofit of the carriers A380 and 777 aircrafts. 

The luggage collection has been designed and handmade by tailors in a dedicated workshop at the Emirates Engineering facility in Dubai.

Aircrafted by Emirates is set to go on sale towards the end of 2024 at official Emirates Stores, with all sale proceeds being donated to children in need via the Emirates Airline Foundation. 

“At Emirates, we are committed to constantly evolving our sustainability efforts, and looking at every aspect of our products and supply chain. We knew these materials could be given a second life, because they are originally of very high quality. We challenged our team to be as creative and innovative as possible, and here we are, with our own accessories workshop in Emirates Engineering Centre! This initiative is a passion project for our team, and we are immensely proud of how it aligns with both our innovation and sustainability aims, and even better – that all proceeds will benefit worthy causes via the Emirates Airline Foundation,’ said Ahmed Safa, divisional senior vice president for engineering at Emirates.  

A number of pieces of luggage from the collection will  be on display at the Dubai Airshow next week.

1 Hotels has launched its first European property, with 1 Hotels Mayfair now open in London, standing as the brands flagship location in the United Kingdom.

According to a release, a commitment to sustainability and biophilic design principles have been the ‘driving force’ behind the design of the property, with the new location meeting BREEAM Excellent standards – a rating used to measure the sustainability performance of buildings.

The nature inspired hotel features a number of naturally sourced design features, including a ‘living wall’ – featuring more than 1,300 individual plants – along with reclaimed Yorkshire dry-stone walls, private bars that have been hand-wrapped with woven jute and vanities crafted from Welsh slate.

“We are thrilled to bring our brand’s one-of-a-kind blend of nature and culture, sustainability and luxury, and a holistic focus on health and wellness to what has been a hub of heritage for generations,” said 1 Hotels founder and SH Hotels & Resorts chairman, Barry Sternlicht. 

“We designed this soothing urban oasis as a fresh, fashionable, contemporary take on timeless traditions. With Green Park as our backdrop, we are focused on reconnecting our guests and visitors to the wonder and magic of London’s natural, cultural, and historical landmarks in an atmosphere that is as relaxed as it is refined.”

A new exhibition featuring sustainable art will be opening at the Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island, thanks to a new collaboration between the hotel, Artbooth Gallery, and a local artist. 

The ‘Sustainable Art Awareness Project’ features the works of Lebanese-born Emirati artist Noura Ali Ramahi, and has been designed to support local artists who embrace sustainable art practices. 

The exhibition will be on display within the public areas of the hotel through November 30, with a special event with the artist taking place on November 13 to coincide with World Kindness Day.

According to a release, Ramahi’s commitment to eco-friendly art mediums dates back to 2018, and sees her draw inspiration from her daily routine. However it is her use of everyday materials – such as wax paper from cheese, cardboard from packages, or retail paper bags – that give her work real impact.

“At Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, we are strongly committed to sustainability and run several ESG initiatives. As a part of our work with community, the artworks of local talents and artisans are featured throughout the Hotel, including more than 2,000 pieces displayed in public areas and in each guest room and suite. On this World Kindness Day, in collaboration with Noura Ali Ramahi we would like to inspire our guests to make a positive impact on our planet. Through Noura’s innovative use of materials and her profound message of kindness towards nature, she inspires us all to make a difference.” says Bob Suri, general manager, Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island.

Emirates has announced that its first flights operating with sustainable aviation fuel in the Emirates have taken place, with Emirates’ flight EK 412 bound for Sydney departing Dubai International Airport on 24 October. 

315,000 gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel has been provided to the airline’s hub in Dubai by Shell, and according to a release, has enabled the airline to ‘power a number of missions’ over the course of the last few weeks.

The supplied blend has chemical characteristics that are identical to conventional jet fuel, which means that integrating the fuel into the existing infrastructure and aircraft engines can be seamlessly actioned with no modifications required.

“We’re pushing ahead with proactive measures to enable more sustainable flying now and in the future, and powering flights from our Dubai hub is just one of the steps we’ve taken to reduce emissions and concretely help our customers minimize their own carbon footprint. We still have a long road ahead, and we hope that our partnership with Shell Aviation inspires more producers to address the supply gaps and make SAF readily available in major hubs like Dubai, as well as other points on our network,” said Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline.

An underwater art exhibition, known as the ‘EDP Art Reef’ is available to visit off the coast of Portugal.

The exhibition, which was created by energy provider EDP in collaboration with Portuguese street artist Vhils, sees materials taken from three retired EDP coal-fired power stations repurposed into an underwater art reef.

The exhibition is located around a mile off the coast of the Algarve, and allows divers – who have the appropriate certifications – to enjoy the 13 art pieces at a depth of 12 metres.

According to the website, the underwater exhibition includes live corals, that will ‘evolve with the tides, varying with the seasons and the years’, and the long-term aim of the project is that nature will eventually take over the installations, and ‘transform the works of art over time into an ecosystem for marine life’.

You can find out how to visit the exhibition here.

Anantara Hotels and Resorts has rolled out its ‘Dollar for Deeds’ program at its properties globally, having originally launched the initiative at select hotels in Thailand almost ten years ago.

The ‘Dollar for Deeds‘ program provides travellers with the opportunity to give back to the local community of a property by pledging a donation to a range of causes that support environmental and community initiatives.

Guests will be able to donate one dollar per night of their stay, with the hotel matching their contribution dollar for dollar and passing the donation on to partners internationally.

One of these initiatives is the IUCN Turtle Beach Protection Programme in Sri-Lanka, for which you can take a look at the video below:

Other initiatives under the program include raising funds for The Princess Sirindhorn Craniofacial Centre at Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok, The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, coral reef protection in the Maldives and providing vocational training for disabled children in Vietnam and Indonesia.

“Sustainability has long been a key pillar of our operating philosophy and, increasingly, it is not only a global need but also a requirement from both our investors and guests. By making ‘Dollar for Deeds’ accessible globally, we can support more worthy causes around the world while encouraging individual sustainability journeys and changing the definition of purposeful travel in our neighbouring communities and ecosystems.  For the expansion I am particularly proud of the way our properties outside Thailand have embraced the spirit of the programme and chosen amazing local causes to support,” said John Roberts, group director of sustainability & conservation for Minor Hotels, Anantara’s parent company,