In this edition of the Travel News Brief: Deem to sunset expense tool, Cuba travel ban, Canada flight disruption compensation, the latest of the Boeing 737, no visa for Brazil, everything you need to know about REAL-ID, delay on passport processing, driverless cars, Uber returns to Cancun, hotel expansions, 2019 Atlantic hurricane season forecast, Motivate Traveler Compliance to Reduce Your Travel Spend Webinar, and more!
You received a crisis alert. Now what?
It’s evening. You’re sitting down for dinner and you receive an email notification that there has been a crisis in a location where you have business travelers. It’s bad. Now what? Read More
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Deem Will Sunset Its Expense System
Business Travel News — Corporate travel booking and management provider Deem plans to discontinue Deem Expense in 18 months. Read More
New Zealand Implements Tourist Tax
Travel Weekly — New Zealand's legislature has approved a tourist tax to take effect July 1. The country proposed to levy the tax last year…Read More
Group Educational Trips to Cuba No Longer Allowed
Meetings & Conventions — The Trump administration imposed major new travel restrictions on visits to Cuba by U.S. citizens...Read More
Canada Issues Flight Disruption Compensation Regulations
Business Travel News — Canada now requires carriers to compensate passengers for flight disruptions within the carriers' control. Read More
American Airlines Extends Boeing 737 Max Cancellations Through Labor Day
Travel Pulse — The Boeing MAX issues continue to impact travel. Read More
American Airlines Achieves Summer Schedule Milestone at DFW
Travel Pulse — American Airlines completed the next step in its journey of unprecedented growth today as the airline’s schedule at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) grew to more than 900 daily flights for the first time this summer. Read More
American-Qantas JV Gets DOT Approval at Long Last
Business Travel News — After nearly five years of trying, American Airlines and Qantas have received tentative approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation for a joint venture between the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand carriers. Read More
Delta Air Lines Says Boston Is Now One of Its Hub Cities
The Points Guy — It’s official. Boston is now a hub for Delta Air Lines. Read More
United to Begin Flying from Newly Renovated LaGuardia Terminal B This Weekend
Travel Market Report — The move is just part of a multibillion-dollar renovation project that started with Terminal B, and will continue throughout the rest of LaGuardia. Read More
Americans Can Now Travel to Brazil Visa-free
Travel Mole — Travelers from Canada, Japan and Australia also get visa-free status…Read More
REAL IDs Are Coming! Here's Everything You Need to Know
Smarter Travel — Here's everything you need to know about when to use a passport vs. a REAL ID, even when flying domestically. Are you ready? Read More
Passport Agency Boosts Minimum Routine Application Wait Time by 50 Percent
The Washington Post — US travelers can expect to wait eight weeks instead of six for new and renewed passports, the State Department says, with expedited, two- to three-week service available for an additional $60. Read More
Your Airport Security Line Could Get Longer Next Year — and TSA Officers Are Not a Happy Crew
The Washington Post — While the Transportation Security Administration anticipates a 4.5% increase in passengers next year, officials have only requested a 2.5% increase in staffing, which will likely lead to delays. Read More
Brexit Puts Travelers on High Alert
GBTA Blog — The United Kingdom’s exit of the European Union has travelers on high alert. But do they need to be? Experts say that Brexit will likely impact U.K. travelers more than U.S. travelers. Read More
U.S. State Department Now Requiring Social Media Details from Visa Applicants
Travel Market Report — The rule is expected to impact about 14 million nonimmigrant visa applicants per year. Read More
Government Travel Warnings & Alerts
U.S. Department of State — Information on current government issued travel warnings and alerts. Read More
Driverless Cars Are Going to Disrupt the Airline Industry
Meetings & Conventions — A future with driverless cars means people will have more options to avoid driving on their own, beyond trains and buses...Read More
Avis Courts Bleisure Travelers with New Payment-Splitting Option
Phocuswire — To make it easier for bleisure travelers to reconcile expenses, Avis has created a “Split My Bill” feature in its mobile app that enables users to divide payment between corporate and personal credit cards or forms of payment. Read More
Uber Officially Returns to Cancun
Travel Pulse — The ride-sharing service restarts operations for the first time since 2017. Read More
Four Seasons Coming to Minneapolis
Travel Mole — Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has partnered with developer United Properties to bring a new Four Seasons hotel to downtown Minneapolis. Read More
Starwood Capital Unveils New Brand Treehouse Hotels
Travel Mole — First hotel will open this year in London…Read More
Marriott Bolsters Its Asia Pacific Presence with 13 New Properties
Travel Pulse — Marriott is significantly expanding its Asia Pacific luxury portfolio with 13 new properties expected to open this year alone. The growth in the region is to include new properties under the JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton , St. Regis, and Luxury Collection brands. Read More
Hilton Inks First U.S. Deal for Motto Brand
Travel Weekly — Hilton has secured the first U.S. agreement for its new Motto brand. Read More
Those Tiny Hotel Toiletry Bottles Are on Their Way Out
The New York Times — Like grocery bags and straws, the miniature bottles of toiletries and cosmetics that many guests swipe from hotels are in the sights of legislators and hotel establishments who are trying to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste. Read More
La Quinta Heads to the Caribbean
Business Travel News — Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Profusion Development have agreed to build eight La Quinta properties in the Dominican Republic in the next five years. Read More
The Langham Hotels & Resorts Introduces New Logo and Global Brand Campaign
4Hoteliers — The Langham Hotels & Resorts unveils its new logo and brand campaign at ILTM Asia Pacific to affirm its well-earned position within the ultra-luxury hotel segment. Read More
Hyatt Beefing Up Luxury Portfolio in Asia
Travel Mole — 21 new properties slated to open by-end 2020…Read More
Hyatt Establishes Dedicated Lifestyle Division/span>
Travel Mole — Two Roads Hospitality CEO Frederic Flageat-Simon heads strategy…Read More
Phoenix Airport Eyes Improvement, Expansion in 20-year Plan
Arizona Public Media — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is looking ahead two decades with a plan that calls for expanding and improving facilities to match projected cargo and passenger growth. Airport officials expect more than 70 million passengers by 2039. It recorded nearly 45 million passengers last year. Read More
11 Important Things to Know About Connecting Flights
Smarter Travel — While you can never completely eliminate that risk, you can minimize it. Read More
What Not to Do When Exiting a Plane During an Emergency
Smarter Travel — Definitely avoid these inconsiderate (and dangerous) behaviors. Read More
Tight Airport Connections: What You Need to Know About Making a Connecting Flight
SmarterTravel — Worried about missing your connecting flight? While you can never completely eliminate that risk, you can at least minimize it. Here’s how. Read More
Meteorologists Release 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast
Travel Pulse — The storm season has begun. Read More
Airport Is Getting a $14 Billion Makeover
CNBC — The airport is leading the nation in massive infrastructure improvements. By 2023, a people mover will whisk travelers from a parking location/rental-car facility in 10 minutes…Read More
Be Strategic: Listen, Communicate, Plan, Transform.
Creative Group — Top takeaways from the Strategic Meetings and Events Summit…Read More
[On-Demand Webinar] 10 Things Top Performing Tech Businesses Do Differently
Creative Group — Listen in as experts discuss what top-performing technology companies do differently for incentives and rewards than average-performing companies. Read More
Nashville Leads U.S. Meetings Hotels
Business Travel News — The Omni Nashville Hotel snared the No. 1 spot among this year's top U.S. meeting hotels, compiled by meeting and event technology provider Cvent. Read More
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