​As travel marketing moves deeper into the creator era, Virtual Dubai continues to show how Virtual World Internet is turning immersive hospitality content into a powerful tool for modern destination storytelling. If the first wave of travel marketing was built around glossy photography and the second around social media, the next is being shaped by navigable content: digital environments that allow creators, influencers and publishers to explore, pre-scout and frame experiences before they ever arrive. That is precisely where Virtual Dubai has found its edge. Through interactive virtual tours across some of the city’s most visually striking hotels, the platform is creating a new layer of creator-ready infrastructure, one that aligns with how luxury travel is now discovered, shared and sold  

​IHG® Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of a management agreement with Yashvi Greenco LLP to introduce Holiday Inn Express Surat Gauravpath. Scheduled to open in 2029, the hotel will mark IHG’s first signing in Surat, reinforcing IHG’s strategic expansion across India’s high-growth commercial markets.

As IHG’s largest and fastest-growing brand with over 3,200 hotels globally, Holiday Inn Express delivers more where it matters most – offering travellers simple, smart hospitality designed to balance efficiency with comfort. With the rollout of its Generation 5 design, the brand continues to elevate the essentials through flexible workspaces and refreshed aesthetics tailored for both business and leisure stays, making it a natural fit for high-demand commercial markets like Surat.  

​Hilton has announced the signing of a strategic agreement with Regenta Hotels Private Limited, owned by Royal Orchid Hotels Limited, to sign and open 125 Hampton by Hilton hotels in India. The partnership accelerates Hilton’s upper midscale expansion in India, where rising domestic travel and growing demand from the country’s expanding middle class are driving strong opportunities in the mid-market segment. The franchised hotels will primarily be developed across western and southern markets, including Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, joining more than 3,100 Hampton by Hilton properties trading globally.  

​The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has officially opened the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2026 at Benchakitti Park, Bangkok. Running until 15 April, the five-day event brings together cultural heritage, live entertainment and water celebrations at one of Thailand’s largest Songkran gatherings.
The opening ceremony on 11 April was attended by Mr. Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, alongside senior representatives from the public and private sectors.  

​The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launched its latest report, Cruising for Impact, highlighting the positive impact that cruise tourism delivers for communities and destinations around the world.

The report shows how cruise tourism acts as a powerful driver of opportunity, supporting local livelihoods, strengthening communities, and creating long-term value in coastal and port destinations.

Alongside these positive impacts, the industry contributed US$98.5 billion to global GDP and generated US$199 billion in total economic output, supported 1.8 million jobs, and delivered US$60.1 billion in wages in 2024, underlining its scale and global reach.