​The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) today announced that works have commenced on Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi (House of the Arts), a landmark institution on Saadiyat Island that will become one of the region’s most technically advanced performing arts venues upon opening in 2030. Representing a major investment in cultural infrastructure, the institution reflects Abu Dhabi’s vision to create world-class platforms for artistic excellence, international collaboration and cultural exchange.  

​In a major step toward industry-wide decarbonisation, the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA) today announced the successful completion of a pioneering feasibility study on collective renewable energy purchasing for the global hospitality industry.  

​The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has expressed concern over proposals to increase Barcelona’s tourist tax on short-stay cruise passengers, warning that the measure could weaken the city’s competitiveness and have unintended consequences for the local economy.  

​The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today announced that its Hotel Sustainability Basics programme will transition to an independent third-party certification scheme, aligned with new European Union requirements for environmental claims and designed to meet the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Accreditation Framework.

The move strengthens Hotel Sustainability Basics as a globally recognised framework for hotel sustainability, providing independent verification, greater transparency, and a credible pathway for hotels to demonstrate their sustainability performance in line with evolving regulatory and market expectations.  

​New research by the car rental comparison and booking website DiscoverCars.com found that Portugal, Spain and Austria are among the most affordable places for a family camping trip in Europe this summer.

To find the best budget-friendly getaway, DiscoverCars.com analysed 2-4 popular family campsites in each country in the survey to find the average lowest campsite cost for a week-long stay between 27th July-2nd August. They then combined this cost with car rental rates in the local area for the same time frame, finding a total average cost for a week-long trip.