Travel Weekly Group Ltd

💸 Bhutan, in partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank, becomes the first country to introduce a national-level crypto payment system for tourism. Over 100 merchants across Bhutan, including remote areas, accept payments through Binance Pay, covering airline tickets, visas, accommodations, and more. The system offers low transaction fees with zero gas fees. Travellers can pay using over 100 cryptocurrencies like BNB, BTC, and USDC, enhancing a cashless, seamless, and secure travel experience.

📅 The Advantage Travel Partnership has formed a strategic alliance with corporate travel technology provider Atriis. This collaboration aims to enhance the Partnership's One Stop Business Hub capabilities, allowing TMCs and corporate clients to manage travel programs more effectively through a unified platform. Atriis' technology integrates with existing systems, supports sustainable travel choices, and aligns with environmental objectives. Stephen Baxendale and Omri Amsalem, CEO and co-founder of Atriis Technologies, underscore the partnership's focus on operational simplification, efficiency improvement, and future-ready solutions.

🏨 Travelgenix and global accommodation wholesaler Stuba announce a partnership, making Stuba a premium supplier on the Travelgenix platform. The integration offers users instant access to a global network of hotels, real-time availability, and rich content, aiming to help travel businesses scale effectively. Stuba joins over 1,000 airlines and suppliers already on the Travelgenix platform, enhancing choice for independent agents and growing tour operators. CEO Andy Speight emphasizes the leveling of the playing field for smaller players against big competitors. Michael Wiles of Stuba is excited about the collaboration, focusing on quality hotel content and reliable delivery for travel sellers.

🌍 Sojern reports steady travel demand matching 2024 levels, with a trend towards cooler climates and local getaways. European travelers are shifting towards cooler destinations, with intra-European flights to the UK up 12% and London bookings at 75%. Notable events like Coldplay’s tour and Glastonbury boost UK travel. Flight bookings show increases to Estonia (+32%), Iceland (+17%), Norway (+11%), Portugal (+7%), Spain (+3%), and France (+1%), with Portugal also experiencing a 13% rise in hotel searches. Paris maintains popularity post-Olympics, while Italy's Jubilee Year sees Rome leading. Switzerland's international flights increase by 2% YoY, potentially boosted by UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. UAE sees a 4% rise in flight bookings and a 20% increase in hotel bookings. Southeast Asia reports a 5% YoY flight booking increase for Singapore and a 2% rise for Thailand. East Asian outbound travel favors regional destinations. Australia's travel demand grows by 10%, with significant rises in visitors from New Zealand (+14.6%), China (+12.4%), and the US (+9%).

🎵 Over 90% of children plan to watch Eurovision this year, with 66% of adults saying it influences youth to learn about cultures and visit new places. Spain, Italy, and Switzerland are top 'adopted' countries for British kids. 60% learned about European geography through Eurovision, 55% want to visit countries featured, and 43% are motivated to learn new languages. Italy (36%), Spain (27%), and Switzerland (26%) are most desired travel destinations. Google searches for ‘Bara bada bastu’ soared after KAJ's 2025 song debut. 70% of children became Eurovision fans following UK's Sam Ryder 2022 performance. easyJet, as the Official Airline and largest in Basel, will fly over 47,000 visitors to Eurovision's semi-finals and Grand Final on May 13, 15, and 17, increasing seat capacity by 6,000 from last year.

📌 Protect Group aims to protect $7 billion in travel/event bookings by end of 2025. Its Travel, Tours & OTAs vertical saw 54% year-on-year growth. The core product, Refund Protect, offers ticket refunds under unforeseen circumstances. Protect Plus includes services like flight delay compensation and eSIM solutions. AI-driven Pulse platform enhances customer experience. Chief Product & Marketing Officer Jason Walsh emphasizes the balance of customer experience and revenue growth.

📌 JTB Business Travel, a Canadian company, announced a new brand identity, including a new logo and color palette, as part of a global transformation led by JTB Corp. This follows JTB Corp's rebrand in 2022 aimed at unifying business travel entities. Geert de Boo, VP of Global Business Travel at JTB USA, emphasizes the brand's 100-plus years of history and its vision for future business travel. The phased rollout will culminate at the Business Travel Show Europe in June 2025, reflecting a balance of technology and human service in travel management.