Travel Weekly Group Ltd

🚂 GCC Railway project to connect Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait by 2030. Kuwait signs US$8 million contract with Proyapi for 2,177-km railway design. Construction progresses in Oman, Saudi, and UAE. Network links ports, industrial sites, and tourism destinations: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah. GCC Grand Tours Visa launching in 2025. SAR tenders US$7 billion Saudi Landbridge with 1,500+ km of new track. Saudi's North Train Passenger Line is 1,250 km; East Line is 733 km. Dream of the Desert, a luxury train with 34 suites, debuts in Q3 2026. Etihad Rail developing UAE network; Dubai-Abu Dhabi in 30 mins at 350 km/h, passenger service date unannounced.

🏨 Eurostar unveils its new Service Centre at St Pancras International, featuring three seated desks for ticketing and support, plus five self-service ticket machines. Two desks are wheelchair accessible with hearing induction loops. The aim is to enhance the customer experience, following the recent completion of Eurostar’s Border Control Enhancement Works Programme. The Service Centre is open daily, except Christmas Day.

🏨 Eurostar unveils a new Service Centre at St Pancras International aimed at improving ticketing and customer support. The facility includes three seated desks, two of which are wheelchair-accessible, featuring hearing induction loops. Additionally, five self-service ticket machines are provided. These developments follow Eurostar's Border Control Enhancement Works Programme, enhancing passenger flow through border controls. The Service Centre operates daily, except on Christmas Day, signifying Eurostar's dedication to an enhanced customer experience.

💻 HBX Group, a B2B travel technology marketplace, is elevating the travel industry with advanced AI integration, optimizing hotel distribution and customer service. AI manages 20% of customer service at HBX, offering rapid response. Xabier Zabala, COO, emphasizes AI's role in improving efficiency and market adaptation. AI solutions handle booking, service, and partner management, including omnichannel service, content, anomaly prediction, and agent training. The AI anticipates customer needs, enhancing user experience and operations. HBX ensures data protection and complies with GDPR, continuously auditing AI models for bias and alignment with company values.

🏨 HBX Group is enhancing the travel industry with advanced AI, handling 20% of customer service contacts via AI, enabling real-time decision-making and faster responses. COO Xabier Zabala emphasizes AI's current impact, improving efficiency and personalization. Their AI-based solutions include omnichannel service, anomaly detection, and training for complex cases. They aim for predictive AI to anticipate needs, adhering to GDPR and other regulations with continuous AI performance monitoring to ensure responsible use.

✈ Star Alliance, celebrating 27 years, launched "Rhythm of Excellence" campaign to highlight seamless interline journeys across its 25 member airlines. The ad, showcasing check-in, baggage, lounge access, and loyalty benefits, was filmed at Tokyo Narita and Singapore Changi airports. It was produced with The Secret Little Agency (TSLA) to portray the alliance's purpose as a cinematic experience, as explained by VP Renato Ramos.

📈 IDeaS, a hospitality revenue management software provider, launched IDeaS Spotlight in July 2025—a demand intelligence tool that utilizes advanced analytics and AI to aid marketers in creating effective demand-generating campaigns. Spotlight integrates demand forecast and price sensitivity capabilities, enhancing campaign conversion and response speed. Initial availability is exclusive to IDeaS clients, with registration currently open.

🚠 AutoRentals.com and InterLnkd have partnered to offer a first-of-its-kind AI-driven virtual shopping mall for car rental customers, featuring personalized shopping recommendations from thousands of brands. This e-commerce platform targets the European and North American markets, enabling AutoRentals.com to earn revenue from customer purchases. InterLnkd already collaborates with major retailers like CVS, Bloomingdales, and Anthropology, and is available in the UK, US, Italy, Hungary, the UAE, Canada, Poland, and Romania, with expansion plans for 2025.

✈ Alternative Airlines reported a total transactional value of £83 million in 2024, an 11% increase from £74 million in 2023 and a 822% growth from £9m in 2020 post-pandemic. Significant market growth occurred in the UK (+36%), Canada (+121%), and Singapore (+286%). Strategic investments in technology, such as the AI-powered chatbot Amelia, and flexible payment solutions fueled these results. The brand also enhanced its ancillary service offerings through an expanded partnership with Amadeus.