Travel Weekly Group Ltd

🚀 Ryanair launches a new 'Prime' discount scheme for a £79, 12-month subscription, limited to 250,000 members. It offers reserved seats, travel insurance, and monthly exclusive seat sales. Europe's largest airline aims to extend its price leadership. eDreams Odigeo's 'Prime' service recently exceeded seven million members, with a target of 7.25 million by March. This follows disputes between Ryanair and eDreams, including a legal battle over the use of 'Prime' and seat reservation overcharges. Ryanair's 'Prime' could save members up to £420 annually for 12 flights. Wizz Air also introduced an annual £534 'all you can fly' ticket last August.

🚀 Gemini Trains, chaired by Lord Tony Berkeley, targets a 2029 launch for rival Channel Tunnel routes to Eurostar, with services from London and Ebbsfleet. The start-up, in development for two years, plans a fleet of 10 trains offering mixed economy and business seats. They've applied for a license and access via the Office of Rail and Road, eyeing expansion to France, Belgium, and further in Europe. Eurotunnel encourages competition, with potential routes to Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, and Basel. Fee cuts by the regulator in January may facilitate new competitors.

🏡 eDreams Odigeo, Europe's largest travel booking platform, manages six billion daily predictions for personalized travel experiences. AI adoption in travel tasks is at 73% globally, with Gen Z at nearly 90%. Flexible travel policies, such as "cancel for any reason" and price-freezing tools, are in demand. In 2025, consumer demand surges, driven by music and sporting events. At least one million travelers are expected to join the seven million already using travel subscription options. Global travel hit €1.5 trillion in market size in 2024 and continues to grow in 2025. Travel trends include prioritizing experiences, shorter trips, and the influence of cultural events on travel patterns.

🚢 Cruise Plus, a Dnata specialist brand, has expanded its offerings with five new cruise lines: Aqua Expeditions, American Cruise Lines, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Pandaw Cruises, and Amadeus River Cruises, reaching 40 partners. These additions encompass river, small-ship, luxury, and expedition cruises in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. American Cruise Lines features paddle-wheelers on the Mississippi, while Aqua Expeditions offers Amazon and Mekong river cruises. Hapag-Lloyd specializes in luxury and expedition trips, and Amadeus sails major European rivers.

📌 Amadeus' "Travel Dreams" report analyzed feedback from 6,000 travelers across the US, China, India, UK, France, and Germany. It revealed that 63% of hotel guests are willing to pay more for specific features, potentially increasing hotel revenues by $5,300 per room annually. Approximately 12% could be added to the average daily rate with these features. While 50% of travelers prioritize personalized services, 52% are open to sharing personal data for tailored deals. Business travelers (71%) prefer online or self-service check-ins and 22% are interested in using cryptocurrency or digital wallets. Globally, the average perceived loss due to lack of travel insurance stands at $1,210 per person, with Chinese travelers estimating over $2,500. Additionally, 82% of business and 66% of leisure travelers are interested in using virtual reality tours, and 18% would let AI assist with writing reviews.

💻 IT solutions provider theICEway rebrands to nevetal, aiming to reflect its growth and commitment to digital transformation in the cruise and travel industries. CEO Ian Richardson underscores that the change symbolizes an expanded vision, enhanced services, and innovative solutions focus, maintaining that it's more than a mere name change.

📱 Hubby eSIM, a Dutch start-up, expands its B2B partner portfolio with five new names including Nuco Travel Group, Londonist DMC, Route Trip USA, Further Travel, and Experience Plus. The company offers eSIMs for over 200 countries and regions, targeting the 96% of travelers who deem reliable internet essential. Anticipating eSIM market growth to 3.3 billion EUR by 2025, Hubby eSIM focuses on affordable, seamless internet access for global travelers, supported by travel businesses.