Business travel

Seven countries - Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Singapore - will no longer be subject to the compelling reasons rule governing international travel outside the European Union.

The Kayak website is entering the hotel business in Miami, with a hotel that will serve as a laboratory for its hotel management technology.

IATA has published an encouraging survey on the level of confidence among travellers, who are calling for a better balance between health safety and international mobility.

The covid-19 pandemic will have had at least one positive effect for American passengers: the punctuality rate was at its highest in 2020, according to federal aviation statistics.

The top-of-the-range Radisson Blu brand is setting up in Rouen with a 93-room hotel offering six meeting rooms.

Eurowings, the Lufthansa Group's leisure subsidiary, is dedicated to point-to-point traffic. According to Jens Bischof, Managing Director of Eurowings, the pandemic has enabled the carrier to redefine its strategy. With a focus on passenger comfort. 

Yassine Hachem, Accor's Director of Digital Customer Products, explains the reasons behind the launch of the Apartments & Villas website, as Accor develops long-stay accommodation and adapts its solutions to new trends.

The restructuring of Thai Airways International, which has been virtually inactive for a year, is dragging on. But the first elements of the company's rescue plan have just been revealed.

Italy's public railways have announced the launch of a "Covid-free" high-speed train service. Rome-Milan will be the first line with this type of train, according to the management of FS, Ferrovie dello Stato. 

FreeNow is moving up a gear when it comes to micro-mobility. The multimodal platform is preparing to integrate Tier's scooters and electric scooters in France and Germany, and beyond in Europe.

Lufthansa has confirmed the rumours that have been circulating in the German media for several days. The German airline will be speeding up the transfer of some of its air services to rail. An agreement with DB will provide ultra-fast ICE connections to Frankfurt airport. Some of the cars will be used exclusively by Lufthansa passengers. 

The Oui.sncf website offers a comparator analysing the environmental footprint of different modes of transport, as well as journey times and useful time on board.

Emirates is now offering economy class passengers the opportunity to book up to three additional seats at reasonable cost, giving them real private space. 

Accor - and through it more than 3,300 hotels - is joining forces with Expedia to follow the UNESCO Commitment to Sustainable Development.

Lisbon's international airport is notoriously too small, with no room for expansion. After years of discussions about a new airport, the project has just been abandoned. 

According to a study published by AirPlus, the health crisis has prompted business travellers to favour car hire in various European markets, including France.   

The British group IHG is developing its hybrid meetings offer in partnership with players specialising in virtual technology, covid testing and meal delivery.

Marriott will launch its Residence Inn brand in the Nordic countries, with a long-stay establishment expected in Copenhagen in 2023.

Swiss will offer only five new destinations from Zurich and Geneva. These are mainly leisure destinations, and the carrier does not expect any significant recovery in travel activity until at least mid-summer. 

The spread of teleworking is contributing to the rise of third places, and to the mixing of genres between hotels, coworking spaces, living and working spaces.