Business travel

Christophe Burckart, Managing Director of IWG France, talks to us about the activities of Regus business centres and the IWG Group's brands at a time when working habits are undergoing profound change, with new offerings tailored to the rise of teleworking, responses to companies' demands for flexible real estate and expansion of the network in France.

Contemporary design, a lively lobby and a response to the new expectations of business travellers: the Sheraton brand is undergoing a revival.

Dubai is tightening its entry protocols for visitors from the European Union. The new rules take effect on Sunday 31 January.

In Sweden, Hyatt has signed an agreement to host the three boutique establishments, the Story Hotels, in Stockholm and Malmö.

As in the rest of the world, air transport in Asia had an unusual year in 2020. Seoul Incheon became the continent's leading international airport, relegating Hong Kong to third place. The only constant was that China remained the world's leading air transport market.

Since 26 January, Orlyval has been sporting a resolutely modern look, with new LCD smart windows designed to assist business travellers. These communicating screens will also be tested on buses, metro and tramways from this year.

Committed to reducing its carbon emissions, the SNCF is launching the Planète Voyages programme to raise awareness among its staff and customers of green mobility, with rail travel at the forefront. According to Voyages SNCF, this is an ecological asset that will help to boost traffic once the Covid-19 crisis is over.

Accor has entered into a partnership with Faena to extend its innovative concept of cultural venues combined with luxury hotels beyond Miami and Buenos Aires.

In the coming weeks, the European Commission will be introducing a new 'dark red' category for areas of the EU at very high risk of contamination. This will be in addition to the green, orange and red zones already in force. But the Commission's powers remain highly theoretical when it comes to applying common health rules.

As part of a partnership with Air France, the corporate cards offered by fintech Mooncard can now be used to collect Flying Blue miles for both professional and personal use.

The Israeli authorities have decided to close Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion airport, the only international air hub currently in operation. The suspension is temporary until the authorities get a better grip on the resurgence of covid cases.

KLM has announced that it will be resuming some of its intercontinental routes, following an agreement with the Dutch government on tests for its flight crews. 

Following the discovery of five positive Covid-19 cases on an Air France flight from Paris-CDG to Tianjin near Beijing, the authorities...

FFP2 masks are coming into use in rail transport in Austria and Bavaria.

Singapore Airlines has been flying to Paris again since 19 January, with a daily service to Singapore. Franklin Auber, Head of Marketing and Communications, provides an update on the airline's situation and its outlook for the coming months.

Following a meeting of the European Council on the measures to be taken to contain the covid pandemic, France has decided to impose a compulsory test on all travellers. 

With more than 400,000 deaths from covid and erratic management of the pandemic by the previous Trump administration, the US government under new President Joe Biden has decided to step up the fight against the pandemic. This includes new restrictions on travellers. But also a promise to reopen borders with clearer protocols. 

The Kimpton St Honoré Paris, the first hotel in France under this trendy IHG brand, will open its doors next spring.

After Nantes, Maisons du Monde is unveiling its second establishment in Marseille, a beautifully decorated hotel ideally located on the Old Port.