Nobu debuts in the Maldives, Ritz-Carlton Yachts earn industry-first Forbes five-star and more...

Nobu debuts in the Maldives
Friday, 13th February 2026

Developed in partnership with Sarat International, located in the province of Laamu Atoll on the private island of Munyafushi, this landmark project marks Nobu's first venture into the Maldives.

Defining the uniqueness of this development is the ultra-limited offering of just 10 Nobu Island Estate Residences, each positioned on its own private island >>

H World launches new Hanting Inn brand
13 Feb 2026 : H World Group Limited announced the launch of Hanting Inn, a new economy hotel brand designed to address evolving travel needs while supporting scalable, asset-light growth >>

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection earns industry-first Five-Star Rating from Forbes Travel Guide
13 Feb 2026 : Ilma, the company's second ultra-luxury yacht, receives the milestone distinction in the newly unveiled 2026 Star Awards, announced today by Forbes Travel Guide >>

Ascott signed a record 19,000 units across 102 properties in 2025, 27% year-on-year growth
12 Feb 2026 : Advances multi-typology brand expansion into more than 10 new cities in Asia Pacific and Europe, including lyf in Wellington and Ascott in Taipei >>

Wishing our readers a prosperous Year of the Fire Horse ahead!
13 Feb 2026 : 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, it is viewed as a year of optimism and opportunity, with strong public and investor confidence pointing towards economic growth, particularly driven by AI advancement >>

HIGHLIGHT ARTICLE

The Future of CX: AI First, Not AI Only
Friday, 13th February 2026

AI is shaping customer experience, yet people still love talking to live agents for customer support. As a matter of fact, my annual customer service and experience research finds that, given the choice between calling a company on the phone or using its digital options, including AI, 68% of American consumers prefer the phone >>

Hotel Discovery in the Age of AI, Part 17: From Visibility to Conversion in AI Travel Journeys
Exclusive Feature: How AI-driven discovery reshapes the path from recommendation to booking. As explored throughout this series, AI has fundamentally altered how hotels are discovered. Visibility is no longer driven primarily by page rank, advertising spend, or manual search behavior. The critical question for hoteliers is how AI-driven visibility translates into actual conversion >>

In case you've missed it: Global eNews of February 12, 2026
Capella at Galaxy Macau opens its doors, JLL's global hotel investment outlook 2026 and more >>