InterContinental Brisbane will begin a staged, multi-million-dollar renovation in October, with works running until late 2027 and the hotel trading throughout. The 319-room IHG property, housed in the Harry Seidler-designed building on Queen Street Mall, will grow to 324 rooms on completion. Woods Bagot, the firm behind the redesigns of InterContinental Sydney and InterContinental Sydney […]
Accor has signed a deal with Reve Group to operate Novotel Sydney Castle Hill, a 143-room hotel due to open in early 2029 within the Nova Rêve mixed-use precinct in Sydney’s Hills District. The new-build hotel will include restaurants, cafes and bars – among them an elevated dining venue with district views – as well […]
Etihad Airways will operate two flights a day between Abu Dhabi and Sydney from 15 December, adding four weekly services to the current 10. The increase will give the carrier more than 5,000 seats a week in each direction, all on the Airbus A350-1000. The airline has served Sydney since 2007. The extra frequencies are […]
The exterior of the McConnell Center for Performing Arts is pictured in an artist’s rendering. Ursuline Academy is naming the building after local businesspeople and philanthropists Paul and Linda McConnell, who donated $2.5 million toward the renovation. Courtesy of Ursuline Academy WILMINGTON — Ursuline Academy played the long game with its performing arts center, and […]
Philippine Airlines (PAL) will offer Australian travellers a new one-stop route to India via Manila from December, with three weekly flights to Delhi and four to Mumbai. The Manila services, subject to Indian Government approval, will connect with PAL flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Travellers from India will have onward connections to those four […]
Pope Leo XIV waves as he embarks on a four day apostolic visit to France Sept. 25, 2026, from Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino, Italy. (OSV News photo/Mario Tomassetti, Vatican Media) PARIS — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Paris Sept. 25 beginning his four-day trip to France by urging French leaders not to […]
Explora Journeys is officially making a move into river cruising, confirming plans for its first luxury river ships following months of industry speculation. The MSC Group luxury brand has signed a Letter of Intent with Dutch shipbuilder Den Breejen Shipyard. The agreement marks Explora Journeys’ planned expansion from the oceans to Europe’s rivers. The announcement […]
International economy airfares are actually cheaper than they were three years ago, despite Australians being slugged with rising prices almost everywhere else. Flight Centre Corporate’s latest Airfare Inflation Index has revealed international economy fares fell seven per cent between the first half of 2023 and the first half of 2026, even as broader inflation climbed […]
Royal Caribbean has agreed to pay US$3 billion (AU$4.2 billion) for a 50 per cent stake in Sandals Resorts International, marking the biggest transaction in the cruise giant’s history. The deal values Sandals at US$6 billion and will give Royal Caribbean joint control of the Caribbean resort group, significantly expanding its footprint beyond cruising and […]
Air New Zealand expects to carry around 850,000 customers across its domestic and international networks over the upcoming school holidays, with Queenstown, Sydney and Rarotonga emerging as the most popular destinations. Between 24 September and 11 October, more than 520,000 customers are expected to travel domestically and almost 330,000 internationally. The busiest domestic day falls […]