Family-owned Irish hotel group, The Address Collective has expanded its hotel portfolio with the completion of an €8m investment into its luxury boutique accommodation in Sligo. The fifth property opened under the ‘The Address Collective’ six venue brand, Sligo’s newest luxury hotel has been unveiled as The Address Sligo, formerly Sligo City Hotel, complete with a wellness spa and destination restaurant called North. Speaking at the opening of The Address Sligo, Brian and Ciara McGettigan said: “This commitment and significant capital investment in Sligo demonstrates our appeti ..read more

The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) has announced that registration for its 2024 annual conference will open on May 7, which will coincide with the conference agenda and line-up of speakers being announced. The conference – seen as the flagship inbound/domestic tourism conference of the year – takes place, this year, in the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on September 25 ..read more

Virgin Voyages hosted a glamorous event in the Sea Containers Restaurant in London with top sellers and all the major media companies across the UK and Ireland. ITTN’s Shane Cullen reports on the event with SJ Walker (Director of Sales for the UK) and Matt Lebbern (Sales Manager – EU) and more from the Virgin Voyages team. Set to make a splash in the Irish Market, Virgin Voyages is a new entrant to the cruise industry having launched the first ship in her fleet in late 2020. Now with a fleet of three ships, she is sailing the Caribbean and the Meditteranean this summer. The Virgin Story Virgin ..read more

Etihad has announced – for the benefit of its trade partners in Ireland – that, from May 1, its flights arriving into Ireland from Abu Dhabi will arrive at Terminal 2, at Dublin Airport. Guests arriving at Dublin Airport will clear immigration and collect their bags in Terminal 2. All meet and greet services will also be located in Terminal 2. Departures from Dublin Airport will remain unchanged with all flights departing from Terminal 1 ..read more

MSC Group, its philanthropic arm MSC Foundation and the charity Mercy Ships International have joined to construct a brand-new hospital ship that will deliver free surgery and training annually to thousands of people in Africa. The new ship will feature living spaces to accommodate approximately 600 crew members and guests on board. Its hospital will span two decks and 7,000 square metres, featuring six operating rooms, a fully equipped laboratory, and state-of-the-art training spaces such as a simulation lab. This makes it possible for Mercy Ships to strengthen local surgical systems during i ..read more

A significant gap is forming between supply and demand in the sustainable jobs/green jobs sector, according to a new survey. The research – by online recruitment giant Indeed – shows so-called ‘Green Job’ postings have increased by a whopping 93% since 2019, but searches for sustainable jobs by jobseekers have fallen by 7% over the same time period. According to Indeed, the majority of workers – 65% to be precise – would be willing to upskill for a green job, but challenges remain for green employers; such as perceptions of lower pay, recruitment barriers and skills gaps. Jack Kennedy, Senior ..read more

Travel experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have revealed seven top tips to ensure lone holidaymakers stay safe on a solo adventure. Solo travel is expected to be a big trend in 2024, with bookings increasing by 20% compared to 2023. Despite the surge in holidaymakers looking to jet off alone, safety is still a major concern for the majority of travellers.  Almost 70% of female travellers say personal safety is a leading factor in them not embarking on a trip alone.  Downloading a VPN before travelling can help solo travellers to enhance their security, and stop hackers ..read more

Royal Caribbean International has broken ground on Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, the cruise giant’s new 17-acre beach day experience in The Bahamas. The resort will be based on Paradise Island in Nassau. The beginning of construction was celebrated on location, where Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley were joined by The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Davis and Deputy Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper to commemorate the major milestone. “With the signing of this Heads of Agreement for the development of Ro ..read more

Direct initial flights from Ireland to London Heathrow – via the likes of Aer Lingus and British Airways – will not be affected by a potential workers’ strike at the London airport on the May Day Bank Holiday. The strike is planned by 50 workers for AFS – a plane refuelling firm – aligned with the UNITE trade union, over working conditions. The action is likely to go ahead over the three-day period of May 4-May 6, inclusive; essentially covering the annual May bank holiday weekend. Heathrow’s management said it is working with AFS on contingency plans, while also seemingly suggesting that oth ..read more

American Airlines has significantly enhanced its passenger comfort offerings across its Flagship First Class, Flagship Business Class and Premium Economy cabins. The airline is improving its seating, bedding and menus and is introducing amenity kits for passengers, which include staples like toothbrush, dental kit, eye mask and earplugs – as well as skincare products. American collaborated with US beauty retailer Thirteen Lune to curate the skincare offerings. “We thoughtfully curate each element of the onboard experience so every customer can look forward to the time they spend in flight,” s ..read more