March 25, 2025

🚢 Cruise Plus, a Dnata specialist brand, has expanded its offerings with five new cruise lines: Aqua Expeditions, American Cruise Lines, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Pandaw Cruises, and Amadeus River Cruises, reaching 40 partners. These additions encompass river, small-ship, luxury, and expedition cruises in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. American Cruise Lines features paddle-wheelers on the Mississippi, while Aqua Expeditions offers Amazon and Mekong river cruises. Hapag-Lloyd specializes in luxury and expedition trips, and Amadeus sails major European rivers.

🏡 eDreams Odigeo, Europe's largest travel booking platform, manages six billion daily predictions for personalized travel experiences. AI adoption in travel tasks is at 73% globally, with Gen Z at nearly 90%. Flexible travel policies, such as "cancel for any reason" and price-freezing tools, are in demand. In 2025, consumer demand surges, driven by music and sporting events. At least one million travelers are expected to join the seven million already using travel subscription options. Global travel hit €1.5 trillion in market size in 2024 and continues to grow in 2025. Travel trends include prioritizing experiences, shorter trips, and the influence of cultural events on travel patterns.

🚀 Gemini Trains, chaired by Lord Tony Berkeley, targets a 2029 launch for rival Channel Tunnel routes to Eurostar, with services from London and Ebbsfleet. The start-up, in development for two years, plans a fleet of 10 trains offering mixed economy and business seats. They've applied for a license and access via the Office of Rail and Road, eyeing expansion to France, Belgium, and further in Europe. Eurotunnel encourages competition, with potential routes to Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, and Basel. Fee cuts by the regulator in January may facilitate new competitors.

🚀 Ryanair launches a new 'Prime' discount scheme for a £79, 12-month subscription, limited to 250,000 members. It offers reserved seats, travel insurance, and monthly exclusive seat sales. Europe's largest airline aims to extend its price leadership. eDreams Odigeo's 'Prime' service recently exceeded seven million members, with a target of 7.25 million by March. This follows disputes between Ryanair and eDreams, including a legal battle over the use of 'Prime' and seat reservation overcharges. Ryanair's 'Prime' could save members up to £420 annually for 12 flights. Wizz Air also introduced an annual £534 'all you can fly' ticket last August.