This Week in Travel News: 12 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the week's most newsworthy travel industry press releases from PR Newswire, including United's $2.6B expansion in Houston and Marriott's all-inclusive debut.

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the travel industry stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. Virgin Atlantic flies world's first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel flight from London Heathrow to New York JFK
   SAF has a significant role to play in the decarbonization of long-haul aviation, and pathway to Net Zero 2050. The fuel, made from waste products, delivers CO2 lifecycle emissions savings of up to 70%, whilst performing like the traditional jet fuel it replaces.
2. Expedia Awards Grants to Nonprofits Through New Made to Travel Fund
   Whether it's making air travel more accessible, sponsoring birthright trips to Africa or helping kids in under-resourced communities get passports, each grant recipient is committed to creating greater access to life-changing travel experiences.
3. United Expands in Houston with $2.6B Terminal Project, State-of-the-Art Baggage System, New Club and Thousands of New Jobs
   These investments are part of the airline's United Next growth plan and include the expansion of 40 gates at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to accommodate larger aircraft, resulting in a 40% increase in the overall number of people who can fly on peak travel dates in 2026 compared to 2023.
4. A New Era of Vacations is on its Way: Icon of the Seas Officially Joins Royal Caribbean Ahead of January Debut
   After more than seven years of dreaming and 900 days of design and construction by thousands of experts, Royal Caribbean International welcomed the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas to the family in a momentous celebration at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
5. Making its All-Inclusive Debut, Marriott Hotels will Bring Unforgettable and Highly Experiential Adventures, Perfect for the Entire Family
   Beginning in early 2024 with Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort, guests of all ages are invited to connect with one another – and the local culture – through enriching experiences, engaging entertainment, and dynamic hospitality.
6. American Travel to Europe Dashes to New Heights for 2023 Holidays
   The leading travel insurance and assistance company Allianz Parnters found that American travel to Europe this holiday season is up by 21% compared to 2022, and destinations such as Barcelona are seeing increases up to 61%.
7. Oceania Cruises Announces First Annual 'Culinary Masters' Cruise' in October 2024
   The ultimate cruise for food lovers, this exclusive sailing will be hosted by Oceania Cruises' two Master Chefs of France, Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale, and offers the perfect opportunity to learn, to taste, and be immersed in the culinary arts.
8. Paws-itively Cute: TSA releases its 2024 canine calendar
   The 2024 TSA Canine Calendar features photos and fun facts about each of this year's 15 canine winners who were selected from dozens of entries submitted by TSA canine teams from across the country. The calendar also features TSA-trained canines from the Bangor Police Department and the San Antonio International Airport Police Department.
9. Canada Teams Up With Comedian Nicole Byer to Launch "Canadian Crash Course," Schooling Travelers on How to Do Winter Right
   Viewers will learn techniques for making ski stumbles more graceful, distraction tactics for cold plunging, packing tips for conquering cold weather fashion, and how to navigate Canadian winter sports as a novice.
10. Princess Cruises Goes "All-In" With Its Largest Casino Ever Debuting on New Sun Princess
    The Princess Casino – with an astounding 50% more space and 30% more machines than the line's Royal Class ships – is preparing for guests to hit the jackpot when its newest and most magnificent cruise ship ever, Sun Princess, sets sail in February 2024.
11. Inside the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience: Latest 2025 Itineraries Revealed
    From the idyllic shores of the Maldives to the endless plains of the Serengeti, the three final journeys for 2025, International Intrigue, African Wonders, and World of Adventures, return with exciting new destinations and experiences, including an extended private cruise exploration of the Galápagos islands and a stay at the award-winning Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet.
12. Travelzoo Calls Travelers Worldwide to Make a Personal Pledge for Conscious Travel
    The idea of #TravelforTomorrow is simple. A traveler makes a personal pledge of what they will do to travel more consciously. It could even be a small pledge, such as supporting local businesses, forgoing single-use plastic, choosing public transportation when possible, choosing off-the-beating path destinations, or respecting the local culture.

Read more of the latest travel-related releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @PRNtravel on Twitter.

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