Britain Unveils 2026 Highlights
VisitBritain has highlighted a range of new tourism experiences, major sporting events and cultural attractions across the UK for 2026.
New hotel openings include the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, Six Senses London and Hotel Gotham Newcastle, while Scotland is welcoming several new luxury and boutique properties. Visitors can also look forward to major events including the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Film and television tourism remains a major draw, with destinations featured in Outlander, House of the Dragon, Peaky Blinders and the upcoming Pride and Prejudice Netflix series attracting visitors. Liverpool is also expanding its cultural appeal with a new Music Heritage Trail and city-wide Summer of Music celebrations.
VisitBritain said food tourism continues to grow, with new Michelin-starred restaurants, vineyard experiences and culinary trails joining outdoor attractions such as Cumbria’s new long-distance walking routes.
Qatar Airways Expands Network
Qatar Airways will expand its global network to more than 160 destinations during the Northern Summer 2026 season, adding or restoring services to 26 destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
The airline is resuming flights to destinations including Adelaide, Auckland, Osaka, Tokyo Haneda, Lisbon, Prague, Brussels and Marrakesh, while also launching services to Port Sudan and restoring routes to cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, Bogotá and Caracas.
Qatar Airways is also increasing frequencies to several FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities in the United States, including Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and Boston, to support travel demand during the tournament.
The airline said travellers will continue to benefit from connections through Hamad International Airport and onboard Starlink internet, now available on more than 140 aircraft across its fleet.
Emirates Unveils Comprehensive Travel Cover
Dubai-based airline Emirates has launched what it describes as the world’s most comprehensive airline travel insurance product, becoming the first carrier to offer conflict-related medical cover alongside airline-managed disruption support.
Available from today, the new Comprehensive Travel Cover includes trip cancellation protection, baggage delay and loss compensation, unlimited medical expenses and emergency evacuation cover worldwide. New benefits include reimbursement of up to US$25,000 for conflict-related medical expenses and a complimentary trip extension of up to 30 days, regardless of government travel advisories.
The airline will also provide additional support during travel disruptions, including airline-managed hotel accommodation, extended-stay assistance and complimentary rebooking on other airlines when Emirates services are unavailable or cancelled due to conflict-related events.
Developed in partnership with Travel Guard, the insurance can be purchased during booking or added later through Emirates’ Manage Booking platform.
Emirates President Sir Tim Clark said the new product was created in response to customer demand for more comprehensive travel protection amid continued strong global travel demand.
The cover is available immediately to Emirates customers worldwide.
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