Europe

WTTC forecasts global Travel & Tourism will outpace economic growth in 2026, supporting 376 million jobs worldwide. Europe’s Travel & Tourism sector is expected to grow nearly four times faster than the wider regional economy next year. Also: Meet Europe's leading destination for tourism revenue that combines "strong visitor volumes with exceptionally high international visitor spend", which country do you think it is?

The airline group announced that it will exercise its option to increase its stake in ITA Airways from 41% to 90% in June. The transaction is expected to be completed in 2027, subject to regulatory approvals in Europe and the US

"An invitation to rethink how Europe moves": Danish Company 21st Europe proposes a massive high-speed rail system that would fix the "disconnected Europe" problem

China Eastern will begin seasonal nonstop flights from Adelaide to Shanghai in June, with onward connections to major European cities. The new service will operate three times a week. The airline will also increase Barcelona-Shanghai frequencies to 10 flights/week

May 11-13: European leaders, researchers, and industry experts gather in Varna for the ESPA HealthXchange Summit 2026, highlighting the future of health tourism, balneology, and longevity science

One of the repatriated passengers showed symptoms during the rescue flight from the North Atlantic. The French Defense Minister announced a special decree to allow isolation measures to be applied to contact cases. The European Commission representation in Spain: "Following Spain's request under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, a rescEU air ambulance is being deployed from Norway to Tenerife"

The move will connect DAT passengers to Lufthansa's network of destinations via Munich and Frankfurt and includes routes in Germany, Austria and Hungary. The company is talking about a "significant milestone"

Ryanair closes Thessaloniki base: Athens, Chania, Rhodes and Corfu will also be affected by the move, which joins the company's previous conflicts with European airports over fees and operating costs. Ryanair attacked the costs in Greece, but Fraport Greece stung: "This is a commercial decision resulting from the operating model and profitability considerations only"

Amid the escalation in the Middle East and fears of a shortage of jet fuel, the European Union and the European Aviation Safety Authority have issued special guidelines for the aviation industry. Companies have been warned of supply disruptions, received regulatory relief, but are prohibited from imposing retroactive fuel surcharges on passengers

Singapore Airlines has announced it will discontinue its current Singapore-Milan-Barcelona service while boosting flights to Manchester, Milan, Munich, and London Gatwick. The airline will also launch new Madrid services via Barcelona in late 2026. "Europe is an important market for Singapore Airlines"