Amsterdam

Amsterdam – October 14, 2026 -- Canadian travellers want vacations built around how they feel, who joins them and what they leave out, according to Booking.com's Travel Predictions for 2027. The forecast combines proprietary consumer research with input from the company's travel and technology experts, and it comes as Booking.com marks 30 years in business.

Travellers are trimming packages down to what they use

56% of respondents say a health or lifestyle change has influenced their destination or activities. 71% want packages that let them remove elements they won't use. Booking.com calls the trend "The All-Exclusive" and ties it to medications that reshape appetites and a growing sobriety culture.

Couples are booking trips to resolve conflict

39% of Canadian couples would take a trip to resolve a conflict. 67% say a vacation activity helps them have difficult conversations, and hiking together (33%) ranks among the most effective.

Amsterdam – October 08, 2026 -- Subway is rolling out a redesigned restaurant concept called Blueprint to every new location and remodel across Europe, the Middle East and Africa starting January 1, 2027.

The first Blueprint restaurants already opened this summer in the Netherlands and the UK, giving an early look at what guests across the region can expect over the coming years.

Restaurants get digital ordering options and a redesigned layout

Blueprint locations feature warmer, more modern interiors with salad ingredients, sauces and freshly baked bread displayed at the center of the store. Guests can order at the counter with a Sandwich Artist, use self-order kiosks, or order ahead through the Subway app or delivery. An order-ready screen and a marked collection point are meant to speed up pickup.

Albuquerque, N.M. – October 07, 2026 -- River cruising, once dominated by guests in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, is now drawing Generation X, Millennial, and family travelers, according to Craig S. Pavlus, founder and CEO of Pavlus Travel & Cruise.

River cruising accounts for about 7 percent of total overnight cruise capacity but is growing quickly, Pavlus says, citing data from Cruise Lines International Association. Global river cruise capacity sits at roughly 61,000 berths compared with about 776,000 lower berths for ocean cruising.

Younger guests are booking thanks to onboard tech upgrades.

Pavlus credits innovations like Starlink internet, enhanced entertainment, and mobile apps for broadening the guest mix beyond the traditional Mature Traveler and Baby Boomer base.

Toronto – October 01, 2026 -- Travelzoo has rolled out four new travel packages for its Canadian Club Members this fall, with prices starting at $219 for a countryside retreat near Quebec's Lac Brome.

Amsterdam trip includes flights for $999

Members can book six nights in the Dutch capital with roundtrip flights, hotel, taxes and fees included, priced at $999. Travelzoo says the package saves 40% compared to booking directly.

Canary Islands package cuts costs by 30%

A six-night trip to the Tenerife region costs $1,399 and includes flights, transfers, hotel accommodations and a trip manager. The deal represents a 30% saving, according to Travelzoo.

Quebec farmhouse stay starts at $219

A family-owned farmhouse near Lac Brome, about 60 minutes from Montreal, is listed at $219. The package includes extras such as a massage credit and wine, positioned as a base for exploring Quebec's Eastern Townships.

Albuquerque, N.M. – September 20, 2026 -- Shelby Steudle, president of Pavlus Travel & Cruise, will christen Viking's new river ship, the Viking Fjolvar, at an official ceremony in Amsterdam on October 15. Viking selected Steudle as the vessel's "godmother," a maritime tradition dating back thousands of years meant to bless a ship and protect those who sail aboard it.

Seven new Viking vessels will be named that day in Amsterdam, with Steudle and six other godparents each christening one ship. The 168-passenger Viking Fjolvar will sail Seine River itineraries between Paris and Normandy, while the other new vessels will operate on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers in Europe, and on Egypt's Nile River.

Amsterdam – September 17, 2026 -- Royal Philips has partnered with Red Bull and athlete Marco Waltenspiel to complete what the companies call a world's first: a wingsuit slalom flown between seven hot-air balloons above Cappadocia, Turkey.

Waltenspiel jumped from 2,800 meters and hit speeds up to 200 km/h

Known for his distinctive moustache, Waltenspiel navigated the balloon-filled skyline at varying heights, adjusting his path in split-second decisions as wind conditions shifted. Fellow Red Bull athlete Marco Fürst flew alongside him to film the flight from the air.

Amsterdam -- Lexar and Leica opened a photography exhibition on September 11, 2026, at Leica Gallery Amsterdam, titled Threads of Time: A Journey Through Silk and Lens.

The show documents Suzhou kesi, a traditional Chinese silk weaving craft, through the lens of Leica award-winning photographer Jing Huang. Huang's images follow Hao Naiqiang, known as Jingwei, a young kesi artist and custodian of the craft, as he works thread by thread to create intricate silk patterns.

Kesi weaving turns patience into visible art

Suzhou kesi differs from printed or embroidered textiles because artisans hand-weave each thread to build color and texture. Jingwei described the craft as one built on restraint, created within the order of warp and weft rather than through free gesture.

Amsterdam – September 12, 2026 -- Euro NCAP awarded the AION UT electric hatchback a five-star safety rating on September 2, covering all left- and right-hand-drive variants and configurations.

New four-stage protocol shapes the 2026 score

Euro NCAP's revised 2026 testing framework evaluates vehicles across four stages: safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection, and post-crash safety. The AION UT scored 66% in safe driving, 74% in crash avoidance, 91% in crash protection, and 88% in post-crash safety, earning its overall five-star rating.

Amsterdam – September 12, 2026 -- The AION UT electric hatchback sedan has received a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP under its revised 2026 testing protocol, with the score published on September 2 applying to both left-hand and right-hand drive versions of the car.

Euro NCAP now tests four separate safety stages

The 2026 protocol breaks vehicle safety into four categories: safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection, and post-crash safety. Each stage evaluates a different phase, from how a car assists a driver before a collision to how it protects occupants during impact and supports rescue operations afterward.

The AION UT scored 66% for safe driving, 74% for crash avoidance, 91% for crash protection, and 88% for post-crash safety, with the overall five-star rating reflecting combined performance across all four areas.

San Diego – September 11, 2026 -- Sony Electronics has introduced the SEL814G, its first fisheye zoom G Lens for full-frame Alpha E-mount cameras, with pre-orders opening Sept. 8, 2026 at 7 AM PST.

The lens covers an 8 mm to 14 mm zoom range with a constant f/3.5 aperture, shifting from circular fisheye at the wide end to diagonal fisheye at 14 mm. Both settings produce a 180-degree angle of view, letting photographers and filmmakers adjust framing without swapping lenses.

The lens weighs just 314 grams for all-day handheld use

Measuring roughly 63.1 mm in diameter and 82.8 mm in length, the SEL814G is built for mobility across handheld, gimbal, and rig-based shooting. An inner zoom mechanism keeps the center of gravity stable while zooming, and a fluorine coating on the front element paired with dust- and moisture-resistant construction supports outdoor use.