Middle East Hotel Demand: Minor Hotels says Middle East bookings jumped 143% in the final full week of June as confidence returns, with wholesale demand up 575% and Q3 ADR rising 17.1% year-on-year. LGBTQ+ Travel Launch: Royal Grand Resorts opens in Costa Rica with a premium, gay-men-focused resort concept aimed at higher-spending travelers. AI Tourism Push (India): Andhra Pradesh signs a three-year deal to roll out NiVU AI at 100+ sites, offering QR-code, multilingual voice/text guidance and personalized itineraries. Saudi Visa Simplification: Saudi launches a pilot “Package Visa” that bundles flights, hotels and visa processing into one booking via certified providers. Safety & Security Shock (Syria): Twin explosions in Damascus near the Four Seasons Hotel where Macron stayed left at least 18 injured, with France saying the visit continues. Tourism Infrastructure (Canada): Canada pledges $2.2M for eight tourism projects across Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Transport Sustainability: A record electric rail run carried 772 passengers per direction between Edinburgh and London, cutting an estimated 189 tonnes of CO2e. Overtourism Rules (Italy): Capri limits guided groups to 40 and requires earpieces for groups over 20, plus tighter controls on oversized tour markers.