Six Senses unveils ambitious plans

Luxury hotel brand Six Senses is planning an ambitious expansion in 2027, with five new luxury properties scheduled to open across Europe, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The new properties will add city hotels, historic estates and destination resorts to the Six Senses portfolio.

The openings will strengthen the brand’s presence in key luxury markets, including Italy, Spain and France, while extending its Middle East footprint, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Six Senses Milan (top image) is scheduled to open in early 2027 in Brera, opposite the Pinacoteca di Brera and close to Milan’s Duomo.

The 85-room property will feature 69 rooms and 16 suites, including two with private relaxation pools and another with a private terrace and 12.5-meter pool. Dining options will include a seasonal restaurant and deli, alongside two bars, including a rooftop venue.

The Six Senses Spa will feature a 15-meter indoor pool, saunas, hammam, cold plunge and rooftop pool. An Earth Lab will focus on sustainability and community initiatives.

In Spain, Six Senses Quexigal Palace will bring the brand to a historic estate near Madrid in early 2027. Built in 1563 by architect Juan de Herrera, the property was once a royal country residence and hunting lodge.

Six Senses Tel Aviv will also open in early 2027, combining five historic buildings dating from 1909 with a new 10-story tower. The project will feature 140 hotel rooms and 55 residences, plus a spa, rooftop sky pool and cocktail bar, chef-led restaurant and Six Senses Place. It might prove a hard sell.

In France, Six Senses Loire Valley is targeted for the third quarter of 2027.

The resort will feature 88 suites and villas, a golf course with a second 18-hole course planned, equestrian and tennis facilities, an organic farm and extensive hiking and cycling trails. Another 70 private villas are planned.

The expansion will extend into the Gulf with Six Senses Wadi Safar in Saudi Arabia scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Entitled traveller complains about Middle East flight delays

Entitlement is alive and well on social media.

Take this post on a Facebook travel site today:

“Stuck in Sydney. Due to fly to Manchester via Dubai. Not getting any help from Emirates. Tried ‘chat’ but they cut the connection before it even starts. Anyone getting assistance from Emirates?”

No one bothered to tell this self-absorbed person that Trump and Netanyahu's coalition of the crazy has turned the Middle East upside down with its attacks on Tehran.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top security officials were killed as part of the US and Israel’s ongoing regime change attacks.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, meanwhile has pledged revenge and says it has launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops in the Middle East, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv.

Explosions continue to be heard in Iran, Qatar and the UAE, Al Jazeera reports.

What Israel call “preventative” or "pre-emptive" attacks are what most civilised people call warmongering. But the timing could not be better for Trump, as he desperately tries to divert attention away from the Epstein Files.

The logic behind the attacks appears to be: "Those nasty foreign people want to have the same weapons we chosen people have. We have to attack them."

The end result is deaths across Iran, airports closed across the region and thousands of flights cancelled.

As one response to our self-absorbed flyer put it: "In the nicest possible way.... pull your head in .... War has broken out..... places are being bombed....Maybe think about how everyone is being impacted and scared.... worst places to be stuck than Sydney.... Emirates will be in touch as soon as they can and with a solution.....Goodness me".

Couldn't have said it better myself.

* Image: Tehran before the bombings  

Stay away from the Middle East, government agencies advise

Avoid the Middle East completely. That is the message from the UK Foreign Office.

The Brits have issued travel warnings for more than a dozen countries across the region.

Civil unrest continues in Iran, particularly in the capital Tehran (above) with possible strikes by the US and/or Israel a possibility. The UK this week temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran.

“There is a heightened risk of regional tension," the FCDO said in the updated advisory. "Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts.

"If you are a British national already in Iran, either resident or visitor, carefully consider your presence there and the risks you take by staying.

"British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention. Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you." 

It cautions travellers in, or going to, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Turkey, Israel and Palestine, news hub Travel Mole reports.

“British nationals should take sensible precautions, considering their own individual circumstances.”

Iran has closed its airspace to all flights, while several airlines have suspended scheduled services to Tehran and other cities.

Australia's official SmartTraveller website advises against travel to Iran, Syria, Iraq and Yemen and to "exercise a high degree of caution" in the rest of the Middle East.  

"We continue to advise reconsider your need to travel to Israel overall due to the volatile security situation, armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism," the website says.

"We continue to advise do not travel to border areas with Gaza (Palestine) or Lebanon."

And if you are flying with Emirates, Etihad or other carriers to the UAE: "Exercise a high degree of caution in the UAE due to the threat of terrorism."

Global tourism growing despite many challenges

The aggressive Israelis are disrupting the Middle East, the Russians attacking western Europe and the US scaring away tourists with increased costs and unwelcoming immigration policies. 

But despite all these bad actors, global tourism is up by 5% over the past six months. 

New figures from UN Tourism show almost 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June 2025, which is around 33 million more than in the same period of 2024. 

Results were, not surprisingly, mixed among regions and sub-regions.

UN Tourism secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “In the face of global challenges, international tourism continues to see strong momentum and resilience. 

"The first half of 2025 brought growing arrival numbers and revenues for most destinations around the world, which contribute to local economies, jobs and livelihoods. Yet, this also reminds us of our great responsibility to ensure this growth is sustainable and inclusive and to work with all local stakeholders in that sense.”

Africa saw strongest performance while Asia Pacific continued to rebound.

The newest edition of the World Tourism Barometer assesses the sector’s performance by region and sub-region in the first six months of 2025. Key takeaways include: 

# Africa saw a 12% increase in January-June 2025 compared to the same period last year. Both North Africa (+14%) and sub-Saharan Africa (+11%) recorded double-digit growth this period.

# Europe welcomed nearly 340 million international tourists this first half of 2025, about 4% more than in 2024 and 7% more than in 2019. Northern, western and southern Mediterranean Europe all recorded 3% growth this period despite uneven monthly results. Central and Eastern Europe continued to rebound strongly (+9%), but remained 11% below 2019 levels, according to available data.

# The Americas recorded 3% growth in January-June 2025, with mixed results. While South America (+14%) continued to enjoy solid growth, Central America saw a 2% increase in arrivals and North America saw flat results (+0%) mostly due to declines in the United States and Canada. 

# The Middle East recorded 4% fewer arrivals this six-month period, though after a very strong post-pandemic rebound, with 29% more arrivals than the same period of 2019, the strongest regional results relative to 2019.

# Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific grew 11% this period, which is 92% of the pre-pandemic figure (-8% compared to 2019). North-East Asia (+20%) saw the strongest performance relative to 2024, though it remained 8% below 2019 levels.

Some of the highest growth rates among large destinations in H1 2025 were recorded by Japan and Vietnam (+21%), the Republic of Korea (+15%), Morocco (+19%), Mexico and the Netherlands (+7%). 

Malaysia and Indonesia both recorded 9% growth and Hong Kong 7%, though arrivals remained somewhat below 2019 levels in these destinations.

Image: Naveen Kumar Singh, Scop.io

Airlines switch flight routes amid Middle East Tensions

Planning to fly to/from or over the Middle East? Prepare for schedule changes, delays or cancellations.

Qantas is just one of several major airlines to announce the re-routing of its international flights to avoid airspace over the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.

The decisions come in response to growing concerns over the safety and security of air travel following Israel's ongoing bastardry (sorry, murderous self-defence tactics).

In addition to Qantas, airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways and British Airways have also made adjustments to flight paths.

Qantas has said it will re-route its flights between Australia and Europe to avoid flying over the Persian Gulf and Iraq.

British Airways has announced that it will temporarily suspend flights to and from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qantas's direct Perth-London flights will now stop in Singapore for re-fuelling.

This is due to the extra distance required to avoid "at risk" airspace in the region. Qantas says it could add several hours to the total journey time.

SWISS, meanwhile, announced that "in view of the latest developments in the Middle East, we have decided to suspend SWISS flight operations to and from Tel Aviv Airport (top) until further notice. At SWISS, the safety of our crews and our passengers always has paramount priority.

"We continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East as closely as possible. Our specialists are constantly assessing all the available information, and are also in close and regular contact with all the relevant authorities both locally and in Switzerland."

The US, UK Canada and Australia have all issued advisories urging their citizens to stay vigilant and monitor developments closely.

The UK Foreign Office issued an urgent travel warning for more than a dozen countries in the southern Mediterranean and Middle East region.

”There is rising tension between Iran and Israel. Any military action could escalate quickly and could pose risks for the wider region,” it said.

“If you are in the region, or considering travel to the region, monitor news updates and continue to check FCDO travel advice.”

The travel warning covers Dubai, Morocco, Qatar, Egypt and Tunisia. Also included are Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Oman and Lebanon.

In the United States, the State Department issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Israel.

Flights between Israel and South Africa to suddenly end

Just ask the people of Gaza how accomplished Israel is at taking revenge.

And it now appears the national airline of Israel, El Al, is equally good at that art. 

El Al Israel Airlines has said it will scrap its South Africa route and end flights to Johannesburg within a few weeks.

Just coincidentally, the decision followed South Africa's International Court of Justice action against Israel over genocide against Palestinians.

The airline has said it will end all of its Johannesburg flights from the end of March 2024.

The long-standing service has been operated for close to 50 years, being an important link between South Africa and Israel.

The airline is the sole carrier operating flights between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport and Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport.

This service is the only direct scheduled service between the two countries, meaning that it is an important connection for South African communities living in Israel, as well as South Africa’s Jewish communities who travel to Israel from Johannesburg.

There is a large Jewish population, particularly in Johannesburg's northern suburbs.

El Al Airlines said it will be scrapping its direct flights to South Africa due to "a significant fall in demand by Israeli travellers".

The axing of Johannesburg flights will allow El Al to expand the frequencies of its flights to other destinations, the airline said.

Middle East travel warning issued

Thinking of a holiday in the Middle East? Maybe think again.

The UK Foreign Office has urged travellers to stay clear of most of the Middle East region and regions beyond, Travel Mole reports.

As the UK and US started bombing raids on Yemen, the FCO issued new travel advisories for 18 countries spanning from Syria to several East African countries including Somalia and Eritrea.

The countries are: Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

“Military activity is currently underway," the travel advisory said. "While the area of activity is limited, there is a possibility that travel advice for nearby countries could change at short notice.

“You should continue to monitor travel advice and follow any relevant instructions from local authorities.”

The government now considers the UK and British nationals abroad targets with a ‘high threat of terrorist attack.’

“You should remain vigilant at all times,” it said.

“The Royal Air Force has carried out targeted strikes against military facilities in Yemen.”

So travellers pay the price for the US and UK being unable to mind their own business and wanting to police the world.

Australia's current SmartTraveller advisory for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is stark and it advises against any travel to Lebanon or Yemen.

"We continue to advise reconsider your need to travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories overall due to the volatile security situation, including the threat of terrorism, armed conflict and civil unrest," it said.

"We continue to advise do not travel to Gaza, border areas with Gaza, border areas with Lebanon closed by Israeli authorities and the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), due to the volatile security situation."

The situation has also forced Silversea Cruises to end Silver Moon’s current Red Sea cruise itinerary in Jordan and cancel the next scheduled cruise.

It was scheduled to end in Muscat, Oman, but will now have additional port calls in Egypt before returning to Aqaba, Jordan, where it will end.

“In addition, due to circumstances beyond our control, we made the difficult decision to cancel the next voyage,” Silversea said.

Image: Sanaa, Yemen. UNESCO

Tourists warned they could be terror targets

The US wants to be the world's policeman.

But the global arbiter of what is good and evil - and the country that is what war more often than any other - has admitted that its politics put its citizens at increased risk around the globe.

The US State Department this weekend issued a global travel warning for all Americans abroad.

It advised all US nationals around the world to "exercise increased caution because of tensions in various locations around the world".

Increased tensions have the potential for ‘terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against US citizens and interests, it said.

So look out loud, gum-chewing, baseball hats on backwards types. You are easy to spot.

The warning came as a response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and terrorist group Hamas.

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said: “We take a number of factors into consideration when making the determination.

“It’s not necessarily any one thing but everything that we’re watching around the world."

Travel advisories for Lebanon and Israel are currently at the highest level, with non-essential government staff and their families are asked to leave, Travel Mole reports.

Global travel warnings are fairly rare but the State Department issued a similar worldwide advisory last year when al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed.

US citizens are advised to "stay alert in locations frequented by tourists".

Australians - whose government has taken a strong pro-Israel stance - have been issued with a similar warning from the government's SmartTraveller app. 

"We continue to advise reconsider your need to travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories overall due to the volatile security situation, including the threat of terrorism, armed conflict and civil unrest," it said over the weekend.

"We continue to advise do not travel to Gaza, border areas with Gaza and border areas with Lebanon closed by Israeli authorities. We now also advise do not travel to the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) due to the volatile security situation.

"The situation is highly challenging and rapidly changing. Australians who want to leave are strongly encouraged to take the first available option. Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport remains open and commercial flights are available."

Airlines cancel flights to and from Tel Aviv

With Israel now saying it is "at war", many international airlines have cancelled scheduled flights to Tel Aviv.

US carriers United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have all temporarily suspended flights with the US Federal Aviation Administration issuing an "extreme caution" warning for airlines flying in Israeli airspace.

“Future operations at TLV will be suspended until conditions allow them to resume,” United Airlines said in a statement.

Both Delta and AA said in statements that operations to Israel had been suspended until at least Sunday, Travel Mole reported.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and will adjust our operation as needed,” American Airlines said.

Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Iberia Express. LOT and Aegean Airlines have also cancelled Tel Aviv flights but some flights are still operating to the Red Sea tourist destination of Eilat.

Tel Aviv’s main international Airport, Ben Gurion (top image), was still operating on Tuesday afternoon (Australian time) "as usual’ despite hundreds of cancelled flights, website AirlineRatings reported.

Most of the flights coming in and out of Tel Aviv were re operated by Israeli carriers El Al, Israir and Arkia, with many Israelis looking either to leave the country, or to return home. 

These airlines have added extra flights, which are also called “rescue flights.” 

These flights are usually carried out when an empty plane takes off from Tel Aviv to a destination where Israelis are stranded. 

Fancy a holiday in an apartheid state?

I can't think of anywhere I would less like to have a holiday than Israel, where minorities are oppressed and fringe religious groups impose their weirdness on society at large.

I went once - and vowed that was enough.

But should visiting an apartheid state be on your travel bucket list then Israel is ready to welcome you.

Israel’s Ministry of Tourism this week rolled out a new ad campaign, ‘Anywhere’, aiming to entice northern hemisphere residents to enjoy winter holidays in Israel.

You may come across the $4.4 million campaign - a digital-only initiative.

The Israelis are hoping to capture travellers seeking a spontaneous holiday, initially without a specific destination in mind, Travel Mole reports.

Different versions of the campaign will appear according to the target audience using the “holiday anywhere” search keywords.

Some will focus on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with others marketing Israel as a whole.

“The new campaign speaks the language of the tourist and illustrates the power of the tourist experience in Israel, while generating a sense of FOMO,” says Minister of Tourism Haim Katz.

The campaign has launched across England, France, Italy, Spain and in the US through targeted ads on YouTube and smart TVs.

The Australian Government's SmartTraveller app advises visitors to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to exercise "a high degree of caution" "due to civil unrest and the threat of terrorist attack, rocket fire and military confrontation".

They are urged to reconsider their need to travel to  to the West Bank, including Bethlehem, Jericho and Ramallah, to all parts of Golan Heights east of Route 98 and areas near the border with Gaza.

You have been warned.

And for those who object to the term "apartheid state", it is not my choice of words, but that of Amnesty International, which says: "Israeli authorities must be held accountable for committing the crime of apartheid against Palestinians."

A 1,500-year-old winery unearthed

The remains of a winery - including 1,500-year-old wine presses - has been uncovered by archaeologists in the city of Yavne, south of Tel Aviv.

The factory would have been be capable of producing two million litres of wine a year, The Jerusalem Post reported this week. 

Among the finds were five wine presses, ageing and bottling warehouses as well as kilns for firing amphorae in which the wine was stored, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said.

The site dates back to the Byzantine era around the 4th-5th century, making the winery the largest known to exist from the period, the IAA said.

The directors of the excavation Dr Elie Haddad, Liat Nadav-Ziv and Dr Jon Seligman said in a joint statement: “We were surprised to discover a sophisticated factory here, which was used to produce wine in commercial quantities. 

"Furthermore, decorative niches in the shape of a conch, which adorned the winepresses, indicate the great wealth of the factory owners.”

They added: “A calculation of the production capacity of these wine presses shows that approximately two million litres of wine were marketed every year, while we should remember that the whole process was conducted manually.”

Each wine press at the Yavne site covered an area of ​​about 225 square metres, with a treading floor where the grapes would be crushed underfoot surrounded by separate compartments and vats for fermentation and wine storage.

Archaeologists at the site found earthen jars as well as tens of thousands of fragments at the complex, which also featured well-planned access routes between the different facilities.

Tours of the site are set to be offered in the near future. The plan is for the site to be preserved and later opened as an archaeological park.

The wine produced at the site was known as Gaza or Ashkelon wine, named after the ports from which it was exported to all over the Mediterranean. The wine produced in Yavne was very well known and prestigious, Seligman said.

Yavne is located in central Israel and was an important city some 1,500 years ago. 

“We have been exposing an industrial area of ancient Yavne,” Seligman said. “We found remains of other industries, for example, producing glass and metal. We also found remains from other periods, such as a house from the 9th century and some other buildings from the interim period between the Byzantine and Islamic periods.” 

See the statement here: https://www.friendsofiaa.org/news

Image: Israeli Antiquities Authority