Years

28 Years Walking Around the World: Adventurer Welcomed as a Hero in the UK

by

The former British Army paratrooper had left Chile in 1998 with two golden rules for his journey: use no means of transport to move forward, and not to return home before reaching the end of the challenge. The 57-year-old Brit completed the final leg of his epic on Monday at midday by reaching his mother’s house, Angela, whom he embraced emotionally amid cameras and photo equipment. Welcomed by neighbors, he also reunited with his son Adam, 36, and met his 12-year-old granddaughter for the first time.

“Walking up the street of my childhood, to the house of my childhood” was an intensely emotional moment, he said at a press briefing after these reunions. For a long time, “Hull has been that mythical place, so distant, behind so many obstacles. It is only recently, once in Europe, that everything began to accelerate.”

Karl Bushby walked the length of the American continent, crossed the Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia, and then trekked through Central Asia and Europe. The crossing of the Darién jungle, between Panama and Colombia, and the crossing of Alaska were particularly demanding trials, the former paratrooper recalled.

“I didn’t do this alone (…) you can’t imagine the number of people who were involved in overcoming the obstacles”, from visa refusals to swimming the English Channel, he said earlier in the day, at a ceremony in front of Hull Town Hall. Hundreds of residents welcomed their hero there, with a banner “Welcome home Karl”. “Everyone is proud of you, proud of your courage”, said the mayor, Maria Coward.

“I find Karl incredible. I have been following him for eight years, and he has been walking since I was born, it’s amazing”, said AFP Erin Anderson, a 28-year-old marketing executive.

Visas and the Pandemic

The spokesman for the government’s leader Andy Burnham also praised the “extraordinary feat” of Karl Bushby, stating that “the Prime Minister is happy to see him return to the United Kingdom”. The adventurer, who said he was “absolutely overwhelmed” by the reception he received in his country, had been hailed on Sunday as he crossed the Humber Bridge, about three hours on foot from his home, through thick fog.

Karl Bushby began his journey at the age of 29, after the failure of his marriage and his wife moving to Northern Ireland with their son. His trek was interrupted several times: Moscow notably refused him a visa for several years. And other visa problems, the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic cost him fourteen of his 28 years of travel, he told AFP.

DURING these periods, the adventurer put his journey on hold — he even lived in places such as Mexico — and resumed his route as soon as an obstacle was removed. He has crossed 29 countries. “We stood up to governments. We faced some very difficult challenges”, he affirmed on Monday.

A Documentary in the Works

He had arrived in the United Kingdom on October 5 by swimming the English Channel from France. A few relatives, including his father, had welcomed him on the beach near Dover, in southern England.

“It’s good to feel British soil under my feet again after all these years”, he commented at the time. “It wasn’t easy, but that was the whole point: to prove that I could do more than I thought I was capable of. We can all achieve far more than we imagine”, the adventurer added.

The German filmmaker Werner Herzog and a filming crew joined Karl Bushby for his return, the director preparing a documentary on his journey titled “Walk of Life”. The production company behind the film supported his trek financially and logistically for 16 years.

What Will He Do Now?

If he plans to give many talks about his voyage over the coming year, other adventurers he knows have “struggled” to adapt after returning, he acknowledged on Monday. “I expect I will go through that too. The only way to move past it is to find another mission, another passion (…) and that is what I intend to do“.

Alexis Boudrand (Minor Hotels): We Plan to Double Our Portfolio Within Three Years

by


Alexis Boudrand, directeur du développement pour la France, la Belgique, la Suisse, le Luxembourg et les Pays-Bas. © Minor Hotels

PONANT


TourMaG – Since January 2026, you have been the development director for Minor Hotels for France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. To begin, could you introduce the Minor International group?

Alexis Boudrand : The group was born in Thailand in 1967, from the vision of an entrepreneur, Bill Heinecke, when he was only 17 years old. Hence its name: Minor. The first hotel opened in 1978.

Initially focused on Thailand, the group subsequently expanded internationally, notably through acquisitions: the Oaks group present in New Zealand and Australia, and the Portuguese Tivoli chain. It also diversified its brands by creating Anantara (these are five-star hotels) in 2001, Elewana in Africa (luxury lodges) in 2008, then Avani (four-star plus) in 2011.

Finally, in 2018, Minor unveiled €2.3 billion for the acquisition of the Spanish NH Hotels group, which then operated more than 380 hotels internationally and mainly in Europe.

Today, the Minor International group totals 560 hotels (80,000 rooms) and is listed only on the Bangkok stock exchange, but it comprises two entities. One groups the hotels in Asia and the Middle East, as well as the retail and restaurant businesses. The other covers the entire portfolio of hotels in Europe and the American continent.

The group counts twelve brands. As part of accelerating its global expansion and diversification strategy, launched since July 2025, Minor Hotels has indeed launched four new brands: The Wolseley Hotels (ultra-luxury), Minor Reserve Collection (exceptional hotels, rich in history and heritage), Colbert Collection (premium, dedicated to the art of living), and, finally, iStay Hotels (mid-range).

By broadening its scope, the group has given itself the means to cover all traveler profiles (from ultra-luxury to mid-range).


Minor Hotels: France, a priority market


Une Suite Junior du NH Collection Paris-Ponthieu-Champs Elysées © Minor Hôtels

TourMaG – Minor Hotels sees France as a priority market for expansion. Why?



Alexis Boudrand : NH had developed a lot in Spain and Portugal. The group is also very present in Germany and the Benelux. It is, however, relatively underrepresented in Great Britain, France and Switzerland.

We want to compensate for this delay. In France, we are quite underrepresented, with only 9 hotels. That’s fewer than in the city of Amsterdam alone, which has 12, and about the same as in Brussels!

TourMaG – Is your objective still to triple the number of hotels in France, as announced some time ago?



Alexis Boudrand : It must be realistic. Our ambition is to double our portfolio there in the next three years.

TourMaG – Is that really a realistic objective given France’s significant financial difficulties and an uncertain political outlook?

Alexis Boudrand : France remains the world’s leading tourist destination. We reasonably hope to attract a substantial clientele, notably from Spain, Germany, the Benelux, Italy, the UK, or the Americas, which are among Minor’s most important source markets.

We need more hotels in Paris, where we currently have only three under the NH Hotels and NH Collection brands. We are also looking at the French Riviera, wine regions, and the Alps.

Of course, we would like a second hotel in Lyon, in the city center, because today we are only present at the Saint-Exupéry airport. We would also want a second one in Toulouse. We would also like to establish ourselves in other well-served regional metropolises—like Bordeaux or Strasbourg—and also in the Champagne region.


Heading toward franchise hotels


Avec l'Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel (ici, Les Colonnades, un séduisant espace qui se transforme selon les heures de la journée), Minor Hôtels a réalisé la première incursion en France de sa marque luxe Anantara © Anantara Plaza

TourMaG – How do you plan to proceed? Are you targeting the takeovers of independent hotels? Conversions? Will you pursue franchising and management contracts?



Alexis Boudrand : Since acquiring the Spanish NH Hotels group in 2018, the portfolio has comprised about 22% owned (Minor owns these hotels); around 60% leased; the remainder is managed or franchised.

When Gonzalo Aguilar took the role of CEO of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas in January 2025, he set a course toward rebalancing these proportions, aiming for half of the hotels to be owned or under lease, and the other half under asset-light models (franchise or HMA) within three years, which is the direction we are heading.

TourMaG – How do you plan to translate this strategy in France?

Alexis Boudrand : In the Benelux, where we already have 49 hotels, we will no longer sign leases: development will be through franchising. In France, where we are less established, including in essential Paris locations, we will be able to sign leases, as that would be an additional asset for us to grow.

We also want to demonstrate our capabilities as a hotel operator or franchisor by delivering results (optimizing sales and distribution of these independent hotels), with a proprietor-oriented approach.

We are also owners, so we understand the owners’ issues. Anything that does not deliver return on investment has no place. We therefore carry a dual role, both owner and operator or franchisor for other owners. We act in partnership. We must be agile, offering flexibility.


“On the Lookout for Opportunities”

TourMaG – concretely, what kind of hotels are you seeking?

Alexis Boudrand : We are seeking independent hotels ready to back a group like Minor, with its commercial ecosystem and loyalty program, etc. Of course, hotels willing to switch brands are also welcome.



TourMaG – Will you focus more specifically on certain ranges of hotels in France?



Alexis Boudrand : It will depend on the opportunities that arise. The 12 brands of the Minor group allow us to cover the entire spectrum: if Oaks is reserved for aparthotels, we have iStay Hotels (mid-range) which suits less standardized hotels and thus easy to convert. We also have NH Hotels* for four-star properties.

Above that, we have four premium brands – Avani, nhow, NH Collection and Colbert Collection, created in 2026.

Added to that are our five luxury brands: Anantara, The Wolseley Hotels, Tivoli, Elewana Collection – exclusive eco-lodges developed in Kenya and Tanzania -; Minor Reserve Collection, our white-label luxury brand launched this year, targets hotels that wish to preserve a strong identity, such as the two — one in Slovenia, another in Croatia — taken on management contracts this year.

Concretely, we will develop across all three segments, and, I repeat, we will be quite opportunistic.


“Snow will become a luxury product”

TourMaG – Do you already have concrete leads in France?

Alexis Boudrand : I have been contacted by hotels on the Côte d’Azur, and in the mountains as well. I have looked at existing hotels but also at exceptional sites to transform in Provence, in Alsace, in the Alps, on the Atlantic coast… But nothing has been concretized yet.

In the Alps, upgrading to higher-end offerings is real, particularly in the Trois Vallées. Snow will indeed become a luxury product reserved for high-altitude resorts, unless they can be easily reached via ski lifts from mid-mountain resorts.

However, throughout the Alps, the tourist season is expanding: people are coming more and more in the summer now! This explains why all the major international brands are present there today. But remember that France has once again become, this year, the leading destination for winter sports (in terms of skier days sold).

TourMaG – Investing in the high end, is that wise given the current purchasing power challenges of the French?



Alexis Boudrand : That is precisely why we do not want to bet everything on luxury!

And as you know, the French are more likely to vacation in France!

In the future, everything will be based on experiences. Therefore, we will need to offer the right products to meet the needs of a diverse clientele, which will also include Americans coming to ski, attend concerts, etc., in France because it costs them less than at home.


They Had Paid to Live on a Cruise for 15 Years, Only to Be Abandoned in Cambodia

by

More than 200 passengers who had paid to live aboard a cruise ship were disembarked and left behind during a port call at Sihanoukville, Cambodia, it emerged on Wednesday from independent sources.

Odyssey, a nearly 200-meter-long liner, had departed Northern Ireland in October 2024 for a voyage during which residents could buy or lease cabins for vacations or for living aboard, some passengers even selling all their possessions to be able to afford it. But during a scheduled call at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville, passengers were given only seven hours to pack and depart, according to Long Dimanche, vice-governor of Preah Sihanouk Province (south).

A Dream of Life at Sea Comes to a Brutal Halt

In a statement, he indicated that 203 passengers and 156 crew members had boarded the ship flying the Bahamas flag on October 23, coming from Thailand, and were to travel to Vietnam. Some passengers took flights to leave the area while others stayed in the town, he noted, adding that the ship itself was due to refuel and sail again on October 31.

American Randy Cassingham and his wife Kit had been aboard the vessel since its departure from Belfast in October 2024, after paying around $1 million for this all-inclusive voyage they hoped would last at least fifteen years.

“It was great, for a while”, Cassingham told AFP by telephone from his hotel in Sihanoukville. “My wife and I really love traveling. But we hate airports and airlines. It was a way to pack once, (…) and wake up in a new place almost every day.” Disembarked by force in Cambodia, he says he has no regrets, telling AFP that, “regardless of money, it was a fantastic adventure”.

Carol Larson, a 69-year-old Californian, told AFP that she had initially paid $120,000 for her cabin – not counting monthly maintenance fees – for a voyage that was meant to last fifteen years or for the ship’s lifetime. But after only a year and a half, she and a friend are now “stuck” on land in Sihanoukville. “I place the greatest blame on (U.S. President Donald) Trump” for the wars in the Middle East. “But there has probably also been some not-so-sound accounting”, she said. Nevertheless, the voyage “was well worth it”.

According to Randy Cassingham, who runs a cruise-focused blog, the disembarkation order followed a “cascade of problems”. In an article titled “Abandon Ship!”, he recounts that the Belfast launch had been delayed by four months, and that the ship never reached its maximum capacity of 650 residents, the ceiling being around 350.

Rising Fuel Costs Strain the Operator

The American operator of the Odyssey, Villa Vie Residences, said on Tuesday that it had “suspended its activities in Cambodia” as it grapples with “exceptional” increases in fuel costs stemming from the war in Iran. Villa Vie indicated that monthly fuel expenses per cabin had risen from an average of $1,800 to an estimated $6,000–$8,000 in parts of Asia. “The company cannot simply pass on such large increases to residents, and the resulting deficit has placed an unsustainable financial burden on its current operating model”, it stated.

Barbara Figiel, 62, and her husband had been passengers on the Odyssey since late 2024. “I’ve always said, when I retire, I want to live on a cruise ship”, she told AFP. But over the last four months, “we knew something wasn’t right because they kept asking us for money again and again”, lamented this former UN employee. “I don’t think we were victims of a scam. We were offered a wonderful lifestyle, but they underestimated the costs.”

M. Cassingham accuses the company of having “absolutely nothing” done to help the passengers stranded in Sihanoukville, saying they were taken to the town center and left there, without even a hotel list.

Villa Vie did not respond to AFP’s questions, but stated in a press release that it “is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary housing solutions”.

Strasbourg Christmas Market: Why This Year’s Festivities Will Be Cut Short

by

Admired by millions of visitors each year, Strasbourg’s Christmas market tree was installed on Monday morning, despite the risk of spillovers tied to social protests.

Hanging from a crane, the imposing 30-meter-tall evergreen slowly rose under the gaze of passers-by, finally standing as it does every year on Place Kléber, the usual epicenter of demonstrations in Strasbourg, where 15,000 protesters had gathered on October 17.

The Christmas Market Will Not Be Extended Through December 27 After All

“We will protect it and we will stay vigilant there”, said Mathieu Cahn, the first deputy to the mayor of Strasbourg. “The grand tree in Strasbourg is above all a symbol of joy and happiness. I don’t really see why it would be a target”, he added.

The installation of the tree, initially planned for Friday, had been postponed to Monday for “technical reasons” and “the mobilization of staff and resources”, according to the city hall.

This postponement coincided with the staging of a new demonstration, which drew 6,600 people on Saturday according to authorities. Held on the edge of the city center, it proceeded largely in calm fashion. On October 17, shop windows were broken and stores looted near Place Kléber.

The trauma of these acts of violence remains vivid. “I hope they won’t set the tree on fire”, said Anne, a retiree who came to admire the installation. She added “to fear the worst”, due to the new calls to protest on October 31.

Because of the demonstrations, and the substantial police presence they require, the City of Strasbourg also announced on Monday that it would drop its plan to extend the Christmas Market until December 27.

“We would have liked to go a bit further, but with the ongoing social movements it was not possible”, explained Mathieu Cahn, citing the “recovery time” necessary for the forces. The market will proceed, as every year, from November 27 to December 24.

As in previous years since the 2018 attack that claimed five lives, Strasbourg’s Christmas Market, which welcomed 3.05 million visitors last year, requires a significant police presence. In 2025, about a thousand officers were patrolling the streets of Strasbourg daily.

New Year’s Eve 2026 in the Moroccan Desert

by


© Depositphotos

CroisiEurope


Jour 1 – 28 décembre : Arrivée à Marrakech

Reception at Marrakech airport by our team.

Private transfer to your charming riad in Marrakech.

Check-in and free time to explore the medina according to your arrival time.

Night in a riad in Marrakech.


Day 2 – 29 December: Marrakech – Telouet – Ounila Valley – Aït Ben Haddou

After breakfast, depart from Marrakech around 8:00 heading toward the High Atlas.

Pass through the Tizi n’Tichka pass, then continue to Telouet and its former kasbah.

The journey continues through the stunning Ounila Valley, with traditional villages, mountain landscapes, ksars and kasbahs.

Arrival at Aït Ben Haddou and a walking tour of the famous ksar inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stroll through its earthen streets and discover its traditional architecture.

Dinner and overnight in a charming guesthouse.


Day 3 – 30 December: Aït Ben Haddou – Drâa Valley – Tamegroute – M’Hamid – Erg Chegaga

Depart in the morning toward the Drâa Valley.

Traverse landscapes of palm groves, gardens and traditional villages.

Après Zagora, arrêt à Tamegroute to discover workshops and kilns of traditional pottery. Depending on timings, there is also a possibility to visit its ancient library.

Continue to M’Hamid, the gateway to the desert.

Lunch on site.

In the afternoon, depart by 4×4 to the vast dunes of Erg Chegaga.

Check-in at a luxury desert camp.

Free time to enjoy the sunset on the dunes.

Dinner, campfire evening and overnight in a luxury tent.


© Naga Travel


Day 4 – 31 December: Desert Day – Erg Chegaga – New Year’s Eve Celebration

After breakfast, depart by 4×4 for a day dedicated to exploring the desert.

Crossing dunes and vast wild spaces, with a picnic lunch in nature.

Return to the camp in the afternoon for some relaxation.

In the evening, a camel ride on the dunes to admire the last sunset of the year.

Then the New Year’s Eve celebration begins:

Special dinner, local entertainment, traditional music and a night around the fire under the Sahara stars.

Night at the luxury camp.


© Naga Travel


Day 5 – January 1, 2027: Erg Chegaga – Iriki Lake – Foum Zguid – Taznakht – Marrakech

Possibility to witness the first sunrise of the year on the dunes.

Breakfast at the camp then depart by 4×4.

Desert crossing between the Chegaga dunes, the old bed of the Drâa and the Iriki Lake.

Continue to Foum Zguid, then drive to Taznakht, known for its carpets and crafts.

Lunch along the way.

Continuing toward Marrakech with several scenic stops.

Arrive in Marrakech by the end of the day.

Check-in at a charming riad and overnight in Marrakech.


The highlights of the stay


An experience offered by NAGA TRAVEL

NAGA TRAVEL, DMC Inbound Morocco, designs and organizes private circuits, tailor-made journeys, desert stays, groups and events across Morocco.

Stay from December 28, 2026 to January 2, 2027.

Information, availability and rates on request.

NAGA TRAVEL – DMC Inbound Morocco


Contact NAGA Travel


Réveillon 2026 dans le désert marocain
Hassan Laghfiri

[email protected]

www.naga-travel.com

Hassan : +212 644 777 405 WhatsApp

> NAGA TRAVEL in the DESTIMAG DIRECTORY


Civitatis Pro: Eight Years of Listening to Tourism Professionals to Transform How Experiences Are Sold

by


© Civitatis, visuel généré par IA

Aer Lingus


Eight years ago, Civitatis began working with travel agencies with a clear objective: to make available to the professional channel a selection of activities and experiences for destinations. Since then, the company has grown alongside agencies, tour operators and other players in tourism distribution, also adapting to a way of selling trips that is increasingly agile, connected, and demanding.

This journey has allowed identifying new needs. Because having a good product is essential, but the daily life of an agency requires more: tools that simplify operations, responsiveness in case of incidents, and, above all, a partner who knows their trade and can accompany them at every step of the sale.

All this learning is today reflected in Civitatis Pro, Civitatis’ ecosystem designed specifically for professionals in the tourism sector. As Verónica de Íscar, Chief B2B Sales Officer of Civitatis, explains: “Civitatis Pro was born from everything we have learned during these eight years of collaboration with agencies, tour operators and professionals in travel distribution in general: from our active listening, to our understanding of how they operate, and to adapting our offer to their real needs.”


From a simple product to an ecosystem designed for agencies

One of Civitatis’ strengths since its beginnings lies in its offer selection. Facing a model based solely on increasing the number of references, the company favors a carefully curated catalog of activities, excursions, guided tours, tickets, transfers and other destination-focused services, with quality as the main criterion.

But working with the professional channel has enriched this proposition. “For eight years, we have been continuously refining our solution for our 46,500 travel agencies, including the French ecosystem. Civitatis Pro is the culmination of this commitment. This new version takes a step forward by integrating management of group requests outside the platform and a tool for creating tailor-made itineraries. We have evolved toward a model where the B2B offers guidance, specialized support, and features designed specifically for our partners.” declares Georges Sans, Director of France Development at Civitatis.

Civitatis Pro is structured around four pillars: selected product, flexible technology, 24/7 support and commercial guidance. Four areas that cover different moments in the relationship between the agency, the platform and the traveler.


Carefully curated product: also facilitating recommendations

For a travel agent or a content creator, having thousands of alternatives does not always make the choice easier. That is why Civitatis Pro focuses on a pre-selected offering that helps to find the option suited to each client without turning the search into a complex process. From the must-dos of a destination to services like transfers, the offering allows enriching every trip from a single environment and with prestations selected according to quality criteria.


Flexible technology: adapting to each partner’s sales method

Selecting the product is only part of the equation. The way to access it and market it must also fit into how each company operates. That is why technology constitutes another pillar of Civitatis Pro. The platform offers different solutions and features so that agencies and partners can integrate the sale of experiences according to their own distribution model. The guiding principle is simple: technology should reduce friction, not add it. This implies developing tools designed not only for the final traveler but also for those who manage and market each booking.


24/7 support: when the sale becomes a journey

On-site experiences have a distinctive trait compared to other tourism products: the relationship with the client continues during the journey. A question, a modification, or an unforeseen event can occur thousands of miles away and at any moment. Having 24/7 support allows tourism professionals to provide after-sales assistance and support during the traveler’s experience. It is thus about extending the service beyond the transaction and bringing peace of mind both to the professional and to their client.


From “selling more” to “selling better”


Contact Civitatis


Civitatis Pro : huit ans à l'écoute des professionnels du tourisme pour transformer la façon de vendre des expériences
If you wish to access Civitatis’ catalog of carefully curated activities, do not hesitate to contact our team who will be pleased to guide you.

Georges Sans

Director of France Development

[email protected]

+33 647 183 112

Travel Agencies Commercial Service

[email protected]

01 89 71 35 74

Travel Agencies Support Service

01 85 32 16 32

instagram tiktok facebook twitter


Xavier Mufraggi Named Generator’s New CEO: Aims to Double or Even Triple Its Size in the Coming Years

by


Xavier Mufraggi, nouveau PDG de Generator - Photo : Generator, Tatjana Reid

TAP Air Portugal


Veteran executives from Club Med do not stay idle for long. After Gino Andreetta, appointed to lead Ponant’s customer experience, it is Xavier Mufraggi’s turn to make headlines in the travel press.

Indeed, the man who steered Club Med’s fate in North America, and later across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, has just been named chief executive officer of Generator.

For those who do not know this British group founded in 1995, we are talking about a brand that reinvents youth hostels into full-fledged lifestyle destinations in major European cities.

But it is even better when the new boss explains the concept. “A headhunter came to me, promising not to say no before meeting the people. I discovered what I call a social hotel, in an experiential sense.

It’s a blend between the restaurant, hospitality, the gym and the nightclub. All aimed at 16–30 years old. A clientele hungry for travel, while being exceptionally curious.

These clients want to understand and feel the city they are visiting, to be as close as possible to locals“, he explains, summarising with his own words both Generator’s concept and the ambition nurtured by the group.


Generator : “Connecting them to the past and the future of these places”

Contrary to the assumptions often held by tourism boomers, Gen Z is not entirely self-absorbed. They seek contact and convivial spaces.

Because, although young people are increasingly living alone, they do not shut themselves off from others. As urbanist and retail sociologist David Lestoux explained to us, this generation loves city centres, local shops, and vibrant places.

Generator therefore arrived with a concept that reconciles young people, especially women, the main clientele of the company, with travel.

“These young generations must choose between not travelling, for lack of budget, or doing so in places not always terrific. Affordable hospitality is either on the periphery or in white-box spaces with vending machines. We offer an alternative for all budgets“, explains Xavier Mufraggi.

We address these issues by offering central properties, made up of two-thirds dormitory rooms, some reserved for girls, and one-third private rooms.

So, for 35 or 40 euros, they are in a nice, secure place, letting them discover the city and enjoy experiences“, continues the leader, enthusiastic about this new mission.

Because, beyond freeing up budget for travellers, Generator offers establishments in the heart of major cities. Thus, guests can then enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate at Demago or on Carette’s terrace facing the Trocadéro.

Read: From Youth Hostel to Generator: a Whole Story

It must be said that the experience of living like locals would be at the heart of this new generation’s concerns.

“In Paris, for example, we are Quai de Jemmapes. We have nearly 900 beds, including standard rooms at 140 euros with a view of the Sacré-Cœur. We also have an extraordinary rooftop and a nightclub.

We also create experiences and do, in a sense, Lean Luxury, with a product offering excellent value for money while allowing savings to fund additional experiences.

We connect our clients to both the past and the future of these places. Moreover, our teams are connectors. They will share the right addresses with our clients, who also go to Generator to meet people like them“, continues Xavier Mufraggi.


Generator : “doubling, or even tripling in size” by 2031


Generator : "doubler, voire tripler de taille" d’ici 2031 - Photo : Generator

Building on this winning formula with excellent margins, Generator struck it big in 2025.

Brookfield has set its sights on the British company and its European assets, for 776 million euros.

The aim now is to develop the brand and its network, while intensifying its positioning in hybrid hospitality.

“It’s a relatively little-known investor, but one of the world’s largest asset managers, ahead of TPG Capital or KKR. In Generator’s case, they are interested in real estate, i.e., acquiring atypical sites such as offices, car parks or a police station, which will then be converted into hotels.

They will own the walls, and our job is to turn them into fun, design-led, trendy places. Today we only have 15 sites, but tomorrow we will double, or even triple, this figure in Europe“, states Generator’s CEO.

To achieve this, the operator plans three to four openings per year, in order to reach 30 addresses by 2031. The ultimate goal will likely be 50 establishments. The horizon remains to be defined.

One of the development axes will be… Paris. “We have almost signed in Paris, at a location between Place d’Italie and Butte-aux-Cailles. Another project will be near Montparnasse station, then I will look for a building not far from Gare de Lyon.

We have three other projects in London.

Of the 15 existing sites, 11 are covered by a renovation plan. We need to premiumise them. Bunk beds will become cocoons, comparable to first-class spaces, as in airplanes“, reveals the leader.


Generator : a signature between Place d’Italie and Butte-aux-Cailles, with others to come


Generator : une signature entre la place d’Italie et la Butte-aux-Cailles, d’autres à suivre - Photo : Generator

This will involve acquiring four-star hotels located in city centres, including the Novotel London Greenwich, as well as converting offices, warehouses and public buildings.

Moreover, the English Novotel, which has around a hundred rooms, could accommodate nearly 900 guests, with densification being one of Generator’s keys to success.

The other pillar concerns locations. European expansion will revolve around the major European train stations.

“Young people no longer travel with backpacks, but go in groups, and at the end of their schooling they embark on three weeks or a month in Europe.

They will visit Paris, London, Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona, Madrid… so we are looking at the main European train stations and we will base ourselves around them.

I have an investor who enables us to grow and, rather than telling us we will capture one or two nights, we will try to be present across the entire perimeter.

Why not, tomorrow, allow our clients to buy a ticket valid for a month at Generator, to change location whenever they want“, enthuses Xavier Mufraggi.

Thus, Generator is dusting off the Grand Tour framework of the XXIe century: a train journey to visit major European cities, in trendy places open to locals.

The question that remains is: what is a former Club Med executive doing in hostels that are being “premiumised”?

“We share common values, starting with the notion of being pioneers. Then, in the hospitality world, I find that other guests form part of the customer experience when they mingle.

We also find multicultural values and Generator’s role as a social elevator for its employees. I like that this project serves as a social springboard. I want to offer an unlimited path to all ambitious people who love others and who are ready to train their successors“, says Xavier Mufraggi.


Generator : “This project is win-win for everyone”

Moreover, in conversations with the former Club Med executive, we learn that his greatest achievement was preventing the North American branch from closing, under the leadership of Henri Giscard d’Estaing and Michel Wolfovski, saving 3,500 jobs and developing a new geographic area in the Dominican Republic, with 4,000 jobs created.

After spending a little more than a year with Fosun, he sought a project closer to people.

He has also undertaken a more sustainable turn. “Our generation tended to overlook commitments in favor of more sustainability, whereas these new generations think about it much more than we imagine, especially on transport.

The train will continue to rise in importance. It is also a mode of transport that allows you to reach the heart of cities, but also a convivial place for meeting and dialogue. This project is win-win for everyone“, he concludes, before issuing a call to French and European authorities who hold brownfields or districts in decline in major cities.

Generator stands ready to revitalise these places.


This Corner of California Was Russian for 30 Years and Is Still Visited Today

by

Two hours’ drive north of San Francisco, the landscapes along the California coast take on unexpectedly striking features. Between vineyards, cliffs, towering redwoods, and Pacific-beaten beaches, an old fort reminds us that a portion of California was once under Russian rule. Perched on a promontory in Sonoma County, Fort Ross today stands as a singular stop along the coastal road. A detour that invites visitors to discover a largely little-known facet of California’s history and heritage.

A Remarkable Slice of Russia on the Pacific Edge

Fort Ross sits roughly 145 kilometers north of San Francisco, within Fort Ross State Historic Park. For travelers taking the famous Pacific Coast Highway, the site offers a pause quite different from the major parks and seaside towns that dot the coast. From the fort’s ruins, the view opens wide to the ocean, while a small Orthodox chapel topped with a cross recalls the Russian origin of the site.

Italy’s Fake Ancient Theater Fooled Visitors for Years

by

In the hills of Veneto, an astonishing archaeological site drew visitors with its tiered seating, its columns, and its basin. Presented as an ancient Greek theater discovered after a landslide, it seemed too good to be true. For this setting, supposedly more than 2,000 years old, it had in fact been built… in the twenty-first century. After a long legal battle, its owner has just been sentenced to prison.

An Entirely Manufactured Ancient Theater

A few kilometers south of Vicenza, the site perched on a wooded slope in the municipality of Arcugnano seemed straight out of Antiquity. Since 2014, visitors could walk along fan-shaped seating, observe columns and statues, and even admire a small water feature dug at the center of the complex. The owner, Franco Malosso, claimed to have discovered the remains after a landslide on this site, for which he claimed legal ownership through a company based in the British Virgin Islands. Since then, he presented the place as the remains of a Greek theater more than two millennia old.

Franco Malosso organized guided tours and gave the site several names, including “Anfiteatro Berico” and “Anfiteatro Marittimo Berico”. Tickets were sold to visitors, with prices reaching up to 40 euros. Private tours were also offered for 600 euros for 45 minutes. The site even hosted concerts and performances. Yet several details should have raised suspicions. The site initially bore little resemblance to an amphitheater.

While an amphitheater is oval or elliptical in shape, the seating of the “Anfiteatro Berico” was arranged in a half-circle, which corresponds to a theater. The hypothesis of a Greek edifice was also unlikely in this region, as Greek colonies of antiquity did not extend to northern Italy. And above all, the materials used betrayed a recent construction: the seating had been built with stone recently quarried in the Apulia (Puglia) region and cement, while a retaining wall had even been coated with polystyrene.

The investigators did not need lengthy inquiries. During an inspection conducted in October 2016, the specialists immediately understood they were dealing with an imitation. Lieutenant Colonel Giuseppe Marseglia, head of the Carabinieri’s Art Protection Unit in Lombardy, described the attempt as “truly obscene”, in remarks reported by CNN. According to him, in 25 years of service, he had never seen an entire archaeological site manufactured in this way.

Visitors Convinced by the Tale

Perhaps the most surprising aspect was the reception of the faux theater. All eight TripAdvisor reviews gave it five stars. Some visitors described it as “an enchanting place” or as “a world beyond space and time”. This apparent credulity could be partly explained by the staging imagined by Franco Malosso. He claimed, for instance, that the site had been frequented by Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and even… Juliet Capulet, the fictional character from Romeo and Juliet created by William Shakespeare.

The workers hired to carry out the work had, according to reports, been instructed to give the new constructions an aged appearance. For archaeologist Darius Arya, director of Ancient Rome Live, the affair is particularly hard to understand. “The very idea is insane”, he told CNN, describing the project as “diabolical” and “terrible”. He also notes that genuine archaeological digging cannot be carried out on the fly: “You do not have the right to dig up antiquities in your garden. They must be declared, they are the subject of an inquiry, then they are excavated.”

Italian justice ultimately convicted Franco Malosso in 2019 for several offenses, including the falsification of works of art, construction without permits, and the destruction of a protected landscape. After several appeals, the Court of Cassation confirmed the conviction this year. He is now serving a sentence of 28 months in prison, along with a 3,000-euro fine and 3,500 euros in legal fees. As for the faux theater, built on land within the protected Berici Hills landscape, it must be demolished. An especially ironic situation: to erase this vestige that was not one, a genuine excavation will have to be carried out first.

150 Years of Holiday Camps: A French Exception Worth Preserving [ABO]

by


La « colo » devrait avoir de beaux jours devant elle. A condition que le pouvoir politique admette la nécessité de ne pas détruire un « jouet » qui a mis 150 ans à se développer… - DepositPhotos.com, gpointstudio

Costa Rica


Que s’est-il passé ? Depuis une époque douloureuse où les villes asphyxiées par l’installation d’usines, d’ateliers et de transports divers, ne recelaient plus un air respirable, des âmes sensibles suivant le modèle mis en place en Suisse (voir encadré) eurent l’idée d’envoyer à la campagne des enfants malingres, chétifs, désœuvrés et livrés à eux-mêmes dans un espace urbain ouvert à tous les dangers, donc risquant de « mal tourner » !

Reçus soit dans des familles d’accueil, soit dans des centres collectifs histoire de se faire une santé physique, ces jeunes profitèrent aussi des valeurs prônées par les mouvements d’éducation populaire qui, au fil des années, tentaient de façonner un tourisme accessible et profitable à tous.

La machine était lancée.

Répondant à la vocation hygiéniste de l’époque, l’Etat et la collectivité participaient au financement de tels séjours qui, dans les années soixante, accueillaient plus de 4 millions de jeunes Français. Un record jamais égalé depuis!



A Continuing Decline

Au contraire ! L’histoire glorieuse des « colos » n’est pas linéaire.

Entre 2018-2019 et 2024-2025, près de 132 000 départs de mineurs ont été rayés des listes des jeunes vacanciers. Soit une baisse de 9%.

Sur la seule année passée observée, le nombre de départs en séjours avec hébergement recule de 4%, soit de 50 000 départs, alors que la population augmente. Mais, pourquoi cette hémorragie ?


A Chronic Financial Problem

Une récente enquête Ifop concernant des enfants de 5 à 19 ans, comme tant d’autres au fil des années, invoque cette fois encore, le coût des « colos » !

Pour 52% des parents d’enfants, c’est bel et bien le cas.

Et cela d’autant plus que le paradoxe de la formule réside dans le fait que les classes les plus modestes sont aidées financièrement en fonction des quotients familiaux, alors que la classe moyenne supérieure, en particulier celle qui ne dispose pas de Comités d’entreprise, ne l’est pas.

Une singularité qui fait baisser drastiquement le nombre de partants, surtout quand on sait qu’un séjour qui s’appuie sur une activité nécessitant équipements et personnels très qualifiés (voile, équitation, ski, golf… et séjours linguistiques) avoisine les 400 à 500 euros la semaine, voire plus !

Une somme que peu de familles peuvent débourser, surtout quand elles ont deux ou trois enfants à envoyer en vacances ! Et qu’elles ont ensuite les séjours familiaux à payer.

Quand on sait que le budget moyen pour un foyer pour les vacances estivales se situe autour de 2 000 euros, le calcul est vite fait.

On sacrifie la « colo » et l’on se dépanne comme on peut pendant une partie des vacances avant de s’offrir quelques jours ensemble.

Ainsi, depuis 2020, on enregistre 7% de départs supplémentaires en famille. Une bonne nouvelle confortant la nécessité pour parents et enfants de se retrouver dans un cadre délivré de contraintes.

Mais, dans le même temps, un tiers des enfants et des jeunes âgés de 5 à 19 ans ne sont pas partis du tout en vacances en 2025. Une mauvaise nouvelle qui représente 4,2 millions d’enfants et de jeunes et souligne les inégalités sociales d’un pays comme le nôtre.

Lire aussi : Les colonies de vacances menacées par le budget 2026 ?


Safety under Question

Autre frein à l’envoi d’enfants en « colos », celui concernant la sécurité en général.

Sécurité sanitaire et sécurité liée à des risques de maltraitance de la part de l’encadrement. Une crainte intensifiée par le climat dans lequel est plongée la France à l’heure actuelle.

Certes, les cas sont rares. A moins qu’ils ne soient pas encore révélés. Mais, l’anxiété est réelle et pénalisante pour une formule qui est pourtant soumise à des règles drastiques en matière d’encadrement, activités de loisirs et éducatives.

Autre obstacle au départ, le rejet des séjours collectifs par certains enfants. Généralement les plus jeunes qui, soit ont fait une mauvaise expérience, soit ont entendu leurs proches en parler, soit préfèrent rester chez eux ou chez leurs grands-parents. Lesquels ne l’oublions pas, offrent une solution de « gardienage » très utile aux jeunes couples ne disposant pas d’autant de temps libre que leurs enfants.

N’oublions pas non plus que les 5 semaines de congés ne suffisent pas à prendre en charge des enfants dont les congés sont de 16 semaines !


The “Tour of the Colos”: a Summer Initiative of the JPA


The Invention of Summer Camps

« Les colonies de vacances sont nées à la fin du XIXe siècle. Si certains chercheurs proposent différentes origines aux « colos » en s’appuyant sur des structures existantes auparavant, c’est souvent le pasteur Bion qui en est présenté comme l’inventeur. Ce serait d’ailleurs lui qui leur a donné leur nom, « Ferienkolonien ».

En 1876, ce pasteur de Zurich constate que des enfants de la ville étaient en mauvaise santé alors que les enfants de la campagne étaient en meilleure santé. Il décide alors d’amener 68 enfants de Zurich sur le plateau d’Appenzell durant les mois d’été et continue sur sa lancée les années suivantes, impulsant un mouvement imité dans de nombreux pays d’Europe.

Très vite, il a existé deux types de colonies : le placement familial, par groupes de deux ou trois enfants dans une famille, le plus souvent paysanne et la colonie collective où les enfants logent tous dans la même structure.

Organisée en 1881 par le pasteur Lorriaux, la première colonie de vacances française (de type placement familial) a été soutenue par des Caisses des Écoles, notamment Parisiennes sous le nom de colonies scolaires. Elles étaient laïques, puis se sont diversifiées parmi les pratiquants des autres religions… »

Extrait de « Enfances et jeunesse infos »



Josette Sicsic - DR

Journaliste, consultante, conférencière, Josette Sicsic observe depuis plus de 25 ans, les mutations du monde afin d’en analyser les conséquences sur le secteur du tourisme.

Après avoir développé pendant plus de 20 ans le journal Touriscopie, elle est toujours sur le pont de l’actualité où elle décode le présent pour prévoir le futur. Sur le site www.tourmag.com, rubrique Futuroscopie, elle publie plusieurs fois par semaine les articles prospectifs et analytiques.

Contact : 06 14 47 99 04

Mail : [email protected]

Com Namibia is a tourism news media sharing travel stories, destination updates, and global tourism trends from a Namibian perspective, with a strong focus on Africa and the wider world.

Main office

Maerua Mall Office Tower
Jan Jonker Street
Windhoek
Namibia

[email protected]

© 2026 Com Namibia