En man i vit skjorta står vid en marmorerad bardisk i ett hotellrum med gröna lampor och folk i bakgrunden.

Scandic CEO Jens Mathiesen.

Scandic CEO on billion-krona deal, crises and growth: “We are stronger than ever”

Scandic CEO Jens Mathiesen is one of the stock market’s most discreet executives. For Travel News, he talks about where things are going worst, his extra bonus and which country should win the football World Cup. And why Per G Braathen should receive a medal.

Leif Holmkvist Leif Holmkvist

Published 7 May 2026 - 16:12

dalata Hotels scandic hotels hotel industry jens mathiesen pandox

Soluppgång över en strand med lugnt vatten, sanddyner och berg i bakgrunden.

Tourism outside summer is growing fastest in Sweden

Visit Sweden sees a clear change in Swedish tourism: growth is now stronger outside the traditional summer peak season than during the summer months.

Ett vitt och grönt passagerartåg kör på rälsen i kvällsljus med kontaktledningar ovanför.

EU wants to force common train tickets in Europe

Alhambra i Granada ramas in av en ornately dekorerad båge mot blå himmel.

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Spain on course to overtake France as the world's largest tourist country

Träbrygga mot en strand med palmer, klart vatten och blå himmel.

Forecast: travel expected to grow faster than the global economy over the coming decade

According to new forecasts from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the travel and tourism industry is expected to contribute 12 trillion dollars to the global economy in 2026, equivalent to nearly 10 per cent of global GDP.

Ett Qatar Airways-flygplan flyger lågt över en landningsbana mot blå himmel.

Qatar Airways resumes services to Helsinki and Tokyo Haneda

Qatar Airways is restarting flights this summer to both Helsinki and Tokyo Haneda as part of the airline's continued commitment to expanding its global route network.

Tom stadsgata mellan kontorsbyggnader med en synlig Santander Consumer-skylt.

Scandic steps up in the budget race – opens new Go hotel in Gothenburg

Scandic has now opened its latest Scandic Go hotel, with 176 rooms, located at Lilla Bommen in Gothenburg.

Upplyst hotellskylt på en byggnad mot mörk blå kvällshimmel.

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Hotel prices rose sharply globally during the first quarter

According to new statistics from HotelHub, the average price of hotel rooms rose by 7.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, to an average of 189 dollars per night.

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Up in the air? Air France-KLM considers new group name after SAS acquisition

Several international trade media outlets report internal discussions about a more neutral umbrella name, with “The Blue Group” mentioned as one of the working names.

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Advisory costs soar in Spirit Airlines bankruptcy

Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy has already generated advisory costs of more than 80 million dollars - and the bill continues to grow.

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Argentina downplays concern after virus outbreak on cruise ship

Tierra del Fuego is now trying to reassure international travellers after the high-profile hantavirus outbreak.

Tre personer i vatten med stora gula flytleksaker under en solig stranddag.

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British Weloveholidays expands into the Nordics

Weloveholidays is now launching its platform in Sweden, Norway and Denmark as part of the company’s continued international expansion. The move comes after a period of testing in the Nordic markets.

En person i gul jacka står framför ett passagerarplan med tända ljus på en flygplats.

EU wants to tighten airport subsidies - regional airports could be affected

The European Commission wants to tighten the rules on state aid for airports and airlines. In a new proposal for guidelines, it is proposed that airports with more than one million passengers per year should no longer be able to receive operating aid from the state.

New high-speed rail line between London and Switzerland takes next step

Plans for a new direct high-speed rail link between the United Kingdom and Switzerland have moved a step forward. Eurostar, SNCF Voyageurs and Swiss SBB have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the possibilities for a new international rail line.