Column: Per Lindvall

Två män står framför en byggnad tillsammans med en svartvit utskuren bild av en man i kostym.

Geir Karlsen, chief executive of Norwegian, and Petter Stordalen, Strawberry.

Photo (background): Norwegian

Is this the beginning of something big - or just another travel industry romance?

Hotel magnate Petter Stordalen describes Norwegian’s purchase of NTLG as “a match made in heaven”. But the history of the travel industry is full of grand deals that never delivered the promised synergies.

Per Lindvall Per Lindvall Columnist

Published 25 June 2026 - 19:01 Modified 25 June 2026 - 19:04

Ett stort historiskt hotell med ljus fasad och skylt mot gatan i centrala Oslo.

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The historic luxury hotel Hotel Continental in Oslo is reporting its best result ever. Behind the record figures is a combination of a weak Norwegian krone, a growing influx of American visitors and the rising "coolcation" trend, where travellers choose cooler destinations over southern Europe.

En termometer mot blå himmel och solsken som visar hög temperatur.

Heat gives British hotels an unexpected boost - locals check in to keep cool

A man stands in front of a SAS aircraft parked on a tarmac under a cloudy sky.

SAS signals major news - promises major investment in Kastrup

Fredrik Kämpfe standing in front of an aircraft wing against a cloudy sunset sky.

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Since 2019, Swedish aviation has lost 91 million passengers and SEK 27 billion in infrastructure charges. This was presented by Fredrik Kämpfe of the Swedish Confederation of Transport Enterprises in Almedalen.

Vy över en kuststad med ett stort hotellbygge vid kajen, vatten i förgrunden och berg i bakgrunden.

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Scandic opens new hotel in Northern Norway

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Is this the beginning of something big - or just another travel industry romance?

Portrait of a smiling woman in front of a red-lit venue with tables and chairs.

Grand Travel Award moves to Gasometer in 2027

Grand Travel Award is changing venue. On 22 April 2027, the travel industry’s gala will be held for the first time at The Dome in Gasometer, the new experiential venue in Norra Djurgårdsstaden in Stockholm.

En man i brun hatt och glasögon står framför två byggnader i Madrid och lyfter på hatten.

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En person håller ett pass framför en skärm med texten Entry Exit System.

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A man in a suit stands in front of a Europe map covered with yellow markers.

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Success takes off: Flightradar24 earns 29 million SEK a month

The flight-tracking service Flightradar24 continues to deliver strong figures while the company undergoes several major changes. New owners have come on board, a new chief executive has taken over, and the board is now chaired by SAS chief executive Anko van der Werff.

En mand sidder på bagsædet af en bil og kigger på sin smartphone.

AI could fundamentally change the role of the travel manager

Trust, security and governance will be decisive factors in how quickly artificial intelligence gains traction in the business travel industry. That is the conclusion reached by Amadeus in the new report Orchestrating Success, which examines both current and future uses of AI in business travel.

Glasad hotellbyggnad med stor skylt som säger Good Morning Hotels mot blå himmel.

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Revelop buys ten Good Morning hotels

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En man sitter vid ett hotellbord med koppar, juice, fruktfat och en vas med blommor.

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What happens when hotels charge for breakfast: one in three Danes opts out of hotel breakfast

Danes are rejecting hotels' paid breakfast, but in both Sweden and Norway only 12 per cent of Strawberry's hotel guests opt out of breakfast - even though it is no longer included in the room rate.