NMAH to close for two-year restoration BY Helen Patenall | 31 May 2006 The Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH) in Washington DC, US, will close for two years to carry out an extensive US$85m (£45m, 66m euro) refurbishment.
Science Discovery Center to open in Manila BY Helen Patenall | 31 May 2006 Leisure Entertainment Consultancy (LEC) in Long Beach, California, US, has teamed up with local mall operator SM Prime Holdings to develop a US$7m (£3.7m, 5.5m euro) SM Science Discovery Center in the Mall of Asia in Manila, the Philippines.
Santé Winelands to launch day spa 30 May 2006 Santé Winelands Wellness Centre and Hotel in South Africa is to open Villa Caprice, a day spa situated adjacent to its existing wellness centre, in June and has revealed further details about its new restaurant that has just opened, Cadeaux.
VRL acquires WB Australian interests 30 May 2006 Village Roadshow Limited (VRL) is to acquire all of Warner Bros’ interests in their jointly owned Australian Theme Parks group for AUS$254m (£103m, 151m euro, US$192m).
Steiner to manage cruise liner spa BY Helen Patenall | 30 May 2006 US-based spa operator Steiner Leisure will manage the spa and fitness centre on the recently launched Freedom of the Seas cruise ship.
Ocean Park surpasses 2005 attendance record BY Helen Patenall | 30 May 2006 Ocean Park Corporation has announced that Ocean Park theme park in Hong Kong has already surpassed last year’s annual attendance record of 4,030,000 visitors.
Banyan Tree to raise S$107m in IPO 30 May 2006 The Asian resort and spa operator Banyan Tree Holdings has lodged a draft prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Singapore Stock Exchange.
Las Vegas Sands wins Singapore casino bid 26 May 2006 The Singapore Government has awarded Las Vegas Sands the right to build and operate the country’s first casino, due to open in 2009.
Golden Tulip to open hotel in Nigeria 24 May 2006 The Golden Tulip Hospitality Group has opened a hotel in Lagos, Nigeria, called the Golden Tulip Princess Emotan.
Compagnie des Alpes to acquire Walibi theme parks 24 May 2006 It is understood that French ski resort operator Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) has completed a deal to acquire five leisure parks from Belgium-based Star Parks for an undisclosed sum.
Harrah’s closes deal on Flamingo Laughlin resort 24 May 2006 Harrah’s Entertainment has announced that the joint US$170m (£90m, 133m euro) cash sale of its Flamingo Laughlin hotel-casino and a 7.5 acre (3 hectare) undeveloped land parcel in Atlantic City, US, to American Real Estate Partners has now completed.
Evason Phuket awarded for environmental management 24 May 2006 The Board of Environmental Promotion of Tourism Activities (BEPTA) awards properties between one and five Green Leaves for efficient environmental management.
Cedar to acquire Paramount Parks 23 May 2006 Cedar Fair – a US-based owner and operator of amusement parks and waterparks – has signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of the Paramount Parks group.
Cameron Highlands Spa Village launches 23 May 2006 YTL Hotels & Properties has opened a luxury Spa Village as part of its newly launched Cameron Highlands Resort in Tanah Rata, central Malaysia.
Fitness dk sold to PSE in DKK300m deal 18 May 2006 Listed company Parken Sport & Entertainment (PSE) has bought Danish chain fitness dk for DKK 300m (£28m).
Armstrong Foundation funds ‘chemo fog’ research 18 May 2006 The Lance Armstrong Foundation is set to fund research at the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Tennessee, US, to see if regular exercise can alleviate the memory and cognitive problems that many cancer survivors experience following chemotherapy.
Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra has unveiled a major landscape project designed to improve biodiversity, manage water and increase climate resilience across the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Elevate has had its busiest show to date, with almost 200 exhibitors, 115 seminars and 200 speakers over two days, with numbers understood to be up by ten per cent over the two days.
A new report from Your Personal Training (YPT) suggests UK gym operators could be missing out on revenue and retention opportunities they could be enjoying if they maximised the performance of their personal training businesses.
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House Hotel and Spa in St Albans, UK.
“For 5,000 years humans have been emotionally moved by artworks, but the relationship has always flowed in one direction,” said Refik Anadol, artist and co-founder of the world’s first AI art museum. “While developing Dataland we asked ourselves, ‘Is it possible for artworks to feel us back?’”
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey and Company’s Future of Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-day destination.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider, HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Researchers in the US have identified an antibody which could greatly reduce the loss of lean muscle mass in people who are taking weight-loss medications.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
