Airbnb Appoints Former Uber Executive Gus Fuldner as Head of Global Operations
Airbnb has appointed former Uber executive Gus Fuldner as its new head of global operations. The move comes as the company expands its platform beyond home rentals into broader travel services.
Airbnb has appointed former Uber executive Gus Fuldner as its new head of global operations, the company announced Tuesday. Fuldner will begin the role on March 16, replacing Tara Bunch, who is retiring after six years with the company.
Fuldner joins Airbnb after more than a decade at Uber, where he most recently served as senior vice president of core services. In that role, he oversaw several key operational functions, including safety, support, payments, insurance, and identity systems across the ride-hailing platform’s global network.
At Airbnb, Fuldner will oversee community support operations, including host relations, fraud prevention, safety operations, and the company’s AirCover insurance program. His role places him at the center of Airbnb’s operational systems as the company continues expanding its travel offerings.
CEO Brian Chesky said Fuldner’s experience scaling complex global operations made him a strong fit for the position. During his time at Uber, Fuldner helped build systems designed to support hundreds of millions of rides and deliveries each week.
Airbnb is currently expanding its platform beyond short-term rentals. Over the past year, the company has relaunched its Experiences program, expanded hotel listings, and introduced new services aimed at covering more parts of the travel journey.
The company has also been testing ground transportation options in several markets as part of a broader strategy to capture more of the “entire trip” experience for travelers.
Chesky said one of Fuldner’s key responsibilities will be integrating Airbnb’s operational systems into a unified platform. The goal is to build an AI-powered service system that can better support hosts, guests, and partners across the company’s growing range of travel services.
According to Chesky, combining operational tools and customer support systems into a single platform will help Airbnb improve personalization, reliability, and trust as the company scales globally.
Marcus Bennett covers remote work hubs, digital nomad visa programs, co-living ecosystems, and global relocation trends. His reporting analyzes cost of living, taxation frameworks, connectivity infrastructure, and community density in emerging nomad destinations. He focuses on sustainability of remote work ecosystems rather than lifestyle marketing narratives. Based in Miami, Marcus engages with fintech and startup communities and tracks global mobility policy changes.
U.S. Travel Association Promotes Ellen Davis to COO and Executive Vice President
The U.S. Travel Association has promoted Ellen Davis to Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President following her role in driving growth and organizational change.
The U.S. Travel Association has promoted Ellen Davis to chief operating officer and executive vice president, expanding her leadership responsibilities within the organization.
Davis joined U.S. Travel in 2023 as executive vice president of business strategy and industry engagement. In that role, she led several initiatives aimed at strengthening the association’s structure and influence across the U.S. travel sector. Her efforts included launching a new membership model, evolving the organization’s event portfolio and building industry networks that brought together travel leaders from across the ecosystem.
According to the association, Davis also helped restructure internal operations and contributed to a 37% increase in revenue during her tenure. In her new position, she will oversee operational strategy, organizational performance and long-term growth while continuing to manage membership, industry engagement and events.
Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said Davis’ ability to unite stakeholders and strengthen the association’s value to members made the promotion a natural next step.
Before joining U.S. Travel, Davis held senior leadership roles at the National Retail Federation and the Consumer Brands Association, where she led initiatives that expanded membership communities and boosted organizational revenue.
Thomas Grant covers sustainable tourism models, rail expansion, cruise regulation, environmental policy, and climate-related infrastructure challenges affecting travel. His reporting connects transportation networks, carbon policy, and destination capacity management to long-term accessibility and cost structures. He emphasizes resource constraints and systemic adaptation rather than trend-driven sustainability narratives. Based in Houston, Thomas follows global energy transitions and transportation conferences.
Explora Journeys has begun construction on its sixth ship, marking another milestone in the brand’s rapid fleet expansion strategy.
Executives gathered at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri Ponente, Italy, for a series of shipbuilding milestones, including the steel-cutting ceremony for Explora VI. The event also celebrated the float-out of Explora IV and the coin ceremony for Explora V, highlighting the simultaneous progress across the fleet.
Explora Journeys president Anna Nash noted that all six ships planned for the line are either already in service or currently under construction. The next vessel to debut will be Explora III, scheduled to enter service in July.
The cruise line is building its fleet quickly, with launches planned across the decade. Explora I debuted in 2022, and by 2028 the brand expects all six ships to be operational. The only gap in the launch schedule between 2023 and 2028 was last year.
Explora Journeys, the luxury brand backed by the MSC Group, recently introduced a marketing campaign positioning its ships as floating boutique hotels. The concept reflects the company’s focus on high-end design, personalized service and destination-focused itineraries.
The latest shipbuilding milestone continues a pattern of multi-stage ceremonies held annually by the company, underscoring the scale and pace of its investment in the luxury cruise sector.
Thomas Grant covers sustainable tourism models, rail expansion, cruise regulation, environmental policy, and climate-related infrastructure challenges affecting travel. His reporting connects transportation networks, carbon policy, and destination capacity management to long-term accessibility and cost structures. He emphasizes resource constraints and systemic adaptation rather than trend-driven sustainability narratives. Based in Houston, Thomas follows global energy transitions and transportation conferences.
Viking Suspends Nile River Cruises as Egypt Travel Disruptions Grow
Viking has canceled Nile River cruises through March as regional conflict escalates, with other river lines also pausing Egypt and Middle East operations.
Viking has canceled its Nile River cruises in Egypt through the end of March as conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies across the region. The company said it is arranging transportation for guests currently in Egypt and will suspend sailings temporarily.
Other river cruise operators are also scaling back. Avalon Waterways has ceased Egypt operations for the month, affecting its single Nile-based ship, the Farah. Tauck suspended its Egypt land tours, including river cruise segments, with select itineraries tentatively set to resume after mid-March. AmaWaterways paused its Jordan land extensions and Dubai programs through March 31, though it plans to continue its Nile sailings for now, offering penalty-free rebooking options to guests who prefer to postpone.
The pullback follows heightened travel warnings from the U.S. State Department, which advised Americans to leave several countries in the region, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jordan and Kuwait.
For Viking, Egypt accounts for roughly 2% of overall capacity, though the company has been expanding aggressively on the Nile and previously announced plans to operate up to a dozen ships there next year. The suspension highlights how geopolitical tensions can quickly affect specialized travel sectors such as river cruising, even in destinations that saw strong tourism growth in recent years.
Yuliya is the Editor in Chief at TravelCapybara, where she turns her lifelong love of travel into sharp, engaging stories across topics like travel news, aviation, hospitality, migration, and tourism tech. A mom of two, she balances parenting with a passion for exploring Europe’s small towns - though she’ll never say no to Paris. From startup coverage to short-term rentals and cruise trends, Yuliya writes with curiosity, clarity, and a traveler’s heart.
Travel Agent Academy (TAA) is rolling out its Spring Learning Challenge, running from March 1 through April 30, aimed at encouraging advisors to deepen their expertise while competing for prizes.
During the promotion, each completed course earns one entry into a drawing for one of five $100 gift cards. The more courses advisors finish, the more chances they have to win. Five winners will be selected at the conclusion of the challenge.
Beyond the incentive of gift cards, TAA emphasizes the long-term value of professional development. Advisors who complete courses can earn Specialist badges, which can be displayed in email signatures or on social media profiles to strengthen credibility and visibility with clients. Certifications and supplier-focused training modules are designed to enhance product knowledge and boost sales confidence.
Melanie Ruiz, a travel advisor at Escapes.ca, described the platform as a practical and flexible tool for staying competitive. She noted that the concise, engaging lessons fit easily into a busy schedule while providing meaningful professional benefits.
Karina Nascimento, Director of Education Programs at Studio90, part of Northstar Travel Group, said the challenge aligns with the academy’s mission to equip advisors with knowledge and confidence. By tying rewards to education, the initiative aims to help advisors expand their expertise, enhance their professional profiles and ultimately grow sales.
Yuliya is the Editor in Chief at TravelCapybara, where she turns her lifelong love of travel into sharp, engaging stories across topics like travel news, aviation, hospitality, migration, and tourism tech. A mom of two, she balances parenting with a passion for exploring Europe’s small towns - though she’ll never say no to Paris. From startup coverage to short-term rentals and cruise trends, Yuliya writes with curiosity, clarity, and a traveler’s heart.
Burj Al Arab was damaged after Iranian drone and missile attacks struck parts of the Gulf for a second consecutive day, sending shockwaves through one of the world’s busiest tourism hubs. Authorities said debris from an intercepted drone sparked a fire at the landmark hotel, which was later brought under control.
The incident follows escalating hostilities between Iran, the United States and Israel. Iranian forces reportedly launched drones and missiles toward multiple regional targets, including locations in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Nearby, Fairmont The Palm in the Palm Jumeirah district was also struck, with four people injured. Dubai Civil Defence confirmed the fire at the property was contained and the injured were transferred to medical facilities.
Regional airspace disruptions followed, with several Gulf countries temporarily suspending or restricting flights. Dubai, a global aviation and tourism crossroads, is closely monitoring the situation as airlines adjust schedules and travelers face potential delays or reroutings.
Elsewhere in the region, strikes were reported against residential and military-linked sites in Bahrain, while missile activity extended toward Israel and other Gulf states. Although many projectiles were intercepted, the incidents highlight how quickly geopolitical tensions can impact major travel destinations.
For the travel industry, the events underscore the vulnerability of high-profile tourism infrastructure during periods of heightened regional instability, particularly in destinations that serve as international transit and hospitality hubs.
Yuliya is the Editor in Chief at TravelCapybara, where she turns her lifelong love of travel into sharp, engaging stories across topics like travel news, aviation, hospitality, migration, and tourism tech. A mom of two, she balances parenting with a passion for exploring Europe’s small towns - though she’ll never say no to Paris. From startup coverage to short-term rentals and cruise trends, Yuliya writes with curiosity, clarity, and a traveler’s heart.
