Wine Education & Hospitality: The Court of Master Sommeliers brought its Certified Sommelier Programme to Johannesburg (6–8 Sept), with Chenin Noir hosting the exam locally and making world-class training more accessible. Korea Shopping Pull: Seoul’s Myeong-dong is leading foreign-card spending, taking 24.1% of Korea’s Q2 2026 total, as tourists cluster around flagship department stores and duty-free. Surf Tourism: Raglan, New Zealand is confirmed for the World Surf League Championship Tour again in 2027 after a successful inaugural event. Medical Tourism Push: Akwa Ibom’s governor inaugurated a model primary healthcare centre, aiming to curb “capital flight” tied to Nigerians seeking care abroad. Travel Tech & Perks: Travelex launched its “Reward Yourself” campaign, turning currency exchanges into loyalty points, while Royal Caribbean rolled out the Royal ONE card to convert cruise spend into onboard credit. Student Visa Update: The U.S. ends “duration of status” for F-1/J-1 students starting Sept. 15, tightening program limits and transfer rules. On-the-Ground Travel: Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City added Global Entry enrollment appointments from Oct. 8. Tourism Policy & Resilience: Arabian Travel Market 2026 opened in Dubai with a focus on preparedness and long-term GCC tourism resilience.