As Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026 convenes global leaders under the theme The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go, one reality is becoming unavoidable. Travel and tourism is no longer a peripheral sustainability challenge. It is one of the most powerful system integrators we have.

This February 2026, the five-star resorts, Kurumba and Dhigali Maldives, will each host celebrated chef and food writer Meera Sodha for exclusive culinary experiences. Fans of her cookbooks, including Made In India, Fresh India, East, and her latest, Dinner; can enjoy her vibrant, inventive dishes in the Maldives’ stunning surroundings.

It’s time to plan your next ski holiday. You have your ski gear sorted, and now you just need to pick your destination. Here is our pick of the six best ski locations from France to Canada.

La Plagne, France

Over the past couple of seasons, the vast resort of La Plagne– linked to Les Arcs as part of the 425km Paradiski ski area – has been starting at the top. Live 3000 is the name for the expansion just below the area’s top point of 3,080m and now it’s quicker and more comfortable to get there.

The reborn two-stage Roche de Mio gondola from Plagne Bellecôte, one of the main village centres, provides travel to 2,739m Roche de Mio itself in just nine minutes, with the Glaciers lift servicing the last short leg. The improvements also cut the time to the top from Plagne Centre itself. The top of the first stage is Col de Forcle, itself an impressive spot with runs down to Bellcote, but also over to the pretty bowl runs all the way down to the 1,250m village of Champagny-en-Vanoise. The gondola’s second stage also has Aérolive, two completely open-air cabins (just the frame!) with a maximum of six riders held in by harnesses, getting 360° panoramic views (€29pp). At the top, you can relax on a sun lounger on Café Sixieme Ciel’s panoramic terrace.

Les Arcs, France

The village of Villaroger, at 1,200m is the lowest spot in Les Arcs’ mighty ski area, but is very good value… and now becomes more integrated into the resort as a whole. Two ageing chairs – Replat and Plan des Violettes – that provided access to the main area have been replaced by the fast, high-tech Plan des Violettes gondola, each car carrying 10 people, reducing travel time from 20 minutes to six minutes and 45 seconds.

The bonus is not just for those staying in Villaroger – the village is the finish point of Les Arcs’ longest, most famous run, the Aiguille Rouge. It pours down 7km, with a drop of 2,000m, from the Le Varet glacier to Villaroger’s apple orchards – and the high-speed gondola will make it easier to head home for people in the main resort centres. There will also be a posh new base building with shops and restaurants – and 3,000 trees have been planted and a wetland area created to enhance biodiversity.

3 Vallees, France

The world’s largest ski area, 600km of piste reaching from Courchevel all the way to Val Thorens, taking in Meribel and Les Menuires in the middle, is making lift life easier. The €25m Côte Brune gondola, a state-of-the-art 10-seater, replacing a 35-year-old chair, stretches from Meribel-Mottaret up to the Col de la Chambre peak, the major connection with Val Thorens, with runs straight down, and with runs to Les Menuires. Handy (it’s much faster than the chair, one of the few bottlenecks in this vast area) for switching resorts for the day if you don’t want too much skiing, or for a relaxed return if you do.

Solden, Austria

A new slope connection (linking valley runs 7 and 22) means that all four major valley points of this lofty resort (with not one but two glaciers) can be reached by ski, rather than having to resort to lift-hopping. It also means an easier ski route all the way from the top of the mountain to the main town lift areas (Postplatz Sölden, Gaislachkogl and Giggijoch), mostly cutting out the need for shuttle buses. The added 1.8km of slopes won’t in itself raise eyebrows, but in bad weather the connection creates a small, sheltered ski area. Up high, a four-person chair reaching Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers has been replaced by the 8-seater, bubble-protected Einzeiger, taking only 3.5 minutes. Farther down (but also glacier-bound), the old Silberbrünnl chair at the top of the Giggijoch gondola also becomes a fast, protected 8-seater

You may like: Hotel Das Central Review Solden, Austria

Deer Valley, USA

The Utah ski area, in arty, Victorian Park City has been undergoing massive expansion for a couple of years – a vast new area of terrain with nearly 100 new runs served by seven new lifts. East Village, a new base village with luxury hotels, including the 436-room Grand Hyatt, opened to skiers last season (three lifts and 20 new runs).  This season’s 10-person East Village Express gondola connects the village with all the runs on newly-opened Big Dutch Peak, many with stunning views over Jordanelle Reservoir. Yet more runs and lifts coming for 26-27 on Hail Peak.

Lake Louise, Canada

The Alberta resort, one of Canada’s greats, has added Richardson’s Ridge, a large area of terrain with five beginner and intermediate runs, and the gateway to ‘cruisy, natural glades’. The panoramic peak is served by a new high-speed quad, Richardson’s Ridge Express. The opening of West Bowl in 2020 was the first expansion in 25 years, major new lifts followed, and the first phase of Richardson’s is the start of a push even further, with new gladed expert terrain on the cards.

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It can be highly stressful and chaotic when a flight is delayed or cancelled. When this happens, you may be due compensation. There are rules in place for flights on EU and British airlines departing from inside and outside the European Union and the UK.

NOTE: If the flight is on a non-EU/UK carrier from outside Europe, the only course of action is to check if travel insurance can help.

My UK/EU flight was cancelled outright.

If you can answer yes to these stipulations, you may be eligible for compensation.

• You were notified of it less than 14 days before the flight.
• You have a confirmed flight reservation.
• The disruption occurred in the last 3 years.
• The reason for the flight disruption was within the airline’s control.
• If you took a replacement flight, your new arrival time was significantly different to your original flight.

At the very least, you can expect to be kept up to date. Check their airline’s website, app or X. They may have sent you an email too. For delays of under two hours, you can expect the bare minimum. Generous airlines may offer vouchers for refreshments.

For longer delays a duty of care is required as follows.

Note that if the airline believes providing the care would further delay the flight, it may forgo this courtesy. Bear in mind that if the cancelled flight was from an airport outside the UK or EU and you are booked on a UK or EU airline, the same rights apply. Otherwise, you must rely on the generosity of the airline and also check to see if your travel insurance covers you.

The delay to another day means it’s no longer worth my while to travel. Can I get a refund?

In this case, airlines will offer you a cash refund that you will receive within 10 days or perhaps a voucher for use at another time. Some airlines, such as easyJet, will only refund cash.

How much compensation can I expect?

The payment depends on the distance of the trip:

You will not be eligible for compensation when the airline can demonstrate  “extraordinary circumstances”. According to EU rules, extraordinary circumstances are defined as “political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes”.

I believe I am owed compensation. Should I get an expert to do it?

It can be daunting, but you could start by writing to the airline and then to the relevant regulator or ADR – Alternative Dispute Resolution – scheme yourself.  Also check the airline’s website as often they will have a website dedicated to claims. This includes British Airways, and Easyjet who have a Disruption Help Hub.

Alternatively, you can ask Air Help to do this for you, and they will take part of your compensation as a fee.

And finally, travel insurance is essential.

Invest in robust travel insurance. It just makes life easier when airlines are not responsive, or if you find yourself travelling on an airline not covered by EU rules. TOP TIP: If your travel insurance was a freebie supplied by your bank, check it is still in date. 

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