AGP Executive Report

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman delivered a breakthrough in Chamonix, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Tourism & Hospitality Spirits: Réunion-linked Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia after securing a listing with hospitality group Aminess, placing the Bourbon vanilla-infused gin across hotels, resorts, and restaurants—boosting its on-trade reach within one of the country’s biggest tourism networks.

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman delivered a breakthrough performance in Chamonix, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Tourism & Local Products: Réunion-linked gin brand Sir Edmond is expanding in Croatia, securing a listing with hospitality group Aminess across hotels, resorts, and restaurants—boosting its on-trade reach in one of Europe’s biggest visitor markets; the brand’s Bourbon vanilla-infused gin is produced with vanilla sourced from Réunion Island.

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman delivered a breakthrough in Chamonix, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Sports Tourism Angle: His winning push through France, Italy and Switzerland—covering about 33,000 feet of climbing—puts a fresh spotlight on the kind of high-end hiking and adventure travel that draws international visitors to the region. Local Spirits & Hospitality: Réunion-linked gin brand Sir Edmond is expanding in Croatia after securing a listing with hospitality group Aminess, placing the Bourbon vanilla-infused gin across hotels, resorts and restaurants in one of the country’s biggest tourism networks. Market Growth: The brand says it saw more than a 53% sales increase over May and June, and the Aminess rollout is set to boost visibility with international travellers across its 33-plus properties.

Trail Running Tourism: American Ben Dhiman lit up Chamonix, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, a win that underlines how major endurance events keep drawing international visitors to the region. Réunion Spirits in Hospitality: Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia by securing a listing with hotel group Aminess, boosting its presence across hotels, resorts, and restaurants; the brand’s Bourbon vanilla is sourced from Réunion, giving the island a premium tourism-adjacent spotlight. Caribbean Culture & Travel Events: Tropicalfete, Inc. announced its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival in Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30, a free family event featuring Caribbean music, dance, and performers including soca star Rupee—another reminder that culture-led events drive travel interest.

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman delivered a breakthrough win at the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Hospitality & Drinks: Réunion-linked gin brand Sir Edmond expanded its Croatia footprint by securing listings with hotel group Aminess, boosting on-trade visibility across roughly 33 properties and venues in 12 destinations. Events & Tourism Culture: Tropicalfete announced its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival in Times Square, a free family-friendly day of Caribbean music, dance and art on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., headlined by soca star Rupee. Culture & Travel Context: A commentary piece argues India’s “soft power” and heritage can support intercultural dialogue—an angle that ties culture to how destinations connect with visitors.

Trail Running Tourism: American Ben Dhiman roared to a historic win at the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, a result that will keep trail fans and travel planners watching the region. Hospitality & Spirits: Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia by securing listings with Aminess across hotels, resorts, and restaurants, boosting on-trade visibility through one of the country’s biggest tourism networks; the brand’s Bourbon vanilla is sourced from Réunion. Caribbean Events & Travel Buzz: Tropicalfete’s fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival is set for Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30, with a free, family-friendly lineup headlined by soca star Rupee—another reminder of how music-led festivals pull visitors in. Culture & Soft Power: A commentary piece argues India’s heritage and soft power matter for inter-cultural dialogue, but it’s more perspective than a direct travel update.

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman roared to a historic win at the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Hospitality & Spirits: Sir Edmond Gin, made with Bourbon vanilla sourced from Réunion Island, has expanded in Croatia by securing listings with hotel group Aminess across hotels, resorts, and restaurants—boosting its on-trade reach in one of Europe’s top tourism markets. Caribbean Events for Travellers: Tropicalfete is bringing its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30, with a free, family-friendly lineup headlined by soca star Rupee. Culture & Tourism Context: A piece on India’s “soft power” ties heritage and inter-cultural dialogue to how countries attract global visitors and shape perceptions.

Trail Running Buzz: American Ben Dhiman lit up Chamonix, France, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Hospitality & Spirits: Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia by securing a listing with Aminess, placing the Réunion-sourced Bourbon vanilla-infused gin across hotels, resorts, and restaurants in one of the country’s biggest tourism networks. Caribbean Travel Culture: Tropicalfete’s free Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival returns to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30, with music, dance, and costumes—headlined by soca star Rupee—aimed at drawing families and visitors into Caribbean heritage. Soft-Power Tourism Angle: A new piece argues India’s “soft power” and heritage diplomacy matter for inter-cultural dialogue, tying culture and tradition to how countries connect with global travellers.

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman stormed to victory at the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Hospitality & Spirits: Réunion-linked Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia via a new listing with Aminess, placing the Bourbon vanilla-infused gin across hotels, resorts and restaurants in one of the country’s biggest tourism networks. Caribbean Travel Culture: Tropicalfete’s free Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival returns to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30, with music, dance and costumes, headlined by soca star Rupee. Culture & Tourism Context: A piece on India’s “soft power” ties heritage and intercultural dialogue to how countries shape global perceptions—useful background for travellers chasing culture as much as sights.

Trail Running Spotlight: American Ben Dhiman delivered a breakthrough in Chamonix, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to break 19 hours on the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Local Tourism & Culture: Tropicalfete is bringing its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., with free, family-friendly Caribbean music, dance, and performances headlined by soca star Rupee. Hospitality & Drinks: Réunion-linked Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia via a new listing with Aminess, placing the Bourbon vanilla-infused gin across hotels, resorts, and restaurants in one of the country’s biggest tourism networks. Global Travel Context: A commentary on India’s “soft power” ties cultural heritage and inter-cultural dialogue to how countries engage the world—useful backdrop for travellers chasing culture as much as sights.

Trail Running Spotlight: Ben Dhiman finally broke through in Chamonix, winning the 2026 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and becoming the first runner to go under 19 hours for the 108-mile loop around Mont Blanc, after earlier DNFs in 2023 and 2024. Hospitality & Drinks: Sir Edmond Gin is expanding in Croatia via a new listing with Aminess, placing the Réunion-sourced Bourbon vanilla-infused gin across hotels, resorts, and restaurants in one of the country’s biggest tourism networks. Events for Travellers: Tropicalfete is bringing its free Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., with music, dance, flags and costumes, headlined by soca star Rupee. Culture & Tourism Context: A feature on India’s “soft power” argues that heritage and intercultural dialogue matter more than geopolitics in a global travel-and-culture mix.

Hospitality Partnerships: Dutch gin brand Sir Edmond has expanded in Croatia by securing a listing with Aminess, placing Bourbon vanilla-infused Sir Edmond Gin across the group’s hotels, resorts, and restaurants—an on-trade push that follows strong recent Croatia sales growth. Local Tourism & Sourcing: The brand’s Bourbon vanilla is sourced from Réunion Island, giving the island a direct link to a wider international spirits market. Caribbean Travel Culture: Tropicalfete is set to stage its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival in Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., a free, family-friendly event featuring Caribbean music, dance, and performers including soca star Rupee—an easy add-on for visitors planning a city break. Culture & Soft Power: A separate piece argues India’s soft power and heritage help drive inter-cultural dialogue in a changing global landscape, reinforcing how culture remains a key draw for travellers.

On-trade Spirits & Tourism: Dutch gin brand Sir Edmond has expanded in Croatia by securing a listing with the Aminess hospitality group, placing Bourbon vanilla-infused Sir Edmond Gin across hotels, resorts and restaurants in one of the country’s biggest tourism networks. Local Supply Chain Spotlight: The gin’s Bourbon vanilla is sourced from Réunion Island, giving the island a direct link to premium hospitality demand abroad. Market Momentum: Sir Edmond reported more than a 53% sales increase over May and June, and the brand is now available in 25+ countries. Caribbean Events for Travellers: Tropicalfete is staging its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival in Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., a free, family-friendly showcase of Caribbean music, dance and art headlined by soca star Rupee. Culture & Heritage Angle: A separate piece argues India’s “soft power” leans on culture and heritage to support inter-cultural dialogue in a changing global order.

On-trade Spirits Expansion: Réunion-linked Sir Edmond Gin has secured a listing with Croatia’s Aminess hospitality group, landing at hotels, resorts and restaurants across its network—boosting the Bourbon vanilla-infused gin’s visibility in one of Europe’s fast-growing tourism markets. Tourism & Hospitality Business: Aminess operates around 33 properties across 12 destinations, and Sir Edmond says it already saw more than a 53% sales rise over May and June, with the new partnership widening access to international travellers. Local Product Connection: The brand’s Bourbon vanilla is sourced from Réunion Island and produced with Dutch distillery Herman Jansen. Caribbean Events for Travellers: Tropicalfete is bringing its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., a free, family-friendly showcase of Caribbean music, dance and art—featuring soca star Rupee and encouraging attendees to wear costumes and wave national flags.

Caribbean Events: Tropicalfete, Inc. is bringing its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., turning Broadway (between West 46th and West 47th Streets) into a free, family-friendly showcase of Caribbean music, dance, and art. Live Entertainment: The lineup is headlined by soca star Rupee, with attendees encouraged to wear carnival costumes and wave national flags. Culture & Travel Vibes: Hosted by Vibes Man Redman and Katherine Charles, Esq., the event spotlights Caribbean heritage in the heart of New York—an easy add-on for travelers looking for culture as well as sightseeing. Heritage & Soft Power: A separate piece argues that India’s “soft power” and cultural heritage—tradition, history, and evolving identity—help build inter-cultural dialogue in a world facing tensions over the “world order.”

Caribbean Culture in the Spotlight: Tropicalfete, Inc. is bringing its fifth annual Caribbean Pop-Up Carnival to Times Square on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., turning Broadway (between West 46th and West 47th Streets) into a free, family-friendly showcase of Caribbean music, dance and art. Travel-Style Entertainment: The event invites visitors to wear carnival costumes and wave national flags, with hosts Vibes Man Redman and Katherine Charles, Esq. Star-Backed Lineup: Headlining is soca artist Rupee, noted for breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 with “Tempted to Touch” and for Road March wins across major Caribbean carnivals. Cultural Context: A separate piece argues India’s “soft power” and heritage traditions can support inter-cultural dialogue in a changing global order.