Independent study of more than 35,000 U.S. consumers identifies BetMGM as the most trusted online casino brand* in America

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BetMGM, a leading sports betting and iGaming operator, announced it has been voted the Most Trusted Online Casino Brand* in America in the 2026 BrandSpark® American Trust Study, presented in partnership with Newsweek.

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"In an industry where fairness and security are top of mind for our players, trust is the foundation of everything we do," said Adam Greenblatt, Chief Executive Officer, BetMGM. "This recognition reflects our commitment to the highest standards of the regulated market. From our industry-leading game portfolio and responsible gambling tools to the security and reliability of our platform, we're committed to providing players with an exceptional online casino experience."

The recognition is based on the 2026 BrandSpark American Trust Study, an independent survey of more than 35,000 U.S. consumers that measures trust across hundreds of brands and categories. BetMGM was identified as a top trusted online casino brand by American consumers, reflecting the company's continued focus on delivering a premium, reliable and secure online casino.

BrandSpark's analysis found that trust in BetMGM reflects strong consumer perceptions of quality, reliability, dependable payouts, and overall platform credibility. The brand performed particularly well among higher-income and older demographics, underscoring its appeal to consumers who prioritize trust, security and confidence in their gaming platform.

The award further reinforces BetMGM's position as one of the most recognized and trusted names in online gaming. In recent years, BetMGM has earned multiple Casino Operator of the Year awards from SBC, EGR and the American Gambling Awards.

BetMGM's award-winning online casino is home to over 7,000 titles across North American markets and one of the largest state-by-state exclusive progressive jackpot networks. BetMGM's jackpot network currently consists of over 25 games including popular titles such as MGM Grand Millions, Bison Fury and 15 Lanterns. Players can earn BetMGM Rewards Points and Tier Credits by playing at BetMGM Casino. BetMGM Rewards Points can be redeemed for digital bonuses, MGM Rewards Points and Marriott Bonvoy Points.

As BetMGM continues to expand into new markets and introduces new features, responsible gambling remains a key focus. Additionally, BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly, including GameSense, an industry-leading program developed and licensed to BetMGM by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Through the integration within BetMGM's mobile and desktop platforms, customers can receive the same GameSense experience they have grown to rely on at MGM Resorts properties. GameSense complements BetMGM's existing responsible gambling tools which serve to provide customers with an entertaining and safe digital experience.

For more information on BetMGM, follow @BetMGM on X.

*Voted most trusted Online Casino brand (in a tie) by American consumers based on the 2026 BrandSpark® American Trust Study.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US), 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA). 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. Subject to eligibility requirements. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel.

Statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and involve risks and/or uncertainties, including those described in MGM Resorts' public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "could," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "likely," "intends," "plans," "pro forma," "projects," "estimates" or "anticipates" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and that do not relate solely to historical matters. MGM Resorts and BetMGM have based forward-looking statements on management's current expectations and assumptions and not on historical facts. Examples of these statements include, but are not limited to, MGM Resorts and BetMGM's expectations regarding the promotion and related offerings. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements include the risk that the promotion and related offerings are not available in the manner described herein, risks related to the effects of economic conditions and market conditions in the markets in which MGM Resorts and BetMGM operate and competition with other destination travel locations throughout the United States and the world, the design, timing and costs of expansion projects, risks relating to international operations, permits, licenses, financings, approvals and other contingencies in connection with growth in new or existing jurisdictions and additional risks and uncertainties described in MGM Resorts' Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports). In providing forward-looking statements, neither MGM Resorts nor BetMGM is undertaking any duty or obligation to update these statements publicly as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If MGM Resorts or BetMGM update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those other forward-looking statements.

About BetMGM 

BetMGM is a market-leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and Entain Plc (LSE: ENT), BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM's U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain's U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. For more information, visit https://www.betmgminc.com.

About BrandSpark International

BrandSpark International is a leading market research firm that conducts the annual BrandSpark American Trust Study in partnership with Newsweek, surveying more than 35,000 qualified American shoppers across hundreds of product and service categories. The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards are 100 percent consumer-voted and reflect direct, unaided consumer perceptions of brand trust.

SOURCE BetMGM

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From the debut of the brand new Gingerbread Dream Suite and a larger-than-life performance by Trisha Paytas and Cirque Dreams Holidaze, to the return of Santa's Hideaway Adventure, seasonal dining, shopping and more

Holiday Images + B-Roll Video - Photo + Video Credit: Courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort; Santa's Hideaway Adventure Trailer + TikTok

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The holiday season officially arrives at Ocean Casino Resort this winter, bringing festive accommodations, seasonal dining, holiday shopping, and live entertainment to the boardwalk. From immersive experiences like Santa's Hideaway Adventure to creative themed suites, the resort offers the ultimate coastal getaway to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

"Every holiday season gives us an opportunity to create memorable experiences for our guests while continuing to find meaningful ways to give back to the community," said Bill Callahan, General Manager of Ocean Casino Resort. "From returning favorites to new ways to celebrate, Ocean is once again bringing the spirit of the season to every corner of the resort. We are especially proud to continue our Ocean Cares Season of Giving and support the organizations doing important work throughout the greater Atlantic City community."

This year's holiday lineup includes:

Check In to Ocean's Holiday-Themed Rooms and Signature Holiday Suites

Guests can make their holiday getaway even more festive by booking one of 30 holiday-inspired rooms and suites, each outfitted with a festive tree, hot chocolate kit and additional seasonal surprises. For the fourth consecutive year, Ocean will also dedicate an entire floor to holiday décor, including the return of the exclusive Mean Green Suite, featuring forest green accents, a distinctive Christmas tree and plenty of holiday cheer, all inspired by everyone's favorite green villain. A new Gingerbread Dream Suite will also debut this year, complete with a gingerbread themed living room and peppermint inspired primary bedroom. Guests can enjoy hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies upon arrival, family games and other sweet surprises throughout their stay.

New this holiday season, guests will also have the opportunity to add a special Santa visit to their stay, with Santa making a festive in-room appearance bearing personalized gifts and special treats. The rooms and suites will be available beginning November 26, through the end of the year. Holiday rooms are expected to sell out, and guests are encouraged to book early. Reserve online at theoceanac.com/holiday-hotel-rooms.

Shop Ocean's Holiday Village at The Shops at The Row

No holiday is complete without a Christmas market, and Ocean's Holiday Village at The Shops at The Row will return for a third year beginning on Small Business Saturday, November 28. The seasonal marketplace will feature gifts, treats and other finds from over 30 unique, local businesses, offering guests an opportunity to shop small while getting into the holiday spirit. Ocean's Holiday Village will be open from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, November 28 and December 5, 12 and 19, as well as Sunday, December 20. To kick off each day, the first 200 shoppers will receive a special limited-edition complimentary gift.

On Sunday, December 13, the Ocean's Holiday Village will also host a special edition presented by South Jersey community and marketing business Motivated Mommies, featuring a curated lineup of local vendors with family friendly offerings. More details will be available soon.

Take a Trip to the North Pole at Santa's Hideaway Adventure

A holiday favorite returns to The Shops at The Row with Santa's Hideaway Adventure, an immersive experience that transports guests from Atlantic City straight to the North Pole. Visitors will board an elevator for the journey north, where they will meet Santa Claus, take photos and explore a festive world filled with holiday magic. The only attraction of its kind in New Jersey and the tri-state area, Santa's Hideaway Adventure will welcome the public from November 5 through December 24. Guests can also stop by The Shop at Santa's Hideaway Adventure to pick up holiday gifts and keepsakes. The Merry Moments VIP Package debuts this season as well and includes extra time with Santa, skip the queue with Rudolph's Fast Lane, personalized gifts and more. Advance tickets are available, and guests are encouraged to book their tickets now as this experience will sell out. Tickets are available here.

Raise a Glass at Jingle Bell Bar

Ocean's beloved Jingle Bell Bar is getting a new home this holiday season. Opening Saturday, November 14, the festive pop-up bar will take over Nola's Bar & Lounge, located just steps from the casino floor, bringing holiday cocktails, nostalgic décor, twinkling lights and themed entertainment to the resort. Guests can gather with friends and family for seasonal drinks, holiday tunes, festive photo opportunities and plenty of opportunities to embrace the holiday spirit one cocktail at a time. On Saturday, December 5, The Boy Band Project will take the stage with holiday favorites from some of the biggest boy bands of all time, adding a festive soundtrack to the evening.

Escape to Linguini By The Sea's Winter Wonderland

The seaside setting of Linguini By The Sea will take on a wintery new look this holiday season, creating a snowy "après-sea" escape complete with seasonal menu offerings and specialty cocktails. From Friday, November 27, guests can book a dinner or holiday event at the restaurant's Winter Wonderland and enjoy festive fare alongside Ocean's signature seaside views.

Trisha Paytas Takes the Stage at Ovation Hall

On December 11, 2026 at 9 p.m., entrepreneur, author and internet personality Trisha Paytas will bring her larger-than-life personality to Ovation Hall, as part of her Trishmas Live Tour. With an audience of more than 20 million followers across platforms, Paytas has been a fixture of the creator landscape since the mid-2000s and has amassed more than two billion views over the past 12 months. Her festive performance promises a mix of musical performances, big laughs and the unpredictable moments fans have come to expect, making for an over-the-top night of entertainment at Ocean. Tickets are available here.

Experience Cirque Dreams Holidaze at Ovation Hall

The holiday season will also take center stage at Ocean with Cirque Dreams Holidaze, an all-new production coming to Ovation Hall on December 20 at 4 pm. Combining world-class circus artistry with beloved holiday music, the spectacular production features breathtaking acrobatics, soaring aerial performances and heart-pounding feats designed to transport audiences into a winter wonderland. With a new production for this year, Cirque Dreams Holidaze offers a festive night out for the entire family.

Give The Gift of Ocean While Giving Back

Ocean is also making it easy to put a little resort spirit under the tree with its collection of holiday merchandise, available at ShopOceanAC.com. Seasonal offerings include Ocean's exclusive bedding set and Holiday Scent Sticks, as well as snow globes, ornaments, holiday apparel and other Ocean-themed gifts. Select items will also be available at Ocean's Holiday Village and Bottled. Guests looking to offer the gift of a future getaway can make it happen with Ocean gift cards giving loved ones the flexibility to create their own Ocean experience.

As part of Ocean's commitment to giving back, guests can purchase the Ocean Cares Teal Globe Holiday Ornament, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City through Ocean's charitable giving organization, Ocean Cares.

Ocean Cares Season of Giving Returns

The spirit of giving will extend beyond the resort through Ocean's annual Season of Giving, an Ocean Cares initiative supporting more than 15 nonprofit organizations across the greater Atlantic City region. The initiative will kick off with a special visit from families of South Jersey Field of Dreams to Santa's Hideaway Adventure on Friday, November 6. South Jersey Field of Dreams provides opportunities for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities to play and participate in America's pastime, baseball. Through the end of the year, Ocean team members will dedicate time, resources and financial support to organizations addressing some of the community's most pressing needs, including food insecurity, homelessness, youth support, education, family services, and health and wellness.

For more information about Ocean Casino Resort and its holiday offerings, visit theoceanac.com/holidays.

ABOUT OCEAN CASINO RESORT

Spanning over 20 beachfront acres on the world-famous Atlantic City Boardwalk, Ocean Casino Resort, named "Best Casino" by Philadelphia Magazine's "Best of Philly" awards, features 1,860 guest rooms and suites; 135,000 square feet of gaming entertainment; over 1,750 slot machines; 125 gaming tables; 160,000 square feet of meeting and convention space; 90,000 square feet of unique outdoor space; 7 upscale dining restaurants; 12 casual dining options; a 40,000 square foot spa; 6 signature day and nightlife experiences; and a 4,500-seat concert venue. Ocean is home to the world's largest Topgolf Swing Suite and offers both land-based sports wagering and online gaming within the state of New Jersey through its real-money gaming sites. Ocean Casino Resort is owned and operated by AC Beachfront, L.L.C. For more information about Ocean, please visit theoceanac.com or follow Ocean on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & TikTok.

SOURCE Ocean Casino Resort

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Spectrum to Install Spectrum Move-In Ready Connectivity in The First Build-out Phase, Which Includes 3,200 Homes, Under Agreement with DMB Development

Key Takeaways:

- Spectrum Community Solutions will provide move-in connectivity to 3,200 homes in the first build-out phase at Silverwood, a master-planned community in Hesperia, Calif.

- Homeowners will have Spectrum Ready, which provides WiFi without the wait and access to Spectrum's reliable, fast Internet and Advanced WiFi in under 10 minutes on move-in day.

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectrum Community Solutions, dedicated to connecting multifamily communities, today announced a long-term agreement with DMB Development to install Spectrum Internet and Advanced WiFi in the first build-out phase, which includes 3,200 homes, at Silverwood, a master-planned community in Hesperia, Calif. The homes will be wired with Spectrum Ready, which provides pre-installed Internet and WiFi that can be activated in under 10 minutes for a simplified move-in experience.

Already, more than 200 homes at Silverwood are online with Spectrum Ready. The community is expected to grow across the 9,000-acre development with land set aside for five elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, 385 acres of parks, 160 miles of trails and more than half the land designated as open space, as well as thousands of additional homes in future phases.

"Coordinating both construction schedules and service installations can be a challenge for any property team and homeowner," said Adam Moore, Senior Vice President, Spectrum Community Solutions. "Through our agreement with DMB Development, every home has Spectrum Ready pre-installed Internet and WiFi so when the homeowner moves in, all they need to do is activate their services and they're immediately connected, with no need to pick up equipment or wait for a technician."

With Spectrum Ready, homeowners in multifamily communities can walk into their new home, scan the QR code on their Spectrum router, answer a few quick questions and have WiFi up and running in under 10 minutes — before the moving boxes are even inside. Once online, homeowners can enjoy Spectrum Fiber-Powered Internet, the most reliable Internet*, and add Spectrum TV with eligible plans including up to $131 per month in streaming app value at no additional cost.

Spectrum Community Solutions' seamless connectivity and installation is a key value differentiator to prospective Silverwood homeowners. As the developer and manager of one of the largest master-planned communities in the High Desert, Silverwood understands the importance of this to buyers today and in the future.

"Encouraging connection is key to everything we do at Silverwood and internet connectivity is no different," said John Ohanian, General Manager for Silverwood. "Our homeowners need fast, reliable Internet and this partnership with Spectrum Ready allows this from day one with tremendous ease in deliverability. Spectrum has become an important partner for us in ensuring our residents remain connected and our residents can rest knowing this service is included in their monthly assessment."

More information about Spectrum Community Solutions is available at spectrum.com/community-solutions.

*Most reliable Internet claim based on Broadband Reliability Experience among top 5 national providers in Opensignal USA: Fixed Broadband Experience Report – May 2026. Based on Opensignal independent analysis of Internet connectivity, completion, and sufficiency.

About Spectrum

Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), the leading broadband and video company in the nation and the fastest growing mobile provider in its footprint, with services available to more than 70 million homes and small to large businesses across 45 states. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100% U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products.   

More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.

About Silverwood

Silverwood is a 9,366-acre lifestyle community planned in Hesperia, Calif. within California's Inland Empire. Entitled for more than 15,000 homes, 700,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, and 4,900 acres of open space, Silverwood is planned around a welcoming small-town California feel, enabling walkability while celebrating its connection and proximity to nature and outdoor living. The site is situated at approximately 3,200 feet of elevation connecting views of the surrounding mountains in the Angeles and San Bernardino National Forests to the rolling hills and low-lying pasture lands along the Mojave River. Over half of the total land has been reserved for parks and natural open space, offering access to a variety of outdoor and recreational pursuits, including the Pacific Crest Trail and Silverwood Lake. The Silverwood project team includes DMB Development, Schlegel Capital, and Beaumont Partners. Over the next 25 years of development, more than $1.6 billion dollars will be invested to improve the region's infrastructure and services.

For more information about Silverwood, please visit http://www.silverwoodcalifornia.com.

SOURCE Spectrum

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New Going data shows Thanksgiving domestic fares up 15% and Christmas up 16%, plus the cheapest and most expensive days to fly and where deals still exist

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Going, the flight deals app that has helped millions of travelers fly more for less, released new data on what holiday travel will cost this year and where the best deals are hiding. Domestic fares have climbed, up 15% for Thanksgiving and 16% for Christmas year over year, while international fares have held essentially flat for both holidays.1

"For holiday travel, the takeaway is simple: The sooner you book, the better position you're in," said Going flight expert Willis Orlando. "Airfares have been climbing steadily all year from a combination of rising fuel and labor costs, strong summer demand that outpaced available seats, and the loss of a major low-cost carrier. If you know the right days to fly and a few of the best-kept secrets in travel, whether that's finding a last-minute deal or catching a price drop after you've already booked, you can still make this holiday season work for your wallet."

Cheapest (and most expensive) days to fly

Domestic fares can swing by hundreds of dollars depending on the day. Monday, Nov. 23, and Christmas Eve are the cheapest days to depart for Thanksgiving and Christmas, while the weekends before and after each holiday are the most expensive to depart or return.

What to expect to pay per region

The Midwest is seeing the steepest Thanksgiving jump of any region, up 28% year over year, nearly double the overall domestic increase. The Northeast leads for Christmas, up 34%. On the other end, the West is seeing the mildest increases in both windows, up just 11% for Thanksgiving and 14% for Christmas.2

International Thanksgiving is the best-kept secret of the holiday season

While most Americans focus on domestic trips, fares overseas quietly drop the week of Thanksgiving, making it one of the best times all year to fly internationally. Recent Going roundtrip deals3 for Thanksgiving week include:

- Casablanca, Morocco: $649 from New York City

- Seoul, South Korea: $664 from San Francisco

- London: $617 from Los Angeles

- Berlin: $595 from Chicago

- Auckland, New Zealand: $763 from Los Angeles

Tips for holiday travel

- Set a flight alert. Fares shift constantly. Let Going track your trip instead of checking manually.

- The price booked doesn't have to be the final price paid. If it drops after booking, Going's new Price Drop feature alerts travelers and walks them through how to recover the savings.

- Use points. Award pricing hasn't climbed at the same rate as cash fares this year, so even after taxes and fees, travelers will likely still come out ahead.

- Book the first flight of the day. Morning flights have an on-time departure rate more than 40 percentage points higher than evening flights.4

- Know your rights if things go wrong. If a U.S. flight is canceled or delayed 3 hours or more (6 hours or more for international), travelers who choose not to fly are owed a full cash refund to the original form of payment under Department of Transportation rules.

1Fares reflect search-volume-weighted average round-trip economy fares, pulled Sept. 23-30, 2026 (2025 figures pulled Sept. 23-30, 2025)

2Domestic fares reflect search-volume-weighted round-trip economy fares, grouped into five U.S. regions: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest and West, pulled Aug. 31 to Sept. 7, 2026 (2025 figures pulled Sept. 1-8, 2025)

3Thanksgiving international deals pulled Oct. 5, 2026. Individual fares typically last just one to two days, and prices vary by departure airport, travel dates and availability

4U.S. Department of Transportation, Air Travel Consumer Report, September 2026

About Going

Going, the travel app for discovering flight deals, has helped 10 million travelers around the world make their travel dreams come true since 2015. We combine sophisticated software and human flight experts to discover flight deals 40% to 90% off typical prices, including rare mistake fares. Unlike fully automated fare alert services, every deal we send has passed a rigorous quality check by our team to ensure it's worth members' hard-earned money and limited travel time. The Trips and Price Drop features extend that expertise, tracking fares before and after members book.

SOURCE Going

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ALBANY, N.Y., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstLight, a leading provider of high-capacity fiber optic network solutions across the Northeast, today announced it is bringing fiber connectivity directly to a site in western Pennsylvania, a critical part of the infrastructure hyperscale and neocloud operators look for.

Fiber connectivity is often the piece that determines how quickly a site can go live. By landing fiber on-site, FirstLight gives prospective operators direct access to its shared network infrastructure across Pennsylvania and the wider Northeast, without hyperscalers having to wait for long-haul fiber builds.

The site sits along FirstLight's existing western Pennsylvania corridor as part of a statewide footprint exceeding 3,200 route miles. That existing backbone meant the project required only 31 miles of new construction to connect the site, a targeted extension rather than a long-haul build.

" This is exactly the kind of project we built our network to support. When a hyperscaler needs to move fast, having 20,000 miles of fiber already in place across the Northeast means we can accelerate their path to operational readiness"

— Lorenzo Leuzzi, Chief Revenue Officer, FirstLight

The site's position along this corridor gives the option to bring in laterals and alternate path routing, providing the kind of redundancy and physical diversity that hyperscale operators increasingly require for mission-critical infrastructure.

The project adds to FirstLight's expanding portfolio of digital infrastructure-ready sites across the Northeast, reflecting continued demand from hyperscale organizations for fiber-connected locations. FirstLight's Northeast network spans more than 20,000 route miles in total, including over 3,200 route miles in Pennsylvania, delivering carrier-grade transport, dark fiber, unified communications, security and colocation services to hyperscalers, enterprises, carriers, and public sector customers throughout the region.

CONTACT: John Romagnoli: [email protected]

SOURCE FirstLight

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New updates bring people, digital teammates, and enterprise context together across work, workplaces and customer experience

News Summary

- Cisco evolves Webex to empower digital teammates and people to work seamlessly across collaboration to understand what matters and move work forward.

- Teams will benefit from Claude in Webex to analyze data, generate content, and execute work using shared enterprise context, all without leaving Webex, built with Claude Managed Agents.

- Intelligent Workplace Experiences unify secure networking, collaboration technology, and physical spaces to create more engaging and inclusive experiences for people in the workplace.

- Dialog, an all-new agentic harness for the Webex AI Agent platform, turns fragmented interactions into continuous customer relationships and works on their behalf until issues are resolved.

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WebexOne 2026 -- Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) today introduced agentic collaboration innovations that transform how people and agents work together. This approach addresses three connected dimensions of work for the AI era: how people work, how the workplace adapts, and how businesses engage with customers.

Organizations face a critical challenge: as the workforce evolves, teams need a way to unlock the potential of digital teammates, while maximizing the impact of work that requires the human touch. Cisco is uniting conversations, physical workspaces, and customer touchpoints into shared context. This transforms AI from reactive chatbots into digital teammates that drive complex work forward.

"The next era of work isn't about bolting chatbots onto yesterday's tools," said Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco. "It's about AI agents working alongside people and teams, being deeply embedded in their workspaces, and collaborating on a secure, trusted foundation. When people and agents share the same context, work keeps moving and every customer relationship gets stronger."

The New Webex: Built for People and AI Agents Working Together

Cisco is moving enterprise AI beyond reactive, prompt-based assistants into proactive digital teammates that participate directly in the flow of work. New capabilities include:

- Claude Managed Agents | intelligent teammates and multi-step actions in Webex: Soon, turn shared team context into deeper analysis, strategic recommendations, and coordinated action across approved agents.

- New AI agents that work alongside teams: Collaborative AI agents can be invited directly into spaces, meetings, and calls to execute complex, multi-step work across Webex and third-party applications. For example, a team member can @mention an analytics agent in a Webex space to pull usage statistics, then ask a presentation agent to update a PowerPoint deck to reflect those numbers.

- OpenAI dots | rich context and personal intelligence: The Webex Suite Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration brings Webex context directly into dots. In the future, dots will also be available within Webex as an always-on personal agent.

- Built for enterprise trust: Cisco brings identity, security, governance and visibility together so organizations can control what AI can access, what it can do and how it acts.

A New Workplace for the AI Era

To support the vital moments of the agentic era that require the human touch—critical judgment, strategic alignment, and relationship-building—today's workplace must become an intelligent ecosystem that senses, reasons, and acts. Through Intelligent Workplace Experiences, Cisco is unifying secure networking, collaboration devices, digital experience assurance and physical spaces into a single architecture. Managed through Cisco Cloud Control, this foundation enables organizations to create flawless in-office environments, streamline IT operations, and unlock actionable insights to drive efficiency across physical spaces and technology. New innovations include:

- Visual planning for IT and facilities: Workplace Designer extends Cisco's visual planning experience from individual rooms to the entire workplace, spanning networking, collaboration and workplace intelligence. It can, for example, turn a street address into a tailored blueprint to help teams align decisions and prepare for deployment, resulting in a simpler and better employee experience.

- Pinpoint and resolve workplace disruptions faster: Extending Experience Metrics into the workplace helps IT move beyond simple connectivity alerts to reveal exactly where issues occur and how they affect employees. By correlating network and device assurance with floor plans, Wi-Fi coverage, and occupancy, IT teams can prioritize and troubleshoot issues based on business impact, remediate problems faster, and ensure reliable workplace experiences.

- Optimize space and capacity planning: Workplace Insights in Cisco Cloud Control delivers a clear, unified view of how physical offices are utilized across locations and floors. By tracking activity patterns over time and comparing booked spaces against real-world occupancy, it empowers workplace leaders to move beyond isolated snapshots, right-size real estate investments, and adapt environments to how people collaborate every day.

Cisco is also introducing RoomOS 27, the operating system for Collaboration Devices. Built for a new era of AI in physical spaces, RoomOS 27 advances the workplace experience across AI, platform choice, and intelligent management—helping spaces understand context, adapt to what's happening and increasingly take action, including:

- Comprehensive interoperability: Through a new partnership with Google, Cisco devices now offer support for fully featured Google Meet natively, joining Webex, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom — making Cisco the most open collaboration hardware on the market. This gives customers complete freedom to choose their preferred meeting and AI environments, while retaining Cisco device intelligence and management.

- Advanced AI at the edge: The new Cisco AI Assistant on Collaboration Devices brings natural-language interaction to the room. With greater intelligence, AI Assistant can now engage in 32 languages. A prompt that the room is too warm, for example, automatically results in adjusting the temperature and lowering the blinds.

- Intelligent workplace management: Optimize workspaces with new intelligence in RoomOS 27 and Cisco Cloud Control. Workspace Advisor, Smart Room Assurance, Divisible Rooms, Splunk and agent integrations give IT greater visibility into how spaces are used with new ways to investigate, operate and continuously improve them at scale.

Available in November, RoomOS 27 brings intelligence to where work happens—making the workplace more natural for people and easier for IT to secure, manage and improve.

Cisco Ceiling Speaker Pro completes Cisco's vision for fully integrated, IP-connected meeting spaces, ensuring every voice is heard clearly and naturally no matter where people join from. It integrates into the same intelligent system as Cisco cameras, microphones, and room devices, using AI to adapt audio across the space so even quiet voices carry naturally. Connected directly from the network to central management, Ceiling Speaker Pro replaces complex, multi-vendor audio setups with a single Ethernet cable that is simple to deploy and scale.

A New Approach to Customer Relationships

Customer experience today is constrained by treating engagements as isolated, atomic interactions. Advances in agentic AI now make it possible to connect interactions across customer journeys, systems and time into a single, continuous relationship. To help organizations evolve from an interaction-based approach to a relationship-based approach, Cisco is introducing Dialog, an agentic harness that enables personalized, long lasting customer relationships. New capabilities in Dialog include:

- Long-horizon execution: Agents keep working on the customer's behalf after a conversation ends, coordinating across people, agents, and backend systems until the desired outcome is achieved.

- Persistent relationship context: Unifies customer history with enterprise data to maintain continuous context across all channels and time, powering absolute personalization at scale.

- Self-learning with every interaction: Continuously refines agent performance with every interaction, learning from customer journeys and human agent judgment while adhering to enterprise policy.

- Rapid onboarding: Enables organizations to onboard AI agents like new teammates, indexing existing employee handbooks, knowledge bases, and operating procedures.

To ensure enterprise trust and scale, Webex AI Agents operate within active safety guardrails from Cisco AI Defense, with live telemetry and operational observability powered by Splunk.

Bringing It All Together

Cisco brings together collaboration, networking, workplace intelligence, customer experience, security, and observability on one integrated foundation. Together with Connected Intelligence, this foundation turns fragmented context into coordinated action across work, workplaces, and customer experiences.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based on limited information currently available to Cisco, which is subject to change, and Cisco will not necessarily update the information.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world.

Investment advances collaboration on peptide-based products for athletic performance, recovery and longevity

TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vector Science and Therapeutics Corp. (TSXV: PAIN) ("Vector" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered into a strategic relationship with Scoreboard, Inc. ("Scoreboard"), a performance wellness company co-founded by NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton.

Vector has made an investment in Scoreboard through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE). The companies plan to work together to develop certain products for athletic performance, recovery and longevity using peptides formulated and manufactured by Vector. Vector only uses peptides that have been tested using validated analytical testing to ensure purity, potency, endotoxin levels and sterility. High-performance athletes demand and expect the best quality products when it concerns their bodies. Scoreboard is committed to high-quality, safe, rigorously tested peptides in its products.

Strategic Rationale

Vector believes this relationship brings together Vector's peptide manufacturing expertise and focus on applications of peptides for use in sports medicine and Scoreboard's performance brand to develop products for performance, recovery and longevity.

Vector's proprietary delivery technology and formulation expertise is central to the relationship. The Company's intellectual property portfolio includes 15 pending patent applications covering multi-route peptide and biologic delivery, lyophilized peptide formulations with point-of-care reconstitution, and advanced transdermal delivery. Peptides are typically unstable once in liquid and gel forms, which has limited how they can be used in consumer products. Vector's expertise is in the novel delivery of molecules in multiple forms while preserving the integrity of the molecule. In Gary Payton's Scoreboard products Vector will be using its IP and formulation knowledge to deliver products with peptides that retain their potency and that are shelf stable in liquid and gel formats. Vector believes this capability positions the companies to explore peptide-based products in formats suited to Gary Payton's personal goals and Scoreboard product portfolio.

"Performance, recovery and longevity are rapidly evolving areas of wellness, and peptide innovation has an important role to play in that growth," said Bill Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Vector Science and Therapeutics. "Our relationship with Scoreboard creates an opportunity to bring Vector's focus on quality and safety into products designed for everyday athletes and high performers. We look forward to working with the Scoreboard team and helping bring these products to market."

"I've spent my life around performance, and I know recovery is just as important as the work you put in," said Gary Payton, NBA Hall of Famer and Co-Founder of Scoreboard. "We're building products for athletes and everyday people who want to perform, recover and stay in the game longer. Working with Vector brings science and innovation into that vision, and I'm excited about what we can create together."

"Recovery is everything at this level, and I only want to be part of something built on quality and trust," said Gary Payton II of the Golden State Warriors, Co-Founder of Scoreboard. "Working with Vector gives Scoreboard a partner that takes testing and standards as seriously as we do."

About Vector Science and Therapeutics Corp.

Vector Science and Therapeutics Corp. (TSXV: PAIN) is a medical technology company advancing drug delivery technology and pharma-grade peptide manufacturing for the sports medicine, regenerative medicine, and pain management markets. Vector's peptides are pharma-grade, not research-grade: they are manufactured under cGMP, FDA, and ISO-compliant conditions, Rx-labeled, and sold directly to physicians for physician use, rather than distributed through the research-only channels associated with research-grade material. The Company's product and intellectual property portfolio is focused on advanced transdermal delivery, precision catheter systems, localized pain management, pancreatic oncology, and smart wound care. Vector is headquartered in Mequon, Wisconsin. For more information, visit https://vectorscience.co/.

About Scoreboard

Scoreboard is a performance wellness company developing products for everyday athletes, high performers and weekend warriors, built around performance, recovery and longevity. Scoreboard combines science-backed ingredients, peptide innovation and advanced delivery technologies to help people adapt, perform, recover and thrive.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the proposed exclusive arrangement between the parties, the development and commercialization of peptide-based products, and the anticipated benefits of the relationship described in this release. Forward-looking information is based on management's current expectations and assumptions and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied, including the risk that the parties do not finalize a definitive exclusive arrangement, that the SAFE does not convert into equity, or that anticipated products are not successfully developed or commercialized. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Vector Sciences & Therapeutics

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JUPITER, Fla., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Perfect Game, the world's largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the debut of PG Central, a new live, on-location show designed to serve as a key destination for the latest news, features and analysis from across the travel baseball landscape. The inaugural episodes will spotlight's Perfect Game's 2027 event schedule with guests from across the professional and youth baseball ecosystems. PG Central is powered by ZT Athletics.

PG Central will make its debut today at 7:00 pm ET as part of Perfect Game's annual WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida. The program will stream on all PG social channels, as well as on the free PGTV app and PerfectGame.TV, providing athletes, parents, coaches and baseball fans with a first look at the dates of PG's Flagship, Premier, Signature and Classic events for 2027. Hosted by veteran baseball broadcaster Daron Sutton, the show will also include insights from some of the most knowledgeable voices in amateur baseball. Early guest appearances two-time NBA Hall of Famer and travel baseball dad Jason Kidd as well as former MLB All-Stars Mo Vaughn and Ryan Klesko.

In addition to the schedule release, the show will connect the on-field action in Jupiter with the broader Perfect Game community, offering perspective and information relevant to athletes and families navigating the travel baseball experience. In the coming months, guests will include coaches, scouts, college recruiters, brand leaders and MLB legends. PG Central is slated to be onsite at all PG Flagship Events throughout 2027.

"We're very excited for the launch of PG Central, the latest addition to our growing media platform," said Kash Shaikh, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of International at Perfect Game. "Not only will our community be able to stay close to all the news and stories shaping youth baseball, but families and fans will get to feel the energy in person at our Flagship Events. And there's no better place to premier this new show than the most iconic travel ball event in the world – Jupiter."

A New Destination for the Perfect Game Community

PG Central will provide a comprehensive look at the developments shaping youth and amateur baseball, bringing together information and expertise from across the Perfect Game ecosystem. The show will cover the latest PG news, player rankings, scouting insights, technology enhancements and other developments that impact athletes, families and coaches at the travel ball level.

With programming originating onsite at PG events, PG Central will give viewers behind-the-scenes looks at Perfect Game's Flagship Events while creating a platform for meaningful conversations with baseball leaders and experts.

The show is designed to be a one-stop shop for PG parents and athletes, bringing together the information they need to better understand the evolving travel baseball landscape and the opportunities available to players throughout their development.

PG Central Programming Will Feature:

- News and Updates: The latest developments from Perfect Game, including new initiatives, events and announcements.

- Rankings and Scouting Analysis: Insights into player development, rankings and the scouting landscape from experienced baseball evaluators.

- Technology Enhancements: Updates on the technology and tools helping athletes, coaches and families engage with the Perfect Game experience.

- Expert Perspectives: Conversations with travel ball coaches, scouts, college recruiters and MLB Legends.

- Event Coverage: Daily analysis, interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage from PG's Flagship Events – the highest level of national competition in youth baseball.

Expanding Perfect Game's Media and Content Platform

PG Central represents the latest expansion of Perfect Game's media and content offerings, building on the organization's commitment to delivering greater access to the athletes, coaches and families who make up the Perfect Game community.

Viewers will have access to a dedicated program that brings together expert voices, timely information and comprehensive coverage of the travel baseball experience.

The debut from Jupiter will establish PG Central as a platform for ongoing conversations about the sport, with a focus on helping athletes and families stay informed about the latest developments across amateur baseball.

For more information, visit PerfectGame.org and follow Perfect Game across all its social media platforms.

Media contact:

Greg Casterioto / [email protected] / (267) 246-5709

About Perfect Game

Perfect Game is the world's largest elite youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, producing nearly 10,000 events, hundreds of thousands of games and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players perform with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to college coaches as well as Major League Baseball, as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, over 2,600 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, 16,401 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. In the 2025 Draft, for example, 92 percent of all players selected had played in Perfect Game events, and every player selected on the Draft's first day had previously attended Perfect Game events.

SOURCE Perfect Game USA

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LOVB Miami, One and Only Pro Women's Sports Team in Miami, Announces Star-Studded Ownership Group of Investors, Champions, and Cultural Icons

Group led by Suprette, Jett Sports, Fifth Down Capital, Chase and Stephanie Coleman, and Jackie Garcia, mother of UNC Volleyball Player Jackie Taylor, brings together Hall of Fame athletes, volleyball legends, entrepreneurs, and tastemakers to power LOVB's 10th pro team ahead of its 2026-27 season debut

MIAMI, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- League One Volleyball (LOVB) today announced the ownership group of LOVB Miami, the league's 10th professional team, set to take the court in the 2026-27 season as a founding member of LOVB Pro's new Eastern Conference. The group, anchored by the collective of Suprette, Jett Sports, Fifth Down Capital, Chase and Stephanie Coleman, and Jackie Garcia, mother of UNC Volleyball Player Jackie Taylor, unites experienced investors, champion athletes, volleyball icons, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders who reflect the energy, diversity, and ambition of Miami and gives South Florida its one and only professional women's sports team.

"Miami is a city that lives and breathes sport, and volleyball is at the center, from the beach to the club courts to its deep Latina, Brazilian and Caribbean volleyball communities. This is a historic moment for volleyball and for women's professional sports. LOVB Miami's ownership group brings together leaders who understand what it takes to compete on & off the court, build lasting impact and be innovative every step of the way. We couldn't imagine a better group to join the LOVB family and build a legacy in Miami as the only professional women's team," said Sandra Idehen, Commissioner, LOVB Pro.

Joining the ownership group is a roster of champions and tastemakers across sports, entertainment, and media, with deep ties to South Florida and beyond, led by basketball icon and Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, the team brings together champions, entertainers, media personalities, and investors whose range of talent and influence reflects Miami itself.

For Leslie and the entire team of investors, ownership is an opportunity to bring the standards of elite competition to a community whose passion for sports deserves to be matched by a commitment to the women who play them.

"I am beyond excited to invest in volleyball, my first love, in the first-ever LOVB team in South Florida. This is where we raised our family and built a solid foundation in the community. Being at the ownership table means having a voice in shaping the future of sport while creating more opportunities for athletes outside the lines. Miami deserves women's professional sports and I am proud to be a part of the ownership group helping build it," said Lisa Leslie, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and four-time Olympic gold medalist.

In addition, investor and Olympic gold medalist Sha'Carri Richardson sees that opportunity beginning long before an athlete reaches the professional level.

"Women's volleyball, just like track and field, has a powerful global presence. When I learned about the opportunity to invest in bringing a professional women's team to Miami, a top 10 financial market, it only made sense," said Olympic Gold Medalist Sha'Carri Richardson. "This investment is about opening doors for athletes and for the people building careers in sports."

Joining Leslie and Richardson from the world of sport is First-Ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer Champ Bailey; Super Bowl champion Carlos Dunlap; Super Bowl champion, co-founder of The Pivot Podcast, and Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster Ryan Clark; NFL All-Pro and University of Miami alum Braxton Berrios; and volleyball greats Aury Cruz, one of the most decorated players in Puerto Rican history, Olympic gold medalist Phil Dalhausser, and Olympian Tri Bourne.

Filling out the ownership group, from entertainment and media, are Grammy Award Winning recording artist and entrepreneur Pusha T; Forbes Top Creator, actress, and former collegiate volleyball player Hannah Stocking; Olympian and former Colombian National team footballer turned broadcaster Melissa Ortiz; former WNBA player and ESPN analyst Anne O'Neil; and former college and pro basketball player turned award-winning sports broadcaster Ros Gold-Onwude. Together they bring star power, cultural reach, and a built-in megaphone to a distinguished ownership roster.

The group also includes owners of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, MLB's Tampa Bay Rays, and the NWSL's North Carolina Courage, bringing proven franchise builders who know what it takes to win on and off the court.

With LOVB Miami, the league now stretches coast to coast, and South Florida – one of the most passionate and multicultural volleyball regions in the country – finally has a professional team to call its own. The foundation is already in place with LOVB youth clubs such as Club 305 Volleyball, Miami Reign, and Game Point Volleyball, connecting the pro team directly to the league's community-up ecosystem of more than 30,000 junior athletes across more than 30 states, meaning the next generation of Miami volleyball will grow up with a pro team of its own to cheer for, and to aspire to play for.

Miami has been waiting for this team, and the wait is over. Fans can claim their place in LOVB Miami's inaugural season by placing a season ticket deposit today at lovb.com/miami, with roster, venue, and schedule announcements to follow in the coming weeks.

ABOUT LOVB MIAMI

LOVB Miami is the 10th professional team in League One Volleyball (LOVB) and Miami's only major professional women's sports team. Debuting in the 2026-27 season as a founding member of LOVB Pro's Eastern Conference, LOVB Miami features a diverse roster that reflects the culture, energy, and global identity of South Florida. As part of LOVB's differentiated community-up ecosystem, the professional team is connected to the region's growing volleyball community through several local LOVB youth clubs. Together, LOVB Miami is building a pathway from youth to pro while establishing Miami as a destination for elite women's volleyball. For more information, visit the official LOVB Miami Team Page.

ABOUT LEAGUE ONE VOLLEYBALL (LOVB)

Founded in 2020, LOVB's mission is to reimagine the future of volleyball. With a differentiated community-up approach, LOVB is one holistic ecosystem—from club to pro. The largest community of youth volleyball clubs in the country, LOVB launched the first serve of its professional league in January 2025, featuring many of the world's best players, including American Olympic silver medalists and athletes from around the world. Entering its third season, LOVB includes professional teams in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, Madison, Miami, Minnesota, Nebraska, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.lovb.com.

Media Contact

Ashley Blackwood, The Sports Publicist

[email protected] 

SOURCE LOVB Miami

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Bottom Line? "This Vacation Isn't Your Great Grandma's River Cruise!"

Luxury Travel Agency Cites Younger Travelers, Exotic Itineraries, In-Depth Adventures, New River Lines, Active/Wellness Options, Combination Sea-Land, "The Experience," And More

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury travelers are heading in greater numbers to global rivers in 2026 and beyond. "River cruising represents just 7 percent of total overnight cruise capacity, yet it's growing at a fast pace," says Craig S. Pavlus, founder and CEO, Pavlus Travel & Cruise, one of the U.S.' largest independent travel agencies. and a top-tier luxury seller for 90-plus brands.

"But this definitely isn't your great grandma's river cruise product in style, pace, or the experience, whether onboard or shoreside,'" he emphasizes. "It's a new way of vacationing, attributable to these fast-evolving river trends, which Pavlus is now seeing daily as consumers call us to book vacations."

Broader Guest Mix, Younger Travelers: For decades, river cruise guests were mostly 65+ with many in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. "Today, the Mature Traveler and Baby Boomer generations still love traveling the globe on river cruises, and we're privileged to serve them," says Pavlus. "But now we're also getting more calls from Generation X, Millennial, and family travelers. Fueling this broader demographic are the river lines' innovations and enhanced technology including Starlink, enhanced entertainment, and mobile apps."

Deeper Cultural Dives and "The Experience": Yes, scenic motorcoach tours to see the top sights still draw river cruise guests, but, increasingly, many travelers wish to "go deeper" to explore local culture, heritage, cuisine, and lifestyle. "Our luxury clients are prioritizing experiences over material possessions, looking for 'hands on' activities, and looking to interact with the locals," explains Pavlus, "Simply put, 'The Experience' rules!"

So, travelers might prepare crepes with a local chef in a Michelin-star restaurant; paint a Portuguese blue tile onboard their Douro River ship; stroll with a family through their French vineyard to learn about grape growing, followed by wine tasting; head to a fresh fish market in Southeast Asia with the ship's chef, or watch African dances and chat about tribal traditions with a local chief.

Growth Via New Upscale and Luxury Players: Given the intimate size of river ships, global river cruise capacity is approximately 61,000 berths, compared to 776,000 lower berths or so for ocean cruise capacity, per a research tidbit from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Currently, 12 river cruise operators are CLIA River Marketing Affiliates, plus five of CLIA's oceangoing member lines also offer river cruising.

But more growth is on the horizon. Celebrity Cruises, another oceangoing CLIA member, will inaugurate upscale river cruises in 2027. And this fall, oceangoing Explora Journeys signed a letter of intent with a Dutch shipyard to build new river vessels. "That's welcome news for our luxury clients who enjoy Explora Journeys' ocean voyages, so they're now asking us for more details," Pavlus says. "Explora says more details are coming soon with reservations opening next year."

More Choices with New Ships by Veteran River Lines: New ships deliver more choices for travelers. Notable this month, Viking will christen seven new river ships in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on October 15, 2026. Shelby Steudle, president, Pavlus Travel & Cruise, will serve as godmother and christen one of those, Viking Fjolvar, a new Seine River vessel.

"Moving forward, at least 25 new river vessels will launch in 2027, a booming year industry-wide for river cruise growth," says Pavlus. "Most of those new ships are from veteran river lines." Those include AmaWaterways, American Cruise Lines, Emerald Cruises, Tauck, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Viking, and others.

Increasing Focus on Wellness and Fitness: "Over the last year or so, we've seen a much stronger focus by our luxury clients to stay well and keep active on vacation," Pavlus says. So, it's a plus that many river vessels carry bicycles or e-bikes onboard, plus the lines' shore excursions often include hiking, biking, or other active adventures.

Onboard, varying by line/ship, guests also might find a fitness center: yoga, Pilates, and fitness classes; a pickleball court; spa or salt therapy rooms; wellness hosts, a pool, and a walking/running track. "Guests who sail on Tauck's luxurious new Harmonie, launching on France's Seine River in 2027, will discover an expanded wellness area, The Retreat, with a fitness center, massage treatment room, and lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows."

Increased Demand for River Cruise and Land Combinations: Increasingly, Pavlus' customers are asking to combine a river cruise with a land trip for a more robust, lengthier vacation. "For instance, we recently planned a trip for clients who wished to pair their Douro River cruise with more time in Lisbon plus an in-depth Portugal land experience," Pavlus explains.

The lines are clearly seeing this emerging trend as well. Coming in 2027, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and sister brand Luxury Gold will launch a new "Cruise & Tour" collection, while Avalon Waterways and sister brand Globus will also offer new cruise-and-tour itineraries next year.

Big-Ship Cruisers and New-to-Cruise Guests Navigate to Smaller Ships: First-time cruisers often begin by sailing on a big-ship ocean cruise and continue sailing on large ships for subsequent vacations, "Over time, though, we're now seeing many big-ship cruisers as well as 'new to cruise' consumers asking our personal travel planners about river cruises," he notes.

"People are enticed by the thought of a more intimate, personalized cruise experience with luxury touches and without the crowds," Pavlus emphasizes. Most notably, river ships sail directly into the heart of a region or country."

New Itinerary Choices That Fuel Demand: Consumers have an abundance of new, exotic, unique, luxurious, creative, or themed river itineraries to choose from. On the exotic side, AmaWaterways launched new voyages along Colombia's Magdalena River in 2025, and in 2027, Viking will begin cruising along India's Brahmaputra River."

New itinerary choices are highly creative too. Some river lines have even combined multiple voyages on different rivers into a World Cruise-like itinerary, and themed cruises are prolific. So, pick your passion. Foodie-minded guests might sip and savor on a Scenic culinary cruise, while historic buffs might check out a Mark Twain-themed cruise on American Cruise Lines, to name just a few.

Looking Ahead

Moving forward trend-wise, one factor is certain. "River cruising is a more culturally immersive, experiential, luxurious, and often active vacation than even just a decade or so ago," says Pavlus. "This definitely isn't your great grandma's river cruise, and we truly can't wait to see what's next from the river lines."

For more information, contact Pavlus Travel & Cruise at 800-528-9300 (U.S. and Canada) or 08000288558 (United Kingdom), or visit https://pavlus.com.

About Pavlus Travel & Cruise, Inc.

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pavlus Travel & Cruise is one of America's largest independently owned luxury travel agencies and the Number 1 Tauck seller worldwide for more than 20 consecutive years. Representing Viking, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Tauck, and more than 90 other luxury cruise and tour partners, Pavlus is known for high-quality service and for charging no service fees. The agency is led by Founder and CEO Craig Pavlus, a travel industry veteran of more than 55 years and recipient of the Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Award. Learn more at https://pavlus.com or call 800-528-9300 (U.S. and Canada) or 08000288558 (United Kingdom).

SOURCE Pavlus Travel & Cruise, Inc.

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