Also, hotel groups warn rates will increase due to cost pressures, and the leader of the British Virgin Islands is under arrest in a drugs and money sting.

Here are the travel news headlines on Friday (29 April).

Qatar World Cup ticketing slammed

Some of England’s most loyal fans have been forced to abandon plans to attend the World Cup, describing the accommodation booking system in Qatar as a “complete shambles”. Rooms are only available on Fifa’s fan portal to those with tickets, meaning fans will miss out on cheaper accommodation until these are delivered. (The i)

Hotel room rates set to rise

Hotel prices are set to rise as costs increase and an acute shortage of staff puts pressure on operators. Two of the largest hotel groups – PPHE, which owns the Park Plaza and art’otel chains, and Whitbread, owner of Premier Inn – flagged the issues in updates, although both reported a bounce-back in profits. (The Standard)

BVI leader arrested in drugs sting

The leader of the British Virgin Islands has been arrested for alleged drug smuggling and money laundering in the US. Premier Andrew Fahie was detained in Miami by US agents posing as cocaine traffickers from a Mexican drug cartel. He allegedly agreed a $700,000 payment to allow traffickers to use BVI ports, charges filed in the US said. (BBC)

Souvenir sparks panic at Israel airport

An American family set off a bomb scare at Israel’s main airport when they showed security inspectors an unexploded shell they found while visiting the Golan Heights. Video circulated on social media showed panicked passengers scattering at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on Thursday. (The Guardian)