Sojern Names New President and GM of Global Destinations
Sojern, the AI‑driven travel marketing platform, has named Sylvia Weiler as president and general manager of its global destinations division. Weiler returns after a stint as chief revenue officer at Zartico and senior roles at Tripadvisor and Airbnb, where she helped shape data‑centric advertising strategies. Her prior tenure at Sojern included building the destinations segment from the ground up. The move underscores Sojern’s ambition to deepen AI‑powered solutions for airlines, tourism boards, and other travel partners.
BWH Hotels Sets Sights on Asia-Pacific as Engine for Global Growth
BWH Hotels announced a major push into the Asia‑Pacific region, positioning it as the primary engine for reaching its 5,000‑property goal. The company highlighted strong pipelines in India (36 open, 25 pending) and growing footprints in Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia,...
MITE 2026 to Showcase New and Expanded Tourism Zones
The 14th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE 2026) runs April 10‑12, introducing a Culture and Creativity Hub aimed at Gen Z travelers and expanding medical tourism with the debut of the Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College...
IHG Brings InterContinental Brand Back to Manila After 15 Years
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a partnership to open a 212‑room InterContinental hotel in Manila’s Bonifacio Global City, slated for 2032. The development marks the brand’s return to the Philippine capital after a 15‑year absence. The property will feature multiple...
Choice Hotels’ Ascend Collection Reaches 500 Properties with Further Openings Planned
Choice Hotels International announced that its Ascend Collection has reached 500 properties, marking a milestone for the upscale soft‑brand portfolio. Recent U.S. openings include The Harrison Hotel in Florida and The Gould Hotel in New York, while a pipeline of...
TAT Bets on Domestic Travel Boom with Thailand Tourism Festival 2026
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will host the 44th Thailand Tourism Festival (TTF) from March 25‑29, 2026 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok. The event will feature nine themed zones that showcase cultural, culinary and creative...
Hospitality HR Pivots to Cross-Training Amid Talent Shortage
Hospitality operators across Asia are overhauling HR structures to address a deepening talent shortage, shifting focus from external hiring to retaining existing staff. Marriott International has launched an integrated cross‑training program that enables employees to work across multiple departments and...
JR East Launches Expanded Rail Pass to Boost Travel Beyond Tokyo
East Japan Railway Company has launched an expanded JR East Pass covering the Tohoku, Nagano and Niigata regions. The new product consolidates the former Tohoku and Nagano‑Niigata passes, offering unlimited travel on Shinkansen, limited‑express, local trains and selected partner lines...
Club Med Opens Reservations for Borneo Resort in Sabah
Club Med announced that reservations for its first East Malaysia resort, Club Med Borneo, will open on March 24, with the property slated to welcome guests beginning November 16, 2026. The beachfront resort in Kuala Penyu, Sabah, spans 17 hectares and will feature 400...
AndBeyond Enters Its Next Chapter in Asia
andBeyond is concentrating on deepening its existing foothold in Asia—particularly India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka—rather than launching new destination‑management operations. The company is reshaping its African safari DNA to suit forest‑rich, culturally diverse Asian landscapes, emphasizing collaboration with local partners....
Agoda Joins Forces with Gangwon State to Boost International Tourism
Agoda has signed a two‑year memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Gangwon State to promote the region as an international travel destination. The partnership will see Agoda provide destination‑marketing support and share market data insights to raise Gangwon’s visibility abroad....
SC Capital Partners Acquires Fusion Hotel Group
SC Capital Partners founder Suchad Chiaranussati has acquired Vietnam‑based Fusion Hotel Group, adding its 18 properties and roughly 3,000 rooms to a portfolio that already includes Hotel Management Japan and Topotels, together overseeing about 16,000 rooms across Asia. Fusion, known for...
Electric Boat Taxi Service Launches on Bangkok’s Historic Canals
TTA Mariner Co. and mobility platform MuvMi have launched an electric boat taxi service on Bangkok’s historic canals, operating between 09:00 and 17:00 with an initial fleet of eight vessels. The boats, each seating six passengers and cruising at about...
Flight Disruption Deepens as Middle East Conflict Escalates
Airlines worldwide are scaling back Middle East services as the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict intensifies. Cathay Pacific announced cancellations of Dubai and Riyadh flights through April 30, while Scoot, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines and the Lufthansa Group have extended suspensions across key hubs...
Private Jet Arrivals Rise in Maldives as Overall Tourist Numbers Decline
Private jet arrivals in the Maldives surged 166% year‑over‑year, with 128 jets landing between Feb 18 and Mar 14, while overall tourist arrivals fell due to Middle East conflict disrupting key transit hubs. The high‑end segment now represents less than 1% of...
Amadeus Links UnionPay Payments to Airline Booking Channels
Amadeus’s Outpayce unit partnered with UnionPay International to embed UnionPay cards directly into airline payment systems via the Xchange Payments Platform. Native acceptance across direct and indirect booking channels is slated for the first half of 2026, with a global...
Scenic Group to Add Three New River Cruise Ships for Europe and Asia
Scenic Group announced a three‑ship river cruise expansion slated for 2027‑2028, adding vessels on Portugal’s Douro River and Vietnam‑Cambodia’s Mekong River. The new ships—Emerald Nova, Scenic Aria and Scenic Spirit II—join an existing fleet that already includes Emerald Astra, Emerald Lumi...
Stay and Explore with JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
JW Marriott Singapore South Beach has launched a Stay & Explore package aimed at travelers seeking a city‑centric stay with added convenience. The offering requires a minimum three‑night booking and bundles complimentary round‑trip airport transfers, two Discover tickets for either the Hop‑on Hop‑off...
Tourplan Welcomes New Chief Technology Officer
Tourplan, a provider of software solutions for tour operators and destination management companies, announced the appointment of Eduard Liebenberger as its new chief technology officer. Liebenberger arrives with more than 25 years of technology leadership experience across New Zealand, Australia, Germany,...
Traveller Made Highlights Branding as Key to Luxury DMC Growth
Traveller Made’s CEO Quentin Desurmont warns luxury destination management companies (DMCs) that superior logistics alone no longer secures profitability; they must develop distinct brand identities. He suggests borrowing branding tactics from the luxury goods sector, where desirability and exclusivity have...
Singapore Airlines Renews Distribution Agreements with Amadeus
Singapore Airlines has renewed its multiyear distribution agreements with Amadeus, covering both legacy EDIFACT messaging and the newer New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology. The deal guarantees continued access for travel sellers on the Amadeus platform to SIA’s fares, products, and...
Dusit Thani Bangkok Joins Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection
Preferred Hotels & Resorts has added Bangkok’s iconic Dusit Thani to its Legend Collection, its elite group of luxury properties. The hotel reopened in late 2024 after a major redevelopment as part of the Dusit Central Park project, offering 257...
TTG Conversations: Five Questions with Ben George, Hilton
Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report reveals that 50 percent of families in the Asia‑Pacific region are taking holidays with three or more generations, signaling a surge in multi‑generational travel. The report also highlights a notable rise in skip‑generation trips, where grandparents travel...
Philippines Lifts Retirement Ambitions as Foreign Retiree Numbers Climb
The Philippines Retirement Authority (PRA) reported achieving 99% of its 2024 foreign‑retiree target and is now aiming for a 25% year‑on‑year increase by 2026. The country already hosts over 84,000 foreign retirees, led by Chinese nationals, and is leveraging English...
S Hotels & Resorts Posts Record 2025 Profit, Outlines Growth Strategy
S Hotels & Resorts posted a record normalised net profit of over 615 million baht in 2025, driven by RevPAR growth and lower finance costs. The company announced a 0.07 baht per share dividend, its highest since listing. For 2026, SHR outlined...
Laguna Phuket Plans 2.5km Trail Linking Six Resorts
Laguna Phuket will roll out a 2.5 km walking trail in 2026 that links its six resorts across a 405‑hectare beachfront precinct. The path will weave through parks, cultural spaces, wellness zones and seasonal art installations, encouraging guests to explore the...
Middle East Flight Disruptions Slow Wellness Travel to India
Escalating US‑Iran tensions have disrupted flight connectivity between the Middle East and India, prompting cancellations and rerouting of wellness travelers. Kairali Ayurvedic Group lost three direct Middle‑East guests and faces uncertainty for five others traveling via the region. While short‑term...
Singapore Tourism Board, Scoot Unveil Campaign Reimagining the Merlion
The Singapore Tourism Board and low‑cost carrier Scoot have launched the third edition of the Singapore Superfans campaign, positioning the Merlion as an active guide encouraging visitors to explore beyond the city’s iconic landmarks. The campaign, anchored by a rock‑inspired...
Malaysia Expands Halal Tourism Strategy Into Spa and Wellness Sector
Malaysia’s Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and the Association of Malaysian Spas (AMSPA) signed a memorandum of understanding at ITB Berlin to extend the country’s halal tourism strategy into the spa and wellness sector. The agreement will launch a Muslim‑Friendly Spa...
Australia Rolls Out Programme Linking School Leavers with Travel Industry Jobs
The Travel Gap, a 29‑week paid programme launched in Melbourne, links school leavers with the Australian travel industry through a partnership between My First Job and the Australian Travel Industry Association. Participants rotate through four six‑week placements across diverse travel...
StarCruises Launches Five-Night Hong Kong Cruises to Okinawa, Vietnam and Sanya
StarCruises will launch three five‑night cruises from Hong Kong in 2026 aboard the Star Voyager, adding itineraries to Okinawa, Vietnam and Sanya. The Okinawa voyages depart on March 22 and May 3, while the Vietnam‑Sanya cruise sets sail on April 26. These new...
Satair Appoints New Asia-Pacific and China Leaders
Satair announced three senior appointments to accelerate its growth in the Asia‑Pacific region. Andy Lee became Managing Director of Asia‑Pacific on 1 January 2026, succeeding Rene Frandsen, who moved to a strategic advisory role. Liu Bo will assume the Managing Director role for Satair...
South Asian Destinations Draw Rising Interest From Indonesian Travellers
South Asian destinations are seeing rising interest from Indonesian outbound travelers, with demand shifting toward experience‑focused journeys and lesser‑known locales. At the 43rd TTC Travel Mart, industry players highlighted India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and even Pakistan as emerging favorites...
Cathay Marks 80th Year with Hong Kong Art Aircraft Livery
Cathay Pacific has unveiled a special "Spirit of Hong Kong – 80th Anniversary Edition" livery on a Boeing 777‑300ER, created in partnership with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA). The design, featuring artwork by multimedia artist Victor Wong, debuted...
Amadeus Report Outlines Six Trends Shaping Travel in 2026
Amadeus released its Travel Trends 2026 report, identifying six emerging forces that will reshape tourism, including the Pawprint Economy, Travel Mixology, and Point‑to‑Point Precision. The study emphasizes a shift toward hyper‑personalised accommodation experiences, urging hotels to adopt attribute‑based selling instead...
Traveller Made Expands Global Trade Shows as Takumians Network Grows
Traveller Made is shifting from a single European showcase to three continental luxury‑travel tradeshows beginning in 2025, positioning the consortium as a truly global platform. The group reported €6 billion in aggregated revenue for 2025 and now serves 790 member agencies...
Philippines Seeks to Retain South Korea as Leading Overseas Visitor Market
The Philippines is intensifying its tourism outreach to South Korea, its largest inbound market, by expanding joint campaigns with airlines, travel agencies, and digital advertising. The Department of Tourism is promoting flagship destinations such as Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay and...
ArtScience Museum Exhibition Traces Anatomy Across Cultures and Time
ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands will host “Flesh and Bones: The Art of Anatomy” from March 21 to August 16, 2026, marking its 15th anniversary and first partnership with the Getty. The exhibition showcases over 160 artefacts—including anatomical illustrations, rare books, and...
The Anam Mui Ne Names New Director of Rooms
The Anam Mui Ne, a 127‑room beachfront resort in Vietnam, has appointed Elena Lopez de Silanes as Director of Rooms. She will oversee front office, guest experience, housekeeping, laundry and the on‑site water factory, while also serving as Executive Assistant...
Song Saa Private Island Welcomes New GM
Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia announced the appointment of Manish Sharma as its new general manager. Sharma brings over 25 years of luxury‑hospitality experience, having held senior positions with Aman, Six Senses and Soneva across Asia. His portfolio spans properties...
TTG Conversations: Five Questions with Rohan Bhalla, Collinson International
Collinson International’s Rohan Bhalla highlighted the growing influence of travel rewards on consumer behavior in a TTG Conversations interview. He explained that travel‑related incentives increasingly shape engagement outcomes across loyalty programmes. Bhalla noted a broad spectrum of brands—from airlines to...
Thailand Shows Off Muay Thai Tourism at ITB Berlin
Thailand showcased Muay Thai as a tourism driver at ITB Berlin 2026. The Sports Authority displayed four gyms offering stay‑and‑learn packages, emphasizing a minimum 21‑day training commitment. The 90‑day Muay Thai visa, launched three years ago, has attracted visitors from Australia, France and Singapore....
Egypt Sees Strong Asia-Pacific Group Arrivals and Interest
Egypt’s tourism sector is seeing a surge of Asia‑Pacific travellers, now accounting for over 70% of group bookings. Monthly tour groups have climbed from five to nearly thirty, driven by interest in classic itineraries featuring the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian...
The Standard Highlights Playful Wellness at Its Thai Properties
The Standard’s Hua Hin and Pattaya Na Jomtien hotels are repositioning as "playful wellness" resorts, blending fitness, relaxation and family‑centric activities. Guests can join family yoga, sunrise runs with pets, sound‑healing pool sessions and a DIY mud spa with mood‑matching...
Pan Pacific Gears up for Growth with New Leadership Team
Pan Pacific Hotels Group unveiled a new executive leadership team, appointing Craig Bond as chief operating officer, Celine Du as chief commercial and marketing officer, and Kate Loh as head of Development. The refreshed senior team, led by CEO Choe...
Enjoy a Rainforest Adventure with Parkroyal on Beach Road’s Family Package
Parkroyal on Beach Road has launched a Rainforest Adventure Room Package that pairs wildlife‑themed family rooms with daily breakfast and complimentary entry to the new Rainforest Wild Asia attraction at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. The rooms feature rainforest décor, a king...
Langkawi Dishes up Natural Charms for the European Market
Langkawi Development Authority unveiled fresh visuals for its Naturally Langkawi branding at ITB Berlin 2026, spotlighting the island’s UNESCO Global Geopark status and nature‑based attractions such as the SkyCab cable car. European travelers remain the island’s traditional long‑haul market, delivering...
Bangkok Airways Deepens Regional Connectivity in New Strategic Direction
Bangkok Airways is shifting from its boutique airline image toward a sustainability‑focused strategy that emphasizes regional connectivity, especially through a new secondary hub in Phuket. The carrier has begun decarbonisation by using a 1% Sustainable Aviation Fuel blend on international...
Tomorrowland Model to Boost Local Thai Economy
Organisers of Tomorrowland Thailand opened ticket sales on February 28, 2026 for a three‑day festival in Pattaya. The event is projected to generate about 5.5 billion baht ($177 million) in its first year and 30 billion baht through 2030. Authorities expect 50,000 daily...
Philippines Introduces Senior Tour Guide Programme
The Philippine Department of Tourism, together with the National Commission on Senior Citizens, launched the Tourism Legacy and Livelihood Program, allowing seniors to become accredited community tour guides after a week‑long training. By February 2026, 15 senior citizens, including former...