BANGKOK, THAILAND – IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the continued growth of its Hotel Indigo brand in Thailand through an agreement with international property developer Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited (MQDC). The 274-room Hotel Indigo The Forestias Bangkok will open in 2026 at The Forestias, a new integrated 64-hectare mixed-used development on the eastern fringe of Bangkok – the largest growth project of its kind in the country. This eagerly awaited addition to the Hotel Indigo brand portfolio promises to offer guests an immersive stay experience close to nature through ..read more

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Amora Hotels & Resorts is positioning itself for a new phase of expansion in Asia Pacific as it prepares to introduce its unique style of customer-centric luxury hospitality to new destinations across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. This week, the group opened its inaugural corporate office in Sydney, which will spearhead a growth plan to double its portfolio from six to 12 hotels in five years. The establishment of the regional hub will be a launch pad for the fast-developing hotel group to leverage opportunities for acquisitions while driving strategy, brand, operati ..read more

TOKYO, JAPAN – YOTEL announced its partnership with Singapore-based Frasers Hospitality, to open the first YOTEL hotel in Japan in early 2025. YOTEL Tokyo Ginza is located in central Tokyo’s most desirable and dynamic neighborhood. YOTEL Tokyo Ginza is steps away from the city’s most popular dining and shopping destination, featuring flagship stores for many of the world’s best-known brands. The hotel is only a fifteen-minute walk from Tokyo Station, providing easy access to most parts of Japan via the main Shinkansen high-speed rail terminal and serving as ..read more

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – Alipay+ announced it signed a business agreement with the Korea Easy Payment Foundation (KEPF) and Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO). The partnership aims to significantly enhance the travel experience for international visitors exploring the iconic island destination of Jeju by providing convenient digital payment services and exclusive offers, and thus contribute to boosting the local economy. Through the agreement, users of 11 Alipay+ partner e-wallets including Alipay from the Chinese mainland, AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), MPay (Macao SAR, China), TrueMoney (Thailan ..read more

Bangok, Thailand – Dusit Hotels and Resorts, the hotel arm of Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, will showcase an impressive array of new destinations, an innovative sustainability initiative, the much-anticipated September reopening of its iconic flagship Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel, and its first hotel in Saudi Arabia – Dusit Princess Al Majma’ah, Riyadh – at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, held from 6 – 9 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Led by Mr Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer, Dusit International, Dusit’s team of co ..read more

For the first time in its history, Kempinski Hotels, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel company, is venturing into Vietnam with an exquisite waterfront hideaway nestled in the folds of the Saigon River. Designed by acclaimed architectural studio Kengo Kuma & Associates, Kempinski Saigon River reimagines traditional Vietnamese vernacular architecture with an ultra-modern twist through a collection of 100 guestrooms and suites that blend heritage with modern luxury. The hotel is currently being developed in cooperation with visionary Vietnamese property developer Ecopark Corporation, which owns o ..read more

SEPANG, MALAYSIA – AirAsia X Berhad announced its operating statistics for the First Quarter of 2024 (“1Q24”). In 1Q24, the company posted a solid Passenger Load Factor (“PLF”) of 83%, an increase of three percentage points year-on-year (“YoY”), reflecting that passenger demand is robust, even as the company ramped up its Available Seat per Kilometre (“ASK”) metric by 74% YoY to 5,039 million, with the addition of more flights to its expanding network. Surpassing the growth in ASK Capacity, AirAsia X recorded an increase of 90% YoY to 959,623 passengers as it catered to meet increased travel ..read more

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA – AirAsia announced the commencement of its seventh airline, AirAsia Cambodia (flight code KT), marking a significant step forward not just in the country’s aviation landscape but also in strengthening ASEAN as a vibrant aviation hub. AirAsia Cambodia is poised to commence its operations on Thursday, 2 May 2024, following the handover of its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) on Tuesday. With an initial fleet of two Airbus A320s, the airline will operate from the bustling hub of Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH), connecting travelers to the iconic cities of Siem Reap a ..read more

New Zealand‘s business events sector has united in a collaborative effort to launch Pīata Mai, a national statement of strategic direction outlining a focused vision for the industry over the next decade. This initiative, guided by an industry stakeholder group and shaped through extensive consultations, is under the stewardship of the industry body, Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA). It aims to amplify the sector’s positive impact on culture, society, the environment, and the economy through 2035. Susan Sawbridge, former head of Major Events New Zealand led the consultation and delive ..read more

BELGRADE, Serbia, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — China and Serbia should actively leverage their advantages of exchanges and cooperation at all levels to contribute wisdom and strength to the development of bilateral relations and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, agreed participants at a China-Serbia media and think tank forum held here on Tuesday. President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua attends a China-Serbia media and think tank forum and launching ceremony of the Serbian version of the report “Fostering a Global Community of Shared Future: Contemporary Significance ..read more