Asia Pacific tips

Hilton has some exciting news for 2024. Along with extra points available, 24 new properties will be added to the Hilton lineup in locations worldwide. Some of these new properties will also be the first for the major hotel brand. Here’s a quick preview of the new places to add to your travel list.

Minor Hotels, a Thai-based operator of luxury hotels, made a global splash in 2018 when it took majority control of NH Hotels, a Madrid-based chain of upscale hotels, in a deal valued at about $2.6 billion (€2.5 billion).

Klook, an online travel agency for tours and activities, transport, and travel services, said it had raised $210 million (about $290 Singaporean dollars) in capital with a mix of venture equity and bank financing.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that Hong Kong has won IBTM, the world’s leading Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) event brand, to organise its inaugural MICE trade show IBTM Asia Pacific 2025, in Spring 2025 in Hong Kong.

Happy hump day, folks – let’s get into it. I was reading this latest report from Skift’s director of research Wouter Geerts: Airbnb vs Vrbo in 20 Charts, and here are a few stats I find interesting.

Hope you’re having a good week so far. Hello from across the pond — I’m in London bringing you a European edition today. I was here to moderate a panel discussion at the Short Term Rentalz Summit yesterday and it was delightful. 

Welcome to a brand new week, folks! If you’re like me, you’re reading this and going, “what is time?” Well, it’s a thing that flies.We have a packed bulletin today, let’s hit it. 

With critics questioning Airbnb’s growth momentum, Airbnb announced Tuesday that Chief Financial Officer Dave Stephenson will become chief business officer, a newly created position, and VP of Finance Ellie Mertz will become CFO March 1.

These organizational changes will be effective as of 1 January 2024.

UAE welcomes a modern beach sanctuary for the senses from Asia’s luxury hospitality leader.

Europe and Africa saw a decline in water use despite international arrivals growth. Global tourism body takes bold steps towards water resilience

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launched its new groundbreaking report, ‘Water Roadmap for Travel & Tourism’, revealing total water intensity by global Travel & Tourism continues to decrease as the sector continues to grow

Amadeus unveils annual trends exploring what travelers expect in the year ahead.  Influencers become agents, business class fares unbundle, artificial intelligence matures, and musical tourism drives demand, while eVTOLs prepare for take-off.

JW Marriott has launched a new Asia-Pacific campaign, taking inspiration from the K-drama genre and starring South Korean actor, Lee Min-ho. 

The return of North American flights to Asia-Pacific is accelerating heading in to 2024, as carriers bet on the region as the next source of high-margin revenue at a time of soaring costs.

Asia-Pacific airlines face headwinds from rising fuel prices and high inflation, industry executives said on Friday, adding to a downbeat outlook for a segment where travel demand is struggling to recover fully to pre-pandemic levels.

Hilton Grand Vacations has offered to acquire Bluegreen Vacations, two publicly held vacation ownership companies said on Monday.

Airbnb’s recent quarter was its most profitable ever and also the best in terms of revenue, according to a shareholder letter the company released Wednesday.

Booking.com says its problem getting payments to European and Asian hotel partners is mostly fixed and that it is even making manual payments in some cases.

The pandemic can be blamed for a lot of things, but one positive outcome are some of the changes in the way we now travel. One growing trend – as a result of having been grounded for so long, no doubt – is the fact that many of us want to travel deeper and stay longer in a given destination. Dubbed ‘slow travel’, this way of traveling allows us to get under the skin of a place and connect properly with a locale. Not only does this benefit local communities, as travelers tap into small businesses and local tour companies, but it also has an abundantly positive effect on travelers, who come away feeling enriched and enlightened by their authentic experiences.

The global travel industry is on an upswing, with all regions registering growth over the previous month, according to the Skift Travel Health Index: September 2023 Highlights. The Skift Travel Health Index stands at 106, three points higher than August 2023 – a new record high.