Pacific tips

Exciting updates have emerged about the much-anticipated "world-first" Wizard of Oz land slated to debut this year at Warner Bros. Movie World, located in Australia 's Gold Coast region. Part of a $40 million upgrade, the colorful new land is set to replace the previous Arkham Asylum area and open sometime in 2024, according to Daily Mail Australia. Its’ being touted as the world’s first Wizard of Oz-themed land.

What’s new in Queensland?

A luxe flight route that’s on many avid travelers’ bucket lists is finally returning to New York City.

Seattle skies were glowing with color as the Space Needle rang in 2024 with a brilliant light, drone, and pyrotechnic spectacular for the West Coast—and the world—to see. The T-Mobile New Year’s at the Needle extravaganza was the longest show in the event’s 32-year history, stunning viewers with an 18-minute display. More viewers were able to tune in than ever before with the event broadcast live for the first time in Portland and Spokane, in addition to Seattle.

Alaska Airlines recently introduced an innovative year-end initiative for its frequent fliers. Instead of the usual “mileage runs” to accumulate miles at the last minute for elite status, the airline now allows customers to purchase carbon offsets to boost their status for 2024.

Few places inspire the imagination like the South Pacific and the stunning islands of French Polynesia. Breathtaking beauty combines with fascinating history, culture, and cuisine that will stay with you long after your visit here. Here are some of the highlights to plan your South Pacific adventure. 

Amazon Web Services had a weeklong conference last week, where it shared a slew of updates to services that travel companies are using to build tools powered by generative AI.

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.

I recently had the privilege of staying at the Montage Kapalua Bay on Maui, and I have to say: Sleeping there was a sublime experience. Every night, my husband Bill and I just sank into the sheets and comforter, and quite literally, the experience was just dreamy.

Americans’ desire to visit the Asia-Pacific region has reached a high, and airlines are rushing to provide new routes that capture the rising interest.

This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.

For its 17th edition, the 2023 UNWTO-PATA Forum (Guilin, China, 26-27 October) put the focus on maximizing the sector’s ability to drive growth, build economic resilience and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The Forum is the consolidated leading platform for policymakers, business leaders and a range of tourism stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific.

I’m an East Coast woman through and through – yet despite my loyalties, I’m not one to shy away from the Pacific side of the USA.

Tom Robinson, 24, attempted to become the youngest person to row across the Pacific Ocean, but his dream was unfortunately deferred. 

Princess Cruises announced two themed Pacific Coast Wine & Food Experience cruises onboard the Discovery Princess (October 1) and Sapphire Princess (October 8).

Last week, Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific announced the resumption of three non-stop weekly flights from Chennai.

From today’s Daily Lodging Report newsletter: Nikkei Asia published an article on Hilton planning to expand its luxury offerings in Asia. Hilton will be bringing its Waldorf Astoria brand to Malaysia, Vietnam, India, and other countries for the first time as part of its plans to open 25 new luxury hotels in the Asia Pacific region over the next few years. That’s up from the 33 luxury hotels it currently runs in the Asia Pacific.

Yanolja said this week it expected that a post-pandemic rebound in international travel will continue to boost its twin businesses of online travel sales via a superapp and software sales to hotels and other travel companies. The South Korea-based startup has made progress on both ambitions since 2011, when it received a $1.7 billion investment from the Softbank Vision Fund in a transaction that valued Yanolja at the time at approximately US$9 billion.

Cathay Pacific announced on Wednesday that CEO Augustus Tan would be stepping down on December 31 andchief customer and commercial officer,Ronald Lam would succeed him.

Cathay Pacific Airways, after worries that Hong Kong’s strict Covid rules could doom the airline, is beginning its post-pandemic bounce back as the Chinese special administrative region eases its border rules.

Here are some excerpts from Daily Lodging Report from the past week. If you’re not a subscriber, you should be. Get news on hotel deals, development, stocks, and career moves. Sign up here, now.