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Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 8th April 2026
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International tourism exceeds expectations, with APAC leading growth

By TTG Asia
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International travel saw strongest growth in seven years
International travel saw strongest growth in seven years

International tourist arrivals grew six per cent in the first four months of 2018, compared to the same period last year, exceeding UNWTO’s forecast for 2018.

Growth was seen in all regions, led by Asia-Pacific (+8%) and Europe (+7%). Africa (+6%), the Middle East (+4%) and the Americas (+3%) also recorded sound results. Earlier this year, UNWTO’s forecast for 2018 was between 4-5%.

Growth in Asia-Pacific was driven by South-east Asia (+10%) and South Asia (+9%), while the increase in Europe was pulled ahead by the destinations of Southern and Mediterranean Europe, as well as Western Europe (both +8%).

In the Americas, strongest results came from South America (+8%). The Caribbean (-9%) is the only sub-region to experience a decrease in arrivals during this period, weighed down by some destinations still struggling with the aftermath of the hurricanes of August and September 2017.

UNWTO commented that even with limited information coming from the Middle East and Africa, the results were signs of rebound in the former region and consolidation of growth in the latter.

“International tourism continues to show significant growth worldwide, and this translates into job creation in many economies. This growth reminds us of the need to increase our capacity to develop and manage tourism in a sustainable way, building smart destinations and making the most of technology and innovation”, said UNWTO secretary-general, Zurab Pololikashvili.

Meanwhile, confidence in global tourism remains strong according to the latest UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts survey. The panel’s outlook for the May-August period is one the most optimistic in a decade, led by particularly upbeat sentiment in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

GOeureka wants to use blockchain to benefit hotels

By TTG Asia
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In an OTA dominant age, blockchain hotel booking platform GOeureka has big plans to “create a symbiosis where hotels maintain control over their brand while unlocking value for consumers on its platform”, according to CEO Manraj Rai.

“We provide an affordable and efficient platform for hotels and consumers to directly engage and transact with each other, removing the inequitable commissions to OTAs that ultimately decrease hotels’ margins and increase consumer prices,” said Rai.

GOEureka wants to be the new disruptor in hotel bookings with the help of blockchain and cryptocurrency

Using blockchain technology, the soon-to-ICO GOeureka hopes to benefit hotels and customers by introducing commission-free bookings, accepting payment through cryptocurrencies that are devoid of merchant fees, and transforming traditional brand loyalty programmes.

Currently in the works at GOeureka are a re-booking function that helps customers secure lowest rates even after their initial booking as well as an interoperable loyalty programme.

“We are introducing a patent-pending Re-Booking function for customers to obtain the best value for rooms. When the hotel rate drops, the Re-Booking feature will automatically detect and rebook an existing booking at the lower rate,” Rai elaborated.

The company is also proposing an inter-operable loyalty programme that promotes the hotel’s own loyalty rewards programme with the option to convert hotel loyalty points into GO Credits that can be used on the platform.

“For consumers who subscribe to multiple loyalty programmes, GO’s solution could facilitate instant redemptions and exchange for multiple loyalty point currencies on a single platform,” Rai explained.

Krabi to get Cosi by 2020

By TTG Asia
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Cosi Krabi Ao Nang Beach is set to open by 2020 as Centara Hotels & Resorts’ third Cosi in the south of Thailand, following a management agreement sealed with Chuan Development Hotel Company.

The brand debuted on Thailand’s Samui Island last December, and earlier this year broke ground on its second property in Pattaya.

The Krabi hotel will feature 142 rooms – each with either king or twin beds, and five USB ports – a swimming pool and laundromat.

Launched to “capture a new generation of freedom loving, tech-savvy travellers”, Cosi hotels have self-serve kiosks in place of the typical lobby counter. And instead of restaurant and banquet facilities, Cosi hotels offer a 24/7 social and media café where guests can grab a bite and connect with friends. Guests get daily credits to use for food and drink any time at the Hub’s WYSIWYG Café.

Ecolodge staff undergo hospitality training for love of environment

By TTG Asia
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A Bangkok university this week delivered a series of hospitality workshops to staff of an ecotourism outfit at Khao Sok National Park in southern Thailand.

Over two days, Assumption University’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management trained 22 employees of the eco-friendly Aurak Community Lodge, comprising front office personnel, housekeepers, waiters and back of house staff, all from local villages.

Workshop attendees

The training was led by project coordinator Scott Smith from the university and sponsored by Bangkok-based Yaana Ventures.

Ahead of the workshop, Smith prepared a service audit and worked with management and staff to develop a training programme to meet the needs of the lodge, whose guests are mostly from Europe, the US and Singapore. These visitors typically want informed, zero-impact nature activities such as forest hiking and kayaking in the park.

Willem Niemeijer, founder of Yaana Ventures, commented: “Khao Sok boasts some of Thailand’s most stunning scenery and is home to incredible biodiversity. We therefore share the responsibility to ensure tourism is developed in a sustainable way, showing that it can make a positive contribution to conservation that involves and benefits the local community.”

Anurak means “to conserve” in Thai language. Accordingly, Anurak Lodge operates as an eco-friendly retreat with 18 comfortable bungalow-style rooms. The lodge serves as a jump off point for tours and activities in Khao Sok National Park and to the nearby Cheow Lan Lake.

New hotels: Morpheus, InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort and more

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Morpheus, Macau
The Zaha Hadid-designed, US$1.1 billion luxury Morpheus hotel in Macau is Melco Resorts’ latest venture. There are 772 rooms, suites and villas in the high-rise, alongside two restaurants by Alain Ducasse, a Chinese fine diner and a Pierre Hermé patisserie in the lobby. There is also a club lounge, a spa with six treatment rooms, an outdoor pool on the 40th floor, a fitness centre and an art gallery.

InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, Vietnam
The 459-key resort on Phu Quoc Island is nestled near the tail end of the 20km-long Long Beach, with an exclusive private beach for guests. Recreational facilities include Harnn Heritage Spa, gym, yoga and pilates classes, water sports activities and four swimming pools. Six F&B venues are available on-site, ranging from Ink 360, the highest bar in Phu Quoc, to the fine-dining seafood and speciality restaurant Lava. The resort boasts its own conference centre with over 2,000m2 of indoor event space, a 870m2 grand ballroom, a purpose-built auditorium and multiple breakout rooms.

Sanctuary by Sirromet, Australia
Family-owned Sirromet Winery, located 30 minutes from Brisbane at Mount Cotton, has launched 18 glamping tents for overnight guests. Each air-conditioned tented pavilion – made of double-layered all-weather campus – features a private balcony complete with day chairs, an ensuite bathroom, and is furnished with king beds and free Wi-Fi. Facilities on the eight-hectare grounds include three F&B options: The Cellar Door Café for casual dining, Italian restaurant Tuscan Terrance and fine-dining restaurant Lurleen’s.

Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing, China
Located in the heart of the Wangjing CBD is the first Hyatt Regency in China’s capital. There are 348 rooms available, ranging from 30m2 to 290m2. Each offers a separate workspace, flatscreen TV, standalone bathtub with Portico and Comfort Zone toiletries, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Amenities on-site include five F&B options, a 25m-long heated indoor pool, hydrotherapy areas with saunas and whirlpools, and a 24-hour fitness centre. Event planners can avail the 5,600m2 of function space which includes the 1,370m2 pillar-free Regency Ballroom.

Fraser Place Binhai Tianjin, China
Frasers Hospitality’s second property in the north-eastern Chinese port city offers 224 keys in several configurations, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments, as well as smart meeting spaces and function rooms. Other facilities include an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby bar, a swimming pool and a gym. Guests will also enjoy complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, 24/7 room service and a free shuttle service.

Hyatt Regency returns to Philippines with new hotel in Clark

By TTG Asia
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A residential area in Angeles City, the Philippines

The Hyatt Regency brand is making a comeback to the Philippines, with the 350-room Hyatt Regency Clark slated to open within a 309ha mixed-use project come 2022.

The result of a management agreement between a Hyatt affiliate and Donggwang Clark Corporation (DCC), Hyatt Regency Clark will be part of DCC’s D’ Heights Resort project, which includes two 18-hole golf courses, a duty free shopping mall, an indoor water park, residential towers and an IT park.

A residential area in Angeles City, the Philippines

The hotel will feature bars and restaurants, a large ballroom, fitness centre, and swimming pool.

Located less than 113km northwest of Metro Manila, Hyatt Regency Clark will sit within the Clark Freeport Zone, where more than 700 corporations had set up offices in 2017. The government is planning to link Clark with Metro Manila by 2022, which will reduce travel between the two cities to an hour.

TAT amps up marketing of ‘Thailand Riviera’ as area goes under fast-track development

By TTG Asia
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UNWTO will provide technical and marketing support for the project; Hua Hin coast pictured

‘Thailand Riviera’ – comprising the four coastal provinces of Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong – is expected to receive stronger marketing push from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), as part of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ comprehensive master plan develop the area’s full tourism potential.

Weerasak Kowsurat, minister of tourism and sports, earlier this month met with local authorities and representatives from various government agencies to move ahead with the next steps. The UNWTO has also been enlisted to provide technical and marketing support for the Thailand Riviera project.

UNWTO will provide technical and marketing support for the project; Hua Hin coast pictured

The tourism minister stressed that the Thai government and related agencies will be closely involved in the entire development process, including tourism management, to ensure that its is implemented in a comprehensive, coordinated manner that pays equal attention to economic and ecological issues.

An important feature of the project has been the construction of a scenic 680km highway from Bangkok, which runs directly along the coastline with bike lanes. About 200 km have been completed and a 49km stretch is currently under construction, with the entire highway to be concluded in five years.

The platform of the Hua Hin Railway Station, a local heritage site dating back to the days when it was used by members of the royal family visiting the Mrigadayavan Summer Palace of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), will be upgraded to reflect its unique design and architecture.

Specific niche-market projects will include building the Thailand Riviera as a global health tourism hub, organisation of sporting events and shopping festivals, and development of night markets.

Petrol stations will be upgraded with clean toilets, lockers, luggage storage, CCTV and Wi-Fi to enhance the visitor experience to the area.

In 2017, the four provinces received a total of 14 million Thai and foreign visitors, a rise of 4.5 per cent year-on-year. The average expenditure per trip per person was 5,141 baht (US$156), generating an estimated 72 billion baht in tourism income (+8.9 per cent year-on-year).

Singapore goes after hearts of families and children with baby Merlion

By TTG Asia
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Merli designed to appeal to the little ones in families

Singapore’s iconic Merlion has spawned a cute cartoon-style baby, which the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) hopes will appeal to a key target segment – families with young children.

“We came up with this endearing character, based on our beloved Merlion, to build a stronger emotional connection with families and to entrench Singapore’s brand awareness among them,” said Lim Shoo Ling, director, brand, STB.

Merli will promote Singapore’s attractions and foods

Merli, created based on a mythical Lion City icon, is painted as “energetic and outgoing”, with an “enthusiasm for discovering more about Singapore”, and showcasing the best and most interesting parts of the city to visiting friends.

The child-friendly character will be featured in appropriate global marketing efforts, for instance, appearing on social media platforms in the form of GIF comments and GIF stickers. Further details of these will be shared on the VisitSingapore social media pages at a later stage.

Sabre integrates Booking.com listings into lodging platform

By TTG Asia
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With the signing of a new agreement, Sabre agency customers will soon have access to Booking.com listings, including its alternative lodging listings, through the Sabre Content Services for Lodging platform.

Sabre Content Services for Lodging is launching later this year as a new solution that integrates multi-source, multi-representation of GDS, aggregator and agency-sourced hotel content into the Sabre GDS. It will be available via Sabre APIs as well as the Sabre Red Workspace, GetThere and TripCase.

Booking.com listings to be available via Sabre’s new lodging platform

“We’re constantly working to expand our lodging offerings and bring even more options to our agency customers,” said Traci Mercer, senior vice president of lodging, ground and sea for Sabre Travel Network. “Adding the Booking.com portfolio to Sabre’s lodging offering will allow travel buyers to meet the growing demand for alternative lodging options and deliver even more value to their travellers.”

Booking.com offers more than 28 million listings including more than over 5.4 million reported listings in homes, apartments and other unique places in over 135,000 destinations around the world.

Uncertainty continues to loom for US tourism with Trump ban upheld

By TTG Asia
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Continued uncertainty about inbound travel to US, associations say; John F. Kennedy International Airport pictured

The US Supreme Court has ruled to uphold the Trump administration’s travel ban restricting visitors from select countries from entering the US, with global travel bodies worried about the long-term impacts on American tourism the latest ruling will bring.

Global business travel associations have expressed their disappointment to the latest decision.

Continued uncertainty about inbound travel to US, associations say; John F. Kennedy International Airport pictured

Greeley Koch, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) Global, stated: “This is a disappointing decision on the part of the Supreme Court, and a setback for the principles underlying the global economy.”

Some US$185 million in business travel bookings were lost in a single week following the first Trump ban, while the second and third continued to impact inbound US travel, said Global Business Travel Association’s (GBTA) executive director and COO Michael McCormick.

And with the ruling to uphold the ban, 37 per cent of GBTA members expect some level of reduction going forward.

GBTA is “deeply concerned” about the long-term impact of the travel bans and the global perception of doing business with the US. “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, and as the US changes its policies about inbound travel, others are likely to do the same,” the association said in a statement.

Koch also expressed ACTE’s concern over implications for a healthy business environment, which it believes relies on the economic inputs and outputs from workers and tourists coming into the US from around the world.

“ACTE believes in treating all travellers with fairness and respect for their contributions to the economy, regardless of country of origin. We hope that, despite this decision, the US government will take the time to carefully evaluate immigration and security policies to ensure that the economy continues to thrive without sacrificing safety.”

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Sister Publications
TTG Asia TTGmice TTG India TTGssociations TTG Asia Luxury
TTG Asia | BBTF 2026 to focus on gastronomy and destination readiness
TTG Asia | Frasers Hospitality expands Asia footprint
TTG Asia | Thailand pivots to regional tourism hub