Vietjet has reinstated its SkyBoss premium fare on selected international services, including routes between Singapore and Vietnam, as part of efforts to cater to passengers seeking added comfort and priority services.
The SkyBoss fare is available on flights linking Singapore with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang and Phu Quoc. It applies across Vietjet’s international network to and from Vietnam.
Vietjet’s SkyBoss fare includes priority check-in, lounge access and upgraded in-flight meals on selected routes
Passengers travelling on the SkyBoss fare receive priority services at the airport, including dedicated check-in, boarding and access to premium lounges where available. The fare also includes increased baggage allowances, with up to 10kg of carry-on luggage and up to 30kg of checked baggage, as well as the carriage of one golf club set.
On board, SkyBoss passengers are offered unlimited hot meals and beverages. Meal options include Vietnamese dishes such as pho and banh mi, as well as drinks including Vietnamese coffee and matcha latte.
Vietjet said the fare is positioned for both business and leisure travellers and is designed to provide a more streamlined journey from departure to arrival.
The airline operates four direct routes between Singapore and Vietnam, supporting frequent travel between the two markets for business, tourism and visiting friends and relatives.
SkyBoss fares on Singapore-Vietnam routes start from S$210 (US$155) one way, including taxes and fees, with prices varying by route and travel period.
Mövenpick Resort & Spa Bintan Lagoon, Indonesia
Mövenpick Resort & Spa Bintan Lagoon is scheduled to open in 1Q2026 on Bintan’s northern coast, a short ferry journey from Singapore. The beachfront resort is set along the island’s longest private beach, with access to two nearby championship golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Ian Baker-Finch.
The resort will boast 420 rooms and suites, including premium terrace rooms with ocean views. Facilities are planned to include six dining venues, a spa, beach club, multiple swimming pools, children’s splash areas, sports courts, playrooms and a recreation village. Events space will total 2,000m², including a grand ballroom of 900m² and additional function rooms.
AC Hotel by Marriott Puchong
AC Hotel by Marriott Puchong, Malaysia
AC Hotel by Marriott Puchong has opened in Bandar Puchong Jaya, close to the IOI Puchong Jaya LRT station and with access to the LDP. The hotel is near IOI Boulevard, Skypod Square, IOI Mall and the Puchong Financial Corporate Centre, with Sunway Lagoon, Putrajaya International Convention Centre and Kuala Lumpur City Centre a short drive away.
The hotel has 180 rooms, including deluxe rooms, junior suites and suites, with open layouts, workspaces, high-speed internet access and USB charging points. Facilities include the AC Lounge, AC Kitchen with live cooking stations, 695m² of event space, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a prayer room.
Four Points by Sheraton Amritsar, Mall Road
Four Points by Sheraton Amritsar, Mall Road, India
Four Points by Sheraton Amritsar, Mall Road has launched as a dual-branded complex with Marriott Executive Apartments Amritsar in the city centre. The property is 11 km from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport and 2.3 km from Amritsar Junction railway station, with the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, the Partition Museum and Durgiana Temple all a short drive away.
Four Points by Sheraton Amritsar, Mall Road features 124 rooms overlooking Mall Road, with workspaces, USB charging points and Wi-Fi, while Marriott Executive Apartments Amritsar offers 59 apartments, including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts with separate living, dining and sleeping areas and kitchenettes.
Shared facilities include all-day dining at Kitchen 1574, a Pan-Asian restaurant, a bar, lobby lounge, outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre. Event facilities span around 1,201m², including a pillarless ballroom of approximately 557m².
The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto
The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto, Japan
The Imperial Hotel, Kyoto is scheduled to open on March 5, 2026, in the Gion district of Kyoto. The hotel occupies part of the Yasaka Kaikan, a registered Tangible Cultural Property, within the grounds of the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo. Located amid historic streets and close to temples, traditional theatres and cultural landmarks, the property places guests at the centre of one of Kyoto’s best-known districts.
The hotel has 55 rooms across three areas: the Main Building Heritage, the Main Building and the North Wing. Accommodation ranges from premier rooms to suites, with designs incorporating preserved architectural elements, city and mountain views, and, in the North Wing, tatami flooring. Facilities include restaurants and a bar, a spa, swimming pool and fitness centre.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has relaunched its Upgrade Your Horizon offer, giving travellers booking selected voyages the option of a complimentary two-category suite upgrade, up to a Penthouse Suite, alongside a reduced deposit of 7.5 per cent.
The promotion applies to new bookings made by February 28, 2026, on selected sailings from 2026 onwards, covering itineraries scheduled for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Guests can enjoy a complimentary two-category suite upgrade on selected voyages; the Grandeur Suite aboard Seven Seas Grandeur, pictured
The offer is available across a wide range of destinations, including Alaska, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America and the South Pacific. Eligible guests benefit from enhanced onboard inclusions linked to their upgraded suite category, such as a complimentary one-night pre-cruise hotel stay for Concierge Suites and butler service for Penthouse Suites.
Among the voyages available under the promotion is a 12-night round-trip sailing from Miami aboard Seven Seas Grandeur, departing March 26, 2026, which includes an extended stay in Bermuda and calls in Norfolk, Charleston and Nassau. A 17-night Northern Pacific journey aboard Seven Seas Explorer departs Tokyo on May 3, 2026, crossing the International Date Line before continuing through Japan and Alaska to Vancouver.
Other highlighted itineraries include a 20-night sailing from Doha to Cape Town aboard Seven Seas Navigator on May 22, 2026, an 11-night European itinerary from Amsterdam to Barcelona aboard Seven Seas Mariner on September 7, 2026, and a 10-night autumn voyage from New York to Montréal aboard Seven Seas Splendor on October 20, 2026. A shorter seven-night Adriatic and Mediterranean sailing aboard Seven Seas Voyager departs Trieste on November 10, 2026, ending in Athens.
Asian DMC Khiri Travel has received the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification across all destinations where it operates, covering eight countries in Asia.
The certification applies to Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Khiri Travel was officially certified on December 18, 2025.
Niemeijer: Khiri is walking the talk on making tourism a force for social and environmental good
The assessment was carried out by Control Union, a GSTC-accredited certification body. The audit reviewed Khiri Travel’s office practices and field operations, and included interviews with local partners and suppliers across its operating markets.
In addition to the company-wide certification, 14 Khiri Travel staff members earned the person-based GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism in 2025. The group included “Green Team” representatives from all eight countries where the company operates. The staff training formed part of Khiri Travel’s stated goal to become a fully GSTC-certified DMC by the end of 2025, which it has now achieved.
The certification adds to a year of industry recognition for Khiri Travel. In 2025, the company was named Destination Management Company of the Year at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards and received an Outstanding Achievement Award for Most Sustainable Travel Company at the TTG Travel Awards.
The GSTC pointed out: “Being certified by an Accredited Certification Body means that your tourism product or service complies with the highest social and environmental standards on the market.
“With an accredited certification, customers and buyers are assured that the business was certified in a credibly verified procedure in a transparent, impartial, and competent manner.”
Sukhum Jarangdej, sustainability coordinator at Khiri Core, said: “As a DMC, ensuring that all partners share Khiri’s commitment to sustainability is a challenge. Achieving certification shows that Khiri’s network of partners and suppliers are aligned with the company’s vision for responsible travel.”
Willem Niemeijer, chief executive and founder of Khiri Travel, added: “Certification shows that Khiri is walking the talk on making tourism a force for social and environmental good. It is proof of our commitment to upholding the four Cs of regenerative travel as defined by The Long Run: conservation, community, culture and commerce.”
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into an agreement with Indochina Kajima to bring the Wink hotel portfolio in Vietnam under the Unscripted by Hyatt brand, marking the global debut of the brand and expanding Hyatt’s presence in the country.
The move adds six operating Wink properties to Hyatt’s system: Wink Saigon Centre, Wink Danang Centre, Wink Danang Riverside, Wink Tuy Hoa Beach, Wink Can Tho Centre and Wink Hai Phong Centre. Hyatt’s portfolio in Vietnam will increase from four hotels to 10. A seventh property, Wink Hanoi Westlake, is scheduled to open in late 2026.
From left: Hyatt’s Stephen Ho and Wink’s Michael Piro
The combined Wink portfolio comprises more than 2,000 rooms across Vietnam, covering major cities as well as emerging coastal and cultural destinations including Can Tho, Tuy Hoa and Hai Phong.
The agreement is between Hyatt and Indochina Kajima, a joint venture between Indochina Capital and Kajima Corporation. Wink will operate within Hyatt’s Essentials portfolio, with Unscripted by Hyatt positioned as a conversion-focused brand designed to allow properties to retain their individual identity while accessing Hyatt’s distribution systems and loyalty platform.
Wink was launched in Vietnam in March 2021 with the opening of Wink Saigon Centre and has since expanded rapidly across the country. The brand operates with a technology-led model and focuses on compact, centrally located hotels catering primarily to domestic and regional travellers.
Under the arrangement, Wink hotels will continue to operate under their existing identity while participating in Hyatt’s global platforms, including the World of Hyatt loyalty programme, which has more than 61 million members.
As part of the integration, World of Hyatt members will be eligible to earn 500 bonus points per qualifying night for stays at Wink hotels between January 1 and March 31, 2026.
Stephen Ho, president for Greater China and growth, Asia Pacific at Hyatt, said: “This relationship with Indochina Kajima and Wink marks a milestone in our strategy to expand Hyatt’s brand presence in the dynamic Vietnam market.”
Michael Piro, chief executive of Indochina Capital and Wink, added: “Wink was built on the belief that Vietnamese travellers deserve design-forward, tech-enabled hotels that don’t compromise on personality.”
The launch of a new direct Singapore-Chiang Rai air service is expected to support inbound visitor growth to northern Thailand, as tourism authorities seek to broaden international access beyond established gateways.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Scoot marked the inaugural service on January 1, 2026, with the arrival of flight TR670 at Mae Fah Luang International Airport. The new route expands international air access to Chiang Rai, positioning the northern province to attract more overseas visitors interested in cultural and nature-based travel.
The first Singapore-Chiang Rai flight arrived on January 1, 2026, strengthening air links to northern Thailand
The inaugural flight arrived at 18.50 on New Year’s Day and received a ceremonial welcome, including a cannon salute and the presentation of locally crafted souvenirs to passengers. The event was attended by Chiang Rai provincial authorities, TAT representatives, Scoot executives, airport officials and tourism partners.
Singapore remains one of Thailand’s top inbound markets, with 967,341 visitors recorded in 2025 and arrivals projected to exceed 1.12 million in 2026. While demand has traditionally centred on destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, tourism authorities are stepping up efforts to promote emerging destinations including Chiang Rai, supported by joint promotions and media activities linked to the new route.
Pattaraanong Na Chiang Mai, deputy governor for international marketing for Asia and the South Pacific at the TAT, commented: “The new route also supports TAT’s efforts to stimulate demand among high-value shorthaul segments, particularly repeat travellers from Singapore. These include wellness and health-focused travellers, luxury and experiential seekers, sport and active lifestyle visitors, as well as couples and special-interest travellers such as honeymoon and wedding groups.”
She added that the service enhances opportunities for multi-destination travel, allowing visitors to combine Chiang Rai with other parts of Thailand through overland and fly-and-drive itineraries.
The new connection also aligns with Thailand’s tourism dispersion strategy, which aims to channel visitor flows towards secondary destinations. Authorities see the route as complementing existing access to Chiang Mai and encouraging travellers to explore northern Thailand more widely.
Scoot will operate five weekly flights on the route using Embraer E190-E2 aircraft with 112 seats. Services depart Singapore on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays in the afternoon, with early-morning return flights from Chiang Rai on Tuesdays and Saturdays, offering schedules designed to support inbound and outbound travel.
Calvin Chan, chief commercial officer of Scoot, shared that the new service would provide “more seamless connectivity between Singapore and Thailand, allowing more international travellers across the SIA Group’s network to visit Chiang Rai conveniently”.
Minor Hotels will take over management of NH Hua Hin from January 16, 2026, expanding the NH Hotels and Resorts presence in the seaside town of Hua Hin.
The hotel will operate under the NH Hua Hin name and will comprise 152 rooms and suites, starting from 30m², with views of the city or surrounding mountains. Accommodation will include deluxe rooms, studios, family rooms with bunk beds and one-bedroom suites, catering to leisure and business travellers.
NH Hua Hin will come under Minor Hotels’ management from January 2026, expanding the group’s presence in Hua Hin
NH Hua Hin will include three F&B outlets: an all-day dining restaurant serving international and local dishes, a lobby café offering light meals and drinks, and a rooftop bar beside an infinity pool. Leisure facilities will also include the rooftop swimming pool, a fitness centre and a Kids’ Club with indoor and outdoor areas.
For meetings and small events, the property will offer a function room measuring 110m², with capacity for up to 90 guests.
Hua Hin, located about 200 kilometres south of Bangkok, is a long-established coastal destination. NH Hua Hin sits at the southern end of the town, around 400 metres from Hua Hin Beach, and close to local night markets such as Cicada Night Market and Hua Hin Night Market. Shopping centres including Bluport Hua Hin and Market Village Hua Hin are also nearby. The destination provides access to wider attractions in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, including Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and Pa-La-U Waterfall in Kaeng Krachang National Park.
The rebranding reflects Minor Hotels’ strategy to grow its select-service portfolio in key Asian markets. NH Hua Hin will become the fourth NH Hotels and Resorts property in Thailand, joining existing hotels in Bangkok and Phuket. It will also be the group’s third property in Hua Hin, alongside Anantara Hua Hin Resort and Avani+ Hua Hin.
Group CEO of Minor International Dillip Rajakarier said: “NH Hua Hin will set a new benchmark for accessible hospitality in Hua Hin, complementing our luxury and premium offerings in the region.”
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore presents a focused Valentine’s programme centred on staycations and dining, running from February 12 to February 16, 2026.
Set along the Singapore River, the hotel positions its Valentine’s offering around time spent on site, combining accommodation with meals designed for couples who prefer a contained and unhurried celebration.
Valentine-themed afternoon tea is served at The Lobby Lounge, offering a daytime option for couples within the hotel’s riverside setting
Two Valentine’s staycation packages are available across the five-day period. Both include an upgrade to a Premier Room, subject to availability, Prosecco Rosé on arrival, Valentine-themed in-room amenities, a rose-petal turndown service and late check-out. Guests also receive one-for-one gin cocktails from The Lobby Lounge gin cart and one-for-one Epicure Brunch on February 15, 2026.
The Valentine’s staycation with romantic dinner includes an overnight stay and a four-course Valentine’s set dinner for two. Dinner may be served either in-room or at the Executive Club Lounge on level 29, which overlooks the city skyline. Packages are priced from S$362 (US$269).
An alternative option pairs the overnight stay with a Valentine-themed afternoon tea for two at The Lobby Lounge. The afternoon tea features Pryce Tea pairings and the hotel’s unlimited scone trolley, served in a riverside setting. Packages are priced from S$295.
For couples not staying overnight, a four-course Valentine’s dinner is also available as a standalone experience from February 12 to February 16, 2026. The menu includes Hokkaido scallops with crabmeat gateau, a choice of lobster bisque or mushroom cappuccino soup, main courses such as braised US beef short ribs or slow-roasted Atlantic salmon, followed by a raspberry and lychee dessert. Dinner is priced at S$168 per couple at The Lobby Lounge, including two glasses of house wine, or S$228 per couple at the Executive Club Lounge, including one bottle of Prosecco.
In The Magician’s Nephew, the first novel in C S Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, the author imagined a world between worlds – a tranquil forest dotted with mirror-clear pools, each a portal to another realm. The best of Asia-Pacific’s airports now conjure something similar, transforming the turbulence of transit hubs into restorative environments of calm and sensory renewal.
Timber design and natural light redefine Kansai International Airport ahead of World Expo 2025
Destinations, not detours Designed with nature’s materials and interwoven with cultural themes, these new terminals are portals in their own right: artful, biophilic sanctuaries that allow travellers to move through calm instead of chaos, while quietly steeping them in the sense of place.
“Airports are now the leaders out of all sectors in design and development. They want to make memorable environments – to introduce garden concepts in cities,” observed Patrick Keane, founder of Enter Projects Asia (EPA).
At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2, Keane’s studio has reimagined the post-security landscape as a living organism. Opened in 2024, the 12,000m2 departure hall, crafted from nine kilometres of hand-woven rattan, feels more arboreal than architectural. Sculptural pods are surrounded by hanging gardens, vines, and 700-year-old olive trees.
“If you think of rattan structures, bamboo framing, handmade elements and wood – you think wellness retreat, somewhere remote. But now you’re seeing that in an airport that welcomes 20 million visitors a year. If you touch a pod, it feels like a tree, not a wall. Wellness has become mainstream,” Keane reflected.
Across the East China Sea, global design firm Populous has brought similar material sensitivity to Japan’s Kansai International Airport, renewed ahead of World Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai.
“The T1 renovation project was envisioned as the symbolic gateway to the World Expo – the ‘first pavilion’ that sets the tone for visitors’ experience of Japan,” explained Ben Dawson, Populous’ principal and head of aviation, APAC. “The renovation prioritised openness, clarity, and cultural immersion.”
A once-enclosed immigration hall now bathes in natural light. Timber finishes and exposed trusses recall Japanese craftsmanship, while intuitive sightlines – literally framing the passenger journey – create ease and orientation.
Techo International Airport (KTI) in Cambodia’s Kandal province introduces a new vernacular to Cambodia’s aviation. Developed by Cambodia Airport Investment Co. (CAIC) and spanning 2,600 hectares, its sweeping scalloped wooden roofline and vaulted timber lattices reinterpret Khmer architecture in a distinctly contemporary key. The interior will feature a traditional wooden Cambodian house for passengers to visit – a cultural touchpoint amid the choreography of departure.
In Vietnam, the vast Long Thanh International Airport is taking shape. Designed for a final capacity of 100 million passengers annually, its first phase will debut in 2026 with what is expected to be the world’s largest bamboo structure – a glulam (glued laminated timber) canopy of interlacing bamboo arches. More than sustainable, the design draws on the material’s deep cultural resonance in Vietnam.
Across these projects, new airport terminals in Asia-Pacific are no longer conduits of motion but living works of architecture – immersive ecosystems of plant-based materials that refresh, restore, and reawaken the senses before flight.
Passengers can take Rhythm cycling classes amid greenery at Changi Airport’s Forest Valley
Portals of calm If Bengaluru and Kansai express biophilia through material empathy, Singapore’s Changi Airport has turned sensory design into science. With 600,000 plants, a signature Orchid Tea scent, and the aptly named Quiet Terminal Initiative, Changi orchestrates fragrance, light, and sound into what it calls “wellness through seamlessness”.
Carpeted floors hush the terminal’s tempo, while immersive installations such as Dreamscape and Wonderfall sync movement with nature’s rhythms, transforming waiting into wonder.
Wellness extends beyond design: the Minmed Wellness Collective at Jewel’s Canopy Park offers yoga, barre, and Pilates, while rhythm cycling classes in the Forest Valley overlook the Rain Vortex. Travellers can even rent a bike and cycle outdoors from Terminal 2 to Jurassic Mile, where life-sized dinosaurs line a 3.5-kilometre park connector – proof that wellness can be playful as well as peaceful.
Behind the scenes, Amadeus technology powers Changi’s biometric bag drops, translating operational efficiency into a subtler kind of well-being: freedom from friction.
In Australia, Woods Bagot’s design for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton Airport), opening 2026, takes this idea of emotional ergonomics to heart.
“Our approach has been to create a space for everyone – a place that is easy to navigate and in which people feel calm,” said Jodi Archer, Sydney aviation lead at Woods Bagot.
Filtered sunlight softens through slatted ceilings, changing hue through the day. Wide circulation paths, clear sightlines, and sensory rooms desensitise tension points. Seating areas adapt to individual rhythms – from contemplative corners to communal zones.
“Wellness services are scattered throughout. People find what they need, when they need it,” Archer added.
Here, architecture choreographs emotion as much as movement, immersing passengers in tranquil, light-filled environments that ease transitions between destinations.
Harmony with the planet Wellness now extends beyond the traveller – it encompasses the planet itself. At Western Sydney, the terminal’s roof generates solar energy, harvests rainwater, and filters daylight through energy-efficient skylights designed to limit heat gain. “Sustainable and recycled materials will be used throughout the terminal, including the structure, finishes and furniture,” noted Archer.
At Kansai, Populous’ approach to adaptive reuse – increasing capacity without expanding the footprint – is a quieter but equally powerful act of sustainability.
“That decision alone has massive benefits in terms of energy, materials, and cost,” Dawson explains.
For its work in Bengaluru, EPA merged digital precision with handcraft, collaborating with Thai artisans to handweave each section at its Bangkok studio before assembling them using bespoke logistics software that streamlines production and shipping.
This fusion of digital precision, handmade craft, and natural materials defines the firm’s approach to sustainable innovation – an act of ecological as well as cultural regeneration.
And at Changi, sustainability quite literally takes root. The airport’s dense horticultural network serves as both air filter and acoustic buffer, moderating temperature and humidity while softening the sensory impact of travel itself.
Hong Kong’s tourism sector took a cautious approach to recovery immediately after a deadly blaze broke out on November 26, 2025 with several events and festive celebrations cancelled out of respect. These included the 2025 Sun Hung Kai Hong Kong Cyclothon scheduled for November 30 and Oxfam Trailwalker 2025, which was due to take place from November 28 to 30 last year.
Some tourism-related activities resumed in early December following a brief suspension. Christmas Town at Statue Square and the laser light show A Symphony of Lights returned on December 10, while Hong Kong Disneyland restarted its nightly musical light-and-drone show on December 8 after an 11-day pause.
Hong Kong scaled back tourism and public events after the November 26 fire, before a phased return of activities; photo by A Content Company
The Hong Kong Tourism Board’s New Year Countdown was also adjusted in format, with a focus on conveying positivity and blessings. Fireworks were cancelled, and celebrations were relocated to the Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct in Central, featuring a live music performance by Air Supply followed by a light show themed New Hopes, New Beginnings to mark the start of the new year.
Elsewhere, multiple countdown activities were held across the city, including the New Year’s Eve Countdown Party Moment at Hong Kong Disneyland and a special countdown concert held for the first time at the West Kowloon Cultural District, as locals and visitors welcomed 2026.
An anonymous travel trade stakeholder said the impact on visitors had been limited, apart from the cancellation of fireworks, which was widely understood. He shared: “Hotel operators anticipated some cancellations for the New Year’s Eve due to fireworks cancellation and relocation of countdown, particularly rooms offering harbour views. We expected more visitors than last year, but the government will play down the forecast.”
Prince Travel director of sales Wing Wong said he hoped the city would gradually return to normal after weeks of tributes and public support.
He commented: “As 2026 begins, Hong Kong enters a new chapter with the newly-elected lawmakers of the eighth Legislative Council taking office. We have to move forward step by step. I am optimistic for this year because our economy becomes (more) stable and more events and sports-related activities are lined up, (such as the) 2026 Lions International Convention which returns to Hong Kong this July.”
Travel Industry Council executive director Fanny Yeung said the families affected by the fire would likely want the community to move forward.
“Travel trade is keen to see the upcoming Chinese New Year Fireworks Display continue, (alongside) a series of experiences and celebrations, such as the Chinese New Year night parade,” she added.
Destination China general manager and owner Gunther Homerlein noted he had received messages from clients, though none questioned whether events would proceed.
“Those most affected were really the travellers arriving immediately after the fires with several events delayed or postponed. Due to the time of the year, not so much of that was MICE,” he pointed out.
He observed that, amid broader global news, the fires were likely to be recognised during Chinese New Year but were not expected to have a major impact on planned activities and celebrations. He added that while the incident would have a significant effect on the families involved and their immediate circles, it was unlikely to disrupt festivities more widely.
