H World Group will enter Laos with the signing of four hotel management projects that will bring three of its brands – Intercity Hotel, Ji Hotel, and Orange Hotel – to the destination.
This move is in line with H World Group’s growth ambition in South-east Asia through what it terms an “asset-light and internationalisation strategy”. It opened its first South-east Asian hotel in Singapore – Ji Hotel Orchard Singapore – in 2019.
H World Group is set to open four hotels in Laos by 2027
The new hotels in Laos will be located in prime areas in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. They will be developed with three investment partners – Lao Kunpeng Industrial Co., Yuting Hotel Investment Management Co., and KP Construction Sole Co..
Both Intercity Hotel Vientiane and Ji Hotel Vientiane Mekong Riverside will open in early 2026 while Orange Hotel Vientiane International Airport will welcome first guests in 3Q2026.
Intercity Hotel Luang Prabang will join the network in 2027.
These openings will also mark the Orange Hotel’s brand debut outside of China and Ji Hotel’s second flag in South-east Asia.
Zhu Xiaogang, president of H World Asia Pacific, said the four projects would be “highlights” in the company’s expansion in the region.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways, Vietnam’s first airline dedicated to a “resort-in-the-sky” travel model, has selected Amadeus solutions, including the Altéa Passenger Service System (PSS), Amadeus Sky suite and Amadeus Revenue Accounting, to support its full-service operations and customer experience ahead of its official launch.
Developed by Sun Group, Sun PhuQuoc Airways aims to provide direct connections between Phu Quoc and major cities domestically and internationally. Using Amadeus Altéa PSS, the airline will manage booking, ticketing, inventory, departure control and customer service, ensuring a seamless, data-driven experience for passengers.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways will use Amadeus systems to streamline operations and enhance the passenger experience
The airline will also implement Amadeus SkyWorks, an intelligent schedule editor that allows flexible and streamlined flight planning, and Amadeus Revenue Accounting to track passenger revenue in real time and optimise accounting processes.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways is developing a hub-and-spoke network with Phu Quoc as the central hub. The launch coincides with the island’s preparations to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in 2027, which will welcome thousands of delegates from 21 member countries.
The partnership with Amadeus comes at a time of strong growth in Vietnam’s tourism sector. Visitor numbers increased 23 per cent year-on-year in the first four months of 2025, reaching 7.7 million. According to Amadeus Travel Trends 2025, 35 per cent of global leisure travel spending will occur in Asia this year, and the region is projected to see a 50 per cent rise in air passengers over the next 15 years.
As a new regional travel hub, Sun PhuQuoc Airways is positioned to connect Asian and international travellers to Phu Quoc, supporting the continued growth of the region’s tourism and aviation sectors.
Nguyen Manh Quan, CEO of Sun PhuQuoc Airways, commented: “Choosing Amadeus is a strategic move that enables us not only to deliver outstanding service, but also to reach a global distribution network and bring international travellers closer to the beauty of Phu Quoc and Vietnam.”
“By providing data-driven insights and a modular design approach, we aim to support the airline’s ambitions in delivering high-quality service from day one and to successfully expand its reach into a successful future in the travel space” added Javier Laforgue, executive vice president, managing director, Asia Pacific, Amadeus.
K-pop star Jisoo has released a special video for her track Your Love, from her mini album AMORTAGE, filmed at Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve. The video highlights the city’s natural landscapes and wildlife attractions, including Rainforest Wild Asia, the region’s first adventure-based zoological park, and the Singapore Zoo, known for its open-concept habitats.
The video was officially released on August 12, and a behind-the-scenes video will be uploaded after.
Jisoo’s emotive performance brings Singapore’s greenery and wildlife to life, showcasing the city’s distinctive attractions to K-pop fans and international travellers alike
The collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board aims to promote Singapore to global audiences through K-content, inspiring visitors to explore its nature and cultural experiences.
To coincide with the launch of Jisoo’s video, Rainforest Wild Asia will host the Your Love meets the Wild campaign from August 13 to October 5, 2025, offering an immersive trail that recreates locations from the video.
Peppers Hunter Valley, Australia Peppers Hunter Valley has reopened following the rebrand of Grand Mercure The Vintage and a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. The property returns to the Hunter Valley, where the Peppers brand was first established.
The hotel offers one-, two- and three-bedroom villas upgraded with modern kitchens, as well as refreshed lighting and new furnishings. A redesigned reception area combines Peppers’ signature style with the relaxed atmosphere of the countryside.
Located within The Vintage precinct, the property is surrounded by vineyards, rolling hills and the Greg Norman-designed 18-hole golf course. A new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar, Mezze, will open upstairs, adding to the precinct’s culinary offerings.
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will open in the iconic Merdeka 118, the tallest skyscraper in the Asia-Pacific.
The hotel occupies levels 75 to 114, offering guests panoramic views of the city skyline.
The property features 252 keys, including 27 suites, with wellness facilities and dining options reflecting Malaysian culture.
Situated near Petaling Street in Chinatown, the hotel provides easy access to Kuala Lumpur’s historic and cultural attractions.
Aloft Surabaya Pakuwon City
Aloft Surabaya Pakuwon City, Indonesia Aloft Surabaya Pakuwon City will open on August 22, 2025, introducing the Aloft brand and Marriott’s first hotel in eastern Surabaya. The hotel features 233 rooms designed for business travellers, digital nomads and weekend visitors.
Guests can enjoy a fitness centre, outdoor pool, meeting spaces, W XYZ Lounge, Vibe Restaurant and Echo Lounge & Bar. The hotel is directly connected to Pakuwon City Mall, The Courtyard and Park Shanghai, putting shopping, dining and entertainment just steps away.
Pullman Sydney Penrith
Pullman Sydney Penrith, Australia Pullman Sydney Penrith, the first five-star hotel in Penrith, offers 24 Junior Suites, 95 Superior Rooms, 25 Deluxe Rooms and eight accessible Superior Rooms. Junior Suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows, a sitting area, work desk, full-sized fridge and microwave, along with in-room amenities such as Hunter Lab skincare products and Nespresso machines. All rooms include smart controls, digital compendiums and a Sleep Therapy Menu with a range of wellness options.
The hotel features F&B options, a fitness and wellness centre, a 10-person sauna, and sustainably minded operations including zero single-use plastics and electric vehicle charging stations.
Located 21 minutes from Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, Pullman Sydney Penrith provides easy access to the Blue Mountains, Sydney CBD and Harbour, as well as coastal attractions. The hotel is adjacent to the Western Sydney Convention Centre, and offers a central base for business and leisure travellers in New South Wales.
This December, Singapore will host Sing60 Music Festival, a two-day outdoor event at Fort Canning Park on December 6 and 7. Organised by The Rice Company and produced by Global Cultural Alliance, the festival marks 60 years of Singapore’s music, showcasing both classic and contemporary homegrown sounds.
Performances will take place across two stages, Fort Canning Green and the Battlebox, with three strands: Homegrown Icons, Bandwagon Sessions, and Bunker B2B.
From left: Shye, Mavis Hee and Shazza take the stage with classic favourites and fresh performances, celebrating Singapore’s musical legacy
Homegrown Icons features established solo artists performing original songs and covers of Singaporean music that shaped their careers. Bandwagon Sessions highlights indie and alternative bands across generations. Bunker B2B at the Battlebox pairs veteran DJs with emerging talents in back-to-back sets, covering electronic genres from house to experimental.
Celebrations extend to the Festival Village, where independent design, lifestyle, and food brands will be featured, reflecting Singapore’s creative community.
Sing60 operates a pay-it-forward model, with every ticket enabling a child from an underserved background to attend.
The festival is supported by sponsors including the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore, which helps recognise and support local music creators.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2026 Asia itinerary offers travellers the chance to visit multiple destinations across the region in a single trip, without the need for separate transportation or accommodation bookings. This provides opportunities to explore a range of cultural, historical, and natural sites throughout Asia.
The 2026 Asia ports of call include Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand, where visitors can explore temples, markets, and local cuisine; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which features the Petronas Towers; Papeete, French Polynesia, offering outdoor activities such as surfing and hiking; Seoul, South Korea, which combines history and modern city life; Singapore with its mix of temples and skyscrapers; Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan, providing cultural sites like museums and temples; and Tokyo, Japan, where visitors can enjoy a range of traditional and modern experiences.
Explore multiple Asian destinations in one trip with Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2026 itinerary, such as Singapore, pictured
Other highlights include Hong Kong, China, with markets, Victoria Peak, and Cantonese cuisine; Kyoto, Japan, with shrines, temples, and historic districts; and Phuket, Thailand, featuring beaches, temples, and national parks.
The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has confirmed Abu Dhabi as the host destination for its 68th Convention-cum-Exhibition, scheduled for September 17 to 19 at the Grand Hyatt, Abu Dhabi. The event is expected to attract over 350 delegates.
The association last hosted its convention in the emirate in 2016.
The 68th TAAI Convention in Abu Dhabi aims to strengthen ties and promote Indian visitor arrivals with immersive cultural experiences
“Much has changed in Abu Dhabi since our last convention there. A number of new products and experiences like teamLab have been introduced and we want our members to be updated on these developments. We are confident that hosting our convention in Abu Dhabi will further boost Indian visitor arrivals to the destination,” said Sunil Kumar, president, TAAI, while addressing a press conference in New Delhi on August 11 to announce the convention.
Held under the theme Business with Goodness, the convention will highlight tourism’s role as a promoter of peace and include knowledge sessions on industry insights and emerging trends. The delegates will also be offered the opportunity to discover Abu Dhabi through various tours. Some of the products and experiences covered will include BAPS Temple, Qasr-Al-Watan Palace, teamLab, The Louvre, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace among others.
“This convention will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange while offering our members an immersive introduction to Abu Dhabi’s diverse cultural, leisure and business attractions. Our exhibition, the India Travel Trade Expo will create business opportunities and provide strong visibility for exhibitors, enabling them to network and forge new partnerships,” added Kumar.
The convention aligns with DCT Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to welcome 39.3 million visitors annually by the end of the decade.
Sun Siyam Resorts, which operates a number of properties in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, has joined hands with the Ministry of Higher Education, Maldives to offer hospitality apprenticeship for young Maldivians.
The new programme is conducted through the World Bank-funded SAILS Project (Sustainable and Integrated Labour Services), which sets out to enhance skills development and youth employability in the Maldives.
Sun Siyam Resorts launches hospitality apprenticeship programme to boost skills and employment for young Maldivians
The first intake kicked off in July with 13 apprentices. Over the next six months, these apprentices will gain structured, on-the-job experience across key departments of Siyam World Maldives resort, from diving, finance, engineering, culinary, IT and more.
The programme includes mentorship by senior team members, skill-focused workshops, and real-world exposure aligned with national certification standards and Sun Siyam Resorts’ own service philosophy.
Apprentices who successfully complete the programme will be offered employment at any property under Sun Siyam Resorts.
Abdulla Thamheed, vice president of operations, Sun Siyam Resorts, said the project is a “long-term investment in the future of Maldivian tourism”.
The new hospitality apprenticeship reflects the same values that drive the group’s broader commitment to people and purpose, and joins other initiatives carried out under the Sun Siyam Cares framework that focuses on sustainability, environmental protection, and ethical tourism.
Sun Siyam Resorts spokesperson Claudia Klingbeil told TTG Asia that a second enrolment will follow in January 2026 – and this time it will be conducted across all properties.
Mama Shelter will open its first hotel in Asia this September with Mama Shelter Singapore on Killiney Road in the Somerset district. The 115-room property is part of Ennismore, a global lifestyle hospitality group under Accor.
Founded in Paris, the brand has grown to 20 locations worldwide, including London, Lisbon, Dubai and Nice.
Mama Shelter opens its first Asian property in Singapore in September 2025, featuring its first bunk room for families or friends, pictured
Mama Shelter Singapore is designed as a space for living, dining, socialising and entertainment. The hotel combines open-plan public areas with an active programme of live music, events and community engagement. The design, created by Dion & Arles, reflects Singapore’s multicultural identity through local motifs, Peranakan influences and a rooftop garden setting.
The rooftop includes a pool and tropical greenery, with nearly half the rooms featuring private terraces, a first for the brand. A large ceiling mural by Parisian street artist Beniloys spans the restaurant, rooftop and lift lobbies, illustrating Singapore’s maritime and cultural heritage.
The ground-floor restaurant and bar serve a brasserie-style menu overseen by executive chef Eugene Tan, with drinks developed alongside bartender Hazel Long. The Sunday brunch offers a selection of cold cuts, salads, pastas, roasts and desserts. The rooftop bar and restaurant provide Mediterranean-inspired dishes and live entertainment by the pool.
Rooms are designed with comfort and practicality in mind, featuring five-star bedding, soundproofing, large screens with films on demand, and bathroom products from Australian brand Ink & Water. The hotel also includes a retail shop with branded merchandise.
Located between Orchard Road and New Bahru, the hotel is a short walk from Somerset MRT and close to retail, dining and cultural venues.
Cédric Gobilliard, COO of Mama Shelter, shared: “Locals and travellers here want more than a room; they want character, connection, and soul. That’s exactly what Mama brings: a new kind of hospitality that’s human, playful, and open to everyone.”
Serge Trigano, co-founder of Mama Shelter, added: “When we opened the first Mama in Paris, we never imagined she would travel so far – but here we are in Singapore. A city full of life, creativity and character. I feel a real sense of pride seeing Mama’s spirit take root in Asia for the first time. This is not just another opening for us. It is a new chapter in the Mama story.”
To mark the opening, rooms are available at a starting price for bookings made before the deadline. The offer applies to stays within a set period, subject to availability. Special booking codes and membership discounts are also available.
Club Med has consolidated three existing business units into two integrated entities – East & South Asia and Pacific (ESAP) and China – with effect from May 1 this year.
The business transformation reinforces the brand’s commitment to deepening regional focus, unlocking new growth potential, and enhancing operational agility in high-priority markets.
Rachael Harding leads Club Med’s consolidated East & South Asia and Pacific operations
The new structure is aligned with the distinct business environment in ESAP and China, yet allows the company to preserve its collaborative “One APAC” mechanism.
Rachael Harding takes on the role of CEO of the newly integrated ESAP business unit, encompassing both commercial and resort operations management. She reports to Gregory Lanter, deputy CEO of Club Med.
The ESAP business unit also sees several key appointments: Cindy Beleau as vice president of revenue management APAC; Sandrine Rossi as vice president, operations and product; Anastasiya Kulish as vice president of Japan resort operations; Michelle Davies as general manager Pacific and ESAP new markets; Olivier Monceau who adds on meetings & events segment to his leadership of Singapore and Malaysia; Jerome Ferrie chief financial officer; and Arezki Haddad as chief HR officer.
Henri Giscard d’Estaing, president of Club Med, said in a press statement that the move “opens a new chapter for Club Med in Asia-Pacific”.
“With empowered leadership and a shared ‘glocal’ vision, Club Med now has even more agility to seize opportunities in key markets and reinforce our position as the worldwide leader in premium, all-inclusive travel,” said d’Estaing.
Harding said the “business transformation empowers us to scale with greater purpose and precision across the region”. She noted ESAP’s strong 2024 performance and significant growth potential for Club Med.
Meanwhile, in China, which is Club Med’s second-largest market with over 260,000 guests welcomed in 2024, the strategic realignment will see Andrew Xu carrying on as CEO of Club Med China. He will also serve as deputy CEO of Club Med, overseeing global finance.
