John Bristowe has been appointed general manager of Amora Hotel Brisbane.
He brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience across Australia and New Zealand.
Most recently, he held an executive operational leadership role overseeing a national serviced apartment portfolio. He has also held senior leadership positions with TFE Hotels and Stamford Hotels & Resorts.
Alexander Lopez has been named general manager of Meliá Pattaya Hotel. He joins from W Koh Samui, where he served as general manager for more than two years.
Previously, he was interim general manager and resort manager at W Maldives, and has held senior leadership roles at Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, and The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Phuket.
Bohol has introduced new regulations for whale shark interaction activities as the province moves to expand its eco-tourism sector while strengthening marine wildlife protection.
Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado recently signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for Provincial Ordinance No. 2026-004, known as the Enhanced Sustainable Marine Wildlife Interaction Ordinance of the Province of Bohol. The ordinance establishes guidelines for regulated whale shark tourism activities and sets requirements for operators seeking accreditation.
The framework is intended to support the reopening of whale shark interaction activities while ensuring safeguards for marine wildlife and local ecosystems.
Whale shark tourism in Bohol has previously centred on the municipality of Lila, about an hour from Panglao. Under the updated regulations, accredited operators will be required to comply with sustainability and environmental standards set by the province.
The move forms part of Bohol’s broader eco-tourism strategy, which includes marine activities, nature-based attractions and community tourism experiences.
Beyond whale shark encounters, visitors to Bohol can access diving and snorkelling sites around Panglao, island-hopping tours, river cruises on the Loboc River, forest trails, cultural attractions and community-based tourism programmes.
Bohol is known for attractions including the Chocolate Hills, tarsier sanctuaries, beaches and heritage sites. The island is also recognised as the Philippines’ only UNESCO Global Geopark, reflecting its limestone landscapes, biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Access to the province is provided through Bohol-Panglao International Airport, located about 10 to 15 minutes from Panglao’s main tourism areas. The airport was designed with sustainability features including natural ventilation, solar energy systems, rainwater collection and landscaped green spaces.
Aumentado said the IRR would serve as a guide for tour operators interested in offering whale shark interaction activities in the province and urged operators to comply with the regulations to help preserve and protect marine wildlife.
Singapore is easing planning restrictions on new hotels, hostels and serviced apartments in selected areas as part of broader efforts to support tourism growth and revitalise key precincts.
Announcing the changes during the debate on the Draft Master Plan 2025, National Development minister Chee Hong Tat said restrictions on new accommodation developments in the Upper Circular Road area will be lifted. Parts of Beach Road will also be opened up for new hotels, hostels and serviced apartments.
The move follows a review by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and forms part of broader efforts to refresh older districts and create new opportunities for tourism-related development.
The Ministry of National Development said the restrictions were introduced more than a decade ago to manage the concentration of tourist accommodation in selected areas. With changing tourism patterns and redevelopment needs, the government has decided to relax the controls.
Located near the Singapore River and Boat Quay, the Upper Circular Road area is expected to benefit from greater visitor activity as new accommodation options are introduced. The district is known for its conserved shophouses, dining outlets and nightlife offerings.
Beach Road is also likely to attract renewed interest from hospitality developers. The area has undergone substantial transformation in recent years through a mix of office, residential, lifestyle and hotel projects.
Local media reports noted that the policy shift could unlock redevelopment opportunities for older buildings and support additional room supply in central locations.
The announcement comes as Singapore advances plans under the Draft Master Plan 2025, which aims to strengthen the city’s attractiveness as both a business and leisure destination while enhancing the vibrancy of key precincts.
Galaxy Macau and Trip.com Group have entered a three-year strategic partnership aimed at expanding live entertainment, sports and tourism experiences in Macau.
The agreement, which runs from 2026 to 2029, will combine Trip.com Group’s travel platform and membership network with Galaxy Macau’s entertainment and event operations.
The partnership will focus on developing and promoting live events at Galaxy Macau, including concerts, sporting events and other programmes hosted at venues such as Galaxy Arena. It will also involve greater integration between the companies’ membership programmes, providing travellers and event attendees with benefits linked to ticket purchases, travel bookings and on-site experiences.
The collaboration comes as Macau continues efforts to diversify its tourism offering through entertainment, culture and major events. The companies said they will explore destination marketing campaigns and new tourism experiences that combine travel, accommodation and entertainment offerings to attract regional and international visitors.
The partnership coincides with Galaxy Macau’s preparations for its 15th anniversary in 2026 and is intended to support Macau’s position as a tourism and leisure destination while strengthening links between the travel and entertainment sectors.
Travelport is working with Cognizant and Anthropic on an AI programme aimed at modernising software development and travel retailing systems across its platform.
The collaboration will deploy Anthropic’s Claude AI models to support software development, testing and maintenance across Travelport’s travel distribution and retailing infrastructure. The companies said the initiative is intended to accelerate the delivery of new AI capabilities for airlines, hotels, travel management companies and online travel agencies.
The initial focus will be Travelport Trip Services, the platform that manages bookings, exchanges, refunds and servicing. The project is being developed on Travelport’s cloud-native platform, with the first customer-facing capabilities expected to be released this year.
According to the companies, the programme is designed to address growing complexity in travel booking and servicing. For travel management companies, Travelport aims to automate tasks such as rebooking, exchanges and disruption management. For online travel agencies, the company is developing tools that can convert conversational AI travel requests into bookings using live availability data.
Cognizant will integrate Claude into its engineering platforms and delivery processes, including its Neuro AI multi-agent accelerator. The AI models will be used for code development, test creation and software review, with the aim of reducing software delivery times.
The companies said the work builds on Cognizant’s wider AI Builder strategy and extends its partnership with Anthropic, first established in November 2025.
“This collaboration is about giving Travelport the tools to move faster and deliver higher quality at scale to meet the challenge of a changing travel distribution landscape,” shared Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant.
Travelport CEO John Mangelaars, said: “AI is not a future consideration, it is happening now, and the companies that move fastest and most intelligently will define the next era of travel technology.”
Rich O’Connell, head of alliances at Anthropic, added: “Reasoning across large, complex codebases is where Claude is at its best – and that’s exactly what travel infrastructure demands.”
Hilton will bring its LXR Hotels & Resorts brand to Tokyo with the rebranding of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, which is scheduled to join the luxury collection in 2027.
Owned by Brookfield and managed by Hilton, the property will undergo a phased enhancement programme before reopening its guestrooms and restaurants in mid-2026. It will continue operations ahead of its official transition to the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand.
The move marks the first LXR Hotels & Resorts property in Tokyo and the second in Japan, following Roku Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts. It also forms part of Hilton’s broader luxury expansion plans in Japan, with additional projects planned in Hiroshima and Niseko, Hokkaido.
Located in Meguro, the hotel has a history dating back almost a century and is known for its Japanese artwork, architecture and cultural heritage. The property is home to Hyakudan Kaidan, or the Hundred-Step Staircase, a designated Tangible Cultural Property of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the only remaining original wooden structure within the hotel.
The hotel will feature 60 guestrooms, including suites exceeding 100m², alongside five dining venues, a spa, fitness centre and approximately 5,700m² of meeting and event space.
Situated near Meguro Station, the property provides access to central Tokyo and is located close to the Meguro River, a popular cherry blossom viewing area with around 800 trees.
Hirohisa Fujimoto, vice president, development, Japan and Micronesia, Hilton, said: “As demand for luxury brands continues to grow in Japan, the introduction of LXR Hotels & Resorts to Tokyo offers a new and distinctive option to both domestic and international travellers.”
Skypark Sentosa will reopen on June 7, 2026, with the launch of Skyslides by Klook, a new dual-slide attraction developed in partnership with travel experiences platform Klook.
The attraction features two 44m-high dry slides, Skydrop and The Big Klook Slide, which Skypark Sentosa says are among the tallest dry slides in South-east Asia. Both slides offer views across Sentosa and are designed to cater to different comfort levels and visitor preferences.
Skydrop features a drop element before transitioning into a curved ride experience, while The Big Klook Slide provides a more gradual descent. Both attractions incorporate lighting, music and audiovisual effects.
The addition expands Skypark Sentosa’s existing attractions, which include a bungy jump, giant swing and skybridge.
Bookings are available through Klook and the Skypark Sentosa website.
Two-ride packages are priced at S$28 (US$22), while three-ride packages cost S$33. As part of a launch promotion, the first 1,000 Skyslides ticket packages purchased will receive a complimentary ride video worth S$20.
During June 2026, guests purchasing a slide package can also access special rates on selected attractions, including the Bungy Jump at S$40, down from S$99, and the Giant Swing at S$20, reduced from S$59.
Skypark Sentosa also includes Summerhouse, a beach club and dining venue overlooking the attraction.
For more information, visit Skypark Sentosa.
The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) and the Palace Museum have opened a new exhibition examining the Forbidden City’s role as a centre of cultural exchange between China and the wider world.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: The Forbidden City and the World—Cultural Encounters opened on June 3, 2026, in Gallery 1 at HKPM and features more than 130 artefacts from the Palace Museum in Beijing, HKPM and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
Spanning the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the exhibition explores diplomacy, trade, science, technology, philosophy and craftsmanship through objects including paintings, calligraphy, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, furniture and timepieces – 18 grade-one national treasures are included in the display.
The exhibition is organised into four sections covering the Silk Routes and maritime trade, imported treasures and court art, artistic and scientific exchanges between China and Europe, and the role of the Canton Customs in shaping cultural connections during the Qing dynasty.
Highlights include a Ming dynasty textile linked to the voyages of Zheng He, a rare jadeite ruyi sceptre, a geometric model reflecting the Kangxi Emperor’s interest in mathematics, and objects connected to the tea trade between China and Europe.
The exhibition also features multimedia installations, interactive displays and educational programmes, including guided tours, workshops and public talks.
Presented by HKPM and the Palace Museum, the exhibition is solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
For more information, visit Hong Kong Palace Museum.
Sharmishtha Patange has been appointed business events manager – India at Business Events Australia, effective June 8, 2026.
Based in India, she will support the implementation of the organisation’s distribution strategies and partnerships across the country’s MICE sector, while working with customers and stakeholders to drive business events and incentive travel to Australia.
