Taking action
As the East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Federation (EATOF) marks 25 years in 2025, Hyeon Jun-Tae, secretary general of the Permanent Secretariat, who is also Gangwon State Tourism Bureau director general, shares what the grouping has achieved and what lies ahead
Positive attention
CresentRating’s intelligence on the Muslim travel market and advocacy for halal tourism have led to positive shifts in perception among industry players of the importance of this segment, reflects founder and CEO, Fazal Bahardeen
Sustainability is calling
Views of sustainability are evolving for the better in the travel and tourism industry, but Randy Durband, CEO of Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) says there is still room for improvement
Sentosa’s green journey
Lee Cheh Hsien, assistant chief executive of corporate and sustainability at Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) helms the island’s long-term sustainable destination development with the aim to give guests great experiences without leaving behind a carbon footprint
Smaller yet better
With Dubai International retaining its position as the world’s busiest international airport for the 10th consecutive year, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, shares his vision of passenger-centric facilities and the shape of travel
Forward as one
ASEAN has achieved much to advance the region’s travel and tourism industry, but more can be done to market South-east Asia as a single destination, opines Eddy Soemawilaga, president of ASEAN Tourism Association
Big plans for Bintan
Bintan Resorts chief operating officer Abdul Wahab provides updates on island developments and plans to grow inbound numbers
The spending game
Mastercard’s division president for South-east Asia, Safdar Khan, turns his nose up at talks of revenge travel losing steam this year, but cautions that several macroeconomic conditions can affect the positive outlook for South-east Asian outbound appetite
Breaking down barriers
Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of Banyan Group, talks about developing Thailand’s south, the launch of the Banyan Living platform, and how social sustainability factors into the group’s development trajectory for Phuket, just as the organisation turns 30
High ambitions
Munekatsu Ota, CEO of global travel commerce platform Rakuten Travel Xchange (RTX) and vacation rental model Rakuten Stay (RS), is propelling expansion of the Japanese brand, which means optimism, in South-east Asia and beyond
