Cathay and eSIM provider Airalo have teamed up to provide preferentially priced eSIMs to Cathay Pacific travellers, with members earning 100 Asia Miles for every eSIM purchased.
Under the agreement, customers can purchase Airalo eSIMs at discounted rates while earning miles that can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, hotels, dining and other lifestyle rewards.
Cathay travellers can now earn Asia Miles on Airalo eSIM purchases
The partnership links digital connectivity with loyalty benefits, allowing travellers to secure mobile data before departure and avoid physical SIM cards or international roaming charges.
According to Kaleido Intelligence (2024), half of all smartphones are expected to support eSIM technology by 2028. The travel eSIM segment is projected to grow by 500 per cent between 2023 and 2028, reflecting rising demand for flexible and lower-cost connectivity options.
Airalo’s eSIMs can be activated digitally, providing data access shortly after arrival at a destination. Customers can select data plans based on destination and length of stay.
Melvin Ng, senior director, APAC partnerships, Airalo, said: “Partnering with Cathay allows us to extend that promise to a broader community of travellers who value both connectivity and rewards. With just a few taps, travellers can stay connected anywhere in the world while enjoying the added bonus of earning Asia Miles along the way, making every trip even more rewarding.”
Jonathan Ng, head of customer travel & lifestyle, Southeast Asia & Oceania, Cathay, added: “Our partnership with Airalo (will offer) our customers meaningful benefits and added convenience wherever their travels take them.”
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has introduced a new collection of nearly 50 multi-day land programmes available before and after sailings in destinations across Africa and Arabia, Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, and North America.
Available on select voyages departing in 2026 and beyond, the programmes span six ships in the line’s fleet. Designed to complement ultra-luxury sailings, the curated land experiences allow guests to explore embarkation and disembarkation cities in greater depth, combining cruise and land travel in one itinerary.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises will launch nearly 50 new pre- and post-cruise land programmes from 2026; photo by Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Highlights include a four-day French Riviera experience from Monte Carlo ahead of a Seven Seas Splendor sailing, featuring guided visits to Monaco, Eze and Nice, wine tasting and Michelin-starred dining. In the UK, a five-day British Countryside and Cuisine programme from London includes visits to Oxford, Blenheim Palace and the Tower of London before a themed Seven Seas Voyager voyage.
In Alaska, guests can explore the Kenai Peninsula prior to embarking Seven Seas Explorer, while in South-east Asia a four-day post-cruise extension to Luang Prabang offers temple visits, a Mekong sunset cruise and participation in a traditional Baci ceremony.
Additional post-cruise options include Galveston and Houston in Texas, Queenstown in New Zealand, and an active Cape Town itinerary featuring Table Mountain hikes and Cape Point exploration.
The land programmes are available at an additional cost and must be booked at least 90 days prior to sailing.
Disney Cruise Line appoints Tracy Wilson as senior vice president and general manager, Disney Cruise Line operations, succeeding Sharon Siskie.
Wilson brings more than 30 years of experience with The Walt Disney Company and most recently served as senior vice president, finance, Disney Signature Experiences, where she led strategic planning and negotiations supporting the expansion of the Disney Cruise Line fleet.
Her career spans leadership roles across Disney’s theme parks, consumer products, and studio operations, including involvement in the integration of Lucasfilm and Marvel.
Varel Singapore, a Tribute Portfolio hotel, has named Andy Tan as general manager ahead of its April 2026 opening.
He brings more than three decades of hospitality and travel experience and most recently held a senior leadership role at Millennium Hotels & Resorts, supporting commercial performance and operational alignment across its global portfolio.
In his role, Tan will lead the hotel’s pre-opening strategy, team development and commercial positioning as the South-east Asia flagship of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio brand.
By uncovering the underbelly of the city, local tour operator Hidden Heritage is showing that Singapore’s most compelling stories lie in the “micro-histories” preserved within the peeling walls and forgotten back alleys that the modern world tried to forget.
While most travellers see the island nation as a masterclass in gleaming glass and steel, co-founders Amanda Cheong and Stanley Cheah are drawn to Singapore’s true allure: the places the wrecking ball has not yet hit.
The husband-and-wife team behind Hidden Heritage curate access to Singapore’s abandoned and off-limits sites
Instead of the manicured paths of Gardens by the Bay, the husband-and-wife duo choose to navigate the oily, skeletal floors of defunct lubricant plants, gritty back alleys, and the lived-in corridors of rental housing blocks. This shared passion for “sanctioned trespassing” began when they met through Cheah’s Abandoned Singapore Instagram account, and has since evolved into a business that secures access to sites usually off-limits to the public.
The couple’s commitment to the “raw” side of the city is literal. When searching for a wedding venue, they eschewed ballrooms for the former Shell lubricant blending plant in Woodlands.
“We wanted a place that represented how we met. Peeling paint, maybe a collapsed ceiling,” Cheah shared. When they approached the Singapore Land Authority, the response was one of disbelief. He recalled the officer warning them that the site had been vacant since 2018, and questioning if they truly wanted to hold a wedding there – to which the couple gave an emphatic yes.
The resulting black-themed wedding amid towering industrial tanks caught the public’s imagination, sparking a demand that birthed one of their signature tours – Industrial Relics and Wartime Secrets: Woodlands Factory Tour.
The Industrial Relics & Wartime Secrets tour is an unfiltered dive into Woodlands, centred on a preserved Shell lubricant blending plant. Participants navigate silent, industrial halls filled with vintage machinery, and overgrown structures, that have remained frozen in time. The trail extends to the former Hawkins Road Refugee Camp – Singapore’s only camp for Vietnamese refugees – and a hidden WWII air raid shelter accessible only by ladder. More than a history walk, it is a visceral race against time to witness these industrial and wartime vestiges before they are cleared for redevelopment.
Industrial halls and vintage machinery in Woodlands offer a rare glimpse into Singapore’s manufacturing past
“Singapore is not boring,” Cheong asserted, recalling the early feedback from their Covid-era pilot groups. “I realised a lot of the attractions tourists usually go to, like the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, are very curated. We want to uncover the back alleys, the ‘underbelly’ of these spots instead. Our tours don’t shy away from the uncomfortable or taboo.”
For instance, in the Don’t Call Us Poor: Hidden Lives of Lavender Tour, travellers are offered a human-centric glimpse into the social fabric of Lavender’s one-room rental blocks, shifting the focus from Singapore’s economic success to its community resilience.
“Usually when you think of Singapore, it’s very affluent. But there are real stories and real people here who are stuck in the poverty cycle. They may not have much, but they are very happy. We offer personal stories that invite locals and travellers to think of things from a different perspective,” Cheah shared.
Another of their tours, Secrets of the Streets: Jalan Besar Heritage Tour, winds through back alleys and former red-light districts, featuring what was once a dragon dance association, now converted to a shophouse temple, and a discreet “Vegetarian Hall” – a banned religion in China that found sanctuary in colonial Singapore – which previously served as a refuge for destitute immigrant women.
While larger tourism operators focus on scale and volume, Hidden Heritage is doubling down on content-heavy experience, and the founders are not interested in the cheaper, mass-market model. Their next project is a food-centric tour set to launch in 2H2026.
“We don’t intend to compete with the big players. We don’t want to bring a large group around, and (run cheap tours). We aim to give a more premium experience, and develop a market of our own,” Cheah stated.
Climate change has brought higher temperatures and unexpected showers to Singapore, affecting the way people spend time outdoors. For Sentosa Development Corporation, which manages the popular island destination, measures to help visitors play in comfort are now more important than ever.
In this episode of TTG Conversations: Five Questions, Michael Ma, assistant chief executive for the Business & Digital Technology Group at Sentosa Development Corporation, details the new Cooling Sentosa roadmap – the careful thought processes that have led to the deployment of innovative technology and integration of nature with design to improve dwell time and the overall guest experience.
The Singapore Tourism Board and Ant International have renewed their multi-year strategic partnership to support tourism growth through digital payments and data-driven insights.
The collaboration centres on Alipay+, Ant International’s unified wallet gateway, and aims to strengthen Singapore’s position as a digitally connected destination.
From left: Singapore Tourism Board’s Melissa Ow and Ant International’s Peng Yang
The renewed agreement builds on a partnership that began in 2018.
Under the expanded collaboration, both parties will launch joint marketing initiatives targeting key source markets, including campaigns timed around peak travel periods such as Chinese New Year. The partnership will also focus on enabling secure mobile discovery and payments across Singapore’s tourism ecosystem, as well as leveraging data insights to better understand visitor behaviour.
According to Alipay+ data, Singapore ranked among the top five global travel destinations in 2025, with transactions increasing 36 per cent year-on-year. Spending via SGQR nearly tripled compared with the previous year, benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises. China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and South Korea were the top inbound markets, with transactions by Chinese travellers increasing 26 per cent year-on-year.
Through Alipay+, merchants in Singapore can accept 25 international e-wallets and banking apps, allowing travellers from 17 markets to pay using familiar mobile platforms.
The partnership also includes the rollout of digital tools such as Alipay+ Voyager, an in-app AI travel assistant offering personalised recommendations and services, as well as in-app rewards and mobile-based promotions with local merchants.
The agreement aligns with the board’s Tourism 2040 roadmap, which aims to cultivate future demand, enhance destination appeal and support a digitally enabled tourism sector.
Melissa Ow, chief executive of Singapore Tourism Board, said: “We look forward to unlocking new opportunities across key markets through Alipay+’s extensive digital wallet network. By combining our destination expertise with their payment technology and data capabilities, we can respond to the evolving traveller demand more nimbly and create a more seamless experiences for visitors whilst driving meaningful growth in tourism spending.”
Peng Yang, CEO of Ant International, added: “Destinations are dynamic digital ecosystems that connect culture and commerce across borders, driving economic impact and inclusion. Together, we will support Singapore’s ambition to inspire not just as a place to visit, but one that shapes the future of travel and its shared value to communities.”
Klook has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB) to strengthen regional tourism development and enhance visitor distribution across the prefecture.
The agreement brings together Klook’s digital platform and market data with OCTB’s local expertise to support destination marketing, visitor insights and sustainable tourism management. The partnership will focus on joint content development, online promotions, data sharing and analysis of inbound travel behaviour.
From left: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau’s Hiroshi Mizohata and Klook Japan’s Wataru Masuda
Both parties will also explore digital solutions aimed at improving visitor convenience and supporting local tourism businesses, including the use of digital content tools and audio guide capabilities. Sustainable tourism initiatives will form part of the collaboration, with the aim of managing visitor flows beyond Osaka’s city centre and encouraging travel across the wider prefecture.
Data from Klook’s Travel Pulse 2026 study, which surveyed 11,000 travellers across 20 markets, indicates continued demand for Osaka. Among travellers selecting Japan as a must-visit destination in 2026, 48.6 per cent plan to include Osaka in their itinerary. Intent is higher among millennials at 53.4 per cent, compared with 43.5 per cent among Gen Z travellers.
Platform data from Klook over the past 12 months shows strong demand for mobility-related bookings in Japan, including regional rail passes, Shinkansen tickets and car rentals. This trend suggests travellers are using Osaka as a gateway to explore surrounding areas.
The MoU reflects a broader shift towards data-led destination management, with tourism authorities and digital platforms seeking to distribute demand more evenly and support regional economic growth.
OCTB chairman Hiroshi Mizohata said: “Beyond simply increasing visitor numbers, it is essential to create experiential value across the entire prefecture and to pursue continuous improvement based on data. This partnership aims to refine the unique strengths of each municipality into market-ready products and to create an environment in which travellers can more easily discover new and exciting experiences.
“By combining Klook’s market data and expertise with OCTB’s research capabilities and regional knowledge, we will work together to build effective strategies that achieve both broader economic impact and sustainable growth.”
Wataru Masuda, general manager, Klook Japan, added: “Working closely with OCTB enables us to connect data, technology, and storytelling to help travellers explore Osaka more thoroughly, while supporting small and medium-sized merchants beyond Osaka City in reaching global travellers through Klook’s platform.
“By amplifying discovery of experiences across the wider prefecture, we aim to encourage more balanced visitor flows that benefit local communities.”
Fusion Hotel Group has signed a long-term hotel management agreement with Tropical Corporation to develop a new full-service wellness-focused resort on Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam.
The agreement was formalised on February 6, 2026.
From left: Fusion Hotel Group’s Christopher Hur and Tropical Corporation’s Tran Van Son
Under the partnership, Tropical Corporation will develop its beachfront site under the Fusion Resort brand, featuring 51 villas and 158 rooms. Facilities will include an all-day dining venue, specialty restaurants and bars, meeting and event spaces, a kid’s club, a spa, an infinity pool and a beach club.
Fusion Resort Phu Quoc will be located along Bai Truong beach, one of the island’s main beachfront areas, and is situated close to Phu Quoc International Airport.
The property will feature Fusion’s all-spa-inclusive wellness concept at Maia Spa, alongside its “breakfast anywhere, anytime” offering and personalised guest services delivered by Fusionistas.
Scheduled to open in 4Q2027, the resort is expected to target the meetings and events segment as well as wellness-focused leisure travellers.
At the signing ceremony, Tran Van Son, chairman of Tropical Corporation, said: “Both parties are united by a commitment to quality, sustainability, and the creation of lasting added value for the project.”
He also noted growth in the wellness resort segment in Phu Quoc, which is recognised as a leading resort destination in South-east Asia.
“We are delighted to partner with Tropical Corporation and to return to Phu Quoc with this landmark project. It represents an important milestone in Fusion’s expansion strategy and reaffirms our commitment to establishing a strong presence in wellness-oriented hospitality across Vietnam and other strategic tourism destinations,” added Christopher Hur, CEO of Fusion Hotel Group.
Her career spans leadership roles across Disney’s theme parks, consumer products, and studio operations, including involvement in the integration of Lucasfilm and Marvel.
In his role, Tan will lead the hotel’s pre-opening strategy, team development and commercial positioning as the South-east Asia flagship of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio brand.
