TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Wednesday, 25th February 2026
Page 48

Preferred Hotels & Resorts adds 14 new properties to global portfolio

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Preferred Hotels & Resorts has expanded its global portfolio with the addition of 14 new member properties between July 1 and September 30, 2025. The properties, spanning destinations from Spain’s Costa del Sol to Stockholm, Sweden, offer a mix of luxury, lifestyle, and culturally focused experiences.

I Prefer Hotel Rewards members can also earn 2,500 bonus points on eligible stays at these locations for a limited period.

From Stockholm to Costa del Sol, 14 new properties join Preferred Hotels & Resorts, enhancing the I Prefer Hotel Rewards programme

Highlights include Backstage Hotel Stockholm, a Lifestyle Collection property housed in a reimagined 1880s building with 57 unique rooms and music-focused amenities; BON Park Hotel at VidantaWorld Nuevo Vallarta in Mexico, part of the L.V.X. Collection, offering 79 suites, private beach access, dining and nightlife, and access to a luxury theme park opening in winter 2026; Don Carlos Marbella in Spain, featuring 284 rooms, 24 residences, a tennis centre, spa, dining venues, and private beach clubs; Paru Boutique Hotel in Brazil, with 20 suites and wellness and local excursions; and The Sun Rose West Hollywood in California, combining 149 rooms, rooftop pool, spa, dining, and live music venues.

Other properties joining the portfolio include Altis Porto Hotel in Portugal, Bernardus Lodge & Spa in California, Hotel Cristoforo Colombo in Italy, Jungala Park Hotel at VidantaWorld Riviera Maya in Mexico, Serras Sevilla in Spain, The Pridwin Hotel and Cottages in New York, Trastevere Roma UNA Esperienze in Italy, Vivienda Residence in Saudi Arabia, and 27 North in California.

Many of the new members participate in I Prefer Hotel Rewards, the brand’s loyalty programme with six million members worldwide. Members earn points redeemable for cash-value reward certificates, Titanium status, and other benefits at over 600 participating hotels globally.

“We are thrilled to welcome these 14 extraordinary new members to our global portfolio in the third quarter of 2025,” said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. “Each new member adds a distinct voice to our collective story, enriching the journeys of travellers who seek meaningful connection and character.”

Plaza Premium Group opens Australia’s only independent domestic lounge in Adelaide

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Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has unveiled the Plaza Premium Lounge Domestic Adelaide, Australia’s only independent domestic airport lounge. Located in the Domestic Departures area, the lounge complements PPG’s existing international lounge at Adelaide Airport and expands the group’s presence across Oceania.

Passengers can use the Domestic Lounge before connecting to the International Lounge for overseas flights. The lounge is designed to reflect South Australia’s character, featuring natural textures, layered lighting, and a palette inspired by local landscapes.

The new Plaza Premium Lounge Domestic Adelaide offers flexible seating, local cuisine, and premium amenities

Facilities include flexible seating, workstations, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a culinary offering highlighting local and seasonal ingredients. Breakfast includes pastries, light snacks, a pancake station, and the Aussie-style egg and bacon pizza. Lunch and dinner feature seasonal hot dishes, soups, a salad station, and signature pizzas made in the lounge’s culinary theatre. Beverages include barista-made coffee, wellness drinks, South Australian wines, and draught beers, including Tatachilla House Wine from McLaren Vale.

PPG operates six lounges across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, having first entered Australia in 2016 with the country’s first independent international lounge in Brisbane.

Changi App upgrade offers real-time flight tracking and delay compensation

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Changi Airport Group (CAG) has introduced FlightSaver Assurance, a new feature on the Changi App that offers travellers instant benefits when their scheduled departure from Singapore is delayed by three hours or more.

The feature is part of the app’s upgraded Save Flight suite, which also provides live flight tracking, real-time updates, and expanded destination airport information. Changi App is the first airport app globally to combine real-time overseas airport data with an opt-in flight-delay assurance programme.

The upgraded Changi App now offers FlightSaver Assurance, real-time flight tracking, and destination airport information for a smoother travel experience; photo by Changi Airport Group

Travellers can opt in to FlightSaver Assurance at least 12 hours before departure to receive S$10 (US$7) Changi e-vouchers if their flight is delayed by three hours or more. Vouchers are credited instantly to the app and valid for 30 days, useable at participating transit outlets. The programme runs until September 30, 2026, and may be refined for long-term adoption.

The upgraded app allows users to track flights from take-off to landing, access gate and baggage information, check local weather at their destinations, and receive push notifications for flight updates. Travellers can also purchase travel insurance via ChangiAssure and access additional travel services through the app.

James Fong, senior vice president, enterprise digital ecosystem & business, CAG, said: “At Changi, we are continually evolving our digital ecosystem to anticipate travellers’ needs. Travel should always feel effortless even as plans change unexpectedly.

“By introducing FlightSaver Assurance and enhanced in-app features, we want travellers to feel cared for. These latest upgrades bring us closer towards a smarter, more connected and worry-free travel experience that travellers can enjoy at their fingertips.”

Enjoy romance without the rings at Crystalbrook

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Crystalbrook Collection is offering couples the chance to enjoy a honeymoon experience without a wedding with its No Rings Attached Un-Honeymoon.

Available across seven properties in Cairns, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Newcastle, and Sydney from November 2025 to March 2026, packages start from A$625 (US$420) per night.

Crystalbrook Collection’s Un-Honeymoon lets couples enjoy the indulgence of a honeymoon without the wedding

Guests stay in dedicated Un-Honeymoon Suites and receive a champagne and charcuterie welcome, on-arrival cocktails, after-dark dessert delivery, in-room curated Un-Honeymoon favours, daily breakfast, and late checkout.

The experience can be enhanced through the Crystalbrook Un-Registry, allowing friends or family to gift indulgent upgrades such as spa treatments, champagne and caviar pairings, or private dinners. Additional local experiences, including reef heli-tours, seaplane flights, wine tastings, and fragrance masterclasses, are available to personalise each stay.

The Un-Honeymoon package is offered at all seven Crystalbrook Collection hotels and resorts, including Crystalbrook Byron, Crystalbrook Riley, Crystalbrook Flynn, Crystalbrook Bailey, Crystalbrook Kingsley, Crystalbrook Albion, and Crystalbrook Vincent.

For more information, visit Crystalbrook Collection.

Qantas creates executive manager role for offshore sales and alliances

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Qantas has appointed John Simeone to the newly created role of executive manager, offshore sales and alliances, reporting to CEO International Cam Wallace.

Simeone returns to Australia after nearly two years as CEO of Jetstar Asia, where he oversaw regional operations. With over 30 years in global aviation, he has extensive commercial experience across the Qantas Group, including a key role in restarting Qantas International sales post-Covid and a previous tenure as regional general manager, Asia, based in Singapore from 2019.

He will lead Qantas’ offshore sales teams and alliance partnerships, with regional general managers across the UK, Europe and South Africa, the Americas, and Asia, as well as the Alliances team, reporting to him. He will commence on December 1, 2025, with Nick McGlynn, Qantas Executive Vice President Asia, reporting to him.

Jakarta pushes film industry to attract global visitors

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Jakarta aims to be recognised as a “city of cinema” by 2027 as part of its efforts in inbound tourism promotion.

The Indonesian capital seeks to become a leading hub for the film industry by promoting its potential as a production destination, growing its creative economy and attracting international investment.

Jakarta is promoting its film locations and creative economy to attract international filmmakers and tourists

Since launching its first pavilion at the Cannes Film Market in May, Jakarta has launched a new website promoting filming locations across the city and a Film Commission to act as a one-stop-service agency for filmmakers.

Officials hope to capitalise on film tourism, the phenomenon where travellers visit a destination featured in a movie or tv show, which is expected to be worth US$128.2 billion globally by 2032, according to market intelligence company Reports and Insights.

The niche is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in travel, and a study by technology company Photoaid shows 78 per cent of travellers are “likely” or “very likely” to book a film tourism trip.

“We want people to see the words ‘Jakarta, Indonesia’ on the screen and be inspired to come here,” said Abdul Haris of the Jakarta marketing board. “We want to showcase Jakarta as a brand: for doing business, for being liveable, for visiting as a tourist.”

Haris said filmmakers can also put a spotlight on the city’s lesser-known places such as The Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu) tropical archipelago in Jakarta Bay, while introducing the city’s culture, particularly to key markets in Asia, Europe and North America.

Central Asia and Russia emerge as new favourites for Indonesian travellers

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Destinations across Central Asia and Russia are gaining popularity among affluent Indonesian travellers seeking alternatives to established markets. Travel specialists report strong demand for countries offering distinctive historical, cultural and seasonal experiences, with easier entry requirements adding to their appeal.

Istanbul-based Tempel Travel told TTG Asia during the recent 42nd TTC Travel Mart in Jakarta that destinations such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are moving from niche to mainstream.

Indonesian travellers are showing growing interest in destinations such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia, drawn by visa-free entry, cultural heritage and new travel experiences

“Türkiye remains strong, but many Indonesian travellers are now looking beyond it. Kazakhstan, for example, is gaining attraction because it’s visa-free, affordable, and visually stunning,” said Arta Tasya, Indonesia manager of Tempel Travel.

To meet growing demand for independence and flexibility, Tempel Travel introduced a Two Can Go concept, allowing two travellers to book private trips without meeting group-size requirements. For about seven million rupiah (US$420), guests can explore Kazakhstan privately with accommodation, breakfast, local transport and attraction tickets included.

The Caucasus region is also becoming popular, with travellers combining Türkiye with Georgia or Armenia in one trip. Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan offer visa-free entry for Indonesian citizens, which has significantly reduced travel friction.

Russia is attracting attention for its winter experiences, with Incorporate Travel Company reporting strong demand for its Murmansk Aurora Tour.

“This year, Murmansk is our star product. Travellers fly about two hours from Moscow to experience the Aurora Borealis, husky rides, and snowmobile adventures,” said business development manager Viliana Junus. She added that interest in Russia has rebounded as the e-visa process, fully online and approved within a month, makes travel easier even without direct flights from Indonesia.

Cheria Holidays CEO Cheriatna said demand for emerging destinations is driven by well-travelled segments who have already visited Europe, Japan or performed Umrah pilgrimages.

“They’re looking for a new spiritual and cultural layer in their travels,” he said, adding that the company’s combined Uzbekistan-Russia tour remains its best-seller, featuring Islamic heritage sites in Samarkand and Bukhara before continuing to Moscow or St Petersburg.

Religious tourism is also growing. Skyhub’s Dolly Zaimon said many Umrah agents now offer Uzbekistan-specific Islamic heritage tours, while AntaVaya’s AVP Winardo noted that Russia remains primarily a business destination, though its cultural depth continues to attract niche interest.

Hyatt to introduce Andaz brand to Hiroshima in 2027

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Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed plans to open Andaz Hiroshima, its first property in western Japan’s Chūgoku region, through a management agreement with an affiliate of Takenaka Corporation.

The hotel will occupy the 21st to 31st floors of a new mixed-use high-rise in central Hiroshima and is scheduled to open in 2027.

The new Andaz Hiroshima will mark Hyatt’s debut in Japan’s Chūgoku region, reflecting the city’s cultural and creative heritage

The project forms part of a major urban redevelopment initiative and will feature 235 guestrooms and suites inspired by Hiroshima’s cultural legacy. The hotel’s design will reflect the site’s history, which once connected Hiroshima Castle with the surrounding town. Facilities will include restaurants, a rooftop bar and restaurant with city views, a fitness centre with an indoor pool, and event spaces.

Hiroshima is home to the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The nearby Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, another UNESCO site, is known for its floating torii gate. The region also offers a scenic cycling route linking Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture to Okamura Island in Ehime Prefecture.

Well connected by Japan’s high-speed rail network, Hiroshima is about 90 minutes from Osaka and four hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and is served by Hiroshima Airport.

Takenaka Corporation president Masato Sasaki said: “We are delighted to bring the Andaz brand to Hiroshima, one of Japan’s most innovative cities.”

“Andaz Hiroshima will create a new pathway to explore Hiroshima’s culture,” shared Amar Lalvani, president and creative director of The Lifestyle Group, Hyatt. “From music to makers, the local creative scene is thriving. Our guests will have an inside view of who and what are shaping this profound city’s future.”

Airbnb enhances guest connections

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Airbnb is rolling out new features to help guests connect with others and discover trips more easily, ahead of a busy holiday season.

Experiences now let guests see who else is attending before booking, message fellow attendees within the app, and track connections in their profile to reconnect after an experience. Guests remain in control of what information is shared and how it appears.

Airbnb’s new social and booking features help travellers connect, explore, and plan with ease

Search and booking tools have also been upgraded, with more flexible options, improved maps showing landmarks, attractions, and restaurants, and a Reserve Now, Pay Later option that will expand globally next year.

In addition, AI-powered customer support is now available in more languages and countries, offering tailored responses and interactive options to manage reservations directly in the chat.

Hosts gain greater flexibility with dynamic cancellation policies for specific dates or seasons, improved pricing tips up to a year in advance, and an updated earnings dashboard to track year-on-year and seasonal performance.

These enhancements aim to create a more connected, flexible, and intelligent travel experience for both guests and hosts.

Aviation roundup: Scoot, Jetstar Japan and more

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Scoot

Scoot adds new Indonesian routes and boosts regional flights
Scoot will launch new services to Labuan Bajo, Medan, Palembang and Semarang, commencing progressively between December 2025 and February 2026.

Flights to Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park, will operate twice weekly from December 21, 2025, using the Embraer E190-E2. Daily services to Medan on the Airbus A320 family will begin from February 1, 2026. Flights to Palembang will run four times weekly from January 15, 2026, on the Embraer E190-E2, while services to Semarang will start three times weekly from December 23, 2025, increasing to four times weekly from January 1, 2026, on the Airbus A320 family.

Scoot is also increasing frequency on existing Indonesian routes. From November 2025, Jakarta flights will operate 28 times weekly, Manado services will rise from four to six weekly, Surabaya flights will increase from 10 to 12 weekly from January 2026, Bali from 21 to 28 weekly, and Yogyakarta from seven to 10 weekly.

In Thailand, flights to Bangkok will increase from 39 to 42 weekly from October 2025, while services to Koh Samui will rise to 28 weekly by December 2025.

In Malaysia, Penang flights will increase from 21 to 28 weekly from November 2025, and services to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching will each increase from seven to 10 weekly from February 2026.

Scoot will also increase flights to Vientiane in Laos from five to seven weekly from December 2025.

Jetstar Japan

Jetstar Japan resumes flights between Manila and Osaka
Jetstar Japan has resumed its Manila-Osaka (Kansai) route for the first time in nearly six years. During the winter schedule from October 26, 2025, to March 28, 2026, the airline will operate up to seven return flights per week using Airbus A320 aircraft.

Jetstar Japan is the only Japanese carrier offering direct service between Kansai and Manila.

With the resumed Manila-Kansai route, the airline now operates two international services to and from Kansai during the winter period, alongside its existing Kansai-Taipei (Taoyuan) flights. Combined, Jetstar Japan will offer up to 21 return trips per week from Kansai, expanding travel options and connectivity for passengers.

Vietjet

Vietjet commences daily Danang-Kuala Lumpur service
Vietjet has started direct flights between Danang and Kuala Lumpur, its third route connecting Vietnam and Malaysia. The daily service increases total weekly flights between the two countries to 42, complementing Vietjet’s existing Hanoi-Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City-Kuala Lumpur routes and enhancing regional connectivity.

Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines launches Cebu-Calbayog route, expands international flights for holiday season
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has introduced a new Cebu-Calbayog service, operating four times weekly, while also expanding its international network and capacity to meet holiday travel demand.

In the Philippines-Australia market, Manila-Perth flights will increase from three to six weekly services, and Manila-Melbourne will move from five weekly flights to daily. Select Manila-Brisbane services will be upgraded from Airbus A321neo to tri-class A330 aircraft, with Perth continuing on the A321neo and Melbourne served by the larger A330-300.

In South-east Asia, Manila-Danang will operate daily from October 26, 2025, to March 28, 2026, up from three times weekly, while Manila-Busan flights will rise from seven to eleven per week.

PAL is also boosting its Japan network for the holiday season. Seasonal non-stop Manila-Sapporo flights will operate thrice weekly from November 24 to March 27. Manila-Narita and Manila-Osaka routes will receive 12 additional roundtrips each over the peak period, supplementing existing daily services, and Manila-Nagoya will gain three extra round trips on select dates.

Cebu operations are expanding with five additional roundtrips to Osaka and four to Narita during peak periods. From December 16, thrice-weekly non-stop flights will begin between Cebu and Guam.

In the US, Manila-Seattle services will increase from three to five weekly flights, complementing daily services to San Francisco and Guam, twice-daily flights to Los Angeles, thrice-weekly flights to New York, and five weekly flights to Honolulu.