US-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is deepening its Indonesia growth strategy by expanding beyond Jakarta, working more closely with trade partners, and exploring opportunities in the business events segment.
Henry Yu, managing director for Asia at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, said Indonesia has grown from a new market to one of the brand’s top five source markets in Asia within the last two to three years.
Uniworld is looking beyond Jakarta to tap growth in Surabaya, Medan and the business events segment
“The growth in Indonesia is beyond fantastic, and now we want to make it stronger and move toward the top three,” Yu said.
While Yu did not disclose a specific target for 2026, he noted that Uniworld remains focused on expanding its presence despite a challenging market backdrop.
With the rupiah under pressure, Yu said it is an opportune time to step up marketing efforts and continue building awareness among Indonesian travellers and trade partners.
“River cruising is still a new product in Indonesia, so we need to spend more time educating the market,” he added.
To drive growth, Uniworld is expanding its reach beyond Jakarta, with increased engagement planned for cities including Bandung, Medan, Surabaya and Semarang.
Yu shared: “We are working closely with travel agents through product training and experience-based events to introduce river cruising to the market.”
Beyond leisure travel, Uniworld is targeting the business events segment, positioning river cruising as an alternative for corporate groups looking to reward and engage teams through tailored itineraries.
“One approach Uniworld takes for corporate groups is to create personalised programmes, including customised onboard arrangements, dining concepts, and excursions,” Yu said, adding that the company will continue investing in Indonesia as operations scale up.
“Right now, we have one representative, and we will see how we can provide more support as we grow in the Indonesian market.”
Klook and Mastercard have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop travel and payment experiences for consumers across the Asia-Pacific region.
The collaboration centres on three strategic areas: increasing cardholder benefits, expanding travel and lifestyle offerings, and introducing new payment options. The alliance aims to cater to changing consumer habits identified in Klook’s Travel Pulse 2026 research, which revealed that 47 per cent of regional travellers seek promotional offers, 42 per cent book early for better rates, and 23 per cent choose destinations based on specific activities.
From left: Klook’s Eric Gnock Fah and Mastercard’s Peter Robejsek
Initial joint initiatives will include exclusive discounts and privileges for Mastercard cardholders ahead of the year-end travel season, alongside a pipeline of entertainment benefits. Future plans involve deeper data integration and next-generation payment capabilities.
“Experiences give travel meaning, creating moments that become lasting memories,” said Eric Gnock Fah, co-founder and president at Klook. “By combining Klook’s experiences platform with Mastercard’s global network and trusted payments infrastructure, we can help travellers discover more, unlock greater value, and spend less time planning and more time experiencing the world.”
“The future of travel will be shaped by ecosystems that bring together the best of technology, payments and experiences,” added Peter Robejsek, executive vice president, market development, Asia Pacific, Mastercard. “Through collaborations with industry leaders like Klook, with their deep insights on travellers, Mastercard is helping create more personalised, rewarding and seamless journeys across the region.”
Radisson Hotel Group will debut its Radisson Red brand in Australia with a 328-room, new-build property set to open in Sydney’s CBD in 2029.
Developed in partnership with Ceerose, the 31-storey Radisson Red Sydney Haymarket will be situated 200 metres from Central Station and 6.3km from Sydney Airport, placing guests near Chinatown, Darling Harbour, the International Convention Centre, and the city’s emerging Tech Central precinct.
The 328-room, new-build Radisson RED Sydney Haymarket will open in 2029 near Central Station and Tech Central
Facilities will include a restaurant, a lobby café-bar, a pool bar, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, and 218m² of meeting space. The property will also feature a dedicated early- and late-check-out lounge for transit travellers.
“The signing of Australia’s first Radisson Red marks an important milestone in our Australasia expansion plan,” said Elie Younes, executive vice president & global chief development officer, Radisson Hotel Group.
“Radisson Red Sydney Haymarket has been conceived as a destination that reflects the energy and transformation taking place across this part of Sydney,” added Edward Doueihi, founder and managing director of Ceerose. “Its location at the gateway to the CBD… creates a compelling opportunity for a new lifestyle hotel. We are delighted to partner with Radisson Hotel Group to bring a distinctive, globally recognised brand to this landmark development.”
Royal Caribbean has unveiled its 2027-2028 Asia-Pacific season featuring Voyager of the Seas. From October 2027 through April 2028, the vessel will operate two- to 15-night itineraries departing from Brisbane, Sydney, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Voyager of the Seas will begin operations in Brisbane and Sydney before repositioning north to Singapore and homeporting in Hong Kong. The broader regional line-up includes Navigator of the Seas sailing year-round from Singapore starting October 2026, Ovation of the Seas from Brisbane, Anthem of the Seas from Sydney, and Spectrum of the Seas operating out of Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Voyager of the Seas will operate a series of two- to 15-night itineraries across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia-Pacific between October 2027 and April 2028; photo by Royal Caribbean
From October to December 2027, Voyager of the Seas will offer two- to seven-night South Pacific sailings from Brisbane visiting Mystery Island, Port Vila, Luganville, and Noumea, before a two-night repositioning to Sydney. From Sydney, itineraries include a 10-night Christmas cruise to New Zealand visiting Picton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Milford Sound.
Sailings from Singapore include a five-night voyage visiting Ho Chi Minh City (Phuoc An) before terminating in Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, four- and five-night Chinese New Year cruises will visit Ishigaki and Okinawa, alongside regional itineraries to Taipei (Keelung) and Hue/Danang (Chan May).
Kenny Toy joins Rosewood Hotel Group as senior vice president, commercial, global, based in Hong Kong.
Reporting to COO Anthony Ingham, Toy will oversee the group’s global commercial strategy, including sales, marketing, distribution, revenue management, partnerships and e-commerce.
Toy has more than 20 years of experience in commercial strategy, marketing and digital transformation, and joins Rosewood from Accenture Song.
The Japanese government has pledged to promote travel to Kyushu in response to the devastating losses incurred by its tourism industry following a magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28.
Central eastern towns, including Uki and Hikawa, were hardest hit, though other parts of the prefecture and neighbouring areas also experienced strong or moderate shaking.
The Mount Aso area in Kumamoto remains unaffected by the recent earthquake and open to visitors
Damage to the buildings, equipment, and hot spring infrastructure of hotels and inns near the epicentre is estimated at four billion yen (US$25.1 million), according to the Kumamoto Prefectural Government. A further two billion yen in revenue shortfall due to cancellations by roughly 146,000 guests for trips this summer and autumn has been reported by Kumamoto’s tourism industry.
Roughly 60 per cent of the relinquished bookings were for accommodation in parts of the prefecture largely unaffected by the quake, including the popular Aso area, prompting Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura to urge people not to cancel trips based on fear or rumours.
Other Kyushu prefectures have also suffered cancellations. Kagoshima logged the highest number at 111,749, largely due to severed transport links and the popularity of joint Kumamoto-Kagoshima touring packages. Fukuoka followed with 28,000 cancellations, alongside Nagasaki (14,259), Miyazaki (11,357), Oita (7,810), and Saga (1,820).
With the Kyushu Shinkansen still suspended between Kumamoto and Shin-Minamata stations and operating on a limited schedule between Shin-Minamata and Kagoshima-Chuo stations, the tourism industry is bracing for further cancellations in the coming weeks.
The national government’s aid package is expected to be launched by the end of August, featuring a travel fee discount campaign for Kyushu, according to a government spokesperson.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a portfolio agreement with long-term partner GCP Hospitality, the hospitality arm of Gaw Capital Group, to add 14 hotels in Kyoto.
The deal covers 1,063 rooms comprising 12 Garner hotels, one Holiday Inn Express, and one unbranded hotel. All properties will undergo phased openings over the next 12 months following renovation and rebranding. The agreement represents one of the largest conversion portfolio deals in Japan in recent years.
The agreement with GCP Hospitality will add 1,063 rooms across key city districts through 12 Garner properties, one Holiday Inn Express, and an unbranded hotel
The expansion boosts IHG’s presence in Kyoto, adding to an existing portfolio that includes Six Senses Kyoto, ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, Holiday Inn Kyoto Gojo, and Garner Hotel Kyoto Shijo Karasuma. The properties are situated in primary districts, including areas around Kyoto Station, Shijo, and Gojo.
Commenting on the appointment, GCP Hospitality CEO Erwann Mahé said the firm was pleased to expand its partnership with IHG. He added that GCP Hospitality would manage the 14-hotel portfolio, leveraging IHG’s global scale and brand strength to reposition the properties in Kyoto.
Abhijay Sandilya, managing director, Japan & Micronesia, IHG Hotels & Resorts and CEO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, said: “Following the successful Garner brand launch in Japan around 18 months ago in Osaka, this deal demonstrates the growing interest from owners to rebrand hotels and benefit from quick access to IHG’s leading enterprise, including our marketing, technology and distribution platforms, and the scale of IHG One Rewards globally.
“We are just starting to tap into Garner’s full growth potential in Japan as the business hotel segment is under-penetrated by international brands.”
Polo Hotels Group has introduced Chapter Hotels & Resorts, an upscale boutique brand targeting younger, experience-led travellers in North-east India.
The home-grown brand debuts later this year with Chapter Lakeside, Tripura, a 17-key property situated on the shores of Rudrasagar Lake, 90 minutes from Agartala airport. Featuring views of Neermahal Palace, the resort will offer boat transfers, a lake-view pool, a poolside bar, and dining focused on regional Kokborok and Mui Borok culinary traditions.
Chapter Lakeside, Tripura, a 17-key property on Rudrasagar Lake, will mark the debut of the home-grown group’s new boutique brand
A second property, the 37-key Chapter Resort Upper Shillong in Meghalaya, is set to follow as the city’s first pool resort. The group’s expansion pipeline includes sites across West Bengal, Nagaland, and other locations in the region through owned, managed, and retrofit models.
Properties under the new brand will feature the Cassette kitchen & bar concept, serving food and beverages made with ingredients sourced from regional tea gardens, hill markets, and local growers.
Founded in Shillong in 1986 by Kishan Tibrewalla, Polo Hotels Group operates properties across three tiers: Polo Hotels & Resorts in the upscale segment, Chapter Hotels & Resorts in the boutique tier, and Max in the midscale sector.
“We called it ‘Chapter’ because every hotel opens a new part of the destination for the guest. Same brand energy, different local story. The plan is to build more soon – each with its own voice,” said Deval Tibrewalla, WTD & CEO, Hotel Polo Towers.
“Upscale is not expensive wallpaper. It is good decisions. Put the pool where the view is. Cook food from the region. Build a bar with a point of view. Keep it sharp, warm and local. That is Chapter.”
Having debuted in 2023, Hong Kong-based TTT Culture Group specialises in bridging traditional artisans, cultural knowledge, and the commercial market by building a tapestry of cultural workshops.
Founder and CEO Eric Chiang believes that Hong Kong culture should not only be preserved in museums or archives, but also experienced in daily life. The company fills this gap by supporting local artisans, designing accessible cultural experiences, and helping transform intangible cultural heritage (ICH) into meaningful education, tourism, and retail products.
Visitors try their hand at crafting traditional lucky buns as part of TTT Culture Group’s immersive heritage experiences
Currently, the brand offers over 30 categories of workshops, including sugar blowing, dragon’s beard candy making, neon light decoration, and Jiaodong woodblock print horse fabric ornament crafting. By collaborating with seven to eight ICH veteran partners, the group turns traditional skills into visitor-friendly workshops and retail products. These initiatives create new income streams for artisans while offering schools, corporates, and tourists a more engaging reason to explore the destination.
According to Chiang, the city possesses rich cultural stories that require the right format to reach modern audiences.
“At TTT Culture, we believe the future of heritage is not only preservation but participation. If people can touch it, make it, taste it, photograph it and understand it, culture becomes alive again. That’s the role we hope to play for Hong Kong,” Chiang said.
“We see ourselves as a guardian, supporter, and facilitator of local cultural experiences. We respect the original form of every craft, but at the same time, we make it easier for the next generation and international visitors to understand, participate in, and remember Hong Kong culture. For instance, we use AI technology to record an elderly craftsman’s lectures and skillsets to cater for larger classes, or for when he is unavailable.”
Chiang brings an established network from previous workshop ventures and the revitalisation project of Cheung Chau Theatre. Co-founder Martin Kwok represents the second generation of Kwok Kam Kee’s lucky buns in Cheung Chau. Their bun workshop holds the largest market share, attracting between 40,000 and 50,000 local participants, with plans now focused on expanding into international markets. Beyond crafting a bun-shaped souvenir, participants learn the history behind the ICH Cheung Chau Jiao Festival and the local community.
From lucky bun making to traditional dragon’s beard candy crafting, TTT Culture Group offers hands-on workshops that preserve Hong Kong’s local crafts
“Our workshops are not just DIY activities. Each programme is built around a real cultural story, a recognised craft or a local heritage partner. We put strong emphasis on authenticity, structured teaching, good materials, professional training and storytelling,” Chiang said, adding that venues in Central and Cheung Chau can accommodate groups from 20 to 1,000 people for a 60- to 90-minute experience. The group’s retail outlet at Hong Kong International Airport, which opened last year, stocks over 500 cultural items, ranging from DIY mask painting kits to limited-edition handmade crafts.
Looking ahead, the brand plans to strengthen its physical touchpoints by opening a retail store at The Peak in September 2026, offering neon light workshops alongside cheongsam rental, photography services, and cultural merchandise.
Concurrently, Chiang is exploring scalable partnership and franchise models, including overseas workshop partners, cultural retail corners, pop-up stores, and licensed experience centres. By the end of this year, the first franchise outlets are expected to launch in Malaysia and Singapore, supporting Chiang’s goal to introduce Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage to international markets while maintaining authentic, professionally managed content.
Etihad opens daily Abu Dhabi–Tashkent service with Uzbekistan Airways codeshare
Etihad Airways touches down in Tashkent, adds Uzbekistan codeshare
Etihad Airways has launched its first service to Uzbekistan with a daily non-stop flight connecting Abu Dhabi and Tashkent. The new route is accompanied by a codeshare agreement with Uzbekistan Airways, allowing Etihad passengers to connect through Tashkent to eight domestic destinations—Andijan, Bukhara, Fergana, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Termez and Urgench—as well as select international points on the Uzbek carrier’s network. In return, Uzbekistan Airways places its code on Etihad’s daily flights between Tashkent and Abu Dhabi.
Scoot
Scoot introduces Guiyang route, expands regional network
Scoot will launch a new three times weekly service from Singapore to Guiyang on October 26, 2026, using Airbus A320neo aircraft.
The addition brings the carrier’s China network to 81 weekly flights across 16 cities, while expanding its global network to 86 destinations across 18 countries and territories.
As part of its Northern Winter 2026/2027 schedule running from October 25, 2026 to March 27, 2027, the airline will also increase regional flight frequencies across the Asia-Pacific region. Services to Hat Yai will rise from 12 to 14 weekly flights, Phuket from 17 to 21 weekly flights, and Okinawa from four to five weekly flights. From December 2026, Clark flights will expand from seven to 10 weekly, and Tiruchirappalli from 12 to 14 weekly. Kota Kinabalu services will increase from 10 to 13 weekly flights starting January 2027. Additionally, daily Phu Quoc services will progressively transition from Embraer E190-E2 aircraft to larger Airbus A320 family aircraft to increase seat capacity.
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines ramps up Melbourne flights to daily frequency
Philippine Airlines will increase its Manila to Melbourne service from five weekly flights to daily operations starting November 19, 2026. The expanded frequency provides additional passenger options between the Philippines and Australia.
The carrier also operates daily flights to Brisbane and Sydney, alongside a three times weekly service to Perth.
Vietjet has introduced direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Colombo
Vietjet expands international route network, resumes domestic services
Vietjet is broadening its international network with new direct services connecting Vietnam with Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand and Japan.
The airline officially launched a direct service connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Colombo, operating three round-trip flights per week. From November 10, 2026, the carrier will introduce three weekly round-trip flights each on routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi with Cebu, and Ho Chi Minh City with Clark. The airline will also resume its Ho Chi Minh City to Chiang Mai route from October 25, 2026, operating four weekly round-trip flights. Additionally, a new service linking Danang with Osaka Kansai will launch on December 20, 2026, operating four times per week. Domestically, Vietjet resumed services connecting Dalat with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Vinh and Danang on August 19, 2026, following the reopening of Lien Khuong International Airport.