Rachael Nicholson joins Accor’s regional commercial leadership team as director, commercial – New Zealand and Fiji.
Based in Auckland, she has over 20 years of international experience in the hotel, airline and cruise industries. She has held roles in sales, customer experience, commercial leadership and strategic transformation across New Zealand, the UK, Australia, North America and Europe.
She most recently served as group general manager of operations at Heritage Hotel Management.
Health tourism is growing worldwide, and Asia is no exception. The Global Wellness Institute reported a 26.4 per cent leap in demand between 2022 and 2023, valuing the segment at US$41 billion.
Industry players predict that the medical tourism segment is slated to boom as the world becomes increasingly health conscious amid mounting air pollution and congested urban hubs – and the movement is being driven by Gen Zs in search of authentic and holistic holidays, with Asian countries chasing a slice of the US$63 trillion global pie.
Oluwamodupe Oduyoye, research associate at Deggendorf Institute of Technology, attributed the surge in demand down to the pandemic. “It affected the way Gen Z thinks. We came to realise that life is short; it’s important we enjoy every moment we have and our health.”
According to research by Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Gen Zs are looking for holistic getaways that combine health, sustainability and authentic experiences. Additionally, stress and health prevention and mental health wellness ranked high.
“What emerged as important is prevention. People are looking to be safe and not sick. We also noticed that this generation is looking to avoid burnouts,” noted Anke-Andrea Sponer of the International Competence Centre Health Tourism at Deggendorf Institute of Technology.
Aman Amola, inbound manager at Explore Bharat, noted an uptick in increasingly younger people investing in medical tourism in India.
“They are now seeking healthier lifestyles. They are health conscious, and this health trend is increasingly bringing them to India.”
Interest is strong among travellers from Asia, in particular Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea.
With Gen Z at the forefront, medical and wellness tourism has evolved to become more than a spa retreat or medical check-up. Today, the industry has to deliver a holistic experience, including developing destinations into attractive health hubs.
Vincent Beckmann, international account manager at Outdooractive, said: “The definition of Gen Z health tourism is active tourism. Wellness itself won’t fill every day (in a travel itinerary), maybe one day in the whole week, but it’s not a thing by itself anymore.”
Iztok Altbauer, CEO, Association of Slovenian Natural Spas, noted that the future of the wellness tourism industry needs to see destinations develop into health-oriented hubs. He gave an example of Slovakia, where green cycle routes have been designed to connect health resorts.
“There are a lot of machines in wellness tourism, but Gen Z life is outdoors and we have to think about that. Sustainability is also one of the hot topics, so we need to develop offerings like this and integrate them into products,” he added.
Vy Hoang, a Master’s student in International Tourism Management at Deggendorf Institute of Technology, said for a destination to truly capture the market, public and private stakeholders need to collaborate to create more facilities for the younger generation.
“Be flexible with opening hours, for example, and add more value and entertainment for the younger generation – a thermal spa isn’t enough,” she said.
Hoang said changing the way the industry communicates with Gen Z about health tourism is important.
“Often, when we think of medical tourism, we think of luxury products that are not affordable for Gen Z,” she said, noting that spas often come at a much higher price point than city hotels.
However, Altbauer pointed out that spa-oriented resorts are shifting from all-inclusive to selective models to lower prices, allowing guests to choose which pool, wellness, and medical services they want.
“You can offer different types of accommodation, or self-catering options, or even build camp sites. These are all chances for guests to get cheaper options,” he commented.
With India emerging as one of the top three source markets and registering 0.5 million visitor arrivals between January and May 2025, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is intensifying its travel trade and consumer engagement efforts to sustain the growth momentum.
The tourism board recently concluded its two-city roadshow in India kicking off in New Delhi on July 15 and moving to Kochi on July 17. The event brought together over 60 Singaporean tourism partners who showcased the destination’s latest offerings through an innovative format. A key highlight was the dedicated Experience Zone, where Singapore’s leading attractions, cruise operators and the Changi Airport Group were presented in a dynamic and interactive setting.
“We have a strong start to the year with the Indian market recording a 5.1 per cent increase in tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year (January–May 2024). We see India as having the potential to become our second-largest source market. As we celebrate 60 years of India-Singapore friendship, a series of marketing initiatives and joint promotions are planned to attract more Indian travellers to Singapore,” said Markus Tan, regional director for India, Middle East and South Africa at STB during a media roundtable held on the sidelines of the Delhi roadshow.
This year, STB introduced the Just Between Us Friends campaign in association with a number of partners including MakeMyTrip, Akbar Travels, Yatra, Singapore Airlines and IndiGo among others to offer deals and discounts to end consumers.
“We are also sending at least 20 to 25 content creators from India to Singapore to capture and share compelling stories about the destination. The first batch of these influencers visited Singapore a few weeks ago and have been showcasing new things to do across the city. Our goal is to inspire evolved, sophisticated and discerning Indian travellers to explore all that Singapore has to offer,” added Tan.
STB will introduce the Singapore DMC Trade Partner Fam Support Scheme on August 1, 2025. This pilot programme supports Singapore-based DMCs in hosting customised familiarisation trips for Indian travel agents.
“We are encouraging our Singapore-based DMCs to invite their network, bringing in one buyer each from cities like Kolkata, New Delhi and others to experience a unique itinerary that is not currently available in the market. This initiative launches on August 1 and is valid for travel until August 20. We will be offering support ranging from S$1,000 to S$10,000 (US$740 to US$7,400) for each group,” concluded Tan.
This week, Sri Lanka lifted a longstanding 1954 regulation that prevented women from working as hotel and restaurant waitresses after 22.00, a change welcomed by the country’s hospitality industry. Notably, the previous rule did not apply to other female workers in the sector.
“It is understood that this legislation is very old and the economic opportunities have changed drastically since 1954 with the expansion of the new industries. Thus, this revision was considered following stakeholder lobbying to amend the law,” said cabinet spokesman and minister Nalinda Jayatissa at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Monday.
Under previous regulations, female employees over 18 could work as hotel receptionists, female coat room attendants, or employees of female garments rooms and washrooms between 18.00 and 06.00. However, female servers in hotels or restaurants were restricted from working late at night, causing operational difficulties since food service was limited to 22.00.
Chandra Wickremesinghe, a veteran hotelier and owner of Thema Collection – which recently opened the first all-women operated hotel in Sri Lanka – called the move a good step.
“If nurses can do night work, why can’t female hotel employees work at night? This is an absurd regulation,” he said. He also noted the change could encourage more women to join the workforce, which currently represents only 10 per cent of employees. However, he stressed that hoteliers need to provide accommodation and support facilities for female staff working late hours.
Rodney Armstrong, resident manager of Mahaweli Reach Hotels, called the change a huge plus point and said offering accommodation and transport would encourage more women to join the workforce. M Shanthikumar, president of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, also praised the move and emphasised the importance of providing safe transport or accommodation for employees finishing work at midnight.
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is growing steadily, targeting 2.5 million visitors in 2025, up from two million in 2024. The main source markets in 2024 were India, Russia, the UK, Germany and China.
The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) is developing a manpower roadmap to identify the workforce needs of the expanding hospitality sector and address potential labour shortages caused by the migration of employees and graduates abroad.
The initiative – the first of its kind for the industry – aims “to ensure that hotels have qualified manpower to recruit from”, said PHOA executive director Benito Bengzon Jr at the media launch of Philippine Hotel Connect 2025. The event, the country’s largest gathering of hotel owners, investors and developers, will take place on July 24 and 25.
According to PHOA’s Philippine Accommodation Pipeline Report 2024, more than 55,000 direct jobs will be required to support 158 accommodation projects that are either in the pipeline or under development over the next few years.
“We heard about the problems with job mismatch, the continuing problems about our tourism and hospitality students getting jobs on cruise ships, and about the difficulty of getting baristas, front office desk clerks, etc,” Bengzon said.
He stressed that the industry’s human capital development plan must be forward-looking. “The human capital development plan for the industry is aspirational. The narrative has to change. Many Filipinos will still want to continue to aspire for overseas jobs and therefore we cannot be using the competition posed by overseas employment as the perpetual reason for not having enough people to work here.
“Five years from now, we will not be talking about job mismatch because if that’s still the kind of conversation we will have in five to ten years, we failed.”
Bengzon added that the roadmap “is going to be a game changer because once you have the document, you will be able to see a clearer picture of the future.
“It will be good not only for hotel owners but also for current workers, the students, the parents,” he shared.
Philippine Airlines restarts seasonal Manila-Sapporo route
Philippine Airlines (PAL) will resume seasonal direct flights between Manila and Sapporo from November 24, 2025 to March 27, 2026. The service will reconnect the Philippine capital with northern Japan during the winter travel season.
Flights to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport will operate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday using the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft. PAL intends for this route to operate during every subsequent winter season from November to March.
The 168-seat Airbus A321neo is configured with 12 business class and 156 economy class seats, and is equipped with in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi.
PAL operates an extensive network between the Philippines and Japan, offering direct services to Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita, as well as flights from Cebu to Osaka Kansai and Tokyo Narita.
Loong Air adds Xi’an-Kuala Lumpur flights
Loong Air has launched its new Xi’an-Kuala Lumpur service, with the inaugural flight arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 today. The route marks a step forward in strengthening tourism and economic ties between Malaysia and China.
The launch was marked by a ceremony attended by senior officials from Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airports Holdings and Loong Air.
The route is operated using a 174-seat Airbus A320 and runs three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Vietjet to launch daily Danang-Kuala Lumpur service in October
Vietjet will introduce a new direct route between Danang and Kuala Lumpur, beginning October 26, 2025. The daily round-trip service will enhance connectivity between central Vietnam and Malaysia’s capital city.
This marks Vietjet’s third direct route linking Vietnam and Malaysia, and follows the airline’s continued network expansion across South-east Asia. The new service comes after the introduction of 12 international routes in 2025, including new destinations in China, India, Japan and Singapore.
Saudia, Vietnam Airlines sign codeshare agreement
Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, has signed a codeshare agreement with Vietnam Airlines to improve connectivity between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.
The agreement allows passengers to travel on flights connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Jeddah and Riyadh, and to book itineraries through either airline, including flights operated by the partner carrier. The arrangement aims to offer greater flexibility and a more streamlined booking experience.
The partnership supports Saudia’s plans to expand its network and enhance passenger services, both on the ground and in the air. It also supports Saudi Arabia’s aim to connect with over 250 destinations and attract 150 million visits by 2030.
Royal Minor Hotels Co. – a joint venture between Royal Holdings Co. and Minor Hotels – has signed its first hotel management agreement in Japan, partnering with List Development Co. to launch Anantara Karuizawa Retreat.
Set to open in 2030, the luxury new-build will be developed on a 4.05-hectare forested site facing Mount Asama in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. The property will comprise 51 keys, including 23 suites ranging from 60m² to 120m² and 18 two- and three-bedroom villas between 70m² and 270m². The villas are being considered for branded residential offerings, with details to be announced in due course.
The retreat aims to tap into Karuizawa’s appeal as a four-season destination, popular for its summer cool, scenic trails, hot springs, golf courses, and winter skiing. Located near the Karuizawa Hokuriku Shinkansen Station, it offers convenient rail access from Tokyo as well as from Nagano, Kanazawa, and other regional hubs. Its proximity to Haneda and Narita international airports also supports the area’s growing international popularity.
Facilities at Anantara Karuizawa Retreat will include three dining outlets, a spa with onsen, fitness centre, pool, library, residents’ lounge, and versatile meeting spaces.
List Development’s president and COO, Hiroyuki Kiuchi, noted that the location’s natural beauty, accessibility, and global recognition made it an ideal setting for the debut of the Anantara brand in Japan. He said the project aligned with the company’s commitment to creating high-quality living environments and contributing to the region’s revitalisation.
Kohei Motoyama, president and representative director of Royal Minor Hotels Co., commented that the partnership was a strong strategic fit due to its proven expertise in upscale developments.
“Together, we aim to create a retreat that coexists harmoniously with Karuizawa’s rich natural surroundings and further enhances its unique appeal,” said Kohei.
This agreement marks the first project under the Royal Minor Hotels joint venture, established in March 2025. The company plans to launch 21 hotels across Japan by 2035 under Minor Hotels’ Anantara, Tivoli and Avani brands, in collaboration with leading domestic developers.
Oblu Select Sangeli, a resort located on the north-western tip of North Malé Atoll in the Maldives, has signed an MoU with the Maldives Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on joint management and monitoring of the Rasfari Reef Restoration Programme.
Oblu Select Sangeli, one of four resorts branded under Colours of Oblu, which is managed by Atmosphere Core, boasts its own marine biology team that is committed to reef protection. The resort is located close to the Rasfari Marine Protected Area, which is a swift 20-minute speedboat journey away.
Despite the widespread coral bleaching events that have impacted much of the Maldives, reefs surrounding Oblu Select Sangeli have shown remarkable resilience, a testament to the ongoing efforts of the resort’s marine conservation team. The resort’s coral restoration project has successfully transplanted over 10,000 coral fragments using nursery and frame techniques.
As part of the MoU, the resort’s marine team will actively support reef health monitoring, implement conservation protocols, and engage in knowledge-sharing and capacity-building sessions with EPA experts.
Regular visits to Rasfari Marine Protected Area by the Oblu Select Sangeli team will also positively impact conservation efforts within the resort’s own coral garden.
Meliá Pattaya Hotel has launched its YHI Spa, offering treatments to ease stress, improve sleep, and support overall wellness.
The spa includes four treatment rooms and a Thai herbal sauna, and is the fourth YHI Spa in Thailand, following openings in Koh Samui, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
Inspired by the goddess YHI, the spa combines ancient Asian healing with modern techniques. Treatments include massages, body scrubs, facials, and hydrotherapy. Highlights include the signature YHI Oriental Harmony massage, Thai herbal compress therapies, and spa packages for couples.
Natural ingredients from local Thai wellness brand HARNN are used in all treatments. The spa is open daily from 10.00 to 20.00 and features private treatment rooms, a spa suite with hydrotherapy, and a herbal sauna.
For more information, e-mail Meliá Pattaya Hotel.
The European Commission has declared that Indonesians travelling to European Union (EU) member countries for the second time will be eligible for multiple-entry Schengen visas.
In a joint announcement with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto following a meeting in Brussels on July 13, Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, said via the Indonesia Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel: “I am pleased to announce that the European Commission has adopted a decision on visa cascade. From now on, Indonesian citizens visiting the European Union for the second time will be eligible for a multi-entry Schengen visa.”
She added: “This policy isn’t just about facilitating visits; it’s also about strengthening long-term relationships between the people of both regions, including in education, investment, and social exchange. This will make it easier for them not only to visit but also to invest, study, and build deeper connections.”
The visa policy forms part of the “people-to-people connections” pillar, a key focus in the strategic partnership between the EU and Indonesia. von der Leyen stated: “In short, we are building bridges between our peoples.”
President Prabowo welcomed the enhanced cooperation between Indonesia and the EU, including in citizen mobility. He emphasised the importance of long-term relationships built on mutual trust and shared values.
Indonesian outbound tour operators acknowledged the announcement but pointed out that the policy was not entirely new.
Jeffry Darjanto, director of Avia Tours, said the announcement was good news but added that they still need to check details with local embassies in Indonesia. He explained that even though the visa is for all EU member countries, each country’s embassy decides on visa types and how long they last. He also said that a traveller’s past visits to Europe affect their application.
Vidya Hermanto, chief experience officer at Panorama JTB Tours Indonesia, shared that multiple-entry Schengen visas have been issued to Indonesian travellers before, but their short validity limits their usefulness for most tourists. She explained that unlike business travellers who often visit Europe regularly, holidaymakers rarely return to the same entry country, making the brief visa duration impractical.
According to tour operators, easing travel for Indonesians would require a multi-faceted approach, including extending visa validity and permitted stay duration, simplifying application requirements, and significantly expanding biometric appointment slots to reduce the current multi-month waiting times and expedite the overall process.
