Guests sailing from Singapore and Malaysia deployments will enjoy a full waiver of the fuel surcharge. Guests sailing from Taiwan and Hong Kong will benefit from a 50% reduction in the current fuel surcharge. 

The updated fuel surcharge waiver and reduction apply to sailings departing on or after 26 June 2026.

The revised fuel surcharge structure accounts for the operating requirements of different deployments in the region and reflects the gradual improvement in fuel market conditions.

StarDream Cruises said in a press statement that it remains committed to delivering excellent value and memorable cruise experiences across all its regional markets.

“As fuel prices have continued to stabilise, we are pleased to reduce and, where possible, fully waive the fuel surcharge across our deployments,” said StarDream Cruises President Michael Goh. “We have always taken a transparent approach to fuel surcharges, introducing them only when necessary and reviewing them regularly. As operating conditions improve, we believe it is important to pass these benefits on to our guests.”

(Source: StarDream Cruises)

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It marks the first arrival of a Chinese cruise ship to the Maldives, representing a step in the continued diversification of the Maldives’ tourism portfolio and the development of cruise tourism as a complementary segment of the Maldives’ wider tourism offering.

The welcome event, held on 22 June 2026, was organised to provide arriving guests with a memorable first impression of the Maldives through authentic cultural experiences and warm local hospitality. 

Passengers arriving aboard the vessel were greeted with a Boduberu performance by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Estate Boduberu Team, showcasing the Maldives’ rich traditions and cultural heritage. 

The development of cruise tourism also contributes to the national visitor arrival targets through diversified arrival channels. Further, it strengthens and diversifies the tourism industry while supporting sustained growth in visitor arrivals. The initiative is part of Visit Maldives Corporation’s broader collaboration with MAYA, which aims to further strengthen the Maldives as a leading destination for yacht and cruise tourism in the Indian Ocean. 

Through its partnership with MAYA, Visit Maldives Corporation will work to provide visitors with a distinctive blend of luxury, culture, and natural beauty, contributing to broader tourism growth objectives by supporting visitor cruise and yacht arrival targets and increasing international exposure for the destination.

(Source: Visit Maldives)

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Amangati charts a new course across the Atlantic to arrive in Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda – the port from which the Caribbean season unfolds.

The Autumn season comprises three regional movements – the Leeward Islands, the Windward Islands, and the Dutch Caribbean – with select sailings extending through the festive season.

The Leeward Islands voyages open the season with three successive itineraries through the northern arc of the Antilles, drawing on the languid harbour of Gustavia in Saint Barthélemy, the gentle rhythms of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the white-sand beaches and turquoise coastlines that define this corner of the region. Calls at Barbuda for a dedicated Marina Day, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, Philipsburg in Sint Maarten, the volcanic stillness of Saba, Little Bay in Montserrat, and a beach day at Prickly Pear Cay off Anguilla, round out journeys that move with the quiet alchemy of Caribbean yachting.

The Windward Islands voyages, departing from Saint John’s and Bridgetown in Barbados, respectively, carry guests south through Îles des Saintes in Guadeloupe, Portsmouth in Dominica, Anse d’Arlet in Martinique, and Soufrière in Saint Lucia, beneath the rain-forested Pitons. Onward calls at Canouan in the Grenadines and Saint George’s in Grenada complete a route through some of the region’s most admired shorelines.

The Dutch Caribbean voyages present itineraries from Bridgetown and Oranjestad tracing the southern Caribbean’s ABC islands – Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Bonaire’s castaway beaches and pristine coral gardens, the pastel-hued waterfront of Willemstad and the uninhabited Tobago Cays in the Grenadines bring the season’s southernmost reach into view.

About Aman
Aman was founded in 1988 with the vision of building a collection of intimate retreats with the unassuming, warm hospitality of a gracious private home. The first, Amanpuri (place of peace), in Phuket, Thailand, introduced the concept and, since then, Aman has grown to encompass 35 exquisitely serene hotels, resorts, and branded residences, ranging from the urban to the remote, in 20 destinations across the globe. 

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ETG now has access to HBX Group’s transfer inventory, spanning both private and shared transfer options across destinations globally. Backed by high-quality, directly contracted services and ongoing technology investment, the collaboration also includes real-time driver communication features that enable travellers to connect directly with their driver while in destination for a more seamless journey.

The move builds on the existing relationship between the two companies, which already spans accommodation distribution, and further strengthens HBX Group’s ecosystem model by expanding collaboration into additional travel products. By extending the partnership into transfers, both companies are helping create a more connected traveller journey while unlocking additional value across ETG’s global distribution footprint.

HBX Group, Chief Distribution Officer David Amsellem said: “Our collaboration with ETG continues to evolve, and expanding it into transfers is a natural next step in how we support partners across more stages of the traveller journey.

As we continue to broaden the reach of our mobility offering, partnerships like this help bring more high-quality travel products into our ecosystem and make them accessible through the distribution channels our partners rely on every day. By combining our global, directly contracted transfer inventory with real-time driver communication features, we are helping create a smoother, more connected experience for travellers while deepening the value we deliver together.”

Emerging Travel Group Head of Non-Accommodation Supply Fredrik Bonnalt said: “Transfers are the most in-demand transportation product within ETG. For our travel agent partners and corporate customers, it is essential to have all travel-related services, including transfers, available in one system, so we are continuously working to expand our offering.”

About HBX Group
HBX Group is a leading global B2B travel technology marketplace that owns and operates Hotelbeds, Bedsonline, The Luxurist, Roiback Civitfun and PerfectStay. 

(Source: HBX Group)

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The expanded services reflect the airlines’ firm commitment to meet the growing demand for travel between New Zealand and Singapore, as well as key markets across Asia and Europe. Customers will benefit from more seamless connectivity, greater flexibility, and premium travel options across the joint network.

Air New Zealand will launch three weekly services between Singapore and Christchurch during the 2026 Northern Winter season, with its Boeing 787 aircraft. Combined with SIA’s existing Christchurch operations of up to 12 weekly services, the two airlines will operate 15 weekly services during the peak months from November 2026 to February 2027.

Air New Zealand will also add four weekly Auckland services utilising both its Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft. SIA will adjust its schedule from three daily flights to two and deploy the Airbus A380 on daily services SQ285 and SQ286 during the 2026 Northern Winter season, replacing the Boeing 777-300ER.

SIA’s A380, which has 471 seats in four cabin classes – six in Suites, 78 in Business Class, 44 in Premium Economy Class, and 343 in Economy Class – will provide customers with enhanced travel comfort.

It will also support the demand for travel between New Zealand and Singapore, as well as key markets beyond Singapore in the SIA network. Customers will continue to benefit from the increased overall seat capacity and a broad range of travel options across the joint Air New Zealand-SIA network.

With these adjustments, the Air New Zealand-SIA alliance will increase overall seat capacity between Singapore and New Zealand by 17% from late October 2026, adding 72,000 seats and bringing the total seat count to more than 490,000 seats during the 2026 Northern Winter season.

Air New Zealand Chief Operations and Alliances Officer Michael Williams said the expansion reflected the strength of its partnership with Singapore Airlines.

“Our partnership with Singapore Airlines plays a critical role in connecting the world to New Zealand and vice versa. This Northern Winter expansion gives our customers even more travel options, whether they are visiting New Zealand for business, leisure, or to reconnect with friends and family.

“Through Singapore’s position as a leading global hub, between the two airlines, travellers can access New Zealand from across South East Asia, India, the United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond. The introduction of Air New Zealand’s Christchurch services is especially exciting because it creates more options for visitors to access some of New Zealand’s most popular destinations in the South Island, while remaining fully connected to Singapore Airlines’ extensive global network,” said Williams.

Singapore Airlines, Senior Vice President Marketing Planning Dai Haoyu said: “Our long-standing partnership with Air New Zealand serves the strong demand for travel between New Zealand and Singapore, as well as onward to key destinations across our global network. The deployment of the Airbus A380, with its greater seat capacity and enhanced travel experience, to Auckland, reflects our commitment to this important market. This complements the additional capacity that Air New Zealand is adding to bolster our joint network.”

(Source: Singapore Airlines)

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With insights from 32,500 travellers across 35 markets globally, this year’s research highlights a generational paradox. 

While 85% of global travellers across all ages say that more sustainable travel is important or very important to them, younger generations express stronger sustainability intentions but take fewer practical actions. In contrast, older generations demonstrate greater commitment through concrete behaviours.

Travellers in the APAC region 

Although less than half (48%) of the Boomer survey respondents (61+ years old) say they want to travel more sustainably in the coming 12 months, compared to 68% of Gen Xers (45-60 years old), 76% of Millennials (29-44 years old) and 80% of Gen Z (18-28 years old), research shows that their actions speak louder than words. 

When it comes to the practical steps travellers are taking to be more sustainable, it seems older generations are more action-oriented than younger ones.

Of those who intend to travel more sustainably over the next year, Boomers (75%) say they will reduce general waste when travelling compared to 55% of Gen X, 52% of Millennials and half of Gen Z (50%).

63% of Boomers intend to reduce energy consumption (such as turning off air conditioning and lights in their room when they aren’t there), compared to 57% of Gen X, 51% of Millennials and 45% of Gen Z.

63% of Boomers say they will shop more at local, independent stores on their trips compared to 41% of Gen X, 40% of Millennials, and 40% of Gen Z.

Older generations were much more likely to report plans to travel outside of peak season: Boomers (67%), Gen X (44%), Millennials (40%) and Gen Z (35%).

That said, there are some areas where younger generations lead on more sustainable behaviours, particularly when it comes to learning about local cultures, indigenous communities or the conservation of wildlife:

Nearly a third of Gen Z (21%) and Millennials (31%) had participated in a tour or activity where they learned about or interacted with local indigenous people or cultures, compared to 25% of Gen X and 21% of Boomers in the last twelve months.

And more than a quarter of Gen Z (27%) and Millennials (26%) had participated in a tour or activity that contributed to the health or conservation of the local ecosystem or wildlife, compared to 20% of Gen X and 13% of Boomers.

Extreme Weather: A concern for all ages

While generations may differ in what they say and do, extreme weather is actively reshaping travel choices and timing, making it a significant consideration for all age groups. Thai survey respondents said they consider extreme weather risk when choosing both destination (86%) and timing (85%). Thai travelers 81% say they actively avoid destinations known for extreme weather, 83% find extreme weather stressful when booking a trip, and 69% feel unpredictable weather makes it hard to know when to travel.

Strikingly, half of Thai travellers (50%) reported having cancelled or changed trip plans in the past twelve months due to extreme weather or natural disasters (high temperatures, storms, wildfires and floods). More than half of those surveyed (67%) said that certain destinations had become too hot to visit when they wanted to, and that they had removed destinations from their travel wish list due to news of extreme weather or natural disasters (70%).

A broader understanding of more sustainable ways to travel

The efforts properties are making to operate more sustainably are, in fact, of equal importance across all ages: with over a third of each age group saying they plan to stay at an accommodation which has a sustainability certification in the next twelve months: Boomers (46%), Gen X (37%), Millennials (38%) and Gen Z (37%). And it’s not just intent; recently released data from Booking.com shows that travellers booked 100 million room nights at properties with third-party sustainability certifications in 2025.

Alongside staying at properties with sustainability certifications and adopting well-known behaviours like reducing waste and energy consumption and avoiding harm to wildlife, making conscious decisions about the timing and destination of trips is part of a broader understanding of how people plan to travel more sustainably in 2026.

Thai travellers say they plan to avoid overcrowded tourist destinations (34%), travel outside peak season (31%), and seek out destinations with cooler temperatures (23%). Of those choosing quieter destinations, 47% state a desire to avoid contributing to overtourism, and 43% of those travelling outside peak season want to reduce pressure on destinations, reflecting a growing understanding of the impact of travel on communities and the environment.

“This year’s Travel & Sustainability Report shows that while generations may have different understandings of what constitutes more sustainable travel, adapting to extreme weather and actively avoiding crowds are now norms at all ages”, says Booking.com Danielle D’Silva.

“We are encouraged by the broad range of ways travellers are already travelling more sustainably, and how they plan to continue. Whether that’s the 100 million room nights travellers booked with accommodation partners displaying a third-party sustainability certification on our platforms in 2025, using public transport or hiring an electric vehicle to get around on their trips, or indeed, choosing cooler and quieter destinations altogether. 

“As a global leader in travel, we want to make it easier for both travellers and partners to continue to make these more sustainable choices so that everyone can continue to enjoy the benefits that travel brings, and that destinations can continue to be enjoyed by visitors and residents alike.”

(Source: Booking.com)

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A closer look at the figures shows the growth is more sustained than the headline number implies, as emerging source markets account for a larger share of the travel.   

South Korean travel stays on top  

South Korean travel to Vietnam fell by 4.6% this March. Despite this decline, South Korea remains Vietnam’s largest source market, accounting for 31.5% of all arrivals.   

Some markets stood out due to sharp increases in 2026 compared with last year. Regional travel is surging, with the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore all posting some of the steepest growth. At the same time, long-haul demand is strengthening, with Canada, Australia and the UK each up by more than a fifth from last year.  

Europe also illustrates how varied the picture has become. While the UK grew 21.5%, France softened over the same period, a reminder that demand is shifting market by market rather than moving in a single direction across a region.  

Established markets continue to climb 

Several of Vietnam’s largest established source markets grew broadly in line with, or just ahead of, the overall market, indicating that diversification is building on a stable base of demand.  

Amadeus Vice President, Hospitality, APAC, Paul Wilson adds: “Vietnam is one of the key travel destinations globally, and it has been for some time. Even the most established destinations are subject to changing demand patterns, and our data reveals subtle yet highly influential shifts in where travellers are coming from.   

“A more diversified set of source markets, such as what we are seeing with Vietnam, makes destinations more resilient to unexpected drops in any one country. For hoteliers and destinations, the ability to see these nuanced traveller patterns drives demand and helps understand what travellers  are visiting. A broader and more varied traveller base also calls for more nuanced, market-specific campaigns, offers and products to appeal to each audience.” 

(Source: Amadeus)

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The integration of Power Knot’s LFC biodigesters and WEP effluent pumps on board the Star Princess marks a significant stride toward sustainable waste management practices within the cruise industry.

Star Princess is one of the largest cruise ships in the Princess Cruises fleet. As the second Sphere-class vessel, the ship weighs 177,882 gross tons, accommodates up to 4,300 guests, and is powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). 

Power Knot Ocean ensured products were commissioned well before the ship’s debut in late 2025, ensuring that sustainable food waste management was operational from her very first voyage. She serves destinations ranging from the Caribbean to Alaska.

The LFC biodigester is a food waste biodigester that uses natural aerobic digestion to break it down into water, reducing the need for traditional disposal methods and substantially lowering both cost and environmental impact. The biodigester units are strategically placed in key areas of the ship, such as galleys and garbage rooms, where food waste is processed or handled, to improve operations. 

With nine different sizes available, accommodating the digestion of 10 kg (22 lb) to 6,000 kg (13,200 lb) of food waste per day, the LFC biodigester provides a versatile and effective approach to waste reduction.

“We are proud to have worked with Princess Cruises to bring sustainable food waste management to Star Princess from da” one,” said Power Knot President Iain Milnes. “Having our LFC biodigesters installed and operational before the ship’s maiden voyage reflects the level of planning and commitment that teams brought to this project. With 26 units aboard one of the world’s most advanced cruise ships, we are demonstrating that responsible waste management and world-class hospitality go hand-in-hand.”

About Power Knot Ocean
Power Knot Ocean provides safe and cost-effective solutions for managers of cruise ships, cargo ships, and yachts worldwide seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and comply with DOJ and MARPOL regulations. 

( Source: Power Knot)

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The report was unveiled at the Halal In Travel Global Summit in Singapore, and a condensed version of the handbook is available for free download at AsiaTravelTrends.com. In contrast, the full, comprehensive version is available at 66% discount for a limited time, along with individual market reports.

The publication is written for destination marketers, national tourism organisations, airlines, tour operators, and travel trade professionals who need practical, source-specific intelligence on how Asian consumer travel behaviour is changing and what that change means for their planning decisions.

The launch comes at a moment of significant pressure on Asian outbound travel. Airspace disruptions across the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 strained routing on corridors that carry some of the largest volumes of outbound Asian passenger traffic. 

Against that backdrop, the report’s 26 market chapters are designed to give practitioners the specific, source-market-level understanding they need to plan with greater precision, not just track aggregate trends.

“Tourism posted a post-pandemic record in 2025. In the same season, the corridors, costs, and politics that produced that record were being rewritten underneath it, said Chameleon Strategies CEO and Co-Editor, Asia Pacific Outbound Traveler Report 2026, Dr Jens Thraenhart.

“I call the space between those two realities the Next Tourism Order. In that world, generic aspirational travel fills hotels in good years. Passion-tourism fills them in on the difficult ones. The question destinations should be asking is not how many travellers are coming, but what they are genuinely coming for. The Asia Pacific Outbound Traveler Handbook 2026 is the demand-side guide to that question, written for the destination leaders, who understand that the operators who get this right now will be the ones still standing when conditions shift.” 

The report covers 26 source markets: Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, UAE, and Taiwan. Each chapter is structured around a single core argument about what a given market is actually doing and why destinations consistently misread it.

The Saudi Arabia chapter, written by Dr Thraenhart and drawing on his experience in the Kingdom and his recent time as an advisor at the Saudi Tourism Authority, makes the case that Saudi outbound represents one of the most consistently underestimated high-yield opportunities in global tourism. Saudi travellers stay an average of 19 nights internationally and have shifted decisively from goods-led to experience-led travel over the past five years. The same motivational shift observed in Chinese outbound travel a decade ago is now building in the Gulf.

The shared values, faith-based needs, and core behaviours of Muslim travellers form an incredibly powerful, unifying bond across borders. This collective identity is the absolute foundation of Muslim-friendly travel. However, we must remember that these travellers are not a monolith. While united by deep universal values, a Muslim traveller from Indonesia still possesses distinct cultural nuances compared to those of a traveller from Saudi Arabia or Kazakhstan. To succeed, destinations must treat these shared Muslim values as their non-negotiable bedrock, while layering source-market-specific execution on top. The Asia Pacific Outbound Traveler Handbook 2026 bridges this gap,” explained CrescentRating CEO and Co-Editor, Asia Pacific Outbound Traveler Report 2026, Fazal Bahardeen.

The Asia Pacific Outbound Traveller Report 2026 is an initiative by PATA and the UN Tourism Affiliate Members, Chameleon Strategies and CrescentRating. Free registration at AsiaTravelTrends.com enables digital downloads of the handbooks and specific source-market reports. 

(Source: Chameleon Strategies and CrescentRating)

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The study was conducted among more than 47,000 respondents worldwide, including more than 17,000 in the Asia-Pacific markets. 

This year’s edition reveals an important finding: Travellers in the region are responding to global shifts not by travelling less but with greater intentionality — focusing on familiarity, practicality, and flexibility.

Asia Pacific travellers seek familiar favourites

In a global environment shaped by rising costs and uncertainty, Asia Pacific travellers are reconfiguring their travel footprints — choosing to visit destinations closer to home that offer familiarity, ease of access, and confidence in planning.

According to the GTI study, 63% of respondents surveyed travelled to destinations within Asia-Pacific, dwarfing planned travel to Central Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (16%), Europe (13%), and North America (6%).

Top five destinations

Japan was the top destination for nearly one in five respondents (19%), followed by Australia (7%). Thailand, South Korea, and Hong Kong round out the top five at about 5% each.

When asked about planned travel destinations in the coming 12 months, more than one in four (28%) still cite Japan as a destination, followed by 16% for Australia, and 13% for Hong Kong and South Korea.

While Asia Pacific travellers turn to familiar destinations, many are still planning trips to discover unique experiences and pursue their passions: 37% of Asia Pacific respondents plan their trips around unique local experiences, especially those related to food and culture — exceeding the global average of 29%.

One in four respondents said they would travel for major live entertainment and sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, Formula 1TM*, and K-Pop.

AI enables practical planning, due diligence

Travellers in the Asia Pacific are also becoming more methodical in planning their trips, at a time when conditions at their travel destinations are fluid. According to the GTI study, travellers in the Asia Pacific actively “sense-check” various aspects before their trips, from core needs like accommodations to blind spots like insurance, visa requirements, and monitoring local current events.

AI simplifies pre-trip preparations and complements travel websites and social media as key research channels. Nearly half (49%) of respondents use AI tools to discover destinations and ideas – making it the most frequent use case. Other top uses include:
Gather and curate travel reviews and recommendations (41%);
Discover local tours and experiences (35%).

Payments are an essential part of pre-trip due diligence. Payment security is top of mind for respondents (33%), followed by card acceptance (27%). These underscore that digital payments are a staple for Asia Pacific travellers, with 73% bringing cards or mobile wallets on their trips.

Travellers lock in essentials early

• While travel planning has become more strategic and deliberate, travel experiences do not become rigid and predictable. Instead, travellers lock in essential bookings early and value spontaneity and are open to changing their plans once they arrive:
• Almost four in five (79%) booked accommodations in advance of the trip;
• But only half of respondents (51%) booked experiences in advance, suggesting that travellers keep their options open until they reach their travel destinations;
• 72% of dining decisions are made after reaching their destinations, while 65 percent of transport choices are made during this stage
• Visa Asia Pacific, Chief Marketing Officer Danielle Jin said: “The latest Global Travel Intentions study affirms the importance of travel to Asia Pacific. Travel is not slowing — it is becoming more planned, purposeful, and intentional. 

“As digital-first travellers seek familiar sights and plan more practically, what matters is how destinations, businesses, and issuers enable every traveller to explore the places they love in their own way, from using AI to help travellers pursue their passions, values, and aspirations to delivering secure and seamless payment experiences at every stage of their journeys.”

(Source: Visa Asia Pacific)

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