Through this collaboration, eligible Allianz travel insurance customers will gain access to the Travelgoogoo365 Annual Plan, which includes membership to the Travelgoogoo eSIM Travel Club.

Allianz Partners, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Vinay Surana said: “Today’s travellers expect a seamless, end-to-end travel experience. Partnering with Travelgoogoo allows us to address the growing expectation for always-on connectivity, enhancing our travel insurance offering to give customers greater confidence and convenience wherever they go.”

The Travelgoogoo eSIM Travel Club is a membership ecosystem designed to provide travellers with always-on connectivity and exclusive travel benefits. Members enjoy unlimited messaging and data voice calls across popular messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, LINE, Telegram, WeChat, Viber, and Zalo, without needing to purchase a data plan in 123 destinations. They can also purchase high-speed travel data at member-exclusive rates whenever needed.

As part of the launch offer, Allianz customers will also receive a complimentary 1GB Global Starter Data Pack for a limited period, enabling them to enjoy high-speed connectivity from the start of their journey.

Travelgoogoo enables a more seamless travel experience by removing the need for SIM swaps, reducing connectivity challenges associated with roaming, and eliminating the hassle of searching for Wi-Fi. Members can also access support via WhatsApp to check usage or purchase additional data plans at their convenience.

Travelgoogoo Founder and CEO Richard Bok commented: “Connectivity has become a fundamental part of how people travel, from staying in touch with loved ones to accessing essential services on the go. It’s what keeps people close, informed, and moving with confidence across borders.”

(Source: Allianz Partners)

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The agreement extends a longstanding partnership through agreements signed in April 2019, May 2022 and January 2024. For the first time, it has expanded to include Australia — a key source market for both organisations – as well as events marketing to leverage Singapore’s position as a leading hub for live entertainment. 

Under the partnership, STB and Traveloka will collaborate across four areas: co-branded tactical campaigns spotlighting Singapore on Traveloka’s platform; destination storytelling that helps travellers discover what to see and do; travel tied to Singapore’s vibrant events calendar; and the exchange of aggregated, privacy-safe travel insights that help STB sharpen how Singapore is marketed in each source market. Traveloka’s role is to put its regional reach and consumer insights to work in support of Singapore’s destination ambitions.

Aligned with STB’s broader ‘We Don’t Wait For Fun’ campaign, the co-branded campaigns will target two priority traveller segments – visitors in the early stages of their careers and families with kids – encouraging them to seize the moment for a Singapore getaway.

“This renewal reflects the importance of Southeast Asia and Australia, as well as the strength of our longstanding partnership with Traveloka,” said Singapore Tourism Board Chief Executive Melissa Ow. “Traveloka’s reach, combined with its deep understanding of how travellers in this region discover and book, makes it a strategic partner in our efforts to grow high-yield visitation and ensure Singapore remains a destination worth returning to, time and again.”

Traveloka Co-founder Albert Zhang said: “Singapore is one of the most-loved destinations among our travellers, and demand across our markets continues to grow. Our role is to be a trusted enabler, bringing the audience, the insight and the all-in-one booking experience that help STB tell Singapore’s story to the right travellers. After more than half a decade working together, this renewal is a sign of the trust we’ve built.”

The collaboration also looks ahead to newer ways of working. Both parties will develop seasonal promotions aligned with Singapore’s events calendar and explore how data-driven insights and emerging AI tools can support destination storytelling and content discovery, within agreed data governance and privacy safeguards. As a data-driven platform, Traveloka sees this as part of how modern destination marketing will be done across the region.

(Source: STB)

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The refresh introduces a more flexible and personalised offering, anchored in a three-tier card suite. Alongside Visa Infinite, the portfolio includes the two newly launched tiers of Visa Infinite Privilege and Visa Infinite Private, each tailored to distinct affluent segments within a unified premium offering.

Affluence in Asia Pacific continues to grow, with affluent households projected to increase at an 8% compound annual growth rate through 2030. 

The region is home to nearly 31% of the world’s ultra-high-net-worth population. At the same time, affluent consumers are redefining what premium means — less about status and more about how experiences fit into their lives. 

The enhanced Visa Infinite brings together curated experiences and a global network of partners, underpinned by Visa’s intelligent payment capabilities, to deliver a seamless and connected offering. These intelligent payment capabilities help simplify everyday payments, support higher-value spending, and enable secure card sharing with trusted delegates. 

“Visa has long helped shape premium experiences for affluent consumers across Asia Pacific,” said Visa Head of Products & Solutions, Asia Pacific, TR Ramachandran. “As expectations evolve toward more intentional and globally connected experiences, we are building on that momentum. The refreshed Visa Infinite brings together our scale, innovation and partnerships to deliver more relevant and differentiated value for today’s affluent customers.”

The refreshed Visa Infinite introduces a clear progression of benefits and access across three tiers, underpinned by intelligent payments capabilities including elevated transaction limits, smart authorisation, cross-border issuance and always-on security. 

Visa Infinite anchors the suite, delivering elevated everyday value and enhanced travel and lifestyle rewards. Visa Infinite Privilege builds on this with broader access and more curated experiences. At the top tier, Visa Infinite Private is an invitation-only offering, designed for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, with bespoke services and exclusive access to rare and highly personalised experiences.

Curated programmes 

The refreshed proposition comes to life through curated experiences built around the passions of today’s affluent, from travel and dining to wellness and entertainment.

From Infinite Tastes: Beyond the Menu, a chef-led culinary programme unlocking deeper access to the stories, craft, and culture behind Asia Pacific’s dining scene, to Visa Destinations, a global travel platform offering curated journeys and exclusive access, each programme offers more immersive, behind-the-scenes access and opportunities for deeper discovery. 

These experiences reflect the growing influence of affluent consumers, whose spending is increasing at nearly three times the rate of other cardholders, particularly across travel, entertainment, and retail. Demand for wellbeing and more personalised services is rising among affluent consumers, with around 90% seeking health-focused experiences and 84% expecting more high-touch curated experiences. 

(Source: Visa)

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With rising demand for business-class air tickets, MyFlyYatra provides bookings across major international airlines for travellers flying from the US to destinations worldwide.

The platform serves business travellers, families, and long-stay international passengers looking to fly business class to Dubai, Africa, and all global destinations for convenience.

All other forms have traditionally focused on India-bound travel; the latest expansion includes dedicated travel resources for destinations such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne and Dubai. This move aligns with increasing global travel demand and the need for structured access to international flight options.

MyFlyYatra is developing destination-specific pages and content optimised for high-demand search queries, such as business-class flights.

“Our goal is to support a wider audience of global travellers by expanding beyond India-focused routes and offering comprehensive travel information across multiple destinations,” MyFlyYatra said in a press statement this week.

This expansion reflects MyFlyYatra’s broader vision to become a global travel discovery platform that helps users efficiently explore and compare international flight options.

(Source: MyFlyYatra)

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The renewed Klook-KTO partnership covers:

Digital transformation of Korean tourism products and businesses;

Promoting regional tourist destinations in Korea;

Launching innovative marketing campaigns and product promotions for free independent travellers;

Building smart tourism solutions, including traveller trend analysis and AI-based tools, to improve the visitor experience and support sustainable tourism growth.

“Korea continues to capture the imagination of travellers around the world, driven by its rich culture, vibrant cities, and diverse regional destinations,” says Korea Tourism Organisation President and

CEO, Sunghyeuck Park. “Through this partnership with Klook, we aim to make it even easier for international travellers to discover more of Korea, while supporting local tourism businesses in adapting to changing traveller needs.

While Seoul remains the top gateway city, Klook data shows that international demand is increasingly extending into regional Korea. Bookings for Busan and Jeju grew more than 50% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, faster than the national average.

In its latest mid-year Travel Pulse, Klook found that 73% of APAC travellers say they would visit a lesser-known city specifically to experience a unique local event, festival, or activity.

These findings point to a shift in how travellers plan trips: destination-led itineraries are giving way to experience-led journeys, and travellers are increasingly willing to venture beyond major cities to seek out these experiences.

Through the MoU, Klook and KTO will work together to spotlight a wider range of tourism experiences, raise international awareness of lesser-known Korean destinations, and encourage more balanced visitor flows across the country.

Klook’s traveller base for Korea extends well beyond Asia Pacific, with top origin markets including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan, the US, and Europe. 

According to Klook’s Travel Pulse, close to 80% of surveyed travellers have visited a destination and booked experiences specifically because they were trending on social media.

“Korea is already one of the most exciting destinations for international travellers, but there is still a huge opportunity to help visitors discover more of the country, from major cities to emerging regional destinations,” says Klook Vice President of Corporate Development CS Soong. “Working closely with KTO allows us to combine digital access, traveller insights, and destination storytelling to create meaningful ways for travellers to experience Korea.”

Building on three years of tourism infrastructure partnership

The MoU builds on earlier initiatives between Klook and KTO to improve travel convenience for international travellers to Korea.

In 2023, both parties signed an MoU focused on improving domestic transportation access for international tourists, which led to a real-time domestic express bus booking service developed in partnership with the Korea Express Bus Lines Association and Tmoney.

In April 2026, Klook launched a real-time rail booking service for international visitors in Korea, enabling travellers to check KORAIL schedules and seat availability, purchase tickets instantly through Klook, and board trains using digital vouchers.

(Source: Klook).

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The winners were announced last week at the 2026 International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality (ICRTH) in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.

The awards, hosted by ICRT Southeast Asia under the chairmanship of Prof Dr Hiram Ting, recognise organisations that use tourism to create lasting benefits for local communities across the region. 

Prof Ting, who also serves as a Global Chair of the Responsible Tourism Awards alongside Professor Harold Goodwin, chaired ICRTH 2026, which brought delegates from across the region to Sarawak.

Tripseed’s entry focused on business conduct rather than product. The judges recognised the company for responsible business leadership demonstrated through tax transparency, reduced economic leakage, and maximised local economic benefit, and credited it with broadening the responsible business agenda.

Evidence cited in Tripseed’s presentation

Thailand’s first publicly available GRI 207-aligned tax disclosure by a destination management company, covering the 2024 financial year and showing corporate income tax of THB1,176,496.70, a tax-to-revenue ratio of 2.36%, 3.1 times the average of the 17-company peer sample benchmarked for that year; a second annual report covering 2025 was published in May 2026.

Tripseed’s Economic Distribution Disclosure Initiative (EDDI) identified the company’s economic leakage across its touring products, noting that vehicle transport was the main source of leakage for products originating in central Thailand. However, a switch to a locally based, women-led provider in 2025 lifted estimated provincial retention from approximately 64% to approximately 92%

234 multi-day bookings in 2025 generating 2,459 booked days in Thai communities, with multi-day itineraries consistently over 80% of annual guest volume

A shift in guest seasonality from 73% high season in 2024 to 59% high season and 41% low season in 2025, extending reliable income for guides, drivers, accommodation providers, and food vendors

A worker protection policy under which contracted guides receive their full fee if a booking is modified, postponed, or cancelled

Since judging concluded, Tripseed has also become the first business of its kind in the world to be accredited under the Fair Tax Foundation’s new National Business Standard for the Fair Tax Mark.

Tripseed Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer Ewan Cluckie said: “Local economic benefit is one of the most-claimed and least-evidenced ideas in travel. We built our entry on audited figures: what we pay in taxes, where our procurement funds go, and how much of a guest’s spend is genuinely retained locally. We are honoured that the judges recognised that approach, and we would be delighted if this award encourages other operators and the trade partners who contract them to ask for the same evidence.”

(Source: Tripseed)

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The launch addresses one of the biggest gaps emerging in digital travel. AI assistants, superapps, banking apps, loyalty programmes and connected devices are increasingly becoming places where customers plan, compare and decide. But a recommendation is only valuable if the hotel is live, available and bookable at the moment the customer wants to confirm.

Dida MCP to close that gap

Through Dida MCP, approved partners can empower their users to search, compare, and book hotels within the partner’s environment—no unnecessary handoffs. No forcing the customer out of the experience. 

The partner keeps the brand, the customer and the data relationship. Dida operates behind the scenes as the infrastructure that makes the hotels searchable, bookable and serviceable.

The launch does not mark a move by Dida into direct consumer travel; rather, it extends Dida’s established B2B model into the AI agent economy.

“The tech industry is currently obsessed with building AI that can talk about travel,” said Dida Holdings Group CEO Daryl Lee. “But talking does not generate revenue. Bookings do.”

“You can build the smartest chatbot in the world, but you cannot prompt-engineer live inventory. AI can recommend based on what it knows. Booking requires what is live. For 14 years, Dida has done the heavy lifting behind travel distribution: securing supply, managing rates and availability, connecting content, handling bookings, payments, settlement, confirmation and servicing”

“With Dida MCP, we are putting that infrastructure directly into the hands of approved B2B partners that own the customer relationship. You bring the customer. We do the heavy lifting. The booking happens inside your own experience.”

From recommendation to revenue

Dida was founded in 2012 to digitise and simplify global travel distribution. Today, its hotel portfolio spans more than 2 million hotel properties in more than 100 countries, supported by the content, rates, availability, booking, confirmation and servicing systems needed to complete real travel transactions at scale.

Until now, accessing that capability usually required bespoke API development, specialist travel knowledge and significant engineering time. Dida MCP changes the starting point. Approved partners can begin connecting to Dida’s hotel search and booking tools in minutes, removing much of the bespoke integration work that traditionally came first.

Dida believes it is among the first B2B travel infrastructure providers to make global hotel search and booking accessible to approved AI-enabled partners through an MCP-enabled gateway.

Built for B2B partners, not to compete with them

Dida MCP is designed for partners that want to make hotels bookable inside their own products.

For travel agencies, OTAs, TMCs, wholesalers, and tour operators, it creates a faster path to AI-native customer experiences. Their users can search, compare, and book hotels within their own agent, app, or digital interface, with booking data flowing back to the partner in real time.

For companies with large captive audiences, including banks, card programmes, loyalty platforms, telcos, e-commerce platforms, associations, superapps and consumer device makers, it creates a faster path into travel without having to build hotel supply, connectivity, payment, confirmation and servicing infrastructure from scratch.

For hotels and travel suppliers, it opens another route to qualified demand. As discovery shifts into AI-led environments, hotel supply can reach trusted partner ecosystems while preserving the controlled B2B distribution, booking and servicing processes the industry depends on.

Dida MCP is launching first with global hotel supply, one of the largest and most complex parts of travel to fulfil well. Over time, Dida expects the same approach to extend across its wider content, including flights, ground transportation and experiences, giving partners a single route to a growing range of travel products.

About Dida

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore, with major operations in Shenzhen and across Asia Pacific, Dida is a global AI-first travel technology group serving the B2B travel ecosystem.

Dida connects high-quality travel content from hotels, airlines and ancillary providers to travel agencies, TMCs, tour operators, OTAs, wholesalers and other distribution partners worldwide.

Through its core business lines, Dida Hotels, Dida Flights, Dida Go and Dida Experiences, the company gives travel partners the technology, supply connectivity, automation and data-driven insights to operate more efficiently, engage customers more deeply and grow faster.

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But that pressure hasn’t impacted travel intent. New research from Klook surveying APAC travellers finds that 95% did not cancel or postpone a single trip.

Here are the key findings:

95% of APAC travellers didn’t cancel or postpone travel plans.

Despite six in 10 naming “rising costs” as the biggest factor shaping their travel outlook, travellers are protecting their trips.

47% are actively hunting for deals, and 42% are booking earlier to lock in pricing.

25% are trimming flight and hotel spending, and 19% are choosing destinations closer to home.

Travellers are increasingly putting experiences at the heart of their travel plans.

23% of APAC travellers choose their destination specifically for a desired activity.

The data points to a strong outlook for APAC travel through the rest of 2026, with resilience, confidence, and travel demand holding steady.

Destinations to watch in 2026

Based on Klook’s internal data, demand remains highly resilient heading into the rest of the year, anchored by sustained momentum in both core hubs and hyper-local cities across Asia and Europe.

Mainland China: Travellers are flocking to core cultural and economic cities like Guangzhou and Beijing.

Taiwan: Travellers are searching for local coastal and offshore getaways in Penghu, Pingtung, and Yilan County.

Vietnam: Cementing demand across Southeast Asia towards core destinations like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.

Korea: Experiences a surge in demand for coastal cities such as Busan, Sokcho, and Jeonju.

Italy, Switzerland and Germany: Capturing top travel demand in Europe, with travellers heading to lesser-explored cities such as Siena and Positano in Italy, Alpnach in Switzerland, and Stadt Wehlen and Pogtei in Germany.

(Source: Klook)

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The appointment followed the announcement in May that current managing director Chris Hall would transition to the newly created role of Chairman and Strategic Advisor.

Leigh brings over 15 years’ experience leading luxury retail operations across Australia and New Zealand, most recently as Managing Director of Breitling Oceania, the Swiss luxury watchmaker, a role he held for seven years after more than two years as the brand’s Marketing Director.

He led significant revenue growth for Breitling through strategic retail expansion, cost control and margin improvement measures. He also forged strategic partnerships with Qantas, News Corp and Nine.

GFOB President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Nisbet, said: “Christopher’s success in growing a premium luxury brand through trade channel development and strategic partnerships is highly relevant to our sector. Whether you’re selling a luxury watch or a high-value holiday, the mindset and buyer behaviour are similar, and we are excited to enlist his experience and fresh perspective as we grow our touring and river cruise brands.”

Leigh will be based in GFOB’s Sydney office. 

(Source: Globus)

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The move marks a strategic expansion of Visa’s role beyond payments, positioning the company at the centre of how travellers discover, plan and experience trips. 

According to Visa research, travellers are increasingly choosing destinations based on passion, purpose, and experiences, not just geography. In a recent study by Visa, personal interests are strongly reflected in how consumers in Asia Pacific intend to travel – 66% intend to travel for global concert tours. In comparison, 54% intend to travel for sports events [1]. Increasingly, major cultural moments and events are magnets for international visitors and catalysts for local economies.

Available exclusively to Visa customers, through a mobile-first platform, Visa Destinations is designed around why people travel, whether they are drawn by food, fashion, sports, or simply by wandering the streets for hidden gems, and delivers tastemaker recommendations, city guides, and curated experiences to support Visa’s shift from being the way to pay for travel to becoming a travel companion.  

“Travel demand across Asia Pacific remains strong, but travellers are raising the bar on what they expect from every trip,” said Visa Head of Products and Solutions, Asia Pacific, TR Ramachandran. “Our Visa Global Travel Intentions study shows that travellers are more deliberate than ever, prioritising destinations they trust while seeking flexibility and greater ease in planning. Interest in distinctive local experiences continues to grow. Visa Destinations is expanding into key global locations, leveraging our insights and network to redefine access to experiences that leave a lasting impression and create new opportunities for our partners across the travel economy.

Visa Destinations is available and curating experiences in 10 cities, comprising Paris, London, Dubai, Milan, Rome, Mexico City, New York City, Miami, San Francisco and Bangkok.  

Once on board, cardholders can enhance their trips through curated offerings across dining, entertainment, culture, hospitality, wellness, shopping and transport, such as exclusive viewing moments and Priority Access to Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Centre in New York City and the Musée du Louvre in Paris, as well as dining experiences tastemakers recommend.

Premium cardholders, including Visa Infinite and Visa Signature, can enjoy enhanced benefits and tailored travel experiences. 

Strong partnerships behind Visa Destinations

Visa has partnered with global leaders across the travel ecosystem to increase the platform’s value proposition. Global anchor partners Global Blue, Star Alliance, and Trip.com Group provide Visa cardholders with exclusive access, premium benefits, and locally distinctive experiences that bring cardholders closer to the character of each destination.

“We are delighted to partner with Visa to bring the value of the Tax Free Shopping experience to travellers using Visa Destinations. In doing so, international travellers benefit from increased purchasing power, a seamless and guaranteed refund process, and an enhanced shopping journey while immersing themselves in the destination of their choice,” said Global Blue Chief Marketing Officer Virginie Alem.

“As the leading global airline alliance, Star Alliance is uniquely positioned to offer travellers access to unmatched reach through our 26 member airlines, enabling seamless multi-airline journeys. This partnership with Visa will deliver great value to travellers through exclusive experiences that will make every journey even more memorable. We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will unlock,” said Star Alliance Vice President Corporate Strategy, Renato Ramos.

“Travel should always be inspiring, intuitive, and rewarding. That is why, at Trip.com Group, we are constantly reimagining how journeys are planned and experienced – with simplicity at every touchpoint. Our collaboration with Visa brings this vision to life, combining secure, seamless payments with curated travel offerings and elevated benefits, turning every journey into something truly extraordinary,” said Trip.com Group Chief Marketing Officer Sun Bo.

[1] Visa’s Global Travel Intentions Study 2026

About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. 

(Source: Visa Worldwide Pte Ltd)

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