SINGAPORE, 8 July 2026: Drukair, Royal Bhutan Airlines, has introduced a Meet and Assist Service (MAAS) for passengers at specified airports in Asia.
The service is available in Paro, Bangkok, Singapore, Delhi, Guwahati, and Dubai via Drukair sales counters and contact centre.
Photo credit: Drukair.
Meanwhile, Drukair confirmed that all its flights to India’s Guwahati (GAU) airport arrive and take off from Terminal 2 effective since 2 July
There are eight airlines with flights from Guwahati Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport: Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Drukair, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Thai AirAsia.
Drukair has also notified travel agents and passengers that the fuel surcharge included in fares has been reduced in response to lower aviation fuel prices. The surcharge applies to the date of ticket purchase rather than the original booking date.
PHUKET, 8 July 2026: Women represent more than 50% of the global hotel workforce, but they hold fewer than 30% of executive leadership positions, including General Manager roles, according to C9 Hotelworks, the co-organiser of RISE 2026.
Other leading players behind RISE include Mrs B Group and Delivering Asia, supported by the Phuket Hotels Association, the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, UN Women, and SAii Laguna Phuket as host venue.
Photo credit: C9 Hotelworks.
“The event reflects C9 Hotelworks’ commitment to the principle that people matter in hospitality — not as a statement of intent, but as a foundation of sustainable business practice,” says C9 Hotelworks managing director Bill Barnett.
In Thailand, that imbalance is sharper still: entrenched gender norms continue to limit advancement into senior roles, even as women dominate the customer-facing and operational functions that define the guest experience. RISE 2026 – Reshaping Hospitality by Empowering Women is built around that gap — and the practitioners, founders, and emerging voices working to close it.
Returning on Thursday, 3 September 2026, at SAii Laguna Phuket, RISE brings together a cross-section of Thailand’s hospitality and tourism industry for a focused three-hour program that moves between personal leadership narratives, gender-responsive business practice, and the candid perspectives of the next generation entering the workforce. The event is deliberately not a panel of executives talking about diversity. It is a room of women — and the professionals who work alongside them — discussing the realities of building a career, a business, or a brand in an industry that is still recalibrating what leadership looks like.
The 2026 programme runs across four themes
Vision and Voice: Examining how personal narrative and values translate into professional authority.
Systems and Sectors: Engaging UN Women, IHG Hotels and Resorts, and Marriott International address what gender-responsive business practice requires at the operational level.
Emerging Leaders: Providing a platform for young Thai entrepreneurs and student voices to share what the industry must change to earn their commitment.
Craft, Communication, and Self: Exploring design, personal brand, inclusion, and the often-unacknowledged performance pressures in professional life.
Speakers include hotel owners, global brand directors, independent entrepreneurs, designers, disability-inclusion strategists, and youth panellists drawn from across Thailand’s tourism and business communities.
RISE 2026 is open to all working in and around Thailand’s hotel, tourism, and hospitality sector. Advance registration is required, and tickets are THB1,000. To view the programme and to register, use the following link CLICK
BRUSSELS, 8 July 2026: Radisson Hotel Group has launched a leading AI-powered, real-time hotel price-matching technology, redefining how travellers book direct online.
The new feature automatically detects lower publicly available rates for Radisson Hotel Group properties on third-party booking platforms.
It instantly matches them on RadissonHotels.com — removing the need for guests to submit claims or screenshots, or to wait for manual approval.
Unlike traditional best-rate guarantee programmes, which require customers to identify lower rates and complete a manual claims process, price matching automatically verifies and applies eligible lower rates in real time.
Real-time pricing
When a guest discovers a lower rate for a Radisson Hotel Group property on an online travel agency (OTA) or a search engine such as Google Hotels, the AI-powered system automatically verifies the discrepancy and matches eligible lower publicly available rates, redirecting the user to the hotel’s website without the need for any further interaction.
The feature is live across all Radisson Hotel Group properties worldwide and currently covers rates from leading OTAs, including Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda, Priceline, Trip.com and MakeMyTrip.
SINGAPORE, 8 July 2026: Vietjet gives Singaporean residents more reason to plan their next Vietnam getaway, with its 7.7 Double Day Sale offering economy tickets from SGD86 (excluding taxes and fees) across its Singapore-Vietnam flight network.
The deal pairs with 20% off deluxe, SkyBoss, and Business base fares on international routes using the promotional code SALE77.
Photo credit: Vietjet.
Available on 8 and 9 July, the promotion is valid for travel between 15 August 2026 and 31 March 2027 (excluding public holidays and peak travel periods, subject to market conditions).
For travellers in Singapore, the sale offers a timely opportunity to lock in value fares for year-end holidays, family visits, business trips or quick getaways to Vietnam. Vietjet currently connects Singapore with key Vietnamese destinations including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and Phu Quoc, with a new Singapore–Nha Trang service launching from 11 December 2026. This gives travellers more options for both city breaks and beach holidays across Vietnam.
Beyond Vietnam, passengers can also explore Vietjet’s international network, including destinations such as Colombo in Sri Lanka, Almaty in Kazakhstan and Prague in the Czech Republic, the airline’s newest gateway to Europe.
Travellers looking for added flexibility can choose Vietjet’s Deluxe fare, which includes benefits such as up to 20kg of checked baggage, complimentary seat selection and flexible itinerary changes, subject to terms and conditions. For a more premium journey, SkyBoss and Business offer enhanced services, curated inflight dining and a smoother travel experience for both business and leisure travellers.
Within Vietnam, Vietjet has also increased frequencies on selected domestic routes connecting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong with popular destinations such as Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and Hue. Flights to Da Lat will also resume from mid-August 2026, offering travellers more ways to explore Vietnam’s highland destination.
BANGKOK, 8 July 2026: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart 2026 is officially locked in to take place in Sarawak, Malaysia, from 18 to 20 August 2026, with buyers and sellers finalising their matching appointments at Asia Pacific’s pioneering travel mart.
The PATA Travel Mart (PTM) was established in 1978, with the inaugural event hosted in Manila, Philippines. It was the brainchild of the late Gerald Picolla, who was then the PATA Staff Vice President, designed to allow Asia-Pacific suppliers to conduct business with global buyers efficiently without travelling the world individually.
Photo credit: PATA.
This marks the first time PATA’s signature travel trade exhibition will be hosted in Sarawak, making it a major milestone that aligns directly with the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. It also celebrates PATA’s 75th anniversary and the Sarawak Tourism Board’s (STB) 45th year of membership with the association.
Venue and core logistics
Host location: The primary trade show floor and targeted B2B sessions will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
Satellite venues: The Sheraton Kuching will act as a key hub for auxiliary events, hosting the PTM Knowledge Forum and the PATA Executive Board Meeting on the morning of 18 August.
Scale: The mart expects participants from over 60 destinations worldwide, facilitating upwards of 10,000 pre-matched business appointments between global buyers (covering leisure, luxury, corporate MICE, and weddings) and Asia-Pacific suppliers.
Programme highlights
PATA Youth Symposium: Scheduled for 18 August, this session will be hosted at UCSI University in Kuching. It features an interactive Tourism Challenge Lab workshop and panel discussions focused on navigating structural disruptions, aviation constraints, and evolving traveller behaviours in the region.
PATA Gold Awards 2026: The official winners (to be announced in July 2026) will be celebrated live during the Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony on 19 August 2026. Winning entries will also be spotlighted on the main exhibition floor.
Focus on sustainability: Building on Sarawak’s implementation of PATA’s Tourism Destination Resilience (TDR) framework, the event prioritises regenerative tourism. Notably, the host venue, BCCK, is highlighting its active circular-economy initiatives, such as its bioconversion program, which recycles food waste into organic fertiliser in partnership with local agricultural partners.
For registered exhibitors and buyers
The primary registration window closed earlier this spring, and the final cancellation deadline for full refunds passed on 30 June 2026.
Delegations are now moving into the final scheduling phase, where matching for the 26 structured appointment slots (divided into seller-meet-buyer business sessions across the three-day mart) is being finalised.
Photo credit: PATA.
Itinerary and agenda breakdown for the week in Kuching
Monday, 17 August: Pre-Event Build-Up & Youth Day
0900 – 1800 | Organiser Hall Move-In & Raw Space Build-Up (BCCK)
SINGAPORE, 8 July 2026: Digital travel platform Agoda reveals fresh insights into the Thai travel landscape for the first half of 2026.
Based on accommodation searches made from 1 January to 10 June, for check-ins between 1 January and 30 June 2026, compared to the same period in 2025, Agoda’s data shows Malaysia leading international travel interest in Thailand, followed by South Korea, China, India, and Japan to round out the top five.
A standout in this year’s ranking is China, which climbed from seventh place in 2025 to third in 2026, recording a 38% year-on-year growth in searches on the platform. Together, the top five reflect a diverse and growing mix of markets drawn to Thailand from across Asia.
Agoda’s insights also point to several other markets maintaining strong interest in Thailand, with Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia all featuring in the top nine. The search patterns reveal that Thailand’s appeal is not concentrated in one corner of Asia: it spans Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia alike, making it one of the most consistently sought-after destinations in the region.
When it comes to where travellers are heading, Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket remain the top three destinations on Agoda’s platform, based on accommodation searches, reflecting their enduring appeal across visitor profiles. Chiang Mai holds fourth place, with searches pointing to sustained interest in Thailand’s north, while Hua Hin/Cha-am rounds out the top five as a favourite for those seeking a quieter coastal escape within easy reach of Bangkok.
Beyond the top five, the ranking reveals that travellers are increasingly looking beyond the historically popular. Destinations like Khao Yai, Kanchanaburi, and Nakhon Nayok feature among the top twenty, suggesting a growing appetite for inland and nature-focused travel. Meanwhile, island destinations including Krabi, Koh Samui, Ko Samet, and Ko Tao continue to hold strong, showing that Thailand’s coastal appeal remains as compelling as ever. Taken together, the spread of the top twenty paints a picture of a destination that offers something for every type of traveller.
Agoda Country Director for Thailand and Indochina, Akaporn Rodkong, shared: “The trends we are seeing in the first half of 2026 reinforce what we have long believed about Thailand’s position in the region. That diversity is a sign of a maturing destination. It reflects Agoda’s role in helping travellers discover more of what Thailand has to offer beyond the well-known names. We remain committed to supporting Thailand’s growth as a travel destination, and to being the platform that helps people to see the world for less.”
BANGKOK, 8 July 2026: Siam Seaplane, Thailand’s private charter and amphibious seaplane operator, has officially unveiled its newly expanded operational office base at Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) Terminal 1.
Serving as the company’s central operational command centre, this facility marks a milestone in Siam Seaplane’s growth, enhancing flight operations and driving network expansion.
From left to right: Nalin Wachiraphansakul, Head of the Eastern Tourism Products Section; Vijit Keawtraiteam, General Manager of Don Mueang International Airport; Pasakorn Rangsiwatanasak, Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Sports; Worakanya Siripidej, CEO of Siam Seaplane; Saranya Srikhirin, Director of the Tourism Products Promotion Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand; and Kongsak Chomchum, Director of the Aircraft Maintenance Training Division.
This expanded hub allows Siam Seaplane to tap regional connectivity and provide faster, seamless access to Thailand’s exclusive marine destinations. The hub at DMK will serve two key operating zones.
The Andaman Network (Southern Thailand): Seamlessly linking premier coastal and island destinations such as Phuket, Phang Nga, Koh Yao Noi, Krabi, Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe, and Trang. This network will dramatically reduce travel times, opening new horizons for luxury hospitality and premium leisure travel for travellers entering Thailand at Bangkok Don Mueang Airport.
The Bangkok Hub Network: Routes departing from Bangkok are expected to connect travellers to extraordinary destinations within approximately 1.5 hours, including Pattaya, Prachuap, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Rayong, Koh Chang and Koh Kood.
To support this long-term vision, Siam Seaplane will establish a new operational hub in Krabi later this year to gradually roll out the Andaman seaplane network.
DUBAI, UAE, 7 July 2026: Emirates customers have made more than one million connections to Starlink Wi-Fi since the service was introduced across the airline’s fleet seven months ago, marking a major milestone in the evolution of inflight connectivity.
Customers have already used more than a Petabyte of data, and feedback on the service has been exemplary – with many commenting that the Wi-Fi is ‘better than at home.’
With over 60 Starlink-equipped Emirates flights taking to the skies every day, customers are choosing to connect to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi to stream content, join video calls, browse social media, game online and stay connected with family and friends throughout their journey.
The one-million milestone reflects the rapid adoption of Emirates’ next-generation connectivity service, currently available on 33 Boeing 777 aircraft and three Airbus A380s, with installations continuing at pace across the airline’s fleet and more aircraft with Starlink taking flight every week.
From kilobits to gigabits
Emirates has long been a pioneer in onboard connectivity and was among the first commercial carriers to introduce internet access onboard the Airbus A380, with first-generation systems delivering less than 1 Mbps of total aircraft bandwidth. Emirates’ existing in-flight Wi-Fi service enables customers to stay connected throughout their journey, with access to messaging, email, web browsing, and social media on most flights. Complimentary access is available for all Emirates customers.
Today, Emirates is setting a new benchmark with Starlink-equipped A380 aircraft that deliver more than 2 Gbps of combined bandwidth, so that customers in all classes can enjoy a seamless, complimentary internet experience with live calls and streaming at 40,000 feet.
Engineering connectivity at an unprecedented scale
Following the successful rollout of Starlink across the Emirates Boeing 777 fleet, the service has also been introduced to the Airbus A380. As the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380 features three Starlink antennas, specifically designed to support its double-deck layout and high passenger capacity. The system delivers enhanced coverage, capacity and performance across all cabin classes. Future planned enhancements will include integrating Live TV streaming into Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system – ice – which customers can already access on their personal devices.
Bringing Starlink to more Emirates customers
To support rapid deployment across the fleet, Emirates has already begun installing Starlink at Emirates Engineering facilities in Dubai, accelerating the introduction of next-generation connectivity on more aircraft. With installations already completed on 33 Boeing 777s and three Airbus A380s, Emirates remains committed to bringing complimentary, ultra-fast Wi-Fi to as many customers as possible, as quickly as possible.
Emirates’ commitment to innovation
The introduction of Starlink on the Airbus A380 forms part of Emirates’ continued investment in elevating the customer experience across every stage of the journey. Alongside one of the aviation industry’s most ambitious fleet retrofit programmes, Emirates continues to introduce innovations that enhance comfort, choice and connectivity for millions of travellers worldwide. To date, 128 aircraft have undergone a complete cabin refurbishment, including the introduction of Premium Economy, refreshed Business and First Class products, upgraded Economy cabins and enhanced inflight entertainment systems offering more than 6,500 channels of content.
BANGKOK, 7 July 2026: Emirates is introducing a third daily flight between Dubai and Phuket, operated by its new Airbus A350, offering travellers greater choice and extending its award-winning Premium Economy experience in Thailand.
The additional flight frequency to Phuket complements the airline’s existing schedule. It provides much-needed capacity to meet the deep tourism appeal and surge in summer travel demand from Europe and the Middle East/GCC.
Photo credit: Emirates. Three daily flights connect Dubai and Phuket.
With the addition of a third daily flight, Emirates now serves Phuket with 21 weekly services operated by a mix of Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s.
Emirates flight EK390 departs Dubai at 2240 and arrives in Phuket at 0810 the following day. The return flight, EK391, departs Phuket at 1000 and arrives in Dubai at 1305. ( Local times).
Travellers will benefit from greater flexibility, with additional travel options to the popular resort destination, including an early-morning arrival that is ideal for customers connecting via Dubai from European cities such as Manchester, Amsterdam, London, Paris, and Frankfurt, as well as from Kuwait and Bahrain. The new flight will also provide convenient onward connections from Phuket to key destinations across Europe and the Middle East, including Madrid, Munich, Birmingham, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Edinburgh, Zurich and Amman.
The introduction of Emirates flight EK391 also significantly enhances cargo connectivity from Phuket by providing an additional daytime departure to Dubai, with improved connection opportunities to onward gateways across Europe, the UK, Africa, the GCC, and North America, thereby supporting shipments of perishables, electronic components, and general cargo.
Introducing the A350 and Premium Economy to Phuket
Operated by an Airbus A350-900 in a three-class configuration, Emirates’ new daily service offers customers 32 lie-flat business-class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 28 premium economy seats, and 238 economy-class seats.
Commitment to Thailand
The expansion of Emirates’ operations in Phuket builds on the airline’s continued investment in Thailand, following recent developments including the opening of its renovated lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport’s SAT-1 terminal, the opening of its Emirates World Store at Gaysorn Centre in Bangkok, and newly introduced fifth freedom services last year connecting Bangkok with Siem Reap in Cambodia and Da Nang in Vietnam, underscoring its place as a connecting point in Southeast Asia.
In addition to Phuket, Emirates also offers its award-winning Premium Economy product on flights EK372/373 between Dubai and Bangkok, operated by a four-class A380.
JAKARTA, 7 July 2026: TransNusa is introducing new routes from Jakarta to Bangkok, Thailand, starting 6 August and connecting Bali to the island destination of Wakatobi during July 2026.
TransNusa becomes the first airline to introduce a new direct route from Bali to Wakatobi, an island that is globally celebrated for hosting the world’s second-largest barrier reef. In 2024, the airline launched a direct route from Bali to the diving haven of Manado. While an exact date for the maiden flight to Wakatobi wasn’t specified in Monday’s announcement, scheduling systems show flights rolling out through July 2026.
Photo credit: TransNusa. TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis.
On the regional and domestic network expansion, TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis, said that the much-awaited new routes from Jakarta to Bangkok as well as from Bali to Wakatobi and Waingapu will strengthen TransNusa’s international and domestic connectivity network.
What about Wakatobi?
Wakatobi is a remote, tropical archipelago located in the Southeast Sulawesi province of Indonesia, nestled between the Banda Sea to the northeast and the Flores Sea to the southwest. The name “Wakatobi” is a portmanteau created from the first letters of its four main islands: Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko. The expansive Wakatobi National Park, the third-largest marine park in Indonesia, encompasses the entire regency.
Tourism significance
Wakatobi holds an esteemed status in international tourism; legendary adventurer Jacques Cousteau once famously described the region as an “Underwater Nirvana.” Today, its global renown centres on world-class marine biodiversity, pioneering ecological conservation, and rich seafaring cultural heritage.
Epicentre of Coral Biodiversity: Wakatobi sits directly inside the Asia-Pacific Coral Triangle. It hosts an astonishing 750 out of the world’s 850 known coral reef species and more than 942 distinct fish species. Its complex marine habitats feature 25 distinct coral reef groups—including massive barrier reefs, fringing reefs, and pristine atolls—making it a legendary destination for scuba diving, snorkelling, and professional underwater photography.
Benchmark for Eco-Tourism: The region serves as a model for private- and community-led conservation. Marine protected zones operate strictly via cooperative agreements with local villages. In exchange for safeguarding reef sanctuaries from destructive practices, communities receive support like sponsored clean energy, localised waste management, and educational scholarships. Strict dive rules and continuous environmental monitoring ensure that high-end tourism actively restores, rather than degrades, the surrounding ecosystem.
Living Heritage of Seafaring Nomads: Beyond its marine wonders, Wakatobi offers immersive cultural tourism. It is home to the indigenous Bajo tribe, traditionally known as “sea gypsies,” whose history and way of life are deeply intertwined with the ocean. Travellers frequently participate in “live-in” village packages to observe local wisdom, see traditional handicraft weaving, such as the Homoru sarong, and visit ancient cultural sites.
Introductory fares
Tickets from Jakarta to Bangkok start at USD167.54, while tickets from Bali to Wakatobi start at USD103.30. Tickets from Bali to Waingapu start at USD75.36.
“Our goal is to continue improving accessibility across Southeast Asia by continuously introducing new routes and expanding TransNusa’s international as well as its domestic network,” continued Datuk Bernard, adding that at the initial stage, TransNusa will operate two daily flights for the Jakarta-Bangkok route, three weekly direct flights from Bali to Wakatobi on Monday, Thursday and Sunday, for the Bali-Wakatobi route.
Flight schedule: Bangkok-Thailand
8B381 and 8B38 will depart from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta at 0820 and 1630 and arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok at 1145 and 1955.
8B382 and 8B38 will depart the Suvarnabhumi Airport at 1230 and 2040, arriving at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta at 1555 and 0005.
Flight schedule: Bali-Wakatobi
8B5662 will depart from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali at 0805 and arrive at Matahora Airport in Wakatobi at 0945.
8B5663 will depart from Matahora Airport at 1015 and arrive at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali at 1155.
TransNusa will deploy its Airbus A320, which has 174 seats, for its international route and its COMAC C909, which has 95 seats, for its domestic route.
