SINGAPORE, 30 June 2026: Chiang Rai in far north Thailand will welcome the Hilton brand with the opening of Kahavadi Chiang Rai, Curio Collection by Hilton on 1 July.
Located on the northern banks of the Mae Kok River that flows through the heart of Chiang Rai town, the relatively unknown Curio Collection brand is now attached to the door of the renovated Rimkok Resort.
Photo credit: Kahavadi Chiang Rai, Curio Collection by Hilton.
This popular mid-scale hotel opened in 1990 but has been closed for several years to undergo an extensive renovation and upgrade. As the name implies, the hotel’s remake draws on Northern Thai merchant mansions and Lanna traditions.
In pre-opening publicity, the Hilton group presents Kahavadi Chiang Rai as blending contemporary design with local artistry and authentic experiences that reflect the destination’s character.
“The debut of Kahavadi Chiang Rai marks an important milestone in Hilton’s continued growth in Thailand and further highlights Chiang Rai’s appeal as one of the country’s most compelling cultural destinations. Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders,” Hilton said in pre-opening promotions on 18 June.
Kahavadi Chiang Rai, Curio Collection by Hilton, is now accepting reservations for stays starting 1 July 2026. It features 167 rooms and suites across several room categories. Accommodation includes 144 deluxe rooms, 22 one-bedroom suites, and a two-bedroom Kahavadi Family Suite.
To celebrate, Kahavadi Chiang Rai has set its opening rate at THB3,800 per night. As part of the opening celebration, Hilton Honors members who book directly will earn 1,000 bonus points per night for stays between 1 July and 31 December 2026. Hilton Worldwide, on its trending stories portal, flagged the opening rate at THB4,136, including service charge but excluding government taxes.
Kahavadi Chiang Rai, Curio Collection by Hilton is located at 6 Moo 4, Tambon Rimkok, Muang Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai 57100.
A business card sent to TTRW by a third party purportedly identified the GM as an Australian national, Ms Terryn Schlenther. Still, efforts to confirm the GM’s details directly with the hotel’s administration were unsuccessful at the time of posting the news.*
The hotel group appointed Schlenther general manager of the Chiang Rai project in June 2025 following a four-month stint at Hilton Suvarnabhumi Golf Resort and Spa in the Thai capital. She has worked at various Hilton properties in Thailand since 2018 and, before that, for Hilton properties in Australia — Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney.
The resort is a rebirth of the Rimkok Resort Hotel that opened in 1990 with 248 rooms on an extensive garden estate overlooking the river. It initially catered to international tour groups before undergoing a management change and operating as the Wiang Indra Riverside Resort.
Following the COVID-19 crisis, which caused massive damage to emerging and hidden-gem destinations across northern Thailand, the property closed for a major makeover, ushering in Hilton’s “Curio Collection” and rebranding it as the Kahavadi Chiang Rai, Curio Collection by Hilton.
* Postscript: The hotel’s Front Office Manager confirmed the GM’s details were correct.
KUALA LUMPUR, 29 June 2026: Golden Destinations (GD), a leading outbound travel brand, has announced the charter of Star Voyager from StarCruises for a series of sailings from Port Klang during the December 2026 school holiday season.
Available through Golden Destinations’ flagship cruise division, GD World Cruises, the specially chartered sailings will offer Malaysian travellers holiday escapes to Phuket and Krabi in Thailand aboard Star Voyager.
Photo credit: StarCruises. Star Voyager
The deployment will feature five departures between 5 and 22 December 2026, offering two- and three-night itineraries designed to cater to families, couples, groups of friends, corporate incentive groups, MICE travellers and holidaymakers seeking a memorable year-end getaway.
By sailing directly from Port Klang in Malaysia, travellers can enjoy a convenient and hassle-free cruise holiday, making it one of the most convenient and value-packed holiday options during Malaysia’s peak year-end travel season.
This collaboration combines Golden Destinations’ expertise in curating travel experiences with StarCruises’ hospitality, entertainment and onboard offerings, delivering exceptional value and memorable experiences for Malaysian travellers.
Five school holiday sailings from Port Klang
Travellers can choose from five specially arranged departures throughout the December school holidays:
• Sailing 1: Departing 5 December 2026, Saturday (three-night Phuket–Krabi Cruise). Visits Phuket and Krabi, experiencing two of Thailand’s most popular beach destinations in a single voyage.
• Sailing 2: Departing 8 December 2026, Tuesday (three-night Phuket–Krabi Cruise). Ideal for a mid-holiday escape, this sailing offers the opportunity to unwind at sea while enjoying world-class onboard experiences.
• Sailing 3: Departing 18 December 2026, Friday (two- night Krabi Cruise). A short escape to Krabi, ideal for a relaxing weekend without the need for an extended leave.
• Sailing 4: Departing 20 December 2026, Sunday (two-night Phuket Cruise). A short break to Phuket, combining island excitement with the comfort of a cruise holiday.
• Sailing 5: Departing 22 December 2026, Tuesday (three-night Phuket–Krabi Cruise). Round off the school holidays with a festive getaway before returning in time for Christmas and year-end celebrations.
StarDream Cruises President Michael Goh said: “Golden Destinations has been a valued travel partner over the years, and we are delighted to collaborate on this Star Voyager charter programme. As one of Malaysia’s leading travel specialists, Golden Destinations’ extensive experience in developing cruise holiday offerings and deep
An understanding of the local market will help bring these exciting sailings to more travellers seeking a convenient year-end getaway from Port Klang.”
Bookings are now open through Golden Destinations’ nationwide network of travel partners and authorised agents.
KUCHING, Sarawak, 29 June 2026: Sarawak welcomed the world to the rainforest as the 29th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2026 opened at the Sarawak Cultural Village, attracting more than 200 performers from 13 countries for three days of music, culture, community and sustainability from 26 to 28 June 2026.
The opening day was marked by a walkabout by YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, who visited key festival activations across the Sarawak Cultural Village to experience first-hand how RWMF 2026 brings together culture, sustainability, community participation, food, innovation and responsible tourism within one festival setting.
Held under the theme “Regenerations: Roots & Rhythms,” RWMF 2026 transforms the iconic festival grounds in the foothills of Mount Santubong into a global meeting point where heritage, creativity and cultural exchange come alive through the universal language of music.
During the walkabout, YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim was briefed on several festival highlights, including Green Ruai, the Rainforest Flavours gastronomy activation at the Global Village Pavilion, food and beverage offerings across the festival grounds, sustainability operations, and community-led experiences designed to enhance the visitor journey throughout the three-day festival.
A key highlight of the walkabout was Green Ruai, which carries the theme “Roots of Change, Future of Sustainability.” Located near Rumah Gasing, Green Ruai serves as a dedicated sustainability platform showcasing practical green innovations, community-based initiatives, and environmentally responsible solutions that support the festival’s broader sustainability direction.
Among the featured showcases is DBKU’s E-Penambang at the Sarawak Cultural Village lake, presenting an environmentally friendly interpretation of Sarawak’s traditional river-transportation heritage.
The showcase reflects how cultural memory, local identity, and green innovation can be brought together in a way that is both educational and relevant to contemporary sustainability conversations.
Green Ruai also features collaborations and showcases involving renewable energy solutions, solar-powered infrastructure, clean energy systems, community-based sustainability initiatives, eco-friendly products and innovative approaches to waste and resource management. These initiatives reflect RWMF’s continued effort to make sustainability visible, accessible and participatory for festivalgoers.
Over three days, RWMF 2026 featured a diverse international and regional line-up spanning world music, soul, funk, groove, Nusantara traditions, Afro-fusion, Basque folk, Mongolian and Southeast Asian contemporary sounds. The festival continues to strengthen its reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s most distinctive cultural festival experiences, bringing together artists, audiences and communities in a setting that is uniquely Sarawak.
The opening day offered festivalgoers an immersive experience beyond the concert stage, with afternoon music workshops, cultural demonstrations, wellness sessions, interactive activities and community engagements taking place across the festival grounds. These activities allowed visitors to connect directly with artists, traditions, and stories from around the world while experiencing the cultural richness of Sarawak and Borneo.
According to YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, RWMF continues to play an important role in strengthening Sarawak’s global visibility as a cultural tourism destination.
“For nearly three decades, the Rainforest World Music Festival has shown how culture can bring the world together while strengthening appreciation for heritage, community and sustainability. RWMF is more than a festival. It is one of Sarawak’s strongest international platforms, reflecting who we are as the Gateway to Borneo and demonstrating how culture, nature and responsible tourism can coexist meaningfully,” he said.
He added that the festival’s on-the-ground activations demonstrate how Sarawak continues to strengthen responsible tourism through practical, visible initiatives.
“What we see at RWMF today is not only music and performance, but a wider ecosystem of culture, food, craft, sustainability and community participation. Initiatives such as Green Ruai and the E-Penambang showcase are important because they demonstrate how heritage and innovation can work together. This is the kind of meaningful tourism Sarawak wants to champion, where visitors enjoy the festival while also learning about our culture, environment and way of life,” he said.
Dr Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, Chief Executive Officer of the Sarawak Tourism Board, said the 2026 theme reflects the festival’s evolution as it approaches its 30th anniversary next year.
“Regenerations: Roots & Rhythms captures the spirit of this year’s festival beautifully. ‘Roots’ reminds us of the cultural heritage, traditions and knowledge passed down through generations. At the same time, ‘Rhythms’ reflects renewal, creativity and the way music continues to evolve through collaboration and contemporary expression,” she said.
“This year, we see that theme coming alive across the festival through the performances, workshops, cultural storytelling, food, craft, sustainability initiatives and the shared energy of festivalgoers. RWMF continues to show that culture is not static. It is lived, shared, renewed and carried forward,” she added.
The evening programme culminated in a highly anticipated performance by Malaysian music icon Dato M Nasir, whose poetic storytelling, timeless repertoire and enduring influence in the regional music landscape captivated audiences gathered beneath the rainforest canopy. His performance set the tone for a weekend dedicated to celebrating cultural identity, artistic innovation, and the power of music to transcend borders.
In addition to the main concerts, festivalgoers can look forward to a full programme of immersive experiences throughout the weekend, including more than 50 workshops and activities across the festival grounds. These include music and dance workshops, artist-led sessions, cultural storytelling, traditional craft demonstrations, wellness activities, family-friendly programmes, cultural performances, and community-led activities.
The programme also features the BIMP-EAGA and ASEAN Gastronomy Experience through Rainforest Flavours at the Global Village Pavilion. Curated by the Culinary Heritage and Arts Society Sarawak (CHASS), the activation showcases distinctive regional flavours and shared culinary traditions from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, including Sarawak.
Rainforest Flavours highlights heritage ingredients, traditional cooking techniques, local food stories, and authentic food showcases, offering festivalgoers a deeper taste of Sarawak, Borneo, and the wider region. This complements RWMF’s celebration of music, culture and community by positioning food as another important expression of shared heritage.
Festivalgoers can also enjoy approximately 50 food and beverage vendors across the festival grounds, offering Sarawakian favourites, traditional local cuisine, international street food, Western delights, barbecue specialities, artisanal desserts, tropical fruits, vegetarian selections, festival-style bites and a wide selection of beverages.
Sustainability remains a core pillar of RWMF 2026, with the festival serving as a live implementation platform for the ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System as it progresses towards sustainable event management and responsible tourism development.
On-the-ground initiatives include Green Ruai, the Green Warriors Waste Management Programme, structured waste segregation and recycling initiatives, nine EcoStations across Damai Sentral and Sarawak Cultural Village, and the EcoGreen Planet Tree Planting Initiative.
Through EcoGreen Planet, implemented in collaboration with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation, more than 6,000 trees have been planted across Sarawak since 2023, and the programme is on track to plant 10,000 trees this year. These efforts reinforce RWMF’s commitment to reducing environmental impact while encouraging festivalgoers to engage in responsible tourism practices.
RWMF 2026 is made possible through the strong support of its official partners and sponsors, who continue to play a vital role in strengthening the festival’s global reach, cultural impact and sustainability commitments.
Malaysia Airlines and Firefly serve as the Official Airline Partners, supporting connectivity and travel access to Sarawak. TV Sarawak (TVS) returns as the Official Broadcast Partner, extending the festival’s reach to audiences across Malaysia and beyond, while Astro Radio, comprising Era FM Sarawak, Sinar FM, Mix FM and Lite FM, serves as the Official Radio Partner. Rip Curl joins as the Official Apparel Partner, contributing to the festival’s lifestyle and creative expression ecosystem.
A diverse network of partners across the sustainability, hospitality, beverage, mobility, media, and corporate sectors further supports the festival. These included Cuckoo International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, F&N Marketing Sdn Bhd as Non-Alcoholic Beverage Partner, Plaza Merdeka, The Waterfront Hotel Kuching, Media Exchange, Avis Budget Malaysia, Carlsberg Marketing Sdn Bhd, Solarvest Borneo Sdn Bhd (Sarawak), PETROS, and Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd.
As RWMF 2026 continued through the weekend, audiences enjoyed world-class performances, cultural discoveries, sustainability showcases, and meaningful encounters that celebrated the diversity of global music while reinforcing Sarawak’s position as the Gateway to Borneo and one of Asia’s most compelling destinations for cultural and sustainable tourism.
SINGAPORE, 29 June 2026: Ponant Explorations announces the appointment of Gino Andreetta as Chief Client & Hospitality Officer, effective 1 July 2026.
Reporting directly to the CEO and joining Ponant’s Executive Committee, he will lead the newly created Client & Hospitality division, a strategic function designed to elevate the end-to-end guest experience and support the company’s ambition to become the undisputed leader in exploration travel.
With more than 35 years of international experience in luxury travel and hospitality across four continents, Andreetta brings a combination of strategic vision, operational excellence and customer-centric leadership.
Throughout his career with Club Med, he has successfully driven premium repositioning initiatives, accelerated digital transformation, expanded brands into new markets and transformed customer experience standards while embedding environmental responsibility and talent development at the heart of business performance.
Under Andreetta’s leadership, the division will bring together Hotel Design & Operations, Product Design & Development, Explorations, Client Satisfaction and Onboard Activities, ensuring a seamless and distinctive guest journey at every stage of the experience.
KUALA LUMPUR, 29 June 2026: MHholidays, the holiday arm of Malaysia Airlines, is bringing back its Kids Fly & Stay Free campaign, offering families incentives to plan their next getaway together.
The campaign makes domestic travel more accessible by allowing children aged 2 to 11 to enjoy complimentary flights and hotel stays on selected MHholidays packages when travelling with two paying adults and one child.
Photo credit: MHholidays.
Families can enjoy savings of up to 45% on selected domestic holiday packages, making it easier to turn holiday plans into reality without compromising on comfort or experience. Whether it’s a city escape in Kuala Lumpur, a food adventure in Penang or a retreat in Langkawi, MHholidays offers curated holiday experiences designed to suit every travel style. Combining Malaysia Airlines flights with carefully selected hotel stays, the one-stop booking platform makes planning a getaway effortless and convenient.
Guests booking eligible Malaysia Airlines flights through MHholidays can also earn Enrich Points, adding value to every getaway. In addition, eligible customers can enjoy MYR50 off attractions booked via the Journify app or website using their MHholidays flight booking reference, unlocking even more ways to explore, discover and create memorable experiences at their destination.
The Kids Fly & Stay Free campaign is available for bookings until 31 December 2026, for travel until 22 June 2027. The offer is valid on selected MHholidays domestic packages for bookings comprising two adults and one child.
BANGKOK, 29 June 2026: Minor Hotels is strengthening its global wellness strategy by appointing Aditya Saluja as Commercial Director – Spa & Wellness for MSpa International.
Saluja brings over 20 years of leadership experience exclusively within the luxury wellness hospitality sector. He joins from The Farm at San Benito, where he led commercial strategy and oversaw the property’s integration into the Marriott Autograph Collection, driving international expansion and accelerating digital growth.
Photo credit: Aditya Saluja, Commercial Director – mSpa and Wellness.
Before this, he played a key role at Six Senses Vana, India, where he architected business expansion across European and Middle Eastern markets. He began his journey at Ananda in the Himalayas, where he built his foundational expertise in Wellness and contributed to significant growth across multiple business segments.
Commenting on his appointment, Saluja said: “There is a clear opportunity to elevate mSpa and wellness through focused commercial strategy, innovation and meaningful guest engagement. I look forward to working closely with the team to drive sustainable growth and deliver experiences that truly resonate.”
In his new role, he will lead the commercial strategy for mSpa and Wellness, focusing on growth, innovation and strengthening the brand’s position as a leader in integrated wellness experiences.
About Minor Hotels Minor Hotels is a global leader in the hospitality industry with more than 640 hotels, resorts and branded residences in operation and committed development across 66 countries. The group crafts innovative and insightful experiences through its hotel brands, including Anantara, Elewana Collection, The Wolseley Hotels, Tivoli, Minor Reserve Collection, NH Collection, nhow, Avani, Colbert Collection, NH, Oaks, and iStay, as well as a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars, travel experiences, and spa and wellness brands.
HONG KONG, 29 June 2026: Shelley Tai, founder of Mius in Hong Kong, has won the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2026. Voted exclusively by bartenders from venues ranked on the 2026 list, the accolade is the only peer-judged award in the Asia’s 50 Best Bars programme.
The award forms part of a series of special accolades announced ahead of the live awards ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026, sponsored by Perrier, which will take place at Wynn Palace, Macau, on 28 July.
Photo credit: Asia’s 50 Best Bars. 2026 winner Shelley Tai, founder of Mius Hong Kong.
This prestigious award recognises an individual who has made a significant positive impact on the bar industry, celebrating outstanding hospitality, industry leadership, and contributions to the cocktail community.
For Shelley Tai, the accolade represents the latest milestone in a career that began almost by chance at 20, when she “just needed a job and bartending looked really fun and cool”. Honing her craft at acclaimed venues like FINDS and Quinary, she was named Diageo World Class Competition 2019 HK & Macau Bartender of the Year — a defining achievement that laid the foundation for her subsequent success as Operations Director of Singapore’s Nutmeg & Clove, voted No.24 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and No.50 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025.
After five years in Singapore, she returned home to Hong Kong to launch her own independent project, Mius, a neighbourhood cocktail bar rooted in her philosophy of “simple things, done well”. The menu showcases reimagined classics, refined house signatures, and one of Hong Kong’s most thoughtfully curated grower champagne selections, underscoring Tai’s commitment to craftsmanship over spectacle. Standouts include a Highball served ice-free to preserve clarity and texture, a bright Garibaldi refined with house techniques, and the Dirty Margarita – a subtle, savoury interpretation featuring tequila, fennel pollen, olive, gentian and lime. Each drink is stripped back to its essential elements, demonstrating her belief that restraint can be as powerful as innovation.
Since opening, Mius has quickly earned recognition within Hong Kong’s bar community for its restrained elegance and hospitality-first ethos. Every detail from service flow to staff training reflects Tai’s belief that genuine care and technical precision must go hand in hand.
Beyond her own bar, Tai is recognised for her advocacy and mentorship within the regional bartending community. Her cross-market experience in Hong Kong and Singapore, combined with her calm, disciplined leadership style, has positioned her as a role model for a new generation of hospitality professionals.
Mius Founder Shelley Tai commented: “I’m truly honoured to receive this recognition, especially among a community of experienced bartenders whose craft I deeply respect. I’m also grateful for the Mius team I get to work with every day. Their support, talent and dedication make this kind of moment possible. I hope I can be a role model in return, and inspire others in our community the way so many of you have inspired me.”
Asia’s 50 Best Bars Director of Content & Creative Emma Sleight noted: “Shelley represents a new wave of hospitality leadership in Asia – grounded in humility, precision and an unwavering commitment to craft. Through Mius and her broader career across Hong Kong and Singapore, she has demonstrated how neighbourhood bars can shape culture just as powerfully as large-scale institutions. It is fitting that her peers have recognised her contribution with this year’s Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.”
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026, sponsored by Perrier, will culminate in a live awards ceremony revealing the region’s 50 best bars and The Best Bar in Asia 2026. This year’s event programme includes the Bartenders’ Feast, showcasing Macau’s diverse F&B scene and Meet the Bartenders, an exclusive media roundtable session. The countdown to Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026 will also be broadcast live globally on the 50 Best YouTube channel.
GUWAHATI, India, 29 June 2026: Air India Express has announced the launch of direct flights between Guwahati and Dubai and between Guwahati and Abu Dhabi, becoming the first airline to connect Northeast India with West Asia directly.
The services will commence on 4 August and 7 August, respectively, marking a significant milestone in expanding international travel options and strengthening global connectivity for the region.
Photo credit: Air India Express.
Guwahati, widely regarded as the gateway to Northeast India, is one of the largest stations in the Air India Express network, with around 120 weekly flights. The launch of direct services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi marks the airline’s first international operations from the city, providing convenient access to two of the UAE’s leading economic and travel hubs.
The new routes are expected to support tourism, trade, and cultural exchange, while bringing Northeast India closer to key global markets and opportunities.
Bookings for the new flights are now open on airindiaexpress.com, the Air India Express mobile app, and other major booking channels.
With the addition of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Air India Express continues to strengthen its presence across Northeast India, where it now operates over 290 weekly flights from four stations: Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Guwahati, and Imphal. Beyond enhancing connectivity and supporting the region’s economic and tourism potential, the airline also celebrates the Northeast’s rich cultural heritage through its ‘Tales of India’ initiative.
Among the distinctive art forms featured on its aircraft tail designs are Assam’s iconic Gamosa and Jaapi motifs, as well as Tsüngkotepsu from Nagaland, Akyobi, Moirang Phee, and Saphee Lanphee from Manipur, Idu Mishmi from Arunachal Pradesh, Khneng from Meghalaya, and Puanchei from Mizoram.
CHIANG MAI, Thailand, 29 June 2026: Tripseed, a Thailand-based destination management company and People and Planet First Verified Social Enterprise, announced over the weekend that it has been awarded the Fair Tax Mark.
Tripseed is the first business operating in a single country outside the UK to secure the accreditation, and the first company in the world to be certified under the Fair Tax Foundation’s newly launched National Business Standard.
Photo credit: Tripseed.
The Fair Tax Mark is an independent accreditation that recognises businesses that pay the right amount of corporation tax, in the right place, at the right time, and are transparent about how they do so.
Until now, the Fair Tax Mark has been available through three standards: a UK small business standard, a UK-based business standard, and a Global Multinational Business Standard.
The National Business Standard, launched this week, is the Foundation’s fourth, and opens the Mark for the first time to businesses anywhere in the world that operate in a single country. Tripseed’s accreditation marks that standard’s launch.
Tripseed pursued the Mark because tax conduct is the most overlooked and most verifiable dimension of economic sustainability in tourism, and one that the sector’s leading sustainability frameworks have so far left largely unaddressed.
Tripseed, Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer, Ewan Cluckie, said: “We’re incredibly proud for Tripseed to be the first business accredited under the Fair Tax Foundation’s new national business standard for single-country businesses worldwide.
“For us, responsible tourism has to be built on honesty, evidence and accountability, not just compelling stories or glossy marketing claims. That means being transparent about how a business is structured and governed, and how it contributes to the places where its operations have an impact.
“Tourism has become very comfortable talking about sustainability, but far less comfortable talking about tax. Yet tax avoidance and opaque corporate structures are among the sector’s most significant forms of economic extraction. If responsible tourism is serious about local benefit, then tax transparency cannot be excluded from the conversation.
“We hope this accreditation helps open a wider industry discussion about how travel can move from good intentions to better evidence, stronger governance, and more accountable business practices.”
Tripseed’s route to the Mark began before a relevant standard existed. The company first published an independent tax disclosure aligned to GRI 207, the global reporting standard for tax transparency, at a point when no applicable accreditation was available to a single-country operator.
When the Fair Tax Foundation made Tripseed aware of its upcoming National Business Standard, Tripseed worked with the Foundation to assess that existing disclosure against the new criteria and to meet them in full.
Fair Tax Foundation Head of Accreditation Jamie Boswell said: “There’s no business I’d rather be launching this new Fair Tax Mark standard with than Tripseed, which has been exceptional at pursuing fair tax. It really gets why a fair tax is so important for the tourism industry, and for business in general. I’m delighted to have Ewan and his team in the fair tax community and hope many other businesses operating in single countries around the world will follow their lead.”
Tripseed is using the announcement to invite the wider travel industry, and the bodies that certify it, to treat tax conduct as a measurable part of economic sustainability rather than an optional disclosure. The company has published a three-part analysis during Fair Tax Week, examining how value can exit destination economies and auditing what the major tourism and business sustainability frameworks currently ask of the companies they accredit regarding tax.
About Tripseed Tripseed is a leading social-purpose destination management company based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, designing premium, tailor-made trips across Thailand for tour operators and travel advisors in the UK, the US, and Europe. A People and Planet First Verified Social Enterprise and member of the Social Enterprise Thailand Association, Tripseed is 70% locally owned and 70% women owned,
About the Fair Tax Mark The Fair Tax Foundation, based in Manchester (UK), operates the Fair Tax Mark accreditation scheme, which certifies businesses that pay the right amount of corporation tax, in the right place, at the right time, and are transparent in their tax affairs. The National Business Standard, launched during Fair Tax Week 2026, extends the Mark to businesses operating within a single country anywhere in the world, alongside the Foundation’s existing UK small business, UK-based business, and Global Multinational standards.
HONG KONG, 29 June 2026: The Cathay Group released traffic figures for May 2026 last week, reporting that both passenger traffic and cargo uplift saw double-digit growth year-on-year.
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau noted: “We continued to see year-on-year growth in our travel and cargo businesses in May, albeit against a backdrop of high jet fuel prices.
Cathay Pacific and HK Express together carried a combined total of over 3.3 million passengers, 14% higher than in May 2025, while Cathay Cargo carried over 150,000 tonnes of cargo during the month, representing an 11% increase year on year.
Photo credit: Cathay Group.
“Meanwhile, we are continuing to expand our global network. Earlier this month, Cathay Pacific announced plans to launch direct flights to Almaty in the first quarter of 2027, marking our first destination in Central Asia and strengthening Hong Kong’s connectivity with an important Belt and Road region. HK Express will also launch direct daily flights to Wuxi in July.”
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific carried 17% more passengers in May 2026 compared with May 2025, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) increased by 10%. In the first five months of 2026, passenger traffic increased by 19% compared with the same period in 2025.
Lau said: “May got off to a strong start, supported by solid traffic as passengers from across Asia returned from their Golden Week and other holiday travels at the beginning of the month. This was followed by robust travel demand from our home market as travellers took advantage of the Buddha’s Birthday long weekend in Hong Kong towards the end of May. These traffic flows, together with increased connecting traffic via Hong Kong as travellers seek alternative hubs due to the situation in the Middle East, contributed to a high network load factor of 87%. Meanwhile, our premium cabins continued to see high demand from business and premium leisure travel.
“Looking ahead, the outlook for the summer travel peak remains positive, particularly on our long-haul routes, while bookings for short-haul destinations are accelerating.”
Cathay Cargo
Cathay Cargo carried 11% more cargo in May 2026 than in May 2025, while Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 6%. In the first five months of 2026, the total tonnage increased by 8% compared with the same period in 2025. Cargo business performed well in May, with year-on-year growth underpinned by robust demand on key trade lanes, particularly between the Chinese Mainland and Southeast Asia.
HK Express
HK Express carried more than 670,000 passengers in May 2026, an increase of 5% year on year, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) grew by 4%. In the first five months of 2026, passengers carried increased by 12% compared with the same period in 2025.
Lavinia commented: “Demand for HK Express’s Southeast Asia routes extended beyond the Easter holidays into May, with Thailand and the Philippines remaining particularly popular. The airline’s Beijing (Daxing) service was also a bright spot, with load factor exceeding 90%. Looking ahead to the summer, HK Express is seeing a healthy pickup in bookings on various routes.”
Financial
As a result of the completion of an issuance of A shares as announced by Air China Limited (“Air China”) on 9 June 2026, the Cathay Group expects to recognise a deemed disposal gain of approximately HK$1.4 billion in the first half of 2026. This arises from the resulting dilution of the Group’s equity interest in Air China from 15.09% to 12.85%.
