SINGAPORE, 22 January 2025: Radisson Collection has introduced a new beachfront resort in the historic city of Galle, on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka.
Located directly on the beach near Unawatuna, overlooking the Indian Ocean, Radisson Collection Resort, Galle, becomes Radisson Hotel Group’s fourth hotel in Sri Lanka and its second in Galle.
The old city of Galle is best known for its well-preserved 17th-century fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which offers a glimpse into the island nation’s colonial past.
Curious explorers can also discover the local wildlife by visiting the sea turtle hatchery or safaris in the lush forests or immersing themselves in Sri Lankan culture amid ancient temples and colonial architecture.
Radisson Collection Resort, Galle, features 70 rooms, 36 suites and a 1,200-sqm Grand Penthouse with five bedrooms, a spiral staircase, and an infinity pool. The signature Catch Restaurant showcases an interactive seafood dining experience where guests can design their meal by selecting the seafood, cooking method and style.
The resort complements the group’s Sri Lankan portfolio, which includes Radisson Blu Resort, Galle, Radisson Hotel Colombo, and Radisson Hotel Kandy. Radisson has appointed Xavier Masson as the General Manager of Radisson Collection Resort, Galle.
LANG CO, Vietnam, 22 January 2025: Laguna Golf Lang Co, one of Vietnam’s premier golfing destinations, has been designated as the preferred venue for members of the Taiheiyo Club, Japan’s foremost golf organisation.
Known for its 18 courses and a legacy of hosting over 200 annual events — including the renowned Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters, the Taiheiyo Club represents Japan’s pinnacle of golfing excellence.
Laguna Lang Co Director of Golf Stephen Banks celebrates the sealing of the collaboration with Taiheiyo Club executives Jiro Nonaka (left) and Kaz Kawamoto.
The collaboration underscores Laguna Lang Co’s commitment to delivering world-class experiences for discerning Japanese golfers.
“Laguna Lang Co offers a rich tapestry of experiences that visitors from Japan appreciate. There’s incredible golf, world-class accommodation, culinary delights, entertainment, and cultural immersion,” said Laguna Golf Lang Co Director of Golf Stephen Banks. “It’s always a pleasure to welcome our Taiheiyo Club friends and guests,” added Banks. “Their passion for the game and appreciation for the unique experience we offer make them cherished visitors.”
With the resurgence of direct flights between Danang and Tokyo, facilitated by Vietnam Airlines, Japanese visitors are rediscovering Central Vietnam. Beyond golf, the region’s attractions have diversified to include culinary experiences, luxury resorts, pristine beaches, and cultural landmarks, particularly the historic city of Hue, just an hour north of Laguna Lang Co.
Laguna Lang Co resort’s centrepiece is the Sir Nick Faldo Signature golf course, nestled between mountains and the East Sea. The challenging yet stunning layout has resonated with Taiheiyo Club members, making it a top choice for golfing enthusiasts from Japan.
Augmenting the championship golf experience, Laguna Lang Co offers luxury accommodations at the award-winning Banyan Tree Lang Co, Angsana Lang Co, and the Laguna Parkside Residences Lang Co.
“The rice, rocks, beach, and buffaloes make Laguna Lang Co a favourite for our members,” said Taiheiyo Club executive Jiro Nonaka. “It’s an experience that combines Vietnam’s natural charm with the challenge of a world-class golf course.”
Eight years ago, Japanese travellers primarily associated Central Vietnam with its golf courses. Today, the destination has evolved, offering experiences that appeal to a broader audience seeking high-quality golf with luxury accommodations and immersive cultural offerings.
The Sir Nick Faldo Signature Design at Laguna Golf Lang Co has resonated with Taiheiyo Club members, making it a top choice for Japanese golf enthusiasts.
SINGAPORE, 22 January 2025: Air Astana is set to expand its China network by launching a new service from Almaty to Guangzhou on 30 March 2025.
Direct flights to Guangzhou will operate using Airbus A321LR aircraft three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, departing from Almaty at 2050 and arriving in Guangzhou at 0545 the next day. The return flight will depart Guangzhou at 0650 and arrive in Almaty at 1020. All times local.
Economy class return fares, including taxes, start at USD531. Business class return fares, including taxes, start at USD1,561.
“China has always been a strategically important market for Air Astana, with strong business and leisure traffic growth since the first service was launched between Astana and Beijing more than 20 years ago,” said Air Astana Chief Executive Peter Foster. “The launch of the new service to Guangzhou represents a significant step in expanding Air Astana’s China network.”
Guangzhou is the largest industrial centre in China, a global leader in the textile industry, and an important economic and cultural hub with a history that spans more than 2,000 years. The city is located 120 km northwest of Hong Kong.
Air Astana currently operates seven weekly flights to Beijing from Almaty and Astana and four weekly flights to Urumqi from Almaty. Kazakhstan citizens can travel in China for up to 30 days without a visa.
MUMBAI, 22 January 2025: Resorts World Cruises will deploy its Resorts World One cruise ship to India, home porting in Mumbai from 5 March until 1 June 2025.
From Mumbai on the western coast of India, World One will sail three weekly roundtrip cruises from the city’s soon-to-be-completed Mumbai International Cruise Terminal at the Ballard Pier Extension (BPX) berth in Mumbai Port.
Sailings from Mumbai
Resorts World One will depart the Mumbai International Cruise. Terminal for roundtrip cruise itineraries three times weekly.
Two-night Weekend High Seas Cruise departing on Fridays;
Two-night Goa Cruise departing on Wednesdays.
Three-night Lakshadweep Cruise to Agatti Island departing on Sundays;
“In support of the recently announced “Cruise Bharat Mission” by the Indian Government and the new world-class Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, we are excited to boost further India’s cruise tourism sector and bring the Resorts World One cruise ship to our homeport in Mumbai,” said Resorts World Cruises president Michael Goh.
Lakshadweep highlights
The three-night Lakshadweep Cruise departs on Sundays at 2100, which allows guests to join the cruise after working hours and is more convenient for passengers flying from other Indian cities. Upon departure, passengers can enjoy a full day on the high seas on Monday, relaxing and discovering onboard activities and facilities. On Tuesday sunrise, the ship will have arrived at the pristine coral atoll of Agatti Island, a hidden gem part of the picturesque Lakshadweep archipelago.
On the island, passengers can take part in many activities, such as glass bottom boat tours, snorkelling, scuba diving and other water sports; relax and walk along the 7 km beach, enjoy the local seafood or shop for local unique souvenirs. Passengers will return to Mumbai on Wednesday at 1600.
Bookings for all three sailings open on 3 February 2025.
SINGAPORE, 22 January 2025: What matters to travellers when planning their leisure trips in 2025? And, what insights can the travel industry gain?
Sabre, a travel technology innovator, surveyed its global team members for the second consecutive year to identify the top trends shaping how we will travel this year.
1. Multi-tripping: Most survey respondents plan to take at least two vacations, and a significant proportion plan four or more leisure trips.
2. Travelers from Asia Pacific are leading the way in 2025 travel plans, with a 34% increase in bookings for the year.
3. Baby Boomers are most likely to increase their travel budget.
4. Travelers are increasingly looking for outdoor adventures;
5. Food is a key part of 2025 trips for many survey respondents.
6. Airline quality is most important to younger travellers.
7. Booking ease is a key consideration for survey respondents.
8. Most travellers plan by booking their trips at least three months in advance.
9. Travellers are taking trips with extended family to spend quality time together.
10. When informed about their potential carbon footprint, sustainability becomes a more significant factor for travellers.
Overall, the survey indicates that travellers are embracing more journeys, allocating bigger budgets, and approaching the rest of 2025 with increased confidence; the focus on meaningful experiences, quality family time, and sustainability continues to grow.
Travel is an important priority, and delivering on these expectations requires intelligent, open, modular, and scalable technology to anticipate and respond to evolving trends. By embracing the right tools, the industry can provide the tailored, seamless experiences travellers seek — ensuring their trips are as fulfilling and memorable as possible – for 2025 and the years ahead.
*Sabre’s traveller sentiment survey was conducted online with responses from 220 global Sabre team members of various age groups. Additional insights from Sabre shopping and booking data taken from January to September 2024 for 2025 bookings.
JOHOR BAHRU, 22 January 2025: AirAsia MOVE’s ASEAN Explorer Pass gained a shoutout at the 2025 ASEAN Tourism Forum closing ceremony on Monday as an initiative that makes travel accessible and inclusive across the ASEAN region.
The ASEAN Explorer Pass by AirAsia MOVE is an annual travel pass that allows subscribers to explore the ASEAN region of 10 member countries through AirAsia’s international and domestic flight network.
AirAsia Move gets a Shoutout for the ASEAN Explorer Pass.
They can also enjoy hotel discounts and connectivity on-ground through AirAsia Ride for an entire year from the subscription date, aside from seasonal perks throughout the year.
AirAsia MOVE CEO Nadia Omer said: “We are honoured to have ASEAN Explorer Pass featured as an initiative that promotes travel across ASEAN, as part of the 2025 ASEAN Tourism Forum closing ceremony.
“As an online travel agent (OTA), we hope each ASEAN country’s national flag carrier will consider being part of the ASEAN Explorer Pass, and look forward to having conversations…to unlock even more destinations across ASEAN for the world to experience.”
In line with the 2025 ASEAN Tourism Forum’s theme, ‘Unity in Motion: Shaping ASEAN’s Tourism Tomorrow’, the ASEAN Explorer Pass enables travellers to explore the region beyond the popular destinations and main tier-1 cities. It showcases the hidden gems of each ASEAN member country.
Since its launch in April 2024, over 25,000 trips have been completed across ASEAN, including cities such as Makassar, Jogjakarta, Danang, Johor Bahru, Chiang Mai, and many more, aside from popular tourist destinations.
Promotions are underway, and subscribers can enjoy more value with an 8% discount, valid until midnight on 7 February, by applying the promo code EXPLOREASEAN at checkout.
AirAsia MOVE’s ecosystem includes OTA services such as flight bookings from over 700 airlines, including AirAsia and over a million hotels worldwide, airport rides, online duty-free shopping, and travel insurance. A robust loyalty programme, AirAsia Rewards, underpins it.
SINGAPORE, 21 January 2025: IHG Hotels & Resorts has been named the official hotel partner for the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) hosted in Singapore from 2 to 9 February after qualifying rounds on 30 January and 1 February.
IHG in a press statement on Monday, said the stage was set, and “excitement is building for Singapore Smash 2025, the first World Table Tennis (WTT) Grand Smash of the year.”
Photo credit: IHG. Singapore Smash Table Tennis.
With 13 hotels in Singapore, IHG will get table tennis fans closer to all the action on the court. The multifaceted partnership will also include displaying IHG’s logo across digital and printed perimeter displays at the Infinity ∞ Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub.
“Our 13 Singapore properties are ready to welcome the world’s best table tennis players, their teams, and fans to experience true hospitality for all. To us, this is more than a partnership—it’s a shared vision to bring people together through sport, passion, and the energy of Singapore as the Lion City celebrates its 60th in 2025,” said IHG Hotels & Resorts, Southeast Asia & Korea Managing Director, Vivek Bhalla.
As one of the largest international sporting events in the region, Singapore Smash 2025 will light up the Infinity ∞ Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub from 2 to 9 February, with qualifying rounds from 30 January to 1 February. Finals day tickets are already sold out.
BANGKOK, 21 January 2025: AirAsia is expanding flights to India through its Phuket hub by adding direct flights to Kochi, a port city and financial and commercial capital of Kerala state, India.
Starting on 11 April 2025, Phuket will have three weekly flights (Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) to Kochi. This will give Phuket direct flights to three Indian cities: Kochi, Chennai, and Kolkata.
AirAsia offers a special promotional fare starting from THB3690 (one way). Ticket sales are open until midnight 2 February 2025 for travel from 11 April until midnight 24 October 2025.
Flight schedule
Thai AirAsia CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya said: “Phuket is already a top destination for Indian travellers… The airline looks forward to connecting more visitors from India with even more direct trips to Phuket.”
Kochi is an important port and industrial city in India, serving as the commercial capital of Kerala state. (Thiruvananthapuram is the administrative capital of Kerala.)
The coastal city’s direct access to the Arabian Sea prompted the moniker “Queen of the Arabian Sea.” Tourists visit Kochi for its beautiful attractions, ranging from backwater boathouse cruises to viewing the over 500-year-old practice of Chinese fishnet fishing, which, while once distinctly Chinese practice, has become a signature of Kerala today.
AirAsia currently flies to 13 Indian cities via 16 routes, from Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur, Kochi, Bengaluru, Gaya, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Tiruchirappalli, Hyderabad and Delhi, and from Phuket to Chennai, Kolkata and now Kochi.
SINGAPORE, 21 January 2025: Seabourn, a luxury and expedition cruise line, has unveiled its 2026 itineraries to the Northwest Passage and Canadian Arctic.
Between August and October 2026, Seabourn Venture will offer six voyages ranging from eight to 24 days. The voyages will traverse the historic routes of the Northwest Passage and Canadian Arctic before sailing south to explore the Caribbean, South America, and Antarctica. The expedition voyages are now on sale, and dates and full itinerary details are available on the cruise line’s website.
Photo credit: Seabourn. Seabourn Venture explores the Northwest Passage and Canadian Arctic before sailing south to the Caribbean, South America, and Antarctica.
Northwest Passage Experiences
Seabourn Venture will offer two “24-day Journey Across the Northwest Passage” expeditions between Reykjavik, Iceland and Anchorage, Alaska, departing on 5 August and 29 August 2026 as well as one “15-day Wild Labrador Coast: Missions, Fjords & Wilderness” departing 30 September 20 from Reykjavik to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Additionally, two combination cruises are available for a longer, more immersive experience: a “35-day Glaciers, Fjords & Northwest Passage” voyage from Reykjavik to Anchorage and a “38-day Northwest Passage & Wild Labrador Coast” itinerary from Anchorage to Halifax.
Caribbean, South America and Antarctica
Following the Northwest Passage voyages, in October 2026, Seabourn Venture will journey south to the Caribbean and South America, offering three voyages ranging from eight to 21 days.
5 to 13 October 2026: An “eight-day Southern Caribbean Yacht Harbors” voyage from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Bridgetown, Barbados, featuring visits to Rodney Bay (Saint Lucia) and Carambola Beach. While this itinerary does not feature expedition programming, guests can immerse themselves in Seabourn’s signature yacht-like atmosphere and traditional ocean cruise experiences, enhanced by a ship carrying only 264 guests.
Seabourn Venture offers the same luxurious small ship experience that travellers have come to expect from Seabourn, enhanced by equipment that allows the line to offer its widest range of expedition activities. Designed and built for remote, diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards, the ship includes a plethora of modern hardware and technology that extends the ship’s global deployment and capabilities.
SINGAPORE, 21 January 2025: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) opposes the UK Home Office’s proposal to increase the costs of UK Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) by 60% to GBP 16.
“Proposing to increase ETA costs just a week after the system was introduced is bewildering,” IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh commented. “If implemented, it would be a self-inflicted blow to the UK’s tourism competitiveness. In November, the UK government laid out plans to increase tourist arrivals by 30% to reach 50 million annually by 2030 in pursuit of tourism’s economic benefits.
“Gouging these travellers with a 60% increase in the ETA is a very bad start. The added cost would come on top of the Air Passenger Duty (APD) — the biggest travel tax in the world — which will increase again in April. And let’s not forget that travellers have a choice, and the EU’s ETIAS will be better value — costing about a third as much as this proposed pricing and lasting a year longer.
It’s time for the UK government to see the big picture. It has everything to gain by making the UK a more cost-competitive travel destination—including the substantial tax revenues that travellers generate. It makes no sense to discourage visitors with high costs even before they set foot in the country.”
The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme is a new system that requires most non-visa nationals to obtain permission to travel to the UK before they arrive. This includes tourists, business travellers, and people transiting through the UK. The ETA is not a visa but an essential step in the process of entering the UK.
UK tourism industry concerns
The UK tourism industry has expressed several concerns regarding the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.
Increased Costs: The proposed 60% increase in the ETA fee from £10 to £16 is a major concern. Industry leaders argue that this significant price hike could deter visitors, especially budget travellers and those from developing countries, negatively impacting tourism revenue.
Competitive Disadvantage: The higher ETA fee in the UK compared to similar schemes in other countries, such as the EU’s ETIAS, creates a competitive disadvantage for the UK tourism sector. This could lead to travellers choosing alternative destinations with lower or no entry fees.
Impact on Visitor Numbers: The tourism industry fears that the increased costs associated with the ETA, combined with potential delays in the application process, could discourage visitors from choosing the UK as their travel destination. This could result in a decline in visitor numbers and a significant loss of revenue for the industry.
Damage to the UK’s Image: The industry believes that the increased ETA fee sends a negative message about the UK’s openness to international visitors. This could damage the UK’s image as a welcoming and accessible travel destination, further deterring potential tourists.
These concerns highlight the potential negative impact of the ETA scheme on the UK tourism industry. The industry is urging the government to reconsider the proposed fee increase and implement measures to ensure the scheme does not hinder the tourism sector’s recovery and growth.
UK aviation and tourism support 1.6 million jobs and contribute USD160.7 billion to the UK’s GDP. For further details, check out the IATA Value of Air Transport to the United Kingdom study.
