MANILA, 24 March 2026: Philippine Airlines has confirmed the suspension of flights from Manila to Doha (DOH) and Dubai (DXB) until 30 April 2026 due to the Iran war and drone and missile attacks on the Gulf countries.
The suspension came into effect on 20 March and ends on 30 April, except for PR 685, which ends on 1 May.
PR 658 Manila-Dubai PR 659 Dubai-Manila
PR 684 Manila-Doha PR 685 Doha-Manila
The precautionary measure is being taken considering the security situation affecting parts of the Middle East and the resulting operational uncertainties in certain regional airspace corridors and airport operations.
PAL continues to closely monitor developments and coordinate with aviation authorities and relevant stakeholders to determine when normal operations can safely resume.
Assistance for affected passengers
Passengers with affected bookings may avail themselves of the following options:
• Free rebooking once flights resume
• Conversion of tickets into travel credits for future use
• Full refunds, in accordance with applicable policies
PAL’s customer service teams are actively assisting passengers through our website, contact centre, and ticket offices.
SINGAPORE, 23 March 2026: Vietjet has once again been recognised by AirlineRatings with two major accolades for 2026: “World’s Best Ultra Low-Cost Carrier” and a place among the Top 10 “World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines”.
The recognition comes as Vietjet continues to expand its presence in Singapore, with the newly announced service to Nha Trang, among connections to Vietnam’s Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc.
Photo credit: Vietjet.
According to AirlineRatings, the awards are based on measurable criteria for onboard service. Vietjet was recognised for its competitive fares, customer-focused innovation, and products designed to meet different traveller needs.
The airline has held the title of “World’s Best Ultra Low-Cost Carrier” since 2018 and has remained consistently ranked among the world’s leading low-cost airlines. This reflects a long-term strategy focused on delivering value, enhancing the travel experience, and expanding access to air travel for millions of passengers each year.
Vietjet continues to expand its international network across Asia-Pacific and beyond, operating a modern fleet and offering year-round promotions on routes linking Vietnam with Singapore, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, and other markets.
SINGAPORE, 23 March 2026: Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas will once again homeport in Singapore, offering cruises in Asia in 2027.
From October 2027 to March 2028, families and friends can choose from three to 10-night vacations from Singapore, sailing to the beaches, cities and cultures of Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Japan with the convenience of starting and ending their holiday in one of Asia’s best-connected hubs.
Photo credit: Royal Caribbean—Quantum of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific Chad Grospe said: “With these 2027-28 holidays, we’re building on the strong demand we’ve seen over past seasons — from three and four-night getaways to longer adventures that connect vacationers to spectacular landscapes, cuisines, and cultural wonders around Asia. Whether it’s a multigenerational family holiday or a getaway with friends, it’s all about making memories together.”
Highlights of the 2027-28 season
Guests can experience the ultimate weekend escape with three and four-night getaways through Southeast Asia’s most captivating destinations, savouring the world-renowned street food of Penang’s historic George Town and unwinding on the sun-soaked shores of Phuket.
Those looking for more time away can choose between four- and five-night adventures to the sun-soaked shores of Phuket, Thailand, or a 10-night cruise that extends to Bangkok, Thailand.
There are also 10-night cruises to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, as well as bucket-list destinations in Japan such as Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kobe.
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 March 2026: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) confirms RHB Bank will return as the Official Bank Partner for the upcoming MATTA Fair in April 2026.
The MATTA Fair April 2026 will take place from 3 to 5 April 2026 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur. Widely recognised as Malaysia’s largest consumer travel fair.
Photo credit: MATTA. Show time exclusive promotions, financial solutions and travel privileges powered by RHB Bank.
Occupying a total exhibition space of 40,820 sqm across 10 halls, the fair will feature over 2,000 booths from 330 participating organisations, including 210 tour and travel agencies offering a diverse range of travel packages.
Visitors can engage with six National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), 11 local State Tourism Organisations (STOs), 63 hotels and resorts, 11 theme parks, and 28 other travel-related service providers. This creates a comprehensive and dynamic platform for discovering new destinations and experiences.
The continued partnership with RHB reflects a shared commitment to making travel planning more accessible, seamless and rewarding, while supporting the wider growth of Malaysia’s travel and tourism industry. Visitors can look forward to a range of exclusive promotions, financial solutions, and travel privileges offered by RHB Bank at the fair, on Level 1 (Domestic Hall) and Level 2 (International Hall).
“Travel is about destinations, the joy of discovery and the excitement of new countries and cities. We partnered with RHB because they value the wonders of travel. Through this valued collaboration, we make travel more accessible, more convenient and rewarding,” said MATTA President Nigel Wong.
“Our fairs always set the tone for our members, providing them with the opportunity to present their best travel products directly to the travelling public. Every travel package and experience showcased at the fair is offered by licensed travel agents and tour operators, assuring travellers that they are booking with trusted and accountable professionals,” he added.
RHB Banking Group Managing Director of Group Community Banking Jeffrey Ng Eow Oo said: “RHB Bank continues to strengthen its presence in the travel and hospitality segment through tailored financial solutions for travellers and travel agencies. These include the Multi Currency Debit Card/-i, which supports 34 currencies with zero foreign conversion fees and seamless integration with mobile wallets, as well as travel-focused credit cards with airport lounge access and rewards. RHB Travel Plus further supports the travel sector with a suite of products and benefits tailored for travel agencies.”
During the fair, visitors who make travel purchases with RHB Visa Cards/-i can enjoy exclusive savings of up to MYR4,000 with our dedicated travel partners — including Corporate Information Travel, Golden Destination and MITRA Tours and Travel.
In addition, RHB Bank offers flexible instalment plans of up to 0% interest, allowing customers to break down large-ticket purchases into affordable monthly payments. Fairgoers who spend their RHB Visa Cards/i will also be entitled to redeem exclusive travel merchandise and stand a chance to win a Luxury Hotel Voucher worth MYR5,000.
To ensure a smooth visitor experience, MATTA Fair offers free admission and is open from 1000 to 2100 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 3, 4 and 5 April.
Visitors can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle services from KL Sentral and Sunway Putra Mall to MITEC. For those driving, parking facilities are available at the South Entrance basement in MITEC, MITI basement, MATRADE open parking, Kompleks Mahkamah KL open parking, The MET basement, MET 1 basement and MET 9 open parking.
SINGAPORE, 23 March 2026: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its Long‑Term Demand Projections (LTDP) for air travel last week, indicating global air passenger demand could more than double by 2050.
Under the mid‑range scenario, demand is forecast to reach 20.8 trillion revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), based on a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1% (2024-2050) from the 9 trillion RPKs seen in 2024.
Photo credit: IATA. Long‑Term Demand Projections— air travel.
A higher-growth scenario would see a 3.3% CAGR, with passenger demand reaching 21.9 trillion RPKs in 2050. A lower-growth scenario would see a 2.9% CAGR, with passenger demand reaching 19.5 trillion RPKs by 2050.
The different scenarios are driven by alternative modelling of long-term economic growth, populations, aviation fuel price trends, the global energy transition, and air transport supply-side capacity development.
“The outlook for air travel is positive. People want to travel and, under all our modelled scenarios, the demand to fly is expected to more than double by mid-century. That is good news for global economic and social development because aviation growth will catalyse opportunities, including jobs worldwide, said ATA’s Director General Willie Walsh.
“Our Long-Term Demand report gives governments, industry, and energy suppliers a robust basis for long‑term planning. It underscores the need for policy frameworks to support key success enablers such as efficient infrastructure development, market access facilitation, regulatory harmonisation, and an effective clean energy transition”.
Regional Outlook: Growth concentrated in emerging markets
The pace of growth will be uneven across regions, reflecting differences in demographics, market maturity, economic development, and connectivity potential. Under the mid‑range scenario, Asia‑Pacific and Africa are expected to be the fastest‑growing regions over 2024-2050, with CAGRs of 3.8% and 3.6%, respectively. Europe and North America are projected to grow more slowly, at 2.5% and 2.8%.
The LTDP identifies the fastest‑growing markets as intra‑Africa (4.9%), Africa–Asia‑Pacific (4.5%), Asia‑Pacific–Middle East (3.9%), intra‑Asia‑Pacific (3.9%), and Africa–North America (3.8%), highlighting the importance of investment in aviation infrastructure and regulatory frameworks in developing regions. By contrast, several Europe-centred markets have the slowest growth.
Long-term global trends
The LTDP confirms that the COVID‑19 pandemic caused a permanent structural shift in global aviation demand. Unlike previous crises, the unprecedented collapse in RPK has created a persistent gap that is not expected to converge back to the pre-pandemic GDP-aligned trend by 2050, even under the high‑growth scenario.
While long‑term demand remains robust, the growth rate is moderating gradually. Historical analysis shows that average annual growth slowed from a 6.1% CAGR between 1972 and 1998 to a 4.5% CAGR between 1998 and 2024. The central scenario for 2024-2050 projects a further slowing to 3.1% CAGR. This gradual moderation reflects market maturity rather than weakening demand, as absolute passenger numbers continue to rise significantly.
SINGAPORE, 23 March 2026: Air Astana has introduced extra services from Almaty to popular overseas holiday destinations during the Nauryz* holiday week, 21 to 23 March.
Nine extra frequencies have been added on the Almaty to Phuket route, whilst services to Phu Quoc in Vietnam have been upgraded from single-aisle A321 aircraft with 169 seats to a widebody Boeing 767-300 with 223 seats, approximately a 35% increase in seating capacity on the route.
Image generated by Gemini AI.Happy Nauryz — an ancient spring equinox festival celebrating the New Year and renewal of nature.
“To mark the Nauryz celebrations, we are increasing flight frequencies to both regional and long-haul destinations, allowing more passengers to travel, visit family and friends, or spend the holiday abroad. These additional services will enhance schedule flexibility and convenience, enabling our passengers to plan their journeys with greater ease,” says Air Astana’s CFO/CEO-elect Ibrahim Canliel.
Frequencies have also been increased on other popular routes. In particular, 13 flights have been added on the Almaty–Delhi service, while frequencies to London, Male, Istanbul, Tbilisi, and Tashkent have also increased.
The additional flights will continue in April. The Astana-Frankfurt route will gradually increase from four weekly flights to a daily service by the end of the month. Additional frequencies will also be introduced on the Almaty-Phuket and Almaty-Bangkok routes.
*Nauryz (Наурыз): Derived from the Persian word Nowruz, meaning “New Day,” it marks the spring equinox and the beginning of the traditional New Year in many Central Asian cultures and is celebratedannually from 21 to 23 March, marking the renewal of nature.
KOTA KINABALU: 23 March 2026: China’s Chongqing Airlines launched its inaugural service, linking southwestern China to Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia, last week.
OQ2193 landed at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) at 2315, marking the start of a three-weekly service operating on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, using an A320 with 166 seats. Flight time: Four hours and 15 minutes.
Photo credit Sabah Tourism Board. Chongqing touches down at Kota Kinabalu airport to launch three-weekly services.
Chongqing Airlines is a subsidiary of China Southern Airlines.
Flight schedule
OQ1923 departs Chongqing (CKG) at 1845 and arrives in Kota Kinabalu (BKI) at 2315. (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). OQ1924 departs Kota Kinabalu (BKI) at 0030 and arrives in Chongqing (CKG) at 0510 (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).
The service opens a new gateway for travellers from southwest China during the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign year.
Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) welcomed the 154 passengers on board the inaugural flight with a water cannon salute.
With the addition of Chongqing, Sabah is now connected to eight key cities in China — the others being Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Fuzhou, further strengthening its position in the Chinese outbound travel market.
(Source: Sabah Tourism Board with additional reporting)
SINGAPORE, 23 March 2026: Looking ahead to the 2026 Alaska season, Princess Cruises will sail its largest Alaska season ever in 2026, highlighted by the debut of its newest ship in the fleet, Star Princess.
All eight Princess ships sailing in Alaska this season will feature new programming: Star Princess, Coral Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Grand Princess, Emerald Princess, Discovery Princess, and Island Princess.
Photo credit: Princess Cruises.
First introduced in 2015, Princess’s immersive North to Alaska programme brings local personalities, culture and food, connecting guests with Alaska’s rich heritage, awe‑inspiring scenery and natural wonders through authentic offerings, educational events and engaging entertainment both onboard and ashore.
The expanded programme features eight ships, 180 departures and visits to 19 destinations, giving travellers an unparalleled range of Alaska adventures by sea or through combined land-and-sea cruisetours.
“Our North to Alaska programme is designed to bring guests closer to the spirit, culture and natural beauty of Alaska,” said Princess Cruises Vice President of Entertainment John-Paul Lamb. “From encounters with local experts and native storytellers to immersive entertainment and scenic glacier viewing, these experiences allow our guests to connect with Alaska along every step of their journey.”
With more than 55 years of experience sailing in Alaska, Princess Cruises continues to bring guests closer to the people, landscapes, and stories that define The Great Land, with five convenient departure ports, weekend departures from Seattle, and flexible itinerary choices for 2026-2027.
HONG KONG, 23 March 2026: Hong Kong presents three major international sporting fixtures — the Hong Kong Sevens, Champions Day, and the 2026 UCI Track World Cup, Hong Kong, China, during April.
Photo credit: HKTB. Rugby icons and party anthems take centre stage at the Hong Kong Sevens 2026.
Hong Kong Sevens 2026
Rugby icons and party anthems take centre stage at the Hong Kong Sevens 2026, 17–19 April 2026, Kai Tak Stadium
One of the world’s most iconic annual sporting spectacles returns in 2026 as the Hong Kong Sevens celebrates its 50th anniversary. For its second edition at the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Stadium, the tournament promises three days of 72 rugby games between 30 of the world’s top teams, including Hong Kong China Men and Women’s 7s stars who will defend their Melrose Claymores titles.
Cycling fans can witness world-class competition at the 2026 UCI Track World Cup in Hong Kong.
2026 UCI Track World Cup, Hong Kong, China
Elite cyclists compete for global ranking points at the 2026 UCI Track World Cup, Hong Kong, China, 17–19 April 2026, Hong Kong Velodrome.
Cycling fans can witness world-class competition at the 2026 UCI Track World Cup in Hong Kong, the second round of the prestigious international track cycling series.
Held at the Hong Kong Velodrome, the event will bring together elite national teams competing across Olympic track cycling disciplines. As one of the most important events on the international cycling calendar — alongside the World Championships and Olympic Games — the competition offers riders valuable World Ranking points. The Hong Kong round is expected to attract nearly 400 professional cyclists from around 40 countries and regions, promising a thrilling showcase of speed, strategy and endurance.
Champions Day is a standout moment in Hong Kong’s racing calendar.
A day at the races
Champions Day brings world-class horse racing to Sha Tin, 26 April 2026, Sha Tin Racecourse.
Another standout moment in Hong Kong’s racing calendar is Champions Day, a major international meet that attracts top contenders from across the globe.
The event features three elite Group 1 races, bringing together world-class horses and jockeys to compete against Hong Kong’s finest thoroughbreds. For racing fans, it offers a rare chance to see hometown champions — including Romantic Warrior, Voyage Bubble, and Ka Ying Rising — defend their reputations against global challengers on home turf. The combination of elite racing and a charged race-day atmosphere makes Champions Day a can’t-miss spectacle for visitors and locals alike.
BANGKOK, 20 March 2026: Centara Hotels & Resorts reports a highly successful visit to ITB Berlin 2026, where it met with its travel industry colleagues and revealed updates for the coming year and beyond.
Staged at the Berlin ExpoCenter City, ITB Berlin is the world’s largest travel trade show, attracting more than 100,000 attendees.
This provided the platform for Centara’s senior executives, including Thirayuth Chirathivat, CEO, and Michael Henssler, Chief Operations Officer, to showcase the group’s latest news, reaffirm progress on its expansion plans, and reconnect with its esteemed industry partners from Europe and around the world.
Centara welcomed its key travel trade partners to an exclusive “Centara Journeys” cocktail evening at KaDeWe.
This year, Centara’s strapline read “Real Thai Hospitality, Shared with the World,” and the concept was brought to life at two “Centara Journeys” cocktail evenings at KaDeWe, the famous luxury department store owned by Central Group, Centara’s parent company.
On the evenings of 3 and 4 March 2026, guests were greeted with a Thai welcome ritual and treated to locally inspired drinks and light bites amid an enchanting ambience of traditional Thai décor.
Delegates at ITB Berlin learned about Centara’s expansion milestones, including its 2025 openings and the launch of the 42-key Himalayan Hideaway Resort Pokhara, The Centara Collection, in January 2026, marking the group’s debut in Nepal.
At least four more properties are set to open their doors this year. They comprise: The 300-key Centara Life Namba Hotel Osaka, Japan; the 481-key Centara Hotel & Residences Van Don and the 496-key Crystal Holidays Harbour Van Don, both in Vietnam; and the 110-key Centara Life Hotel Surat Thani, Thailand.
Thirayuth Chirathivat, Centara’s CEO (top right), brought the group’s unique style of “Real Thai Hospitality” to life as he greeted media at the cocktail reception in Berlin.
In addition, two of Centara’s most popular Thai resorts will be transformed in 2026: Centara Grand Beach Resort Hua Hin and Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi. The latter will re-emerge as Centara Reserve Krabi — the world’s second Centara Reserve.
Centara also discussed how the adoption of smart technology will drive its global growth. Central to this strategy is the Centara Data Warehouse, which will support advanced analytics and enable hyper-personalisation. A new customised booking engine has been designed for seamless connectivity and future AI integration, and the Centara App has already exceeded 100,000 downloads since its launch in December 2025.
Another important talking point was sustainability, which is woven throughout Centara’s business. It became the first Thai hotel group to achieve full Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification in 2025, reduced its energy use by 26%, water consumption by 33%, waste-to-landfill by 23% and overall emissions by 24%, while also generating three times more solar power. Overall, Centara has set itself the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Centara hosted its media friends at the Thai-inspired “Centara Journeys” cocktail reception.
“ITB Berlin is one of the world’s most important travel trade events, so we were delighted to return to Germany again this year to meet with our esteemed industry colleagues and media friends. Despite global headwinds, Centara has enjoyed a highly productive last 12 months, as we opened new hotels and introduced our authentic, family‑centric hospitality to even more guests from around the globe. We look forward to working closely with all our trade partners and media friends in 2026, as we strive to become ‘The Place to Be’ for the world’s travellers,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat.
With a growing global portfolio of exceptional hotels and resorts under six inspiring brands, including locations in Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, Nepal, the Middle East, and four distinct resorts in the Maldives, Centara is moving confidently towards its goal of becoming one of the world’s top 100 hotel operators by 2027.
