DUBAI, 1 May 2025: Emirates and Philippine Airlines (PAL) met at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai to explore a potential expansion of their partnership with the shared goal of offering more convenient schedules and improved services to the travelling public.
Emirates and PAL agreed to consider the possibility of a reciprocal code-sharing agreement on flights between the Philippines and Dubai and selected routes beyond the Dubai and Manila gateways.
A code-sharing partnership could give travellers better connectivity to new and exciting destinations beyond each airline’s network, with the convenience of a single ticket, one competitive fare, and one baggage policy for their entire journey.
Both carriers will also explore opportunities to enhance their cargo interline cooperation, exchange best ground handling, catering, maintenance, and technical training practices, and organize joint familiarization trips for key media and trade stakeholders.
Emirates and Philippine Airlines first signed an enhanced interline agreement in March 2023 and have been seamlessly connecting travellers to ten domestic points via Cebu and Clark and nine international points via Dubai. Passengers have thus enjoyed hassle-free travel journeys across the two airlines’ networks, with convenient baggage check-through to their final destinations.
Emirates launched services to Manila in 1990 and has progressively grown its operations to include a circular service to Cebu and Clark. The airline currently serves the Philippines with 28 weekly flights, offering approximately 22,700 weekly seats to and from Dubai and connecting travellers to over 140 destinations across the airline’s global network.
The airline recently opened its first Emirates World Store in Southeast Asia in Manila, reinforcing its commitment to providing Filipinos with high-quality service from booking to boarding.
For airline information and to make bookings, visit www.emirates.com.
SINGAPORE, 1 May 2025: Europe is the only region that showed a year-over-year decrease in overall pipeline activity at the end of the first quarter, according to CoStar’s March 2025 pipeline data.
CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics for property markets.
Europe
In construction: 173,961 rooms (+0.9%) Final Planning: 77,252 rooms (-22.6%) Planning: 176,295 rooms (+9.9%) Total Under Contract: 427,508 (-1.2%) Germany leads Europe in total rooms in construction (26,117), closely followed by the United Kingdom (24,115).
Asia Pacific
In construction: 533,937 rooms (+6.2%) Final Planning: 43,763 rooms (-60.2%) Planning: 389,767 rooms (+34.9%) Total Under Contract: 967,467 (+7.3%) Among countries in the region, China (332,325) led in construction activity, followed by Vietnam (38,783) and India (38,228).
Middle East & Africa
In construction: 103,038 rooms (-7.0%) Final Planning: 28,215 rooms (-22.0%) Planning: 97,813 rooms (+20.3%) Total Under Contract: 229,066 (+0.4%) Most of the region’s pipeline activity is focused in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia (42,800) and the United Arab Emirates (16,019) have the most rooms in construction.
Americas
In construction: 194,823 rooms (-5.4%) Final Planning: 306,396 rooms (+3.4%) Planning: 423,746 rooms (+11.9%) Total Under Contract: 924,965 (+5.0%) The US (144,760) holds the majority of rooms in construction in the region. After the US, Mexico (13,891), Canada (10,374) and Brazil (5,407) show the highest number of rooms in construction.
For more information about the company and its products and services, visit costargroup.com.
DUBAI, UAE, 1 May 2025: New research from Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) identifies three trends shaping the future of hotel loyalty — simplicity, personalisation, and experiences over discounts.
Independent hotel loyalty programmes that deliver on these fronts are gaining ground on their larger counterparts. The GHA study reveals that travellers prefer clarity, flexibility, and meaningful travel experiences over traditional models built around rigid point systems.
Photo credit: GHA. Global Hotel Alliance Executive Vice President of Strategy Kristi Gole.
GHA’s newly released report, ‘What Travellers Want Most From Loyalty Programmes,’ highlights a shift in traveller expectations. There is also rising demand for intuitive loyalty schemes that deliver genuine value and are easy to use.
With hotel guests overwhelmed by a proliferation of loyalty options — many laden with constantly shifting rules, point valuations, and redemption restrictions — simplicity is emerging as a key differentiator. Programmes that are easy to understand and engage with are winning favour.
GHA Discovery, operated by GHA, an alliance of independent hotel brands, delivers personalised, high-value experiences at more than 850 hotels across 45 brands in 100 countries.
Global Hotel Alliance Executive Vice President of Strategy Kristi Gole commented: “Travellers are telling us loud and clear they want loyalty programmes that are simple, transparent, and actually make their stays better. They’re looking for benefits that feel personal, immediate, and valuable. GHA Discovery is responding to that call.”
The top three trends redefining hotel loyalty
Simple and seamless
Loyalty is no longer about accumulating points over time. It’s about ease and immediacy. GHA Discovery continues outperforming legacy schemes with its flexible ease of earning and redeeming D$, including online redemptions, bonus promotions, D$ bids for prizes, and the option to transfer or donate D$. Members surveyed identified it as a top programme feature in line with the growing traveller demand for flexibility and choice.
Make it personal
Travellers today expect loyalty to go beyond transactional benefits. They seek programmes that recognise them as individuals – offering relevant perks, curated experiences, and tailored communications that reflect their preferences and travel patterns. This desire for personalisation spans the entire journey from pre-stay recommendations to in-stay recognition and post-stay engagement. It’s about adapting to their lifestyle and delivering experiences that feel designed just for them.
It’s all about experiences
Experience-enhancing perks are driving stronger engagement than traditional discounts. 73% of travellers surveyed by GHA value tangible benefits like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and late check-out over monetary savings.
Diving deeper into the research, a more nuanced picture of what drives satisfaction and loyalty emerges.
41% value on-property perks the most — such as upgrades, breakfast, late checkout, and member rates.
25% prioritise earning and spending D$, appreciating the ability to use them globally, access exclusive promotions, and even buy or bid on rewards.
19% highlight member privileges — including member rates, status sharing, concierge access, and benefits with partners.
15% appreciate Live Local benefits — dining and spa discounts, no-stay-required access to hotel amenities, curated local experiences, community events, and more.
A strong desire for an enhanced experience influences behaviour, with more than 80% of respondents saying they would join a loyalty programme if it guaranteed a room upgrade and included breakfast.
For more information, check the direct link to the full report here
NEW DELHI, 1 May 2025: Air India will expand flights between Delhi and Tokyo Haneda from four weekly flights to daily starting 15 June 2025.
The move builds on Air India’s recent shift to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (from Narita) on 31 March 2025, which reduced travel time to Tokyo Station to approximately 30 minutes. The daily flights, operated with Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, provide passengers with faster access to central Tokyo, as Haneda Airport is just 18 km from downtown Tokyo.
Photo credit: Air India. Delhi-Tokyo Haneda service goes daily.
“Expanding our Delhi-Tokyo Haneda service to daily flights reflects Air India’s commitment to meeting the rising demand for travel between India and Japan,” said Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal. “This daily service, combined with our deepened codeshare partnership with All Nippon Airways, makes it easier for our guests to explore Japan and connect conveniently to other destinations in the country beyond Tokyo.”
Through Air India’s expanded codeshare with Star Alliance partner All Nippon Airways (ANA), Air India guests can connect from Tokyo Haneda to six major Japanese cities — Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Okinawa, Osaka, and Sapporo — on a single ticket with baggage checked through to their final destination.
The daily flights enable seamless connections to domestic Indian destinations like Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Pune, as well as international routes across Asia and Europe.
Flight schedule, effective 15 June 2025
AI358 departs Delhi (DEL) at 2020 and arrives in Tokyo Haneda (HND) at 0755 plus a day. AI357 departs Tokyo Haneda (HND) at 1150 and arrives in Delhi (DEL) at 1725.
Bookings for Air India’s Delhi-Tokyo Haneda flights are open on all channels, including Air India’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents.
MUMBAI, 1 May 2025: Messe Berlin confirms the official launch of Messe Berlin India, a newly incorporated subsidiary that underscores the company’s long-term commitment to one of Asia’s fastest-growing markets.
Headquartered in the Delhi NCR region, the new entity will serve as a strategic base for expanding ITB India and launching future projects tailored to the Indian market.
Photo credit Messe Berlin: ITB India is Messe Berlin’s flagship travel trade event for India and South Asia markets.
With this establishment, Messe Berlin reinforces its vision of India as a regional hub for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable business growth within the exhibition and events industry.
“Messe Berlin’s presence in India reflects our strategic intent to strengthen our international reach by being where the growth is evident,” said Messe Berlin CEO Mario Tobias. “India is a key market for us — vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunities. With Messe Berlin India, we are laying down long-term foundations to build strong partnerships, support local industries, and elevate our global platforms,”
Messe Berlin’s Vice President Asia Pacific, Katrina Leung, currently leads the company’s regional operations as Managing Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. She will additionally head the newly established subsidiary as Managing Director of Messe Berlin India, overseeing its strategic growth and operations.
“Messe Berlin India marks an exciting new chapter for us. India is one of the most dynamic and promising markets, and having a presence here allows us to deepen our engagement and better serve our partners, exhibitors, and visitors. ITB India has already laid the foundation, and with this milestone, we are committed to expanding our footprint and contributing to the growth of India’s trade fair landscape,” Leung explained.
Local springboard for future fair projects
As Messe Berlin’s official representative office in India, the subsidiary will be pivotal in driving local business development, acquiring new exhibitors and strategic partners, and supporting customer outreach and service. In addition, the subsidiary will act as a launchpad for future trade fair initiatives specifically designed to meet the needs and opportunities of the Indian market.
Travel Trade Show held in Mumbai
ITB India, inaugurated in 2023, continues as the flagship event under the new subsidiary. Held annually, ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show and convention that connects the global travel and tourism industry with the Indian market.
Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India is a platform to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and capitalise on the fast-growing potential of the Indian and South Asian travel economies.
The show hosts key players from the MICE, Leisure, Corporate Travel, and Travel Technology sectors. The upcoming edition, ITB India 2025, will take place from 2 to 4 September 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
HONG KONG, 1 May 2025: A Youth Travel Zone will be introduced at ITE Hong Kong 2025 from 12 to 15 June at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) event venue.
The “Youth Travel Zone” or VolTra Market will have stalls showcasing the multifaceted connections between travel, culture, creativity, and lifestyle. The VolTra Market will offer visitors an inspiring experience to reimagine the meaning and possibilities of travel from new perspectives.
Adopting the theme “The Possibilities of Travel” VolTra will have its own booth next to the Youth Travel Zone, where it will present its programmes, services, and activities.
Established in 2009, VolTra is a registered charitable organisation that promotes action learning through international voluntary service, experiential travel, community participation, and gamified interaction.
It designs and organises local and international volunteer and educational programmes to broaden participants’ global awareness. By inspiring individuals to turn ideas into action and make positive changes in their communities, VolTra works toward the vision that “Everyone takes part in global action.”
“Each stall in the VolTra Market Zone tells a story, not just of where someone has been, but how those experiences sparked creativity, purpose, and action. Young visitors are inspired to explore the world not just for leisure but as changemakers in their communities and beyond”, said VolTra Executive Director Olivia Ma.
ITE Hong Kong organiser TKS will expand the Youth Travel Zone by locating other related exhibitors, displays and seminars close to the Zone.
“We warmly welcome the highly inspirational VolTra Market Zone, which shows visitors, especially the younger generations, how to get more from travelling. We are excited some stall owners actually develop travel inspirations into products then start their own business”, said TKS Managing Director KS Tong,
ITE2024 has confirmed 515 exhibitors (87% non-HK) from 68 countries and regions (36% non-Asia), including some 70 tourism organisations, many of which regularly held official pavilions/stands.
ITE Hong Kong 2025 will take place from 12 to 15 June at Halls 1A–1E, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The annual ITE is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong also endorsing the show. The first two days are reserved for trade professionals, while the final two days are open to the public.
For details and enquiry about ITE Hong Kong, visit www.itehk.com.
SINGAPORE, 1 May 2025: RateHawk, an online B2B system for booking hotels, air tickets, and transfers for travel professionals, celebrates nine years of operations and reports strong growth in its business results over the past year.
In 2024, RateHawk’s net booking value increased by 1.8 times compared to 2023, while the number of bookings saw a 67% global growth. Its parent company, UAE-based Emerging Travel Group, hit a new milestone of USD3.7 billion gross transaction value in 2024, with RateHawk as a significant growth driver.
Photo credit: RateHawk.
In 2024, RateHawk continued to develop the variety of its inventory. The company successfully connected with more than 70 new global accommodation suppliers, exceeding 300 wholesalers worldwide, and established direct contracts with over 34,000 accommodations, totalling 120,000 properties. As a result, the number of accommodation options reached over 2.6 million.
The demand for RateHawk’s transportation booking services, including flight tickets and transfer bookings, doubled during 2024. The company also introduced train travel service across Europe, which was welcomed by RateHawk partners. Within three months of its launch, over 25% of travel professionals who frequently book hotels on the platform have also booked railway services.
“According to the latest UN Tourism report, 1.4 billion people travelled internationally in 2024, almost reaching pre-pandemic levels. At RateHawk, we have witnessed this trend firsthand through increased demand and significant growth in our company’s and partners’ businesses”, parent company Emerging Travel Group’s President and CEO Felix Shpilman commented. “We’re proud to deliver unparalleled support to our partners during this exciting period of travel industry growth, developing both platform services and API integrations. In 2024 alone, we doubled the number of API integration contracts, partnering with over 500 new entities, including Ctrip. This year, we aim to maintain this momentum, focusing on OTAs and innovative travel tech platforms.”
In 2024, the service was localised in eight more languages, bringing the total to 32. RateHawk also launched a new headquarters in Singapore, strengthening its position in the Asian region and its relationships with local partners.
RateHawk’s partners increased by 50%, now over 93,000 travel professionals worldwide. In Asia, the company tripled the number of travel agents connected to the platform, reaching over 13,000 professionals.
According to RateHawk, the most popular outbound destinations booked by travel agents from Asia in 2024 were the UAE, France, Switzerland, the USA, and Italy. Additionally, many bookings remained within Asia, with Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and India being top choices.
“In 2024, our business in Asia demonstrated a record fourfold increase in net booking value year-over-year. A new headquarters in Singapore and localisation in several new languages, including Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai, stimulated the significant growth of our partners and their bookings,” shared RateHawk Regional Director APAC region Erik Akhmetgaliev.
“We are optimistic about 2025, considering the impressive RateHawk figures we achieved in the first quarter. Industry insights on the expected post-pandemic final recovery are positive, thanks to the increased availability of flights and simplification of visa procedures.
“This year, we are focusing on API development, particularly in East and South Asia, where the concentration of OTAs is extremely high. We are optimising our technology while providing support through our internal tech hub and API optimisation team”.
RateHawk has offices in London, Berlin, Lisbon, Warsaw, Dubai, Limassol, Singapore and Wilmington. RateHawk employs over 500 professionals in commercial roles globally.
About RateHawk RateHawk is an innovative B2B booking platform developed by Emerging Travel Group. It offers hotels, flight tickets, transfers, car rentals, and other travel-related services. It also provides a fast and easy-to-use API with dedicated 24/7 support. RateHawk offers its clients 2.7 million hotels and other types of accommodation from over 130,000 properties contracted directly and 320 wholesalers for flight tickets from over 450 airlines and transfers in over 150 countries.
Designed for modern travellers seeking comfort, convenience and elevated essentials, this stylish new hotel invites guests to discover Ratchaburi’s rich cultural charm while enjoying limited-time rates, elevated perks, and Centara’s signature warm hospitality.
From now until 31 May 2025, guests booking stays until 30 June 2025 can take advantage of its “The Heart of Ratchaburi: Exclusive Opening Offer”, featuring special rates starting from THB1,500 per night. This limited-time promotion includes daily breakfast for two, hotel credit equal to 15% of the daily room rate redeemable for drinks and dining during the stay, and the added flexibility of early check-in and late check-out. Guests will also receive welcome drinks upon arrival, while CentaraThe1 members earn triple points during their stay — new members can sign up for free at www.centarathe1.com for even more privileges.
With 69 rooms and suites, Thai and Western dining featuring locally sourced ingredients at Terra Bar & Café, and modern meeting and event spaces, Centara Life Wisma Hotel Ratchaburi offers a contemporary city-centre retreat for couples, families, and business travellers just moments from iconic landmarks such as the Ratchaburi National Museum, Wat Mahathat Worawihan, and the striking Ruesi Khao Ngu Cave.
KUCHING, 30 April 2025: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) proudly made its return at PATA Annual Summit 2025, held from 21 to 23 April in Istanbul, Türkiye, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable tourism growth and cultural preservation.
Reinforcing Sarawak’s position and connection as a leading player in sustainable tourism destinations within the Asia-Pacific region, the Malaysian state welcomed 4.83 million visitor arrivals in 2024 — an impressive 23% increase from the previous year. Sarawak is poised to achieve its bold target of 5 million visitors by the end of 2025.
STB CEO Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said the growth in visitor arrivals is underpinned by Sarawak’s commitment to authentic cultural experiences, eco-tourism, and innovation — all aligned with the state’s Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
Sarawak’s participation at the Summit showcased its dedication to sustainable tourism and highlighted its investment in future-proofing the tourism sector. A key highlight was Puan Sharzede’s insightful opening at the panel discussion on Building Tomorrow’s Tourism Workforce, held on the last day of the Summit.
Representing the government perspective, STB CEO Puan Sharzede, alongside Olivier Berrivin, Vice President–APAC at BWH Hotels, and Chris Bottrill, Associate Vice President (International) at Capilano University, explored the latest strategies to equip tourism talent with the tools to adapt, evolve, and thrive in a changing global landscape.
“In Sarawak, we don’t build our workforce for fair weather — we build them to sail through storms,” said Puan Sharzede. “From front liners to indigenous communities, we empower people across the tourism value chain with digital tools and future-ready skills. As the industry evolves, so must we — and Sarawak is proud to be a progressive player in this journey.”
She also highlighted Sarawak’s early adoption of digital strategies in tourism marketing, campaign management, and grassroots training— efforts that have positioned the state as agile and inclusive in the global travel ecosystem. Throughout the Summit, STB engaged in knowledge exchange during networking events and participated in the Youth Symposium, reaffirming its support for the next generation of tourism leaders.
Sarawak’s presence in Istanbul sent a clear message — Sarawak connects nature to innovation, tradition to transformation, and people to purpose. Through strategic engagement at PATA, Sarawak continues to bridge local strengths with global aspirations.
As STB strengthens its global partnerships and nurtures a skilled, resilient workforce, Sarawak is setting the benchmark for what sustainable, forward-looking tourism can and should be across the Asia-Pacific region.
SINGAPORE, 30 April 2025: Marriott International has reached an agreement to acquire the lifestyle brand citizenM; a transaction that should accelerate Marriott’s global expansion of its select-service and lifestyle lodging offerings.
The citizenM global portfolio currently consists of 36 open hotels, comprising 8,544 rooms, across more than 20 cities spanning the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific, including gateway cities such as New York, London, Paris, and Rome.
The brand’s current pipeline includes three under-construction hotels totalling over 600 rooms that are anticipated to open by mid-2026, with the prospect of significant additional growth across Marriott’s global regions over the next decade.
The citizenM brand is known for its genuine service, tech-savvy in-hotel experience, highly efficient use of space, and focus on art and design. The brand, founded in 2008, caters to a growing demographic of value-conscious travellers looking for technology-driven accommodations with features like smart in-room design, indoor and outdoor common spaces featuring immersive artwork and local artefacts, comfortably appointed living rooms that serve as collaborative workspaces, creative meeting rooms, grab-and-go food and beverage options, and lively rooftop decks.
“As we continue to drive best-in-class experiences for travellers, our announcement builds upon Marriott’s commitment to enhance options for guests and Marriott Bonvoy members,” said Marriott International president and CEO Anthony Capuano. “We are thrilled to add citizenM as a differentiated offering to our select-service brand portfolio as we continue to strengthen Marriott’s foothold in this valuable market segment worldwide.”
At the transaction’s closing, Marriott will pay USD355 million to acquire the brand and related intellectual property. Following closing, the citizenM portfolio will become part of Marriott’s system, with the hotels owned and leased by the seller subject to new long-term franchise agreements with Marriott.
Stabilised fees for the open and under-construction pipeline portfolio are anticipated to be approximately USD30 million annually. The seller may also receive earn-out payments of up to USD110 million based on the brand’s future growth over a specified, multi-year timeframe. These payments would not begin until the fourth year following closing.
“We are very excited about our agreement with Marriott and look forward to this pivotal next step for our future growth. I envisage this relationship greatly enhancing citizenM’s global reach and brand impact. Marriott as an organisation shares our values and culture, and I am confident in their deep commitment to continuing our brand’s DNA into the future,” said citizenM Founder and Chairman Rattan Chadha
Assuming the closing of the transaction in 2025, Marriott now expects the full-year 2025 net room growth to approach 5%.
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc and Eastdil Secured acted as financial advisors to the seller in this transaction.
