SINGAPORE, 18 December 2025: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) released a statement on Wednesday to inform the public that 10 travel agents have been suspended from conducting travel agent activities in accordance with the Travel Agents Act 1975.
The companies have been suspended for failing to submit their Audited Statement of Accounts (AA) and/or Annual Business Profile Returns (ABPR).
Under the Travel Agents Regulations 2017, licensees must submit these documents within six months after the close of their financial year.
Suspended travel agencies
These suspensions will remain in effect until the documentations are submitted or for up to 6 months, whichever is earlier. During the suspension period, travel agents must fulfil their existing obligations to customers but may not accept new travel bookings.
STB said in the statement that it “takes a serious view against errant travel agents and will not hesitate to take necessary actions to protect the reputation of Singapore’s travel industry. Any travel agent accepting new bookings during the suspension period will face enforcement action.
For the most up-to-date list of licensed travel agents in Singapore, visit the Travel Related Users’ System (TRUST) website, TRUST.
DUBAI, UAE, 17 December 2025: Emirates closes 2025 on a sky-high note by adding another five awards to its trophy cabinet following the 32nd annual World Travel Awards, held in Bahrain.
Adding to its impressive portfolio of more than 20 accolades received in 2025, the latest titles celebrate Emirates as a leading airline brand, as well as recognising its multi-award-winning inflight entertainment system ice, more honours for Emirates First Class onboard experience and First Class Lounges, and another nod to Emirates Skywards – as the World’s Leading Airline Rewards Programme 2025.
Five latest gongs from the World Travel Awards
World’s Leading Airline Brand 2025: Emirates.
World’s Leading Airline Inflight Entertainment 2025: Emirates.
World’s Leading Airline Rewards Programme 2025: Emirates – Skywards.
World’s Leading Airline – First Class 2025: Emirates.
World’s Leading Airline Lounge – First Class 2025: Emirates First Class Lounge at Emirates Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport.
Emirates scores big with an array of industry awards throughout 2025
In November, Emirates was voted ‘Best Airline in the World’ for the 8th consecutive year, at the esteemed ULTRAs travel awards. Based on votes from Ultratravel’s global network of 1.2 million travellers, Emirates also scooped the ‘Airline with the Best Premium Economy Class’ award, as well as a prestigious’ Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Global Aviation’ presented to Sir Tim Clark. Aviation Business Middle East also awarded Emirates’ Best First Class of the Year’ and the prestigious’ Airline of the Year’ award.
Emirates also won ‘Best International Airline,’ ‘Best International First Class,’ and ‘Best International Airline Lounge’ from the Forbes Travel Guide Verified Air Travel Awards 2025, as well as ‘Best Long-Haul Airline’ at The Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards 2025. Sir Tim Clark was also recently recognised by the Wings Club Foundation with the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award.
In September, Emirates received global recognition at the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO in Long Beach, California, winning two notable awards – the 2026 APEX Best Global Entertainment Award for its in-flight entertainment system (ice), and a 2026 APEX WORLD CLASS award for all aspects of the airline’s customer experience and brand.
Earlier in 2025, Emirates was honoured with several awards including ‘Best Long-Haul Airline’ at The Telegraph Travel Awards, ‘2025’s Most Recommended Global Brand’ by YouGov, and multiple categories at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards, such as ‘Best Airline Worldwide’ for the 12th consecutive year, ‘Best First Class’, ‘Best Premium Economy Class’, and ‘Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East’.
For more information about the airline and to make a booking, visit www.emirates.com.
SARAWAK, 17 December 2025: The year-end season will shine even brighter as the Jingling Christmas Market 2025 returns this December, transforming STB’s Visitor Information Centre (VIC) spaces in Sibu and Miri into vibrant festive villages filled with music, creativity and holiday cheer.
Organised by Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), the event builds on the strong public reception of last year’s Twinkling Christmas Market. It continues STB’s effort to position VICs as warm, community-driven hubs beyond their traditional role as information centres.
Held over two consecutive weekends, first at the VIC Sibu Heritage Centre from 12 to 14 December with 15 local vendors and at the VIC Garden Miri from 19 to 21 December (opening hours from 1600 to 2200), the Jingling Christmas Market invites families, children and festive-goers to immerse themselves in an experience that blends local creativity, community spirit and the joyful charm of the holiday season.
Across both cities, visitors can expect an enchanting array of handmade ornament workshops, community church carolling, interactive treasure hunts, live music sessions, and Santa walkabouts complete with festive giveaways.
Entry is free for the remaining event in Miri, which features 30 local vendors and supports Sarawak’s creative micro-entrepreneurs by providing a platform for artisans, crafters, and small businesses to showcase their work and engage directly with the community.
STB shared that the event reflects the board’s ongoing commitment to creating inclusive, meaningful experiences that bring people together. “The Jingling Christmas Market is about more than decorations and carols, it’s about strengthening community bonds, giving
families a space to celebrate, and reimagining our VICs as lively gathering points where culture, creativity and connection thrive,” said Sarawak Tourism Board. Chief Executive Officer Dr Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor,
BALI, Indonesia, 17 December 2025: Radisson Hotel Group has announced the signing of ANTA Hotel Bali Canggu, a member of Radisson Individuals, a new lifestyle serviced apartment project in one of Bali’s most vibrant coastal districts.
Scheduled to open in 2027, the property will feature 116 serviced apartments and further expand Radisson Hotel Group’s footprint in Indonesia.
Photo credit: Radisson Hotel Group. ANTA Hotel Bali Canggu, a member of Radisson Individuals.
Situated in Canggu, a beach hub popular with international visitors, surfers, and a growing community of expatriates and remote workers, ANTA Hotel Bali Canggu, a member of Radisson Individuals, will offer a contemporary base surrounded by rice fields, temples, and beaches.
The project is located along Jalan Shortcut Teratai Batu Bolong, approximately a one-hour drive from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, and within a short drive of Echo Beach, Batu Bolong Beach, and Berawa Beach, all renowned for all-level surfing and sunset views.
Guests will also be close to Subak Uma Desa’s traditional rice fields and local temples, including Pura Batu Bolong and Pura Batu Mejan, which offer cultural and spiritual experiences.
ANTA Hotel Bali Canggu, a member of Radisson Individuals, will offer 116 serviced apartments with terraces and kitchenettes, including 88 studio apartments, 10 one-bedroom apartments, and additional layouts designed for longer stays. Each unit will be configured in line with Radisson Hotel Group’s brand standards, with smart, efficient design and functional storage.
The property has been specifically designed to appeal to young digital nomads, remote professionals, and long-stay travellers, aligning with the Canggu market profile.
A generously sized co-working space sits at the heart of the social experience, giving guests a flexible, well-equipped environment to work, collaborate, and connect. This is complemented by social and event spaces that can easily be reconfigured for workshops, private gatherings, wellness sessions, or fitness activities.
The signing of ANTA Hotel Bali Canggu, a member of Radisson Individuals, supports Radisson Hotel Group’s ambition to grow in high-potential leisure markets and diversify its portfolio with more serviced apartments and extended-stay products. The group currently operates three hotels in Indonesia with 579 keys and has three properties (405 keys) under development across a mix of city and resort locations. ANTA Hotel Bali Canggu will complement the group’s existing presence and position the group at the heart of Bali’s evolving digital nomad and lifestyle scene.
Radisson Individuals is Radisson Hotel Group’s soft brand created for independent hotels and regional chains that want to maintain their own identity while benefiting from the group’s global recognition, distribution platforms, and commercial systems.
MANILA, 17 December 2025: Philippines Airlines clinches the top spot as the most punctual airline among Asia Pacific carriers during November 2025 with an 84.67% On-Time Performance (OTP) rating according to London-based Citrium.
The leading aviation analytics company tracks the on-time performance of airlines and airports worldwide to produce punctuality reports for the global aviation industry.
Photo credit: PAL.
PAL’s OTP ratings from August to November 2025 reflect four consecutive months of the flag carrier’s top standing in On-Time Performance among its regional competitors. The airline achieved flight punctuality ratings of 89.37% August 2025, 90.47% in September 2025, and 86.37% in October 2025.
For on-time performance, Cirium counts a flight as on time if the aircraft arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. Arrival data is a standard reliability metric reflecting travellers’ desire to arrive at their destinations on time and airlines’ need to comply with assigned airport slot times.
“The PAL team remains committed towards achieving operational reliability and customer satisfaction through on-time performance. The latest flight punctuality results inspire us to work even harder,” said PAL Senior Vice President for the Operations Group. Roland A Narciso.
“We thank our flight and ground operations teams, engineers, and maintenance service partners for their collective efforts anchored on PAL’s mission to provide a safe, reliable, and pleasant travel experience exceeding passenger expectations,” he added.
PAL also ranked first in punctuality in April 2025, second in January 2025, and third in March 2025.
The airline also received a four-star rating from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), an airline rating programme based on certified passenger feedback.
DUBAI, 17 December 2025: Flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, confirms the launch of a new service to Vilnius, marking the start of direct flights between Dubai and the capital of Lithuania.
The new route reinforces flydubai’s growing footprint in Central and Eastern Europe and opens an important new gateway for travel, tourism and trade.
Photo credit: Flydubai. New airline link between Dubai and Lithuania.
With the start of operations to Vilnius, flydubai becomes the first UAE carrier to offer nonstop connectivity between Dubai and Lithuania, giving customers more choice and convenience for business and leisure travel. The route will operate three times per week, providing seamless links to Dubai’s global aviation hub.
Lithuania Minister of Transport and Communications, Juras Taminskas,commented: “The arrival of this company marks a new stage in our country’s aviation. In the first year of operations alone, around 40,000 passengers are expected to be carried.”
Beyond improved connectivity, the Dubai-Vilnius route is expected to strengthen economic cooperation, attract visitors seeking new cultural and leisure experiences, and create a significant new link for Lithuanian travellers to access Dubai’s world-class attractions and onward destinations, including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand.
Commenting on the launch of flights, flydubai Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and E-commerce Jeyhun Efendi said: “These new flights will play an essential role in stimulating tourism and trade flows between the UAE and Lithuania, offering passengers more convenient travel options and opening new opportunities for businesses and visitors in both countries.”
Economy Class customers can also benefit from complimentary immersive in-flight entertainment and delicious meals, reflecting flydubai’s ongoing investment in elevating the overall customer journey.
Flight details
The new service is offered as part of the flydubai and Emirates codeshare partnership, enabling passengers to benefit from smoother itineraries, a single ticket, through-check-in of baggage, and access to an extensive combined network of more than 240 destinations worldwide.
Flights from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB) will operate three times a week to Vilnius International Airport (VNO).
Return Business Class fares from DXB to VNO start from AED7,505, and Economy Class Lite fares start from AED2,225. Return Business Class fares from VNO to DXB start from EUR1,440, and Economy Class Lite fares start from EUR390.
DELHI, 17 December 2025: Air India has signed a new unilateral interline partnership with Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA).
Air India’s interline partnership with Scoot further strengthens its reach across Southeast Asia, North Asia and Australia via Singapore, enabling Air India guests to seamlessly access most of Scoot’s network with over 70 destinations across 18 countries in these regions.
Photo credit: Air India. One stop in Singapore to destinations in Southeast Asia, including Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in Thailand.
The agreement adds destinations to Air India’s extended international network that were not previously covered by any of the airline’s existing partnerships. They include the following destinations: Macau SAR in China; Padang and Labuan Bajo in Indonesia; Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Langkawi, Ipoh, Kuantan, Miri, Sibu, Malacca and Kota Bharu in Malaysia; Davao and Iloilo City in the Philippines, Samui Island, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in Thailand; and Nha Trang and Phu Quoc in Vietnam.
Air India guests can fly nonstop from Delhi, Mumbai, or Chennai to Singapore and continue their journey with Scoot to destinations across the Scoot network, including additional points. To enhance customer convenience, both airlines have implemented Inter-Airline Through Check-In (IATCI), allowing passengers booked on a single ticket to receive boarding passes for both Air India and Scoot flights at the point of origin, ensuring a seamless transfer experience at Singapore Changi Airport. Checked baggage is delivered to the final destination. (Subject to the applicable local laws and regulations).
“Asia Pacific remains the world’s fastest-growing region for aviation, with intra-regional air travel demand surging at significant rates,” said Air India Chief Commercial Officer, Nipun Aggarwal. “Our new interline partnership with Scoot taps into that momentum, meeting the rising Indian traveller appetite for seamless access to far-flung corners of the continent – from Malaysia’s rainforests to Vietnam’s beaches and Indonesia’s emerging cities.”
Air India operates 49 weekly flights from India to Singapore, including triple-daily flights from Delhi, double-daily flights from Mumbai, and twice-daily flights from Chennai.
The interline itineraries between Air India and Scoot will be progressively made available across Air India’s channels, including its official websites and mobile apps, as well as through travel agents worldwide.
HONG KONG, 17 December 2025: StarCruises will introduce two-night Xiamen and three-night Sanya cruises as part of Star Voyager’s upcoming Hong Kong homeport season during Q1 2026
Departing from the centrally located Ocean Terminal, these sailings will operate from 13 February to 29 March 2026, offering travellers convenient access to China’s vibrant southern coastal destinations.
Photo credit: StarDream Cruises.
Offering short weekend or midweek escapes, the cruises showcase the scenic beauty, rich culture, and local cuisine of Sanya and Xiamen.
“We are excited to be returning to Hong Kong in February for the 2026 season,” said StarDream Cruises President Michael Goh. “These new two and three-night cruises meet the growing demand for shorter, more flexible holidays, while also encouraging more visits and engagement with the different vibrant coastal destinations, including Sanya and Xiamen.”
New Short Cruise highlights
Three-night cruises to Sanya – ‘Tropical Escape to Sanya’ departs on Sunday.
Two-night cruise to Xiamen – ‘Cultural Discovery Cruise: Xiamen’ departs on Wednesday.
Two-night high seas getaway – ‘Weekend Sea Breeze Cruise’ departs on Friday.
Star Voyager will also introduce a five-night sailing from Hong Kong to Vietnam, featuring Nha Trang and Da Nang, with an additional stop at Sanya. Departs on Sunday, 8 March 2026
SINGAPORE, 17 December 2025: Air Arabia has launched a daily direct service from Sharjah to Krabi, offering more than 66,700 seats annually between the UAE and the southern Thailand beach resort.
Commenting on the launch, Air Arabia’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Adel Al Ali said: “Operating our first flight to Krabi marks another milestone in expanding our network in Southeast Asia. This new daily service offers our customers greater convenience and strengthens the growing travel and trade links between the UAE and Thailand.”
Photo credit: Air Arabia. The airline flies both A320s and A321s.
The Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier now flies to three destinations in Thailand — Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi.
Flight schedule
G9732 departs Sharjah (SHJ) at 0815 and arrives in Krabi (KBV) at 1750 (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). G9733 departs Krabi (KBV) at 1840 and arrives in Sharjah (SHJ) at 2250.
G9756 departs Sharjah (SHJ) at 2245 and arrives in Krabi (KBV) at 0810 plus a day. (Departs Sharjah on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). G9757 departs Krabi (KBV) at 1010 and arrives in Sharjah (SHJ) at 1420. (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday).
Air Arabia operates an A320 with 183 seats on the daily Sharjah-Krabi route — flight time: six hours and 15 minutes.
TAIPEI, 16 December 2025: Taiwan boasts an extensive island-circling cycling route network and a diverse landscape spanning cities, mountains, and coastlines, offering riders a wide range of cycling environments.
Visitors can travel at a relaxed pace between urban areas and the mountains and sea, while also enjoying local culture, cuisine, and natural scenery. This makes Taiwan an ideal destination for cycling enthusiasts worldwide seeking a deeper travel experience.
Taiwan welcomes cycling enthusiasts from around the world. Bring the necessary gear and explore Taiwan in depth. (Photo credit Gunning Xiexinyuan Historical Inn)
The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) has long been committed to improving the cycling tourism environment. In addition to continually enhancing cycling routes, the TTA promotes its “Bike-Friendly Accommodation” certification to upgrade lodging services, so cyclists can store and clean their bikes with confidence, get proper rest, and more easily take on the next leg of their journey.
When travelling by bicycle, riders often find that some accommodations lack adequate space to store their bikes. As a result, bicycles may be left outdoors, which increases the risk of theft.
But the good news is that Taiwan is a safe and welcoming destination, and Taiwan Tourism Administration-certified “Bike-Friendly Accommodations” offer secure bike parking. Some properties even allow guests to bring their bicycles into their rooms, giving cyclists greater peace of mind as they rest.
In addition to basic bike parking and cleaning services, some Bike-Friendly Accommodations offer even more cyclist-friendly support. Based on guests’ riding plans, they may serve breakfast early or provide breakfast boxes to ensure riders enjoy carefully prepared, satisfying meals. Some properties also offer late check-out for guests who have participated in intense races or early-morning training. This allows them to keep their luggage in the room, freshen up with a shower, and then proceed to their next destination.
Of course, some accommodations also provide bicycle rentals or direct visitors to nearby rental shops or bike-sharing stations. This makes it easy for travellers without their own bikes to enjoy leisurely rides without the hassle of transporting a bicycle. These are some of the ways Bike-Friendly Accommodations make cycling travel in Taiwan stand out.
For international travellers who often plan overseas cycling trips and seek a wide range of route experiences, Taiwan is now a top choice in Asia. The island offers diverse natural scenery, a welcoming travel environment, and a wide variety of local cuisine. It also features a well-developed network of cycling routes and bike-friendly accommodations throughout Taiwan. The cycling experience is varied, offering safe urban rides, coastal roads, or challenging mountain terrain.
For Bike-Friendly Accommodations in Taiwan, visit: Taiwan Stay For cycling routes in Taiwan, visit: Taiwan Bike Routes
