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Winter in Japan attracts Indian travellers

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Newsdesk
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DELHI, 8 December 2025: For years, Japan has been defined internationally by its iconic cherry blossom season. But a shift in behaviour is emerging among Indian travellers. 

According to Cox & Kings, one of India’s trusted travel brands, Japan has become a top winter bucket-list destination, with demand for December–February departures rising 15% year over year.

Cox & Kings’ traveller insights point to several defining shifts behind the winter surge. The winter illumination season is becoming a primary driver of travel. From Tokyo Midtown’s Illumination Walk to the famous Nabana no Sato light gardens, Japan’s winter lighting festivals, among the world’s most elaborate, are now trending among Indian couples, families and young travellers. These attraction-based evenings are becoming a high-FOMO seasonal experience.

Indian travellers are also leaning into Japan’s deep winter culture. Snow-based experiences like skiing, snow villages, wildlife trails, snowy hikes, and open-air onsens (hot springs) are proliferating. The magic is in the contrast: steaming baths against snowy forests, winter street-food stalls, and quiet, white-covered lanes. It’s a season where snow, culture and comfort come together.

“Japan in winter has a completely different soul,” said Cox & Kings Director, Karan Agarwal. “From local food trails to cultural rituals and unhurried neighbourhood days, travellers want depth, and winter is when Japan reveals its most authentic side. Already among the top choices for 2025, Japan’s growing winter appeal now makes it a truly all-season destination”

Travellers are also increasingly exploring culture beyond sakura (spring cherry bloom). Tea ceremonies in Kyoto, winter food tours in Osaka, kimono-dressing workshops, traditional ryokan stays, and “onsen circuits” (hot spring baths) in Hakone are seeing strong traction. Interest in slow-travel experiences such as neighbourhood stays in Kyoto’s Gion district, curated cooking workshops, and local craft has also grown over the last year.

Data from Cox & Kings shows that bookings for next year’s cherry blossom itineraries are already up by 10%, showing that winter demand is not replacing the cherry blossom season; it is expanding the overall Japan travel curve.

(Source: Cox & Kings)

Nile Seray opens for bookings

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Newsdesk
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MELBOURNE, 8 December 2025: Nile Seray, an A&K Sanctuary, is now accepting bookings for its inaugural 2026 season, marking a new chapter in Nile River cruising as Egypt enjoys unprecedented interest following the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. 

The luxury riverboat, which launches in October 2026, represents A&K Sanctuary’s most ambitious Egyptian project to date and arrives at a pivotal moment for the destination. 

Photo credits: A&K.

The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in November 2025 has only heightened Egypt’s appeal, with the world’s largest archaeological museum now displaying 100,000 artefacts, including the complete collection of King Tutankhamun’s treasures together for the first time. 

Nile Seray has been conceived to complement this new golden age of Egyptian travel, offering a refined sanctuary from which to explore both the museum and Egypt’s timeless temples and tombs. 

A first look inside

Newly released interior renderings reveal Nile Seray’s sophisticated design approach, which infuses modern elegance with heritage touches that nod to Egypt’s artistic legacy. 

The 32 suites showcase contemporary lines and natural materials, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing ever-changing views of the Nile valley. Colour palettes echo the warm tones of Egypt’s landscape, whilst handcrafted details celebrate local artisanship. 

The two restaurants blur boundaries between indoor and outdoor dining, creating fluid spaces where dining unfolds against a backdrop of passing feluccas and ancient monuments. The top deck emerges as the centrepiece of Nile Seray, a serene retreat featuring a swimming pool and canopied daybeds, where wraparound views of the Nile create an unparalleled setting for sunset. 

Exceptional access

Nile Seray voyages will include complimentary access to Egypt’s most magnificent tombs on the West Bank: Seti I and Ramses VI, as well as exclusive private openings for the tombs of King Tutankhamun and Amenhotep III. This level of access, combined with A&K’s expert Egyptologists and the cultural context provided by the Grand Egyptian Museum, creates an archaeological experience that goes beyond standard sightseeing routes. The vessel accommodates just 64 guests.

A growing fleet

Nile Seray joins A&K Sanctuary’s fleet of four existing riverboats on the Nile: Nile Adventurer, Sun Boat III, Sun Boat IV, and Zein Nile Chateau. The expansion reflects A&K’s nearly five decades of Nile cruising expertise and continued investment in Egyptian tourism. Following the announcement of a sister vessel launching in 2028, A&K Sanctuary’s commitment to the destination has never been stronger. 

The four-night journey 

Nile Seray sails between Aswan and Luxor on four-night voyages featuring daily excursions to the temples of Luxor, Karnak, and Aswan, felucca sailing around Elephantine Island, Egyptian cooking classes, and traditional entertainment. Expert A&K Egyptologists accompany every excursion, whilst each voyage includes all meals, excursions, and onboard amenities. Every booking also supports A&K Philanthropy’s community initiatives, including long-standing partnerships with the Funtasia After School Program in Luxor and the Aswan Heart Centre, which provides free life-saving cardiac care to underprivileged patients

(Source: A&K)

Air India interlines with Maldivian

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Newsdesk
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DELHI, 8 December 2025: Air India and Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, have entered into a bilateral interline partnership to boost connectivity between the two countries.

Through this new partnership, Air India provides its passengers with access to 16 islands across the Maldives via Maldivian’s network, enabling connections via Malé to destinations such as Hanimaadhoo, Kooddoo, Gan, Kaadedhdhoo, Kulhudhuffushi, Dharavandhoo, Maafaru, and Kadhdoo, among others.

Photo credit: Air India.

This also enables Maldivians to welcome Air India guests from Delhi and Mumbai or those connecting through these large hubs onto Maldivian-operated flights from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Malé and Hanimaadhoo Island.

The interline partnership enables guests of both carriers to travel on a single itinerary combining Air India and Maldivian flights, ensuring convenient connections and coordinated baggage handling.

“The Maldives continues to be one of the most preferred leisure destinations for Indian travellers, and this interline partnership with Maldivian opens the door to the country’s lesser-explored atolls and islands”, said Air India. Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal.

“By combining Air India’s extensive global network with Maldivian’s reach across domestic points beyond Malé, guests can now discover the true diversity of the archipelago on a single itinerary.”

Air India is the only carrier operating daily flights between Delhi and Malé, providing a direct capital-to-capital link. Air India deploys more than 55,000 seats to the Maldives annually (in one direction), contributing significantly to the country’s tourism and trade.

With an extensive worldwide network spanning five continents, Air India not only carries passengers from India to the Maldives, but also those from several points in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East via Delhi.

“This partnership marks a new chapter in our efforts to expand accessibility to the Maldives and provide connectivity for passengers travelling beyond Malé to the atolls,” said Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director of Maldivian. “With Air India’s strong network and our reach within the Maldives, this collaboration will play a key role in supporting tourism and business travel between our nations.”

The partnership aligns with both airlines’ goals to enhance regional cooperation and support tourism growth through stronger network integration, smoother connections, and improved customer experience.

(Source: Air India)

Etihad’s A380 will fly to Tokyo in summer 2026

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Newsdesk
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ABU DHABI, 5 December 2025: Etihad Airways confirms it will deploy its A380 to serve the Abu Dhabi-Narita, Tokyo, route in the summer of 2026.

The A380 double-decker will begin operating between Zayed Abu Dhabi International (AUH) and Narita International (NRT) on 16 June 2026, in time for the busy summer travel season. 

Photo credit: Etihad.

Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De said: “We’ve seen strong demand from customers for more seats to Japan, and the A380 allows us to deliver that. The aircraft is particularly well-suited to this route, given the importance of business travel between the UAE and Japan, two nations with deep economic and cultural ties. Japan has always been a favourite destination for our guests, and this move reinforces our commitment to the market.”

The increased capacity opens up the UAE’s capital to more Japanese travellers, whether as a stopover or a destination to explore. 

Tokyo joins Etihad’s A380 network alongside London, Paris, Toronto and Singapore, and flights are available to book now.

Flight schedule

(Source: Etihad)

Emirates interlines to the Bahamas

By
Your Stories
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DUBAI, 5 December 2025: Emirates has officially activated an interline partnership with Bahamasair to provide connectivity to customers travelling to the Bahamas.

The unilateral partnership between both carriers enables Emirates to expand its reach in the Caribbean, allowing its customers to connect on The Bahamas’ national flag carrier from two gateways in Florida to two destinations within the Bahamas – Nassau/Paradise Island and Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.

The interline partnership came into effect following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both airlines in June. Emirates’ customers can book an entire journey across its network to Orlando or Miami, and connect to Nassau or Freeport – all with the simplicity of a single ticket and additional benefits, including a single baggage policy for both airlines.

Florida gateways, Miami and Orlando, are among the 12 US destinations that the world’s largest international airline currently flies to. Emirates serves Miami with daily flights utilising its retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft featuring four cabin classes, along with five-weekly services to Orlando aboard its Boeing 777 aircraft in a three-class configuration. From the two Florida gateways, customers can connect to Bahamasair services, operated by a Boeing 737 aircraft, to two significant points in the country.

Earlier this year, Emirates also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas to jointly promote tourism to the Caribbean nation.

For more information on flights and fares, visit www.emirates.com.

(Source: Your Stories — Emirates).

Centara Grand at CentralWorld wins TTJ Award

By
Your Stories
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BANGKOK, 5 December 20025: Centara Grand at CentralWorld has been honoured as ‘Best MICE Hotel – Thailand’ at the recent TTJ MICE & Wedding Awards 2026, hosted by Travel Trade Journal (TTJ) at The Eros Hotel, New Delhi. 

This accolade highlights the hotel’s continued excellence and innovation in delivering world-class MICE experiences in the heart of Bangkok.

Organised by Sampan Media under its flagship TTJ TRAVMART banner, the annual MICE & Wedding Mart & Awards brought together leading professionals from India’s MICE, wedding, and travel fraternity for two days of networking, business exchange, and celebration. The awards ceremony recognised exceptional contributions from hotels, DMCs, convention centres, tourism boards, airlines, and service providers shaping the future of events and hospitality across the region.

Centara Grand at CentralWorld was recognised for its versatile event facilities, impeccable service standards, and strategic location above CentralWorld, one of Asia’s largest lifestyle and shopping complexes. With over 10,000 square metres of flexible event space, including the Bangkok Convention Centre, the hotel remains a preferred choice for international conferences, large-scale exhibitions, corporate meetings, and social galas.

As the flagship property of Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Grand at CentralWorld embodies the brand’s vision of delivering Thai hospitality on a global scale, combining luxurious accommodation with an unparalleled array of dining, wellness, and lifestyle experiences. The hotel features 505 rooms and suites, world-class restaurants including UNO MAS, Red Sky, and Cru Champagne Bar, and the award-winning Spa Cenvaree. Its central location offers direct connectivity to CentralWorld shopping centre and Bangkok’s BTS SkyTrain, providing the ultimate convenience for business and leisure travellers alike.

“We are deeply honoured to receive this prestigious recognition from Travel Trade Journal,” said Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld Vice President Operations & General Manager Robert Maurer-Loeffler.

“This award reaffirms our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for every meeting, incentive, and celebration, and recognises our dedicated team’s efforts to uphold Centara’s reputation as Thailand’s leading MICE destination.”

Find out more about Centara at www.CentaraHotelsResorts.com. 

About Centara
Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 84 properties span all major Thai destinations, as well as the Maldives, Vietnam, Laos, Japan, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE. Centara’s portfolio comprises six brands – Centara Reserve, The Centara Collection, Centara Grand, Centara, Centara Life and COSI Hotels – ranging from luxury island retreats and upscale family resorts to affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology.

(Source: Your Stories — Centara Hotels & Resorts)

Langkawi welcomes flights from Tashkent.

By
Your Stories
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LANGKAWI, Malaysia, 5 December 2025: Langkawi is set to welcome a brand-new wave of international travellers with the launch of Batik Air’s first direct flight connecting Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to Langkawi, beginning 14 December 2025. 

This milestone route represents a vital step in strengthening tourism links between Central Asia and Malaysia, making Langkawi’s world-renowned beaches, rainforests, and island adventures more accessible than ever. 

Photo credit: LADA.

The direct connection reduces total travel time to just six hours, offering travellers a smooth and convenient journey to one of Southeast Asia’s most breathtaking holiday destinations.

This new route is the result of a strategic collaboration between Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Tourism Malaysia (TM), and Batik Air, demonstrating a joint commitment to elevating Langkawi’s visibility in emerging global markets. 

To support and strengthen this new connectivity, LADA hosted a series of business-to-business engagements in Tashkent and Samarkand last month. The sales mission reached out to industry players from both countries, with 16 Langkawi-based tourism businesses participating. The mission drew strong attendance from Uzbekistan, with approximately 130 travel agents in Tashkent and 50 in Samarkand participating in sales and networking sessions. The engagements served as a platform to build partnerships, co-create travel packages, and accelerate interest in Langkawi among Central Asian travellers.

Discover Langkawi — Malaysia’s Island Paradise

Known as the ‘Jewel of Kedah’, Langkawi is a tropical archipelago of 99 islands, each offering its own blend of turquoise seas, powder-soft white-sand beaches, and lush rainforests. The island is home to world-class beach resorts and a warm, welcoming culture rooted in authentic Malaysian hospitality. It’s a destination that offers the perfect balance of adventure, relaxation, and meaningful experiences for families, couples, and groups of friends.

Langkawi is a duty-free island, inviting visitors to enjoy a variety of shopping experiences with unbeatable prices across a wide range of brands.

Blessed with a unique heritage of a 550-million-year-old geological landscape, travellers can explore ancient formations and protected geoparks that make every visit both enriching and unforgettable.

Naturally Langkawi: Expanding International Connectivity

The launch of the Tashkent–Langkawi direct flight supports Naturally Langkawi’s ongoing mission to introduce the island’s rich biodiversity, cultural warmth, and natural wonders to international audiences. With this new route, Langkawi opens its doors even wider to travellers from Central Asia, offering a destination where adventure meets serenity, and where every moment presents the opportunity to create new stories and cherished memories.

Travellers from Uzbekistan can now book seats on Batik Air’s new direct Tashkent–Langkawi service and be among the first to experience the unmatched beauty, warmth, and hospitality of Malaysia’s island paradise.

For more information on Langkawi, visit: Naturally Langkawi. 

About Langkawi Development Authority (LADA)
The federal government established Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) to plan, promote and implement development on the island of Langkawi. It was officially established on 15 March 1990, under the Langkawi Development Authority Act 1990 (Act 423) and placed under the authority of the Ministry of Finance. LADA supports community efforts to achieve prosperity for the island destination and its residents, and positions Langkawi as a world-renowned island tourism destination.

(Source: Your Stories — LADA).

Minor to expand portfolio in North America

By
Newsdesk
-

BANGKOK, 5 December 2025: Minor Hotels has appointed Genna Panagopoulos as its Vice President of Development for North America. 

She joins Minor Hotels from IHG, where she played a key role in developing luxury and lifestyle brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, and Vignette Collection. 

Genna Panagopoulos, Vice President of Development for North America.

In her new role, she will lead initiatives to secure new franchise and management agreements under Minor Hotels’ brand portfolio. As part of its strategic vision, Minor Hotels is expanding its franchise platform into North America to accelerate expansion and grow its portfolio to 850 hotels by 2027, strengthening its presence in group’sture and emerging markets.

The group’s portfolio includes Anantara Hotels & Resorts, The Wolseley Hotels, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, Minor Reserve Collection, NH Collection Hotels & Resorts, nhow Hotels & Resorts, Avani Hotels & Resorts, Colbert Collection, NH Hotels & Resorts and iStay by NH. 

(Source: Minor Hotels)

Exo Travel cranks up commercial team

By
Newsdesk
-

BANGKOK, 5 December 2025: EXO Travel has appointed Chris Morley as Director of Commercial, a key role that will further reinforce the company’s commercial leadership under Chief Commercial Officer, Nick Ghosh. 

In this position, Morley will oversee EXO’s commercial strategy across its network of destinations, with a focus on deepening supplier relationships, enhancing contracting performance and creating added value for our worldwide trade partners.

Photo credit: Exo Travel. Chris Morley joins Exo Travel as director of commercial.

He brings more than two decades of experience from UK tour operator Trailfinders, where he held senior leadership roles in destination management. 

Most recently, he served as Divisional Destination Manager (Product & Procurement) for Asia, the  Middle East, Indian Ocean, Caribbean, Mexico, & The Pacific, overseeing product development and commercial negotiation across some of the company’s most critical long-haul regions. This background gives him a rare view from the tour operator side and a clear understanding of how destination partners can best support agents and their clients.

Now based at EXO’s head office in Bangkok, Morley will work closely with EXO’s leaders, country teams and contracting specialists to refine how the company buys and collaborates with suppliers. The aim is to build even stronger, longer-term partnerships that support sustainable growth, greater consistency across markets and a more competitive, compelling product range for EXO’s agent partners.

“Chris brings a tremendous depth of commercial insight and expertise,” said EXO Travel Chief Commercial Officer Nick Ghosh. “With many years spent leading product and procurement across Asia and other long-haul regions, he has a clear understanding of what robust contracting and successful supplier relationships look like for all stakeholders. His appointment will help us buy more effectively and unlock greater value across our partnerships by creating genuine win-win outcomes for our suppliers, our agent partners, and EXO. Ultimately, those shared gains will flow directly to our partners who trust us and the clients they serve.”

(Source: Exo Travel)

PATA inks accord with Jeju Tourism

By
Newsdesk
-

CHIANG RAI, 5 December 2025: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Jeju Tourism Organisation (JTO) have announced a new collaboration agreement to promote and support responsible travel and tourism for Jeju Island, Korea (ROK), and to establish a foundation for a future PATA event to be organised in Jeju.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid and JTO CEO Koh Seung Chul at the PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2025 (PDMF 2025) in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This milestone, witnessed by over 300 tourism professionals from across the globe, marked a new era of collaboration between the two organisations.

Photo credit: PATA. (L/R): Suman Pandey, Vice Chair, PATA; Peter Semone, Chair, PATA; Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA; Koh Seung Chul, President, Jeju Tourism Organisation; Hsun-chul Shin, Director, Jeju Tourism Organisation; and Adaline Yoo, Deputy Manager, Jeju Tourism Organisation, after the MoU signing between the two organisations.

PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid said: “The signing of this MOU represents a truly momentous chapter for both PATA and the Jeju Tourism Organisation — made even more significant as Jeju marks an extraordinary 40 years of unwavering membership with our Association. 

“As a two-time PATA Gold Award winner, Jeju has long exemplified visionary leadership, bold innovation, and a steadfast commitment to building a sustainable and resilient tourism future. Jeju’s transformative initiatives continue to set a powerful standard for the Asia Pacific region and beyond. 

“At this pivotal moment, we are honoured to deepen our collaboration and stand with Jeju as it advances its global prominence and reinforces its stature as one of the world’s most distinguished, responsible, and inspiring tourism destinations.”

With JTO assuming responsibility for MICE industry promotion in the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the MOU is poised to drive meaningful qualitative growth and strengthen Jeju’s position in the increasingly competitive global MICE landscape.

JTO President Koh Seung Chul noted: “This MOU has laid the groundwork for Jeju to expand its reach beyond East Asia into the wider Asia Pacific region. Moving forward, the Jeju Tourism Organisation, which executes MICE industry promotion policy, will strive to strengthen Jeju’s international competitiveness through this new international cooperation.”

The agreement emphasises the joint promotion of responsible travel to Jeju Island, aligning both organisations in a shared effort to encourage the destination to adopt best-practice principles in the MICE industry, international cooperation, sustainability, community benefits, cultural preservation, and environmental protection. It further outlines various areas of collaboration, including advocacy, knowledge sharing, and event organisation.

(Source: PATA)

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