SINGAPORE, 13 January 2026: Digital travel platform Agoda has introduced the Booking Form Bot, an AI-powered chatbot designed to answer travellers’ booking-related questions at the final stage of the booking journey.
The new tool helps travellers answer last-minute questions and complete their reservations with ease and confidence.
Internal research by Agoda found that 28% of users navigate back to the property page from the booking page to re-check trip details. Customer research revealed that the main reasons to pause or exit the booking journey are questions about promo codes, cancellation policies, and price discrepancies.
The Booking Form Bot addresses this by providing instant, context-aware answers to questions such as “Can I cancel for free?” “Does this booking qualify for cashback?”
Building on the success of Agoda’s Property AMA Bot, which answers over 30,000 hotel-related questions daily, the Booking Form Bot extends this capability to the checkout experience. The bot automatically understands the user’s booking session, including the selected property, room type, rate plan, and associated terms, allowing it to deliver accurate, personalised responses without requiring users to repeat details or leave the page.
Users can access the Booking Form Bot by tapping the chat icon on the booking form page, available through the Agoda app and mobile browser.
With the launch of the Booking Form Bot, Agoda continues to invest in AI-powered tools that make travel planning simpler, faster, and more intuitive for millions of travellers worldwide.
KUALA LUMPUR, 13 January 2026: Sabah loses Batik Air’s direct flights between Kota Kinabalu and Seoul, Korea, barely six months after they began in September 2025.
Flagged as flights to boost tourism between the East Malaysian state and South Korea, Batik Air confirmed in a bulletin to travel agents that it will suspend its direct service to Kota Kinabalu on 17 April. The airline cited flight schedule adjustments prompted by aircraft maintenance requirements.
Photo credit: Batik Air
The route currently operates three times weekly ( Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays) using Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Batik Air: Refunds and rebooking
For bookings late April 2026 and beyond, the airline is obliged to reach out to passengers and offer refunds or alternative flight arrangements (via Kuala Lumpur). Check flight status on the Batik Air website, or contact the online booking site or travel agency that processed the booking and ticket.
Alternative airlines
Travellers planning to fly direct between Kota Kinabalu and Seoul after mid-April have a choice of four other airlines, all offering daily services: AirAsia, Jeju Air, Jin Air, and T’way Air.
AirAsia or Jin Air are the best direct replacements, as they offer late-night departures from Kota Kinabalu that arrive in Seoul early in the morning.
AirAsia: Currently offers the most competitive pricing for a direct flight.
Departure BKI: 2250. Arrival ICN: 0505.
Fare: From approximately MYR890 round-trip.
Jin Air: Another reliable non-stop option, often preferred for including a small snack and checked baggage in some fare classes.
Departure BKI: 1235. Arrival: 0655.
Fare: From MYR1,070 round-trip.
Connecting flights
Batik Air (via Kuala Lumpur): You can still fly Batik Air, but it will require a layover in Kuala Lumpur (KUL). This significantly increases travel time to about 13+ hours.
SINGAPORE, 13 January 2026: Turkish Airlines carried 92.6 million passengers in 2025, the airline reported last week, representing an increase of 8.8% compared with 2024 data.
According to the January-December 2025 traffic results, international passenger traffic increased by 12.8% to 35.7 million, up from 31.7 million in the same period in 2024.
Photo credit: Turkish Airlines
Total load factor reached 83.2%. The international load factor was 82.9%, and the domestic load factor 86%.
Available seat kilometres (ASK) increased by 7.5% to 273.2 billion from 254.1 billion for the same period of 2024. Cargo/Mail carried during this period increased by 8.4% to 2.2 million tons from 2 million tons in the same period of 2024.
By the end of December 2025, the fleet totalled 516 aircraft. Traffic results are consolidated and include Turkish Airlines’ main brand and AJet data.
December traffic results
In December 2025, Turkish Airlines carried 7.3 million passengers. The international load factor was 82.6%, and the domestic load factor was 82.7%.
International passenger traffic increased by 14.1%, from 2.8 million in 2024 to 3.2 million.
Available seat kilometres (ASK) increased by 9.2% to 23.3 billion during December 2025 from 21.4 billion during December 2024.
BANGKOK, 13 January 2026: Thai Vietjet has postponed the launch of its direct Bangkok-Tokyo Narita flights from 16 January to 1 February, according to the latest airline schedules and travel updates.
The direct daily service will fly from the airline’s home base at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Narita, Tokyo. Flight time is six hours. Agoda lists a starting round-trip fare of USD422. (February dates).
Photo credit: Vietjet.
Passengers who booked the direct flight in January have the option to rebook in February or take the airline’s Bangkok-Hanoi or Bangkok-HCMC flights to connect to Narita-bound flights. (Flight times of 10 to 15 hours, depending on connections.)
If you must take a direct flight in January, consider Thai AirAsia X (from Bangkok DMK) or ZIPAIR (from Bangkok BKK), which are low-cost carriers offering direct flights to Tokyo NRT.
Thai Vietjet initially announced 16 January as the inaugural flight date, but due to delays in the delivery and “introduction schedule” of its new aircraft fleet, the airline pushed back the start date to 1 February. It results in an aircraft change from the 230-seat Airbus A321 to the 189-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Flight schedule
VZ830 departs Bangkok (BKK) at 2355 and arrives in Narita, Tokyo (NRT) at 0755 plus a day. VZ831 departs Narita Tokyo (NRT) at 0855 and arrives in Bangkok (BKK) at 1430.
DUBAI 12 January 2026: Emirates will continue rolling out its retrofitted Boeing 777 and new A350 aircraft to key destinations across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia, bringing Premium Economy to more cities across its network.
The airline will deploy its A350 on new daily services to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town, adding an extra frequency and offering customers greater connectivity alongside an elevated onboard experience. Additional frequencies to Copenhagen, Phuket, and Cape Town will complement existing schedules and provide much-needed capacity to meet anticipated summer travel demand.
Customers can expect Emirates’ award-winning Premium Economy experience, featuring extra legroom, added amenities, elevated dining, and more. The airline will deploy its Premium Economy retrofitted A380, Boeing 777 and A350 aircraft with the latest cabin interiors on more than 84 routes by 1 July, underscoring its focus on delivering a premium and consistent experience across its network.
Additional flights
From 1 June, a second daily service will be introduced between Dubai and Copenhagen; a third daily service between Dubai and Phuket, and a third daily service to/from Cape Town, will come into effect from 1 July. All three services will be operated with the airline’s latest A350 aircraft, featuring its award-winning Premium Economy, in addition to the latest Business and Economy Class cabins.
From 1 June, Emirates’ flight EK153 will depart Dubai for Copenhagen at 1450, arriving at 1945. The return flight, EK154, will depart Copenhagen at 2135 and arrive in Dubai at 0555 the following day.**
The new service is optimally timed to provide seamless connections from Copenhagen to popular destinations via Dubai, to Bangkok, Bali, Manila, Tokyo Haneda and Phuket, as well as convenient links to Colombo and Male. In addition, the service introduces new connections to key African cities, including Nairobi and Entebbe. Passengers travelling from key global cities, such as Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, Delhi, and Bangalore, will also benefit from the additional frequency to the Danish capital, with convenient onward connections via Dubai.
From 1 July, Emirates’ flight EK390 will depart Dubai to Phuket at 2240, arriving at 0810 the following day. The return flight, EK391, will depart Phuket at 1000 and arrive in Dubai at 1305.
Travellers will benefit from additional travel options to the popular resort destination, which offers early-morning arrivals ideal for those connecting from Europe, including Manchester, Amsterdam, London, Paris, and Frankfurt, as well as Kuwait and Bahrain via Dubai. The new flight will also provide convenient onward connections from Phuket to key gateways across Europe and the Middle East, including Madrid, Munich, Birmingham, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Edinburgh, Zurich, and Amman.
1 July will also see EK778 departing Dubai at 1025, arriving in Cape Town at 1805. The return flight, EK779, will depart Cape Town at 2000 and arrive in Dubai at 0725 the following morning.
Emirates’ double-daily Cape Town service has consistently achieved high load factors over the past year, particularly during peak periods. Inbound demand from the GCC continues to grow, while outbound traffic to Europe and the US East Coast remains strong.
The airline will also operate its A350 to Rome from 29 March and Taipei from 1 May.
Premium Economy expansion
Europe & North America
Barcelona and Mexico City: Emirates will operate its EK187/188 service with a retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 1 February. EK255/256, the linked service between Barcelona and Mexico City, will operate with a Premium Economy retrofitted three-class Boeing 777-200LR daily from 15 February* onwards.
Rome: The EK099/100 daily service will operate with A350 aircraft from 29 March.
Copenhagen: Addition of a second daily service from 1 June with an Emirates A350, as EK153/154.
Asia
Cochin: From 29 January, two of the seven-weekly services (Thursday and Sunday) on EK530/531 between Dubai and Cochin will operate with a retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR.
Karachi: Starting 1 March*, Emirates’ retrofitted three-class Boeing 777-200LR will begin operating daily on EK606/607.
Taipei: Emirates will operate its retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR on the EK386/387 daily service from 15 March until 30 April. From 1 May onwards, the airline’s A350 aircraft will serve the route.
Phuket: A third daily service between Dubai and Phuket will commence on 1 July on EK 390/391.
Australia
Brisbane: From 29 March, daily flights on EK430/431 will be operated by a retrofitted four-class Boeing 777-300ER, joining the A380 retrofitted service introduced last year.
Africa
Addis Ababa: From 1 March*, the retrofitted three-class Boeing 777-200LR will operate daily on EK723/724.
Cape Town: A third daily flight on the Dubai-Cape Town route, announced at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, will now operate with a next-gen Emirates A350 from 1 July 2026.
Middle East
Basra: The Thursday service on EK947/948 will transition to a retrofitted four-class Boeing 777-300ER from 29 January.
Kuwait City: The EK859/860 daily service between Dubai and Kuwait City will operate with a retrofitted Boeing 777 from 1 February until 30 April, and from 1 May onwards, the service will operate with an Emirates A350.
Tehran: Effective 29 March, the retrofitted B777 in a four-class configuration will operate daily flights on EK979/980.
Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, in the Emirates App, or through online and offline travel agents, as well as at Emirates’ retail stores.
DUBAI, UAE, 12 January 2026: Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai has announced the appointment of Samer Saleh as General Manager, following his successful tenure as Acting General Manager since June 2025.
With over 26 years of hospitality experience leading international brands and a strong record of operational and commercial success, Samer will continue to drive the resort’s ambition to be one of the most sought-after family destinations in Dubai and the wider region.
In his new role, Samer will oversee all resort operations, including more than 600 family-oriented rooms, multiple dining venues, the award-winning spa, and the resort’s signature family-themed water park and recreation facilities. His leadership will focus on three key pillars: exceptional memory-making guest experiences, operational excellence and sustainable financial performance, all of which have become hallmarks of Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai.
Samer joined Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai in 2021 as part of the pre-opening Executive leadership team, was promoted to Hotel Manager in 2023, and served as Acting General Manager in 2025. During this time, he has played a pivotal role in the resort’s performance and reputation. Under his leadership, the resort has strengthened its position as a high-occupancy, family-focused beach resort on Dubai Islands, enhanced guest satisfaction scores through improved service standards with more intuitive family-friendly experiences, introduced new revenue streams across F&B, spa, and recreation while maintaining strong value for money for families and improved internal structures, reporting, and quality assurance systems to support long-term growth.
A passionate advocate for people development, Samer is known for his hands-on, empowering leadership style. He has championed internal promotion, cross-exposure opportunities and clear career pathways, helping to build a strong pipeline of future leaders within the resort. His “Champion” concept, in which team members are given ownership of key initiatives, guest-journey touchpoints, and commercial projects, has helped foster a culture of accountability, pride, and innovation across departments.
Looking ahead, Samer’s vision for Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai is to reinforce its status as a benchmark for family resorts in the UAE, combining Centara’s Thai-inspired warmth with Dubai’s energy and diversity. His strategic priorities include elevating and diversifying family experiences across rooms, dining, spa, and recreation, further integrating kids’ and teens’ activities, water-based attractions, and seasonal “festival-style” concepts, strengthening community and schools’ partnerships, particularly within the UAE and key regional source markets, and enhancing sustainability and CSR initiatives that engage both guests and the local community.
In line with Dubai’s ambition to be a global leader in innovation, Samer’s roadmap for the resort also includes the responsible integration of AI and innovative technologies. From more accurate demand forecasting and dynamic pricing to AI-assisted service design, guest feedback analysis, and personalised family offers. His goal is to use technology to support the team, not replace it, so his team can spend more time caring for guests while the systems run in the background to improve efficiency and performance.
“It is an honour to officially take on the role of General Manager at Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai,” said Samer Saleh. “I have been part of this resort’s journey from the very beginning, and I deeply believe in its potential as a true home for families, where children can play and explore, parents can relax, and families leave with meaningful memories. My commitment is to our guests, our people and our owners to keep raising the bar on experience and performance while ensuring that every team member feels proud, empowered, connected to our success story, and the resort continues to thrive as one of the UAE’s most beloved family destinations.”
With Samer at the helm, Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai is poised for an exciting new chapter defined by innovation, heartfelt hospitality and unforgettable family memories. Nestled on the picturesque Dubai Islands waterfront, the resort remains a vibrant destination for fun, relaxation, and connection, perfectly embodying Centara’s signature blend of Thai warmth and world-class hospitality.
About Centara Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 84 properties span all major Thai destinations plus 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.
PUTRAJAYA, 12 January 2026: Tourism Malaysia and Weixin Pay have formalised a strategic collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC), marking a significant milestone in strengthening Malaysia’s tourism promotion efforts and enhancing the overall travel experience for Chinese visitors.
The collaboration reflects both parties’ mutual commitment to leverage their respective strengths, resources, and expertise to promote Malaysia as a preferred destination for Chinese travellers, while supporting the sustainable growth and digital transformation of Malaysia’s tourism industry.
Representatives from Tourism Malaysia and Weixin Pay at the MoC signing ceremony. (From left) YBhg Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia; Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia; Etienne Ng, Weixin Pay’s Regional Director, Southeast Asia and Country Manager, Singapore; and Ben Yang, Weixin Pay’s Managing Director, Southeast Asia and North America.
Director General of Tourism Malaysia Mohd Amirul Rizal said: “China remains one of Malaysia’s most important tourism source markets. Today’s Chinese travellers expect seamless digital integration throughout their journey, from trip planning to payment solutions. This strategic collaboration with Weixin Pay represents an important step forward in strengthening Malaysia’s presence in the Chinese market, enhancing engagement with potential visitors, and providing strong momentum for the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.”
Weixin Pay Managing Director for Southeast Asia and North America Ben Yang said: “Weixin Pay is committed to strengthening its presence in Malaysia and across the region by working closely with local partners to deliver smooth cross-border payment experiences. This collaboration will enable our users to fully explore Malaysia’s unique attractions and vibrant culture, offering an experience that feels both exciting and reassuringly familiar.”
Aligned with the MoC, Tourism Malaysia and Weixin Pay will work closely on joint digital marketing initiatives, technology adoption, and integrated promotional efforts to enhance Malaysia’s visibility and engagement in the Chinese market. This will also support Malaysian merchants in leveraging WeixinPay’s comprehensive suite of digital tools, enabling more seamless, convenient, and cashless experiences for Chinese visitors throughout their journey in Malaysia.
Weixin Pay has seen rapid adoption across Malaysia’s transportation, dining and retail sectors, including key touchpoints such as the KLIA Ekspres airport rail link and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. Collaboration between Weixin Pay and Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) continues to deepen, with a growing number of Malaysian SMEs now accepting Weixin Pay via DuitNow QR, enabling Chinese visitors to make payments effortlessly with their preferred method.
The impact of this digital integration is reflected in transaction data for the first half of 2025, as both Weixin Pay’s transaction value and transaction volume in Malaysia recorded several-fold year-on-year growth. During China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays in October, transactions processed through PayNet increased more than threefold in both volume and value compared to the same period in 2024.
At the same time, Malaysia’s tourism industry continues to record strong growth momentum, with international visitor arrivals reaching 38.3 million from January to November 2025, a 12% increase compared to the same period last year. This positive performance is further strengthened by robust growth from key source markets, particularly China, which recorded 4.3 million visitor arrivals, representing a 25.9% year-on-year increase, underscoring China’s continued importance to Malaysia’s tourism recovery and expansion strategy.
With the mutual visa-free policy between Malaysia and China taking effect in July 2025, cross-border travel between the two countries has entered a new phase of robust, sustained growth. This collaboration is expected to deepen tourism exchanges, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and deliver tangible benefits to both nations.
The signing of this MoC underscores the shared commitment of Tourism Malaysia and Weixin Pay to position Malaysia as a competitive, digitally enabled and welcoming destination for the China market, reinforcing the nation’s readiness to welcome the world for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).
BANGKOK, 12 January 2026: Bangkok Airways welcomes 2026 with its special airfare promotion, “New Year Super Sale,” covering popular domestic and international routes.
Fares start at THB1,430 per sector for domestic flights and THB2,930 per sector for international flights for bookings made exclusively on the airline’s website by midnight on 14 January 2026, with travel commencing from 1 February 2026.
The promotional fares include airport taxes, fuel surcharges (for international routes), and ticketing fees, subject to the airline’s terms and conditions. The promotion covers 20 domestic and international routes (round-trip).
JAKARTA, 12 January 2026: Indonesia AirAsia will launch a new international route between Bali and Da Nang, Vietnam, on 20 March 2026.
It will become the seventh international route served by Indonesia AirAsia from its Bali hub, strengthening Southeast Asian tourism flows between Indonesia and Vietnam.
“This new service strengthens tourism connectivity across Southeast Asia, giving travellers seamless access between Bali and Da Nang, a route operated exclusively by Indonesia AirAsia. With Vietnam joining AirAsia’s existing connections across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Australia, travellers now enjoy greater choice, flexibility and convenience when exploring destinations throughout the ASEAN region,” said Indonesia AirAsia Acting President Director, Captain Achmad Sadikin Abdurachman.
Vietnam welcomed more than 19 million international visitors in the first 11 months of 2025, up approximately 20.9% from the same period the previous year. This growth underscores Vietnam’s position as one of Southeast Asia’s leading tourism destinations. The Southeast Asian market, including Indonesia, grew 13.8%, with Vietnam as one of its contributing source markets.
Meanwhile, Indonesia received 13.9 million international visitors during the same period, including 80,313 from Vietnam. This reflects the growing potential for two-way tourism exchange between the two countries.
Da Nang, Vietnam’s fifth-largest city, has gained increasing popularity among travellers and on social media, driven by its pristine beaches, modern urban atmosphere, vibrant nightlife, and rows of street-side cafés that offer visually appealing experiences. Located along Vietnam’s central coast, the city also boasts rich cultural and natural attractions, including its iconic lantern festivals. It serves as a gateway to renowned nearby destinations, including Hoi An and Hue.
Meanwhile, Bali has long been recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s premier tourism destinations, offering a diverse range of attractions, from the cultural heart of Ubud and popular beaches such as Kuta, Seminyak, and Nusa Dua, to the natural beauty of Uluwatu and Nusa Penida. Supported by well-developed tourism infrastructure and an extensive international flight network, Bali serves as a strategic gateway for travellers continuing their journeys to various international destinations.
PHNOM PENH, 12 January 2026: Air Cambodia will launch three new direct flights this week from Techo International Airport (KTI) to popular tourist destinations in Vietnam.
The airline confirmed the new direct flights from Phnom Penh’s gateway airport to Da Nang, Nha Trang and the holiday island of Phu Quoc on its Facebook page with promotional fares starting at USD100 (one way). The airline deploys its 70-seat ATRs on the routes.
Da Nang
Flights between Phnom Penh and Da Nang, effective 15 January, are scheduled for Monday and Thursday, departing Phnom Penh (KTI) at 1330 and arriving in Da Nang (DAD) at 1240. A third flight is scheduled to depart every Sunday at 1650 from Phnom Penh, arriving in Da Nang at 1900.
Phu Quoc
Flights to Phu Quoc Island start on 16 January, with four weekly flights on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, departing Phnom Penh at 1110 and arriving in Phu Quoc (PQC) at 1215.
The return flights depart Phu Quoc (PQC) at 1245 and arrive in Phnom Penh (KTI) at 1350.
Nha Trang
Nha Trang joins the airline’s network on 17 January. The twice-weekly direct flights (Tuesday and Saturday) depart from Phnom Penh at 1410 and arrive in Nha Trang 1545. The return flights depart Nha Trang at 1615 and arrive in Phnom Penh at 1750.
