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Stories about leisure travel in Hong Kong, China, Asia, and around the world.
Travellers look at updates on flights, as they stand next to a screen displaying details of cancelled IndiGo airlines flights, at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, India, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
India

India caps airfares as IndiGo crisis hits 5th day, stranding hundreds

IndiGo’s spate of cancellations has prompted fare increases on flights operated by other airlines on popular routes.

Travel news and advice

Egypt’s Saint Catherine town is getting an overhaul. Not everyone is happy

China-South Korea relations

‘China (Taiwan)’ on South Korea tourist arrival card prompts protest from Taipei

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Middle East

Opinion | Why Gulf region’s dreams of aviation domination are built on sand

While Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Istanbul’s plans are already aggressively ambitious, Saudi Arabia’s extravagant vision seems like something from fantasyland.

A plane prepares for take-off at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 05, 2023.
Indonesia

Bali mulls Airbnb ban to put a lid on revenue leak, overtourism

Airbnbs have emerged as a cheaper alternative to the sprawling resorts that dot the island, eroding tax revenue from hotels.

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Japan

Japan weighs plan to punish sex buyers, but will it be enough?

Experts warn the sex industry will find ways to circumvent new rules and the problem needs to be tackled from various angles simultaneously.

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Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Hong Kong’s October retail sales figures underline need for change

The data suggests sales didn’t keep up with increased tourism. Retailers must do more to adapt to visitors’ new spending preferences.

Tourists from the mainland take pictures in Kennedy Town on the last day of the “golden week” holiday on October 8. Photo: Eugene Lee
India

‘Complete mayhem’: chaos after India’s largest airline cancels 1,200 flights

IndiGo blamed the disruption on ‘unforeseen operational challenges’ including technical glitches, adverse weather and new rules for workers.

Luxury Hotels

Review | The Peninsula New York becomes a centre of seasonal cheer during the holidays

With luxe rooms, great dining and a 2024 refurbishment, the grande dame on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan is always a great stay – but it’s even better during the holidays.

South Korea

Chinese tourists pivot to South Korea, Thailand amid Japan travel ban

Spat began when Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi suggested potential military intervention in Taiwan Strait, leading Beijing to issue a travel warning.

An alley crowded with tourists in central Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village. Photo: Korea Times
Malaysia

Penang set to scoop up Chinese tourists skipping Japan, Thailand’s Hat Yai

Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings.

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Tourists visit George Town in Malaysia’s Penang state. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Oxford slammed for not naming Indonesian researchers in rare flower find

After an uproar over the perceived snub, the university named the Indonesian researchers involved in Rafflesia’s rediscovery on social media.

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Mainland China

Chinese consumer and tourism firms turn to shareholder perks to stimulate sales

Companies from Sichuan to Anhui offer discounts and free tickets to shareholders amid slowing consumption in mainland China.

Japan

In Japan, public opinion turns against Trump’s ‘terrible, stupid’ US

A new survey reveals approval for US ties has hit near-record lows amid political turmoil, punitive tariffs and shock at Trump’s agenda.

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Soldiers hold US and Japanese flags during a welcome ceremony for US President Donald Trump at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in 2019. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

‘Malaysian promoting Singapore’: viral video sparks debate over talent use

Social media users question why Malaysian tourism authorities have not engaged local talent effectively to promote the country.

Two shots from the short film produced by Malaysian VFX artist Mohamad Sofian Abdullah, better known as Sofyank, in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board. Photos: Instagram / sofyank96
China travel

1,900 China-Japan flights cancelled in December as political row continues

Airlines have now scrapped over 40 per cent of their China-Japan flights scheduled for this month amid a diplomatic spat over Taiwan.

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US travel

11 of the best Unesco World Heritage sites in the US to check out

The US boasts 26 Unesco World Heritage sites, some of which are globally famous, like the Grand Canyon, while others are less well known.

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China travel

China turns to school ‘snow breaks’ to warm up winter tourism industry

Ahead of next year’s record-long Spring Festival, local governments roll out short holidays to lure families to winter getaways.

Tourists enjoy leisure time on a frozen lake at the Nanhu Park in Changchun, northeast China’s Jilin province, in January 2020. Photo: Xinhua
China trade

From immigration to investments: China’s middle class is unwinding bets on Japan

Popular destination for capital feels the chill, with cruise lines cancelling trips, investors selling property and parents questioning if it is safe to send students.

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Asia travel

Top 10 travel trends for Hongkongers in 2026, from road trips to ‘romantasy’

Booking.com’s ‘Travel Predictions 2026’ survey also finds Hongkongers are seeking nature, thinking of their skin and open to robot help.

Nepal

Last frontier: Nepal slashes pricey permit, but will it boost tourism, economy?

Upper Mustang residents worry that they will not be able to reap the benefits from the cheaper permit and instead be like ‘animals in a zoo’.

Visitors watch the sunrise in the mountains of Nepal’s Upper Mustang. Photo: Getty Images
Shanghai

Cultural events a new growth driver for Shanghai, drawing overseas tourists

About 60 per cent of the major performances during this year’s CSIAF featured foreign organisations and artists.

Italy’s Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia performs at the CSIAF in Shanghai on November 27, 2025. Photo: Handout
Singapore

Singapore becomes Plan B for Chinese travellers giving Japan a wide berth

Beijing’s call to boycott Japan after Sanae Takaichi’s remarks is benefiting Southeast Asian countries, travel agents say.

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Japan

Opinion | Why Chinese are cancelling their trips to Japan

The Japanese prime minister crossed a red line and reopened old wounds in employing language that echoed rhetoric used by imperial Japan to justify invasion.

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Japan

Hotels hit back as Tokyo plans to hike lodging tax with percentage-based system

The plan would replace the current flat-rate hotel tax with a 3 per cent levy that hoteliers say would unfairly burden certain travellers.

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People walk through Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, a major nightlife and shopping area popular with visitors. Photo: Shutterstock
Aviation

Airbus issues major A320 recall, threatening global flight disruption

The aviation giant has ordered immediate repairs to 6,000 of the aircraft, right around the busiest travel weekend of the year in the US.

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An Airbus A320 is seen in Toulouse, south western France, in February 2001. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Visitors deserve to enjoy Egyptian heritage on display free of chaos

Museum organisers have taken steps to control overcrowding, but bottlenecks must be addressed to ensure a smooth run of the rare exhibition.

Asia travel

Meet the quokka, the ‘world’s happiest animal’. Just don’t touch them, please

Famed for their perpetual smiles, quokkas are found on Australia’s Rottnest Island. But if you’re going there for a selfie, follow the rules.

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