HANOI, Vietnam, 12 March 2025: Vietnam’s National Statistics Office reports that nearly 1.9 million visitors arrived in Vietnam in February, raising the total visits to approximately 4 million for the first two months of 2025.
The two-month tally represents an increase of 30.2% compared to visits in January and February of 2024.
Top 10 source markets of Vietnam in the first two months of 2025 (thousands of arrivals)
Source: Compiled from the National Statistics Office
China remained the largest source market, with 956,000 arrivals in the first two months of 2025 (accounting for 27.7%). South Korea ranked second with 885,000 arrivals. These two markets contributed 46% of the total international arrivals to Vietnam. Taiwan (China) and the US ranked third and fourth, respectively.
Japan, Cambodia, Australia, Malaysia, India, and Russia were among the top 10 largest source markets.
China’s outbound market to Vietnam witnessed strong growth (+77,8%) while other markets increased steadily: South Korea (+4.9%), Taiwan (+10.1%), the US (+15.7%), and Japan (+37.3%).
Short-haul markets in Southeast Asia saw positive growth, including Malaysia (+12.5%), Cambodia (+79.6%), the Philippines (+99.8%), Indonesia (+18.5%), and Thailand (+93.2%).
Notably, European markets reported rapid growth, including the UK (+24.1%), France (+30.2%), Germany (+26.7%), Italy (+31.5%), Spain (+19.9%), Russia (+104.3%), Denmark (+20.9%), Sweden (+21.8%), Norway (+21.4%).
In addition, the markets of Poland and Switzerland also recorded high increases, 54.2% and 14.2%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2024.
Vietnam is waiving visas for tourists from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland for a temporary stay of up to 45 days from 1 March 2025 to 31 December 2025.
(Source: Vietnam’s Tourism Information Technology Centre)
KUCHING, 11 March 2025: The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025 countdown has officially begun. Music lovers, cultural enthusiasts, and eco-conscious travellers, get ready — early bird ticket sales are open until 31 March 2025.
This year’s festival, themed “Connections: One Earth, One Love,” will feature an electrifying lineup of 170 performers from 20 countries, including world-class headliners like The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience by Al McKay, Otyken from Siberia, Russia, and At Adau. Don’t miss your chance to experience these global superstars and more at the iconic Sarawak Cultural Village from 20 to 22 June 2025
Early Bird Ticket Prices:
• Adult One-Day Pass: RM235 (early bird). Save RM48 against pre-sale (RM283) and RM98 against door sale (RM333)!
• Adult Three-Day Pass: RM635 (early bird). Save RM130 against pre-sale (RM765) and RM200 against door sale (RM835).
• Child One-Day Pass (Ages 3-12): RM80. Children under 3 enter for free.
How to Grab Your Tickets:
Don’t miss your chance to secure the year’s best prices during the Early Bird Access period from 8 to 31 March 2025. Head to the Rainforest World Music Festival website to book your spot before this exclusive offer ends.
Travelling to RWMF 2025 is now easier and more affordable! Thanks to our Official Airline Partners, Malaysia Airlines (MH) and Firefly (FY), festival-goers can enjoy up to 20% off flights to Kuching.
• Promo Period: 12 March – 22 June 2025 • Travel Period: 14 June – 29 June 2025
Malaysia Airlines (MH):
• Routes: Fly into Kuching (KCH) from Malaysia (MY), Indonesia (ID), Singapore (SG), Thailand (TH), Philippines (PH), Australia (AU), New Zealand (NZ), and the UK (UK).
• Promo Code: Use MHRWMF25 when booking.
Firefly (FY):
• Routes: SZB-KCH, BKI-KCH, KCH-MYY
• Promo Code: Use FYRWMF25 when booking.
With last year’s festival achieving a record-breaking 26,000 attendees, RWMF 2025 is expected to sell out fast— so don’t wait. Grab your early bird tickets now for an unforgettable celebration of music, culture, and connection.
BANGKOK, 11 March 2025: BWH Hotels, the leading global hospitality network comprising WorldHotels, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay Hotels, is celebrating the opening of Best Western Hotel City Center Gujranwala, which marks the latest milestone of its rapid expansion strategy in Pakistan.
Located in the centre of Gujranwala, a thriving city of more than 2.5 million people in the Punjab province of Pakistan, this modern and stylish six-story property is surrounded by downtown landmarks, commercial attractions, and government offices. As the city’s first internationally branded midscale hotel, it is set to become a key addition to Gujranwala’s tourism and hospitality scene.
Best Western Hotel City Center Gujranwala is a vibrant oasis in the bustling heart of the metropolis, with facilities for business, leisure and events. The hotel’s 26 rooms and suites are well-equipped with all the modern amenities for comfort, including complimentary Wi-Fi, cable TV channels, and power showers. Guests can unwind at the hotel’s swimming pool, gym, and sauna. The café is a relaxing place to grab light refreshments, while the onsite restaurant is a bright and inviting space to savour breakfast, lunch and dinner, including authentic local cuisine.
This new hotel will also become a popular venue for business and social events. The stunning events venue can comfortably accommodate up to 350 wedding guests, setting the stage for unforgettable celebrations.
Best Western Hotel City Center Gujranwala is easily accessible, just over one hour’s drive from Sialkot International Airport, which offers direct flights to and from major regional cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Kuwait City.
“We are delighted to welcome guests to Best Western Hotel City Center Gujranwala, which will introduce an exciting new era of international hospitality to this significant city. With its prime downtown location, this contemporary hotel will attract discerning domestic and international visitors and local event planners seeking a stylish venue for their business meetings or weddings. Pakistan is a key strategic market for BWH Hotels, and we are striving to meet the needs of guests all across this dynamic country,” said BWH Hotels Vice President – APAC Olivier Berrivin.
The opening of Best Western Hotel City Center Gujranwala reaffirms BWH Hotels’ position as one of the leading international hotel groups in Pakistan. The group has properties in Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi and is scheduled to open several more hotels in the near future.To book a stay with BWH Hotels in Asia, visit bestwesternasia.com and worldhotels.com
SINGAPORE, 11 March 2025: Emirates became the first Middle Eastern carrier to operate daily to Shenzhen from 1 July, extending its presence in four Chinese mainland gateways: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and the latest addition, Shenzhen.
The airline will also introduce four services to Danang on 2 June and three weekly flights to Siem Reap on 3 June. Both destinations are served by extending flights via Bangkok.
The addition of Shenzhen, Danang, and Siem Reap puts Emirates ahead of the curve with the largest and most diversified route network of any non-Asian airline in East Asia, offering 269 flights per week from Dubai to 24 points. This latest expansion also marks Emirates’ fourth gateway into the Chinese mainland, third destination in Vietnam, and second point in Cambodia.
Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said: “We remain committed to offering business and leisure travellers unparalleled access to Southeast Asia and the broader East Asia region by delivering an extensive flight schedule. Our expansion into Shenzhen opens new doors for business and economic exchange between this technological powerhouse and global markets. As we prepare to launch operations, we extend our gratitude to the Chinese authorities and airport partners for their ongoing support. We are committed to ensuring this route’s success while fostering cultural bonds and unlocking future economic potential.”
Emirates expansion to Shenzhen
Emirates’ entry into Shenzhen makes it the first Middle Eastern carrier to operate a daily flight to the Chinese mainland’s technology and innovation hub. Emirates became the first airline to establish direct air connectivity between the Middle East and the Chinese mainland in 2002 with the start of services between Dubai and Shanghai. This marked the beginning of a successful two-decade partnership that has been underpinned by close bilateral ties between the UAE and China through operations in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Shenzhen’s flight times have been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points across Africa and the Middle East/GCC, including Kenya, Egypt, South Africa and Saudi Arabia; popular European business and financial centres in the UK, Italy and Spain; and from the airline’s key gateways in the United States and South America. EK328 will depart from Dubai at 1005, arriving in Shenzhen at 2200. The return flight EK329 departs Shenzhen at 2355, landing in Dubai at 0340 the next day.
Along with the launch of new flights, Shenzhen will become the first destination in China to be served with the airline’s retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER, allowing customers to experience its latest Business Class seats and highly acclaimed Premium Economy product. The four-class Boeing 777-300ER offers travellers eight first-class private suites, 40 lie-flat seats in business class, 24 premium economy seats and 260 seats in economy class.
Broadening network footprint in Vietnam and Cambodia
Emirates’ four weekly services to Danang via Bangkok make it the airline’s third gateway into Vietnam, after Hanoi and Ho Chih Minh City. Flights to Danang will operate with the Emirates Boeing 777 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The flight schedule for the new linked service will provide travellers with connections and streamlined access to major European cities, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Manchester, Milan, and Rome, as well as major US cities.
Emirates flight EK370 will depart from Dubai at 0900 and arrive in Bangkok at 1825. The flight will then depart from Bangkok at 2010 and arrive in Danang at 2150. The return flight EK371 will depart from Danang at 2330 and arrive in Bangkok at 0110 the next day. The flight will then take off at 0340, arriving in Dubai at 0650. All times are local.
The airline’s three weekly services to Siem Reap will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.** Emirates flight EK370 will depart from Dubai at 0900 and arrive in Bangkok at 1825. The flight will then depart from Bangkok at 2010 and arrive in Siem Reap at 2130. The return flight EK371 will depart from Siem Reap at 2350 and arrive in Bangkok at 0110 the next day. The flight will take off at 0340, arriving in Dubai at 0650. All times are local. Emirates’ service to Siem Reap is optimally timed to offer leisure travellers connectivity via multiple daily operations from France, UK, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Russia.
Both services will operate with Emirates’ two-class Boeing 777-300ER, which offers 35 lie-flat business class and 386 economy class seats.
Emirates customers wanting to combine multi-city journeys through Bangkok, which has five flights daily, can conveniently connect to Danang or Siem Reap. While waiting to connect through Bangkok, Emirates’ premium customers can relax in the airline’s newly expanded lounge for an elevated, upscale ground experience.
For flight information and to make bookings, visit www.emirates.com.
BANGKOK, 11 March 2025: EXO Travel Vietnam has been honoured with the 2025 Highest Annual Growth: On-Site Partner Award at the Perth Virtuoso Australia & New Zealand Forum.
In a blog to its partners worldwide, the Asia-wide destination management company said the recognition highlighted the group’s dedication to luxury travel excellence and the ongoing support for Virtuoso travel advisors.
“We are delighted to share that EXO Travel Vietnam has been awarded the 2025 Highest Annual Growth: On-Site Partner at the Virtuoso Australia & New Zealand Forum, held last month at The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, Australia.
The Virtuoso Forum is a key gathering for agency owners, managers and preferred partners, offering a platform for professional development, knowledge sharing and networking. This year’s event held in Perth focused on strategies to elevate luxury travel sales, with discussions on market trends, client engagement and innovative travel solutions.
EXO Travel noted that the travel industry’s post-pandemic rebound has been remarkable. Virtuoso’s global sales exceeded 239% of 2019 figures, well above the leisure travel industry’s average growth of 125%.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to deepening our collaboration with Virtuoso travel advisors. Our goal remains the same — to craft unparalleled experiences that captivate discerning travellers and redefine luxury travel in the region.”
SINGAPORE, 11 March 2025: Turkish Airlines will commence flights from Istanbul to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, on 10 December 2025 with a transit stop in Bangkok.
Cambodia will become the seventh country served by a flag carrier in Southeast Asia, and Phnom Penh, the capital, will become the 11th city in the region.
The Phnom Penh flights will expand the global airline’s Asian network to 20 cities and 21 airports. The Turkish flag carrier will operate flights to Phnom Penh via Bangkok three times a week, departing from Istanbul to Phnom Penh on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, while flights from Phnom Penh to Istanbul will operate on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Regarding the new route, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Ahmet Bolat said: “Our flights to Cambodia will create new opportunities for both tourism and business. As the only European carrier flying to this destination, we will further solidify our regional leadership.”
Guests can book tickets until midnight on 31 July for travel until 30 June 2026. Fares start from USD659 for flights from Istanbul to Phnom Penh and USD649 for flights from Phnom Penh to Istanbul. These prices are available on Turkish Airlines’ official website and may vary at ticket sales offices and travel agencies.
SINGAPORE, 11 March 2025: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) (SGX: H15.SI), a property owner and hotel management company with an extensive portfolio of hotels and resorts worldwide, is set to expand further with the proposed acquisition of InterContinental Auckland for a total consideration of NZD180 million (SGD138.5 million).
This will be the company’s first asset in New Zealand and its second InterContinental property after InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort.
Photo credit: HPL. InterContinental Auckland.
Following HPL’s recent launches in 2024 — The Boathouse Tioman in Malaysia and The Four Seasons Hotel Osaka in Japan — this acquisition continues the company’s strategy to expand its luxury hospitality portfolio across key markets in the Asia Pacific region.
HPL Hotels and Resorts Chairman Stephen Lau commented: “The proposed acquisition of InterContinental Auckland is a rare opportunity to acquire our first premium asset in New Zealand. Seamlessly connected to the vibrant Commercial Bay lifestyle precinct and offering sweeping views of the Waitematā Harbour, the hotel reflects our mantra of delivering exceptional experiences and memorable stays for our guests. With ample headroom to expand to 196 rooms by repurposing the current office space if needed, we are also strategically positioned to meet future demand.”
The iconic waterfront 139-key InterContinental Auckland sits on a prime freehold site overlooking the picturesque Auckland Harbour in the heart of the vibrant Central Business District (CBD). The hotel offers a restaurant, gym, exclusive Club InterContinental, and two and a half floors of fully tenanted office space from levels 3 to 5.
A short commute from key shopping nodes and the city’s transport hubs, InterContinental Auckland, is connected to the Commercial Bay precinct — a hub for the city’s latest upscale office, retail, social and dining options.
DELHI, 11 March 2025: Air India has launched ‘ZipAhead’, a paid service offering priority check-in and priority baggage handling to economy class travellers on flights in India.
The service is designed to enable time-conscious travellers who are otherwise not eligible for priority services to save time at on-ground touchpoints and breeze through airports.
Photo credit: Air India.
Air India guests opting for the ‘ZipAhead’ service can check in at the airline’s dedicated Premium Economy check-in counters and enjoy priority baggage handling services. The service is currently available for departures from six Indian airports, namely, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, at nominal fees as follows:
INR 499: If purchased more than six hours before departure. INR 699: If purchased within six hours of departure.
‘ZipAhead’ can be purchased up to 75 minutes before departure through Air India’s website, mobile app, airport ticketing offices (ATO), and customer contact centre.
Priority services are complimentary for Platinum and Gold members of Air India’s Maharaja Club loyalty programme, regardless of the fare type or class of travel they choose.
HONG KONG, 11 March 2025: Cathay Pacific is expanding its global network this year with direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi, China, starting 28 April 2025.
The new four-times-weekly flights will raise the Cathay Group’s combined passenger network in the Chinese Mainland to 20 destinations.
Photo credit: Cathay Pacific.
This summer, Cathay Pacific and low-cost carrier HK Express will operate over 290 weekly return flights between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. This includes Beijing (Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport), Shanghai (Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport), Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Sanya, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Xiamen and Zhengzhou.
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “Urumqi is an exciting new addition to our network, directly connecting our home city with an important Belt and Road hub in Northwestern China. We are delighted to announce Urumqi as the Cathay Group’s 11th new port this year, as we move closer to reaching 100 destinations globally in 2025.”
Cathay Pacific’s new Hong Kong-Urumqi route will be operated by Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Flight schedule
Aside from Urumqi, Cathay Pacific will launch direct flights to Hyderabad in March, Dallas in April, Rome and Munich in June, and Brussels in August this year. HK Express commenced services in Sendai in January. It will launch direct flights to Nha Trang, Komatsu, and Ishigaki in April and Miyako (Shimojishima) in June.
The two airlines project to operate passenger services to more than 100 destinations worldwide within 2025.
HO CHI MINH CITY, 11 March 2025: Starting 1 June 2025, Vietnam Airlines will operate direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Denpasar, the capital city of Bali province, in addition to its daily flights to Jakarta.
The route will begin with four weekly flights on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday before increasing to daily flights in July 2025. The airline will deploy an 184-seat A321 on the route, configured with 16 seats in business class and 168 in economy. Flight time is three hours 55 minutes. Bookings are open on Skyscanner, with the lead-in roundtrip fare pegged at USD45 via Trip.com.
Photo credit: Vietnam Airlines.
Flight schedule
VN641 will depart Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) at 1025 and arrive in Denpasar (DPS), Bali at 1500. VN640 will depart Denpasar (DPS), Bali, at 1600 and arrive in Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) at 1840.
During Vietnam’s General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam’s state visit to Indonesia, Vietnam Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO) to foster tourism growth between the two countries.
With this strategic expansion, Vietnam Airlines reaffirms its commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, boosting tourism, and fostering stronger cultural ties between Vietnam and Indonesia.
Vietnam Airlines’ launch of a new route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Denpasar, Bali, should further boost travel between the two countries. Once flights increase to daily on the Bali route in July, the airline will offer 14 weekly flights between Vietnam and Indonesia; the other seven serve Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, using the smaller A320.
Air passenger traffic between Vietnam and Indonesia reached over 800,000 in 2024, representing a 61% increase compared with 2019 figures. Bali registered 6.3 million tourists in 2024.
The timing of the state visit is significant as the two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year. Indonesia was the first Southeast Asian country to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam.
