All the latest globe travel news for Wise Travellers everywhere is here:
Bali: News is emerging that Bali is looking to tighten entry requirements for foreign visitors and introduce checks on travellers’ financial credentials.
Under proposed rules, which could become effective as early as March, foreigners may be required to show proof of sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay. This could include recent bank statements, evidence of prepaid accommodation, and a confirmed return or onward ticket.
While similar requirements exist in many countries, Bali has traditionally applied them only sporadically, particularly for travellers arriving on a Visa on Arrival. Authorities have grown increasingly concerned about reports of foreign visitors overstaying their visas, working illegally, or running out of money and resorting to informal or unlawful activities to remain on the island.
Bali received over seven million foreign tourists by air in 2025.
China: China Daily has launched ‘China Bound’, a new English-language tourism platform for inbound international tourists. It offers a comprehensive service resource for travel inspiration, including personalised itinerary building, ticket booking, and travel content.
The China Bound platform comprises the main English-language website and social media channels, featuring four core sections: “Travel Destinations,” “Itinerary Planning,” “Must-Buy Items,” and “Must-Try Food.”
Philippines: Royal Air Philippines has suspended all flights, although it pledges that the move is a temporary measure. “Thank you for your patience and understanding. We eagerly anticipate welcoming you aboard soon,” the airline said on its website.
Royal Air Philippines was established more than 20 years ago as a charter airline and, in 2018, pivoted to a scheduled airline. Backed by the Lancang–Mekong Group with investment from China, it has struggled in a competitive market in 2025.
It operated a small number of domestic and international routes, focused on the Chinese leisure market, from Hong Kong, Taipei, and Quanzhou to holiday hotspots like Boracay and Bohol.
Malaysia: AirBorneo officially began flying in East Malaysia in January, taking over rural flights from Malaysia Airlines subsidiary MASwings.
It follows the Sarawak Government entering into a sale-and-purchase agreement with Malaysia Aviation Group, formalising the acquisition of MASwings. Following the transition, AirBorneo took off on January 2. Its website and call centre, and the MASwings ticket transition, was launched on December 10, 2025.
On or after January 14 2026, travellers need to purchase flight tickets on AirBorneo’s website.
Qatar: Qatar Airways has introduced flexible payment options for European travellers as part of a new partnership with flexible payments provider Klarna.
The Klarna partnership via Worldpay is available as a checkout option for Qatar Airways customers on its website in 17 European countries.
Qatar Airways’ SVP of Digital Commercial, Christophe Guittard, said: “By partnering with Klarna, we’re making the Qatar Airways booking journey more convenient, giving our customers greater confidence at the point of payment.”
China: China Airlines is teaming up with Michelin-starred restaurant T+T to serve up an all-new co-branded in-flight menu. Food options will be available on all flights departing from Taiwan to Europe, the Americas, and Oceania from January.
T+T has been awarded one star by the Michelin Guide Taiwan for six years running. The Asian-style cuisine at T+T is based on the flavours of Southeast Asia, with local Taiwanese touches. It combines French techniques with Asian culinary heritage, it says.
The collaboration with T+T showcases contemporary Taiwanese cuisine on the international stage. Travellers can pre-order meals up to 24 hours before the flight.
Dubai: Dubai is introducing contactless hotel check-in technology, enabling guests to skip the front desk entirely after completing a one-time digital and biometric registration.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, said the initiative allows travellers staying at hotels and holiday homes to complete check-in formalities before arrival using their mobile phones.
Once fully implemented across the city, guests will be able to bypass in-person check-in, streamlining arrivals and reducing wait times. The system allows guests to upload identification documents and biometric data a single time. For future stays, guests would only need a quick authentication. The city is home to 820 hotels and hotel apartments.
China: Part of China’s Palace Museum, located within Beijing’s Forbidden City, has reopened to the public after nearly a decade of meticulous conservation.
The Hall of Mental Cultivation, in 1537 during the Ming Dynasty, later became the residence and administrative hub for several Qing Dynasty emperors, who used the space to conduct daily state affairs.
Over the past decade, the hall and its collections have undergone an extensive, research-driven preservation effort to maintain their original character. The hall now displays 1,020 artifacts, according to Wen Ming, deputy director of the Palace Museum’s palace history department.
Much of the hall’s historical importance centres on the Western Warmth Chamber, where Qing emperors met officials and reviewed imperial reports. It also features a small adjoining study known as the Hall of Three Rarities, once home to three renowned calligraphy scrolls dating back about 1,600 years.
The museum will also launch a digital exhibition allowing visitors to virtually experience traditional court ceremonies and observe how an emperor once wrote prayers for peace.
Thailand: Minor Hotels has announced the launch of NH Hua Hin, expanding its presence in Thailand’s royal seaside town. The group will assume management of the property from January, adding a new select-service hotel to its regional portfolio.
NH Hua Hin will feature 152 rooms and suites designed for both leisure and business travellers. Room categories range from deluxe rooms to family rooms with bunk beds, as well as one-bedroom suites, all planned with a focus on comfort and functionality.
The hotel will offer three food and beverage venues. These include an all-day dining restaurant serving international dishes and local specialities, a lobby café for light meals and drinks, and a rooftop bar located beside an infinity pool with sunset views.
NH Hua Hin is the fourth NH Hotels & Resorts property in Thailand, alongside hotels in Bangkok and Phuket. It will also be Minor Hotels’ third property in Hua Hin.
Oman: Low-cost carrier SalamAir is to launch a new non-stop route between Muscat and Vienna in June, marking the first-ever direct air service between the sultanate and Austria.
The service, which will operate thrice-weekly, aims to strengthen the airline’s presence in Europe and provide onward connections to the Middle East and beyond.
Steven Allen, Chief Commercial Officer of SalamAir, said: “The addition of Vienna reflects our focused approach to network growth in Europe. Austria is a growing market for both inbound and outbound travel, and this non-stop service allows us to meet demand with a competitive, cost-efficient offering.”
Thailand: World-famous electronic dance music festival Tomorrowland is to host its first-ever event in Pattaya, Thailand. Preparations are underway with festival organisers, the Thai Government and Tourism Authority of Thailand to host the festival on December 11–13, 2026, with an expected 50,000 revellers on each of the three days.
“Expanding Tomorrowland to a new continent is a milestone we approach with great excitement,” said Bruno Vanwelsenaers, CEO WEAREONE.world. Tomorrowland presently has two festivals in Europe and one in South America.
Andy Probert is a freelance journalist whose work about global travel news, aviation, business and human-interest features has appeared internationally in print and digital formats.
