Compass
Most travel writing about Asia-Pacific stops at the postcard. Real destinations, real visas, real food culture — for travelers who want to actually understand where they’ve landed.
-
Aug- 2026 -4 August
Spain’s luxury brand won’t reach Vietnam until 2027. The market is ready now.
Palladium Hotel Group is converting two existing properties into Bless Collection Hotels while luxury RevPAR in Vietnam surged 25.7% year-on-year, but the coastal resort and Hanoi conversion won't welcome guests…
-
3 August
Johor Bahru’s quiet streets are pricing in a train that hasn’t launched yet
Rents in older residential neighbourhoods have tripled as entrepreneurs convert bungalows into cafes targeting Singaporean customers, leaving longtime residents to absorb congestion and noise before the RTS Link carries its…
-
1 August
Bangkok’s August slump just became an athlete’s destination
The Hyrox race brings 22,000 competitors to Bangkok August 13–16, and hotels are bundling ice baths, spa discounts, and loyalty perks to convert a four-day event into multi-night stays during…
-
Jul- 2026 -29 July
Thailand’s tourism bet waits for a visa that hasn’t arrived
With the baht down 5.9% and Indian visa-free entry cabinet-approved but not yet published, Thailand is banking on policy levers that remain half-engaged—even as July arrivals fell 3% year-on-year.
-
24 July
Dubai pays residents to bring tourists back after missile strikes
The city launched the A Dubai Invite scheme on July 22, offering over AED 3,000 in benefits per visitor after Iranian attacks halved airline capacity and cut hotel revenues by…
-
24 July
New Zealand warns citizens: Middle East travel now too risky to insure
Level 4 Do Not Travel designations for seven countries take effect as Trump threatens to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure, leaving travellers exposed to policy gaps airlines and insurers cannot cover.
-
21 July
India’s pilots demand flight ban Europe already imposed on Gulf routes
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency ordered carriers to avoid UAE airspace through July 29 citing missile and drone risks, but India's regulator has not yet matched that directive despite…
-
20 July
Bandung airport opens to jets. Singapore gets a direct line in.
Six airlines including Scoot have applied for permits at Husein Sastranegara ahead of September 17 operations, giving Western travellers a one-stop connection that bypasses Jakarta's four-hour ground transfer entirely.
-
15 July
Australia ditches the paper arrival card for digital declarations
A $56 million system rolling out across all international airports and seaports over 12 to 18 months will collect the same customs and biosecurity data, plus device-based identity verification linked…
-
14 July
Vietnam’s new luxury hotels promise more rooms than roads can handle
Accor and Sun Group will add 5,300 keys across Phu Quoc and Danang by 2031, but infrastructure in key areas still lags behind construction timelines.
