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Trip.com Group Unites Partners to Drive Growth and Explore New Opportunities at the 2024 Global Partner Summit

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Travel industry leaders gathered in Abu Dhabi for Trip.com Group’s Global Partner Summit, celebrating a year of strong growth marked by a 70% year-on-year increase in Asia-Pacific bookings.Trip.com Group announces a strategic partnership with summit host city Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism to showcase the destination’s global appeal

ABU DHABI, UAE, Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Opportunities, collaboration, and future growth took centre stage at Trip.com Group’s annual Global Partner Summit, where over 2,000 industry leaders, including representatives from accommodation providers, airlines, attractions and tour operators, tourism boards, and the media, gathered to envision the future of travel. With the theme ‘A Shared Journey to a Better World’, the summit was held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, and provided a forum for stakeholders to come together to celebrate the industry’s resilience, reflect on its achievements, and chart a collective path towards future success.

“In recent years, the travel industry has faced immense challenges. By working together, we have not only overcome these, but emerged stronger, and with renewed innovative vigour,” said Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group. “This year’s summit celebrates the spirit of unity and collaboration that drives us to create new opportunities and underpins our collective efforts towards a brighter future. Together with our partners, we are paving the way for travel to inspire and connect, and making strides towards a better world.”

Celebrating Progress and Creating Opportunities

The summit highlighted the remarkable progress made by the travel industry in 2024. Trip.com Group data indicates that hotel and flight bookings have grown by over 60% year-on-year, reflecting robust global demand. The Asia-Pacific region demonstrated particularly strong performance, with a more than 70% year-on-year increase in overall bookings, while international flight bookings across Asia almost doubled compared to last year’s volumes.

Trip.com Group has further solidified its leadership, including through partnerships with airlines such as Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, and has earned recognition from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with its GoGlobal certification, the industry’s gold standard. In the accommodation sector, Trip.com Group supports 1.7 million hotel partners worldwide, leveraging technology to drive growth, including through Trip.Best, its hotel review ranking system, which delivered an over 20% increase in traffic for participating properties.

To further enhance the travel ecosystem and meet growing traveller demand for experiences, Trip.com Group is transforming the way attractions and activities are accessed and booked. The Open API Platform, based on the OCTO standard, streamlines connectivity for suppliers, eliminating the need for complex integrations and making it easier for customers to discover and book attractions, tours, and experiences. This innovation simplifies operations for partners while providing travellers with a seamless booking experience.

Trip.Biz, the corporate travel arm of Trip.com Group, also showed strong global momentum. In the Asia-Pacific region, innovative solutions like the globally available Trip.Biz VCC payment system, as well as a 135% increase in hotel coverage, contributed to a 53% year-on-year growth in clients. These achievements reflect how Trip.com Group’s commitments to collaboration and innovation are enhancing global travel ecosystems and driving growth across all sectors.

Driving Sustainability and Innovation

In line with its vision of building a better world through travel, Trip.com Group reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability with initiatives that promote eco-conscious travel and community development. For instance, the Trip.com Group Country Retreats Project supports local social and economic development through investments in high-end eco-tourism accommodation in rural regions. To date, the 34 retreats have boosted local economies, created sustainable employment opportunities, and set new benchmarks for eco-conscious tourism. The project was also recently recognised in the UN Global Compact’s ESG 20 Report, highlighting Trip.com Group’s pioneering role in advancing sustainable growth for the travel and tourism industry.

Trip.com Group has made strides in promoting more sustainable travel practices, including the introduction of innovative travel products and carbon-saving solutions that reduced travel-related emissions by over 260,000 tons in 2024. Working with partners, Trip.com Group is also leading industry-wide action, including through its Low-Carbon Hotel Initiative, which encourages the integration of renewable energy solutions such as photovoltaic solar panels, saving costs and improving efficiency for participating hotels. Since November 2024, Trip.com has featured “Certified Sustainable” labels for properties certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, making it easier for travellers to identify and book eco-friendly options.

“Creating positive, lasting value for customers, partners, communities, and the environment lies at the heart of our mission,” said James Liang, Chairman of Trip.com Group. “From pioneering a family-friendly workplace, to promoting travel practices that support social and economic development, we are working with stakeholders worldwide to build a more resilient, connected, and sustainable future for travel.”

Forging Strategic Partnerships

At the event, Trip.com Group also announced a strategic partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT) for 2025. Through the collaboration, both sides will promote Abu Dhabi as a premier global travel destination and encourage extended stays for international visitors. Through Trip.com Group’s channels, the initiative will connect travellers with Abu Dhabi’s attractions, resort experiences, and seasonal highlights, as well as offer curated group tours and one-day itineraries that showcase the region’s unique culture and natural beauty.

Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “We are pleased to partner with Trip.com Group, a leading global travel platform, to enhance Abu Dhabi’s presence among travellers worldwide. This collaboration underscores our commitment to fostering strategic partnerships that expand our global reach and connect visitors to Abu Dhabi’s diverse and world-class offerings. With Trip.com Group’s extensive influence across key international markets we aim to create meaningful value for all stakeholders and showcase Abu Dhabi as a premier destination for culture, adventure, and year-round experiences.”

Travel to the Middle East has seen a significant surge. According to Trip.com Group data, international flight bookings to the region for the first eleven months of 2024 rose by over 70% compared to the same period in 2023, and were more than 430% higher than in the same period in 2019. The top source markets were China, the UK, and Germany, highlighting the region’s broad appeal. The partnership with DCT will build on this momentum to showcase Abu Dhabi’s unique offerings to global audiences.

Looking Ahead

As the travel industry looks to the future, Trip.com Group remains committed to its mission of leading with values of innovation, sustainability, and collaboration, striving to secure opportunities for sustainable growth, and working towards a more connected and better world for all.

About Trip.com Group

Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission “to pursue the perfect trip for a better world”. Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.

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SOURCE Trip.com Group

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Power Knot MEA Recognized as THE BIZZ 2026 Winner for Business Excellence

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FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Power Knot LLC, the market leader for on-site organic waste management solutions, announced that its sister office, Power Knot Middle East (PKME), has been recognized as a THE BIZZ 2026 Winner by the World Confederation of Businesses (WORLDCOB).

The recognition reflects PKME’s business excellence, leadership, and quality standards, highlighting its work to help organizations across the UAE and wider Gulf region improve food waste management.

PKME provides on-site food waste biodigestion technology through the LFC biodigester, an automated system that uses microorganisms and oxygen to digest food waste into wastewater within 24 hours. The regional team supports customers from equipment selection and installation to ongoing technical support.

Designed for commercial operations, the LFC biodigester helps facilities process food waste where it is generated, reducing reliance on storage, collection, and off-site disposal. This approach helps businesses reduce waste handling, improve kitchen hygiene, and lower the costs associated with transporting food waste to landfill.

Power Knot’s complementary equipment, including BCG shredders, SBT bin tippers, and water management systems, supports facilities with different waste volumes and operational requirements.

The award recognizes Power Knot’s commitment to delivering practical solutions backed by reliable equipment and customer support. As organizations across the Gulf seek more efficient ways to manage food waste, the team continues to help customers turn sustainability goals into everyday operational improvements.

About THE BIZZ Awards

The BIZZ Awards, hosted by the World Confederation of Businesses (WORLDCOB), recognize business excellence, innovation, and leadership across more than 130 countries. Winners are evaluated on business leadership, management, quality, innovation, and corporate social responsibility, joining a global network of organizations committed to excellence and continuous improvement.

For more information access https://thebizzawards.com/

About Power Knot

Power Knot provides safe, reliable, and economically sound solutions for commercial, industrial, and military organizations worldwide seeking to reduce waste and lower their environmental impact. Our products help organizations reduce their carbon footprint by efficiently moving, lifting, grinding, digesting, pumping, filtering, and reporting on waste streams. Designed, developed, and manufactured in Silicon Valley, California.

For more information, visit powerknot.com.

marketing@powerknot.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/power-knot-mea-recognized-as-the-bizz-2026-winner-for-business-excellence-302897697.html

SOURCE Power Knot LLC

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SafeGuard Privacy Wins Second AdExchanger Award for Best Privacy Technology

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SafeGuard Privacy has won the 2026 AdExchanger Award for Best Privacy Technology, its second win in the category and fourth straight year as a finalist. The award recognizes its role as the infrastructure behind privacy diligence in digital advertising, from powering the IAB Diligence Platform to bringing privacy diligence into IAB Tech Lab’s agentic buying specs.

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — SafeGuard Privacy has won the 2026 AdExchanger Award for Best Privacy Technology, its second win in the category and its fourth consecutive year as a finalist. The award recognizes SafeGuard Privacy’s work as the infrastructure behind privacy diligence in digital advertising, including the IAB Diligence Platform and privacy diligence built into IAB Tech Lab’s agentic buying specs.

“When we started SafeGuard Privacy, the industry handled privacy diligence with spreadsheets and hope. Now it runs through a shared standard. As AI agents start buying media, diligence has to move at machine speed without losing its legal rigor.” Richy Glassberg, CEO, SafeGuard Privacy

“When we started SafeGuard Privacy, the industry handled privacy diligence with spreadsheets and hope,” said Richy Glassberg, CEO and Co-Founder of SafeGuard Privacy. “Now it runs through a shared standard, inside the IAB Diligence Platform and the Tech Lab’s agentic buying specs. Seeing AdExchanger recognize that shift, for the second time, means a lot. The next shift is already here. As AI agents start buying media on behalf of brands, diligence has to move at machine speed without losing its legal rigor. That’s what we’re building now, and I’m proud of the team doing it.”

Glassberg brings more than three decades of experience across media, advertising, technology, and privacy, including as a member of the founding team of CNN.com and a co-founder of the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Highlights:

Industry standard: The IAB chose SafeGuard Privacy to power the IAB Diligence Platform and built the standardized assessments behind it.Agentic advertising: SafeGuard Privacy is integrated into IAB Tech Lab’s AAMP 2.3, bringing privacy diligence into the Buyer Agent as media buying moves to AI agents.International expansion: The IAB Diligence Platform expanded to Europe through work with BVDW and Nexida in Germany, including certification for the German market.Legal AI: Privacy Assist™ is purpose-built AI for privacy diligence. It suggests assessment answers, drafts RFI responses, and searches across vendors, assessments, and privacy law, turning days of work into minutes.Legal depth: Assessments cover 24+ U.S. states and global privacy requirements, built around how data moves through advertising.Adoption: A thousand companies are on the SafeGuard Privacy platform, including major advertisers, top agency holding companies, and ad tech companies that span the breadth of the industry.Recognition: SafeGuard Privacy has won AdExchanger’s Best Privacy Technology award twice and has been a finalist four consecutive years.

“Establishing a consistent approach to privacy diligence is critical to building greater accountability across digital advertising,” said Michael Hahn, EVP & General Counsel, IAB. “Our work with SafeGuard Privacy on the IAB Diligence Platform has helped make privacy compliance and vendor due diligence more standardized and scalable across the industry. Congratulations to Richy and the entire SafeGuard Privacy team on this well-deserved recognition and their continued commitment to advancing privacy standards.”

SafeGuard Privacy continues to build software that addresses the practical challenges companies face as advertising technology, data use, and privacy requirements become more complex.

“SafeGuard Privacy has helped us make our diligence efforts more efficient and standardized across partners. The ability to easily share assessments and the integration with the IAB Diligence Platform has helped set an industry standard and support our compliance efforts. The new agentic tools only help advance those efforts, and we are excited to leverage them,” said Rachel Glasser, Chief Privacy Officer, Magnite.

As privacy diligence becomes a more fundamental part of how the advertising ecosystem operates, SafeGuard Privacy will continue investing in the standards, software and legal expertise that make it possible to do that work at scale. From the IAB Diligence Platform to the next generation of agentic advertising, the company is focused on building privacy infrastructure that can keep pace with how the industry operates – and how it continues to evolve.

About SafeGuard Privacy

SafeGuard Privacy is the only privacy compliance solution purpose-built for companies that use consumer data. It is the first legal assessment and vendor management platform for leading global brands, publishers, and Ad Tech. The IAB chose SafeGuard Privacy to power the IAB Diligence Platform, creating the industry standard for privacy regulation compliance and vendor due diligence. Standardized, comprehensive, and fully auditable, SafeGuard Privacy now includes Privacy Assist™, the first suite of privacy-specific AI tools that helps compliance and legal teams complete assessments and RFIs faster with transparency and accuracy. SafeGuard Privacy makes it easy for buyers and sellers to accelerate growth while staying ahead of fast-changing privacy risks.

For more information, visit www.safeguardprivacy.com.

Media Contact

Matt Anderson, SafeGuard Privacy, 1 9174074047, matt@safeguardprivacy.com, www.safeguardprivacy.com

Lana McGilvray, Purpose Worldwide, 1 512.970.8310, lana@purposenorthamerica.com, https://www.purposenorthamerica.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/safeguard-privacy-wins-second-adexchanger-award-for-best-privacy-technology-302897501.html

SOURCE SafeGuard Privacy

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ARTBOX, KOREA’S ICONIC LIFESTYLE RETAILER, MAKES U.S. DEBUT WITH LOS ANGELES POP-UP FEATURING GLOBAL K-POP ICON ILLIT

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The Korean retailer, founded in 1984, will open its first U.S. retail activation on Melrose Avenue from October 3–11, marking the first step in ARTBOX’s broader American expansion

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ARTBOX, Korea’s original design-lifestyle retail brand, is officially coming to America. From October 3 through October 11, 2026, the beloved Korean retailer will take over 8250 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046 for its first directly operated U.S. retail activation, introducing American consumers to the products, original characters and sense of discovery that have made ARTBOX a retail destination across South Korea.

Kicking off the nine-day pop-up on October 3, ARTBOX will celebrate its U.S. arrival alongside the global K-pop group and ARTBOX ambassador ILLIT — YUNAH, MINJU, WONHEE, IROHA— bringing K-pop and Korean lifestyle together with ARTBOX’s world of original characters and products on Melrose Avenue. The partnership brings together two Korean names with strong Gen Z audiences, introducing ARTBOX and its distinctly Korean approach to lifestyle retail to U.S. consumers.

The October 3 opening celebration will feature a special appearance by ARTBOX global ambassador ILLIT, who will join the opening remarks and photo call, meet with selected media, and experience the pop-up firsthand through a store tour and DIY decorating activity.

Following the opening celebration, consumers will be invited to step inside the ARTBOX universe through a series of immersive zones combining shopping, original character IP, K-culture and interactive experiences. The current pop-up design includes:

Step Into the Fun Side: An immersive entrance welcoming guests into the ARTBOX world, anchored by oversized ARTBOX characters — including alien character Lazywag — and visual content.Meet the ARTBOX Gang: A dedicated character and IP experience showcasing ARTBOX’s original characters alongside character merchandise, collectibles, stationery and accessories.Immerse in the K-Fever / Unbox the K-Wave: A K-culture experience featuring ILLIT, K-pop and interactive photo moments, connecting ARTBOX’s Korean roots with the global cultural phenomenon surrounding Korean entertainment.DIY at the Cute Custom Corner: A hands-on customization experience inspired by Korea’s decorating culture, with opportunities to personalize items such as journals, phones and accessories.Take Your Treats Home: A shoppable finale featuring ARTBOX products alongside an exciting Gacha experience.

More than a traditional shopping experience, the pop-up is designed as a roughly 40–45 minute journey through ARTBOX’s world of original characters, interactive moments, constantly refreshed products and highly visual spaces.

FROM SEOUL TO LOS ANGELES

Founded in Seoul in 1984, ARTBOX began with a simple premise: everyday objects should never have to be ordinary. What started as a design-led stationery business has evolved over four decades into a major Korean lifestyle retail destination, spanning 222 stores across South Korea and more than 20,000 active SKUs.

Today, ARTBOX extends far beyond stationery, bringing together eight lifestyle categories encompassing character goods and K-culture, stationery and writing, home and living, beauty and wellness, fashion and travel, gifts and seasonal products, digital and mobile accessories, and food and snacks. At the center of the brand are its original character IPs, which extend across products, collectibles, retail experiences, collaborations, licensing and social storytelling. Together, this mix of design, curation, character and culture gives ARTBOX broad appeal across Gen Z and Millennials, families, tourists and K-culture audiences.

Now, ARTBOX is looking beyond Korea.

Los Angeles marks ARTBOX’s first step into the U.S. market, with Southern California serving as the first phase of the retailer’s broader expansion plans. The Melrose pop-up will introduce American consumers to ARTBOX’s retail model, products and in-store experience firsthand.

The move comes as Korean culture continues to shape entertainment, beauty, fashion, food and lifestyle globally, creating an opportunity for ARTBOX to introduce another side of Korean culture to U.S. consumers.

“Los Angeles is a natural starting point for ARTBOX’s U.S. journey, bringing together culture, creativity and diverse communities,” said Kevin Cho, Head of Global Business at ARTBOX. “This pop-up marks an exciting first step as we introduce ARTBOX’s unique take on Korean lifestyle retail to U.S. consumers.” 

The Los Angeles pop-up will also give ARTBOX an opportunity to introduce the brand directly to U.S. consumers as it explores a longer-term footprint in the market. The company is actively exploring long-term retail opportunities with landlords and development partners in the United States.

The ARTBOX Los Angeles Pop-Up will run October 3–11, 2026 at 8250 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046, with public hours from 4:30 PM–8:30 PM on October 3 and 11:00 AM–7:00 PM from October 4–11.

For more information, visit
https://www.instagram.com/artbox.global_official
https://www.tiktok.com/@artbox.global_official
https://www.youtube.com/@artbox_official 

ABOUT ARTBOX
Founded in Seoul in 1984, ARTBOX is Korea’s original design-lifestyle retail brand, transforming everyday objects into experiences people want to discover, collect and share. With 222 stores across South Korea, ARTBOX brings together stationery and writing, home and living, beauty and wellness, character goods and K-culture, fashion and travel, digital and mobile accessories, gifts and seasonal products, and food and snacks through a constantly evolving mix of original design, curation and culture. Built around more than four decades of product development, retail operations and design expertise, ARTBOX creates discovery-driven retail experiences where consumers can shop, explore, play and share.

MEDIA CONTACT
Foundation
artbox@wearefoundation.co

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SOURCE ARTBOX

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