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Lunar New Year 2025 Trends by Trip.com Group: Travel Like A Snake — Longer Stays and Shedding Off the “Usual” Destinations

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Rise in cross-border travel with stays up to 10% longer this holiday seasonGrowing interest in off-the-beaten-path destinations and cruises

SINGAPORE, Jan. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This Lunar New Year (LNY) is shaping up to be a festive season of exploration and connection as celebrating families and friends worldwide embrace the holiday spirit.

This year marks the year of the Snake, a symbol of wisdom, intuition, and transformation — themes that reflect the everchanging travel landscape. While some choose to celebrate at home, others have taken the opportunity to create memories in destinations far and near. With travel back in full swing, Trip.com Group has unveiled its latest LNY trends for 2025, showcasing how travellers are prioritising longer stays, meaningful experiences and unconventional destinations this year.

Cross-Border Travel Hits New Heights with Extended Stays

Data reveals strong year-on-year growth for cross-border travel, with travellers combining public holidays and annual leave to increase their length of stay.

Notably, in the Chinese mainland, a key source of LNY travel, New Year’s Eve is officially recognised as a holiday in 2025. This allows travellers to take just two days of leave for an eleven-day holiday. Korean travellers need to take one day for a nine-day break, while Singaporeans can create a five-day holiday with a single day off. As such, extended stays are a hallmark of this year’s LNY. On average, Asia-Pacific travellers will stay up to 10% longer this festive period.

Popular destinations frequented by travellers who celebrate LNY include Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Chinese mainland.

Interest in Longer-haul Flights and Lesser-known Destinations Rise

Data shows a strong pick-up in travellers exploring destinations outside the Asia-Pacific region, with medium and long-haul flights surging, especially among the Malaysia market (55% and 60% respectively) and South Korean market (36% & 90% respectively).

Travellers are also seeking new experiences, with a noticeable buzz around off-the-beaten-path destinations this festive season. Lesser-travelled gems such as Giza (Egypt), famous for the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx; San Luis Obispo (USA), known for its wineries and scenic coastline; and Charenton-le-Pont (France), located southeast of central Paris, are catching the eyes of travellers seeking unique experiences beyond the usual tourist trail. This trend extends to popular Asian destinations, with more seeking out lesser-known cities, such as Funabashi, Ibaraki and Okinawa (Japan) and Seremban (Malaysia).

Short-haul flights remained a popular option among travellers with shorter national holidays. Malaysia and Thailand topped the charts for this in terms of booking volume growth.

Family Travel Takes Centre Stage

Family gatherings are central to Lunar New Year traditions, and this year, families are heading out together for festive fun – on the seas and on theme park rides.

Cruises are becoming an increasingly popular choice among Chinese mainland and Singaporean consumers, with data highlighting a triple-digit growth compared to last year. Among these, family-friendly rooms have risen by 400%, with the most popular ports including Shanghai, Singapore and Dubai, and attractive port destinations being Fukuoka (Japan), Jeju (South Korea) and Phuket (Thailand). Trip.com Group research reveals luxurious amenities and all-inclusive packages are emerging as the biggest motivators for APAC cruise travellers.

In a similar trend, child tickets for attractions have also risen by 42% in overall bookings this year, with family-oriented attractions like Universal Studios Japan, Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland seeing notable increases. These theme park attractions, alongside aquariums and museums, are top choices for families seeking memorable experiences.

Millennials are increasingly seeking Instagram-worthy moments at attractions like Mount Fuji and Shibuya Sky, which offers panoramic Tokyo views. Meanwhile, the older generations are prioritising luxury and premium experiences, gravitating towards luxuries such as Studio City Macau casino resort and Niseko’s ski resorts.

Premium Travel or Value for Money?       

Travellers are adopting a mix of premium and value-driven approaches to maximise their holiday experiences.

There has been a strong pickup in bookings for 5 & 4-star hotels, with a rise in average bookings. Malaysian travellers lead this growth with close to a triple-digit surge in 5 & 4-star hotel bookings, followed by Singaporean and Thai travellers. 

Demand for alternative accommodations has grown significantly, especially in Japan, with traditional Japanese Ryokans, apartments, guesthouses and homestays topping the list for Chinese mainland, Thai and South Korean travellers.

Notably, the average traveller’s budget has seen double-digit growth, showcasing a willingness to invest in meaningful experiences during this festive season. Business class and first-class flights are trending this LNY, with strong double-digit growth across each segment. Singaporeans favour first-class air travel, with a 400% growth compared to last year, followed by South Korean and Chinese mainland travellers, also with strong triple-digit growth.

Inbound Travel to the Chinese Mainland Experiences Triple-digit Growth

Inbound travel bookings to the Chinese mainland have surged by over 200% Y-o-Y, with top bookings made by travellers from South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, Australia, and the UK. 

Data shows that popular Chinese travel routes continue to find increased popularity, with searches hitting triple-digit growth. Travel is centred around key major cities, including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Beijing, with other lesser-travelled cities like Harbin, Chengdu, Xiamen, Zhuhai, Chongqing, and Hangzhou also making the list.

China’s increasingly traveller-friendly visa policies are fuelling this growth. Over 30 countries enjoy visa-free travel to the Chinese mainland, with 62% Y-o-Y growth in bookings from countries recently included in this policy. South Korea, Japan, Cyprus, Denmark and Croatia are benefiting from this recent policy.

Additionally, China’s expanded visa-free transit policy, now extending to stays up to 240 hours (10 days) for eligible international travellers, is injecting fresh vitality into its various sectors.

To provide an exceptional service for inbound travellers, Trip.com Group is providing its second free layover tour, following the success of its ‘Shanghai Express’ initiative. The ‘Beijing Express‘ allows travellers transiting in Beijing to choose one of two half-day tours to explore the beating heart of China’s capital. ‘Journey to the Great Wall’ takes travellers to one of the earliest and best-preserved parts of the Great Wall of China. ‘Highlights Half-Day City Tour’ guides travellers on a cultural trip to the ‘Temple of Heaven’, ‘Qianmen Street’ and ‘Tian’anmen Square’ to experience Beijing’s historical traditions and vibrant culture. Each tour includes free transportation, attraction tickets, internet access, and English-speaking tour guides. Travellers will need to register in person at Beijing Capital International Airport, with spots allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

This initiative aligns with the growing demand for cultural experiences. Already, attraction and tour orders for the LNY have increased by over 200% Y-o-Y, with Beijing witnessing a 185% increase in inbound travellers compared to last year. Four out of five top attractions were cultural landmarks, such as the Great Wall of Badaling, the Great Wall of Mutianyu, the Forbidden City Museum and the Summer Palace.

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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Driving Certainty Through Uncertainty: eclicktech’s Engineering Approach to Agentic AI

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XI’AN, China, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As generative AI moves from experimentation to enterprise deployment, the industry focus is shifting from model capability to operational reliability. The challenge is no longer simply building smarter AI, but ensuring AI systems can operate safely and consistently inside complex production environments.

eclicktech recently shared its internal engineering practices around Agentic AI, highlighting how the company is applying context engineering, multi-cloud infrastructure, and layered security frameworks to support enterprise-scale AI deployment.

To support global operations across more than 230 countries and regions, eclicktech built its Cycor platform around a multi-cloud architecture integrating AWS, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud, and other providers. According to the company, this approach improves infrastructure flexibility, reduces vendor lock-in risk, and enables more efficient orchestration of large-scale Kubernetes clusters and AI workloads.

eclicktech stated that one of the key lessons from early Agent development was that prompt engineering alone was insufficient for enterprise deployment. The company therefore shifted toward context engineering — an approach focused on delivering the right information, at the right time, while optimizing limited token resources.

Its engineering framework includes six layers of context management covering active sessions, short-term memory, long-term semantic storage, knowledge graphs, operational experience, and reusable organizational skills. The system also supports proactive context injection, allowing relevant operational history and risk information to be surfaced automatically before sensitive actions are executed.

To improve inference efficiency, eclicktech introduced layered token governance and progressive tool-loading mechanisms, dynamically loading tools and information only when required. The company said this approach helped improve tool selection accuracy and reduce unnecessary token consumption during complex operational workflows.

Security remains a core requirement throughout the architecture. eclicktech’s governance framework includes namespace isolation, dry-run verification, human approval workflows, rule-based validation, and rollback mechanisms designed to reduce operational risks associated with AI-driven automation.

According to eclicktech, the next stage of enterprise AI competition will depend not only on model capability, but also on engineering reliability, infrastructure orchestration, context management, and organizational knowledge systems.

Note: Certain technical information referenced in this article is derived from eclicktech’s internal engineering practices and is provided for industry reference purposes only.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/driving-certainty-through-uncertainty-eclicktechs-engineering-approach-to-agentic-ai-302767441.html

SOURCE eclicktech

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How a Unified Monetization Solution Is Driving eCPM and Revenue Growth for Casual Games Worldwide

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SINGAPORE, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Casual, hyper-casual, and hybrid-casual games have become dominant categories in the global mobile market, making in-app advertising (IAA) a key driver of monetization success. However, many developers continue to face major challenges, including unstable fill rates, fluctuating eCPMs, difficulties balancing multiple regional markets, and the ongoing tradeoff between user experience and revenue growth.

To address these issues, zMaticoo has compiled a series of monetization case studies from leading game publishers and studios across China, Vietnam, Europe, and North America. These teams span hyper-casual, puzzle, board, card, and light-casual game categories, with DAUs ranging from millions to tens of millions. By adopting the same monetization framework, they achieved simultaneous growth in fill rate, eCPM, and ad revenue while maintaining stable user experience.

A common challenge among these teams was the shrinking monetization margin across global markets, creating an urgent need for sustainable revenue growth. At the same time, developers were cautious about over-monetization negatively impacting retention and player engagement.

To solve these challenges, zMaticoo introduced an AI-driven monetization system with full-funnel optimization capabilities. The platform connects developers directly to premium global advertiser budgets across both performance and brand advertising. AI models identify high-value traffic in real time based on region, audience, and usage scenarios, prioritizing high-eCPM demand sources. Separate bidding strategies are applied for mature and emerging markets to avoid revenue loss caused by one-size-fits-all pricing models.

The platform also provides refined ad format optimization:

Banner Ads: optimized display share and loading timing to improve SOV and stabilize eCPM;Interstitial Ads: precisely triggered during high-value moments such as level completion or pause screens, with especially strong premiums in emerging markets;Rewarded Video: deeply integrated into gameplay loops, delivering high user acceptance and conversion performance.

On the technical side, zMaticoo optimized SDK infrastructure to improve fill stability under weak network conditions. Ad loading time was reduced from five seconds to under two seconds through a rebuilt loading architecture. Progressive asset loading further minimized timeout-related drop-offs. AI-powered ad templates dynamically generated personalized creatives, improving both CTR and conversion performance.

The zMaticoo team also provides one-stop operational and analytics support. Developers can monitor fill rate, impressions, eCPM, and revenue through a unified dashboard, while dedicated optimization specialists provide 7×12 support for A/B testing, strategy iteration, and scaling guidance. The platform is deeply integrated with major mediation solutions, enabling one-time integration and multi-scenario deployment while reducing development and maintenance costs.

According to zMaticoo platform data:

In mature markets including the United States, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, banner eCPMs increased by 5%–10%, while interstitial premiums improved by over 5%;In emerging markets such as Brazil, Mexico, and Southeast Asia, interstitial eCPMs increased by more than 10%.

The monetization framework has demonstrated effectiveness across hyper-casual, puzzle, board/card, and utility app categories, supporting both rapid scale-up and long-term monetization stability.

Partner feedback includes:

“We are highly satisfied with the revenue uplift after integration. Our core products’ banner performance now ranks among the top tier.””Revenue recovered significantly after A/B testing, and we are expanding testing across more products.””One solution now supports multiple global markets without requiring separate monetization strategies for each region.””Interstitial monetization performance has been especially strong, with SOV reaching 10%–20% for several partners.”

zMaticoo believes successful monetization today is not about stacking more ad platforms, but about leveraging AI, technology, and refined operations to unlock long-term traffic value. Whether for hyper-casual publishers, puzzle game studios, or global mobile app companies, this AI-powered monetization framework is designed to deliver sustainable revenue growth while preserving user experience.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/how-a-unified-monetization-solution-is-driving-ecpm-and-revenue-growth-for-casual-games-worldwide-302767432.html

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Fox ESS Celebrates Strong Momentum with Integrated Solar Storage & Charging Solutions at Smart Energy 2026

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SYDNEY, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fox ESS, a global leader in renewable energy solutions, attended Smart Energy 2026 during 6-7 May as a platinum sponsor. At the event, Fox ESS showcased its next-generation approach to solar storage and EV charging solution, delivering a seamless, future-ready energy experience for homeowners and installers across Australia.

Integrated Solutions Tailored for Aussie Homes

At Smart Energy 2026, Fox ESS highlighted its storage-to-charging solution, designed to make everyday energy use more convenient for local residents. With performance-led products and proven market traction, Fox ESS is set to play its part in building a more resilient energy future for Australia.

Battery Systems

Fox ESS continues to build momentum in the battery market. Sunwiz, an Australian solar consultancy, recently reported that Fox ESS ranked No.1 in March for installation capacity. And the company also revealed it has installed more than 25,000 systems in April. During the exhibition, Sunwiz presented Fox ESS with an award, recognising the company as Top Solar Company for Fastest Growing Battery.

CQ7 V6+ High Voltage Battery (42kWh and above)
Building on Fox ESS’ proven strengths, compact design and high capacity, CQ7 V6+ is well suited to medium-sized households and ensure the free use of electricity and maximize the self-consumption.EQ4800 High Voltage Battery (28kWh)
A reliable choice for smaller households, designed for efficient day-to-day energy storage.

Alongside its battery range, Fox ESS showcased all-in-one systems, including Stackable AIO and EVO, designed to simplify installation while maintaining a high standard of design and presentation.

Inverters

Fox ESS offers a range of inverters to suit local requirements, supported by up to 200% PV oversizing and a 10-year product warranty.

Single-phase: H1‑G2 (3–6kW); KH series (7–10.5kW)Three-phase: H3 Smart (5–15kW); H3 Pro (15–29.9kW); H3 Plus (50–125kW)

EV Chargers

With EV adoption accelerating, Fox ESS also offers EV charging solutions with solar linkage, designed to work across its inverter portfolio. The chargers provide robust, smart energy management, including dynamic load balancing to help protect home circuits.

A Series (7.3kW / 11kW / 22kW): IP65 and IK08 protection, OCPP-compliant.L Series (7.3kW / 11kW): straightforward installation with multiple colour options.

Big Battery Still Takes Centre Stage

As the Cheaper Home Battery Program moves into a new phase under an updated rebate policy, interest in larger battery systems continues to grow, particularly as more households consider EV upgrades amid rising fuel costs. More EVs typically mean households need greater energy availability, making higher-capacity storage an increasingly attractive option.

Looking ahead, from 1 July 2026, the Australian Government’s Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) will provide eligible households with three hours of free daily electricity to align with peak solar generation. Households with larger batteries will be well placed to make the most of this opportunity.

Fox ESS is also working with local VPP partners, including Amber Electric and Origin Loop VPP, helping homeowners unlock maximum value while supporting greater grid stability.

Maimai Comes Alive at the Exhibition

Visitors to the Fox ESS stand experienced a full programme of brand activations across the event. Following the online announcement, Sydney served as Maimai’s first physical stop, bringing the community together for face-to-face engagement. Attendees queued to take photos with the brand’s friendly and recognisable mascot.

Long-Term Commitment to Australia

Fox ESS has opened two local offices in Melbourne and Sydney, with more than 30 dedicated specialists supporting local customer needs. The company is also looking to play a wider role in Australia’s energy transition.

Notably, Ian Thorpe made his first in-person appearance at Fox Night, where he presented partners with awards. At the event party, Fox ESS also hosted a battery installation challenge, featuring eight rounds of competition, with the final winners receiving a range of prizes.

“We’re delighted to see such a strong result following the rollout of local policy. With nearly 400,000 Australian households now installing batteries, Fox ESS has played a key role, but this is only the beginning. We’re committed to keeping momentum and helping make a smarter, more reliable energy future a reality for more homes.” said Brooks Richard Geng, APAC & Middle East Managing Director, Fox ESS.

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SOURCE Fox ESS

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