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Trip.com Group Witnesses Double-digit Cross-border Growth for May Labour Day Holiday

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Trips to two or more cities increase by 60% compared to last year Triple-digit growth in alternative stays – popular among travellers in South Korea, Hong Kong SAR and ThailandStrong cross-border travel from China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam

SINGAPORE, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Labour Day holiday continues to be a peak travel period for many destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, with holiday-makers from Japan, Vietnam and the Chinese mainland seizing longer holiday public breaks for domestic or overseas getaways. Meanwhile, travellers from South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Thailand can enjoy a long weekend by combining the public holiday with annual leave.

Asia Tops the Charts, with Evolving Taste for Nature-based Alternative Accommodation

According to Trip.com Group’s latest booking data, Asia-Pacific travellers are exhibiting a stronger interest in travelling closer to home this Labour Day holiday—be it domestically or regionally. The top five cross-border destinations include Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. Overall, Asia-Pacific key markets have seen close to triple-digit growth for domestic travel, and strong double-digit growth in cross-border travel this May holiday season.

Accommodation preferences are also evolving. Travellers are expanding beyond traditional hotels, leading to a surge in demand for apartments, villas, and inns. Alternative stays have seen triple-digit booking growth in markets such as South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong SAR.

Bookings are increasingly concentrated in destinations surrounded by nature—scenic lakes, mountains, national parks, and beaches are driving interest. Japan has emerged as a favourite for these types of stays, thanks to its hot springs, views of Mt. Fuji, and access to Hakone National Park.

Travellers are increasingly turning to coastal locations for villa stays, especially where sea views and beach access are front and centre. This shift is particularly noticeable among Chinese mainland, Japanese, and South Korean travellers. Bali, for example, is experiencing a notable uptick in villa bookings.

In line with this shift, searches for nature-based breaks and Instagrammable destinations have recorded triple-digit growth, highlighting a growing desire for aesthetically appealing escapes that offer tranquillity and a deeper connection to the natural environment.

Regional Travel Takes Off: China and Japan Lead the Way, South Korea and Vietnam Travel Growing

The Labour Day holiday remains a powerful driver of cross-border travel across Asia, particularly in China, with a five-day holiday from 1-5 May, while Japan celebrates its ‘Golden Week’ holiday from 29 April to 6 May. Trip.com Group data shows strong cross-border travel from China and Japan compared to 2024.

Top regional destinations for Chinese travellers include Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, while Japanese travellers are flocking to South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the United States.

Notably, both South Korea and Vietnam have the opportunity to holiday for longer. Vietnam will celebrate a five-day holiday from Wednesday, 30 April to Sunday, 4 May, for Reunification Day and International Workers’ Day, while South Korean travellers, on the other hand, can utilise two days of annual leave to get six days off between 1 May and 6 May.

As such, booking data shows a substantial increase in domestic and cross-border bookings for both markets. Vietnam is witnessing an increase of over 190% in domestic bookings, with cross-border bookings exceeding 150%.  The trend is similar for South Korea, with domestic bookings surging by nearly 190% and cross-border travel up by over 150%, indicating the impact of this extended May holiday.

A Rise in Multi-City Destinations and Flights Over Six Hours

Making the most of the holidays is an ever-appealing trend across Asia, reflected by multi-destination stays. Bookings for trips to two or more cities have increased by 60% compared to last year.

Asia-Pacific multi-city itineraries are designed around clusters of closely connected cities within a single country. Travellers from Malaysia, for instance, are choosing to explore both Chengdu and Chongqing during trips to China, while visitors from Hong Kong SAR are pairing visits to Kyoto and Osaka in Japan. Chinese tourists are also embracing this trend, favouring Japan and commonly combining Osaka and Tokyo into one seamless journey.

Flights over six hours are the fastest-growing flight segment, compared to last year. Long-haul journeys among South Korean travellers are reaching triple-digit growth, and Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese travellers are seeing strong double-digit increases.

As these long-haul trips rise in popularity, travellers are also opting to visit more than one destination per journey. Japanese tourists are opting for a blend of London and Barcelona, combining British heritage with Mediterranean vibrancy. Chinese travellers are exploring London and Edinburgh, capturing a north-south sweep of the UK. At the same time, South Korean visitors frequently pair London with Paris for a classic European twin-city experience.

Engaging Experiences and Gourmet Stops

Travellers continue to flock to Asia’s most dynamic urban hubs, with Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hong Kong SAR, and Bangkok emerging as the top cities. The surge reflects a consistent appetite for destinations that seamlessly blend vibrant street life, deep-rooted traditions, and must-try food experiences. Food-related searches have seen a notable uptick across the region, with almost 20% growth in culinary searches. Popular cuisines and local delicacies are increasingly influencing destination choice. Japanese cuisine is seeing the highest search volume for food in Osaka and Tokyo, representing the local food scene of these two popular cities.

At the same time, event tourism is rising. Concert tour bookings show double-digit growth for the May holiday. Notably, Japanese tourists are attending domestic music events, such as concerts by the Korean boy group Tomorrow X Together. Chinese mainland consumers favour events in South Korea, like HIPHOPPLAYA FESTIVAL 2025 and domestic events, such as the Beijing Strawberry Festival. Travellers departing from Hong Kong SAR are keen to catch homegrown talent Eason Chan, at his FEAR and DREAMS World Tour in Tokyo—all signalling travellers’ increasing interest in combining cultural experiences with their travel plans.

The 2025 Labour Day holiday illustrates the growing complexity and choice being embraced by modern travellers—from nature-rich retreats and food-led journeys to long-haul, multi-stop adventures—highlighting a new era of discovery in global travel.

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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Nanalysis Announces Board Transition and Appointment of Three New Directors

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CALGARY, AB, May 1, 2026 /CNW/ – Nanalysis Scientific Corp. (the “Company”, TSXV: NSCI, FRA: 1N1), a leader in portable NMR spectrometers and MRI technology for industrial and research applications, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Ladd, Werner Maas, and Steve Feick to its Board of Directors effective May 1, 2026.

Mr. Ladd is an experienced technology executive and former Chief Executive Officer of NovAtel Inc., a Nasdaq-listed GPS technology company acquired by Hexagon AB. He has a track record of scaling global technology businesses and brings extensive experience in capital markets, corporate governance, and strategic execution within advanced technology companies. He currently serves on the following boards: Takemetoit Inc., AgriRobot, Litus Inc., and is an advisor at Tall Grass Ventures. Mr. Ladd earned a bachelor’s degree with distinction in engineering and is a member of Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society.

Dr. Maas is a senior executive in the analytical instrumentation sector, having previously served as President of Bruker BioSpin Corporation and currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Hudson Lab Automation. He brings deep expertise in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technologies, as well as global sales, marketing, and commercialization of scientific instrumentation. Dr. Maas holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Radboud University in The Netherlands, as well as several executive management designations from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Mr. Feick is President of Manvest Inc., part of the Mancal Group. He has a track record of developing and growing a portfolio of investments in agriculture, finance, supply chain, infrastructure technology, energy efficiency, and data analytics. As a former entrepreneur, he ensures that his operational and investor experience elevates the growth of the portfolio. He is an experienced investor and brings expertise in capital allocation, governance, and long-term strategic planning across private and public market investments. Mr. Feick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University.

In connection with these appointments, Martin Burian and Jennifer Stubbs will be stepping down from the Board of Directors, effective May 1, 2026. The Company thanks Mr. Burian and Ms. Stubbs for their contributions and service and wishes them continued success in their future endeavours.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Martin and Jennifer for their contributions to Nanalysis and dedicated service to the Company and wish them continued success in their future endeavours.” said Sean Krakiwsky, Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased to welcome Jonathan, Werner, and Steve. Their collective experience across instrumentation, global commercialization, and capital allocation will support the Company as we focus on scaling our core NMR platform and executing on our services growth strategy.”

About Nanalysis Scientific Corp. (TSXV: NSCI, OTCQX: NSCIF, FRA: 1N1)

Nanalysis Scientific Corp. develops and manufactures portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers used worldwide in pharma, biotech, energy, food, materials, and security industries, as well as in academic and government labs. The Company also operates a growing services division that maintains both its own products and third-party imaging equipment, anchored by a $160 million long-term contract with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to maintain security scanners at more than 80 Canadian airports.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements and Legal Disclaimer

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “anticipates”, “plan”, “continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed”, “positioned” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nanalysis-announces-board-transition-and-appointment-of-three-new-directors-302759750.html

SOURCE Nanalysis Scientific Corp.

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PCIS Emerges as Leading Risk and Claims Provider in Mid-Atlantic with Three Major Wins

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SEPTA, City of Baltimore, and Maryland Department of Transportation MTA adopt ClaimsVISION to modernize risk and claims operations

NEW YORK, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — PCIS, a leading provider of Risk & Claims Management Information System (RMIS), today announced a series of new and expanded client engagements across the Mid-Atlantic region, further solidifying its position as a trusted partner for transit agencies and public sector organizations.

“The biggest barrier to innovation in the public sector isn’t a lack of tools—it’s the weight of legacy data environments that were never built for real-time intelligence. You can’t layer AI on top of fragmented, batch-driven systems and expect results.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has selected PCIS ClaimsVISION RMIS to enhance its risk management capabilities and support more efficient claims oversight. The City of Baltimore has chosen ClaimsVISION Claims and RMIS to modernize its claims administration and enterprise risk management operations. In addition, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) has entered into a new five-year agreement with PCIS, extending a long-standing partnership and continuing its use of the ClaimsVISION platform.

These engagements reflect a broader trend among public entities seeking modern, configurable platforms to improve visibility, streamline workflows, and strengthen compliance across increasingly complex risk environments.

“The biggest barrier to innovation in the public sector isn’t a lack of tools—it’s the weight of legacy data environments that were never built for real-time intelligence. You can’t layer AI on top of fragmented, batch-driven systems and expect results. Organizations like SEPTA and Baltimore are rethinking the foundation—moving toward continuous, streaming data models that actually enable AI to deliver value”, said Michael Loizou, CSO of PCIS.

Across these implementations, PCIS will deliver a unified platform designed to:

Centralize claims and risk data for improved decision-makingEnhance BI and intelligent analytics capabilitiesStreamline workflows and reduce manual processesSupport regulatory compliance and audit readinessEnable scalable, configurable solutions tailored to public sector needs

The continued expansion of PCIS within the Mid-Atlantic region underscores the company’s growing presence among transit agencies and public entities seeking proven, purpose-built risk and claims management solutions.

Media Contact

Helene Quinn, PCIS, 1 2124051625, hquinn@pcisvision.com, www.pcisvision.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/pcis-emerges-as-leading-risk-and-claims-provider-in-mid-atlantic-with-three-major-wins-302759785.html

SOURCE PCIS

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Private Equity’s AI Moment: The Greatest Value Lever in Decades — and the Hardest to Pull

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The following article is authored by Neil Dhar, Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting Americas

ARMONK, N.Y., May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Next week at Think 2026, we’ll outline the forces shaping the Enterprise AI Race, forces that apply with particular urgency to private equity. The organizations gaining ground today are not the ones betting on a single model. They are the ones redesigning how their businesses operate, building hybrid architectures that give them control, and deploying AI in ways that orchestrate value that compounds over time. 

The private equity industry understands this better than most. The days of pilots and promises are over, and the demand for hard proof (a.k.a. ROI) has begun. Is your revenue accelerating? Can you drive efficiency and profitability at the same time? What does long-term growth look like? These are the questions sitting across the table at every board meeting and investment committee, and the pressure is only intensifying.  

This pressure has forced major PE firms to move aggressively to formalize their AI strategies, including exploring joint ventures with leading LLM companies. They’re making a calculated bet on AI as the most powerful value‑creation lever the industry has seen in its history, and they recognize that the window to move is now. 

The logic is unmistakable. PE firms don’t run single businesses, they run portfolios. Which means AI playbooks that work don’t just transform one company; they compound across ten, twenty, fifty, hundreds. A workflow reinvented once becomes a repeatable asset. A governance framework built once becomes portfolio infrastructure. That multiplier effect is native to how PE creates value, and it’s what makes the intersection of private equity and enterprise AI one of the most consequential arenas in business right now. 

The bet is a no-brainer. Execution is where it gets hard.  

Here’s what we know to be true: competitive advantage won’t come from betting on a single LLM. It will come from building AI tailored to your business, shifting to a hybrid strategy that combines custom models, foundation models, and smaller specialized models, all grounded in an architecture that connects your data, your workflows, and your intelligence. In private equity, where the same playbook has to work across an entire portfolio, that distinction isn’t academic. It’s the difference between value that compounds and value that stalls. 

We know this because we lived it. We turned our own operations into the proving ground, analyzing nearly 400 operational workflows and deploying AI solutions across more than 100 so far, coupled with AI governance and enablement.

The result was $4.5B in productivity gains from AI, hybrid cloud, automation and consulting expertise, and proof of what works.

We then took that proof and productized those validated workflows into IBM Enterprise Advantage, a first-of-its-kind asset-based consulting service that enables clients to build and operate their own tailored internal AI platform at scale.

With digital workers, prebuilt tools, and native governance, clients have a headstart rather than a blank slate. And because it’s multi-model, they retain the freedom to shift as technology evolves. For private equity, that flexibility determines whether a company is an asset or a liability at exit. 

We’re bringing this same approach to private equity-backed companies, where the defining question is what changed and can you prove it.

A major U.S. telecommunications provider is deploying digital workers and prebuilt AI tools from Enterprise Advantage to accelerate the migration of more than 150 critical applications, delivering measurable savings within two quarters.Working with a leading insurance administrator, IBM is using agentic AI to overhaul end-to-end claims processing, a function where a single claim can involve dozens of tightly regulated steps across multiple systems. AI agents now read and structure claim documents, perform compliance checks, assess eligibility, and route cases automatically, resulting in faster cycle times, fewer bottlenecks, and an operating model built to scale. 

What private equity does here will ripple far beyond its own portfolios. When PE-backed companies deploy production-ready AI across the business, they reset competitive expectations for entire industries, forcing every competitor to respond. That is the Enterprise AI Race playing out in real time.

The choices made today will define portfolio performance for the next decade. Move too slowly and you’re handing the advantage to every competitor who didn’t. Move without discipline and you’re betting the portfolio on a foundation that hasn’t been proven. The firms that win will be the ones who understood that distinction early enough to do something about it.

About IBM 

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Media contact: 

IBM
Lily O’Brien
lilyobrien@ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

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