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Trip.com Group Reveals What Travellers Want This Summer: Shorter Trips and Cooler Escapes

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Over 40% YoY increase in bookings for short trips, as holidaygoers seek quicker escapes, cooler weather and family travel this summer

SINGAPORE, June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 2026 is fast shaping to be another record year of travel, as jetsetters seek to tick off their holiday checklists and fulfil their wanderlust. Looking back at the first half of 2026, Trip.com Group found that users from Mainland China, the United Kingdom and Malaysia were the most avid about clocking their miles, travelling up to 2,800km on average, which is equivalent to the distance between Beijing and Manila, or London and Tenerife.

Across regions, cosmopolitan hubs and mega cities continue to be tourism hotspots, with the top-ranked cities by flight bookings being Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Taipei[1].

The second half of 2026 will continue to be a busy travel period, as many welcome the summer vacations, sunny weather and the school holidays. Outbound flight bookings from regions like Europe, East Asia and Southeast Asia are seeing double-digit growth year-on-year (YoY) this summer and school holidays, based on Trip.com Group’s data, and driving this increase are some key trends observed this summer, including demand for quick getaways, family holidays and coolcations[2].

Quick Getaways Dominate Vacations This Summer

Quick escapes are the way to go this summer. The average trip duration of bookings made during this period ranges from 2.92 days to 3.8 days, with short-haul flights forming the majority of bookings. This is especially prominent in Europe, where short-haul flight bookings are seeing a YoY increase of 73%.

Long weekend travel, a form of quick getaway where people combine one to two days of annual leave with a long weekend, continues to be popular. This summer, bookings for short trips of 4 days or less are showing YoY increases above 40% in the East Asia and Europe regions, and above 15% in Southeast Asia. This incline is expected to grow further into the second half of 2026, especially for East Asia and Southeast Asia regions, suggesting that quick getaways will continue to dominate travellers’ itineraries for the rest of the year.

Family Travel Takes the Lead

More travellers are choosing to go on family trips this summer, taking advantage of the school holiday break. Hotel bookings by families with children aged 12 and below this summer have increased across regions, and more than doubled in markets like Mainland China, South Korea and Japan, based on Trip.com Group data.

A recent Trip.com Group survey also found that travelling with family is ranked as the most appealing experience, placed higher than a trip with a partner, friends or solo travel. This trend is even more pronounced in markets like the UK, Germany, Singapore and South Korea, especially among older Millennials or those aged 35 to 44 years old.

What this means is that family-first experiences are becoming a top priority for travellers, whether it is selecting convenient flight timings or having family-friendly food and activities nearby in the accommodation they choose. Having the right accommodation for the trip is particularly important to Gen Zs and Millennials, and factors they look out for include having family-friendly options and whether the hotel is near to child-friendly attractions[3].

In Southeast Asia, some of the top-booked attractions this summer include family-friendly experiences such as Bali Zoo in Indonesia, as well as Desaru Water Adventure Park and Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm in Malaysia, while theme parks like Universal Studios Japan, Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland are highly popular choices in East Asia.

Coolcations See Hotter Demand

As global temperatures rise, travellers are increasingly swapping the sun and sand for cooler weather and activities. Data from Trip.com Group shows a 74% YoY increase in searches for cooler destinations and coolcations since the start of this year[4].

Topics like “escape the heat”, “summer escapes” and “cool summer retreat” are trending, as travellers prioritise experiences away from the crowds and sweltering heat. Trip Moments, Trip.com’s community platform for travellers to share experiences and seek inspiration, has seen a 15.4% YoY increase in content last summer that spotlights cool summer getaway destinations, as well as tips and tricks to beat the heat[5].

Beyond popular coastal cities like Palma Mallorca, Izmir, Malaga and Porto, global flight booking searches for European destinations such as Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland and Wales are seeing significant increases this summer, compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, cooler destinations in Asia like Inner Mongolia, Sapporo and Yunnan, are experiencing a growing interest from international travellers. Notably, Ulaanbaatar and Sapporo, with comfortable temperatures averaging around 15°C to 25°C this summer, are among the top 10 most-booked cities for South Koreans, showing strong triple-digit YoY growth.

For cooler getaways this summer, Trip.com users can easily get recommendations on top-ranked destinations for summer water activities or cool water escapes via Trip.Best, a data-backed travel guide and inspiration for accommodation, attractions, destinations and more.

Less Thinking, More AI Planning

Travellers are no longer planning their trips by scouring the internet for information, but leaving the hard work to AI, Trip.com Group’s recent report found. With readily available AI travel tools such as TripGenie and Trip.Planner, users can get customised itineraries and assistance in a matter of seconds, and this is shifting behaviours. Google search interest for “help plan my trip” grew by 190% YoY, while TripGenie‘s AI-assisted order volume on Trip.com increased by around 400% year-on-year, indicating a deeper reliance on AI for inspiration and bookings.

Beyond pre-trip planning, travellers also see AI as a useful companion during their trip. The use of core TripGenie tools, such as hotel comparison, menu assistance, and live translation, increased by around 300% year-on-year. While travellers in highly connected, short-haul travel markets such as Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Malaysia, tend to interact with TripGenie more often per trip for in-destination inspiration and attraction guides, travellers in parts of Europe and North America typically engage AI earlier in the planning cycle, consulting TripGenie weeks in advance.

This signals a growing shift towards the use of AI as an integral part of travel planning and the travel journey, making it even easier for people to explore the world in 2026 and beyond.

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About Trip.com Group

Trip.com Group is a 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 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 is on the mission “to pursue the perfect trip for a better world”. Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.

Follow us on: X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

[1] Based on Trip.com Group flight booking data from 1 January to 31 May, 2026.

[2] Based on Trip.com Group flight booking data for the following time periods and regions: 1 June to 31 August, 2026 (Europe), 1 July to 31 August, 2026 (East Asia), 1 to 30 June, 2026 (Southeast Asia).

[3] Based on a OnePoll survey commissioned by Trip.com Group among women who have travelled in the last 2 years or intend to travel in the next 2 years. The survey was conducted from February to March 2026 and polled 3,500 women in total across Germany, Hong Kong (SAR), Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

[4] Based on Trip.com Group’s search data from January 2026.

[5] Based on data from Trip.com’s community platform, Trip Moments, from June to August 2025.

 

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American Binary Sets New Standard in Post-Quantum Cryptographic VPNs with Symbolic Proof and Attestation

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WASHINGTON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — American Binary, a leader in deep-tech cybersecurity, today announced an independent attestation regarding the validity of all 120 security properties of MaxKyber, their network protocol at the heart of their Ambit Client enterprise VPN, now third-party verified to comply with all Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2.0 (CNSA 2.0) requirements. This landmark verification is the result of an exhaustive private peer-review of their symbolic proof (Tamarin + ProVerif) and engineering documentation conducted by industry luminaries Dr. Joe Kiniry, PhD and Dr. Tom Shrimpton, PhD, both with long careers in academia and industry, including time at Galois as Principal Scientists.

“No known VPN — post-quantum or classical, deployed or research — has been subjected to specification and formal verification of comparable depth.” – Dr. Joe Kiniry, PhD and Dr. Tom Shrimpton, PhD

In a landscape defined by emerging quantum threats and unproven solutions, this formal third-party verification differentiates MaxKyber from traditional or hybrid solutions by providing certainty in engineering and compliance with National Security requirements. MaxKyber provides the world with long-term full post-quantum security unlike shorter-term temporary solutions such as hybrids (which mix classical and post-quantum encryption). This breakthrough marks a transition from speculative security to a foundation of verified, provable resilience, establishing a new global benchmark for secure communications.

“While organizations today are increasingly recognizing the significance of PQC, American Binary has been preparing for a post-quantum world for seven years. The result is a resilient foundation for secure operations, today and in the post‑quantum future” – Oracle

Additionally, American Binary signed ACM Turing Award winner Whitfield Diffie, cryptographic pioneer and co-inventor of the Diffie-Hellman key exchange, as a key advisor. Whitfield joins the ranks of existing cryptographic advisors Bruce Schneier and Brian LaMacchia.

“Buy American Binary and you’ll be safe”

– Whitfield Diffie at Quantum.Tech World 2026

Key security pillars of the MaxKyber attestation include:

Protection against “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” (HNDL): By utilizing purely CNSA 2.0 algorithms, including ML-KEM-1024 without any classical key exchange variants, MaxKyber secures today’s data against decryption by quantum adversaries.Comprehensive Symbolic Verification: The attestation covers 120 security properties across 11 critical categories, including secrecy, authentication, forward secrecy, identity hiding, and resistance to Replay, Denial of Service, Resource Exhaustion, and Key Compromise Impersonation.Architectural Stability: Beyond its post-quantum cryptographic core, MaxKyber’s protocol architecture is rooted in well-established, operationally proven design patterns, retaining their performance and simplicity.

This foundational security architecture provides the necessary reliability to enable significant performance breakthroughs in the field and the following four key impacts.

Impact I: Unambiguous Security and Mitigation of “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later”

MaxKyber achieves the end-state of post-quantum cryptographic purity by utilizing a pure CNSA 2.0 post-quantum key exchange, without using any classical cryptography, hybrid cryptography, or legacy key exchange variants. Instead, American Binary’s more modern key exchange utilizes ML-KEM-1024 operations to replace the Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange. This approach ensures that modern enterprises are not tethered to the vulnerabilities of legacy components or negative market reactions to hybrid solutions being partially broken. If the classical encryption in hybrid solutions is verifiably broken, markets likely will not wait for forensics to determine whether the rest of the solution remains intact; reputation damage and capital flight will occur immediately.

MaxKyber exclusively employs CNSA 2.0 approved algorithms, specifically ML-KEM-1024 (FIPS 203), AES-256-GCM, and SHA-512/256. This construction provides the highest level of security available today without any loss of existing security properties.

Impact II: Optimal Performance from Mobile and Lossy Environments to High-Performance Scenarios

Historically, high-security protocols have suffered from significant system latency, creating a bottleneck for edge computing and mobile workforces. MaxKyber eliminates these traditional performance trade-offs, enabling high-performance security at the network’s most vulnerable points. One partner benchmarked Ambit Client, powered by MaxKyber, to have 70% faster download speeds than a comparable classically encrypted enterprise VPN.

The MaxKyber protocol optimizes efficiency through an “Authenticated Key Exchange” (AKE) which achieves mutual authentication in a single round trip, dramatically reducing the data burden on the network.

Quantifiably, the AKE saves approximately 4,600 bytes per handshake compared to the next best option. This ultra-low overhead ensures that robust post-quantum security functions reliably on mobile devices and in lossy environments where traditional, bulkier PQC handshakes consistently fail. Reliability in the field is a prerequisite for everything from remote work to warfighting environments, and MaxKyber’s AKE directly facilitates such operational readiness.

Additionally, MaxKyber is well suited for high-performance scenarios such as AI workloads, work with 3D models, and more thanks to Vector Packet Processing and Data Plane Development Kit further reducing overheads to the technical minimums and enabling line-rate speeds for server-to-server use cases.

Impact III: Compliance Savings

As the cost of compliance and diligence cycles for critical infrastructure continues to escalate, proofs can be a shortcut for approval. For CISO and Legal departments, formal verification provides a transparent, “glass-box” view of security that goes beyond traditional testing.

For integration partners, this symbolic proof significantly reduces diligence cycles. By providing an exhaustively checked security profile, American Binary allows partners to shorten the lengthy, costly investigative phases usually required for new cryptographic implementations. Verified compliance is transformed from a hurdle into a catalyst for product development.

Impact IV: R&D Acceleration

For engineering teams looking to integrate this technology and/or customize it, American Binary’s documentation serves as a powerful force multiplier. By providing pre-verified, exhaustive, and high-quality documentation, American Binary provides an extraordinary shortcut to rapid integration.

The scale of the documentation and formal models provided to partners is unprecedented in the VPN industry. This rigorous approach allows integration partners to save months, if not years, of R&D effort.

MaxKyber provides more than just a secure tunnel; it delivers a fully documented, mathematically proven blueprint that accelerates the transition to a quantum-safe future. With MaxKyber, American Binary has rewritten the industry standard for post-quantum network security.

About American Binary

American Binary is a leader in deep-tech cybersecurity, specializing in the development of CNSA 2.0 post-quantum cryptographic solutions. Through advanced rigor and high-performance engineering, American Binary provides the provable foundations for secure, resilient communication in the quantum era.

Learn more at www.ambit.inc

CONTACT: sales@ambit.inc 

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MetaOptics to Deploy its Direct Laser Writer at the University of Arizona’s Center of Semiconductor Manufacturing to Advance its U.S. Expansion

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SINGAPORE, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MetaOptics Ltd (Catalist: 9MT) (“MetaOptics” or the “Company,” and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”), announced that it has entered into an agreement to deploy its key metalens Direct Laser Writer (“DLW”) system at the University of Arizona’s Center of Semiconductor Manufacturing (the “University”). The agreement marks a critical step in advancing its U.S. expansion strategy and its collaborative research with world-class semiconductor stakeholders in Arizona. Installation of the DLW is expected to commence in 2027.

The DLW is designed for a 4-inch wafer to enable quick prototyping and fabrication of metalens samples within weeks. It also supports small-volume production for pilot builds and customer demand evaluation, enabling partners to iterate faster and move from concept to product more efficiently. The deployment of the Company’s DLW will allow prospective customers in the U.S. to physically witness the system in action for their metalens prototyping needs. It will also support collaborative research and evaluation by the University’s researchers under the guidance of Dr. Krishna Muralidharan of the University of Arizona’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. MetaOptics expects the deployment to generate user feedback and user demonstration opportunities, providing further technical validation of its metalens equipment and products, and serve as a launchpad to scale commercial production and collaboration in the U.S. market.

The deployment of its DLW serves as a key milestone for MetaOptics’ U.S. expansion strategy, prospective U.S. customer engagement, and commercialization roadmap. It also positions the Group to support emerging U.S. initiatives in silicon photonics, co-packaged optics, and integrated photonics, where its metalens technology is directly applicable. The DLW will anchor a “mini foundry” at the University for small-volume, quick turnaround prototyping. Beyond research, the installation serves a commercial purpose: a U.S. demonstration site where potential distributors, universities, and research institutions can physically witness the DLW in operation. It will also produce metalens samples for prospective customers’ evaluation. With Arizona’s fast-growing semiconductor ecosystem home to world-class manufacturers and suppliers, the Company aims to leverage its presence at the University and the wider ecosystem to deepen engagement with prospective industry partners and end customers.

MetaOptics Executive Chairman Thng Chong Kim commented: “By placing our Direct Laser Writer within a world-class semiconductor research environment in Arizona, we will be able to strengthen technical validation and gather valuable user feedback. It also supports our ongoing engagements with potential industry partners and end-customers while showcasing our metalens manufacturing equipment to prospective distributors and institutions across the United States. We believe this deployment reinforces our broader U.S. expansion efforts and deepens our engagement in Arizona’s world-class semiconductor ecosystem.”

About MetaOptics Ltd

MetaOptics Ltd (Catalist: 9MT) is a semiconductor optics company pioneering glass-based metalens solutions enhanced by AI-driven image processing. Using advanced optical design and a scalable 12-inch DUV lithography process, it powers next-generation applications in CPO, mobile, AR VR, automotive, and other emerging markets. Find out more at www.metaoptics.sg.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements which can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s growth strategies, its future business development, results of operations and financial condition, its research and development efforts, its ability to attract and retain customers, and its ability to establish and maintain relationships with suppliers and business partners; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

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Metaoptics Technologies Pte Ltd. 81 Ayer Rajah Crescent, #01-45 Singapore 139967

United States
Metaoptics Inc. (USA) 1 Ferry Building, Suite 201 San Francisco, CA 9411

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11:11 Systems Announces Strategic Partnership with Cato Networks to Deliver SASE Solution for Distributed Enterprises

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New Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution combines SD-WAN, cloud-native networking and security capabilities with 11:11’s connectivity, cyber resilience and cloud expertise

SYDNEY, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 11:11 Systems, a leading managed infrastructure solutions provider, today announced the global availability of its 11:11 Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution and a new strategic partnership with Cato Networks.

11:11 Managed SASE is a fully managed secure connectivity solution leveraging Cato Networks AI-native network security platform. This solution brings together intelligent SD-WAN, cloud-delivered security and global connectivity into a single offering. It enables organisations to simplify and secure access across branch offices, data centres, users and cloud environments, reducing complexity without sacrificing performance or control.

Built on the Cato Networks cloud-native SASE platform, 11:11 Managed SASE combines zero trust network access (ZTNA), firewall as a service (FWaaS), secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), advanced threat protection and centralised visibility into a unified managed experience. 11:11 also delivers 24x7x365 monitoring and support, incident management integration and operational accountability to help customers limit vendor sprawl, increase agility and free internal teams to focus on higher-value priorities.

The offering is backed by 11:11’s broader networking, cloud and cyber resilience capabilities. Through its global backbone, carrier-agnostic connectivity options and integrated portfolio spanning cloud, backup, disaster recovery and security services, 11:11 gives customers a practical path to modernise network and security architecture while strengthening resilience across the business.

“Enterprises are under pressure to support users, applications and locations that are more distributed than ever, while limiting complexity and improving security,” said Justin Giardina, CTO, 11:11 Systems. “Our Managed SASE solution provides customers with a unified approach to modernising networking and security, along with the visibility, support and flexibility they need to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”

According to Karl Soderlund, global channel chief, Cato Networks, “As enterprises move beyond fragmented legacy networking and security stacks, they need a simpler way to gain visibility, context and control across hybrid work environments and reduce the operational burden on IT. Through our partnership, we can address these challenges head on and deliver end-to-end visibility and protection in a single service built for the reality of modern work.”

The joint offering is well suited for distributed enterprises, multi-site organisations, hybrid workforce initiatives, SD-WAN refreshes, security modernisation efforts and businesses with limited IT resources. 11:11 meets customers where they are by supporting existing environments, simplifying multi-vendor operations and serving as a single provider accountable for network, security, cloud and data integration.

This partnership expands 11:11’s Network as a Service portfolio and follows Forrester’s inclusion of 11:11 Systems in its report, “The Secure Access Service Edge Services Landscape, Q1 2026.”

About 11:11 Systems

11:11 Systems is a managed infrastructure solutions provider that empowers customers to modernise, protect and manage mission-critical applications and data, leveraging 11:11’s resilient cloud platform. Learn more at www.1111Systems.com and follow 11:11 on LinkedIn.

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