Connect with us

Technology

Wanda Hotels & Resorts Celebrates 300th Hotel Opening Milestone Globally

Published

on

HONG KONG, Aug. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wanda Hotels & Resorts surpassed 300 opened hotels in August, marking a new stage in the expansion of one of China’s leading hotel management groups.

Established in 2007, the company provides services spanning hotel design, development and operations. Its portfolio covers luxury, upscale and mid-scale properties, ranging from hotels in major cities to resorts in popular tourism destinations.

The company currently operates more than 300 hotels with over 52,000 rooms, and has more than 500 additional properties in its development pipeline. Its projects extend across more than 400 destinations worldwide.

Li Jun, president of Wanda Hotels & Resorts, said the 300-hotel milestone reflects the company’s expanding brand portfolio, integrated capabilities across the hotel life cycle, and long-term focus on the Chinese hospitality market.

The company has also accelerated its international expansion. In the first half of 2026, it signed a management agreement in Zimbabwe, marking its entry into the African market. It also added projects in Cambodia and Laos, including hotels in Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh and Luang Prabang.

The expansion builds on Wanda Hotels’ existing overseas presence in destinations including Istanbul, Türkiye; Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Vientiane, Laos. The company has adopted an asset-light management model to expand its brands while adapting operations to local markets.

Domestic growth has increasingly focused on integrated tourism and hospitality projects. In the winter tourism sector, the company has expanded its operations beyond Changbaishan Wanda International Resort to a broader model that combines skiing, wellness, hot springs, and family tourism. Related projects are being developed in Jilin province and other destinations.

Wanda Hotels has also incorporated local cultural resources into tourism projects. In Danzhai, Guizhou province, its operations combine Miao ethnic intangible cultural heritage with accommodation and educational experiences. In Yuxi, Yunnan province, a project centered on the legacy of composer Nie Er integrates music, cultural experiences, retail, and accommodation.

As of August, the company’s loyalty program had more than 25 million members. Since joining Tongcheng Travel in October 2025, Wanda Hotels has also sought to expand its distribution channels and digital capabilities through cooperation with the travel platform.

About Wanda Hotels and Resorts

Wanda Hotels and Resorts, established in 2007, is a comprehensive hotel management company covering the entire value chain from design and construction to operational management. It is a subsidiary of Tongcheng Travel, a Hong Kong-listed company.  

The company features a diversified portfolio of hotel brands, including the luxury Wanda Reign, deluxe Wanda Vista, upper-upscale Wanda Realm, upscale Wanda Jin, upscale lifestyle Wanda Yi, and upper-midscale lifestyle brands Wanda Moments and Wanda Yue. As of Aug. 2026, Wanda Hotels and Resorts operates over 300 hotels, with more than 500 properties in the pipeline, spanning over 400 cities across the globe.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/wanda-hotels–resorts-celebrates-300th-hotel-opening-milestone-globally-302855883.html

SOURCE Wanda Hotels & Resorts

Continue Reading

Technology

Mitrade Taps Former Pit Trader and Brokerage CEO Christopher Brankin as Global Markets Advisor

Published

on

By

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Award-winning CFD broker Mitrade has engaged Christopher Brankin as Global Markets Advisor. A markets commentator featured on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Reuters, Brankin was the founding CEO of TD Ameritrade Singapore and later headed regional expansion for a CFD brokerage.

The appointment comes as global events continue driving European market conditions. In September alone, the ECB raised rates citing the Middle East supply disruptions, the euro fell 0.5% after the Fed followed suit, and Europe’s gas benchmark held above twice pre-war levels as Hormuz LNG flows slumped.

Having worked both the trading floor and the helm of major brokerages, Brankin brings over three decades of market experience. Starting in Chicago’s open-outcry futures pits in 1995, he ran a proprietary trading desk and oversaw execution and clearing at thinkorswim before building and leading regulated firms across Asia, navigating cycles from the 2008 financial crisis to 2020 market volatility.

“2026 has put European traders through a war-driven energy shock and back-to-back rate rises. Europe now imports its volatility, and traders who understand its source see the market differently. Mitrade shares my belief in financial literacy, and I look forward to adding my perspective through the platforms I have,” said Christopher Brankin, Global Markets Advisor, Mitrade Group.

In this role, Brankin will contribute institutional analysis, market commentaries, and educational insights on global market developments for Mitrade.

About Mitrade 

Mitrade is a CFD trading platform operating in eligible EEA markets through Mitrade EU Limited, a CySEC-authorised investment firm (CIF438/23). Other legally separate entities within the international group are independently authorised and regulated in their respective jurisdictions by ASIC (AFSL398528), CIMA (SIB1612446), FSCA (FSP54842), FSC (GB20025791), and CMA (20200000397). 

Globally, the brand connects 7M+ traders to 1,000+ CFDs on indices, forex, commodities, shares, ETFs and more. The platform is designed to provide fast execution, flexible leverage on a per-position basis, competitive spreads and an intuitive interface accessible across multiple devices. 

Risk Warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. 

Visit https://www.mitrade.eu for more information.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mitrade-taps-former-pit-trader-and-brokerage-ceo-christopher-brankin-as-global-markets-advisor-302899477.html

Continue Reading

Technology

BORICA and OpenWay Win PAY360 Award for Bulgaria’s Euro Payments Transformation

Published

on

By

The Best Partnership Initiative award recognizes BORICA and OpenWay for their contribution to Bulgaria’s payments transformation and successful euro transition.

LONDON, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BORICA AD and OpenWay have won the Best Partnership Initiative Award at the PAY360 Awards 2026 for their work together on Bulgaria’s payment infrastructure and the country’s successful transition to the euro.

The award recognizes the impact of a long-term partnership focused on a challenge where there was no room for disruption: transforming critical national payment infrastructure while ensuring that everyday card payments and ATM services continued from the first minute of euro adoption.

Since 2018, BORICA and OpenWay have worked together to modernize Bulgaria’s card processing infrastructure, combining BORICA’s expertise in national payment services and ecosystem coordination with OpenWay’s Way4 real-time digital payment software platform and payment technology expertise.

What set the initiative apart was its scale, continuity and practical impact. The partnership was developed over years of modernization and then tested under exceptional live conditions when Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026.

The euro programme brought together more than 35 banks, payment service providers, fintechs, government institutions and technology partners. BORICA and OpenWay worked closely to prepare and execute the card processing transformation, with extensive testing, rehearsals and operational coordination before the cutover.

The results came almost immediately after midnight. The first successful euro ATM withdrawal was completed just 20 seconds into the new currency environment. Within the first 48 hours, more than 930,000 card and ATM transactions worth nearly €42 million were processed with zero unplanned downtime.

Miroslav Vichev, CEO of BORICA AD, said:
“Our shared objective went beyond a successful technology transition. We wanted to ensure that a transformation of this scale could happen without disrupting the everyday payment experience. That required years of preparation, disciplined execution and trust between our teams and across the wider ecosystem.”

Pavel Gubin, CEO of OpenWay Group, said:
“What makes this achievement distinctive is not technology or scale alone, but what BORICA and OpenWay were able to accomplish together. We have spent years building a payment environment designed to evolve without compromising continuity. Euro adoption put that approach to the ultimate real world test, and the results speak for themselves.”

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/borica-and-openway-win-pay360-award-for-bulgarias-euro-payments-transformation-302902145.html

SOURCE OpenWay

Continue Reading

Technology

Fibocom and Grid-OS Accelerate IoT Deployment at Scale in India at IMC 2026

Published

on

By

NEW DELHI, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fibocom, a leading global provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions, is collaborating with India-based IoT ODM Grid-OS to advance smart payment and vehicle tracking applications in India. At IMC 2026, Grid-OS is showcasing a Payment Soundbox powered by Fibocom’s LE270 LTE Cat 1 bis module, alongside two 4G Vehicle Trackers based on Fibocom’s LE250 series LTE Cat 1 bis modules.

India’s IoT market is moving rapidly toward large-scale deployment. NPCI data shows that UPI transactions reached 24.51 billion in August 2026, while growing applications such as vehicle tracking are creating increasingly diverse requirements for reliable connectivity, low power consumption and positioning capabilities.

For the Payment Soundbox, Fibocom LE270 provides stable 4G connectivity for real-time payment information transmission. Optimized for connected-mode and DRX standby power consumption, LE270’s low-power design helps the Soundbox achieve approximately 7–8 days of battery life with a 2000mAh battery.

The collaboration also extends to two Grid-OS 4G Vehicle Trackers based on Fibocom LE250. The module provides LTE connectivity and GPS/BeiDou positioning, supporting vehicle location and operational data transmission. LE250 also supports OpenCPU and DFOTA, helping simplify product development and subsequent software maintenance.

“Fibocom’s broad wireless communication portfolio gives us the flexibility to select suitable solutions for different IoT product requirements,” said Raghav Gautam, Founder of Grid-OS. “Together with our capabilities spanning product development through mass manufacturing, this provides a strong foundation for expanding our collaboration across more applications.”

Ronald Chan, Vice President of APAC Sales at Fibocom, said: “India is an important IoT market for Fibocom. Our collaboration with Grid-OS, expanding from payment soundbox to vehicle tracker, demonstrates how our diversified wireless portfolio can support local partners across different device requirements and accelerate commercial deployment at scale.”

About Fibocom

Founded in 1999, Fibocom is a leading global provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions. Its portfolio spans cellular, AI, automotive and GNSS modules, together with AI toolchains, global connectivity and cloud services, empowering connected and intelligent applications worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fibocom-and-grid-os-accelerate-iot-deployment-at-scale-in-india-at-imc-2026-302902184.html

SOURCE Fibocom

Continue Reading

Trending