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Traveloka SEA Index Q3 2026: Faith and Heritage Stand Out Across Southeast Asia

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From Mecca to Borobudur and Luang Prabang, places of religious and cultural significance connect the quarter’s travel stories, while Southeast Asian countries follow their own distinct path.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A sacred site can give a journey its purpose, while a historic town can give it a different pace. Traveloka’s Q3 2026 SEA Index brings that idea into focus: accommodation bookings from Indonesia to Mecca rose by more than half year on year, travelers from Malaysia showed interest in Borobudur, and bookings from Vietnam to Luang Prabang increased.

Across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, the quarter’s findings invite a closer look at what makes a destination worth the journey. Faith and heritage provide the central thread, while cooler climates, seasonal landscapes, and distinctive city experiences give each market its own intentional travel story.

Indonesia: Cool escapes close to home, faith farther afield

Indonesia took to the road, with Wonosobo and Sukabumi leading the way in terms of growth for Indonesia’s domestic market, putting Central Java’s cool highlands in focus as a reprieve from the dry season. Internationally, accommodation bookings to Mecca rose by more than half, with Mecca, Jeddah, and Madinah all among Indonesia’s top ten fastest-rising international destinations.

Malaysia: A neighboring country, centuries of discovery

For Malaysia, a trip to neighboring Indonesia can open a window onto the region’s intertwined religious histories. Interest in Borobudur from Malaysia brings that heritage connection into focus. The Buddhist monument and nearby Prambanan Temple complex offer the foundations of a temple itinerary through Java, with growing bookings to Magelang and Yogyakarta reinforcing the connection. The draw is tangible: centuries of architecture, belief, and storytelling within one regional journey.

Singapore: A change of season, as well as scenery

Melbourne adds a seasonal twist to Singapore’s travel story. Its winter runs from June to August, followed by spring from September, offering a different calendar of experiences for travelers used to year-round tropical warmth. Bookings to the city more than tripled year on year. Alongside Jeju and the East Asian cities filling Singapore’s fastest-riser list, Melbourne puts the appeal of a cool-weather city break in the spotlight.

Thailand: The rainy season has its own attractions

Rain is part of Khao Yai’s appeal. During its June-to-September wet season, forests and grasslands turn lush and waterfalls swell, giving a familiar escape near Bangkok a distinct seasonal character. Its position as Thailand’s fastest-rising domestic destination puts that green-season landscape in focus. Overseas, Chongqing led the international list, offering the very different spectacle of a mountain city and its neon skyline.

Vietnam: An overseas escape at a different pace

In Luang Prabang, heritage is part of everyday life: morning almsgiving remains a daily Buddhist tradition, alongside the former royal capital’s temples and historic streets. For travelers from Vietnam, neighboring Laos offers an overseas escape built around that quieter rhythm. Bookings to Luang Prabang more than doubled year on year from a smaller base. Meanwhile, New York searches rose 152%, showing that a heritage escape close to home and a big-city dream can share the same market’s travel imagination.

These journeys give the quarter a human scale: a temple around which to build an itinerary, a city with a different seasonal rhythm, or a landscape transformed by rain. Beach discovery remains part of that picture too. Phú Quốc led the newcomers to the regional board, outpacing its origin-market booking-growth benchmark in all five markets and cementing its status as a premier Southeast Asia beach destination.

Read the full Q3 2026 Traveloka SEA Index at [www.traveloka.com/en-sg/traveloka-sea-index/2026/q3].

About the Traveloka SEA Index

The Traveloka SEA Index is a quarterly report on travel trends across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, based on Traveloka’s first-party booking and search data. Drawing on flight, accommodation, and activity insights, it highlights destinations gaining momentum, differences between markets, and the places capturing travelers’ interest. The Index helps the travel industry, media, and travelers understand how the region’s travel patterns are evolving. Findings reflect activity on Traveloka; destination rankings focus on booking growth rather than total visitor numbers, while searches are reported separately as a measure of interest.

Q3 2026 data note

This edition covers activity recorded from July 1 – September 30, 2026. Bookings measure transactions, not unique travelers or completed trips; destination activity does not establish individual travel motivations.

About Traveloka

Traveloka is Southeast Asia’s leading all-in-one travel platform, bringing flights, hotels, activities, travel insurance, and eSIM together in a single app. Founded in 2012, Traveloka now operates across Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. With over 140 million app downloads, Traveloka was named Best Travel App at the Sensor Tower APAC Awards. With access to over 2 million hotels worldwide and 24/7 live chat support, Traveloka’s mission is to make travel more accessible and enjoyable for everyone across the region and beyond.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/traveloka-sea-index-q3-2026-faith-and-heritage-stand-out-across-southeast-asia-302906874.html

SOURCE Traveloka

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Longbridge Singapore Extends U.S. Pre-Market Options Trading Hours for Singapore Investors

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Singapore clients can now trade eligible U.S. stock and ETF options from 12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Singapore Time (SGT)Longbridge data shows pre-market options volume among Singapore clients was nearly 6× higher on earnings days and almost 50% higher the day before earnings announcementsExtended pre-market access comes with USD 0 commissions or platform fees on eligible U.S. options trades, helping investors respond to market developments more efficiently.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Longbridge Securities Singapore today announced an extension of its U.S. pre-market options trading session, enabling eligible clients to trade selected U.S. stock and ETF options from 12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Singapore Time (SGT), ahead of the regular U.S. market session.

Longbridge was the first licensed broker in Singapore to introduce pre-market U.S. options trading, and is now extending that lead by giving investors up to 9.5 hours of access before the regular U.S. market session. The wider window gives investors more flexibility to respond to company earnings, economic releases and other developments that can move U.S. markets before the opening bell.

For Singapore investors, the extended session runs from 12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. SGT when the U.S. is observing daylight saving time, and 1:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. SGT during U.S. standard time.

Rather than simply extending trading hours, Longbridge sees the development as part of a broader effort to give investors more control over when they can assess and respond to market-moving information.

“Longbridge was the first to bring pre-market U.S. options trading to investors, and we are now extending that access even further,” said Gavin Chia, Singapore and Regional CEO, Southeast Asia, Longbridge Securities. “In fast-moving markets, timing matters. A wider trading window gives investors more flexibility to optimise their portfolios, manage risk, act on opportunities and capture alpha before the market has fully adjusted to new information.”

Why the pre-market window matters

For investors in Asia, many of the events that move U.S. stocks happen well before the regular U.S. trading session begins. Major companies may release earnings before the opening bell, while economic data such as inflation and employment figures can also arrive before the market opens. Developments originating in Asia, from policy announcements to supply-chain updates, can similarly influence U.S.-listed companies hours before regular trading begins.

By the time the opening bell rings, markets may already have begun adjusting to that information. A longer pre-market options session gives investors an additional window to manage existing positions, hedge exposure or express a market view with defined risk while information is still being absorbed.

Longbridge’s trading data shows just how important that window becomes around earnings. An analysis of 26 of the most actively traded U.S. stock options on Longbridge from 1 January to 30 September 2026 found that, among Singapore clients, pre-market options volume on earnings days was nearly six times the level seen on non-earnings days.

The data also shows that activity typically begins picking up before results are announced, with pre-market volume on the trading day before earnings reaching nearly 50% above normal levels.

“For investors in Asia, access matters most when markets are moving and new information is being absorbed,” Chia said. “Extending pre-market options trading gives our clients a wider window to respond to earnings, economic data and other market-moving developments as they happen, rather than waiting for the regular session to begin. That is ultimately about giving investors greater flexibility, control and choice in how they participate in U.S. markets.”

From earlier access to better-informed decisions

Extending the trading window gives investors earlier access to the market. But around earnings and other fast-moving events, access is only part of the equation. Investors also need to quickly understand what changed, why it matters to their portfolio and what options they have before deciding whether to act.

That is where Longbridge AI complements the extended pre-market session, helping investors move from information to understanding and, ultimately, to action across the investment process.

Monitor while you work. Longbridge AI monitors investors’ holdings and watchlists throughout the day, surfacing developments that may be relevant to their portfolios.Understand what changed. Investors can ask questions such as “Why did my stock move?” Longbridge AI can explain relevant news, summarise earnings results and surface options-market signals including unusual activity and changes in market sentiment.Prepare before the bell. Longbridge AI can help investors analyse developments and evaluate possible next steps before the regular market opens, allowing them to approach the pre-market session with greater context.Act when ready. Clients can place eligible pre-market options orders through the Longbridge app, with each trade confirmed by the investor. Through Longbridge Skill, investors can also access Longbridge research and user-confirmed trading from within supported AI assistants.

By combining earlier market access with real-time analysis, Longbridge aims to narrow the gap between when information emerges and when investors are able to understand and respond to it. For investors in Asia, that means being able to follow an earnings release, assess its potential impact on their portfolio and decide on a response within the same pre-market window.

“The value of extending pre-market trading is not just giving investors more hours. It is about giving them a better way to use those hours,” Chia said. “When earnings or other market-moving information comes out, Longbridge AI helps investors quickly understand what has changed and what it could mean for their portfolio, so they can make their own decision with greater context.”

Availability

Item

Details

Pre-market options hours

12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. SGT, Monday
to Friday

Eligible instruments

51 U.S. stocks and ETFs, including
[e.g. QQQ, SPY, AAPL,  TSLA, NVDA,
MSFT, META]

Supported transactions

Buy-to-open and sell-long-to-close.

Fees

USD 0 commissions and platform fees

The full list of eligible instruments and terms is available at https://longbridge.com/sg/us-pre-market-options-trading?channel=OWSN00090.

About Longbridge Securities Singapore

Longbridge Securities is an AI-Powered online brokerage headquartered in Singapore. By building global trading infrastructure and a trading network, it delivers best-in-class trading experiences to investors worldwide. Founded in March 2019, Longbridge holds 22 financial regulatory licenses or qualifications across the U.S., Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, and other markets, and has secured more than US$150 million in strategic investment from leading financial institutions and investment firms. Long Bridge Securities Pte. Ltd. is a licensed entity regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) (Capital Markets Services Licence No.: CMS101211), holding a Capital Markets Services Licence and operating under an exempt financial adviser status.

Disclaimer

Long Bridge Securities Pte. Ltd. (“Long Bridge Securities”) (UEN No.: 202111825D) is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and holds a Capital Markets Services Licence for dealing in capital markets products that are securities, collective investment schemes, and exchange-traded derivatives contracts, and is an Exempt Financial Adviser. Pre-market liquidity is lower, spreads may be wider and orders may not be filled. All investments carry risks, may not be suitable for everyone, and you may lose your investment principal. It is important that investors read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before engaging in any options trading strategies. You should seek independent financial advice if you are unsure about any investment decisions. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/longbridge-singapore-extends-us-pre-market-options-trading-hours-for-singapore-investors-302907846.html

SOURCE Longbridge Group

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Do you remember what’s in your fridge? New TikTok research reveals the reasons Australians are still wasting food

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SYDNEY, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From forgotten tomatoes in the fridge to stale bread on the kitchen bench, food waste has become routine for Aussie households, with new TikTok research revealing 40% bin unused food or ingredients at least weekly. This can amount to households wasting up to 113kgs of food a year*.

Despite good intentions to reuse ingredients, TikTok’s research reveals:

While 46% plan another meal using leftover ingredients and 39% use them if they remember, one in five still throw ingredients away. Meanwhile, 28% forget what’s in the fridge, 26% forget how long ingredients have been there and 17% let leftovers go bad.Despite rising grocery costs putting pressure on Australian families, households with kids are the most likely to waste food, with over half (51%) sending food to the bin every week, versus households without kids (36%). Leftovers have an image problem with young people and parents. One in five (20%) 18-24’s feel embarrassed to eat leftovers in public, with this feeling higher among parents (26%) who feel embarrassed or avoid doing so altogether.

In response, TikTok’s Leave No Crumbs is calling on Australians to treat unused ingredients or leftovers as the source of inspiration for their next recipe. With more than 9.7 million #FoodTok posts globally, TikTok is already a force in shaping modern food culture.

From reviving forgotten ingredients like #cottage cheese (500m+ views) and #sardines (290m+ views), to making recipes like #HaileyBieberMeatballs and #fetapasta (1.1 billion+ views) viral sensations, TikTok has become a destination for food inspiration, money-saving hacks and new recipes.

Channelling that same energy, TikTok now turns up the heat on forgotten ingredients, showing Aussies just how much potential is already sitting in the fridge or the fruit bowl, you just need to know what to do with it.

Reducing food waste is a global challenge, but change often starts at home, according to Monique Llewellyn, National Campaign Manager for Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, OzHarvest. “Tackling food waste at home is the single most impactful action each of us can do to combat climate change.

“When life gets busy, it’s easy to waste food rather than work out what to do with it. At OzHarvest we’re inspiring people to ‘use it up’ which is why it’s great to see creators sharing easy ideas to use up what’s already in the fridge. Small habits really do make a big difference.”

At Tuesday Night Dinner, we Leave No Crumbs

Businesswoman, mother of three (plus one turtle and 5 dogs) and TikTok icon Krissy Marsh knows how to entertain while making the most of what she has. Her Tuesday Night Dinners, a weekly family tradition, have become a TikTok favourite, with some videos amassing over 1 million views.

But it’s not just glamour and caviar; at the heart of Krissy’s approach is a deep passion for a more sustainable way to cook and, importantly, a commitment to ensuring nothing goes to waste, including never letting a guest leave Tuesday Dinner without a container of leftovers.

To ensure that food ends up on the table and not in the bin, Krissy has curated her Tuesday Night dinner menu using some of Australia’s most wasted ingredients. This includes overripe tomatoes, (tomatoes are the worst culprit making up 34% of total wasted vegetables annually**) prawn heads and wilted greens used to create stock used in the vodka pasta sauce (over a fifth of the vegetables that end up in the bin are leafy greens**), and giving stale bread a second life for homemade breadcrumbs to create her famous chicken schnitzel (bread makes up 86% of the bakery items thrown away by households**).

“Food has always been at the heart of my home and there’s nothing I love more than a full table surrounded by everyone I love, enjoying great food. But for me, a great dinner is one where nothing goes to waste, and this menu proves that using what you’ve got doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s actually really easy,” said Krissy.

“I’ve been having so much fun since joining TikTok. Not only do I get to share the things I’m passionate about, but I’ve also learnt so much from the TikTok community. The thing I love about the TikTok community is that you get real time feedback, tips and tricks.”

From the For You feed to the fridge, Leave No Crumbs serves up easy tips and recipes to make the most of what’s already at home, saving money and reducing food waste.

Find all this content and more by searching #TikTokNoCrumbs on TikTok. If you’re looking for expert tips and resources to help fight food waste, visit OzHarvest website or on TikTok (@OzHarvest).

Research commissioned by TikTok and conducted by YouGov. Total sample size was 1,043 Australians aged 18+. Fieldwork was undertaken between 17-21 September 2026.

*Food Waste Stats – Australian Waste  and Hunger Facts, Oz Harvest – View Online Here

**Half Eaten, Australian Food Waste Research, published by OzHarvest 2025© – View Online Here

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/do-you-remember-whats-in-your-fridge-new-tiktok-research-reveals-the-reasons-australians-are-still-wasting-food-302907879.html

SOURCE TikTok

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LG Electronics highlights mental load in the AI era through 2026 Life’s Good Campaign

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LG’s 2026 Life’s Good campaign shows how LG AI can help free up minds for what truly matters

News Summary

To mark World Mental Health Day, LG Electronics reaffirmed the importance of creating more mental space for what truly matters in today’s demanding world.Through its 2026 Life’s Good campaign, LG showed how LG AI can help reduce mental load and free up people’s minds from everyday burdens.The campaign reached audiences across 53 markets worldwide and generated more than 3 billion content views.The campaign demonstrated a more thoughtful approach to AI, helping reduce invisible burdens and giving people back the time and attention to experience Life’s Good.

SYDNEY, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics (LG) highlighted the growing challenge of mental load through its 2026 Life’s Good campaign, showing how LG AI can help reduce everyday burdens and free up people’s minds for what matters most.

Following World Mental Health Day, conversations around mental well-being are becoming increasingly important. Yet many people continue to struggle with mental load, the invisible burden created by constant information, countless micro-decisions and everyday demands. According to LG survey findings, people spend nearly a quarter of the year burdened by mental load — the equivalent of 87 days a year.*

How LG addresses mental load

Responding to the growing impact of mental load on everyday life, LG’s 2026 Life’s Good campaign was built around the message “Free Up Your Mind.” Aligned with LG’s vision for a Zero Labour Home, the campaign highlighted how LG AI can help reduce not only physical effort, but also the mental burden of household tasks and everyday demands by reducing the time and effort required to manage them.

Campaign in action

The campaign was brought to life through a range of activations. At its centre was a hero film featuring a real family experiencing mental load. Family members shared how the constant demands of household responsibilities and family life could feel mentally overwhelming. As LG AI quietly takes care of routine demands in the background, the film showed how families could enjoy more meaningful moments together.

The campaign reached consumers across 53 markets and generated more than 3 billion content views through hero content, creator collaborations, social storytelling and local activations.

LG partnered with board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Judith Joseph to bring expert perspectives on mental load to the campaign through expert-led content and media initiatives.

The campaign also offered the Mental Load Test, encouraging people to better understand the mental load they carry. The test attracted more than 570,000 participants.

Innovation that makes Life Good

“Over the past four years, the Life’s Good campaign has demonstrated how innovation can enrich people’s lives in meaningful ways,” said Kim Hyo-eun, head of LG’s Brand Management Division.

“As AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, its role should extend beyond convenience and efficiency. The most meaningful innovations are those that reduce invisible burdens and give people back the time and attention often consumed by everyday demands.”

Through its 2026 Life’s Good campaign, LG demonstrated a more thoughtful approach to AI, one that helps ease mental burden and supports everyday well-being, creating more room for people to experience Life’s Good.

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.lg.com/lifesgood.

* Survey Methodology
Timings: Fieldwork conducted from April 24 – 28, 2026, via Focaldata
Countries: 3 – US, UK and Australia
Age: 18–64
Sample size: 3,165 respondents (a minimum of 1,000 per market), nationally representative by age, gender and region.

Note: Survey results reflect respondents’ perceptions and do not constitute clinical or scientific evidence of health benefits

About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics is a global innovator in technology and consumer electronics with a presence in almost every country and an international workforce of more than 75,000. LG’s four Companies – Home Appliance Solution, Media Entertainment Solution, Vehicle Solution and Eco Solution – combined for global revenue of over KRW 89 trillion in 2025. LG is a leading manufacturer of consumer and commercial products ranging from TVs, home appliances, air solutions, monitors, automotive components and solutions, and its premium LG SIGNATURE and intelligent LG ThinQ brands are familiar names worldwide. Visit https://www.lg.com/au/about-lg/press-and-media/ for the latest news.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/lg-electronics-highlights-mental-load-in-the-ai-era-through-2026-lifes-good-campaign-302907894.html

SOURCE LG Electronics Australia (LG)

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