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Booking.com Research Reveals Majority of Aussie LGBTQ+ Travellers Conceal Their Identity Abroad

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SYDNEY, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Booking.com has released its latest Travel Proud Research Report, the company’s most expansive and cross-cutting survey to date, focused exclusively on the attitudes, actions and perceptions of LGBTQ+ travellers. With insights from over 13,000 travellers around the world, including 1,000 from Australia, it identifies key trends shaping LGBTQ+ travel in 2026.

Travellers are hiding their identity to experience the world safely
Globally, travellers who identify as ‘not out’ report fewer negative experiences on trips, underscoring the difficult trade-offs many continue to make between self-expression and safety. Just 36% of Australian LGBTQ+ travellers say they are ‘out’ when travelling, compared to 69% who are out with close friends at home. Notably, 44% say they would hide their identity in order to visit a dream destination.

Precautions and anxiety are rising, particularly for trans travellers
More than half (51%) of LGBTQ+ Australians say they are taking more precautions when travelling than in previous years. Common safety measures include sharing live location updates (24%), using VPNs (21%), carrying burner phones (16%) and deleting dating apps before crossing borders (15%). At the same time, 57% say they actively assess their surroundings before showing affection in public. Trans travellers face heightened challenges, with 48% reporting increased anxiety about travel in recent years.

Technology and inclusivity are boosting confidence
Despite the challenges, positive experiences remain widespread, with 84% of LGBTQ+ Australians reporting at least one identity-related positive travel experience in the past year. Visible signs of inclusivity – such as Pride flags (35%), gender-neutral bathrooms (35%) and inclusive staff representation (38%) – are making a meaningful difference. Technology is also playing a growing role: 65% of travellers used AI to plan trips in the past year, with 44% saying it’s efficient at finding niche LGBTQ+ friendly spots which are hard to find via standard search. Over a third (35%) would also value dedicated LGBTQ+ filters when booking travel.

Todd Lacey, Regional Manager, Oceania and Korea at Booking.com, says “This year’s research shows why our Travel Proud programme continues to be as important as ever, with safety concerns continuing to influence how LGBTQ+ travellers experience the world. Booking.com’s Travel Proud programme continues to support more inclusive travel, with nearly 7,000 Australian properties trained to better welcome LGBTQ+ travellers, part of over 142,000 globally.”

To download Booking.com’s full 2026 research, visit HERE. For further information, contact the Booking.com Australia Press Office: bookingau@havasred.com

About Booking.com:

Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. By investing in the technology that helps take the friction out of travel, Booking.com’s marketplace seamlessly connects millions of travelers with memorable experiences every day. For more information, follow @bookingcom on social media or visit globalnews.booking.com.

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SOURCE Booking.com

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Asia-Pacific Telecom Leaders Gather in Singapore for the Twimbit Telecom Summit & Awards 2026

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MUMBAI, India and SINGAPORE, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Twimbit Telecom Summit & Awards 2026 recently concluded at the iconic Capitol Theatre Singapore, bringing together senior telecom operators, technology leaders, policymakers, investors, and ecosystem partners from across Asia-Pacific for a day dedicated to telecom reinvention in the AI era.

Hosted by Twimbit, the global research and advisory firm, the summit explored how telecom operators are evolving beyond connectivity into AI-native digital platforms powering enterprise transformation, customer intelligence, sovereign infrastructure, and next-generation digital economies.

This year’s summit centered around themes including AI-native operations, enterprise AI monetisation, digital sovereignty, infrastructure transformation, customer experience reinvention, and leadership transformation. Across keynote sessions, executive panels, and roundtable discussions, industry leaders discussed the structural shifts reshaping the telecom sector and the operating models required for the next decade.

The summit featured leadership perspectives from some of the industry’s most influential voices, including Manoj Kohli, Vikram Sinha, Vikram Rao, Juhi McClelland, Ulf Ewaldsson, Rajesh Chandiramani, Anna Yip and Wong Soon Nam.

The evening concluded with the Twimbit Telecom Awards 2026, recognising operators, leaders, and innovators driving transformation across the telecom ecosystem. Built on Twimbit’s proprietary research frameworks and guided by an independent panel of industry judges, the awards celebrate excellence across AI transformation, customer experience, enterprise business, ESG, network modernization, financial performance, and digital infrastructure.

Among the marquee winners this year were Singtel, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Globe, Taiwan Mobile, and Digital Realty. Manoj Kohli received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the telecom industry.

This year’s awards also partnered with the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund (GCTEF). Through contributions and pledges made during the evening, the initiative raised over SGD 15,000 to support opportunities, aspirations, and inclusion for persons with disabilities in Singapore.

“The telecom industry is entering one of the most defining phases in its history,” said Manoj Menon, Founder & CEO of Twimbit. “What we witnessed at the summit was not just a conversation about technology, but a conversation about leadership, reinvention, and the future role telecom will play in shaping digital economies.”

The Twimbit Telecom Summit & Awards 2026 was supported by founding partner F5 and gold sponsor Comviva.

To explore the complete list of winners and nominees, visit:
https://telecomawards.twimbit.com/

To learn more about the Twimbit Telecom Summit, visit:
https://telecomsummit.twimbit.com/

Media Contact

Vansh Sehgal
Digital Marketing Manager, Twimbit
vansh@twimbit.com
https://twimbit.com/

 

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NSTC TTA Marks 8th VivaTech Appearance, Showcasing Taiwan Innovation under AI Taiwan Initiative

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PARIS, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), together with the Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration (SMESA) and the Department of Industrial Technology (DOIT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), is once again leading Taiwan’s delegation to VivaTech in France this year under the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) initiative. Marking its eighth participation, Taiwan has assembled a national team comprising 34 Taiwanese technology startups and 61 supply chain partners, demonstrating the country’s strategic vision of becoming an “Island of Artificial Intelligence” and advancing tangible innovations for smart living ecosystems.

TTA Pavilion Aligns with VivaTech 10th Anniversary, Centered on “AI Taiwan”

Aligned with global AI trends and the exhibition’s focus, the 2026 TTA Pavilion is themed “AI Taiwan,” showcasing Taiwan’s diverse achievements in artificial intelligence technologies and applications. The exhibition further emphasizes how AI is being integrated into real-world industrial and daily-life scenarios, accelerating the convergence of smart applications with everyday environments.

The pavilion also recreates a European-style streetscape to deliver an immersive, life-oriented exhibition experience. This design highlights Taiwan’s vision of using AI to drive innovation across industries and build comprehensive smart living ecosystems, reinforcing its critical role in the global technology value chain.

Global Innovation Leaders Gather at Opening Ceremony to Witness Taiwan’s Startup Strength

The opening ceremony of the TTA Taiwan Tech Arena Pavilion took place on June 17 (Taiwan time), bringing together prominent figures from the global innovation ecosystem. Distinguished guests included Ambassador Clémentine Pei-Chih HAO of the Taipei Representative Office in France, Mr. Der-Sheng Lin, Director General of the NSTC, and Julie Lamandé, Chief International Officer of VivaTech, among other industry leaders and ecosystem partners—demonstrating strong international recognition of Taiwan’s startup ecosystem.

NSTC highlights that this year’s delegation continues the integrated approach, bringing together 34 startup teams and 61 supply chain partners. Compared with previous editions focused mainly on individual technologies, this year emphasizes “total solution” and “application scenario” demonstrations, enabling international enterprises to better understand the full value of Taiwanese innovations and strengthening potential collaboration opportunities.

NSTC notes that participating teams have reached greater maturity, with many already established in the European market. Companies are also positioning themselves to capture emerging opportunities driven by France’s net-zero regulations, rising demand for AI certification, and the development of AI compute infrastructure (“AI factories”).

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nstc-tta-marks-8th-vivatech-appearance-showcasing-taiwan-innovation-under-ai-taiwan-initiative-302803814.html

SOURCE Taiwan Tech Arena

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XCMG Showcases Zero-Carbon Smart Mining Solutions at AMM-2026 to Support Central Asia’s Mining Transformation

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XCMG Group recently showcased its zero-carbon smart mining solutions at the 16th Astana Mining & Metallurgy Congress (AMM-2026) in Astana, Kazakhstan, reinforcing its long-term commitment to supporting the green and intelligent transformation of the mining industry in Central Asia.

Held from June 11 to 12, AMM-2026 brought together more than 1,500 delegates from 16 countries, serving as an influential international platform for the mining and metallurgy sectors. Yang Dongsheng, chairman of XCMG Group and XCMG Machinery, attended the plenary session at the invitation of the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

During the congress, XCMG delivered a keynote presentation and released its Zero-Carbon Smart Mining Solution, demonstrating its integrated capabilities in complete sets of green electric equipment and smart mining technologies.

On June 12, XCMG also hosted a dedicated zero-carbon smart mining solutions forum in Astana. The forum focused on the green transformation and intelligent upgrading needs of mines in Central Asia, bringing together local mining enterprises for in-depth discussions on zero-carbon mine development and the implementation of smart technologies in mining operations.

“The global mining industry is accelerating its transition toward greener and smarter operations,” said Yang. “XCMG remains committed to advancing this transformation with integrated equipment portfolios and solutions that make mines smarter and operations more sustainable. We will continue to deepen our presence across Central Asia and further strengthen our roots in Kazakhstan, working with global partners to support local mining development and engineering construction with safe, reliable, efficient and energy-saving products and integrated solutions.”

From June 10 to 13, Yang also joined a Jiangsu provincial delegation on a visit to Kazakhstan. At the China (Jiangsu)-Kazakhstan Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference held in Astana on June 12, Yang spoke as a representative of Jiangsu enterprises and shared XCMG’s practical experience in serving mining customers in Kazakhstan.

At a lead-zinc mine in Karaganda Region, XCMG equipment was required to operate around the clock under demanding working conditions, including a 5-kilometer uphill haul route, extreme temperature fluctuations and high abrasion from sharp ore. XCMG’s technical team conducted on-site assessments of the operating environment and customer requirements before developing a customized solution. After six months of field testing, the per-vehicle daily transport volume exceeded the design standard by 12 percent, and the customer designated the model as a main operating vehicle and placed additional batch orders.

At the Pustynnoye gold mine, two XCMG pure electric loaders have achieved an average daily operation time of 15 hours, with peak continuous operation exceeding 20 hours. The machines are among the first pure electric mining machines in Kazakhstan to enter routine operation, supporting the implementation of XCMG’s unmanned fleet and full-scenario electrification solutions in the local mining sector and demonstrating how electrified mining equipment can support operational efficiency and environmental performance.

XCMG entered the Kazakhstan market in 2001. Its products now cover cranes, earthmoving machinery, road machinery, excavators, piling machinery and special-purpose vehicles, with cumulative exports of more than 40,000 units to the country. XCMG Kazakhstan, a wholly owned subsidiary registered in Almaty in 2017, began full operations in 2019 and has developed localized capabilities in equipment shipment, customs clearance, warehousing, maintenance, dealer management and training.

With more than two decades of market presence in Kazakhstan, XCMG continues to enhance its full-lifecycle service capabilities for customers across energy, industry, transportation, mining and infrastructure sectors.

Looking ahead, XCMG will further leverage its green equipment, smart technologies and localized service network to provide more tailored construction machinery solutions in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia.

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