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Agoda Reveals Rising Travel Interest Ahead of Japan’s 2026 Summer Music Festival Season

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 ― Searches for Niigata, host destination of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, on the rise for Japanese travelers, highlighting growing interest for “music event travel”  ―

SINGAPORE, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Agoda Company Pte. Ltd. (Headquarters: Singapore; CEO: Omri Morgenshtern), which operates the digital travel platform Agoda, has revealed a rise in travel interest for Japanese travelers linked to major music festivals taking place across Japan in summer 2026, based on the platform’s accommodation search data.

According to Agoda’s data, accommodation searches from Japanese travelers have increased for popular summer music festival host destinations. Niigata, the host destination of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL ’26, recorded the highest growth in travel interest with domestic searches up 114% year-on-year. The increase indicates growing interest for “music festival travel,” where Japanese travelers choose destinations and plan out itineraries motivated by upcoming music events.

The data is based on accommodation searches made by Japanese travelers 90 days before the event date for check-ins starting one day before the event, compared to 2 weeks prior to the event date.

Niigata, Host Destination of FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL ’26, Sees Growing Domestic Travel Interest

Niigata, where FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL ’26 will be held, recorded the highest growth in domestic travel interest among summer festival destinations. This increase reflects FUJI ROCK’s enduring appeal as one of Japan’s most iconic outdoor summer music festivals, as well as the distinctive appeal of Niigata as a travel destination. Held in the Naeba area of Yuzawa, FUJI ROCK is closely associated with its open-air setting, mountain scenery, and immersive atmosphere surrounded by nature. This unique environment allows festivalgoers to enjoy music in a setting that feels different from everyday urban life.

Beyond the festival itself, the surrounding Naeba and Yuzawa areas also offer a wide range of travel experiences, including hot springs, local food culture, scenic landscapes, and resort-style stays. For travelers looking to make the most of their summer trip, Niigata offers a natural extension of the festival experience, where live music, nature, relaxation, and local culture can be enjoyed together. This combination may be encouraging more domestic travelers to consider FUJI ROCK not only as a music event, but also as a reason to plan an overnight getaway in the region.

Experience-Led “Music Festival Travel” Interest Expands Across Japan 

The growth in domestic travel interset seen in Niigata also points to a shift in how travelers are engaging with music events. Rather than viewing festivals and concerts as standalone activities, more travelers appear to be using them as anchors for broader travel plans, combining event attendance with overnight stays, dining, sightseeing, and local experiences in the host destination.

This trend is not limited to regional festival destinations. In large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, travelers can combine summer music festivals with urban attractions, shopping, dining, and cultural experiences. In leisure-oriented destinations such as Okinawa, music events can also serve as a trigger for travelers to plan longer, more experience-led stays. Reflecting this growing interest in music-driven travel, Agoda reports that accommodation searches increased across other major music festival host destinations in Japan this summer:

SUMMER SONIC 2026 TOKYO — Tokyo: Domestic searches +29% year-on-yearMasterPeace 2026 — Okinawa Main Island: Domestic searches +25% year-on-yearNUMBER SHOT 2026 — Fukuoka: Domestic searches +15% year-on-yearSUMMER SONIC 2026 OSAKA — Osaka: Domestic searches +11% year-on-year

These results suggest that “music festival travel” is continuing to gain momentum across Japan. From nature-led festival destinations such as Niigata and Okinawa, to major cities and travel hubs such as Tokyo and Osaka, music festivals are increasingly becoming a catalyst for travelers to rediscover destinations through local culture, dining, sightseeing, and stay experiences.

Tadashi Ikai, Senior Country Director, Agoda International Japan, shared, “Music festivals are increasingly becoming a travel purpose in their own right, extending beyond simple event attendance. In recent years, we have seen the rise of “festival travel,” where travelers incorporate accommodation, sightseeing, local dining and other destination experiences into their festival trips. Agoda’s latest search data shows growth in travel interest across both regional destinations such as Niigata and Okinawa, as well as major host cities including Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. This suggests that music events are increasingly inspiring travelers to explore destinations across Japan, whether through regional getaways or city-based festival trips. At Agoda, we remain committed to offering a wide range of accommodation options and travel products, helping travelers enjoy not only the event itself, but also the unique stay experiences each destination has to offer.”

Through Agoda’s platform, travelers can seamlessly search and book more than 6 million holiday properties, over 130,000 flight routes, and more than 300,000 activities. Travelers can also easily discover great-value accommodation deals through the Agoda mobile app and official website, Agoda.com.

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SOURCE Agoda

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MIRAGE DIGITAL AND CARWOW ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO LAUNCH DEDICATED FAST CHANNEL ON SAMSUNG TV PLUS

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Milestone Partnership Expands Carwow’s 14 million Global Subscriber Community, Bringing World-Renowned Automotive Content to Fans Subscription-Free on Samsung TV Plus

LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mirage Digital and Carwow today announced a strategic collaboration to launch an exclusive Carwow FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus, a leading global provider of free, ad-supported streaming services.

Led by renowned automotive personality Mat Watson, the Carwow FAST channel delivers premium, 24/7 automotive programming to a global audience. The channel leverages Carwow’s extensive library of over 10,000 hours of content – which has garnered more than 6.4 billion total impressions – to provide viewers with high-performance drag races, technical reviews, and comprehensive vehicle comparisons. This expansion allows Carwow to engage its community of over 10 million subscribers within a premium, subscription-free television environment.

“This is the moment creator-led media crosses over into mainstream television,” said John Littell, co-CEO of Mirage Digital. “Mat Watson and the Carwow team have built one of the most loyal audiences in automotive media. Partnering with Samsung TV Plus gives fans a premium TV experience and gives advertisers access to a highly engaged audience they can’t reach anywhere else.”

“Carwow is one of the premier branded creator partnerships in our portfolio, and this channel reflects what we’ve built together,” said Robin Bigge, co-CEO of Mirage Digital. “We believe Carwow enters as the category leader in automotive streaming from day one.”

Founded in 2010, Carwow operates across the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain, helping more than 10 million customers buy, lease and sell vehicles annually. Its YouTube network spans more than 14 million subscribers across six regional channels, and its media group, which includes Auto Express and EVO magazine, drawing more than 17 million monthly visitors across Carwow Group sites in 2025. The channel’s core audience skews 90% male, ages 18 to 44, positioning it as a targeted buy for automotive advertisers and original equipment manufacturers.

“Streaming is the natural next step for us,” said Mat Watson, Chief Content Officer at Carwow. “We’ve built this very loyal community on YouTube who clearly love the drag races and in-depth car reviews, and partnering with Mirage Digital gives us a direct line to a global audience already primed for automotive content. Bringing that energy to Samsung TV Plus, means we can get our content onto the biggest screen in the house – it’s a perfect home for it.”

The Carwow channel joins Samsung TV Plus’s growing lineup of premium sports and automotive offerings, including the upcoming original docuseries “Hooligans: The ARCH Racing Project with Keanu Reeves & Gard Hollinger,” and the recent launch of MotoAmericaTV. Carwow host Mat Watson is the latest creator to bring his band to Samsung TV Plus’s roster of digital powerhouses including Dhar Mann, Mark Rober, Michelle Khare and more.

For more information please visit https://www.mirage.video/

ABOUT MIRAGE DIGITAL
Founded in 2021 by serial entrepreneur Griffin Haddrill, Mirage Digital LLC is a leading digital content studio specializing in content syndication and monetization. With a growing content catalog, partnerships with over 300 creators, and a presence on OTT and FAST platforms, Mirage Digital is redefining the future of digital content. For more information please visit https://www.mirage.video/

ABOUT CARWOW
Carwow is a leading destination for car changing – helping more than 10 million customers buy, lease and sell vehicles across the U.K., Germany and Spain. Its content, anchored by Mat Watson, has more than 14 million subscribers across YouTube and socials, and more than 6.4 billion total impressions.

ABOUT SAMSUNG TV PLUS 
Samsung TV Plus is a premium global entertainment service committed to delivering exceptional experiences for everyone and every moment. As a leader in FAST with more than 100 million monthly active users, Samsung TV Plus offers thousands of shows and movies on-demand all in one place. The streaming service carries over 4,300 ad-supported linear channels across 30 countries and is accessible exclusively on active Samsung devices. Samsung TV Plus is the exclusive FAST home to curated channels and live events, including the livestream of the 2025 Jonas Brothers JONAS 20 Tour, Letterman TV, Conan O’Brien TV, and top digital creators featuring Mark Rober TV, Dhar Mann TV, and Challenge Accepted by Michelle Khare. Samsung TV Plus is available on Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices, Samsung Smart Monitors, and Family Hubs, all subscription-free. To learn more, visit samsungtvplus.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mirage-digital-and-carwow-announce-strategic-partnership-to-launch-dedicated-fast-channel-on-samsung-tv-plus-302813406.html

SOURCE Mirage Digital LLC.

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MeetKai Brasil Named Final Winner of SERPRO’s Sovereign AI Government Contract

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SERPRO, the largest publicly-owned IT company in the world, acting as a central technology and data provider for the Brazilian federal government, has chosen MeetKai Brasil to lead the country’s sovereign AI program.

BRASÍLIA, Brazil and LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MeetKai today announced that MeetKai Brasil has won SERPRO’s Sovereign AI tender, marking a major milestone in Brazil’s effort to develop secure, locally governed artificial intelligence infrastructure.

SERPRO, Brazil’s federal public technology company, finalized their tender “IA Soberana” (Sovereign AI) results on Friday, June 26, following a multi-month public selection process to choose a private-sector partner for the construction and offering of Brazil’s Sovereign AI solution. The process included extensive technical assessments, qualification requirements, diligence, clarifications, and formal appeals. MeetKai Brasil received the highest final overall score among all participants on both capabilities and technical functionalities. The result reflects the strength of MeetKai Brasil’s technical proposal and its readiness to support AI deployment at national scale.

SERPRO’s Sovereign AI initiative is designed to build a national AI platform powered by large language models trained in Portuguese and operated on Brazilian infrastructure. The platform is expected to support public-sector modernization, automate administrative processes, improve decision-making, and reduce reliance on foreign technology.

“At MeetKai, we believe artificial intelligence delivers the greatest value when it is secure, multilingual, locally governed, and purpose-built to solve public challenges at scale,” said James Kaplan, MeetKai Co-Founder and CEO. “This milestone reflects the dedication of our team and the growing demand for trustworthy AI platforms that combine advanced technical capability with localization, flexibility, and public-grade performance.”

Brazil’s federal government has made artificial intelligence a national priority through “IA para o Bem de Todos,” the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan 2024–2028, which outlines approximately R$23 billion in planned AI investment through 2028. The plan underscores the strategic role AI is expected to play in public services, innovation, infrastructure, and technological sovereignty. 

“SERPRO’s rigorous and transparent selection process set a high standard for public-sector AI,” said Peter John Alexander, President & Chief Business Officer of MeetKai. “MeetKai and MeetKai Brasil are excited to work with more companies across Brazil and expand our involvement throughout the region.”

About MeetKai

Founded in Los Angeles in 2018, MeetKai is a Sovereign AI company specializing in post-training optimization, local-language reasoning models, and national AI platforms. Its flagship MK-A1 Platform enables governments, enterprises, and institutions to build and operate fully sovereign AI ecosystems, ensuring data control, localization, and long-term value creation. MeetKai is building the future of Sovereign AI for countries, enterprises, and institutions worldwide.

Learn more at www.meetkai.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meetkai-brasil-named-final-winner-of-serpros-sovereign-ai-government-contract-302813433.html

SOURCE MeetKai

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ANSI Legal Issues Forum to Examine How AI Is Reshaping Standards Licensing and IP Protection

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July 30 program convenes SDO chief executives and senior industry, legal, and policy leaders to address the new commercial realities AI is creating for standards developers

NEW YORK, June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will convene legal, technical, and commercial experts at the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit on Thursday, July 30, for the ANSI Legal Issues Forum: Standards at a Crossroads—AI Policy, Practice, and Protection. The half-day program at the Grand Hyatt Denver will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming standards licensing and the challenges that standards developing organizations (SDOs) face in protecting their intellectual property while adapting to new commercial realities.

“AI is rapidly changing the commercial realities of standards,” said Laurie E. Locascio, Ph.D., NAE, president and CEO of ANSI. “Standards developers are making consequential decisions about how to digitize their content, how to engage with AI platforms and enterprise users, and how to protect their intellectual property in a new kind of licensing landscape. This forum brings the legal, technical, and commercial expertise together to help our community navigate that terrain.”

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The forum opens with welcome remarks from Patricia A. Griffin, senior vice president and general counsel, ANSI, followed by a keynote address from Elham Tabassi, director of the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative and senior fellow for Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution. A three-part discussion follows.

Panel 1: What SDOs Are Doing examines the range of approaches SDOs are taking to digitizing their standards and enabling—or restricting—AI use. With some organizations prohibiting AI-enabled uses altogether and others actively negotiating AI-related rights and permissions, the conversation will surface the policy frameworks and strategic considerations driving these divergent positions. Moderated by Andrew Updegrove, partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, the panel features Christopher Carnahan, assistant vice president of standards at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA); Emilie B. Delo, assistant general counsel and vice president of legal services at SAE International; Andrew G. Kireta Jr., CEO of ASTM International; and Joan O’Neil, chief knowledge officer and executive vice president, content and services, at the International Code Council (ICC).

Panel 2: What Companies, System Integrators, and Enterprise Users Are Building turns to the market side, examining how companies, system integrators, and resellers are coupling digitized standards with AI-enabled platforms—creating new products and commercial opportunities. The discussion will look at what end users are demanding, what builders need from SDOs to make new use cases possible, and the opportunities and risks of enabling or restricting AI access to standards content. Moderated by Daniel Vreeman, chief standards development officer and chief artificial intelligence officer at HL7 International, the panel features Ségolène Dessertine-Panhard, global tech lead for responsible AI and AI governance initiatives with the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, at Amazon Web Services (AWS); Grant Hunter, senior vice president and head of Outsell Intelligence at Outsell; Danny Manimbo, principal at Schellman; and Claude Pumilia, CEO of Accuris.

Panel 3: How SDOs Can Protect Their IP addresses the urgent need for legal frameworks that protect copyright holders’ interests while supporting the proper commercial development and deployment of AI-related products. Panelists will discuss practical legal tools for navigating AI licensing negotiations—contract frameworks, protective provisions, and enforcement approaches—that safeguard standards content while enabling commercial distribution. Attendees will leave with clear insights on the key decision points: what terms to demand, how to allocate liability, and when partnerships make sense. Moderated by Miranda Means, partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, the panel features Jorge L. Contreras, distinguished university professor, James T. Jensen endowed professor for transactional law and director of the Program on Intellectual Property and Technology Law, at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law; Roy Kaufman, managing director, business development and government relations, at the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC); Austin Mayron, deputy solicitor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); and Rich Spilde, partner at Holland & Hart LLP.

In prior years, ANSI has offered Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits in connection with this program. CLE refers to the ongoing professional education that attorneys must complete following their admission to the bar. Should ANSI be approved again this year, the Institute will issue another announcement and notify all registered participants to date so that they may take advantage of this opportunity as appropriate.

About the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit

The ANSI Legal Issues Forum: Standards at a Crossroads—AI Policy, Practice, and Protection is one of several events during the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit (July 28–31), which also includes the tech conference, Accelerating the Digital Economy through AI and Quantum, a fireside chat with standards CEOs, the Standards Lab, ANSI’s Annual Business Meeting, the ANSI Awards Ceremony, and the U.S.–Korea Standards Forum. Full program details and registration are available at www.ansi.org/summit.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private nonprofit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standards and conformity assessment system. The Institute’s mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership comprises businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ansi-legal-issues-forum-to-examine-how-ai-is-reshaping-standards-licensing-and-ip-protection-302813460.html

SOURCE American National Standards Institute

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