Looking for your next adventure? From golden beaches to lush rainforests, Brisbane is the perfect launchpad for unforgettable road trips that blend nature, thrill, and family-friendly fun. Whether you’re a shutterbug chasing stunning landscapes or a family seeking memorable getaways, these scenic drives promise something for everyone.   With Malaysia Airlines resuming direct flights to Brisbane from 11 June 2025, your Queensland escape is closer than ever. Book now on call to enjoy special introductory fares, exceptional service, and seamless connections across Australia.   Here’s why Brisbane deserves a spot on your travel list — and the road trips you can’t miss once you arrive.   Gold Coast – For Beach Lovers & Thrill Seekers Approx. 1-hour drive from Brisbane   Just a short drive south of Brisbane, the Gold Coast is where sun-soaked beaches meet world-class attractions. Surf at Burleigh Heads, snap sunrise shots from Currumbin Alley, or get your adrenaline pumping at theme parks like Dreamworld and Warner Bros. Movie World — perfect for families. Malaysia Airlines offers convenient connectivity across Australia — plan your itinerary to include both Gold Coast’s surf culture and a tropical detour to Langkawi with the Bonus Side Trip offer.     Sunshine Coast – For Laid-Back Escapes & Wildlife Encounters Approx. 1.5-hour drive from Brisbane Nature lovers will fall for the Sunshine Coast’s pristine beaches, lush hinterlands, and charming seaside towns. Visit Noosa National Park for coastal walks and dolphin sightings, or get up close with native animals at Australia Zoo. Don’t miss a photo op at the Glass House Mountains — their volcanic peaks are a photographer’s dream.   Moreton Island – For Adventure & Underwater Wonders Approx. 1-hour drive + …

Shalini Nair, Founding Member and Director – Product Development, Marketing and Hotels Operations, TravelBullz.com, said, “Over the past year, we’ve seen phenomenal growth in our global hotels business, driven by strategic partnerships and robust demand. Our goal is to scale this success tenfold within the next two years. To achieve this, we’re doubling down on technology-driven solutions, enhancing efficiency and user experience.”  

René de Monchy, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand, said, “Visitor numbers from India is experiencing double digit growth and the travel trade has been integral in shaping this. We are focused on enhancing these commercial partnerships and through improved connectivity and strategically targeted high-impact marketing campaigns, we are keen to convert this interest into bookings and visitation.” 

Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, said, “There must be a synergy between all associations working in tourism. When inbound and outbound tour operators collaborate and exchange insights, it benefits the entire tourism ecosystem.” Gosain highlighted that countries like France and Spain have successfully leveraged a balanced mix of inbound and outbound tourism. “We need to adopt similar strategies to strengthen India’s position in the global tourism market.” 

Ministry of Heritage & Tourism, Oman, invites travel partners to an exclusive webinar on 28 May at 3 pm (IST) to discover its incredible destinations. From ancient forts to breathtaking wadis, gain insights about their tourism offerings for your clients and win exciting prizes. For more information or to register, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 96501 96532.   

Digital travel platform Agoda announces a strategic partnership with the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), one of India’s largest hospitality companies. This collaboration expands Agoda’s premium offerings across the globe enabling travelers internationally to access IHCL’s world-class portfolio of properties through Agoda’s platform. The partnership brings 250 of IHCL’s operating properties — including iconic brands such as Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, Ginger, and the newly launched Claridges Collection — to Agoda’s global customer base. As Agoda celebrates its 20th birthday this year, the collaboration underscores the organization’s continued focus on enhancing customer choice, value, experience and industry partnerships in key travel markets. “IHCL is an iconic name, and that says something in a market like India where hospitality is in a league of its own,” said Omri Morgenshtern, Chief Executive Officer at Agoda. “Under the leadership of MD & CEO Puneet Chhatwal, IHCL continues to set benchmarks in the industry. One of Agoda’s strengths is working together with the best wherever we operate, and with this partnership, we’re doing exactly that. I’m thrilled to combine IHCL’s portfolio of heritage palaces, luxury city hotels, and more with Agoda’s tech-driven solutions and global reach.” Through this alliance, Agoda connects IHCL to its growing user base of international and intra-regional travelers, particularly from Asia Pacific and the Middle East — two regions where demand for culturally rich, luxury travel is rising fast. The collaboration is also aligned with IHCL’s strategy to grow its portfolio to over 700 hotels by 2030 and build deeper connections with the digitally savvy traveler. “This partnership with Agoda supports our ambition of driving global awareness for IHCL’s diverse brands,” said Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL. “As travel demand continues to grow, we are confident that Agoda’s strong …

Amadeus and Google today announced a landmark partnership to deploy Google Cloud’s technology, reinforcing Amadeus’ commitment to cloud and AI innovation. Under the agreement, Amadeus, one of the leading travel technology companies, will migrate part of its technical platform to Google Cloud, leveraging its open, secure, and reliable infrastructure, to enhance operational efficiency and resiliency, while being closer to customers’ needs. The partnership will also enable Amadeus to build future innovations and services based on Google Cloud’s generative AI technologies and other solutions.   The selection of Google Cloud, underscores Amadeus’ commitment to a multicloud strategy, complementing and expanding its reach across 42 global regions. Amadeus’ open cloud approach helps the company foster innovation and autonomy, while prioritizing security and reliability. In particular, Google Cloud’s expertise in data analytics and management will provide agility and efficiency for Amadeus, enabling the company to harmonize data across its diverse customer systems.   Amadeus will also explore future AI-driven innovations by leveraging Google Cloud’s AI technologies. By using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, Amadeus will have access to a vast selection of large language models (LLMs), allowing the company to deploy faster AI solutions. Amadeus will explore Agentic AI with Google Agentspace and Google Cloud’s open and interoperable approach to agents, considering a possible integration into its own solutions. Amadeus’ exploration of AI, including use cases for AI agents collaborating with each other, could help bring concrete benefits to travel players and travelers, offering a richer, more fluid and more comprehensive travel experience.   Furthermore, the two companies are exploring collaboration opportunities to enhance flight search accuracy and airline offer management by integrating Amadeus MetaConnect and Amadeus Nevio with Google Flights and the Google Offer Management system (QPX), …

A landmark institute dedicated to marine education, research and conservation is soon to make its mark in Singapore. Resorts World Sentosa (RWS, 圣淘沙名胜世界) is proud to announce that Singapore Oceanarium (新加坡海洋生态馆) — a transformation and expansion of the former S.E.A. Aquarium — will officially open its doors to the public on 23 July 2025. More than just a new name, Singapore Oceanarium represents a bold transformation into a world-class ocean institute that inspires deeper knowledge, love and action for our oceans. Three times larger than its predecessor, Singapore Oceanarium reimagines the ocean experience, spanning across space (from shallow waters to the deep sea) and time (from prehistoric oceans to the present day). Guests will embark on a journey across 22 purposefully designed zones that guide visitors from curiosity to commitment, building a powerful emotional connection with our marine world. Guests will traverse rich thematic environments including Ocean Wonders, home to one of the world’s largest kreisel habitats, housing thousands of mesmerising moon jellies, and Singapore’s Coast, where mangrove-inspired landscapes and interactive habitats spotlight native biodiversity. In Ancient Waters and Conquering Land, life-sized prehistoric animals and living fossils trace the epic story of evolution, while zones like Migrators unveil the vibrant ecosystems of today’s open waters. The adventure deepens in Open Ocean where boundaries dissolve into endless blue, and Reef Manta Rays and Zebra Sharks glide gracefully among thousands of other marine animals behind an awe-inspiring 36-metre-wide viewing panel. Rooted in education, the experience is designed to deepen understanding through multisensory storytelling and immersive digital displays. From witnessing an astonishing life-sized recreation of a whale fall ecosystem in Whale Fall and Sea Mount to learning stories of successful marine protection initiatives …

Resorts World Sentosa’s (RWS, 圣淘沙名胜世界) Singapore Oceanarium (新加坡海洋生态馆) is set to launch its state-of-the-art Research and Learning Centre（研究与学习中心) this May 2025. The new centre underscores Singapore Oceanarium’s commitment to becoming the leading hub in Asia for marine biodiversity conservation, marine ecosystem protection and restoration, as well as empowering communities and supporting authorities to drive positive change. As a catalyst for innovation, the centre will advance Singapore Oceanarium’s efforts in education, research and conservation – amplifying its impact and reinforcing its position as a pioneering aquarium-based conservation institution. The Research and Learning Centre is a cornerstone of Singapore Oceanarium. While the new centre marks a bold step forward, it also builds upon more than a decade of foundational work under S.E.A. Aquarium, where education, research and conservation have long been central to its mission, as demonstrated in its species breeding programmes, behavioural research and collaborations with regional and international organisations. The Research and Learning Centre now offers a dedicated facility to expand these efforts, strengthen collaboration and serve as the heart of Singapore Oceanarium’s education programmes and conservation initiatives. A purpose-built centre for research and marine conservation Certified Green Mark Platinum Zero Energy by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the centre is purposefully designed with sustainability at its core – supporting RWS’ vision to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Its lightweight concrete façade and aluminium shades reduce heat gain and cooling demands, while the use of natural light minimises reliance on artificial lighting. All the building’s energy needs are met entirely by solar power. Fully equipped with immersive learning labs, collaborative workspaces, seminar rooms and a rooftop event space, the Research and Learning Centre will augment Singapore Oceanarium’s robust educational …

A bold new ocean experience is surfacing soon! Find out more about what’s new at Singapore Oceanarium (formerly S.E.A. Aquarium) at this webinar on 27 May, 2025 at 3pm hosted by Resorts World Sentosa. It is slated to open in Q3 2025 and will have immersive exhibits, digital storytelling, and a focus on marine research, redefining how we experience the ocean in Southeast Asia. For more information, contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call ‪+91 96501 96532.