Two of Sub-Saharan Africa’s strongest unserved routes still have no direct flight: Johannesburg to Mumbai, and Brussels to Cape Town. Both appear in the Airbus Exploring the Horizons study among high-demand corridors where passengers continue to route through a third city because no carrier has yet launched a service. Some of the continent’s connectivity gaps have narrowed over the past year. Qantas added Perth to Johannesburg, Edelweiss introduced its A350 service to Windhoek, Air Congo announced a Brussels link to Kinshasa, and Ethiopian secured approval to serve Mauritius. If those routes can move from proposal to operation, why do others with similarly strong demand remain unserved? That question sat at the centre of a discussion at AviaDev Africa 2026 in Gaborone, the continent’s main route development forum, where airlines, airports and tourism bodies meet to build new air links. It was chaired by Natalia Rosa, Project Lead at the Southern Africa Tourism Alliance (SATA).

On June 16, the 2026 Hainan Cultural and Tourism Promotion Events, under the theme of “Sunny Hainan · Heart’s Desire,” were held in Hong Kong. Leaders from Hong Kong’s cultural and tourism authorities, heads of industry associations, and representatives of key cultural and tourism enterprises from home and abroad gathered to explore new opportunities for cooperation and draw up a blueprint for the industry’s future.

Qantas has today revealed the next evolution in the cabin design for Project Sunrise, which will launch with the world’s first non-stop services between Sydney and London from October 2027. The Qantas Airbus A350-1000ULR has been configured with just 238 seats, the lowest seat density of any A350 around the world, giving every customer more space on board. Every element has been designed to help customers arrive at their destination feeling their best, drawing on a decade of research with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and close collaboration with Caon Design Office and technology partners.

The World’s Leading Travel Trade Show will take place in Berlin from 16 to 18 March 2027. With its new campaign it focuses on the developments shaping global tourism, i.e. changing travel habits, innovative mobility solutions and new technological, economic and social conditions. It shows how markets, destinations and business models are constantly evolving, creating new prospects for tomorrow’s world of travel.

The RuMa Hotel and Residences, a one MICHELIN Key awarded five-star property, introduces “The Kuala Lumpur Escape,” a thoughtfully curated stay experience that invites residents of ASEAN countries to step away from the everyday and rediscover Kuala Lumpur through a lens of calm, comfort, and understated luxury.

The iconic Elephant Bar at Raffles Hotel Le Royal has been named one of the “Best Global Hotel Bars” by Food & Wine magazine—one of just 10 venues selected worldwide. Long regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most beloved watering holes, Elephant Bar in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is celebrated for its timeless French colonial elegance, extensive gin collection and rich history. The recognition, which appears in the magazine’s May 2026 issue, further cements the bar’s status as a global destination for discerning drinkers.