Innholdsfortegnelse for July - August - 2025 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

WELCOME TO THE latest issue of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific. Our cover story visits the best golf courses in the region. However, I must confess that, despite commissioning the story, I'm no golfer; the closest I've got to playing the game is a few rounds of pitch & putt in a seaside town on the South Coast of England. But golf's enduring popularity is something of a phenomenon, and it has to be admitted that some courses really are very beautiful. When we chose the image for our cover, it was only later I realised it depicts Kau Sai Chau in Hong Kong. That made me doubly pleased: I know Hong Kong well and will tell anyone who'll listen that its countryside is truly remarkable. Not only that, the spectacular Kau…

FOR THOSE IN the AsiaPacific region affected by the recent British Airways (BA) loyalty programme changes, there may be solutions closer to home that could still get you the coveted Oneworld Emerald status. Some are easier than others. Under the old BA loyalty club (BAEC), three long-haul business class trips between Hong Kong and Europe a year, plus up to 15 mediumhaul and/or intra-Asia business class segments, would have comfortably earned you BA Gold/ Oneworld Emerald status. Now, this would be almost impossible, especially if you often fly on partners such as Cathay, due to just 12.5 per cent status points now awarded in the lower business class booking classes. In practice, this means you would earn just 750 status points for a Hong Kong-Heathrow business flight, out of 20,000…

Hilton has announced the official opening of its first Hilton Garden Inn · Gen A hotels in multiple cities across China, including Chongqing, Sanya (on Hainan Island) and Harbin. The concept has been specially created with the Chinese market in mind, with a refreshed design to meet the changing needs of modern-day travellers. The hotel group has also announced 19 new signings of the brand across Greater China.…

New York City EAT: Koneko Cat Cafe – play with furry feline friends while enjoying cake. SEE: Bronx Zoo - one of the largest zoos in the world. VISIT: Legoland - 90 minutes from downtown, with rides, shows and themed lands. London EAT: Inamo Covent Garden – expect interactive tabletops, a games room and even karaoke. SEE: Natural History Museum – start with a life-size skeleton of a blue whale. VISIT: Warner Bros. Studio Tour – spellbinding adventures for the whole family. Hong Kong (SAR) EAT: Yum Cha – the child-friendly dim sum includes BBQ piggy buns and cartoon-style baos. SEE: The Peak – ride the Peak Tram up the mountain for amazing views VISIT: Ocean Park – the mountain-side theme park with two resident pandas.…

THE CITY Istanbul This beguiling city, which famously straddles Asia and Europe, has wowed travellers for millennia and is home to a vastly underrated food landscape. Given that Turkey was named the world's 5th most-visited country in 2024, everything from fine dining to street food is now more than ever on the radar of visitors. One unmissable spot is at The Peninsula Istanbul, where two Michelin-starred Gallada dazzles diners with dishes from chef Fatih Tutak that are inspired by ancient Silk Road cuisines. Tutak led restaurants in cities including Bangkok and Hong Kong, so his cuisine in a venue overlooking the Bosphorus incorporates flavours from Turkey, Central Asia and China. Wood-fired monkfish with black paste and yoghurt, or char-grilled kofte with tahini from Manavgat in the south of the country,…

OF ALL THE ways I could have optimised my last sightseeing morning in Paris, taking a long bubble bath was perhaps the least efficient. Yet there I was, soaking in the bustling 16th arrondissement while enjoying a wellness trend I later learned is called JOMO – the joy of missing out. The concept is simple: instead of packing travel days with back-to-back itineraries, the JOMO approach invites travellers to relax and enjoy a few priority activities, not everything. “JOMO is closely tied to the growing focus on wellness,” says Angie Licea, president of Global Travel Collection, an international community of travel agents. “It encourages travellers to slow down, savour the moment and embrace a more relaxed, fulfilling way to experience a destination, which resonates with people looking to balance their…

BLUE This entry-level tier is available to all members. Instant upgrades using Skywards Miles at check-in or on board Wait list priority Access to free unlimited messaging when travelling SILVER You need to earn 25,000 tier miles or take 25 flights. All Blue tier benefits 30% bonus miles on Emirates and Flydubai flights Complimentary Emirates business class lounge access in Dubai GOLD You need to earn 50,000 tier miles or take 50 flights. All Blue and Silver tier benefits 75% bonus Skywards Miles on Emirates and Flydubai flights Complimentary economy class seat selection for you and passengers in your booking PLATINUM You need to earn at least 150,000 tier miles and take one qualifying flight in first or business class. All Blue, Silver and Gold benefits Complimentary check-in from a…

THE CONVERGENCE OF golf tourism and the MICE sector is gaining serious momentum across Asia-Pacific. With the regional golf tourism market projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.9 per cent, reaching US$8.74 billion by 2030, more destinations are integrating golf into corporate travel itineraries. Afternoon rounds following morning boardroom sessions are becoming the new norm for incentive groups and executive retreats. Danang, Vietnam, is emerging as a powerhouse in this space, having hosted the 2025 Asia Golf Tourism Convention with 450 delegates from more than 30 countries. The city combines world-class golf, including Montgomerie Links, Ba Na Hills and Laguna Golf Lang Co – core members of the Vietnam Golf Coast destination marketing effort – with robust conference infrastructure and international flight connectivity. ‘Afternoon rounds following morning…

READ THE REVIEW CABIN REVIEW Qantas A380 business class LOUNGE REVIEW PS Lounge, Los Angeles HOTEL REVIEW Mandarin Oriental, Singapore WATCH REVIEW World-timers and GMTs Background There's no question that the new Four Seasons Hotel Osaka represents stiff competition for the other five-star properties in Japan's food capital. Just two months after its grand opening in the summer of last year, I stepped into a full house. Many travellers book accommodation based on name alone, but this Four Seasons outpost also offers a distinct concept: a hotel within a hotel. Called Gensui, you'll find what the brand calls “Osaka's first modern ryokan [traditional inn] experience.” What's it like? Because the property features such distinct room types, I spent one night in a Western-style room and another on the Gensui floor.…

TAMARA HINSON A freelance journalist based in the UK, Tamara loves to snowboard, scuba dive and watch Formula 1. She spends a great deal of her time in Asia, and says pretty much anywhere on that continent is her happy place. On page 62 she heads to Osaka to explore its many facets and sample the food for which this lovely city is famous. DUNCAN FORGAN Raised in Fife, Scotland, just a few hearty tee shots from St. Andrews, it was almost a given that golf that would be part of Duncan's life. Now based in Bangkok, he covers golf, culture, food and other subjects for various publications. On page 44 he takes us around the best courses in the region and discovers some truly wonderful challenges. SHARON CROWTHER Sharon…

EUROPE Hiroshige at Outernet London, until September 7 The British Museum has teamed up with West End exhibition space Outernet London to bring Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige's Famous Places in Japan series to life – its wraparound screens animating the landscape paintings. The immersive experience is running alongside the Hiroshige: artist of the open road exhibition at the British Museum. ASIA-PACIFIC City2Surf Sydney, August 10 Sydney's famous City2Surf is the world's largest fun run; now in its 55th edition, this year it is expected to attract more than 80,000 participants on the 14km course, which heads from the city centre to Bondi Beach. The event is something of a carnival with plenty of fancy dress on display and activities such as the city's biggest dance party. The run has raised…

HONG KONG Avoca, Mondrian Avoca at Mondrian Hong Kong wows locals and visitors alike with stellar views over the cityscape. Its Lap Yuk Old Fashioned twists a classic by infusing bourbon with Chinese cured pork belly, for a complex, umami-rich finish. It's even crowned with a thin slice of bacon milk chocolate. BANGKOK Longtail River Bar & Lounge, Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort Longtail lets you kick back overlooking the capital's famed Chao Phraya River. There's no better choice than a cocktail of the same name featuring Phraya Gold Rum, fermented rice purée, coconut juice and more. SINGAPORE Altro Zafferano For unbeatable views over the architectural marvel of the Marina Bay Sands resort, restaurant-bar Altro Zafferano in the CBD has you covered. Forty-three floors up, sip on its signature Zafferano crafted…

THE SERIOUSLY SLEEK RitzCarlton yacht Luminara launches this summer and will be offering cruises from December to destinations around Asia, including a 14-night Singapore to Hong Kong voyage. There are 226 spacious suites, all featuring private terraces, while the onboard experience promises a range of fine dining across five restaurants and seven bars. Other features include a signature Ritz-Carlton Spa and curated excursions in every port which, in December, include Koh Samui for New Year's Eve, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. From US$23,000 per person, based on double occupancy. THE PROPERTY IN A REFLECTION of how the tropical paradise of Phuket has never been hotter as a destination, Banyan Group is set to release more than US$1 billion of new luxury residential real estate over…

Q & A How did you become a racing driver? I grew up in Dumbarton, Scotland, where Dad owned a garage business. My brother, Jimmy, drove for the Ecurie Ecosse team and competed at the British Grand Prix in 1953. It was hugely exciting to be in the pit lane. One of my father's customers asked if I would like a trial in a racing car myself. I did well enough to be asked back. Were you competitive as a youngster? I wasn't looked after very well at school – they often treated me like an idiot and I left when I was 15 to work in the family business. I found out many years later that I suffered from dyslexia. In those days, nobody seemed to know about it,…

ONE OF MY favourite benefits in the points and miles world is United's Excursionist Perk, which allows MileagePlus members to add a free one-way ticket on certain roundtrip itineraries booked with United miles. The airline has 17 designated regions around the world that group together various countries that fall within similar geographical areas. In the context of the Excursionist Perk, if you book a round-trip ticket with your miles that starts and ends in the same region, you can tack on an extra one-way flight to your itinerary within a different region for a cost of zero miles. A simple example of taking advantage of United's flight perks is booking a round-trip flight between the US and Europe – two different regions under the system. For instance, I can create…

Fireworks and parades take centre stage at independence day celebrations in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia this August, where revellers celebrate their national pride with shopping sprees, parades and games. While traditions acknowledge the past, annual themes of unity, pride and hope focus the attention on the future. This May, these nations were joined by Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam for the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, where political, economic and socio-cultural cooperation were on the agenda for the continued prosperity of the region. We look at what ASEAN means for its member nations, and take a tour of the independence day festivities. MALAYSIA SELAMAT HARI MERDEKA! MORE THAN 100,000 people flock to Malaysia's Independence Day Parade, many arriving well before sunrise to stake their claim…

Takoyaki are golf ball-sized battered snacks typically filled with octopus or squid. You'll see them everywhere in Osaka, especially in bustling Dotonbori, where six of them will cost you about 500 yen. Matsusaka beef comes from the Matsusaka city in central Japan. “It's got intense marbling and tenderness, and has a fabulous aftertaste,” says Tomoki Yamada, executive chef at the Conrad Osaka's Kura restaurant. Taiko manju are light, fluffy pancakes resembling the Taiko drums played during Japanese festivals. They're usually filled with sweet bean paste, but we recommend the ones filled with whipped cream.…

LOST TIME IS never found again,” Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard's Almanack, and while we know his inventions include everything from bifocals to swim fins, a watch capable of tracking time in two different cities sadly wasn't among them. Franklin loved to travel, trekking across the Atlantic eight times, including when he sailed to Paris so he could secure the funds that enabled the Continental Army to fight the British. Fast-forward 278 years from Franklin's quote, and collectively we've only become more strident in our desire to never lose time, indeed seeking any extra minutes whenever possible. That's especially true when travelling, and today's watchmakers have become ever more artful and inventive when designing pieces that display the hour where you have landed alongside an easy glance at the…

AVIATION Loyalty, lounge & route updates HOTELS What's new on the block TRAVEL Smart tips to ease your way CULTURE What to watch, where to head IN MARCH, FINLAND was named as the World's Happiest Country by the United Nationssponsored World Happiness Report. This was greeted with no great fanfare in the country itself – it was, after all, the eighth time in succession it had been named, and the people of Finland already know they're a pretty happy bunch. It also serves to belie an old image of Finland, which in years past was the butt of unkind jokes about its dullness (cue the Monty Python song about the country, in which it was cruelly described as a “poor second to Belgium when going abroad”). Visitors to Helsinki will…

JW MARRIOTT AUCKLAND has opened in New Zealand's biggest city. Located in the central business district and just a short walk to major transport networks, the hotel boasts 271 guest rooms and 15 suites. Singaporean architecture firm O37 is behind the hotel's design, and the decor employs a colour palette inspired by the spectacular countryside that surrounds Auckland. The hotel has a comprehensive array of venues for events, conferences and meetings, with six flexible function spaces. The JW Ballroom, for instance, is its largest (and pillarless) space, suitable for a range of functions and divisible into thirds. It features a 7m-wide LED screen, complemented by two additional 4m-wide…

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUNGE VIRACOPOS, TERMINAL 1, CAMPINAS VIRACOPOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BRAZIL Why visit: Children under 12 gain free access to this lounge in Campinas, São Paulo. Once inside, you'll find a children's play area and a quiet area, plus a games room for older kids. I.A.S.S SUPERIOR LOUNGE - KOCOO, TERMINAL 2, TOKYO NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, JAPAN Why visit: Entertain children with a selection of old-school games such as Mario Brothers. The lounge also has a retro toy museum and gallery of anime drawings. Children under six can enter for free. NO1 LOUNGE HEATHROW, TERMINAL 3, LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT, UK Why visit: In addition to family areas, a cinema room will keep little ones entertained. Tots under two also get free entry. Priority Pass members can pre-book this…

BOOKS AND CAKES So you've explored Gangnam's Bongeunsa Buddhist temple and posed with the Gangnam Style statue inspired by PSY's hit song. But have you been to Gangnam's Starfield Library, in the heart of the COEX Mall? Head here to marvel at the 13m-high shelves heaving with 70,000 books, or to attend one of the many events held in its beautiful softly lit atrium, whether they be art exhibitions or readings by Korean poets. If hunger strikes, head to the Billy Angel Cake Company cafe on the library's first floor – we recommend the grapefruit cake. If you plan to base yourself in this area, consider the Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Seoul Gangnam, which opened in December 2024. Opt for a room or suite on the Club floor and you'll…

BUAHAN, A BANYAN TREE ESCAPE, BALI Set in the verdant central highlands of Bali, adults-only Buahan is the ultimate retreat for quiet-seeking nature lovers. The resort's no-walls, no-doors concept immerses guests in their surroundings, with views of the lush forest, rice paddies, birds and butterflies – all from an oversized soaking tub or bed. Visitors can also finetune their wellness via full-moon yoga and meditation, all without leaving Buahan's slice of hillside paradise. THE LANDING, NEW ZEALAND Instead of following the well-trodden tourist track south of Auckland, try heading up north, where JOMO-primed getaway The Landing, in New Zealand's Bay of Islands, awaits. This waterfront property feels light years from tourism's hustle and bustle. Visitors can enjoy the calls of distant kiwis as dusk descends. The Landing is all about…

Q&A Emirates Skywards has experienced a lot of growth recently. What kind of numbers are you experiencing and what do you think has led to that growth? We've reached 35 million members, and I'm very proud of that, but I think the most important thing is that we're now seeing growth in engagement. We've been acquiring around 9,000 to 10,000 new members daily. I think there are three factors that contribute to our growth: 1. Dubai's global appeal: its 2024 tourism numbers had 9 per cent year-over-year increase, with nearly 19 million visitors. 2. Emirates’ premium travel experience drives people to join the loyalty programme. Some people say that I have the easiest job whereby I just leverage Emirates’ great brand to enrol people into the programme. 3. Skywards’ partnership…

IN A WORLD where we already have robots that vacuum our floors and apps that order our groceries, OpenAI has decided to up the ante with its latest creation: Operator. This AI agent, which can autonomously perform tasks such as booking travel, making restaurant reservations and shopping online, is being hailed as a game changer. But is it? Powered by something called the Computer-Using Agent model, Operator can navigate websites, click buttons, fill out forms and even correct its own mistakes (sometimes). It's like having a personal assistant, except this one occasionally books you a one-way ticket to Brisbane instead of Bangkok. And for a price. It is available only to ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the States for US$200 a month – perhaps the rate of an OpenTable dinner it…

THE ASSOCIATION OF Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit is a biannual meeting, attended by the leaders of ten Southeast Asian states. Member countries comprise Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The organisation focuses on regional development of economics, politics, security and socio-cultural goals. The first ASEAN Summit was held in 1976 and since then they have been integral to negotiating free trade agreements, the enhancement of political and social cooperation among states, addressing humanitarian crises and climate change, and developing frameworks for disaster response and public health crises. This year, Malaysia is host to both the 46th and 47th summits, held in May and November in Kuala Lumpur. In his opening remarks at the 46th edition of the summit, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim…

MICHAEL MÖSER EDITOR, BUSINESS TRAVELLER GERMANY Favourite business destination: Munich Favourite leisure destination: Portugal Back in the good old days of flying, you could safely take a suit bag on board, but try squeezing that into an overhead compartment today. I wear my jacket on board now, and my suit trousers go in my suitcase. My favourite piece of luggage is a black cabin case from the Lufthansa Flight Collection. It has countless compartments inside and out. The best part is the shirt compartment; if properly secured, the neatly folded shirts retain their shape. My checked baggage has failed to arrive a few times, so now I only fly carry-on. I love dark-blue jumpers. I have at least two with me when I'm travelling. What to take, besides clothing? The…