Bali plans major airport upgrade

Bali is to get a much better airport. 

The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has announced its intention to upgrade and revitalise Ngurah Rai International Airport to handle 32 million domestic and international passengers by 2031, newsletter Bali Update reports.

​The airport’s current rated annual passenger handling capacity is 25 million.

Both the Ministry of Transportation and the state-owned airport management company PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (InJourney Airport) have been instructed to accelerate planning and implementation, as part of efforts to expand and enhance the airport’s facilities to accommodate a projected influx of 32 million in the early 2030s.

​With a rapid post-Covid pandemic recovery, the island’s airport is expected to handle 24.9 million tourists in 2026. 

​A surge in passenger traffic is driven by new international airlines opening regular direct routes to Bali, including Etihad, Saudia Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and T'Way Air.

​As a result, increasingly congested flight slots have made it urgent to strengthen air connectivity by expanding airport capacity to support equitable Island development.

​”We see that the number of passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has now reached around 24.9 million per year, even exceeding the pre-Covid-19 pandemic level,” said Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi.

”Through airport capacity expansion, we hope this number can increase to around 32 million passengers, thereby supporting equitable development.”

​Because land is limited in South Bali, the government and airport operators have agreed to maximize existing infrastructure and facilities rather than build a massive new terminal.

Australians continue their love affair with Hong Kong

Australian travellers have long had a love affair with Hong Kong - and it shows no signs of ending. 

Australian arrivals to Hong Kong have continued to grow year-on-year with the latest Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) statistics for January-June 2026 showing a 20% lift. 

A total of 267,000 Aussies headed to Honkers. 

January 2026 saw the biggest increase of 32% with 71,000 Australian visitors heading to Hong Kong in that month alone, continuing the momentum of late 2025. 

The Hong Kong Sevens and Easter break saw a strong-performing April with 55,000 Australian travellers; June was also a highlight month for market growth with a 24% jump.

HKTB director for Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific, Karen Macmillan, said: “After seeing a double-digit increase year-on-year in 2025 for Australian and New Zealand visitors to Hong Kong, it’s really pleasing to see this growth continue from such a competitive base.

“Known as ‘Asia’s World City’, Hong Kong’s year-round event calendar, as well as HKTB’s positioning of the destination as a diverse hub for extended stopovers and longer stays, saw overnight arrivals from Australia increase by 17% over the same period, and 11% from New Zealand.

“Hong Kong is already known for its world-class dining, shopping and accommodating offering, but we’ve also been working to communicate its breadth of outdoor experiences such as hiking trails and island hopping, as well as its incredible cultural offering and unique festivals.” 

Globally, HKTB registered a year-on-year increase of 13%, with 26.7 million visitors for the first half of 2026.

To stay updated on what’s happening in Hong Kong, visit www.discoverhongkong.com

Image: Victoria Harbour Sunset, John Huang

Shanghai pulling in the crowds

Shanghai is fast rebounding as a major tourism destination. 

The Chinese city received 9.3602 million inbound visitors over 2025, cementing its position as a leading gateway for international travellers visiting China.

Data released this week by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism showed inbound arrivals climbed 39.58% year-over-year with momentum accelerating toward year end.

December alone saw 1.0777 million inbound visits, up 45.56% from the same period a year earlier.

Overnight stays accounted for the largest share of inbound travel. 

Arrivals from South Korea more than doubled to 909,100, a rise of 103.62% from a year earlier, while visitor numbers from Russia increased significantly, with December arrivals jumping 93.58%. 

Thailand, Indonesia and Italy all recorded annual increases of over 50%.

Traditional source markets such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia maintained steady momentum, each posting growth of more than 30%. 

Thanks to visa-free policies and Shanghai's many attractions, boutique hotels reported robust performance. 

International travellers accounted for 66% of guests at the Yangtze Boutique Shanghai, with Europeans making up the largest group. 

Five-star hotels, representing the high-end segment, delivered particularly strong results. Occupancy reached 70.71% in December, up 4.45 percentage points from a year earlier. 

Image: Dubai tourists in Shanghai. Image: Yang Yuhong/Xinmin Evening News

Taiwan moves to increase visitor numbers from Australia and New Zealand

Taiwan is an increasingly popular destination for travellers from Australia and New Zealand.

The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) this week opened the Australian Taiwan Tourism Information Centre (TTIC) in Sydney.

The opening comes as recent visitor data shows a growing trend with visitor numbers from Australia and New Zealand up by more than 26% in the past year and forecast to climb a further 16% in 2025.

More than 60% of Australians and New Zealanders who travel to Taiwan do so for leisure, making it one of Asia's fast-growing leisure destinations.

Arrivals between January and May 2025 were already up 17.47% against the same period in 2024, and TTA anticipates a total of 150,000 ANZ visitors in 2025.

Located in the Sydney CBD at 22 Market Street, the new TTIC is designed to offer travel advice, cultural showcases and insider tips.

"Australian travellers are adventurous and discerning, seeking meaningful cultural encounters and authentic nature experiences, and Taiwan has it all," said Shih-fang Huang, deputy director general of Taiwan Tourism Administration.

"With the opening of our new TTIC Sydney office, we're making it even easier for Australians to discover Taiwan's beauty, flavours and culture, while strengthening our partnerships here and underscoring our commitment to the country."

Direct flights to Taiwan are available on China Airlines and EVA Air. 

See eng.taiwan.net.tw

Image: Taipei City