GENEVA – The head of the world’s association for airlines says it needs to explain better the commitments it made years ago to reduce carbon emissions, and not make new pledges collectively – despite rising environmental concerns.

BANGALORE – The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in the Indian technology city of Bangalore may soon be further developed into an airport city, with plans to build convention centres, business parks and hotels.

HUIZHOU, CHINA – Thailand-based hospitality giant Dusit International has opened Dusit Thani Sandalwoods Resort Shuangyue Bay Huizhou, Guangdong, a deluxe resort overlooking the South China Sea in Pinghai Ancient City.

KUALA LUMPUR – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts on Dec 19 announced the opening of its flagship Wyndham hotel brand in the Royal Town of Klang, just 30 minutes from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

NEW YORK – The Events Industry Council has launched the EIC Knowledge Hub, an online resource providing event professionals with the latest education, courses and trends regarding the meetings industry.

JAKARTA – When he first took over the portfolio of Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy in October, Wishnutama Kusubandio was taken aback at the lack of a national tourism masterplan.

BANGKOK – Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) will be zooming into expediting the MICE sector in 2020 via a new 4Ms movement as well as their national push for sustainable MICE cities.

MELBOURNE – Bigger and better. That’s what the 2020 edition of Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME), the leading meetings and conventions event in the region, is looking to be after it released a performance update.

MADURAI – The capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Madurai, has proposed to build a convention centre that has seven halls that seat 4,500 people.

ADELAIDE — Meetings planners looking to bring their events to Australia will no longer face a shortage of accommodation, with the country now ranks 12th worldwide in number of open hotel rooms, and fourth among countries in Asia Pacific.

SEOUL – The capital city of South Korea, Seoul, has won the bid to host the World Congress of Gastroenterology (WCOG) in 2023.

JAKARTA – Archipelago International, Asia’s largest privately-owned and independent hotel management group, have announced three new hotel signings just before closing the year.

TEXAS – Taking a step back from a contentious negotiation and trying to change your focus and perspective can help take the temperature down a notch or two, advised Nancy Cramer, founder of Correct Course Consulting, while speaking to attendees at Northstar Meetings Group’s Destination Texas event on Dec 10.

BANGKOK – Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is stepping up efforts to woo MICE tourists from Asia Pacific on the back of a successful campaign in FY 2019.