China cooperation remains exploratory
HBX Group and Trip.com Group announced on 22 October 2026 that they were expanding their partnership around inbound travel to China and financial technology. Travel Daily News Asia reported that the companies intend to combine Trip.com Group’s knowledge of the Chinese market with HBX Group’s distribution network spanning more than 170 countries.
The partners will also explore virtual-card payment solutions for travel businesses. The announcement did not include a product launch date, new booking service, additional hotel inventory or implementation timetable.
South Korea targets quality and regional access
South Korea is shifting its tourism policy from visitor volume towards quality, according to Kim Dae-hyun, vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, as reported by TTG Asia. Kim said the country received 18.9 million international visitors in 2025 and that more than 80% of foreign tourists were independent travellers.
Kim also said South Korea had introduced plans highlighting five tourism sites that are easily accessible from the airport, with the aim of giving travellers more options to explore the country’s regions.