Airbnb partners with CORTIS to launch REDRED-themed stay
Airbnb and CORTIS have teamed up to open the POP-UP: Airbnb & CORTIS Seoul Hideout, a free immersive fan experience running May 1–7 in Seoul, celebrating the group’s lead single REDRED from their upcoming 2nd EP GREENGREEN. The space is split into two themed zones — a bold, neon-lit Red side and a cooler, more intimate Green side — and features interactive activities including a customizable key card, locker exploration, a UV light decoding challenge, and photo moments throughout. Fans who attend (or have an active/completed Airbnb stay in Korea between April 23–May 7) may also be eligible to receive six exclusive unreleased CORTIS Square Pics, available for in-person pick-up at the venue. Bookings are open now at airbnb.com/cortis-ext, with 1,000+ spots available on a first-come, first-served basis — note that CORTIS will not be appearing in person, and guests are responsible for their own travel and accommodation.
Thailand and Dida team up to win back Chinese travellers with “Trusted Thailand” push
Thailand’s Tourism Authority (TAT) and digital travel company Dida have signed a partnership making Dida the lead digital distribution partner for the “Trusted Thailand” initiative in China. The collaboration is anchored in TAT’s “Amazing Thailand: Healing is the New Luxury” campaign, positioning Thailand as a wellness-focused destination built on safety, quality, and authenticity. On the ground, Dida will leverage its reach across Xiaohongshu, WeChat, and partners like Tencent and Huawei to connect travel inspiration to bookings earlier in the consumer journey. To kick things off fast, Dida is committing a minimum of RMB 2.5 million over the next 90 days toward demand generation, content, and experience-led product development. The broader goal is to attract higher-value visitors, build long-term traveler confidence, and extend tourism benefits to emerging destinations across Thailand.
Fliggy launches FlyAI to turn travel AI from concept into commerce
Alibaba-owned online travel platform Fliggy has launched FlyAI, an open AI platform that lets developers build travel apps and tools using real-time access to Fliggy’s full product catalog and inventory. It covers the entire travel journey — from search and planning to booking and fulfillment — across all major travel categories, and is built on the OpenClaw protocol. Developers can test the full AI workflow directly on the FlyAI website using natural language, making it easy to visualize how the platform fits into their own products. There’s also an Affiliate Program that lets developers earn commission on bookings made through tools they build. FlyAI builds on Fliggy’s “flyai” skill, which launched two weeks ago and quickly became one of the top-ranked travel skills on both GitHub and ClawHub. To get developers on board, Fliggy is offering a free, limited-time package of 5,000 API calls per logged-in user.
Ascott bets big on agentic AI with three strategic partnerships
Singapore-based hospitality company Ascott is making a major push into AI-ready infrastructure, announcing three partnerships — with Accenture, Amadeus, and EHL Hospitality Business School — to prepare for a future where AI agents, not humans, are the first point of contact in travel planning and booking. With Accenture, Ascott is rebuilding its core tech architecture to support agentic commerce, including evolving its existing AI concierge Cubby (which has already handled 900,000+ guest enquiries since 2023) from a conversational tool into a full booking agent. With Amadeus, it’s implementing a new central reservations system with an API-first, attribute-based architecture that makes its diverse portfolio — spanning serviced residences, hotels, and resorts across 230+ cities — easier for both guests and AI agents to navigate. And with EHL, Ascott is investing in workforce training to build an AI-ready culture from within, starting with its flagship Ascott brand before rolling out to Oakwood, Citadines, and others. The overarching goal is to ensure Ascott properties are visible and bookable wherever AI-driven travel decisions are being made — while keeping human warmth at the core of the guest experience.
Valpas becomes first hotel safety certification searchable inside ChatGPT
Bed bug prevention platform Valpas has launched an official app in the ChatGPT ecosystem, making it the first hotel certification provider to put verified safety data directly inside an AI travel assistant. Through the app, travellers can search and book from 300+ Valpas-certified hotels across 80+ destinations using natural language, with links going straight to each hotel’s own booking channels. The timing is deliberate — new Phocuswright research finds that 70% of travellers now check for cleanliness and bed bug safety before booking, a demand that’s been hard to serve in a consistent, verifiable way until now. Valpas uses patented, pesticide-free in-room technology to prevent infestations and provides continuous, room-level certification independently verified by Bureau Veritas — putting bed bug safety on the same audit footing as fire or water safety. The integration was built in collaboration with London-based ListoAI.
Agora hospitality mixes Japanese tradition with AR in new Spring package
To mark the opening of its newest property, Agora Place Kyoto Nijo, Agora Hospitality has launched a limited-time spring stay package — “Omamori & AR Experience” — available across nine Agora Hotel Alliance properties in Japan. Guests receive an original omamori-inspired charm (available in red for happiness, blue for travel and well-being, or green for health and success) as a cultural keepsake, plus access to an interactive AR experience featuring a guide character named Charmi, who can be brought to life via smartphone by scanning a QR code for photos and exploration. The charms are also available for individual purchase at hotel front desks for JPY 500.
