Industry News Updates 28 August

A quick roundup of Philippine and Global Hospitality and Tourism Industry News Updates for the week ending August 28, 2026.

Industry News Updates – Headlines:

Megaworld’s Plans for 12,000 Rooms by 2032
Boracay Hosts Southeast Asia Open Swimming Competition A PH First
Winners of 7th Sports Tourism Awards PH Announced.
Artisans, Creatives & Merchants Invited to Join Manila ARTSIHAN
ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit 2026 Announced
2nd Siargao Food and Wine Festival Concludes This Weekend
50% Of New PH Hotel Rooms Foreign Branded.
Asia’s Best Bar Manila Takeover.
At Least 547 Killed in Flash Floods in Nepal
Swiss Tourist Jailed In Bali For Insulting Religious Festival
Passport Reminder Issued to Brits Traveling to Republic of Ireland.
“Flamingo Revolution” Protest Ongoing 80 Days Later
eVisa Error Blocks Twin From Flying Home
Thai Police Arrest Prominent Israeli Real Estate Developer Plus 19 Others

Philippines Hospitality & Tourism Industry News Updates

Megaworld’s Plans for 12,000 Rooms by 2032

Megaworld has announced its goal of 12,000 new hotel rooms in the Philippines by 2032, along with an organizational realignment.

The organizational restructure, announced this week, introduces a new layer to operations – Megaworld Global Hotels and Resorts (MGHR) – which will oversee its two portfolios: Megaworld Hotels and Resorts (MHR) and Megaworld Global Hospitality (MGH).

Megaworld Hotels and Resorts (MHR), led by Managing Director Socrates Alvaro, will continue to manage existing ‘homegrown’ hotels, and future developments around the Philippines.

Megaworld Global Hospitality (MGH), led by Managing Director Anna Vergara, has responsibility for the internationally branded properties; Movenpick Manila Bay Westside, Belmont Hotel Iloilo, Courtyard by Marriot and Richmond Hotel Iloilo hotels, and its pending Palawan development.

Future developments and plans, under both MHR ad MGH, are expected to result in a portfolio of almost 12,000 hotel rooms by 2032, along with additional jobs and career advancement opportunities.

Boracay Hosts Southeast Asia Open Swimming Competition A PH First

Boracay hosted the first Philippines-based Southeast Asia Open Swimming Competition, the 4th of the competition series, on Friday 21 to Sunday 23 August.

As we reported back in July the competition was organized by Philippine Aquatics Inc (PAI) and Southeast Asia Aquatics, and was presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with the Province and LGU of Aklan.

General consensus is that the competition was a success and could attract future competitions.

“We are grateful that we staged this international open water swimming showcase smoothly. It has opened up chances in hosting similar but bigger events in the future.” – Eric Buhain, Secretary General Philippine Aquatics Inc.

Running from August 21-23 the 4th SEA Open Water Swimming Championships welcomed more than 120 top swimmers from eight Southeast Asian countries.

The swimmers competed in 3kilometer, 5kilometer and 10kilometer solo races, and also relay races. For race results check out Philippine Aquatics Inc Facebook Page.

Winners of 7th Sports Tourism Awards PH Announced.

This week saw the 7th Sports Tourism Awards take place with a ceremony held on Monday August 24, at Marriott Manila.

The event was presented by the Sports Turismo Alliance Inc and the Philippines Sports Commission, with their respective chairmen, Celso Jimenez Jr and Patrick Gregorio hosting the awards, alongside the Founder and Chairman of Sports Tourism Awards Charles Lim.

Department of Tourism Under Secretary, Shahlimar Tamao, and Benito Bengzon Jr, VP of Sports Turismo Alliance Inc were also in attendance, along with senior figures from national sports associations in the Philippines.

“When we host events of this magnitude, we don’t just welcome athletes and fans. We showcase our destinations, inspire our youth, and strengthen our national identity through sports.’’ Philippines Sports Commission Chair Patrick Gregorio.

The 7th Sports Tourism Awards Winners are as follows:-

Airline of the Year – Philippine Airlines
Charity Event of the Year – Marriott Charity Golf
Destination Marketing of the Year – City of Lapu-Lapu
Destination of the Year – Subic Bay Freeport
Domestic Event of the Year – Tour of Luzon
Emerging Destination of the Year – City of Puerto Princesa
Emerging Sports Association of the Year – World Archery Philippines, Inc.
Event Organizer of the Year (Private) – Sunrise Events, Inc.
Event Organizer of the Year (Public) – City of Puerto Princesa
Hotel of the Year – NUSTAR Resort Cebu
International Event of the Year – FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup Manila
Local Sports TV Channel of the Year – Island Living Channel
Media Outfit of the Year – Duck World Philippines
MICE Event of the Year – Sports Tourism Forum – SMX Clark
Personality of the Year – Cynthia Lagdameo Carrion
Sports Association of the Year – Philippine Football Federation
Tour Operator of the Year – Grand Country Tours & Travel
Venue of the Year – New Clark City

Artisans, Creatives & Merchants Invited to Join Manila Artsihan

A call has gone out to artisans, creatives and merchants to join this years Manila Artsihan.

Manila Artsihan 2026, long considered Manila’s biggest celebration of local artistry, is scheduled to take place September 11-13 at SM City San Lazaro.

Its organizers have invited artists, creatives and merchants to sign up to showcase their creativity, passion, and handmade products to thousands of visitors.

ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit 2026 Announced.

This years ASEAN Health Tourism & Wellness Economy Summit will take place next weekend, September 4-5, during the Health and Wellness Confex (HWONFEX) at the SMX Convention Center, Manila

Organized by HWONFEX, presented by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and co-located with PITAHC’s HilomX, the event is expected to host more than 400 exhibitors, showcase 50+ speakers and witness more than 7,000 visitors walk through the doors.

An official event preview, given this week, presented the Philippines’ national strategy – “Go Explore, Grow Communities, Glow Together”. The strategy aims to capture a large share of the $6.8 trillion global preventive health, medical travel, and retirement infrastructure market.

“We are redefining tourism beyond traditional travel and positioning our region as a world-class destination for health, wellness, and aging gracefully.” – Wanda Tulfo-Teo, Health and Wellness Advocate, and former DOT Secretary 2016-18.

From a tourism perspective, health and wellness present economic opportunities and HWONFEX 2026 serves as the premier business-to-business-to-consumer marketplace designed to integrate the hospitality and wellness industries.

Visitors to HWONFEX 2026 will have the opportunity to explore interactive exhibits, cutting-edge holistic healing practices, and expert-led workshops designed to elevate personal well-being.

Visit the HWONFEX website for more tickets and details.

2nd Siargao Food and Wine Festival Concludes This Weekend

The 2nd Siargao Food and Wine Festival began this week and continues into this weekend too, with a whole host of events and activities.

The Festival kicked off with an Opening Gala held at Wild Siargao. Starting at 6pm with a live painting session accompanied by a percussion performance from Carlos Cuenca, the night progressed with an interactive Tinikling performance by Espoir.

More live music followed ahead of the finale – Four Chefs, One Kitchen. An opportunity to be served direct to your table with food prepared by some of the Philippines most celebrated chefs – Hannah Sanchez, Jarrod Moore, Host Chef Extraordinaire Andre Malarky, and Chef Morris Danzen who we featured in a three-part interview series in February 2026.

This opening event delivered the theme for the festival – kitchen collaborations, visiting chefs, island kitchens, local produce, community gatherings and workshops.

“This festival is a celebration of community, passion, and the vibrant culinary spirit of our island. This week isn’t just a food festival; it’s a celebration of our community’s journey, our shared passion, and the unbelievable flavors grown right here in Siargao.” Chef Andre Malarky, Wild Siargao

Check out the remaining Siargao Food & Wine Festival schedule here or visit www.siargaofoodfest.com

50% Of New PH Hotel Rooms Foreign Branded.

Foreign-branded hotels are projected to make up nearly half of all new hotel rooms between 2026-2029, according to market reports released this week by Colliers Philippines and CBRE.

Between 2026 and 2029 a pipeline of around 2,000 keys per year will enter the market, with 71% concentrated in Manila Bay, Makati Central Business District (CBD), and Quezon City. Global names like Hilton, Radisson Red, Sofitel, Pullman, Wyndham Garden, and Mandarin Oriental are driving this expansion.

Metro Manila expects the completion of 2,490 new hotel rooms by the end of 2026.

Asia’s Best Bar Manila Takeover

Guests at Conrad Manila witnessed a bar takeover tonight – but it wasn’t hostile, criminal or dangerous. Celebrated bartenders from Hope & Sesame – recently ranked No.1 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026 – flew in for the exclusive one-night-only bar takeover.

Co-presented with Bacardi, Hope & Sesame’s bartenders served up a selection of cocktails and mocktails at Conrad’s famous C Lounge.

Global Industry News Updates:

At Least 547 Killed in Flash Floods in Nepal

547 bodies have been recovered from affected areas on the Nepal-Tibet border after a flash flood tore through the area early on Wednesday August 26. 466 injured people have so far been rescued and taken to medical facilities.

Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority expect the number of deaths to rise, with close to 1,400 people still missing.

644 tourists from 32 different countries, including one Filipino, have not yet made contact with their Tour Operators or authorities, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. Chinese state media also estimates that 558 people are missing, including 260 foreign nationals on the Tibet side of the border.

Many of the tourists, who are unaccounted for in Nepal, were taking part in guided treks and expeditions to Mount Kailash and surrounding areas. Mount Kailash is considered the spiritual home of the Hindu god Shiva and a popular pilgrimage trek.

The flash-flood was initially believed to have been triggered by a 5.2 earthquake. But the US Geological Survey has indicated from their analysis that it was generated by a significant landslide caused by a glacial collapse. The impact of the glacial collapse caused such a catastrophic landslide it mimicked seismic activity, resulting in the initial citing that an earthquake occurred.

Chinese State Media has also reported mudslides and flash-floods in the Tibetan Gyirong area. They have confirmed that 3 people have been killed, with more than 558 people still missing.

The UN and Governments around the world are sending money, disaster response teams and resources to the area. A representative from the International Federation of the Red Cross has confirmed that entire Nepalese villages have been swept away, and that 90,000 people have been affected by the disaster.

Scientists are warning that glaciers are melting at an accelerating rate in the Himalayan area, pointing to rising temperatures and climate change as the cause.

Swiss Tourist Jailed In Bali For Insulting Religious Festival

A Swiss tourist has been jailed for 1 year for refusing to observe the restrictions in place for Bali’s sacred ‘Day of Silence’, and insulting the practice as well.

Denpasar District Court learned that Luzian Andrin Zgraggen had been informed of the sacred Hindu observances by the villa staff where he was staying. This included what was not permitted during the day.

The Hindu Day of Silence is called Nyepi. On this day everyone is expected to stay at home, and practise meditation and silence. The only breaches to the requirements are people dealing with an emergency and those who are tasked with making sure everyone is following the regulations.

Bali’s streets and beaches are empty of people, and shops and businesses – including Bali airport – are closed for the day, and the internet is switched off.

In an Instagram post, that later went viral in Bali and across Indonesia, Zgraggen called the observance “crazy” and bragged about how he had defied the days religious restrictions by visiting the beach in Legian.

Police were able to track Zgraggen down to the villa he was staying at from previous posts, after receiving reports and complaints of his disrespect from hundreds of Balinese residents.

Zgraggen claimed that he was ‘Hangry’ at the time of posting, and frustrated that he could not get any food during the religious observation. He said he didn’t fully comprehend how important the observation was and apologized to the Balinese people.

The Denpasar District Court charged Zgraggen under Indonesia’s 2023 Criminal Code (KUHP), Article 301 which covers disseminating insults via electronic media.

“What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage, the defendant must be held accountable for his actions.” – Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima, presiding Judge.

While domestic and foreign tourists have been detained in the past for being caught outside during Nyepi, Luzian Andrin Zgraggen is the first to be jailed, as he additionally insulted Balinese Hindu’s and mocked their religious observance online.

Passport Reminder Issued to Brits Traveling to Republic of Ireland.

British and Irish citizens have been reminded of new travel rules coming into effect on September 28, 2026.

From September 28 onwards British and Irish travelers will need to present a valid passport or passport card [Irish] when traveling by ferry between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.

Affected ferry routes are:-

Stena Line: Holyhead to Dublin, and Fishguard to Rosslare.
Irish Ferries: Holyhead to Dublin, and Pembroke to Rosslare.

Domestic routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland remain exempt from this change. Passengers traveling via Stena Line from ports like Belfast, Liverpool, Cairnryan, or Heysham face no modifications to existing ID requirements.

Ferry operators have introduced this mandatory measure to comply with updated UK Border Force guidelines.

“Flamingo Revolution” Protest Ongoing 80 Days Later

The “Flamingo Revolution”, the public protest movement against the controversial $4billion Kushner/Trump luxury resort in Albania, remains ongoing 80 days later.

The protests center on land ownership, transparency concerns, and government decision-making regarding the Sazan Island and Zvërnec/Narta area – an environmentally sensitive and protected coastal region.

Thousands of Albanian’s have marched through the streets carrying inflatable flamingoes and signs stating “Albania is not for sale”, demanding accountability from their Prime Minister.

Since the start of the protests more controversy has arisen, with accusations of falsified deeds, which the land development company denies.

In June, the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime had the Albania Land Development bank accounts frozen while investigations were undertaken into the allegations of fraudulent property titles.

While this action was overturned within a month the underlying corruption and land title investigations into the property seller remain active.

Greece and the European Commission have weighed in on the issue, with the European Commission advising President Edi Rama that Brussels is monitoring the protected landscape closely to ensure any work undertaken is conservation standards compliant.

eVisa Error Blocks Twin From Flying Home

A woman, born in Spain but ‘legally settled’ in the UK, was stopped from boarding her flight home by Airport Border Security in Spain.

Nidia Webb has an identical twin sister who continues to live in Spain. The digitalized eVisa system had somehow linked Nidia’s UK Settled Status to her sisters ID rather than hers.

The UK’s Home Office, which oversees passports and Settled Status, have advised the woman that there is a known technical issue, which affects triplets and twins, within the system.

The issue was eventually addressed by the Home Office and woman was allowed to fly back to the UK a few days later. Although it was her twin sister who received the email confirming the matter had been fixed!

Thail Police Arrest Prominent Israeli Real Estate Developer Plus 19 Others

Prominent Israeli Real Estate Developer Gal Bieber was arrested in Thailand on Saturday August 22 on suspicion of using Thai citizens as nominee shareholders in order to conceal the foreign ownership of his businesses in the country.

Bieber was just one of 62 foreign nationals picked up by police after Thai authorities delved into the company documents of nearly 13,000 companies registered on Koh Samui.

The investigation found that 8,254 of the companies had foreign shareholders, and 875 of them had characteristics or behaviors that could indicate the use of Thai citizens as nominee shareholders.

After investigating further Thai Authorities opened 60 cases against company execs, with 62 arrest warrants issued for foreign nationals, and a further 26 warrants for Thai nationals.

The arrest warrants issued were for 20 Israelis – including Bieber, 17 Russians, 12 French, 2 Ukrainian, and 2 Germans. 27 suspects were arrested in just one day.

What is a nominee shareholder?
A nominee shareholder is a Thai citizen, enlisted as a shareholder or owner but with no real input other than their name and signature, to cover the fact the business is foreign-owned and run.

It can be a way to launder or hide money, or to circumnavigate strict business ownership regulations in Thailand.

Koh Samui is the seventh area in Thailand to carry out investigations into concealed foreign ownership practices. Previous investigations have already been undertaken in Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga and Chonburi, resulting in the issuance of 178 arrest warrants, and 91 arrests.

Bieber denies the allegation.

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