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iVisa launches tracker as visa rules tighten worldwide
Hybrid & Remote Work

iVisa launches tracker as visa rules tighten worldwide

Travellers now face a fast-changing maze of entry forms, fees and bans, with iVisa's free tracker logging 97 rule changes across 61 countries.

By Shadda Lie Catugal • 4 min read • Last week
Agoda rolls out AI assistant across 21 travel markets
Generative AI

Agoda rolls out AI assistant across 21 travel markets

Travellers in 21 markets can now plan and book whole trips in one chat, as Agoda's mobile app adds live prices, flights and hotels.

By Mara Sugue • 3 min read • Last week
American Express cards accepted through TBC in Georgia
Payment Technologies

American Express cards accepted through TBC in Georgia

More merchants and online retailers in Georgia can now take American Express, widening card choice for local shoppers and visitors.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 3 min read • Last week
Seatlr adds AI city guides & safety reports to app
Artificial Intelligence

Seatlr adds AI city guides & safety reports to app

Travellers can now get local guidance, community chat and four daily safety updates in one app, though it is no substitute for official sources.

By Sean Mitchell • 3 min read • Last week

Stories from Other Regions

Tourism stories

Mackenzie toilet charges to kick-in ahead of Waitangi weekend
Payment Technologies

Mackenzie toilet charges to kick-in ahead of Waitangi weekend

Visitors to 33 Mackenzie toilets will pay $1.50 a visit from Waitangi weekend 2027, as the council shifts costs onto tourists.

By Claire Taylor • 4 min read • Yesterday
Splash Planet's future up for feedback as Hastings council looks to limit rates rises
Local Government

Splash Planet's future up for feedback as Hastings council looks to limit rates rises

Residents are being asked whether to keep funding the ageing theme park as Hastings District Council weighs service cuts to ease rates pressure.

By Linda Hall • 4 min read • Yesterday
Time running out to get Kaikōura Inland Road open for Christmas
Christmas

Time running out to get Kaikōura Inland Road open for Christmas

A temporary fix to a flood-damaged bridge could cost more than $300,000, as the council races to reopen the route before Christmas.

By David Hill • 3 min read • Last week
Smart Planner launches travel app beta focused on Queenstown
Artificial Intelligence

Smart Planner launches travel app beta focused on Queenstown

Travellers in Queenstown will now test a beta app that links trip planning with local businesses, community initiatives and destination context.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Last week
'Outrageous absurdity': Couple fears waterfront Ferris wheel will make apartment building derelict
Auckland Council

'Outrageous absurdity': Couple fears waterfront Ferris wheel will make apartment building derelict

Auckland residents could soon face blocked harbour views and added noise if a 32-metre ferris wheel is approved for Queens Wharf.

By Pretoria Gordon • 4 min read • Last week
HSBC launches RedCoin stablecoin on PayMe in Hong Kong
Crypto

HSBC launches RedCoin stablecoin on PayMe in Hong Kong

More than 3.3 million PayMe users can soon use HSBC RedCoin for instant transfers and merchant payments, as Hong Kong tightens its digital asset rules.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • Last week
Mangapurua Track on Great Ride reopens with seven new bridges
Cycling

Mangapurua Track on Great Ride reopens with seven new bridges

Cyclists can again use the remote route after seasonal work and seven wider crossings improved safety before summer.

By Moana Ellis • 3 min read • Last month
Flood risk meeting called at Franz Josef Glacier
Civil Defence

Flood risk meeting called at Franz Josef Glacier

Residents will hear updated advice on whether stopbanks and infrastructure at Franz Josef can withstand the Waiho River's shifting flood risk.

By Vihan Dalal • 5 min read • Last month
Famed Coromandel track eyes Christmas reopening at a third of original cost
Construction

Famed Coromandel track eyes Christmas reopening at a third of original cost

Visitors to Cathedral Cove could regain access before Christmas as a new reroute is set to cost $121,000, well below the 2024 estimate.

By Jordan Smith • 3 min read • Last month
Rates cap could leave roading projects high and dry
Local Government

Rates cap could leave roading projects high and dry

North Canterbury councils warn the cap could delay bridge and road work, forcing hard choices for small ratepayer bases and freight links.

By David Hill • 4 min read • Last month
Thailand's real estate growth shifts beyond Bangkok
Manufacturing

Thailand's real estate growth shifts beyond Bangkok

Investment is spreading into Thailand's industrial and tourism hubs as supply chain shifts and higher ESG standards weaken Bangkok's dominance.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Last month
Rotorua emergency housing drops to one motel as crisis-era numbers collapse
Ministry of Social Development

Rotorua emergency housing drops to one motel as crisis-era numbers collapse

Emergency housing demand has fallen sharply in Rotorua, leaving just one motel supporting about a dozen households after more than 600 at the 2020/21 peak.

By Mathew Nash • 3 min read • Last month
South Waikato visitors asked to reconsider trip to Te Waihou/Blue Spring over long weekend
Conservation

South Waikato visitors asked to reconsider trip to Te Waihou/Blue Spring over long weekend

Pressure on South Waikato ratepayers is mounting as officials budget $20,000 for Labour weekend traffic controls at Te Waihou/Blue Spring.

By Bronson Perich • 6 min read • Last month