Banyan Group and Mandai Wildlife Group marked a major moment with the Grand Opening of Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, celebrated with an event that brought together nature, design and community. The opening also marked Banyan Group’s 100th resort, making it a meaningful homecoming for the brand in Singapore.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam officiated the launch, inaugurated the resort’s Wishing Wall and offered a first look at the Rainforest Festival, which opens to the public today. The event began with a musical prelude by young artists from the Wolfgang Violin Studio, followed by a guided walk through the resort showcasing its sustainable architecture, biodiversity corridors and nature-inspired guest experiences.

During the preview, guests explored highlights from the Discovery Trail, artisanal crafts from around the world at the Banyan Gallery Showcase and the GREEN-HOUSE HangOut weekend market. They also visited Curiosity Cove, Singapore’s largest indoor nature-themed playscape, located a short walk from the resort. Nearly 100 beneficiaries from President’s Challenge programmes attended the preview, with more than 2,000 expected through the festival week.

The celebrations continued with the premiere of The Journey, a short film tracing Banyan Group’s evolution from its beginnings in Phuket to its milestone 100th resort in Singapore. This was followed by an intimate In Conversation session with Founder and Executive Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping and Co-Founder and Senior Vice President Ms Claire Chiang.

The programme also featured a City in Nature dialogue introduced by Ho Ren Yung, Deputy CEO, Banyan Group. The discussion explored themes like regenerative design and nature-positive development, with speakers from conservation, architecture and design including Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, Dawn Lim and Wong Chiu Man. Dr Mark Watson, Group Director of Sustainability and Impact at Banyan Group, moderated the session.

The Grand Opening Day ended with an appreciation dinner for partners and collaborators, hosted by emcee Paul Foster. The evening included performances by Min Lee, talents from Wolfgang Violin Studio, singer-songwriter Shazza, vocal band MICappella and Cultural Medallion recipient Dick Lee, whose rendition of “Home” closed the night.

The Rainforest Festival runs from 27 November to 3 December 2025, offering discovery trails, craft showcases, wellbeing sessions, nature walks, creative workshops and family activities. Weekend highlights include the GREEN-HOUSE HangOut, bringing together sustainable homegrown brands and live performances by artists such as Joie Tan, MICappella and others. Beans & Beats takes over the stage on Sunday.

All festival ticket proceeds will support President’s Challenge 2025 and will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Banyan Group. An additional 20 per cent from paid experiences by Mandai Wildlife Group and the resort, along with SG60-exclusive merchandise sales at Banyan Gallery, will also be donated and matched under the SG60 Matching Grants.

To commemorate the opening and SG60, the resort has introduced a Silver Staycation weekday retreat for seniors aged 60 and above, available for stays until 30 April 2026. The offer includes daily breakfast for two, advance purchase savings and a complimentary Family Room upgrade for seniors travelling with grandchildren, subject to availability. Guests also receive a SG$100 nett resort credit redeemable across dining, spa treatments, in-resort activities and park admission arranged through the resort’s concierge team.

Experience Abu Dhabi, the destination brand of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has announced Deepika Padukone as its newest regional brand ambassador. Deepika now joins her husband, Bollywood icon Ranveer Singh, who has been associated with the brand since 2023, making them the first Bollywood power couple to represent the destination together.

With a global fan base and strong appeal among audiences in India and abroad, Deepika will share her journey through Abu Dhabi and highlight the emirate as a destination filled with culture, creativity and memorable experiences for every kind of traveller.

The announcement of her ambassadorship was launched along with a new cinematic film series featuring Deepika and Ranveer. Each episode captures a different side of Abu Dhabi, from its heritage and artistic spaces to moments of joy, discovery and connection.

In Episode 1, the couple explored the city’s cultural icons, including the stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the inspiring galleries at Louvre Abu Dhabi. Episode 2 followed them on a lively day around the city, featuring shopping, stylish dining and moments of togetherness.

The story continues with Episode 3: Art, Play & Paradise, the latest and final part of the film series. In this episode, Deepika and Ranveer enjoy a playful day at teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi before relaxing at the luxurious Bab Al Nujoom Hudayriyat Water Villas. The film highlights the creative and joyful spirit of Abu Dhabi, where every moment feels personal and full of possibility.

As brand ambassador, Deepika will lead upcoming campaigns that showcase the emirate’s wide range of experiences and seasonal highlights. Through engaging films and storytelling, she will invite travellers to discover Abu Dhabi in their own way, whether it’s a calm day spent kayaking in the mangroves or an adventure-filled itinerary with thrilling activities.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi:

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of the emirate’s culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries. The organisation focuses on economic progress and supports Abu Dhabi’s global ambitions by working with partners across the ecosystem. Its vision is rooted in the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape, aiming to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s identity as a place of authenticity, innovation and exceptional experiences.

Etihad Airways has secured a major global win this year, being ranked one of the top airlines in the prestigious 2025 AirHelp Score. With a strong overall score of 8.07 out of 10, the airline has jumped nine spots compared to last year, earning its place as the world’s second-best airline.

The AirHelp Score is known for being one of the most reliable airline rankings, measuring airlines on three important factors, on-time performance, customer opinion and claim processing. The 2025 results are based on flight data collected between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025, along with surveys from more than 11,500 passengers across over 60 countries.

Etihad’s rise comes during a year of fast-paced expansion. The airline has increased its modern fleet to 120 aircraft, grown its global network to more than 100 destinations and carried 19% more passengers year-on-year. Even with this growth, Etihad has maintained strong punctuality and guest satisfaction, which played a key role in achieving this ranking.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “Rising to one of the top two airlines in the world is an extraordinary achievement and a clear validation of everything we are building at Etihad. While rapidly growing our network, fleet and guest numbers, we have stayed laser-focused on what truly matters: getting our guests there on time, delivering thoughtful and genuine hospitality at every touchpoint, and standing by them when plans change. This ranking is proud recognition for every single member of our people who make that promise real, flight after flight.”

Sharing his views on Etihad’s achievement, Tomasz Pawliszyn, Chief Executive Officer of AirHelp, added: “Etihad Airways’ rise to second place globally, with an overall score of 8.07, is impressive. Climbing nine places in a single year reflects the airline’s strong commitment to the passenger experience, especially regarding on-time performance and customer satisfaction. As the aviation landscape continues to evolve, the 2025 AirHelp Score shows which airlines are keeping pace with modern passenger expectations. Today’s travellers expect honesty, accountability, and reliability. We’re pleased to see Etihad setting such a strong example for the industry this year.”

The ranking also highlights AirHelp’s unique scoring structure, which includes customer opinion on cabin crew, comfort, cleanliness, food and entertainment. The claim-processing score measures how fairly and efficiently an airline supports passengers when flights are disrupted.