Royal Caribbean has officially opened its newest destination, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, bringing a first-of-its-kind all-inclusive beach club experience to Nassau, The Bahamas. Designed to blend the natural beauty of the islands with Royal Caribbean’s signature experiences, the beach club offers vacationers a flexible and immersive way to enjoy their time ashore.

Guests visiting Nassau can now purchase all-inclusive day passes through Royal Caribbean’s website, granting access to a wide range of beachside amenities and experiences. The destination features two pristine beaches and three distinct pools, each catering to different moods, from lively celebrations to laid-back relaxation and family fun.

One of the major highlights of the beach club is The Floating Flamingo, the world’s largest swim-up bar, located in Party Cove. With DJ-spun music, tropical cocktails, dancing, and a dedicated VIP section, it serves as the heart of the beach party experience. Guests looking for a premium celebration can also reserve private spaces on The Party Deck, offering pool-front views, exclusive service, and an elevated party atmosphere.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island has been thoughtfully designed with three main areas to suit every type of vacationer. Family Beach offers a welcoming space for guests of all ages, featuring The Shallow End zero-entry pool, beach games, and relaxed seating options. It is also home to the Ultimate Family Cabana, a two-level private space equipped with a whirlpool, slide, frozen drink machine, and dedicated attendant service.

For those seeking a more peaceful escape, Chill Beach provides white sand shores and access to The Deep End pool, complete with swim-up bar service offering cocktails and mocktails. Guests can further enhance their experience by booking beach or poolside cabanas that include upgraded amenities and personal service.

Beyond the beaches and pools, guests can enjoy unlimited dining at three beach grills and refreshments from 10 waterfront bars. The experience is enriched with live music, local artisan huts, and Bahamian-inspired design elements that reflect the culture and spirit of the islands. Essentials such as lounge chairs, umbrellas, towels, lockers, Wi-Fi, and roundtrip water ferry transportation are included as part of the all-inclusive offering.

Speaking about the launch, Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean, said guests were looking for more ways to make the most of their time in The Bahamas, and the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island was created to meet that demand. He added that the opening marks a bold new chapter in Royal Caribbean’s growing portfolio of destination experiences.

Developed through a unique public-private partnership with the Bahamian government, the beach club supports the local economy by creating jobs and opportunities for Bahamian businesses and entrepreneurs. Local influence can be seen throughout the destination, from architecture and entertainment to shopping and food offerings.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island joins Royal Caribbean’s popular Perfect Day at CocoCay and is the first in a lineup of upcoming beach club destinations planned across global locations in the coming years.

Japan is set to make international travel more expensive from July 2026, with the government confirming plans to triple its departure tax for all travellers leaving the country by air or sea. The levy will increase from the current ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per person, as part of broader efforts to manage over-tourism and generate additional revenue linked to the country’s booming travel sector.

The departure tax, officially known as the International Tourist Tax, applies to all travellers aged two years and above, regardless of nationality, when departing Japan for an international destination. The charge is included directly in airline and ferry tickets. Aircraft crew members and transit passengers who leave Japan within 24 hours remain exempt from the tax.

Introduced on January 7, 2019, the departure tax has become a consistent source of tourism-linked revenue. According to official figures, Japan collected a record ¥52.48 billion in departure tax revenue in the year ending March 2025, driven by a sharp rise in inbound and outbound travel volumes.

The Japanese government plans to channel the additional revenue generated by the higher tax into addressing challenges associated with over-tourism, including overcrowding, congestion, and inappropriate behaviour at popular tourist sites. It also expects tourism-related tax revenue for the 2026 fiscal year, from April 2026 to March 2027, to rise nearly 2.7 times to approximately ¥130 billion.

Japanese citizens travelling overseas will also be subject to the higher departure tax. To offset the impact on residents, the government is considering using part of the additional revenue to reduce passport issuance fees for Japanese nationals.

Beyond the departure tax increase, Japan is planning additional travel-related charges in the coming years. By 2028, the country is expected to introduce the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (JESTA) for travellers from visa-free countries. Fees for this pre-screening system are anticipated to range between ¥2,000 and ¥3,000 per person.

If implemented as planned, the combined cost of the higher departure tax and JESTA could raise total travel-related charges to around ¥5,000 to ¥6,000 per traveller. Additionally, visa issuance fees for travellers who require entry permits, including visitors from China and parts of Southeast Asia, may increase by up to five times. Short-term visa-exempt travellers, however, are not expected to be affected by these visa fee changes.

The measures underscore Japan’s growing focus on balancing tourism growth with sustainability, infrastructure management, and long-term visitor experience.

Emirates has unveiled a significant expansion of its Premium Economy footprint, reinforcing its commitment to delivering a consistent and elevated onboard experience across its global network. The airline will introduce Premium Economy to 10 new cities while expanding services on additional flights in two existing destinations, supported by its growing fleet of retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft and next-generation Airbus A350s.

As part of the expansion, Emirates will deploy its A350 aircraft on new daily services to Copenhagen, Phuket, and Cape Town, adding extra frequencies and enhancing connectivity ahead of the anticipated surge in summer travel demand. These additional services will complement existing schedules, offering passengers more flexibility, increased capacity, and access to Emirates’ latest cabin products.

By 1 July, Emirates will operate Premium Economy-equipped A380, Boeing 777, and A350 aircraft on more than 84 routes worldwide. Customers can expect the airline’s award-winning Premium Economy experience, featuring extra legroom, enhanced comfort, elevated dining options, and thoughtfully curated amenities, alongside upgraded Business and Economy Class cabins.

Additional Capacity to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town

From 1 June, Emirates will introduce a second daily service between Dubai and Copenhagen, followed by a third daily service to Phuket and Cape Town from 1 July. All three additional frequencies will be operated using the airline’s latest A350 aircraft.

The new Dubai–Copenhagen service (EK153/154) will provide seamless onward connections via Dubai to key destinations across East Asia, including Bangkok, Bali, Manila, Tokyo Haneda, and Phuket, as well as convenient links to Colombo, Male, and major African cities such as Nairobi and Entebbe. Passengers from cities including Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Delhi, and Bangalore will also benefit from improved connectivity to the Danish capital.

From 1 July, Emirates’ third daily service to Phuket (EK390/391) will offer early morning arrivals, catering to travellers connecting from major European gateways such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Manchester, as well as from the Gulf region. The service also enables convenient onward connections from Phuket to multiple destinations across Europe and the Middle East.

Cape Town will also see a third daily frequency from 1 July, operated by the Emirates A350. The additional service strengthens connectivity to and from London, Dublin, Brussels, Mumbai, Australasia, and key Asian markets, catering to both leisure and corporate travel demand. Emirates’ Cape Town services have consistently recorded strong load factors, driven by growing inbound demand from the GCC and robust outbound traffic to Europe and the US East Coast.

Planned Premium Economy Route Expansions

Emirates’ Premium Economy rollout spans multiple regions. In Europe and North America, Barcelona and Mexico City will see Premium Economy-equipped Boeing 777 services from February, while Rome will transition to A350 operations from 29 March. Copenhagen’s second daily service will begin on 1 June.

Across Asia, Premium Economy will be introduced or expanded on routes to Cochin, Karachi, Taipei, and Phuket, supported by retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft and A350 deployments. In Australia, Brisbane will receive daily services operated by a retrofitted four-class Boeing 777-300ER from 29 March.

In Africa, Addis Ababa will see daily Premium Economy services from 1 March, while Cape Town’s third daily flight will operate with the A350 from 1 July 2026. Middle East routes including Basra, Kuwait City, and Tehran will also transition to Premium Economy-equipped aircraft across selected frequencies.

Tickets for all services are available for booking on emirates.com, via the Emirates App, through online and offline travel agents, and at Emirates retail stores.