BEIJING, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn:
Before French blogger Mylene Mathieu visited Hefei, the capital of eastern China’s Anhui province, she pictured a city known for Hui-style architecture and traditional culture.
“Artificial intelligence technology, robots, and drones — I never expected Hefei to have such impressive innovation,” she spoke of her recent visit to the city.
In June, Mathieu joined a group of eight foreign experts, bloggers and international students from countries including the U.S., France, Belarus, Brazil, and Vietnam to visit Hefei, a city increasingly known in China for scientific and technological innovation.
During the three-day trip, the visitors flew over Luogang Park in an autonomous “air taxi,” interacted with service robots, tried real-time AI translation, got a feel for the quick acceleration of Chinese new energy vehicles (NEVs) on a test track, and joined more than 100 local residents in a choir performance.
A panoramic view of Hefei, the capital of eastern China’s Anhui province.
Once an inland city with an economy heavily tied to agriculture, Hefei is now becoming a science and technology innovation hub with global influence, supported by growing industrial clusters in NEVs, AI, and the low-altitude economy.
At Zerith Robotics, the visitors watched robotics demonstrations and used VR equipment to remotely control a humanoid robot, Zerith-H1, as it collected motion data.
“I knew China’s robotics industry was advanced, but this visit showed me that it has gone far beyond what I expected,” said Rafael Henrique Zerbetto, a Brazilian Esperanto expert with China International Communications Group (CICG). “These robots have both a brain and a body. Hefei is showing how productivity can be redefined.”
At BYD’s racetrack in Hefei, the visitors tried the company’s driving simulator before test-driving NEV models on an all-terrain course, where the vehicles climbed steep inclines, crossed waterbodies, and performed drift maneuvers. In a water test pool, one NEV equipped with four-wheel independent drive stayed afloat as it moved forward and made turns.
“Although the NEVs we experienced today drifted at high speed, they were also very comfortable and smooth,” said Kaligaeva Ekaterina, a blogger from Belarus.
Alexander William, an Indonesian student, said, “I used to hear more about ‘made in China.’ Today in Hefei, I saw ‘intelligent manufacturing in China.'”
At an air traffic operations center in Hefei’s Luogang Park, Cooley Gavin Andrew, a U.S. blogger, sat inside the cockpit of an EH216-S autonomous passenger aircraft. The aircraft has no pilot seat or control stick and is operated by an intelligent ground dispatch system.
The group also visited iFLYTEK Town, where they tried AI applications including iFLYTEK’s Dual-Screen AI Translator 2.0, AI glasses, a multilingual transparent display, a smart blackboard, and a Go-playing robot. The Dual-Screen AI Translator supports online translation in 60 languages and real-time interpretation among 19 languages.
Mathieu spoke French to the screen as Chinese subtitles appeared in real time. She said her husband is Chinese, and language barriers had long been a challenge in their life together. “In Hefei, I saw how AI can help people communicate better,” she said. “Technology is no longer just cold code. It can listen to you, understand what you need, and become a companion.”
Lee Fook Cheung, an expert from the Center for Asia-Pacific under CICG, said Indonesia is paying close attention to China’s innovation and technology, and Hefei’s experience offers a useful example for emulating.
Beyond technology, the visitors said Hefei’s urban culture also left a strong impression.
At Hefei Grand Theatre, they joined more than 100 residents in a group performance. “Hefei is not only about technology,” Mathieu said. “It also has a warmth that touches people.”
HKSTP Advances AI Industry with Tech Delegation at WAIC 2026
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 July 2026 – To celebrate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today held the “Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition Kick-off Ceremony cum Aerospace Experts Sharing Forum at Hong Kong Science Park, marking the opening of a seven-day roving exhibition.
Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (middle); Mr Clement Woo, Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (1st from right); Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP (2nd from left); Ms Connie Wong Wai-ching, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association (2nd from right), and Mr Terry Wong, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP (1st from left), together with other distinguished guests, officiate at the kick-off ceremony for the “Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition.
At the first stop of the roving exhibition, Hong Kong Science Park will host the exhibition at the Atrium Link from today until 22 July 2026, showcasing the nation’s major achievements in aerospace development, as well as the participation and contributions of Hong Kong’s research community in aerospace technology, space robotics and deep space exploration. It aims to enhance public understanding of the nation’s development and foster a stronger sense of pride, while inspiring young people to develop an interest in innovation and technology (I&T) and aerospace.
The ceremony was officiated by Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, together with Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, and Ms Connie Wong Wai-ching, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Vice President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association, alongside other distinguished guests, witnessing a new milestone in the nation’s aerospace achievements.
Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said in his remarks: “The inspiring story of Dr Lai Ka-ying becoming Hong Kong’s first astronaut is a vivid example of Hong Kong’s participation in the nation’s major scientific and technological missions, and a fruitful achievement of the great practice of ‘one country, two systems.’ Hong Kong’s R&D teams have long participated in and made active contributions to the nation’s deep-space exploration missions. For example, a team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology independently developed the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (MUSICO), Hong Kong’s first scientific payload on the national space station to monitor greenhouse gas. Recently, Dr Lai and two other astronauts completed the in-cabin assembly and testing and extravehicular installation of MUSICO, which can accurately monitor greenhouse gases across the mid- and low-latitude regions on the Earth, providing critical data for the nation’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategies. As we embark on a new journey, we must leverage I&T to empower Hong Kong’s social development, enhance governance efficiency, and better integrate into and serve the nation’s development. We will also uphold the spirit of space exploration of perseverance in the face of challenges to accelerate the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T centre.”
Connecting Hong Kong’s Research Strength with National Aerospace Development
In recent years, the nation’s aerospace endeavours have continued to make breakthroughs in areas ranging from deep-space exploration and satellite technology to space science research, opening up new possibilities across multiple scientific disciplines.
Leveraging its world-class universities, outstanding research talent, internationalised innovation ecosystem, and the unique advantage of close ties with the Mainland, Hong Kong is actively contributing to the development of the nation’s aerospace technology.
The exhibition presents the development and landmark achievements of the nation’s aerospace endeavours. It also demonstrates how Hong Kong research teams apply artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, space science and engineering research to support space exploration and related technology applications. Through this exhibition, industry stakeholders and members of the public can gain a deeper understanding of the city’s research capabilities and I&T talent.
Ms Cordelia Chung, Chairman of HKSTP, said, “This year marks the beginning of the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, with aerospace technology identified as a key area in building the nation into a leading science and technology power. Dr Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong’s first payload specialist, travelled into space aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, realising Hong Kong’s aerospace dream and demonstrating strong recognition of the city’s research capabilities and I&T talent. HKSTP is honoured to serve as the first stop of the ‘Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours’ roving exhibition. Looking ahead, we will continue to bring together talent and foster interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector collaboration. By supporting frontier R&D in areas such as aerospace technology, we aim to provide a broader platform for Hong Kong’s research talent and contribute Hong Kong’s strengths to the nation’s aerospace endeavours and pursuit of greater technological self-reliance.”
Ms Connie Wong, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee for the Chinese People‘s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Vice-President of Friends of Hong Kong Association, shared in her speech: “We believe that the cultivation of young talent is indispensable to technological innovation. Based on this philosophy, Friends of Hong Kong Association co-organised the Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours Thematic Exhibition, encouraging the next generation to pursue careers in science and innovation and to be contributors to the nation’s I&T endeavours.”
Three Experts Share Insights on Frontier Trends in Space Technology
An Aerospace Experts Sharing Forum was held alongside the kick-off ceremony. Moderated by The Honourable Mr Duncan Chiu, Legislative Council Member for the Technology & Innovation Functional Constituency, the forum brought together three aerospace and space technology experts from local universities and the InnoHK research and development platform:
Professor SU Hui: Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Global STEM Professor, and Co-Director of the Institute for Space Science and Technology at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Founder of Stellerus Technology
Professor GAO Yang: Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Space Sustainability, Co-Director of the Institute for Space Science and Technology at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Director of the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Centre under InnoHK
Professor WU Bo: Chang Xin Yu Professor of Space Science, Associate Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Associate Director of the InnoHK Hong Kong Centre for Space Robotics and Energy
Drawing on their respective areas of expertise, the three experts shared insights into the application of AI and robotics in space missions, key technologies involved in deep-space exploration, and the experience of Hong Kong research teams participating in national aerospace projects. They also explored space sustainability, the commercialisation of research outcomes and cross-regional collaboration, while encouraging young talent to pursue opportunities in aerospace technology.
HKSTP Leads Hong Kong Tech Firms to the World’s Largest AI Exhibition – WAIC 2026, Strengthening the AI Commercialisation Ecosystem
HKSTP has long supported the accelerated adoption of AI across industries to foster cross-sector collaboration and enhance productivity.
HKSTP, together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Cyberport, and Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITP), will lead a delegation of 18 Hong Kong tech companies to the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance (WAIC 2026). Taking place from 17 to 20 July at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, the delegation will showcase Hong Kong’s growing role as a global AI innovation hub and support the nation’s AI strategy. Six HKSTP park companies among the delegation will present solutions spanning humanoid robots, smart mobility, climate technology, AI agents, and generative AI.
Stellerus Technology Limited, founded by Professor SU Hui, leading the “MUSICO” (Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory) project — Hong Kong’s first payload project deployed on the Tiangong Space Station — will present its latest AI-powered climate and meteorological solutions at WAIC 2026.
SUTPC Digital Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, a leading enterprise in the nation’s smart city and intelligent transport sectors, and NineRay Technology Limited, which specialises in the research, development and production of high-performance, productivity-oriented humanoid robotics, will also showcase their advanced solutions in the exhibition. By demonstrating how AI can empower business operations, urban governance and sustainable development, the Hong Kong delegation aims to promote human-AI collaboration and innovation.
“Achievements of National Aerospace Endeavours” Thematic Exhibition Date: 16–22 July 2026 Venue: Atrium Link, Hong Kong Science Park
2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance (WAIC) Date: 17–20 July 2026 Venue: Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China Hong Kong Pavilion: Booth E101, Hall 2
Appendix: WAIC 2026 – List of 6 HKSTP tech entities (in alphabetical order)
JiHu GitLab Technology Limited
KNQ Technology Limited
NineRay Technology Limited
Robocore Technology Limited
Stellerus Technology Limited
SUTPC Digital Technology (Hong Kong) Limited
Hashtag: #HKSTP
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), established in 2001, has built a thriving innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem in Hong Kong, supporting 13 unicorns, nurturing over 17,000 research talents, and hosting more than 2,400 technology companies from 26 countries and regions specializing in biomedicine, AI and robotics, fintech, and smart city development. HKSTP is dedicated to positioning Hong Kong as an international I&T hub.
To align with Hong Kong’s future development, HKSTP is committed to attracting and cultivating I&T talent, accelerating the commercialization of innovative outcomes, and providing comprehensive support for technology companies and professionals on their innovation journey. Its vibrant I&T ecosystem continues to grow, encompassing Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong, and three InnoParks in Tai Po, Yuen Long, and Tseung Kwan O. These facilities drive advancements in applied technology, focusing on industries such as advanced manufacturing, micro- electronics, and biotechnology, steering Hong Kong toward new industrialization.
Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch, located in Futian, Shenzhen, leverages the strategic advantage of “support of the Motherland, connecting to the world.” It serves as a bridge for “bringing in and going global,” actively fostering cross-border I&T collaboration. The Shenzhen Branch supports global technology companies and professionals by providing research and collaboration spaces, with a focus on enterprises in seven key sectors: Medtech, big data and AI, robotics, new materials, microelectronics, fintech, and sustainable development.
HKSTP is dedicated to advancing Hong Kong’s I&T development by providing research infrastructure, startup and enterprise support services, professional investment and business expertise, fostering partnership networks, and attracting top talent. These efforts drive innovation as a new engine for economic growth for Hong Kong.
More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.
HONG KONG, 16 July, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) today hosted the “Title Sponsorship Signing Ceremony: JianLiBao Around the Island Race (ATIR) 2026 – Coastal Rowing and the Establishment of the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation”, announcing that JianLiBao has become the exclusive title sponsor of the Around the Island Race (ATIR) – Coastal Rowing for both 2026 and 2027. The event also marked the official establishment of the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation.
The signing ceremony was attended by a distinguished group of guests, including Ms Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion for InvestHK; Mr Ye Honghan, Chairman of the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation; Mr David Norton, Commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club; Mr Larry Yeung, Director of the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation; Mr Orlando Ho, BBS, Chairman of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals; Mr Adrian Pang, Immediate Past Commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club; Mr Joseph Chu, Vice Commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club; Ms Deng Baoshan, Director of the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation; Ms Vivian Yang, Officer of the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation; Mr Aleksey Mironenko, Rowing Captain of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club; Mr Raymond Yeung, Representative of JianLiBao Charitable Foundation; and Mr Wan Ng, Chairman of the JLB ATIR 2026 Coastal Rowing Organising Subcommittee.
Opening the ceremony, Ms Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion for InvestHK, said that she had previously been involved in rowing as a coxswain, umpire and coach, and therefore understood the grit, teamwork and resilience required to navigate the swells around the island. She added that the collaboration also supports the Chief Executive’s policy direction of promoting mega events and tourism to encourage visitors to stay longer and return more frequently.”The partnership between JianLiBao and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club helps build an ecosystem in which events, tourism, sports and brands reinforce one another, giving Hong Kong’s sports economy fresh momentum,” she said.
Mr Ye Honghan, Chairman of the Charitable Foundation, said: “We are deeply honoured that JianLiBao has become the exclusive title sponsor of the Around the Island Race – Coastal Rowing for 2026 and 2027. This race not only reflects Hong Kong’s spirit of perseverance but also brings together rowing elites from around the world. JianLiBao has been supporting Chinese sport for 42 years, and we firmly believe that sport plays a vital role in social development and the growth of future generations. Through the JianLiBao Charitable Foundation, we will continue to support youth development in sport and the arts, connect with sports resources in the Chinese Mainland, and actively promote exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and the international sporting community.”
Mr David Norton, Commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, said: “The first rowing boat to complete a full circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island did so in the 1880s. Today, the ATIR for Coastal Rowing stands as our premier rowing event. This regatta proudly aligns with the Hong Kong SAR Government’s core sports development goals by promoting sport in our local community, supporting our elite athletic talent and maintaining Hong Kong as a premier global hub for mega events. We are incredibly proud that the ATIR Coastal Rowing stands as the very first water sports initiative supported by this foundation. Together, we are building a lasting legacy that fosters elite performance while driving community sports development.”
The race covers 45 kilometres, starting and finishing in the world-famous Victoria Harbour. Competitors must circumnavigate Hong Kong Island, making it a significant test of endurance, teamwork, and precision. This year’s event will take place on 12 and 13 December and is expected to attract over five hundred of top rowers from Hong Kong and overseas, including Olympic medallists and world champions, competing for top honours.
Four products replace menus and interfaces with conversation — bringing institutional-grade investment capabilities to individual investors everywhere AI lives
SINGAPORE, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Longbridge Group, the AI-powered fintech company, today unveiled a new generation of AI-native* investing products, redefining how people engage with the market and rebuilding the investing experience around a single idea: investing begins with a conversation, wherever that conversation happens — in Longbridge’s own products, or inside the AI assistants used by billions of people every day.
A New Era of Investing, Rebuilt Around You
For five decades, every wave of innovation, lower costs, online platforms, mobile apps made investing easier to reach, yet investors are still left piecing together watchlists, charts, screeners and research on their own. Longbridge AI removes the interface altogether: investors simply ask, and the AI helps them discover opportunities, analyze information, build a plan and review each decision in one workflow — the world’s first AI-native investing platform.
Mr Nowa Zhu, Group CEO & Co-Founder of Longbridge Group unveils their latest AI Products
“Every major shift in brokerage has made investing easier to access, whether through lower costs, online platforms or mobile devices, but access has never been the same as having an institutional investment process,” said Nowa Zhu, Group CEO and Co-Founder of Longbridge. “We envision Longbridge AI as an emerging force reshaping the investing experience. Instead of asking investors to navigate increasingly complex platforms, we believe investing should begin with a conversation via language user interface (LUI). AI becomes the underlying of investing, and language becomes the interface — helping investors move from discovering opportunities to making informed decisions, not only on our platform but wherever they already talk to AI.”
Four Products, One Ecosystem
The launch introduces four connected products that together span the full investing journey, from discovering opportunities and analyzing information to executing decisions and reviewing outcomes.
Longbridge App is the flagship AI-native investing application, conceived and built in Singapore. It is built around one continuous loop: Catalyst, what happened; Signal, what it means for your holdings; Plan, what to do, with a drafted order you review; and Review, what you learned. These truly bring institutional-grade capabilities to every individual investor. Investors no longer learn the app. They simply ask, in words, voice or a photo, and it takes them from what happened to what to do.
Longbridge AI is the firm’s flagship investing agent. Rather than waiting to answer questions, it scans the market for developments relevant to an investor’s holdings, remembers their portfolio and past decisions, and thinks one step ahead, drafting an action plan for the investor to review. The more it is used, the better it understands each investor’s preferences and decision-making style. It anticipates and proposes; it never places a trade without the investor’s confirmation.
Longbridge Skill connects more than 125+ investing skills — real-time market data, fundamentals, derivatives analysis and trade order draft, directly into the AI assistants that investors already use. No new app to download, no platform to switch: zero-barrier access to institutional-grade market data and analytics. It works natively with mainstream assistants including ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, as well as developer tools such as Cursor. By meeting investors inside the AI used by hundreds of millions of people every day, Longbridge extends AI-native investing far beyond a single app.
Longbridge Agent Platform is the open marketplace where strategies, analysts and skills compete side by side, rather than converging on a single house view. Investors can build their own investing agent in plain words, subscribe to approaches created by others, or publish their own agent, which can be discovered and used by any AI, anywhere, opening up a breadth of investment perspectives that were once gatekept, a new era of investing rebuilt by every individual.
Bringing Institutional Investment Capabilities to Everyone
Longbridge’s AI-native investing platform is designed to close the gap between institutional and retail investing by bringing market discovery, portfolio analysis, investment planning and post-trade review into a single AI-native workflow. It follows a human-in-the-loop principle: the AI proposes and the investor decides. Throughout the investment process, investors remain in control of every decision, and final execution always requires their confirmation.
Conceived and built in Singapore, the Longbridge AI suite launches first in Singapore, reflecting strong investor demand and the region’s readiness to support the next generation of AI-powered financial services. With the world’s highest levels of retail investor participation, together with progressive AI governance frameworks for financial services, both markets provide a strong foundation for AI-native investing to scale globally.
“This product is made in Singapore: designed here, built here,” added Gavin Chia. “For decades, the world’s great financial products came from New York and London; we believe the next era will be written in Asia, by Asia. Longbridge AI is proof of what Singapore can create: a world-first product imagined and engineered here, now setting the pace for how AI reshapes the investing experience globally.”
Longbridge sees this launch as the start of a longer commitment, not a single moment. The company aims to set the standard for how AI and finance intersect industry-wide, and plans to establish an AI lab dedicated to deepening the industry’s understanding of how AI can be applied. We plan to anchor a Longbridge AI Lab in Singapore — partnering with local universities and industry leaders, and creating roles that bring top-tier AI talents to the city.
*”AI-Native” is defined as: AI that reshapes the product itself, rather than merely optimizing product efficiency. Based on our research, no other listed retail broker licensed to operate in Hong Kong SAR, Singapore or the United States currently meets this standard.
About Longbridge Group
Longbridge Group is a leading fintech company with three main business segments: Securities, Technology, and AI.
Longbridge Securities is an AI-powered online brokerage that serves global investors with optimal trading experience through building worldwide trading infrastructure and networks. Website:longbridge.com
LONGPORT Whale provides multi-market, multi-asset trading solutions for brokers, banks, family offices, and other institutions with trading services. Website:longportwhale.com
LongbridgeAI is a next-generation AI-native financial data and trading infrastructure platform built for global investors, quantitative researchers, AI agents, and developers. Website: longbridge.com/ai
LONDON, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New global research of 4,000 consumers finds loyalty programmes now rank among the biggest drivers of repeat purchases, while personalisation remains a major blind spot for brands.
Consumers are becoming increasingly selective about the brands they stay loyal to, yet most marketers are still failing to deliver personalised experiences that build lasting relationships, according to new research by Dotdigital.
The company’s new Customer Trends Index report, partnered with Censuswide to survey 4,000 consumers across the UK, USA, Australia and Singapore. 53% of consumers surveyed said loyalty programmes are important to their future relationship with a brand, but just 15% believe the marketing messages they receive are “very relevant.”
The findings come as Dotdigital launches Dotdigital Loyalty, a native loyalty solution designed to help marketers build, manage and optimise loyalty programmes directly within the Dotdigital platform. This new addition connects customer behaviour, rewards and marketing automation in a single ecosystem.
The research suggests marketers have a significant opportunity to strengthen customer retention through more intelligent, personalisedloyalty strategies.
Among the findings:
62% of consumers want points-based loyalty programmes, making them the most popular reward model
53% want free shipping as a reward, followed closely by cashback (52%) and free gifts or samples (45%)
43% want brands to recognise birthdays and anniversaries through exclusive rewards
Only 15% of consumers believe the marketing they receive from brands is highly relevant
The data also highlights significant generational and regional differences that marketers can’t ignore.
Millennials are the generation most motivated by loyalty programmes, with 59% saying they are important or extremely important when deciding whether to remain loyal to a brand. Meanwhile, 62% of Gen Z consumers prefer free gifts and samples, and 54% of Gen X shoppers prioritise free shipping and returns.
Regional preferences are equally distinct. 47% of Singaporean consumers want personalised discounts, 72% of Australian shoppers cite product quality as their biggest driver of loyalty, and 43% of UK shoppers place free shipping and returns at the top of their loyalty wish list. In the US, 46% of consumers admit they have actively increased their spending simply to reach the next loyalty reward.
The commercial opportunity for brands is significant.
Industry research continues to show that acquiring a new customer can cost up to 25 times more than retaining an existing one. Dotdigital’s research reinforces that loyalty programmes are influencing customer behaviour in measurable ways, with 45% of global consumers saying they have increased their spending over the past year to reach the next reward tier.
Milan Patel, CEO of Dotdigital, said:
“Customer acquisition has dominated marketing investment for years, but retention has become one of the biggest growth opportunities available to brands today. Our research shows consumers are willing to increase spend, stay longer and engage more deeply when brands reward loyalty in meaningful, personalised ways.
With Dotdigital Loyalty now live, marketers can connect loyalty data directly with customer communications across every touchpoint. Combined with the platform’s Agents and our MCP server, we’re helping marketers use AI to strengthen acquisition, retention and advocacy.”
Dotdigital Loyalty enables brands to build and manage loyalty programmes natively within the Dotdigital platform, combining transactional and behavioural rewards with customer data, marketing automation and AI-powered personalisation.
Features include flexible points earning, tiered loyalty programmes, rewards management, analytics and native integrations with Dotdigital and Shopify, with further ecosystem integrations planned.
The launch completes Dotdigital’s connected customer lifecycle proposition, spanning acquisition, retention and advocacy.
Following the acquisitions of Alia, an AI-powered ecommerce pop-up platform, and Social Snowball, an affiliate and influencer marketing platform for Shopify brands, businesses can now acquire customers, nurture long-term loyalty and turn their most engaged customers into advocates through a single connected ecosystem.
Early customer adoption is already delivering results.
Sabi Brar, Managing Director at Pacific Packaging Australia, said:
“A dedicated loyalty offering had been missing from Pacific Packaging Australia for several years. After reviewing a number of options, we chose Dotdigital’s Loyalty solution. Launching PackPoints has been a significant step forward in creating a more engaging customer experience. The implementation was straightforward, the collaboration with the team was excellent, and the programme is already helping us encourage repeat purchases and strengthen customer loyalty.”
Notes to editors
Research methodology
The findings are taken from Dotdigital’s Customer Trends Index 2026/27. Research was Commissioned by Dotdigital and conducted by Censuswide among 4,000 consumers across the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Singapore.
About Dotdigital
Dotdigital is a customer experience and data platform that helps brands acquire, engage, convert and retain customers through connected customer journeys, powered by first-party data, AI and marketing automation. Read the full Customer Trends Index here Find out more about Dotdigital loyalty here
MANILA, Philippines, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hoymiles, a global leader in microinverters and solar-plus-storage solutions, has officially entered the Philippine market through a strategic partnership with Brills Marketing Corporation.
Hoymiles and Brills Marketing Corporation Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Solar Adoption in the Philippines
The partnership was announced during a launch event in Manila attended by over 100 installer partners, distributors, and industry stakeholders. The Philippines is one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing solar markets, driven by high electricity price and supportive government policies for renewable energy. This strategic alliance marks Hoymiles’ entry into the country and reflects its commitment to delivering reliable, high-performance microinverter and energy storage solutions tailored to the needs of Philippine residential and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) projects.
During the event, Hoymiles showcased its comprehensive product portfolio, covering residential and commercial energy storage systems, microinverters, and DIY solar solutions. The event also included a training session for local installers, aimed at equipping partners with product knowledge and installation best practices.
Zoe Zhang, Senior Director of Hoymiles APAC, emphasized the company’s vision during her opening remarks: “Our mission of ‘Open Energy For All’ aligns perfectly with the Philippines’ surging demand for accessible clean energy. Through this foundational partnership with Brills, we are not just introducing products; we are building a local ecosystem.”
“We are excited to partner with Hoymiles to bring advanced solar and energy storage solutions to the Philippine market,” said Emmanuel R. Yu, President of Brills Marketing Corporation. “We believe Hoymiles’ proven technology, comprehensive product portfolio, and strong global experience will help us better serve homeowners, businesses, and industry partners across the country.”
The strategic partnership with Brills solidified the framework for long-term collaboration, paving the way for joint market development initiatives, shared technical resources, and expanded project support across the country. By combining Hoymiles’ global technological leadership with Brills’ deep local market presence, the partnership aims to accelerate the nation’s transition toward a sustainable, low-carbon future.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan , July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Instadesk, a global AI-powered customer engagement platform provider, partnered with iFLYTEK and Huawei in Tashkent to launch a joint AI Customer Experience Lab in Uzbekistan. The collaboration leverages Huawei’s Ascend computing infrastructure and iFLYTEK’s multilingual AI technologies.
Building an AI Customer Experience Lab with an Application‑Driven Approach
As a professional customer engagement platform provider, Instadesk brings extensive experience in omnichannel contact centers, intelligent voice interaction, and AI‑powered agent assistance, with a mature product portfolio covering the entire customer service lifecycle.
In this collaboration, Instadesk leads at the application layer, leveraging iFLYTEK’s Russian and Uzbek ASR (speech recognition) and TTS (text‑to‑speech) capabilities, and Huawei’s Ascend cloud as the high‑performance computing foundation. The three partners form a complete technology chain from infrastructure to AI capabilities to enterprise applications. Driven by practical application needs, the model transforms advanced technologies into measurable commercial value, delivering out‑of‑the‑box, value‑proven solutions for telecom and banking customers in Uzbekistan.
Building AI-Native Customer Experience Platform
During the event, Instadesk Senior Solution Architect Patrick Meng delivered a keynote on how enterprises can evolve from adopting AI capabilities to building fully operational AI‑driven customer experience platform. He emphasized that generative AI aims to unify corporate service workflows via integrated AI agents, enterprise processes and omnichannel interactions, rather than replace human agents.
Instadesk has built a comprehensive AI‑native customer experience platform, including omnichannel contact center capabilities, intelligent voice and chat bots, AI agent orchestration, and real‑time service intelligence, which will soon be deployed in Uzbekistan through the Lab. These capabilities enable enterprises to unify voice, chat, and digital channels, deploy AI agents across service operations, automate workflows, and upgrade service quality.
Accelerating Global Expansion Through Localized AI Deployment
This Uzbekistan project marks another milestone in Instadesk’s global expansion with localized deployment. Following its 2026 Malaysia node launch for Southeast Asian data compliance, Instadesk keeps building regionally adaptable AI infrastructure. By working with ecosystem partners like Huawei and iFLYTEK, Instadesk continues to expand its presence across emerging markets, providing AI‑powered customer experience platform tailored to local regulatory and operations.
About Instadesk
Serving over 3,000 enterprises worldwide, Instadesk enables businesses and public institutions to deliver smarter and more efficient customer interactions. The platform provides a one-stop solution that unifies omnichannel customer service centers, intelligent voice bots, and AI-powered chatbots.
HAIKOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 July 2026 – As midsummer arrives in the Northern Hemisphere, Hainan, China, welcomes its annual island-wide carnival. The 2026 (27th) Hainan Island Carnival will be held from July 18 to August 18, extending a vibrant summer invitation to guests from around the world.
The 2026 (27th) Hainan Island Carnival will be held from July 18 to August 18.
With the theme “Vibrant Free Trade Port, Charming Hainan Island,” this year’s carnival will present more than 50 distinctive events across the island, blending ocean thrills, rainforest wonders, millennia-old cultural heritage, signature cuisine, and dazzling nighttime light shows.
Unlike traditional island holiday models, this year’s carnival breaks free from the spatial limits of conventional scenic spots, introducing a brand-new concept of “the whole island as a carnival.” Four featured thematic segments debut with innovative offerings: water sports, joyful performances, gourmet flavors, and trendy shopping. Catering to outdoor adventurers, cultural enthusiasts, family travelers, and food lovers alike, the carnival offers a fully tailored vacation experience—ensuring every guest discovers their own unique island delight.
During the carnival, Hainan’s entire island will come alive in synergy, with highlights unfolding everywhere. In Sanya and Lingshui, romance by the sea sets the tone, with beach music festivals and island art exhibitions bringing to life a laid-back yet passionate summer atmosphere. In Wanning and Qionghai, the spotlight is on trendy outdoor pursuits, with surfing adventures and island cycling events taking center stage one after another. In the central rainforest region, the focus is on wellness and slow living. Activities such as rainforest trekking and immersive Li and Miao cultural experiences invite visitors to escape the bustle of the city and encounter the pristine beauty of nature. In Danzhou’s Haihua Island on the western coast, the grand carnival will conclude with a spectacular mass chorus carnival, bringing the entire celebration to a resounding finale.
Meanwhile, a grand culinary carnival unfolds across Hainan, with coastal specialty markets, Southeast Asian–style food streets, and rainforest-themed dining experiences spread throughout the island’s cities and counties. Fresh seafood, authentic local snacks, and a dazzling array of Southeast Asian flavors set the stage, while a starry beachside gala dinner—rich in atmosphere—brings together ocean views, gourmet cuisine, and live music for an immersive holiday experience.
For international visitors, Hainan continues to expand its openness: citizens of 86 countries enjoy visa-free entry with a 30-day stay, while international routes at Haikou and Sanya airports are steadily increasing, making the island directly accessible from many global destinations with efficient and convenient travel. To further enhance the inbound holiday experience, this year’s carnival upgrades exclusive benefits for international visitors, offering multilingual guided tours, exclusive discounted flight & hotel packages, and special duty-free promotions—delivering a wealth of benefits across the island.
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