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APTEXPO 2025 Officially Opens: Day 1 Sets the Stage for Global Collaboration

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Advertorial Desk
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SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 November 2025 – The Asia-Pacific Textile & Apparel Supply Chain Expo (APTEXPO 2025) officially opened today at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, bringing together global leaders to shape the future of the textile and apparel industry.

The Opening Ceremony welcomed distinguished guests, including:

  • H.E. Mr. Heng Sour, Labor and Vocational Training Minister of Cambodia
  • Sun Ruizhe, President, China National Textile & Apparel Council
  • Jemmy Kartiwa, Chairman, ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries
  • Sharon Lim, President, Singapore Fashion Council

We extend our sincere appreciation to our founding associations ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries (AFTEX) and China National Textile & Apparel Council (CNTAC) as well as co-organizers MP Singapore Pte Ltd and CCPIT TEX, and our host association Singapore Fashion Council (SFC). Special thanks also go to our supporting associations, partners, and the Singapore Tourism Board for their generous support.

Day 1 featured a grand opening ceremony and visionary keynotes, followed by the Asia-Pacific Supply Chain Summit, which addressed pivotal topics shaping the industry from global market trends and trade outlook to strategies for building resilient, adaptive, and sustainable supply chains. Thought leaders emphasized the urgent shift toward sustainability and circularity, alongside compelling discussions on how technology and AI are transforming fashion from production and design to consumer experience.

The day also included high-value business matchmaking sessions, enabling exhibitors and buyers to forge meaningful connections, deepen collaboration, and lay the foundation for partnerships that will drive future growth.

With two expansive exhibition halls showcasing 100+ leading manufacturers, solution providers, and fashion brands, APTEXPO 2025 is more than an exhibition it is a strategic hub for innovation, collaboration, and global supply chain transformation.

Leading global brands and retailers such as NIKE, PUMA, New Balance, Lululemon, VF Corporation, The Walt Disney Company, Decathlon, Hanes Brands, Samsonite, Cotton On, Kontoor Brands, IKEA, and Lidl & Kaufland were among the key visiting companies, reinforcing APTEXPO’s role as a premier platform for shaping the future of the industry.

For more information, visit www.ap-texpo.com.

Hashtag: #APTEXPO2025

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About CCPIT TEX

The Sub-Council of Textile Industry, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT TEX) was officially established in 1988. Three decades after its establishment, CCPIT TEX has gradually developed into an excellent organizer for professional exhibitions in China’s textile and apparel industry. Independently or along with its partners, CCPIT TEX has organized a series of world-renowned exhibitions which cover the entire textile and garment industry both at home and abroad, including but not limited to Intertextile apparel fabrics, Intertextile home textiles, ITMA ASIA + CITME and CINTE.

About MP Singapore

The MP Group (MP) is a global full-service events management, marketing and community engagement company.

Established since 1987, MP embodies more than a quarter century of event building, marketing and management experience in both Eastern and Western cultures, practices, and business philosophies. We bring world-class talent, industry expertise, and incredible enthusiasm into the design and management of extraordinary online-to-offline experiences for your organization.

MP is part of Pico Group, a global group of agencies specializing in engaging people, creating experiences and activating brands for businesses, institutions and governments. As part of the Pico group, MP has unlimited access to a wide network of industry contacts and resources. Pico Far East Holdings has been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 1992.

About AFTEX

ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries (AFTEX) was established in 1978 with the objective of promoting common trade position and cooperation among textile and apparel industry in ASEAN member countries in line with the objective of the ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASEAN-CCI). Every year, AFTEX holds its regular meetings plus side events on a rotational basis among member countries to discuss concrete issues of significant relevance to the regional growth and development of the textile and apparel industry, ranging from ASEAN trade linkages to workforce development, from trade fairs & investment promotion to sustainability issue, from regional cooperation to broader partnerships, and more.

About Singapore Fashion Council

Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) is the official association for the textile and fashion industry in Singapore. Embracing a transformative vision, SFC aspires to become a Vibrant Asian Hub for Responsible Fashion.

With a focus on four key pillars: Sustainability, Innovation & Technology, Internationalisation, and Retail, SFC works closely with diverse partners across the value chain to offer thought leadership, extensive networks, and resources – to drive impactful change throughout the ecosystem.”

Lao Filmmakers Fund 2025 Awards Support for Shorts and Features

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Phontham Visapra
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The Lao Filmmakers Fund 2025 announced on 19 November that it will support three short films and help develop four feature-length projects. The fund, backed by the Heinrich Böll Foundation Southeast Asia and the Luxembourg Embassy in Vientiane, partnered with Blue Chair and LanXang Shorts to run the first LanXang Shorts Film Camp, along with a pitch contest and production awards. LanXang Shorts, which was set up to train and encourage new Lao filmmakers, held a multi-day Film Camp this year focused on practical skills and mentorship. The camp ended with a pitch competition, where three projects were selected to receive production funding from the LFF. This year’s program also put a spotlight on women filmmakers from Laos, Thailand, and Singapore. Blue Chair said the partnership reflects its ongoing commitment to working with groups that aim to strengthen the Lao film community.
(photo supplied)

The Lao Filmmakers Fund 2025 announced on 19 November that it will support three short films and help develop four feature-length projects. 

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EF English Proficiency Index 2025 launched: AI-Powered Insights Reveal Global Language Shifts in a Fragmented World

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Advertorial Desk
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Skills gap widespread; gender gap narrowing; youth proficiency low

ZURICH, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — EF (Education First), a global provider of culturally immersive education, released the 2025 edition of its EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), the world’s most comprehensive annual ranking of adult English skills across 123 countries and regions.

“English remains the world’s most widely shared language for international communication. In a time of growing global complexity, its role as a common bridge between cultures, economies, and ideas is more important than ever,” said Kate Bell, EF EPI author.

The EF English Proficiency Index is an annual ranking of countries, regions and capital cities by English skills.
The EF English Proficiency Index is an annual ranking of countries, regions and capital cities by English skills.

The EF EPI 2025 is based on data from 2.2 million EF Skills Evaluation Technology (EF SET) test takers worldwide. EF SET is the world’s largest free English test for individuals and organizations – making robust language evaluation accessible to millions.

This year, for the first time, speaking and writing skills are evaluated using proprietary AI technology developed by Efekta Education Group, a tech company within EF focused on improving learning outcomes at scale.

“Thanks to Efekta’s advanced technology, we can now assess not only what people understand through listening and reading, but also how well they express themselves through speaking and writing – essential for building understanding across borders and cultures,” added Bell. “This richer, more complete view of English proficiency reveals how skills vary across individuals and groups. AI-powered assessment enables us to do this with unprecedented scale, speed, and consistency worldwide.”

Key Findings:

  • Top performers: The Netherlands remains #1, followed by Croatia and Austria – which improved their rankings. Germany climbed to #4 with one of the biggest gains in Europe.
  • Speaking remains a global challenge: In over half of the countries measured, speaking is the weakest English skill.
  • Skill gaps are widespread: Most countries show significant differences between English skills, especially those with higher overall proficiency. However, which skill ranks strongest, or weakest, varies by country – suggesting no skill is inherently more difficult than others.
  • Gender gap narrows: The gender gap is narrowing in most parts of the world, although it widened slightly in the Middle East.
  • Youth proficiency falls short: Contrary to expectations, adults under 25 are not rebounding post-pandemic. In many countries, they score lower than older age groups.
  • Regional highlights: Europe plateaued; Asia showed the narrowest skill gap; Latin America posted the widest age disparity; Africa remained the most varied.

Beyond rankings, the EF EPI examines how English proficiency relates to innovation, economic opportunity, and global collaboration. As AI reshapes work and life, English remains essential for accessing and influencing the future, especially since leading AI tools are developed mainly in English.

Full report: ef.com/epi

Founded in 1965, EF is a global association of education companies dedicated to opening the world through language, academic, cultural exchange, and travel programs.

Efekta is an innovative Tech company and the world’s leading provider of AI-powered learning technology – focused on improving educational outcomes at scale in high schools, universities, and global companies.

Contact:
mediainquiry@ef.com

SM Investments 9M 2025 net income up 6% to PHP64 billion

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Advertorial Desk
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PASAY CITY, Philippines, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SM Investments Corporation (SM Investments) reported a consolidated net income of PHP64.4 billion in the nine months of 2025, up 6% from PHP60.9 billion in the same period last year. 

Consolidated revenues likewise increased by 4% to PHP482.3 billion, compared with PHP462.5 billion a year ago.

“The third quarter performance remained within our expectations. Despite the challenges brought about by adverse weather and flooding, we continued to see resilient financial performance across our businesses,” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer, SM Investments. “While external factors may temper overall economic growth, we maintain an optimistic outlook as we move into the fourth quarter.”

Banking accounted for the largest share of SM Investments’ net income at 50%, followed by property (28%), retail (15%), and portfolio investments (7%).

Retail

SM Retail reported net income stood at PHP12.2 billion, from PHP12.8 billion in the previous period.

Retail revenues, on the other hand, grew 5% to PHP318.1 billion from PHP301.8 billion in the previous period.

“The earlier school opening in June this year pushed some spending from the third to the second quarter. Despite this shift, specialty retail spending grew in the health and beauty, fashion and kids categories while essential spending continued to prop up growth for food retail,” Mr. DyBuncio observed.

Department store revenues grew 3% in the fashion and kids segments while food retail revenues increased 7% supported by a strong market base and store expansions.

Specialty retail revenues rose 4% driven by growth in the kids and home categories.  

Banking

BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) recorded a net income of PHP63.1 billion, an increase by 4% from PHP60.6 billion last year due to sustained performance of its core business segments. 

Net interest income grew by 8% as gross customer loans climbed by 14% to PHP3.5 trillion on broad-based growth across all market segments. Deposits expanded by 10%, with a Current Account/Savings Account (CASA) ratio of 67%. 

Asset quality remained stable, with Non-Performing Loan (NPL) ratio at 1.77%, and NPL coverage at 134%.

China Banking Corporation posted a net income of PHP20.2 billion for the first nine months of 2025, up 10% year-on-year with core businesses delivering robust results. Net interest income grew by 15% to PHP53.5 billion. 

Non-performing loan (NPL) cover was 123%, higher than the industry average. Gross loans rose 14% to PHP994.0 billion on strong demand from both the corporate and consumer segments.

Deposits also rose by 9% to PHP1.4 trillion, securing a stable funding base, driven by 12% year-on-year growth in checking and savings accounts.

Property

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) reported nine-month profit to PHP37.2 billion, up 10% from PHP33.9 billion a year earlier. The growth was driven by higher contributions from the mall and convention center segments.

Total revenues rose 4% to PHP103.4 billion from PHP99.8 billion. Malls accounted for 59% of revenues, increasing 7% to PHP61.0 billion from PHP57.3 billion due to the addition of leasable space and tenants.

The residential segment, covering both core and leisure projects, contributed over 31% of total revenues, easing 2% to PHP32.6 billion from PHP33.1 billion due to slower revenue recognition from mid-segment developments.

Hotels and Convention Centers, which pitched in 6% to revenues, registered the strongest growth at 9%, rising to PHP6.0 billion from PHP5.5 billion on the back of higher MICE bookings.

Revenues from Offices and Warehouses, which represented almost 4% of the total, remained steady at PHP4.0 billion.

Portfolio Investments

The portfolio investments’ performance was driven by Philippine Geothermal Production Company which contributed 30% of total portfolio income, followed by NEO with 26% and 2GO with 12%. 2GO revenues increased 6% and net income by 65% supported by the strong performance of its travel and logistics businesses.

Balance Sheet

The total assets of SM Investments increased 4% to PHP1.8 trillion. Gearing ratio remained conservative with 31% net debt to 69% equity.

About SM Investments Corporation

SM Investments Corporation is one of the leading Philippine companies that is invested in market-leading businesses in retail, banking, and property. It also invests in ventures that capture high growth opportunities in the emerging Philippine economy.

SM’s retail operations are the country’s largest and most diversified, consisting of grocery stores, department stores and specialty retail stores. SM’s property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is the largest integrated property developer in the Philippines with interests in malls, residences, offices, hotels, and convention centers as well as tourism-related property developments. SM’s interests in banking are in BDO Unibank, Inc., the country’s largest bank, and China Banking Corporation, the fourth largest private domestic bank.

For more information, please visit www.sminvestments.com.

KLN Secures Four Distinguished Honours in Sustainability and Excellence

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Advertorial Desk
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HONG KONG, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — KLN Logistics Group Limited (‘KLN’; Stock Code 0636.HK) has been awarded four prestigious accolades, including The Asset Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards for the eighth consecutive year, receiving the Platinum Award this year (‘The Asset Awards’), the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Leading Enterprise 2025 by Bloomberg Businessweek/Chinese Edition (the ‘Bloomberg Awards’) for the seventh time, the Asia-Pacific Logistics Company of the Year Award at the 2025 Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific Best Practices Awards (the ‘Frost & Sullivan Awards’) for the ninth consecutive year, and the Outstanding ESG and Sustainable Enterprise Award for Listed Companies from the Hong Kong Economic Journal ESG & Sustainability Awards of Excellence 2025 (the ‘HKEJ Awards’).

These accolades highlight KLN’s exceptional commitment to ESG principles and sustainable practices, alongside its leadership in operational excellence, global reach, and innovative logistics solutions. The Asset Awards, the Bloomberg Awards, and the HKEJ Awards commended KLN’s dedication to integrating sustainability into its core operations, while the Frost & Sullivan Awards praised its market-leading performance, resilience, and customer-centric approach in the dynamic industry.

Ellis Cheng, Executive Director and Chairman of the Sustainability Committee of KLN, said, “We are deeply honoured to receive these four prestigious awards, which reflect our unwavering dedication to sustainability and innovation in logistics. Moving forward, we will continue to seek improvements, setting the bar while driving the industry toward a more sustainable future.”

The Asset Awards, organised annually by The Asset since 2000, represent Asia’s longest-running ESG awards program. The ESG Leading Enterprises 2025 accolade, presented by Bloomberg Businessweek/Chinese Edition, promotes sustainable business practices that benefit both the environment and society, whereas the Frost & Sullivan Awards honour innovative companies in the Asia Pacific with market-leading performance and unrivalled customer service. Meanwhile, the inaugural HKEJ Awards, organised by the Hong Kong Economic Journal, were held to recognise outstanding enterprises excelling in ESG practices.

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About KLN Logistics Group Limited (Stock Code 0636.HK)

KLN (formerly Kerry Logistics Network Limited) is an Asia-based, global 3PL with a highly diversified business portfolio and extensive coverage in Asia. It offers a broad range of supply chain solutions from integrated logistics, international freight forwarding (air, ocean, road, rail and multimodal) and e-commerce to industrial project logistics and infrastructure investment.

With a global presence across 58 countries and territories, KLN has established a solid foothold in half of the world’s emerging markets. Its diverse infrastructure, extensive coverage in international gateways and local expertise span across the Chinese Mainland, India, Southeast Asia, the CIS, Middle East, LATAM and other locations.

KLN generated a revenue* of close to HK$60 billion in 2024. It is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Benchmark Index.

* For continuing operations only

About The Asset’s Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards

The Asset’s Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards offer a rigorous benchmarking service for listed companies with regard to corporate sustainability. The criteria used to assess the companies include a range of metrics of financial performance, which are also a proxy for gauging management acumen. Companies are also evaluated according to the quality of their governance, social responsibility, environmental responsibility and investor relations.

About Bloomberg Businessweek‘s ESG Leading Enterprises

As one of the most influential business magazines in Hong Kong with a global vision and Greater China connection, the Chinese Edition of Bloomberg Businessweek maintains a keen focus on the development of ESG. It collaborates with Deloitte in co-presenting the ESG Leading Enterprises campaign. By recognising Hong Kong-listed companies and asset management companies with outstanding ESG performance, the campaign aims to encourage enterprises pursuing excellence in ESG practices, ultimately fostering a sustainable business culture to create a positive impact on the environment and society.

About Frost & Sullivan’s Company of the Year Recognition

Frost & Sullivan’s Company of the Year Recognition is its top honour, recognising the market participant that exemplifies visionary innovation, market-leading performance, and unmatched customer care.

About The Hong Kong Economic Journal’s Outstanding ESG and Sustainable Enterprise Award for Listed Companies

The Hong Kong Economic Journal’s Outstanding ESG and Sustainable Enterprise Award for Listed Companies recognises listed companies that have integrated sustainability into their core strategy, and have demonstrated exceptional performance in their green transformation.

Ponsse’s new digital service revolutionises the monitoring of logging emissions

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Advertorial Desk
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VIEREMÄ, Finland, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ponsse is a globally leading forest machine manufacturer and a pioneer in the development of responsible logging solutions. The company’s PONSSE Manager system collects data produced by forest machines and visualise it as user-friendly reports. Available as the paid PONSSE Manager Pro and the free PONSSE Manager Standard service package, the system brings improved transparency and control to the work of forest machine owners, operators and office workers. Ponsse Manager Map Tools works seamlessly with the forwarders of all manufacturers. While a Ponsse harvester is required to provide data, any forwarder – including subcontractor forwarder – can be connected to the system.

“We’re constantly developing digital solutions for our customers’ needs. Accordingly, we developed the new features, Emissions Report and Map Tools, in cooperation with our network. We’re constantly developing the PONSSE Manager Pro package to help forest machine owners, operators and office workers better plan and monitor their activities, making their daily work easier and more productive,” says Petteri Tuomisto, Sales Manager of Digital Services. 

Map Tools paint a fuller picture of logging sites

The Map Tools are a new core feature of the PONSSE Manager Pro service package. They can show both machine routes and harvester production rates by assortment on a map. This allows forwarder operators to easily check how many stems are waiting for transport in the forest as well as what is already in storage. 

“In the forest, harvester operators may encounter places that they must mark for forwarders, including obstacles, soft ground and other important features. The Map Tools function allows the operator to mark these on a map as points of interest, POI,” says Tuomisto.

“Snowfall may cover logs even between shifts, making it difficult to identify the tree species and locate stems. Production monitoring helps forwarder operators determine the right assortments and quantities quickly, which keeps their work smooth, effective and on schedule.” 

Emission reporting helps meet environmental requirements

As the first forest machine manufacturer in the world, Ponsse presents the Emissions Report function included in the Manager Pro service package calculates and shows the atmospheric CO₂ emissions of harvesters and forwarders on the machine, site and company level for a given period. 

“The monitoring of site-specific emissions helps reduce fuel consumption, which effectively supports the meeting of both environmental requirements and business goals. Emission reporting also helps to identify which machines are best suited for different logging sites. The reports provide different perspectives to emissions: from individual machines to the company level by working method or period,” says Tuomisto.

Sign up now for PONSSE Manager Pro and take advantage of a free three-month trial at https://manager2.ponsse.com/

Further information
Petteri Tuomisto
Ponsse Plc, Sales Manager, Digital Solutions
petteri.tuomisto@ponsse.com, tel. +358 40 528 9835

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/ponsse-oyj/r/ponsse-s-new-digital-service-revolutionises-the-monitoring-of-logging-emissions,c4269358

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MMA Recognizes 2025 SMARTIES™ Philippines Winners, Honoring Marketing Excellence Rooted in Filipino Creativity

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Advertorial Desk
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MANILA, Philippines, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA) today announced the winners of the 2025 SMARTIES™ Awards Philippines, honoring the country’s most outstanding marketing campaigns and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional creativity, strategic innovation, and measurable business impact.

The awards recognized 71 winning entries spanning 13 Gold, 24 Silver, 21 Bronze, and 13 Industry awards, celebrating the Philippine marketing community’s ability to blend emotional storytelling with data-driven performance.


“Filipino marketers are redefining what’s possible when creativity meets commercial impact,” said Rohit Dadwal, CEO, APAC & Global Head of SMARTIES™ Worldwide, Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA). “These winning campaigns prove that the most powerful marketing doesn’t choose between art and science; it harmonizes both. What we’re seeing from the Philippines is a new blueprint for success that balances emotional resonance with business impacts.”

Philippines SMARTIES™ 2025 Winners:

The Best in Show was presented to “Beat the Invisible Game”. 

Unilever was recognized as Advertiser of the Year. McDonald’s celebrated as Brand of the Year, and The Juror’s Choice Award went to “Flight Patterns: Weaving Heritage into Travel”. 

Publicis Groupe was recognized as Holding Agency Company of the Year. OMD won Media Agency of the Year, Ogilvy secured Creative Agency of the Year, Near Creative named Specialist Agency of the Year, and GIGIL took home Independent Agency of the Year, while Intersections Communications, Inc. claimed Digital Agency of the Year. Globe Telecom earned recognition as Most Resilient Brand of the Year, and Grab was honored as Publisher of the Year. Silverpush was recognized as Enabling Technology Company of the Year. 

For the complete list of winners and more information about the 2025 SMARTIES™ Awards Philippines, please visit HERE.

About the Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA)

The Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA) is the global, non-profit community of Chief Marketing Officers and senior marketing leaders advancing marketers’ ability to create value. Led by CMOs and supported by the entire ecosystem at the governance level — including brands, media, agencies, consultancies, AdTech, and MarTech — MMA develops evidence-based models, frameworks, and tools validated through multi-year, multi-million-dollar Think Tanks and Labs.

Headquartered in New York City, with operations in 16 countries across APAC, Europe, MEA, LATAM, and North America, MMA has more than 825 corporate members who gather at 62+ MMA conferences worldwide, and flagship gatherings in the APAC, including MMA Innovate, CEO&CMO Summit, MMA Executive Dialogues, SMARTIES Unplugged, MMA IMPACT and MMA SMARTIES. Learn more at https://mmaglobal.com/

The Marketing + Media includes the world’s most influential marketers and partners, including Unilever, P&G, Grab, McDonalds, Coca Coala, Google, TikTok, Facebook, Diageo, Mondelez, Heineken, Pepsi, Perfetti, Affle, Emtek Group Indonesia, GoTo Gojek Tokopedia, Mayora, Godrej, Reliance – and many more.

About SMARTIES™

SMARTIES™ is the prestigious marketing awards program hosted by MMA Global, recognizing excellence in marketing effectiveness and innovation. The SMARTIES Awards celebrate campaigns that push creative boundaries while delivering measurable business impact.

Blue Cross Introduces “Bear Attack Additional Coverage” to Safeguard Travellers Offers HK$50 Coupon for SmartClub Members

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Advertorial Desk
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 November 2025 – In response to frequent wild bear sightings in Japan and other popular tourist spots, which have brought new risks and unease for travellers, Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited (“Blue Cross”) has announced the launch of a limited-time “Bear Attack Additional Coverage“¹ to provide customers with more extensive travel protection. Additionally, Blue Cross is rewarding SmartClub members with an exclusive offer – a HK$50 electronic premium coupon² – to welcome the travel season.

Blue Cross introduces “Bear Attack Additional Coverage” to safeguard travellers
Blue Cross introduces “Bear Attack Additional Coverage” to safeguard travellers

In recent years, climate change and habitat shifts have led to a notable rise in wild bear encounters, with their activity range no longer confined to remote mountains. High-risk areas include popular tourist destinations such as Hokkaido, Tohoku (e.g. Akita, Iwate, Fukushima), Nagano, and Shirakawa-go in Japan, raising safety concerns for travellers. Anticipating customers’ protection needs, Blue Cross is introducing the limited-time “Bear Attack Additional Coverage” across its range of travel insurance products. From now until 31 March 2026, if the insured is attacked by a bear during their trip and requires overseas medical treatment, they will be eligible for an extra HK$3,000 cash allowance upon claim. This coverage applies to any bear-prone travel destinations worldwide and is not limited to Japan.

“Bear Encounter” Self-Rescue Guide to Minimise Injury Risks
Beyond financial protection, Blue Cross also reminds travellers to prioritise safety. In case of a bear encounter during a trip, one should stop immediately, do not run, and retreat slowly. If attacked, adopt a protective posture: use your backpack to shield your back, lie on your stomach to protect your abdomen, and cover your neck and head with your hands. If encountering a bear while driving, stay inside the car with windows closed, refrain from honking to avoid provoking the bear, and wait for it to leave before driving away slowly.

SmartClub Members Enjoy HK$50 Travel Smart ePremium Coupon
To celebrate the travel season, Blue Cross is offering SmartClub members an exclusive surprise. Both existing and newly registered members3 can receive a HK$50 ePremium Coupon, applicable to Travel Smart Single Trip, Multi-Trip, and Annual Cover. The coupon can also be combined with other travel insurance promo codes, allowing members to enjoy even greater savings.

For details about the “Bear Attack Additional Coverage” and the full terms and conditions of the above insurance products, visit the Blue Cross website at www.bluecross.com.hk or download the Blue Cross HK App.

Notes:

  1. The “Bear Attack Additional Coverage” is a limited-time coverage applicable to Single Trip and Annual Travel Plans under the following products: Travel Smart, TravelElite, Travel Protection Insurance, Frequent Traveller Insurance and TravelSafe Plus.
  2. This offer applies to individuals who successfully register as a SmartClub member on or before 31 March 2026. The HK$50 ePremium Coupon is applicable to Travel Smart Single-trip, Multi-trip, and Annual Cover.
  3. Existing members refer to SmartClub members registered on or before 26 November 2025. The ePremium Coupon will be delivered to existing members on 28 November 2025 via Exclusive Reward section on the member portal. New members who successfully register for SmartClub between 27 November 2025 and 31 March 2026 will also receive ePremium Coupon which will be distributed via the Exclusive Reward section on the member portal the day after successful registration. For details about SmartClub HK$50 ePremium Coupon promotion, please visit the Blue Cross website at www.bluecross.com.hk or Blue Cross HK App starting 28 November 2025.

Disclaimers:

  • This press release is for distribution in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region only. The distribution of this press release is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or a provision of any insurance product outside Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
  • Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited is a subsidiary of AIA Group Limited. It is not affiliated with or related in any way to Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association or any of its affiliates or licensees.

Hashtag: #BlueCross #BlueCrossAsiaPacific #TravelInsurance #Insurance #TravelSafety #BearAttackCoverage #SmartClub #TravelSeason #CustomerBenefits #InsuranceUpdates

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited

Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited (“Blue Cross”) is a subsidiary of AIA Group Limited. With over 50 years of operational experience in the insurance industry, Blue Cross provides a comprehensive range of products and services including medical, travel and general insurance, which cater to the needs of both individual and corporate customers. Blue Cross distributes its products through various channels, including AIA agency force, online platform, direct sales, BEA network, insurance agents and brokers, as well as travel agencies.

In 2024, Blue Cross is assigned financial strength rating of A+ (stable outlook) and issuer credit rating of A+ (stable outlook) by S&P Global Ratings.

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