Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition – May-June 2026

Summary

Asia's fragrance boom is just getting started — the May-June 2026 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific dedicates its cover to the business of scent, from niche perfume houses in Bangkok to the science of fragrance marketing in Singapore.

The cover story (p.56) examines how Asia is shifting from fragrance manufacturing to fragrance branding, profiling independent perfume houses in Bangkok, Seoul, and Mumbai that are competing with European heritage houses. Sara Blakely, the Spanx founder, is profiled (p.62) on how she built her billion-dollar shapewear business. Citizenship-for-sale (p.68) examines whether holding a portfolio of passports is as essential as diversifying investments, with specific pricing for five programmes. What makes a city the best (p.74) decodes the metrics defining urban success in 2026.

Kaohsiung is the hot ticket. Maximalism makes a comeback in hotels, and sand bathing and Michelin mornings in London fill the Explore section. Penang's Qing Suites, Bangkok's canal-side retreat, and Trunk (Hotel) Yoyogi Park are reviewed.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Features

p.56 · Business Scents
Niche fragrances from across Asia are turning heads. The feature profiles four independent perfumers: Prin Lomros in Bangkok, byredo-style houses in Seoul, and a Mumbai perfumer who uses sandalwood from Mysore. Each brand's flagship store address and price points are listed. Takeaway: Prin Lomros's Bangkok atelier offers a "Scent Profiling" session at $120 — the result is a custom fragrance formula that can be shipped anywhere in Asia for $30.

p.62 · Sara Blakely: How the Founder of Spanx Built Her Billion-Dollar Business
The feature traces Blakely's journey from selling fax machines door-to-door to building a shapewear empire valued at $1.2 billion. She discusses her travel habits as her business went global. Takeaway: Blakely always carries a whiteboard marker — she prefers to sketch ideas on hotel room mirrors rather than use notebooks.

p.68 · Citizenship for Sale
Is a portfolio of passports as essential as spreading your investments? The article compares five citizenship-by-investment programmes: Dominica (from $100,000), St. Kitts ($150,000), Malta ($650,000), Portugal (fund investment from $350,000), and Vanuatu ($130,000). Takeaway: Vanuatu's programme processes applications in 30 days — the fastest in the world — but does not offer visa-free access to the EU.

p.74 · What Makes a City the Best?
The metrics defining urban success in 2026. The article ranks 20 global cities across 10 criteria including flight connectivity, hotel density, co-working availability, and air quality. Singapore leads, followed by Tokyo and Dubai. Takeaway: Singapore's score is boosted by its new "Digital Nomad Pass" — 12 months' stay with a minimum income requirement of $20,000 per year, approved in 48 hours.

▸ Insight

p.49 · Sebastien Bazin, CEO of Accor
The Accor CEO discusses the group's strategy in Asia-Pacific, including new brand launches and acquisitions. Takeaway: Accor is launching a new "Work+Stay" brand specifically for the Asia-Pacific market, offering 30-day rates starting at $60 per night across 50 initial properties.

p.49 · Branding Tips From a Tech Newsletter Founder
A tech entrepreneur shares how building a newsletter audience translates into travel-brand loyalty. Takeaway: the "1 percent rule" — if 1 percent of your hotel's guests subscribe to your newsletter, the lifetime value of that list exceeds the cost of a full-page ad in a travel magazine.

▸ Tried & Tested

p.79 · Penang: The Qing Suites
A former servants' quarters reimagined as a boutique stay in George Town, Penang. Takeaway: the Qing Suites's "Heritage Walk" package includes a guided tour of the property's 1920s architecture and a Peranakan lunch — $60 per person, bookable at check-in.

p.79 · Trunk (Hotel) Yoyogi Park, Tokyo
A review of this Tokyo design hotel near Yoyogi Park. The rooftop pool and co-working lobby are evaluated. Takeaway: Trunk's "Co-work & Cowork" day pass costs $25 and includes unlimited coffee and 100MBps wifi — a reliable backup workspace for the self-employed traveller.

▸ Regulars

p.11 · Hot Ticket: Kaohsiung
Taiwan's second city is gaining direct flights from Singapore, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. The new Kaohsiung Music Center and the Pier-2 Art Center are drawing corporate event planners. Takeaway: the Kaohsiung MRT's "KMRT Pass" costs $7 for 72 hours — the cheapest transit pass in any major Asian city.

p.27 · Michelin Mornings in London
A guide to the best Michelin-starred breakfasts in London, from Core by Clare Smyth's granola to The Ledbury's brioche. Takeaway: Core by Clare Smyth's breakfast is $55 for three courses — the only Michelin-starred breakfast in London that does not require a dinner reservation.

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Editor's Take

The fragrance cover story is the most original piece of business journalism in this issue — it identifies an industry shift (Asia moving from supplier to brand owner) and names the players driving it. The Sara Blakely profile is well-sourced and avoids the typical founder-worship tone. Weaknesses: the "citizenship for sale" feature covers well-trodden ground with pricing that is available on any immigration lawyer's website. The "What Makes a City Best" ranking is heavy on Singapore promotion — it scores highest in categories that Singapore clearly lobbied to be measured on. The Kaohsiung hot ticket item overstates the city's current business infrastructure; the new convention centre will not open until 2028. Best suited for Asia-based executives interested in branding, investment migration, and urban development.

Strengths
• Fragrance-industry shift from manufacturing to branding in Asia
• Sara Blakely profile with original reporting angles
• Accor Work+Stay product launch with pricing

Weaknesses
• Citizenship-by-investment feature adds nothing new to public knowledge
• "Best city" ranking methodology favours Singapore disproportionately

Verdict: Recommended — The fragrance feature is worth the cover price; the rest is a mixed bag.