Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Vietjet Air has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with global travel service provider Trip.com Group to leverage both parties expertise and resources in making travel more convenient for travellers worldwide.

In this new collaboration, passengers will be able to easily access Trip.com Group’s products and services, such as hotels, airport transfers, attractions, and activities, on Vietjet Air’s official website.

Meanwhile, Vietjet Air will receive Trip.com’s innovative technologies, including its virtual interline solution, that can expand the airline’s global network footprint. Additionally, the travel service provider will impart valuable insights to Vietjet Air on optimising its customer experience.

The data integration initiative between both parties will enable customers to enjoy numerous benefits, such as loyalty programmes. The partnership allows members of Vietjet SkyJoy and Trip.com Rewards to accumulate reward points in exchange for gifts, flight tickets, and other incentives from various third-party products and services.

Vietjet Air and Trip.com’s MOU comes as both parties lay down their commitment to prioritising customer satisfaction by creating a seamless travel experience and offering a comprehensive range of travel content, products, and deals.

Yudong Tan, chief executive officer of flights at Trip.com Group, said, “We are delighted to partner with Vietjet Air, a leading low-cost airline, to offer travellers seamless experiences when planning and booking their trips with a comprehensive range of travel products and deals. We have worked with Vietjet on successful campaigns to promote Vietnam as a destination of choice for travellers, and we believe our mutual commitment to prioritising customer satisfaction is a testament to both companies’ customer centricity. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Vietjet Air.”

China – Global travel service provider Trip.com has announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the China International Culture Association (CICA) to promote the country’s inbound tourism.

In this new partnership, Trip.com becomes the official partner of CICA for its newest ‘Nihao! China’ campaign. The MoU covers the strategic framework agreement for the implementation of the campaign, including the filming and production of global promotional videos and the digital communication campaign.

As the official partner, Trip.com Group will promote the campaign on its platforms across various markets. Partnering with Chinese cultural centres, tourism boards, and other organisations, it will curate engaging content to showcase specific offerings and services showcasing the unique attractions, experiences, and beauty of China.

Additionally, the partnership also looks into building a service platform for inbound travel and organising activities agreed upon by both sides. Over the next three years, Trip.com Group plans to invest in platform technology, marketing and promotion, and product integration to accelerate the development of inbound tourism in China.

The partnership agreement between Trip.com and CICA aims to foster and promote cultural exchanges and establish friendships between the country and visitors from around the world. It looks to position China as a unique and welcoming destination rich in history and cultural heritage.

Prior to this MoU, several measures to boost tourism were also announced by the Chinese State Council, which include optimising visa and customs clearance policies and increasing international flight capacity and routes to key destinations. The new partnership is expected to further promote the internationalisation of China’s inbound tourism.

James Liang, co-founder and chairman at Trip.com Group, shared, “With the aim of boosting inbound tourism, Trip.com Group will leverage its technological expertise to enhance the ease of access for incoming visitors. Additionally, we will consolidate resources to foster tourism promotion while highlighting the distinctive tourism attractions of China to draw in global visitors.”

Singapore – Lazada Group and Seoul Business Agency (SBA) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide ecommerce opportunities for South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) planning to expand to Southeast Asia.

The strategic partnership will aid South Korean businesses wanting to extend their reach and thrive in the Southeast Asian digital shopping space by tapping into Lazada’s platform capabilities and vast network of users.

Through this collaboration, Lazada can also further diversify the range of products and brand options available to its users. The partnership gives the e-commerce platform access to an assortment of South Korean brands and products it can offer its users.

Also under the agreement, SBA will lead in promoting Lazada as a key Southeast Asian eCommerce marketplace destination among SMEs in Seoul. First to launch in Singapore, SBA and Lazada will work together to onboard and grow selected cross-border sellers from Seoul onto the Lazada Singapore platform.

Jason Chen, chief business officer at Lazada Group and chief executive officer at Lazada Singapore, said, “We are thrilled to embark on this strategic journey with Seoul Business Agency. This collaboration not only strengthens our commitment to offering buyers an extensive variety of products but also reinforces our dedication to fostering cross-border shopping and welcoming brands and sellers from across the globe to our eCommerce ecosystem. South Korean SMEs have much to offer, and together with Seoul Business Agency, we aim to unlock their potential in Southeast Asia.”

Meanwhile, Hyunwoo Kim, chief executive officer at Seoul Business Agency, also shared, “Seoul Business Agency has always been dedicated to driving innovation and economic growth for SMEs in Seoul. Partnering with Lazada will allow South Korean SMEs to sell their products to customers in Southeast Asia and to optimise their businesses by accessing Lazada’s technology and seller tools. This is a natural extension of our mission, and this MoU signifies our commitment to creating quality job opportunities and facilitating the success of South Korean businesses. We are excited about the potential this collaboration holds for our SME community.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) have partnered up, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create about 200 capital market ready micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by 2026.

The three-year MoU paves the way for mutual cooperation in building a strong pipeline of capital market-ready MSMEs, which also includes enhancing their sustainability and corporate governance awareness and readiness.

Under the MoU, both the SC and SME Corp. Malaysia also agreed to embark on several joint developmental initiatives to strengthen market insights and data analytics on MSME access to the capital market, as well as expanding the capital market funding pool for MSMEs.

The MoU also looks to strengthen the familiarity of 300 MSMEs with sustainability disclosures and corporate governance best practices.

Commenting on the MoU, SC chairman Datuk Seri Dr. Awang Adek Hussin said, “This MoU aligns with our vision to foster a vibrant and resilient capital market that serves not only large corporations, but also the smaller enterprises. MSMEs are an integral part of the economy, contributing about 38% of Malaysia’s GDP and 48 per cent of total employment in 2022.”

Meanwhile, Rizal Nainy, chief executive officer of SME Corp. Malaysia, mentioned, “Both SME Corp. Malaysia and the SC are committed to ensure that the capital market is competitive and vibrant, while remaining accessible to MSMEs in Malaysia”.

“Hence, this collaboration paves the way towards capital market vibrancy and competitiveness. As the Central Coordinating Agency for MSME development, SME Corp. Malaysia is also committed to playing a key role in spearheading the sustainability agenda for MSMEs,” he added.

Jakarta, Indonesia – The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) and the Video Streaming Association of Indonesia (AVISI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Jakarta to fight piracy and protect and promote content in Indonesia. 

The signing of the MoU was held at the Coalition Against Piracy’s (CAP’s) State of Piracy Summit. It marks a closer collaboration and a significant step towards AVIA and AVISI combining their resources to fight online piracy and protect Indonesia’s creative and media industries.

The AVISI and AVIA partnership also marks a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle against piracy, reaffirming AVISI’s unwavering dedication to upholding a piracy-free digital-creative industry. 

Both associations pledge to strengthen defenses, promote legal access to content, and champion the rights of content creators, ensuring that creativity thrives and piracy recedes.

Representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo) were also in attendance at the signing of the MOU, which followed a panel at the State of Piracy Summit hosted by AVIA and attended by representatives from Kominfo and AVISI.  

The signing of the MOU comes at a time when CAP’s most recent annual consumer surveys show that 54% of consumers in Indonesia access pirate services in 2023, the fourth highest incidence of piracy in the region. However, the survey also revealed the growing awareness of the downsides of piracy, with 94% of Indonesian consumers believing that online piracy has negative consequences, the highest percentage in the region, with damage to the creative industry being the biggest perceived negative impact.  

Ajeng Parameswari, general secretary of AVISI, emphasized the core mission behind AVISI’s inception and further underscored the imperative for a collective, amplified response to piracy. 

Parameswari said, “AVISI was established to cultivate a thriving ecosystem for the digital-creative industry, one that harmonizes seamlessly with the video streaming business model. Yet, the primary challenge we confront today is the pervasive threat of piracy.”  

“AVISI is delighted to announce a pivotal partnership with AVIA, aiming to widen the battle against piracy, transcending borders and safeguarding content not only within Indonesia but also on an international scale. The eradication of piracy is a shared responsibility, one that must resonate as a resounding deterrent to those who perpetrate it. In this endeavor, government support is pivotal,” she further added. 

Meanwhile, Louis Boswell, CEO at AVIA, said, “We are delighted to join with AVISI to continue the fight against online video piracy. Piracy is the single biggest problem the video industry faces and to solve  the problem there has to be a multi-pronged approach.” 

Boswell also noted, “With the creation of AVISI, I believe we will have  greater success and engagement with the industry in Indonesia to continue working towards  solutions. And we have to acknowledge the great support of the government with the Ministry of  Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo) who have been such great partners in addressing  and mitigating the problems of piracy. With our new relationship with AVISI and Kominfo support, I am  more optimistic than ever that momentum is growing which will continue to stem the tide of piracy in  Indonesia.”  

Singapore – Vividthree Holdings, a digital content production company, announced that it has signed a memorandum of undertaking (MoU) with ZKDigimax (ZKDM), a joint venture between ZKTeco and DMMX, to deliver a complete and holistic DOOH media experience for both their existing and potential clients. 

Through this strategic collaboration, both Vividthree and ZKDM can leverage their companies’ expertise in order to improve their resources and boost overall efficiency for mutual benefit. Additionally, this partnership opens up new platforms for collaboration with location owners, paving the way to explore DOOH as a revenue center. 

Vividthree will gain exclusive rights to offer DOOH hardware, a content management system, and cutting-edge AI technology from ZKDM to be marketed across both Vividthree’s new and existing clients. 

Meanwhile, ZKDM will refer content creation requirements exclusively to Vividthree, leveraging the company’s expertise in visual effects and content creation. 

With the union of  ZKDM’s market-leading position in the provision of smart OOH hardware applications such as AI-powered digital signage, LED wall displays, transparent LED screens, etc., and Vividthree’s strong track record in creating effective and impactful DOOH campaigns, the companies ensure their clients an all-round DOOH media experience that will effectively meet their advertising goals. 

The MOU encompasses a 12-month exclusive relationship between both parties in Singapore and Malaysia. 

According to Jonathan Zhang, chief executive officer of Vividthree, “This collaboration brings together the formidable strengths of ZKDM, a renowned total technology solution provider, and Vividthree, an influential digital content production powerhouse. Through this strategic alliance, we are not only equipped to offer cutting-edge hardware and software solutions but also possess the prowess in content creation. As a result, our partnership emerges as an end-to-end advertising solutions provider, catering to every aspect of our clients’ needs.”

Zhang added, “Our combined efforts empower us to present an all-encompassing DOOH media solution, allowing our clients to realize their advertising goals through seamless and immersive entertainment experiences. Together, we envision a future of innovation and transformation, shaping the trajectory of this dynamic industry.” 

Meanwhile, Supardi Tan, chief executive officer of ZKDigimax also commented on the partnership saying, “Prepare to witness a revolutionary leap in the industry as ZKDM and Vividthree unite their unparalleled expertise. This partnership brings together the dynamic capabilities of ZKDM as a total technology solution provider and the creative prowess of Vividthree in the digital content industry. As a result of this formidable collaboration, we now stand as a comprehensive end-to-end advertising solution provider, offering a perfect fusion of cutting-edge hardware, advanced software, and captivating content creation. But our impact doesn’t stop there.” 

Tan added, “This partnership introduces a groundbreaking approach to advertising, seamlessly integrating content with technology to create an entirely new realm of customer experience and engagement. Together, we embark on an exciting journey to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of advertising and leave an indelible mark on the industry landscape.” 

Jakarta, Indonesia – Super app Grab in Indonesia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia’s primary signal intelligence agency, National Cyber ​​and Crypto Agency (BSSN), to increase knowledge and development of human resources related to cybersecurity, especially for driver-partners and Grab merchants. 

The collaboration will hold various trainings and webinars related to cybersecurity literacy and digital economy security at GrabAcademy. It will also see Grab supporting BSSN for educational activities related to cyber security for the Indonesian people to avoid cyber attacks.

Hinsa Siburian, Republic of Indonesia’s head of the National Cyber ​​and Crypto Agency (BSSN), believes that they must have a strategy in carrying out the task of BSSN.

“And specifically for the problem of protecting national vital information infrastructure, Grab is included here, we must protect this so that business processes at Grab run safely and smoothly. If one day there will be a crisis, then we have also prepared how to manage a national cyber crisis,” said Siburian.

Meanwhile, Ridzki Kramadibrata, Grab’s president for Indonesia, shared that the use of technology also needs to be complemented by an understanding of digital literacy, especially for driver-partners and business partners.

“We hope that through collaboration that carries the GrabForGood spirit to bring positive impact from technology, Grab can continue to increase literacy awareness on cybersecurity so that everyone can participate in digital economy activities more safely,” said Kramadibrata.