#Cambodia - Tourism revenue up 20 percent

The tourism sector earned $4.3 billion in revenue last year, an increase of around 20 percent, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Tourism.

Thong Khon, the Minister of Tourism, revealed the figure at this year’s National Clean City Day, an event held yesterday at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel in which the winners of the ‘green tourism’ and ‘best hospitality’ awards were announced.

The minister also said that last year 6.2 million international travelers visited the Kingdom, a 10.7 percent year-on-year increase.

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 “The sector has been treated by the government as the ‘green gold’ that supports growth and the economy by creating jobs, and reducing poverty,” he added.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who presided over the event yesterday, called on the private sector, the authorities and the general public to work together to promote the government’s Clean City campaign and ensure its success. He said cleaner and safer cities will lure even more foreign tourists into the country.

According to Minister Khon, Cambodia expects to welcome 6.7 million foreign tourists this year. By 2020, 7 million international travelers will visit the Kingdom every year, generating more than $5 billion in revenue and 1 million jobs, he said.

“To prepare for this increase in tourists, we must have a clear strategy in place for the development of the tourism sector. This strategy must address ways to transform the country into an attractive and comfortable destination through digital technologies and green initiatives,” he said.

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Source - Khmer Times

#Vietnam - 50,000 pilgrims visit Huong Pagoda on festival’s opening day

More than 50,000 pilgrims were at the Huong Son complex in Hanoi Sunday, overwhelming roads and cable cars. 

Tens of thousands of devout Vietnamese flocked to the Huong Son complex on Sunday, the first day of the Huong Pagoda festival.

The Huong Pagoda, in Huong Son Commune, Hanoi's rural district of My Duc, is a collection of many temples and pagodas built amidst mountains and forests.

Every year, on the sixth day of the first lunar month, February 10 this year, the three-month Huong Pagoda festival opens. 

The festival, one of the grandest religious festivals in the country, attracts hundreds of thousands of Buddhists in the early days of the Lunar New Year.

From early Sunday morning, the entrance to Thien Tru Pagoda, one of the main pagodas in the religious complex, was overflowing with people. This year, in an effort to ensure security and manage the place better, the organizing committee has not allowed business booths in the temple, caves, on narrow roads and at the Nam Thien Mon Gate.

"This year, the festival’s opening day is still a public holiday, and the weather is warm, so the number of pilgrims has increased dramatically compared to other years," said Nguyen Van Hoat, chairman of My Duc district people's committee.

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The entrance to Thien Tru Pagoda was obstructed as many pilgrims climbed over the fence to get in.

According to the festival organizing committee, more than 125,000 visitors visited the complex from February 7 to 9. On Sunday morning, more than 50,000 pilgrims thronged the sacred complex.

 Pilgrims prayed and made offerings at the pagoda’s altars, invoking divine blessings, peace and luck for the New Lunar Year.

 Thousands waited patiently in line for hours in front of the cable car station to catch a car to reach the Huong Tich cave.

 In 2018, the Huong Pagoda festival welcomed 1.4 million pilgrims, ticket sales feteched VND 112 billion ($4.8 million). This year, 1.5 million tickets have been printed.

 

The Huong Tich Cave, the heart of the Huong Son landscape, had no empty space Sunday morning. On the entrance to the cave, on a high cliff to the left, five words, "Nam Thien De Nhat Dong" (The best cave in the South sky) are carved. These were the words given in 1770 by Trinh Sam, a Lord from the Trinh family which ruled the country at the time.

The Huong Pagoda festival lasts from the sixth day of the first lunar month to the last day of the third lunar month, that is, from February 10 to May 4 this year. This is the longest Lunar New Year festival in the country.

Source - VNExpress

#Thailand's most important airports are going smoke-free

Goodbye smoking lounges

Smoking is no longer allowed inside the passenger buildings at six of Thailand's main airports.

As of Sun, Feb 3, Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai and Mae Fah Luang airports, all operated by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), have been declared no-smoking zones with fines of up to B5,000 (around US$160) for any violators.

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The move is in accordance with the 2017 Tobacco Control Act and a 2018 Public Health Ministry announcement requiring all offices of government agencies and state enterprises, which includes airports, to assign no-smoking areas.

According to Bangkok Post, the AoT has instructed staff at the six airports to arrange smoking areas outside the passenger buildings
 

Passenger traffic at Bangkok’s two airports, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi, both affected by the change, exceeded 100 million in 2018. 

Source - Thaiger

#Cambodia - Gov’t warns tourists over use of fake visa websites

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Wednesday urged tourists to avoid websites offering e-visas for Cambodia after receiving fresh reports of tourists being ripped off and losing their money.

The ministry warned prospective visitors to only use its official website as there is no legal framework in place to get back any money that is lost.

The call comes after the ministry found bogus websites – including cambodiaimmigration.org, which charged one unsuspecting tourist $300 – falsely claiming to be able to obtain e-visas for visitors to the Kingdom.

One British national complained to the Cambodian Embassy in London about the excessive cost of an e-visa after they were charged $90 by one such website, which is far in excess of the ministry’s own pricing.According to the ministry’s official website, an application for an e-visa for tourists should be made at evisa.gov.kh. An e-visa is valid for three months and costs $36.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson on Wednesday told The Post that the ministry does not have the framework in place to take legal action against fraudulent websites offering e-visas for foreign tourists over the internet and called on tourists to only use official channels.

Ket Sophann said on Wednesday that e-visas ease the application process while also reducing fees for tourists. He warned that using other websites to apply for one would lead to the applicant being defrauded.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for those wishing to visit Cambodia to only use the ministry’s website for an e-visa, or to go to their nearest embassy to avoid being deceived. We only issue visas this way,” he said.

The ministry released a letter in 2017 saying it had found 17 websites that fraudulently sell e-visas to tourists at a price far in excess of the true cost on the ministry’s website.

Sophann said he did not know an exact figure on the number of tourists who have been cheated by fraudulent websites.

Phat Sophanit, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, and Kirth Chantharith, the director-general of the ministry’s General Immigration Department, could not be reached for comment.

Tho Samnang, an official at the Legal and Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told local media that those behind the fraudulent websites used a sophisticated system to defraud users.

When applicants typed in the words “Cambodia” and “e-visa”, the browser shows fake websites that have paid to be shown first in the results, he said. With the applicant unaware the sites are bogus, they register, complete the form and then send payment.

“After getting the money for the application, those running the fake websites send the forms to the ministry to issue the e-visa, but we always catch their IP address and do not issue one because the ministry does not permit brokers to act in this way,” he said.

A member of staff at a Phnom Penh tourism company said she was unaware of websites offering e-visas, saying only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its official website could do so.

Source - PhnomPenhPost

International tourist arrivals up 6% to 1.4 billion in 2018: UN

The number of international tourist arrivals rose by 6 percent last year to 1.4 billion, according to an estimate published Monday by the World Tourism Organization.

The increase was driven by travel to southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the Madrid-based UN body, citing economic growth and cheaper air travel as key factors.

Although arrivals to the Americas grew by a modest three percent -- four for North America -- Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific performed better, with rises of six, seven and six percent respectively.

In 2010, the WTO had forecast that international tourist arrivals would only hit the 1.4 billion mark in 2020 -- but it now said that stronger economic growth, more affordable air travel and an easier visa regime around the world had helped boost the market.

"The growth of tourism in recent years confirms that the sector is today one of the most powerful drivers of economic growth and development," WTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said in a statement.

Total arrivals to Europe were 713 million but the WTO noted that arrivals in northern Europe were flat last year, citing uncertainty over Britain's impending exit from the European Union.

Closer focus on data for Africa, which welcomed 67 million visitors in total, saw the north of the continent register 10 per cent growth in arrivals staying at least overnight. Sub-Saharan arrivals were up six percent.

Middle Eastern arrivals rose 10 percent to 64 million.

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 The Caribbean suffered a drop of 2.0 percent in arrivals as it continued to feel the effects of the September 2017 hurricanes Maria and Irma. The storms caused catastrophic damage in tourist hotspots such as Barbuda, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

 The WTO predicted a global overall increase of between three and four percent for the current year, broadly in line with historical trends. Stable fuel prices would "translate into affordable air travel while air connectivity continues to improve in many destinations", it predicted.

Outbound tourism from emerging markets, "especially India and Russia", but also from smaller Asian and Arab markets is expected to continue to grow strongly, it added.

But at the same time the WTO warned that uncertainty related to Brexit "as well as geopolitical and trade tensions may prompt a 'wait and see' attitude among investors and travelers".

Source - TheJakartaPost 

Top destinations to welcome 2019, according to Agoda

Big cities like Tokyo, Paris and New York have been named the top destinations for a New Year's vacation among travelers from all over the world, according to online travel agent Agoda. 

Japan's capital city of Tokyo is among to top 10 New Year's Eve celebration destinations for many market segments. For the Chinese and Singaporean market, Tokyo is the first choice to ring in the New Year, as reported by kompas.com. 

During New Year celebrations, Tokyo is enlivened with music concerts, parades and lights, making it the perfect destination to celebrate the start of 2019.

Meanwhile, Paris is often filled with numerous parties to welcome the New Year. There are many countdown celebrations in popular places across the city, which are also suitable for some family fun. 

The lively atmosphere among the classic French architecture makes Paris the most popular destination in Europe for New Year's Eve celebrations.

For tourists from Britain, Israel, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, Paris is ranked first in their choice to celebrate the New Year.

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The ball drop in New York’s Times Square in the United States is one of the most iconic celebrations in the world. So, it is no wonder that New York is included in the popular list as the top destination in North America for global tourists.

In a separate list of destinations in Asia, Indonesia's resort island of Bali ranked ninth for global tourists.

Meanwhile, in a separate list compiled by Indonesian travelers, Tokyo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are the most popular Asian choices for New Year's Eve celebrations. For travelers from Jakarta, Bali is the most popular destination to celebrate the changing year.

Notably, top global favorite Tokyo is also one of the most popular destinations among Indonesian tourists for celebrating New Year's. Tokyo rose to fifth place among Indonesian tourists, climbing three places from 2018.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Chinese, Thai companies join hands to develop tourist boat service in Golden Triangle

Chinese and Thai companies signed three documents on Monday at northern Thailand's Chiang Saen port in a bid to develop boat trip service along the Lancang-Mekong river.

China's Yunnan Provincial Tourism Investment Co., LTD and Thailand's New Chiang Saen Group Co., LTD are main signers of these cooperative documents, which cover marketing a current boat service on Mekong river that take tourists to see the scenery of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar in a single day trip.

They will also launch a boat service from Chiang Saen port in northern Thailand to Jinghong in China's Yunan Province and also to Luang Prabang of Laos and Kengtung of Myanmar.

"We are trying to connect tourist services and attractions along the Lancang-Mekong river," Xu Lianbiao, vice general manager of Yunnan Provincial Tourism Investment, said.

We also are developing a wild elephant center in northern Lao province of Xayaburi and also developing ecological tourism there, he added.

Thailand put forward a vision called "five Chiang cities four countries," which seeks close tourism cooperation and tourism facilitation between Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Jinghong (Chiang Rung in Thai language), Kengtung (Chiang Tung) and Luang Prabang (Chiang Thong), Xu noted their company's goal to boost tourism cooperation echoes with the vision of five Chiang.

"The joint patrol of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand make it safe to sail on the Mekong river, making it possible for tourism routes linking these Chiang cities to grow," he mentioned.

Chiang Saen port used to be a cargo port before a new port was built there and thus the old port is planned to to be developed into a mega-tourism port, Mayor of Wiang Chiang Saen subdistrict municipality Chayagrit Nissaisook told Xinhua.

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 The mayor said the Tourism Authority of Thailand had made master plan to develop the port into a international airport scale with duty free shops and restaurants to welcome tourists, especially Chinese tourists. 

 "The investment will be at a minimum of 39 million baht (1.19 million U.S. dollars) to firstly realize the plan that we may be able to attract more than 100 million baht (3.06 million U.S. dollars)," he added.

Yunnan Provincial Tourism Investment launched their boat service here in Chiang Saen Port in October this year, tourists can now take a boat from here to see Myanmar and Laos along the river and also to do some shopping on Don Sao Island of Laos, a separate duty free zone.

Source - TheJakartaPost

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#Indonesia second in global ranking of digital travelers

United Kingdom-based travel commerce platform Travelport released the results of its Global Digital Traveler Research 2018 recently. The online surveys analyzed different digital traveler habits, with 16,200 respondents participating from 25 countries. 

Indonesia ranks second on the list, a spot higher than last year, as reported by kompas.com.

India tops the list for the second consecutive year, while Brazil, China and Nigeria ranked in third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

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Most of the respondents in the surveys said gadgets were considered vital for tourists. In fact, almost half of the respondents said they booked and paid for travel expenses using apps.

Features such as electronic payments, audio search and electronic hotel room were also considered helpful in planning the trips.

Travelport is a travel commerce platform belonging to Travelport Worldwide Ltd. It provides technology, distribution, payment and other solutions for the travel and tourism industry.

 

Source - The JakartaPost

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THAI cancels all flights to and from Osaka after Typhoon Jebi

Thai Airways International (THAI) has cancelled more flights on the Bangkok-Osaka route due to the temporary closure of Kansai Airport after Typhoon Jebi hit the city.

The typhoon approached Japan on Tuesday at noon, damaging the airport and flooding the runways, Flt Lieutenant Pratana Patansiri, vice president for THAI’s aviation safety, security and standard’s department, said on Tuesday night.

Other airlines have also temporarily stopped flying in and out of Osaka.

The flights to be cancelled are:

1. TG622 scheduled to depart from Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 4 at 11.30pm and arrive at Kansai Airport at 7am (local time) the following day;

2. TG623 scheduled to depart Kansai Airport on September 5 at 11.45am (local time) and arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 3.35pm.

Earlier, THAI had cancelled the Bangkok-Osaka TG672 flight, and the Osaka- Bangkok TG673 flight.

The airline has said it will closely monitor and assess the situation, and resume normal operations once Kansai Airport reopens.

THAI operates two round-trip flights daily between Bangkok and Osaka. For more information, visit thaiairways.com or call (02) 356 1111 (24 hours).

Source - TheNation

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#Thailand - Pha-Ngan Full Moon party still popular

More than 10,000 foreign tourists joined the popular Full Moon Party on Koh Pha-Ngan late Sunday night and the early hours of Monday under the watchful eye of security officials, the Pha-Ngan district chief said.

Pha-Ngan district chief Krirkkrai Songthani dispatched 120 troops, police and Interior Ministry officials to the designated area on the island’s Haad Rin Beach to maintain security during the party.

Krirkkrai said the beach was crowed with partygoers and he had deployed the officials to prevent crime and drug abuse.

Haad Rin has been famed for its Full Moon Party celebrations for decades but the parties had become notorious for drug and alcohol abuse. Tourists reportedly liked to eat “magic mushrooms”, a kind of fungus with hallucinatory effects, and regularly drank all night before passing out on the beach. Clinics and hospitals were often full of exhausted and hung-over tourists the following day.

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Tourists danced to the blaring music as security officers patrolled the beach.

Krirkkrai said the large turnout showed that foreign tourists had regained confidence and were returning to both Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Tao. He said officials have measures in place to ensure the safety of visitors and hoped they would return to visit the two islands.

Source - TheNation

 

#Bangkok - Khaosan vendors to ‘disobey’ orders from Monday

Khaosan Road vendors will resort to “civil disobedience” from Monday if Bangkok authorities do not allow them to sell their wares during daylight hours, a leader of the Khaosan Road Street Vendors Association said.

“We will defy the order and set our stalls up at the usual time,” Yada Pornpetrumpa said. 

The vendors are also planning to march to the capital’s City Hall at around 11.30am on Monday to seek permission to sell their wares during the day.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) banned street vendors from trading during daytime since August 1. Though the BMA is coming up with a new regulation to allow trading from 4pm to midnight, vendors at present can only conduct their business from 6pm. 

 This time limit has meant a huge drop in income for daytime traders, largely because they have to hand their stalls over at 8pm to vendors who sell at night, Yada explained. 

“It’s like we set our stalls up for nothing. Now, we [daytime vendors] make only Bt500 or Bt1,000 daily,” she added. 

According to the 1992 Public Cleanliness and Orderliness Act, vending on the street is illegal. However, since Khaosan Road is known the world over for its vibrant street market, the City Hall decided to draft a municipal order allowing vendors to take over the Khaosan Road footpaths from 4pm to midnight. 

Khaosan vendors, however, said this order would cripple vendors who make a living by selling trinkets to backpackers and Chinese tourists during the daytime. 

Source - TheNation

#Thailand - Jet-skis, parasail rides banned until Thursday on Phuket’s west coast

The acting chief of the Phuket Marine Office has announced a ban on jet-ski and parasail ride operators using Phuket’s west-coast beaches, including today. 

 Wiwat Chitcherdwong said: “According to the Thai Meteorological Department Office, heavy rain and high waves of up to 3 metres are still affecting the Andaman Sea until Thursday, August 9.” 

“Jet-skis and parasails are now being banned until the order is changed.” he added.

 Source - TheNation

#Thailand - The peaceful side of #Pattani

Long beset by insurgency, this southern province bordered by Narathiwat, Yala, and Songkhla has plenty to offer the visitor

THE FORMER capital of the ancient Langkasuka Kingdom, Pattani province in Thailand’s far south has traditionally been feted for its multiculturalism, though sadly the ongoing violence has kept it well off the tourist path for more than a decade. 

But not all the residents have given up on drawing visitors to their home. On a recent visit that saw a group of journalists wrap up a tour of all three southernmost provinces, we were taken around China Town by Melayu Living, a club of innovative artists who are hoping to bring tourists back to this thriving trading hub on the bank of the Pattani River and the border of Thailand and Malaysia.

 The group has also collaborated with the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage to create maps and guidebooks to illustrate the city layout and indicate the locations of tourist attractions. 

Along the 1.4-kilometre walking route, visitors can learn about history, enjoy some local delicacies and get a feel for the simple way of Southern life. Contrary to the negative pictures painted by the media, it’s normal to see Muslims sitting alongside Chinese-Buddhists eating roti and drinking coffee or tea and sharing space in an art gallery. 

Sulaiman “Lee” Chemae is our tour guide for the walk and one of my travel companions greets him not with “hello” but a question – “It is safe to roam on foot?”

Lee doesn’t appear put out. “This area is like the yolk of an egg, protected by checkpoints controlled by armed soldiers. So, yes, tourists can feel safe. I admit we can’t guarantee 100-per-cent safety but we can recommend places to which visitors can go as well as those best avoided,” he says. 

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China Town is populated by Hokkian Chinese, whose ancestors migrated from Fujian and set up shop on Anoru Road. Lined with old Chinese-style buildings mostly constructed during the reign of King Rama III, it’s home to the Lim Ko Nieo Shrine, worshipped by local residents and seafarers alike to ask for fortune, success, good health and protection. Built in 1634, it was originally called Leng Chu Kiang Shrine. 

Legend has it that Lim Ko Niao crossed the South China Sea from China to Pattani to bring her brother back home to be with their dying mother. The young man, Lim To Kiam, declined her request, preferring to stay in Pattani because he had married a daughter of Phraya Tani and converted to Islam. Lim Ko Niao was frustrated by her brother’s refusal and ended up hanging herself from a cashew nut tree. The villagers later carved a wooden statue to her memory. 

A short distance from the shrine is the former residence of taxman Luang Wichit Sulkakorn. Made from wood and cement, the main structure has been maintained to celebrate its long history. 

When Wichit and his family moved out, the house was turned into a Thai dessert shop by Xuan Lui Kowittaya and became the first grocery on Anoru Road. Today, it’s under the care of the Kamolwittaya family.

“In the past, the Chinese residents traded with sea merchants from Singapore, Malacca and the Malay Peninsula, while the Muslims made their living from fishing. King Rama III recognised the potential for border trade, so he sent a tax collector to Pattani, making our community stronger,” Lee explains.

Next door is the White Building, which was constructed in 1883 by Luang Cheen Kananurak. Anan, the third generation of the Kananurak family, recently had it completely refurbished and gave it a more modern look. 

The building is divided into three zones linked by walkways from the front building to an old wooden house in the middle. There is a kitchen and a lush courtyard at the back, where the air-raid shelter hastily constructed during World War II, has been turned into a fish and lotus pond. 

Commonly known as Baan Kongsee, the bright blue, 150-year-old house was constructed by another tax collector, Luang Samret Kitjakorn Jangwang – an ancestor of the Kanaurak family, during the reign of King Rama III. 

The roof has a perforated design that resembles ancient currency, symbolic of fortune, while the front of house features two windows to protect against inauspicious happenings in line with feng shui beliefs.

The structure is built with glazed bricks coated with white honey-mixed lime and oversize earthenware tiles cover the floor. The living room has a huge stand to accommodate the many statues of Chinese deities.

“Before the violence, this area was really colourful. It was lined with restaurants and always packed with foreign labourers and local fishermen. Because of its proximity to the huge fish market and pier, some Bt100 million changed hands every night,” Lee says. 

“We want to promote other tourist routes that take in artisan villages and encourage people to take a cruise to a swamp forest in Yaring district so that visitors can experience our culture.” 

Just a 15-minute drive away from downtown Pattani next to Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana Garden is the recently opened Pattani Adventure Park, which is billing itself as the best vantage point for admiring Tachee Cape and azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand. 

The 400-metre skywalk stands as high as a three-storey building and can hold up to 400 kilogram per square metre, thus ensuring safety for all visitors. It’s also connected to a long nature trail on the ground, home to a lush massive swamp forest. 

A mere 35 kilometres from town is 

 Sai Khao, which won the Most Outstanding Community-based Tourism Award back in 2007 for its eco-cultural tours and homestay services. Local residents have modified their vintage Jeep trucks to transport visitors to the Namtok Sai Khao National Park, where a golden statue of the Buddha looks down at visitors from the top of the mountain. 

 

“The province invested Bt32 million to construct the Buddha statue and it took 41 years to complete. It is a great viewpoint to look out over the verdant landscapes of Sai Khao district,” says Uncle Chanin Siannin, the head of Baan Sai Khao community.

The mountain is also home to a sacred pond, which the monk Luang Pu Tuad discovered during a pilgrimage in the jungle, a huge snake-like rock attached to the steep cliff and the Sai Khao waterfall, which is a popular picnic spot for local families. 

Our day out ends with a visit to the massive rubber plantations and orchards, where we’re allowed to pick durian, bananas and rambutan straight from the tree and stock up on such snacks as preserved garcinia and miang kham made from banana to remind us of our visit.

Source - TheNation

 

 

#Indonesia in rescue bid for 500 hikers stranded after quake

Mataram, Indonesia - Indonesia mounted a rescue operation Monday to reach more than 500 hikers and guides stranded by landslides on an active volcano on Lombok, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the holiday island.

    Helicopters and search teams have been deployed to scour the slopes of Mount Rinjani, which is crisscrossed with hiking routes popular with tourists, while rescuers have made airdrops of food supplies to those stranded.

    Tonnes of rock and mud were dislodged on the mountain in the 6.4-magnitude quake, which struck early Sunday and was followed by scores of aftershocks, leaving hikers with no easy way down to safety.

    "There are still 560 people trapped," said the head of Rinjani national park Sudiyono, who goes by one name.

    Those believed to be stranded include citizens from the United States, France, the Netherlands, Thailand and Germany, as well as many other countries, search and rescue officials said.

    Hundreds of other hikers managed to get off the mountain on Sunday, according to officials.

    At least 16 people were killed in the earthquake across affected areas of Lombok, while hundreds of buildings were destroyed including a health clinic.

 The quake created panic on the holiday island and sent locals and tourists running outside their homes and hotels.

 

    The rescue operation on Mount Rinjani is likely to run until at least Tuesday and a military helicopter has dropped supplies at several spots on the mountain.

    "For supplies, they can still survive for another one to two days," Agus Hendra Sanjaya, spokesman for Mataram's search and rescue agency, told AFP.

    Rising some 3,726 metres (12,224 feet) above sea level, Rinjani is the second-tallest volcano in Indonesia and a favourite among sightseers keen to take in its expansive views.

    Hiking trails on the mountain were closed following the quake due to fear of further landslides.

    Thailand's embassy in Jakarta said 239 of its citizens were stuck in the area surrounding the mountain.

    Thai national Thanapon Worawutchainan, who was at the summit when the earthquake occurred, posted a video on Facebook showing people stumbling down the slopes in the aftermath.

    He said the ground shook violently and people lay down until the tremors stopped.

    "It looked like the mountain in front of me was going to collapse," another stranded Thai, Funknathee Prapasawat, said on Facebook. "Some people were injured by rocks falling off the mountain".

 - Thousands in shelters -

 

        The epicentre of the earthquake was 50 km (30 miles) northeast of Lombok's main city Mataram, the United States Geological Survey said, far from the main tourist spots on the south and west of the island.

    The initial tremor was followed by two strong secondary quakes and more than 100 aftershocks.

    The jolt was felt some 100 km (60 miles) away on the bustling resort island of Bali, although there were no reports of damage there.

    Some 160 people were injured in Lombok as a result of the quake, said Mohammad Rum, head of West Nusa Tenggara disaster agency.

    A Malaysian was among the dead, with another six citizens injured, the foreign ministry in Kuala Lumpur said.

    A total of 5,141 people are staying in temporary shelters and in need of clean water, Indonesian disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told MetroTV.

    President Joko Widodo visited affected areas on Monday and promised financial support for those who have lost their homes.

    "We must be aware that our country is in the Ring of Fire, so people need to be prepared to face any disaster," Widodo said.

 Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

 

    In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.//AFP

Source - TheNation

 

Indonesia - Sail Moyo Tambora ceremony on September 9

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is scheduled to attend the 2018 Sail Moyo Tambora ceremony in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Sept. 9.

"Other than the President, diplomats from several countries will also attend the international event to witness the ongoing development across Indonesia, including Sumbawa," Agus Purwoto, secretary for the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister, said in the provincial capital Mataram on Tuesday.

Sail Moyo Tambora is expected to help promote Sumbawa’s potential for tourism, as well as serve as a coordination event between ministries and agencies with similar programs.

The event is part of Indonesia's participation in World Sail 2018 in September, during which the archipelago will serve as a cruise destination for yachts.

This year, Rally Sail Indonesia is highlighting the 2018 Sail Moyo Tambora as a national brand, after previously promoting Sail Sabang, Karimata and Bunaken.

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 Agus said the Sail Moyo Tambora brand is an opportunity for NTB to promote its tourist destinations in Sumbawa, as it will host various activities throughout the Sail period.

He added that preparations for the event were solid, including surveys to related ministries and agencies "to ensure the event can be focused in one location and the government can concentrate more on what to highlight.”

The event was first proposed by the NTB administration in 2015.

“It is time for Sumbawa to shine,” said Agus. "The late Princess Diana had vacationed in Moyo Island, as well as legendary singer Mick Jagger. Moyo is well-known in the global community."

Mount Tambora, which erupted in 1815 and triggered climate change in in half of the world, is said to also serve as the icon of Sumbawa.

Several activities have been planned for Sail Moyo Tambora, such as cultural dialogues, the Asia Pacific Geopark Network international seminar and an international paragliding event.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

'Party city' Amsterdam to crack down on tourists

Amsterdam is seeking to contain the flood of tourists swamping the city, with the incoming council proposing a series of tough measures and plans to hike tourism taxes.

Some 18 million tourists visit Amsterdam every year -- more than the entire population of the Netherlands --  and local residents have become increasingly fed-up at the deluge.

The city's picturesque narrow streets and canals now sag year round under the weight of all the visitors, including increasing numbers of raucous and unruly stag and hen parties.

Under a plan "to seek a new balance" put forward by the four parties forming the city's next coalition council, popular activities like beer-bikes and boozy boat trips will be sharply curtailed.

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 "Tourism is part of the international culture of Amsterdam, which we should continue to cherish," the plan says, a copy of which was obtained Thursday by AFP.

But due to "nuisance, crowds and rubbish, some neighborhoods are under extreme pressure."

Amsterdam is first and foremost "a city to live in and to do business," the plan says, adding "it is only secondly a tourist destination."

From 2019 tourist taxes will be hiked to 7.0 percent, while the city will also look at ways to cut back on the number of hotel rooms.

In some swamped neighborhoods a total ban on holiday rentals may be introduced, and plans for a new passenger terminal for large cruise ships will be scrapped.

"We are looking for an alternative location outside of Amsterdam," the plan says.

The city already announced in January that it would impose a new 30-day curb on the renting of private homes via websites like online booking giant Airbnb from next year. And this will be strictly enforced, the parties pledged.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Southeast Asia's idyllic islands buckle under tourism strain

Airports have become chaotic, hotels are being thrown up with little regard for safety and sanitation, beaches are strewn with garbage and coral reefs are dying.

The six-month closure of the Philippine tourism island of Boracay for a revamp after the country's president branded it a "cesspool" reflects the growing pressures on beach resorts across Southeast Asia as visitor numbers surge.

Tourism experts say the region's infrastructure is buckling under record visitor numbers, especially as more Chinese holiday abroad, and expect more drastic measures to come.

Airports have become chaotic, hotels are being thrown up hastily with little regard for safety and sanitation, tropical beaches are strewn with garbage and coral reefs are dying.

Thailand already has plans to shut its famous Maya Bay in the Phi Phi islands for four months this summer, while an environmental group is calling for urgent government action to tackle a "crisis" on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali.

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 "Many out-of-control destinations across Asia will need clean-ups," said Brian King, associate dean of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. "These may come from government, or industry or from NGO-driven community action. The danger is that little happens until the crisis point is reached."

He added: "Boracay is not the first and won't be the last closure."

Airlines have already started to cut back flights to Boracay, which had 2 million visitors last year, with the largest foreign contingents coming from China and South Korea, ahead of its closure on April 26.

The Philippines, which had record visitor numbers last year after three years of double-digit growth, estimates the Boracay closure could reduce full-year GDP by 0.1 percent.

It is also planning to inspect the beach resort of Puerto Galera, on the island of Mindoro, and is already looking at the resorts of El Nido and Coron, in Palawan province, where an influx oftourism and rapid development has put infrastructure under strain.

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 But rival tourist hotspots around the region are not all rubbing their hands at the prospect of the extra revenue from the redirected tourist traffic.

 

Kanokkittika Kritwutikon, the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Phuket office, said the island was at "stretching point", particularly its airport, which has undergone a number of upgrades in recent years to try to cope with overcapacity.

"Our policy is to try to spread tourism around" from Phuket to "secondary destinations that are less well-known," said Kanokkittika. "Apart from guests arriving by plane to Phuket we also have boats coming in, including cruises, so you can imagine how many tourists come through Phuket."

The shutdown of Maya Bay in an attempt to salvage the area's coral reefs - which have been damaged by crowds of tourists and warmer temperatures - follows the closure of 10 popular Thai diving sites in 2016 after a National Parks survey found bleaching on up to 80 percent of some reefs.

Pattaya, south of Bangkok, serves as another cautionary tale.

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 An influx of western tourists from as far back as the 1960s, when American soldiers came on leave from the Vietnam war, and a construction boom in the 1990s transformed it from a picturesque fishing village to a town known for its seedy nightlife and high crime rate.

Thailand's tourism ministry expects 37.55 million tourists this year, up from a record 35 million in 2017, of which 9.8 million were from China.

Shutdowns "too late" 

Benjamin Cassim, a tourism lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic School of Business in Singapore, said the closures of Boracay and Maya Beach could become "test cases" and will be closely monitored by other countries with popular beach resorts.

A non-profit group in Indonesia has been calling on the government to tackle what it calls an "environmental crisis" in Bali, the country's most popular tourist island, which saw more than 5.5 million visitors last year.

Source -  e.vnexpress.net/