#Agoda reveals hotspots: #Bangkok heats up rankings

 

Agoda unveiled the hottest must-visit destinations with the Big Mango, Bangkok sizzling in second place.

Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam emerged as the unrivalled favourites, igniting a tourism frenzy in the first month alone. Moreover, Malaysia and South Korea are hot on their heels, rounding up the top five inbound markets.

According to Agoda’s January 2024 booking rankings, Asian travel destinations have kicked off the year with unparalleled vigour. Zooming into city-specific allure, Japan’s magnetic hubs Tokyo and Osaka continue to allure adventurers, maintaining their stronghold from the previous year.

Bangkok (No.2), Seoul (No.4), and Kuala Lumpur (No.5) also clinch spots on the coveted list, underscoring the charm of Asian metropolises. This data shines a spotlight on the burgeoning fascination with both established icons and urban gems across the continent.

Omri Morgenstern, the Chief Executive Officer at Agoda, shared his insights.

“The irresistible allure of markets like Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam, and the magnetic pull of cities such as Tokyo and Bangkok, continue to captivate adventurers globally. With tourism topping the agenda of numerous established and emerging destinations, 2024 promises to be a stellar year for travel enthusiasts. At Agoda, we’re committed to fuelling this excitement by offering travellers unbeatable deals, making globe-trotting dreams a budget-friendly reality.”

A comparative analysis of accommodation searches between January last year and January 2024 reveals India as the unrivalled champion in soaring popularity, reported Antara News.

Following suit, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Italy have showcased remarkable surges compared to the previous year.

Source: The Thaiger & AGODA

Thailand's Immigration Launches Automated Passport Control

 Thailand’s Immigration Bureau responds to Prime Minister Setha Thavisin’s directive with the launch of an automated passport control system at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Learn how this initiative aims to enhance tourism convenience and expedite the departure process for outbound passengers.

Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is set to usher in a new era of convenience for travelers, with the Immigration Bureau unveiling plans for an automated passport control system. In response to Prime Minister Setha Thavisin‘s policy directive, this forward-looking initiative is poised to streamline departure processes, reduce congestion at departure gates, and enhance the overall experience for both inbound and outbound passengers.

On November 14th, Police Lieutenant General Chengron Rimphadee, head of Immigration Bureau 2, provided insights into the development progress of the Automated Channel at Suvarnabhumi Airport, as reported by Daily News. The strategic goal is to ensure smoother outbound passenger checks, optimizing the use of technology to expedite the departure process.

The primary objective of this endeavor is to significantly reduce waiting times at immigration counters while maintaining robust security measures. By automating outbound passenger checks, immigration staff will be able to reallocate their focus to inbound checks, further bolstering national security.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Setha Thavisin, the Immigration Office has been entrusted with enhancing the existing system and introducing the Automated Channel at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This pivotal system upgrade is designed to benefit not only Thai passport holders but also foreign travelers, aligning with the government’s commitment to improving tourism convenience.

One of the notable highlights of this initiative is the accessibility of the Automated Channel to foreign nationals, marking a significant shift in convenience and efficiency. To meet the ambitious December 15th deadline, the Immigration Bureau is diligently working on system upgrades and procedural adjustments in preparation for the upcoming New Year festivities.

Lieutenant General Chengron Rimphadee emphasized that the expansion of the Automated Channel for foreign nationals will effectively double the airport’s capacity to handle outbound passengers. The anticipated capacity increase, from 5,000 to approximately 12,000 passengers per hour, is a testament to the transformative power of automation in the travel industry.

As part of the ongoing developments, the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is set to procure new Automated Channel systems. These state-of-the-art systems will replace the aging 12-year-old machines at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang Airports. At Suvarnabhumi, the installation will feature 40 new machines for international departures, a significant upgrade from the current 16. Furthermore, Don Mueang Airport will also witness replacements for both inbound and outbound channels, promising modernity, accuracy, and efficiency.

Lieutenant General Chengron Rimphadee concluded by underscoring the importance of manual checks for international arrivals, ensuring robust national security measures. The planned installation of additional Automated Channel machines for departures will not only expedite the process but also allow for increased staffing at inbound passport control, catering to the surges in passenger traffic during peak travel periods.

The introduction of automated passport control at Suvarnabhumi Airport is a significant milestone in Thailand’s commitment to providing a seamless and secure travel experience. As the December 15th deadline approaches, travelers can look forward to quicker and more efficient departures, making Thailand an even more attractive destination for visitors from around the world. [Asean Now]

#THAILAND - Other provinces demand extended nightlife hours too

 

What about us?!

With nightlife venues in Phuket, Chon Buri, Bangkok and Chiang Mai being granted extended opening hours, other provinces want to do the same. From December 15, bars and clubs in 4 popular tourism provinces can remain open until 4am (previously 2am) for a trial period.

The move is one of several introduced by PM Srettha Thavisin, in a bid to boost Thailand’s economy and the tourism sector. It is not yet known how long the trial will last and if or when it will be extended nationwide.

Nightlife operator Pichanont Ingprasarn, who co-owns a number of venues in the eastern provinces of Trat, Chanthaburi and Rayong, says he’s hopeful the government will extend the later hours to other parts of the country, if it proves to be advantageous for tourism and the economy.

“If the extension boosts tourism and local economy in the four provinces, other provinces should also be allowed to add opening hours. The government should look at other provinces with the potential for tourism growth, such as Rayong and Trat, which have tourist attractions (such as Koh Chang in Trat). Nightlife venues there are also the targets of foreign tourists.”

The nightlife operator goes on to say that more venues on Koh Chang should be eligible to apply for operating licences, adding that stricter law enforcement is required to prevent underage drinking and other issues.

Meanwhile, tourism operators on Koh Samui want to know when the island’s nightlife venues will be allowed to open for longer. Ratchaporn Poonsawat from the Koh Samui Tourism Association says despite talks that stretch back to the previous administration, Koh Samui has been excluded from the latest trial, despite being a popular tourism destination.

Source - Phuket.Go

Five new Thai airlines to start flying next year

Thai nationals are launching five new airlines with a total investment of at least 3.85 billion baht, expecting to start commercial operations in 2024, eyeing a piece of Thailand’s growing aviation market which is estimated to reach 320 billion baht in value next year.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), the five new airlines that have been granted the Air Operating Licence (AOL) are: Really Cool Airlines, P80 Air, Pattaya Airways, Siam Seaplane and Landarch Airlines.

These airlines will have to wait for the CAAT to approve their Air Operator Certificate (AOC) before they can fly commercially in Thailand.

Patee Sarasin, chief executive officer of Really Cool Airlines, said that the airline expected to receive an AOC in January next year and start flying from the second quarter.

He said that in the first two years of operation, Really Cool Airlines would focus on Asian routes such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai with four Airbus A330-300 aircrafts.

With an initial crew of 130, the company will test the market with chartered flights during March to May next year, then switch to regular flights and later expand to European markets.

“We would not compete with Thai Airways International on their regular routes but would focus on flights to secondary cities, which would also help further promote Thailand’s tourism industry,” he said.

Patee added that Really Cool would also be the world first’s airline that delivers passenger luggage to their doors. “We are planning to invest some 1 billion baht in products and services under Rally Cool brands, such as Really Cool Taxi, Really Cool Medical, and Really Cool Cargo,” he said.

Meanwhile, P80 Air spokesman Sorakrit Wannala said that the company expected to get its AOC in the next 8-9 months and start commercial operation in the last quarter of next year.

In the first two years of operation, P80 Air would fly mostly to secondary cities in China using four Boeing B737-800 NG aircrafts, he said.

P80 Air is a subsidiary of Thoresen Thai Agencies Pcl, a maritime logistics arm of Mahagitsiri Group. The company reportedly has invested over 2 billion baht in the airline business, of which 500 million baht have been spent in establishing a new airline.

Thossaporn Usanee, president of Pattaya Group, said that Pattaya Airways planned to take to the skies in the fourth quarter of 2024, providing full-scale aviation transport on both domestic and Asean destinations.

Pattaya Airways will use an ATR72 aircraft for cargo delivery in the first three years before adding three more planes to serve the growing demand of cargo delivery from e-commerce operators, he added.

A news source reported that Siam Seaplane was looking to add amphibian planes of the Cessna Caravan 208 model to its fleet to serve high-end customers visiting seaside resorts and ports in Thailand. The airline’s first route will be the famous Ko Lipe in Satun province, where amphibian planes can shorten the commute time to the island to just 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, Landarch Airlines will operate short chartered flights between major cities in southern provinces, starting from April 2024, according to a source.

The airline’s centre would be in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, where it would procure five Cessna C208 B, 12-seaters aircraft within the first five years. Landarch Airlines will expand its fleet to 15 aircraft in following years, targeting destinations in other provinces as well.

Source - The Nation

Expat Insider 2023 Survey Reveals: The Best & Worst Destinations for Living and Working Abroad, Thailand is 6th

 Thailand

InterNations, the world’s largest expat community with more than 4.8 million members, has published the latest results of its annual Expat Insider survey. This year also marks the survey’s 10th anniversary. With more than 12,000 respondents, Expat Insider is one of the most extensive surveys about living and working abroad. It provides insights into expat life in 53 destinations, offering in-depth information on the respondents’ satisfaction with their respective countries in these five indices: Quality of Life, Ease of Settling In, Working Abroad, Personal Finance, and the Expat Essentials Index.

Expats Enjoy an Affordable Life in Thailand 

Thailand ranks 6th out of 53 destinations in the Expat Insider 2023 survey. Cost-conscious ex-pats appreciate Thailand for its readily available and affordable housing (1st), as well as the affordable lifestyle it generally offers. The country ranks 4th in the Personal Finance Index. However, there is still room for improvement regarding Work Culture & Satisfaction (46th) and Safety & Security (45th). All in all, 86% say they are happy with their life in Thailand, compared to a global average of 72%. 

The Best & Worst Destinations for Expats in 2023

Out of 53 destinations in the Expat Insider 2023 survey, Mexico (1st), Spain, Panama, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Bahrain, and Portugal (10th) are the best places for expats in 2023. On the other hand, expats consider Kuwait (53rd), Norway, Türkiye, South Korea, Germany, South Africa, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, and Japan (44th) as the worst destinations for expats.

Source - Pattaya News

Read more on Expat Insider

Thailand tourist fee: 300 baht via air, 150 baht via land/sea

Thailand plans to charge foreign arrivals arriving by air a tourist fee of 300 baht (US$9.11) and a fee of 150 baht (US$4.56) for tourists entering the kingdom via land/sea by mid-2023.

The 300 baht tourist fee for air arrivals has been in the pipeline for a long time and is set to be enforced in June after facing several Covid-19-related delays.

However, the Ministry of Tourism wasn’t sure about whether to apply the fee to tourists entering Thailand via land or sea borders.

The biggest concern was that a 300 baht tourist tax could put off Malaysian tourists who are partial to crossing over into southern Thailand via land for short trips of just two or three days. In 2022, Malaysia was Thailand’s No.1 tourism market.

As a compromise, the ministry has halved the fee to 150 baht (US$4.56) for tourists arriving via land/sea.

Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, revealed that the National Tourism Policy Committee convened on Friday to discuss 1) the collection of tourist tax via air and 2) the collection of tourist tax via land/sea…

“At the meeting, we discussed various issues about the collection of the tourist fee (also known as “stepping onto the land fee”) until we came to an agreement. Now, we will seek approval from the Cabinet within the next week.”

Air arrivals exempt from paying the tourist fee include Thai passport holders, airline staff, and infants under two years old.

For arrivals entering Thailand via land or sea, those exempt from paying the fee include Thai passport holders, arrivals entering using temporary border passes, civil servants travelling for work and any employees travelling for day trips.

“All steps have been clearly agreed upon. The draft law is complete and is awaiting Cabinet approval. Then we can proceed with the next steps,” added Phiphat.

It is not yet clear what exactly the collected tourist tax will be spent on. According to Phiphat, the money collected from tourists will be used to support visitors involved in accidents and also to develop tourist destinations.

Source - The Thaiger

Travel in 2022 – how Russia is reshaping the world’s travel industry

Russians were the most visible travellers heading to Thailand post February 1, 2022, when the Thailand Pass Test & Go option was rebooted. Even with its 2 days of pre-booked SHA+ quarantine and PCR tests, along with US$50,000 Covid insurance (which has since been reduced to $20,000), the Russian travelers were delighted to jump on a plane and take the long trip to the much warmer Land of Smiles.

That situation has now radically changed and the world is reverberating to the full impact of Russia’s aggression and the invasion of Ukraine.

Now there’s a mere trickle of daily flights between Russia and either Suvarnabhumi or Phuket in Thailand. Whilst much of the rest of the world have said ’nyet’ to the arrival of any planes from Russia, Thailand is still allowing them to arrive. But even if the planes are still coming (albeit in vastly reduced numbers), the pressure of world sanctions, bans and the plunge of the Russian Ruble has already made the decision for any potential Russian travelers.

Now, the latest data from ForwardKeys, shows that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now into its 9th day, has prompted an instant spike in flight cancellations to and from Russia, worldwide. On the day after the first tanks rolled into Ukraine, every booking that was made for travel to Russia was outweighed by six cancellations of existing bookings.

Russians escaping their bleak winter and heading to sunnier destinations were suddenly cancelling their trips. The cancellation rates between February 24 – 26 were Cyprus (300%), Egypt (234%), Turkey (153%), the UK (153%), Armenia (200%), and Maldives (165%).

Bookings for March, April and May were already reaching 32% of the pre-Covid levels of travel for outbound Russians. They were heading to Mexico, Seychelles, Eygpt and Maldives. And Thailand.

The outlook for Q3 this year was looking even stronger.

All that Russian travel enthusiasm has now collapsed and, given the harsh economic weapons thrown at Vladimir Putin, his banks, his ‘friends’ and his citizens, any recovery will be a long, long way down the track. Even if there was a swift and unexpected reversal of the Ukraine situation, Russia has already been dealt a fatal economic blow – in just one week the country been turned into a pariah state and much of the rest of the world seems happy to punish the entire country for Putin’s violence.

For countries like the Seychelles, Maldives and Cyprus, Russian arrivals represented a high percentage of their international arrivals. In Thailand that was about 8% of the total tourist mix. And, whilst the Chinese are still in China for at least the rest of this year, the loss of the Russian travel market probably represented an even higher percentage of tourists that won’t be coming to Thailand in 2022.

Sourse - The Thaiger

According to ForwardKeys, before Russia invaded Ukraine, the top twenty destinations most booked by Russian travelers in March, April and May were…. Number one, Turkey, then the UAE, the Maldives, Thailand, Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, Armenia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Hungary, Bulgaria, Mexico, Spain, Azerbaijan, USA, UK, Qatar, Italy and Uzbekistan.

The world travel industry will be further hit by rising airfares (due to the sharp surge in oil prices), cancellations of routes (across Eastern Europe), a higher resistance to international travel (for perceived safety reasons) and a lingering instability in world politics.

While the Thailand Pass is still seen by many potential travelers as a significant barrier to their choice of Thailand as their next travel destination, and the Russian and Chinese traveler-tap turned off, Thailand’s immediate travel future looks bleak. And this follows nearly 2 years of border closures, false restarts, over-hyped TAT arrival projections and the former Thai tourism workforce heading home to find other work.

The loss of the Russian travelers underscores a critical need for the Thai government to quickly modify the Thailand Pass, or scrap it completely. With so many other factors now making international travel difficult, Thailand will have to rethink their short to medium term tourism strategies to retain its share of the international travel market.

Of course there is no comparison of the humanitarian tragedy underway inside the borders of Ukraine at this time, but Russia’s aggression will likely have much more long-term, and far-reaching, effects than the clear and present danger it poses on the Ukranian nation right now.

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS - TEST & GO

Travel from Europe to Bangkok by TRAIN

The construction of a new train line in Laos means that it is now possible to travel from Portugal to Bangkok and on to Singapore by train.
The route is thought to be the longest train journey in the world spanning some 18,755km and would take an estimated 21 days to complete the journey.

Travelling from Lagos in southern Portugal to Singapore, the journey requires a number of changes to hop on and hop off trains in cities such as Paris, Moscow, Beijing, Vientiane, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Prior to the opening of the new train line in Laos, the route would have ended in Vietnam, before passengers would need to catch a connecting bus to Saigon and onto Cambodia and Vietnam.

However, as of 2nd December 2021, Laos’ new high speed rail network that connects Kunming in China to the capital Vientiane means that it is now possible to continue on to Bangkok and south to Hua Hin before continuing on to Padang Besar in Malaysia and finally, Singapore.

The whole trip would take in 13 different countries, according to rail expert Mark Smith from the train travel booking website Seat 61 who first publicised the epic trip.

There would of course be a few overnight stops required to allow for immigration and visa processing, as well as some short hops across cities to different train stations.

Currently two of the longest sections of the route – Paris to Moscow and Moscow to Beijing – are not operating due to the pandemic.

But if you are looking for a once in a life time experience, and particularly if you enjoy train travel, this could be the perfect trip and something worth trying as and when COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased. – Hua Hin Today

Source - BangkokJack

VISA AGENT  /  How to register for: THAI PASS

The new longest possible train journey in the world.

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Singapore Airlines launches 60 minute A380 flights

It’s designed to ferry lots of people long distances, in an ultra-quiet flying experience. So flyers would be used to flying the huge Airbus A380 from LA to London, Bahrain to Frankfurt, Melbourne to Hong Kong.

The massive super jumbo airliner wasn’t designed for a short 1 hour hop. But that’s exactly what Singapore Airlines have planned now they’re getting their fleet back in the skies.

The flight is surely one of the shortest scheduled journeys for the mighty A380, between Singapore’s Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur in next door Malaysia. The flights will be 3 times a week from November 4 to December 2, 2021 as both country’s aviation industries struggle back into the air.

Singapore’s national airline will also kick off its London flights out of Changi from the middle of November as well.

While some of the world’s largest airlines are mothballing their mammoth A380s, or taking them out of service altogether, Singapore Airlines says the plane is a favourite among passengers and “some people just book the A380 specifically to fly on it”. Lufthansa and Air France have already retired their superjumbos.

Another owners of a large A380 fleet, British Airways, is putting the world’s largest passenger jet back into service on short haul London to European destination, specifically to Madrid and Frankfurt. They say it’s to train crews before resuming the profitable transatlantic flights.

Airbus is no longer producing the A380s, after orders evaporated and the largest passenger jet, originally launched in 2005, falling out of favour with a smaller generation of more economical jets coming into service, like Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 series.

Source - The Thaiger

Our VISA AGENT

Tourism recovery could take three to five years: Singapore Tourism Board chief

 

The tourism industry must be prepared for a long winter as international travel could take three to five years to return to pre-pandemic levels, even if a vaccine for the corona-virus is developed soon.

But businesses cannot go into hibernation mode if Singapore is to come roaring back as a top destination for high-value tourists when the situation begins to normalize.

This was the stark message from Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) chief executive Keith Tan to industry members at a virtual roundtable session Thursday.

Echoing the bleak outlook, Association of Singapore Attractions (ASA) chairman Kevin Cheong urged operators that are barely hanging on to cut their losses.

"If you think the light at the end of the tunnel is around the corner, this is not a corner. It is a huge turnpike," said Cheong.

Tan said the Government will do its best to aid the industry, such as by stimulating local demand. He also urged firms to develop offerings that can help differentiate Singapore as a travel destination, saying that support will be available to sustain these capabilities.

"We need to be prepared for travelers who are looking for more exclusive, smaller-scale or special experiences that are hard to find elsewhere because we believe that in the years after COVID-19, people will not be traveling so frequently," he said.

Businesses will have to be creative in coming up with new revenue streams in the interim, and some may have to reposition or pivot their business to survive, he noted.

During the two-hour session, industry leaders across sectors such as hotels, retail and attractions spoke about the challenges they face amid the tourist drought and safe distancing restrictions, as well as the need to collaborate and to improve service levels.

Sustained border closures have put the hotel industry here in a "critical financial crisis" as international tourism contributes to about 90 per cent of revenue, said Margaret Heng, executive director of the Singapore Hotel Association.

While the pandemic has hastened the adoption of contactless guest touch-points and online shopping, the personal touch will remain key for the hospitality and retail industries, panelists said.

Better service in stores is also needed if retailers are to give shoppers incentive to visit bricks-and-mortar outlets, said Singapore Retailers Association executive director Rose Tong. "If a shopper steps into the store and is not well treated and not served, then they might as well shop online," she said.

Retail staff should thus be trained in conversational and soft skills to better engage customers, Tong said.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Empty Asian beaches

Sun, sea, sand and space as coronavirus empties Asia's beaches

Just weeks ago, some visitors were complaining that Bali's famous sand and surf spot of Kuta Beach was way too busy.

Now it is deserted, with access banned as part of measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, which has killed nearly 100,000 people around the world and infected more than 1.5 million.

The picture in Bali is similar at other top Asia Pacific destinations such as Sydney's Bondi Beach and Thailand's Phuket.

"To stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the beaches in Kuta area closed for public," reads a sign in Bali, Indonesia, the country with the highest coronavirus death toll in Asia after China, where the virus emerged.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus, which emerged in central China late last year.

The virus has killed 306 people in Indonesia out of 3,512 cases, but more limited testing than in neighboring countries means the figures are widely believed to be higher.

The long Easter weekend would normally be a busy time in Bali, but not this year.

"Business is down almost 95 percent," said souvenir shop owner Ruju, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. "I have to borrow money just to buy food."

Not everyone agreed with the restrictions on the beaches.

Among them was Australian Daniel Baker, who said it would be better to just enforce social distancing of up to two meters to prevent the virus spreading.

"I should be able to swim or surf, it's important for mental health and exercise to stay healthy to fight COVID."

Bondi shut

Bans on public gatherings larger than two also forced Sydney's Bondi Beach to close over the Easter holiday. On Manly Beach, people were allowed to exercise but not swim.

Australians have been told to stay home or face dire consequences in the crackdown against the coronavirus, even as its spread slows. Australia had 6,152 infections by Friday with 53 virus-related deaths.

The co-owner of Bondi Surf Seafoods, George Dimitrios said 2020 was the worst year in his family's 47-year-old business and Good Friday sales had been disastrous.

"We've had the bushfires, we've had the rain and now we've got this," he said.

Bondi made headlines in March when thousands of people were seen ignoring social distancing rules at its world-famous beach. Authorities have since opened up a pop-up clinic.

On the Thai resort island of Phuket, coronavirus has largely eliminated the tourist industry on which it has survived. It is now on a partial lockdown to curb the spread of the virus, which has killed 33 people in Thailand and infected at least 2,473.

The usually busy Walking Street in the Old Phuket Town was almost empty.

"The impact is so severe because most of our customers are tourists," said Ittipat Klomkliang, owner of the Roast Coffee Cafe.

"From China and now Europe, a lot of the tourists have gone to zero."

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Booking.com offers options for a ‘sneeze-free’ vacation

 Booking.com, a global leader in connecting travellers to a wide choice of places to stay, is delving into its more than 29 million listings in over 153,000 destinations to come up with six destinations where people can have a “sneeze-free” vacation.

 Gran Canaria in Spain, which enjoys sunshine all year round, is a haven for travellers who suffer from hay fever as it has a very low pollen count. You can book a stay at B’SLOW San Agustin aparthotel, which offers picturesque views of the nearby Las Burras Beach.

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 Or you can go for a cooler option and a breath of fresh air at Coronet Peak in New Zealand. Pollen cannot survive in snowy weather. One of the nicest places to stay is the Canyons B&B, which boasts sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, the Shotover River and Coronet Peak.

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 If you plan to go to the US, you might consider Colorado Springs. In the summer and autumn months, especially July and October, the dry, desert-like surroundings contain few plants, allowing you to clear your head and give your itchy eyes a break. Breathe in crisp mountain air as you embark on a hike and take in popular sites and surroundings such as Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak and the Broadmoor Seven Falls.
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Offering stunning views of the Cheyenne Mountain, Cheyenne Mountain Resort Colorado Springs, A Dolce Resort boasts five swimming pools, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a 25-acre lake for sailing and a full-service spa.
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 For fresh Alpine air, you can head north to Whistler, British Columbia – a paradise for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts and home to Whistler Blackcombe, one of the largest ski resorts in North America.

Whistler Mountain typically stays open for skiing and snowboarding until late May. If you’re looking to swap your snow boots for hiking boots, popular hiking trails include Lakeside Park, Cheakamus Lake and the Ancient Cedars Trail.

The place to stay is Whistler Lodge Hostel, which offers affordable accommodation in an ideal location.

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 Meanwhile, the heavy rainfall, short pollen season and few trees in the Scottish Highlands can provide a retreat for travellers suffering from hay fever. The surrounding moorlands and mountain terrain also provide respite as the vegetation is relatively free of allergens.
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  The place to stay is the Air an Oir – Skye Self Catering holiday home in Portree, which offers stunning sea views and a revitalising breeze of salty fresh air. During your stay visit the quaint Portree Harbour and marvel at the famed rugged landscapes with a hike across Lealt Falls.
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Source - The Nation

Thai government introduces new TM30T, to keep track of Thais

One of the new test shopping centre locations for the new Waer Areuw program

The Thai government is introducing a new method of cracking down on home-made criminals.

In a reversal of its former policy “Good guys in, bad guys in”, the government’s criminal enhancement department is phasing in the new laws that will require Thai to report their location every time they stay overnight in a different location.

Spokesperson Phaec Than says the new policy will be called the TM30T, alluding to the highly successful TM30 form that has rid the Kingdom of foreigners.

“99% of crime in Thailand is by Thais so we believe that keeping a track of our population is vital,” says Phaec.

The new TM30T form will require Thais to report to the new Waer Areuw shops that will be set up in each province and some shopping centres. Locals will be required to report in their location within 24 hours if they have moved from their registered address. Workers, who travel more than one kilometre to work, and stay overnight, will be required to report their new location within 24 hours. And then on return.

Along with the new Waer Areuw reporting locations, there will also be a new App so people can conveniently report their new location.

“The App is safe and convenient and will be able to scan and send the 96 pages of documentation for your 24 hour reporting.”

“If you are staying with a foreigner, they will have to lodge the paperwork for you. We don’t think this should take any longer than 2-3 hours.”

Minister for criminal enhancement, Thelmee Ware Uah, says that if the new TM30T reporting is successful in reducing crime they may take the next step and issue all Thais with a convenient electronic ankle bracelet so the government can track their whereabouts, 24/7.

“We have seen some of these new wearable electronic ankle monitors. They come in a range of colours and styles and have a selection of matching handbags and umbrellas to turn ‘big brother surveillance’ into day-to-day fashion.”

The new TM30T form is a complete fabrication invented by The Thaiger.

#Vietnam - Major hotspots brace for National Day tourism surge

 As the 3-day National Day holiday nears, accommodations in tourism hotspots show varying occupancy levels, online reservation sites say.

The vacancy rate in the central Vietnam destinations of Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, and Phan Thiet is hovering around 50 percent on average, according to Agoda, a global online accommodation reservations provider.

On Traveloka, one of the leading flight and hotel booking platforms in Southeast Asia, a number of places in the ancient imperial capital of Hue like Gold Hotel Hue, Hotel La Perle, Cherry Hotel, and Huong Giang Hotel still have rooms for VND600,000 ($26) to VND1.4 million ($60) per night.

In Da Nang, the occupancy rate is abnormally low due to the city's shortage of water. High salinity levels in the Cau Do (Red Bridge) River, the main source of freshwater for a million residents and tourists in Da Nang, mean the city can only meet 70 percent of its water needs.

Some hotels are refusing to accept bookings because they do not have enough water. At Melia Danang Beach Resort, the number of room bookings by Vietnamese between August 30 and September 2, the National Day, is only 10 percent.

Some hotel managers in Da Nang, a top tourist attraction, said tourists booking hotel rooms during the holiday weekend are mainly from South Korea, Japan and mainland China.

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 The average occupancy rate of hotels in Vung Tau, a popular vacation destination in southern Vietnam, is also 50 percent, while it is 85 percent at some high-end hotels and resorts like Pullman, Malibu and Green Hotel.

Tu Le, a teacher working in HCMC's District 1, said she booked two rooms facing the sea at Leman Cap Resort & Spa in the southern beach town, and the rates were not much higher than normal.

Bookings seem tougher at hotels in Da Lat. Most hotels and resorts in the Central Highlands resort town have been fully booked up ahead of the holiday.

Bao Lam, 32, a bank employee in Ho Chi Minh City, said he was unable to get a family room in a luxury hotel in Da Lat.

Nomad Home Dalat and Elegant Dalat Hotel, two of Da Lat's most popular hotels, only have one or two double rooms available and they cost around VND1.2 million ($52) each per night, according to Booking.com, a travel fare aggregator and travel metasearch engine for hotel reservations. 

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Pham Van Bay, Deputy Director of Vietravel Hanoi, said since the National Day holiday this year is not long, most people have opted for domestic tours, with northern mountainous destinations like Moc Chau, Sa Pa, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang being very popular.

Pham Cao Vy, chairman of the Sa Pa Tourism Association, said most hotels have kept their rates unchanged though it could be a bit difficult for travelers to find a place.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific have said they would add a total of 240,000 seats on domestic routes from August 30 to September 2 to meet the increased travel demand.

SOURCE - VN EXPRESS

#Agoda reveals six exotic holiday destinations in Asia

Online travel booking platform Agoda revealed six exotic holiday destinations in the wild in Asia that provide guests individual and personal contact with nature.

The following nature escapes represent incomparable wildlife adventures just a short flight away. 

Slumber under the Bali sky

The Island of the Gods is famous for its natural beauty, picturesque beaches and magical sunsets. Enjoy a unique night under the stars accompanied by night animals in one of the transparent domes at the unconventional and minimalist Bubble Hotel Ubud. 

Get to know Malaysia´s homegrown species

Belum Temenggor rainforest in Perak, Malaysia, is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. Watch the wildlife or join activities such as jungle trekking, kayaking or camping in the wild. 

The area is home to some of the world´s most endangered animals, such as the Malayan tiger, Asiatic elephant or the white handed gibbon. The Belum Rainforest Resort offers the best view of the rainforest. 

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Swim with Miniloc Island´s marine life

The El Nido Resort on Miniloc Island, Philippines, is located in the middle of beautiful coves and sheer limestone cliffs. Apart from enjoying the Philippines’´ crystal clear water and vibrant marine life, the resort offers special activities such as guided sunrise and sunset hike tours, boat trips to the nearby lagoons and caves, as well as snorkeling excursions with the local fish.

If you’re lucky, you might see the massive talakitok, which weighs around 80 kilograms and measures 170 centimeters.

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Soar with Phuket's nature

Enjoy the natural view above the Phuket jungle of Thailand and spend your night in a Keemala Hotels villa, which was designed as a bird’s nest. 

The resort runs a strict “Anti Animal Exploitation Policy” and has rescued several animals onsite. It is home to goats, ducks, peacock and chickens, as well as a water buffalo rescued from Thai slaughterhouses.

Be a marine conservationist for a day

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If you are interested in the marine ecosystem, pay a visit to the Marine Ecology Research Center at Gayana Marine Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

As a learning and educational organization, it raises awareness on the increasing threats of marine life. Rehabilitation activities include replanting coral in the reef or getting close to sea creatures from seahorses to bamboo sharks.

Go off-grid with India's majestic predators

As one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in Northern India, Ranthambore National Park is a popular attraction for wildlife admirers. The park’s highlight includes Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian leopards, nilgai, wild boars, striped hyenas, sloth bears and chitals.

At Obero Vanyavilas Ranthambhore Hotel, you can spend your nights in glamping tents and enjoy the natural bird life, including magpie robins, purple sun birds and oriental white eyes.

Source - TheJakartaPost 

#Vietnam's Golden Bridge among Time's top 100 destinations this year

Just months after it opened to public, Vietnam’s amazing Golden Bridge continues to grab the world’s attention.

The Time magazine has listed it in its list of top 100 World’s Greatest Places for 2018.

Remarking on its architectural creativity, the magazine’s Julia Zorthian notes: “The two massive stony hands emerging from the mountains of central Vietnam may look mossy and cracked like ancient ruins, but don’t be fooled: they’re brand-new wire mesh and fiberglass supports for a striking footbridge that opened in June.”

Images of the two giant hands holding up the 150 meters long bridge at Ba Na Hills near Da Nang have gone viral and many international media outlets have remarked on the bridge, including AFP, Reuters and CNN.

Vu Viet Anh, Design Principal at TA Landscape Architecture that designed the pedestrian walkway, told Reuters that the bridge was designed to stimulate the image of the “giant hands of Gods, pulling a strip of gold out of the land.”

Other places on Time’s list include the Macan Museum in Indonesia and Tianjin Binhai Library in China.

According to Time, editors and experts at the magazine evaluated the entries based on quality, originality, innovation, sustainability and influence.

Offering grand views of mountains and forests from a height of almost 1000 metres above sea level, the bridge is set to attract increasing numbers of tourists to Da Nang and Ba Na Hills.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported that Ba Na Hills attracted 2.7 million visitors in 2017.

In the first six months of this year, more than 1.7 million of four million plus people visiting Da Nang also visited Ba Na Hills.

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#Japan - Kyoto sets eyes on wealthy foreign tourists

The city of Kyoto, visited by over 50 million tourists a year, is boosting efforts to attract wealthy foreign travelers by offering cultural workshops to satisfy their appetite for a deeper engagement with their destinations.

With visitors already at record-high levels, the ancient Japanese capital is shifting focus from quantity to quality in its tourism promotion, targeting the higher spending associated with high-end tourism, especially by foreigners.

According to the city, Japanese travelers, excluding those who made day trips, in 2016 spent about 47,000 yen ($420) per person, about half the 100,000 yen spent by foreign tourists.

"We would like to revitalize our traditional industries and the local economy" by winning the hearts of wealthy foreign travelers, said a city official.

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As part of such efforts, the city, in partnership with the city of Kanazawa, another major Japanese tourist destination, organized a study tour for American travel agents selling trips to rich customers in November.

In Kyoto, two women were introduced to cultural programs such as putting on kimono at a kimono rental shop, visiting a sake brewery and experiencing a tea ceremony. The city hopes the pair will organize travel plans based on their experiences in Kyoto.

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 "Wealthy tourists have a strong intellectual appetite. They want to experience unique traditional culture in their destinations by directly communicating with local experts," said Takeshi Tanaka, an interpreter-guide authorized by the city. 

 Some Buddhist temples in the city have started offering meditation classes in English for a small number of people and more craft centers are giving workshops in which visitors can produce Japanese folding fans and pottery while talking with artisans. These places have proved popular among wealthy foreign travelers, Tanaka said.

The city also set up an organization with other Japanese localities including Sapporo, Nara and Ishikawa Prefecture in April 2016 to jointly attract wealthy foreign tourists.

"In the past, tourism promotion was done by each region in Japan and lacked an attitude to promote the whole of Japan. We will work together to bring more foreign travelers by combining the attractiveness of each destination," a Kyoto city official said.

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Source - TheJakartaPost

Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise in 2018

Savvy, curious travelers who understand that Japan is more than just Tokyo have had Ishigaki, Japan on their travel radar, as the island has emerged the top trending spot in the 2018 edition of TripAdvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise ranking.

A stark contrast to the fast-paced, technologically-advanced society of fluorescent-lit Tokyo, Ishigaki is located in Japan’s southwestern Okinawa Prefecture, and is growing increasingly popular as a tourist destination for tired urbanites who can snorkel, dive, surf and soak along its beaches.

The area is also known for its colorful coral reefs, bright blue ocean waters, sugarcane fields, lush mountainside and mangroves.

Destinations on TripAdvisor’s annual list of top rising places are often lesser-known, emerging destinations set on the fringes of the mainstream tourist radar.

Winners are selected by measuring year-over-year increases in positive traveler review ratings. Winners have also experienced an increase in search traffic and booking interest.

Rounding out the top five spots on the list are Kapaa, Hawaii; Nairobi, Kenya; Halifax, Canada; and Gdansk, Poland.

Kapaa, Hawaii is also the top rising United States destination of 2018.

“The Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise award winners are a great source of inspiration for travelers interested in going somewhere exciting that’s emerging in popularity,” said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor in a statement.

“These winners were based on destination feedback and interest from the TripAdvisor community, and a common thread is that they all have outstanding accommodations, wonderful restaurants and exceptional attractions for every travel budget,” the TripAdvisor official added.

Here are the Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise:

1. Ishigaki, Japan
2. Kapaa, Hawaii
3. Nairobi, Kenya
4. Halifax, Canada
5. Gdansk, Poland
6. San Jose, Costa Rica
7. Riga, Latvia
8. Rovinj, Croatia
9. Nerja, Spain

10. Boycott by our company

Mexico, France, Greece lead destinations to enjoy this fall

For young, commitment-less travelers, childless couples and empty nesters, National Geographic Travel has rounded up a list of the best fall destinations for 2017, when summer cedes to winter in a stunningly dramatic transformation of colors.

While younger families may be tethered to school calendars in the fall, that doesn’t me

an that the travel world stops spinning. Here’s a selection of travel ideas this autumn, whether it be for a weeklong getaway or a weekend escapade for the whole family:

Celebrate the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico

Despite its macabre moniker, Day of the Dead is a colorful and festive holiday that honors the memory of fallen friends, family members and ancestors, and sends well wishes to the dead on their spiritual journey.

The tradition is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The city of Oaxaca offers one of the biggest and liveliest editions in Mexico, with processions, marching bands, fireworks and lots of Mezcal. The Day of the Dead takes place October 31 to November 2.

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Grape harvest in wine country, France

Wine lovers and Francophiles will want to consider delaying that long overdue holiday to France for mid-September, when the crowds have thinned, the temperatures have cooled slightly, and the grape harvest begins in Burgundy. If you’re more about drinking the grapes and not picking it, Paris throws its annual Fete des Vendanges harvest festival in October, when the Montmartre area transforms into a street festival lined with winemakers from across the country and food stalls that sell everything from fresh oysters to sizzling sausages and homemade nougat.

Olive harvest, Greece

It’s not just wine that can be described as liquid gold or divine nectar. If you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty for the chance to sample freshly pressed olive oil and snack on plump, rich olives, consider an olive harvesting trip in Crete or Kalamata (yes, that Kalamata). Visitors can help out with the harvest for a one-day or one-week part of their Hellenic holiday.

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National parks, United States and Canada

For the best display of nature’s mood-shifting ways, bookmark a weekend away to a local national park, where the trees are singing their last swan song in hues of burnt orange, red and yellow. All national parks in Canada are free until the remainder of the year, to mark the country’s 150th birthday, while the crowds have thinned at major national parks in the U.S. following the summer rush.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Indonesia to promote #Golf tourism in #Japan

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 The Tourism Ministry is set to hold the 2017 Indonesia Golf Sales Mission event in Katori city, northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on June 8.

This event is part of the ministry’s effort to achieve this year’s target of welcoming 762,000 Japanese tourists to Indonesia.

“Four sellers are set to participate in this event, namely Bali Fantastic, Riverside Golf Club, Multi Holiday and the Garuda Indonesia [branch] in Tokyo. They are at the frontlines in selling golf travel packages to 50 buyers consisting of travel agents, golf communities and associations in Katori,” said I Gde Pitana, the ministry's deputy for overseas promotion.

The event, supported by the Indonesian Embassy in Japan, Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO) Japan and the Indonesian Golf Course Owners Association (APLGI), will be held at the Narita no Mori Country Club.

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 The ministry's deputy assistant for Asia Pacific tourism promotion, Vinsensius Jemadu, said the sales mission will promote Indonesia's 10 priority destinations of Lake Toba, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Lesung, Thousand Islands, Borobudur temple, Bromo - Tengger - Semeru, Mandalika, Wakatobi, Labuan Bajo and Morotai.

“A number of foreign and local investors are invited to develop these destinations. But apart from them, the historic relations between Japan and Indonesia have resulted in plenty of Japanese caves located across the archipelago. The tight relationship between the two countries was also evidenced during Japan’s fifth anniversary [event] of the tsunami disaster a few months ago at the Aceh Tsunami Museum,” said Vinsensius. 

 

 Read also: Seven must-visit places in Shibuya for first-timers