#Thailand - Tour operators boycott visits to Similan and Surin islands to protest new restrictions

The tour operators have had enough of the winding back of tour boat operations and are now resorting to boycotting and ‘disrupting’ the tours in order to get their protests heard.

About 50 tour operators in Phuket and Phang nga say they’re suspending boat trips to Similan-Surin islands in the Andaman sea (off the coast of Phang-Nga) today and tomorrow to protest against the decision of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation to limit the number of visitors to the islands to 3,850 a day. The number also includes 525 scuba divers.

Thai PBS reports that the limitation of visitors comes into force today after the two main islands re-opened to tourists after several months of closure during the monsoon season.

Besides the limitation of visitors, overnight stay-overs are not permitted.

Tour operators met yesterday in Ban Tap Lamu in Thai Muang district of Phang nga to discuss the new restrictions which they say they oppose.

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They say their objections are because the restrictions would affect their business and that they’ve already accepted advance bookings to tour the islands before the department issued its new restrictions.

They say they will take their tourists to other tourist attractions Monday and Tuesday this week while awaiting response from the department.

Tour operators have been notified of the reopening of the two islands for visitors and the restrictions and to get themselves prepared with their vessels being properly checked to ensure their sea worthiness and equipped with enough life vests for their passengers.

The PM’s Office Minister Kobsak Putrakul, who was in Phang nga over the weekend, received the tour operators’ complaint and promised to bring it to the attention of the department chief.

Source - Thai BPS

 

#Philippines to rein in visitors to Boracay island, strained by tourism

The Philippines will limit the number of visitors setting foot on its most treasured island resort each day when it reopens to tourists on October 26 after a six-month rehabilitation effort, an environment official said on Wednesday.

Boracay, located off the northern tip of the central island of Panay, is famed for its sugary white sands, turquoise waters, lively nightlife and abundant water sports, which attracted nearly 2 million domestic and foreign visitors last year.

But in April, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the closure of the island, calling it a "cesspool", because of sewage dumped into the sea and buildings constructed too close to the shore.

About a third of the 600 to 700 resorts on Boracay, about 308 km (192 miles) from Manila, the capital, were operating without permits, authorities found.

Just 19,000 tourists will be allowed on the island on any given day, with the number of workers capped at 15,000 daily, the environment official, Sherwin Rigor, said in a television interview.

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 Only half of the island's 12,000 existing hotel rooms will be allowed to open each day, he added, to ensure the number of guests on the tiny 10-sq-km (4-sq-mile) island is below its "carrying capacity" of 55,000.

Rigor, who is an undersecretary at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, added that authorities would ban beachfront parties, and activities such as eating, smoking and drinking there.

The closure of Boracay, which earns the Philippines more than a billion dollars in tourism revenue every year, weighed on gross domestic product in the second quarter. Growth slowed to a near three-year low of 6 percent in April-June.

Source - TheJakartaPost

It won't burn down: Architect defends vision for #Bangkok airport

Bangkok’s main airport is planning to add a $1.3 billion terminal with extensive wooden cladding and a forested landscape, spurring concern about fire risk. Its designer says there’s no need to worry.

Tropical forests inspired the blueprint for the building and the aim is to give travelers a feeling of Thailand’s uniqueness, 52-year-old architect Duangrit Bunnag said in an interview. He rejected concerns from the Engineering Institute of Thailand that the structure could be a fire hazard.

“Airports tend to have similar features -- they’re white, cold and metallic,” Duangrit said. “I wanted a design that immediately gives travelers the feeling they’ve arrived in Thailand. It will be a metal structure covered with wood. Different treatments can be applied to the timber to ensure fire resistance.”

Airports of Thailand Pcl, the biggest Asian airport operator by market capitalization, announced last month that it was awarding the design contract to a joint bid by Duangrit Bunnag Architect Ltd. and Japan’s Nikken Sekkei Ltd.

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 The state-controlled firm expects to boost annual passenger capacity by 30 million by building a second terminal at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport. Construction is due to start next year and finish by 2021.

A tourism boom is straining the country’s infrastructure, putting pressure on officials to tackle bottlenecks. Foreign arrivals could hit 40 million next year -- equivalent to more than half the population.

Duangrit’s design features sweeping arches and giant columns clad in wood. He also proposed an enclosed tropical-forest landscape spanning about 16,000 square meters between two buildings of the terminal. Passengers would be able to see but not to enter the landscape, a symbol for ecological protection.

“The difficulty in designing the terminal is how to make it memorable to travelers from around the world,” Duangrit said. “How do I make it look different to all the other airports?”

Source - TheJakartaPost 

#Thailand ‘best country for people’, says travel survey

Thais have been voted the best people in the world in an online survey by Conde Nast Traveller magazine, a leading US source of travel features.

Thailand won in the category of “Best Country for People” in the 2018 annual award.

The award honours “the best that the travel world has to offer”. Other categories include hotels, airlines, ski resorts, islands and architecture.

In addition, Thailand came third in the “Best Country” category after Italy and Greece .

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 Two hotels – the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok and Six Senses on Kho Yao Noi – came fourth and fifth respectively in the category of “Best Hotel in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent”. 

Meanwhile Koh Samui island was awarded the ninth spot in the “Best Islands in the World” category, falling after Greek islands, Maldives, Balearic islands, Hawaii, St Lucia, Bali, Sicily and Mauritius.

Source - TheNation

 

Miss Vietnam crowned World Miss Tourism Ambassador 2018

Vietnam’s beauty representative, Phan Thị Mơ, has triumphed over 49 other contestants from around the world to take the crown of World Miss Tourism Ambassador 2018 at the grand final recently held in Thailand.

Mơ was also in the top 18 in the Best Body Category and won the Best Costume for Tourism Promotion. She was highly regarded by both the judges and the audience throughout the competition.

The other contestants entering the top six included representatives from Chile, Hong Kong (China), Thailand, Bolivia and Mongolia. The first runner-up title went to Miss Thailand and the second and third runner-up places were awarded to beauties from Bolivia and Mongolia respectively.

The World Tourism Queen and World Miss Couture titles were awarded to representatives from Hong Kong and Chile respectively.

Mơ was born in 1990 in Tien Giang Province. She finished in the top five at Miss Vietnam World 2010.

During the question and answer session, when asked what her biggest fear in life is, Mo said that because health was the most important thing, her biggest fear was illnesses. 

Before participating, she said this would be the last time she participated in an international beauty pageant and expressed a strong desire to win. Mơ said she was overwhelmed with happiness on hearing her name announced as the winner of the beauty pageant.

World Miss Tourism Ambassador was first held in 2017. This year's beauty pageant was held over 15 days in both Vietnam and Thailand.

Source - The Nation

 Before taking part, Thi Mo said the competition was the final global beauty pageant she would contend and would try her utmost to win. She was able to make her dream come true, winning the highest title of the world pageant.

Thailand - #Phuket named second best beach in the world

Phuket is celebrating its most recent award after being named the ‘Second Best Beach in the World’ by business publication US News & World Report.

It continues to win accolades from major international media for its white sands, aquamarine waters and limestone cliffs that attract millions of travelers every year. This island was hailed as “a little piece of paradise” according to the magazine.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor, Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, said everyone in Phuket, both public and private stakeholders should take pride in this achievement as it demonstrates the island’s appeal as one of the world’s most desirable beach destinations.

“Obviously we are delighted to win this important award. The fact the honour comes from the US News & World Report is even more gratifying given its target audience and readership.

 “In the past, Phuket has won several other prestigious awards for its beaches as well, so we are very grateful for the continued recognition.” Mr. Yuthasak added.

Phuket continues to expand its appeal as it tries to shift upmarket. It is also quickly established itself as one of the super-yacht hubs of Southeast Asia, a tropical playground for various groups of tourists who enjoy the island’s charms.

Along with its tropical appeal, Phuket beckons travellers wanting to experience its world-famous cuisine. Phuket was listed by UNESCO as a Gastronomic City in 2015 and will be included in the Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang Nga 2019.

#Thailand not seen as safe tourist destination until it fixes problems

TOURISM and Sport Minister Weerasak Kowsurat yesterday urged agencies to sort out a series of problems before they can send a convincing message to the world that Thailand is still a safe destination for tourists.

Weerasak was responding to the Phoenix boat accident that killed 47 Chinese tourists earlier this month off the southern resort island of Phuket. 

There are many issues that authorities should review and rectify to help improve tourists’ confidence in Thailand as a safe destination, Weerasak told The Nation in an interview. 

He said authorities should complete the first phase of the process by paying all compensation that is due to the relatives of victims and return them to their country.

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Authorities should then try to figure out what happened to the boats by retrieving the wreckage for inspection. Concerned agencies should collect statistics nationwide about boat accidents and study international standards for tour boats that can be compared to Thailand. 

He also urged authorities to explain that the cause of the accident was not related to so-called zero-dollar tours or nominee ownership in tourism. “[People] should not generalise. We should be sympathetic to those who lost their loved ones. Money cannot bring them back,” he said. 

He also urged authorities to speed up the completion of a safety standards manual to improve confidence. 

“If we can manage all the issues we then can send a single, convincing message to the world, the Chinese, and local people and ask them to have confidence in us,” he said. The number of Chinese tourist visitors to Phuket has dropped sharply in the wake of the tragedy. 

Source TheNation 

 

Finding a new opportunity to invite the boys to a FIFA event

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had invited the boys' Wild Boars football team to Sunday's World Cup final last week.

But FIFA said it had been informed "that due to medical reasons, the boys will not be in a position to travel to Moscow".

"FIFA's priority remains the health of everyone involved in the operation and we will look into finding a new opportunity to invite the boys to a FIFA event to share with them a moment of communion and celebration," a spokesman said.

The Thai footballers, aged from 11 to 16, had been stuck deep underground after setting off to explore the cave with their coach after training on June 23.

FIFA also expressed condolences to the family of a Thai Navy SEAL who died after running out of oxygen during the rescue operation on Friday. "Our thoughts are with his family," FIFA said.

 Sourse - 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

Indonesia - Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2018 explores tourism potential

The 2018 Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) is currently being held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, Nusa Dua from June 26-30.

Organized by the Bali branch of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA), the fair will focus on "Exploring the Colors of Indonesia".

The fifth BBTF has invited experts to discuss tourism opportunities and trends, as well as the diversity of Indonesia’s cultures.

As a business-to-business event, the fair acts as a meeting place for sellers and buyers alike. It represents tourism at all levels, including hotels, tour operators, travel technology companies, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) players and representatives from travel companies. 

“Our biggest challenge is to create a harmonious synergy among all entities,” said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya on Wednesday, as reported by kompas.com. 

He said that problems should be solved by considering the Penta helix model, involving all tourism stakeholders, namely businesspeople, government, the community, academics and the media.

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“The success of the Bali & Beyond Travel Fair since its first staging is proof of the Penta helix. It has motivated us to fully support the BBTF, which has proven itself to be an acclaimed travel fair with an incredible track record,” Arief added.

Meanwhile, BBTF head I Ketut Ardana said it was proud to be a part of the development of Indonesian tourism.

“We chose 'Exploring the Colors of Indonesia' as the theme as we believe in the country’s potential, and how Bali can function as a market place,” he said.

According to Ardana, this year’s BBTF will be attended by 320 buyers from 41 countries, 68 trade buyers, 241 sellers, as well as 36 international media organizations. 

Foreign tourists’ growing interest in living among the locals in Bali also encouraged the BBTF organizers to feature nine tourist villages in Bali for the first time in the fair.

This is designed to introduce the villages’ potential, with homestay facilities that are almost parallel to three- and four-star hotels.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Tokyo looks to entice foreign tourists to spend, enjoy nightlife

Businesses in Tokyo are looking to get foreign visitors spending their time and cash on the city's wide-ranging nightlife options.

Travel agencies are arranging special events for foreign tourists such as Japanese taiko drum performances, while hotels are extending their business hours to allow guests to socialize into the early hours.

But while efforts are being made to boost the after-dark economy, the lack of late-night public transport remains a major obstacle to tourists getting a taste of what Tokyo has to offer -- especially when the only option after 1 a.m. is waiting for the first train four hours later, or taking an expensive taxi to their hotel.

Since last year, travel agency JTB Corp. has joined with "Drum Tao," a world-famous Japanese taiko percussion and dance troupe, to entertain foreign visitors.

Performances of the traditional Japanese drumming were held in September and October 2017. Due to their popularity, the shows are being held from May through November this year, a fourfold increase in the number of performances from the year before.

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 According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, foreign tourists visiting Japan last year spent about 150,000 yen ($1,370) per person. This is well below the 200,000 yen amount required to hit the 8 trillion yen the government wants to be injected into the economy by tourists.

Designating tourism as a key growth area, the Japanese government aims to attract 40 million overseas visitors annually to the country by 2020, and 60 million by 2030.

In January, the Tokyo metropolitan government said it planned to survey foreign tourists on what they enjoy about the city's nightlife, including restaurants, theaters and sporting events, to better cater to their interests while encouraging them to part with their cash.

The central government is joining Tokyo's efforts to increase spending by tourists at night. Despite the rapid increase in tourism, the average amount spent per traveler has declined in recent years.

Read Continue ....

'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

#Philippines to close Boracay resort to tourists for six months

The Philippines has announced its best-known holiday island Boracay will be closed to tourists for six months over concerns that the once idyllic white-sand resort has become a "cesspool" tainted by dumped sewage.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the shutdown to start April 26, his spokesman Harry Roque said late Wednesday on Twitter, without providing further detail.

The decision raises questions about the livelihoods of thousands employed as part of a bustling tourist trade that serves some two million guests on the island each year.

Boracay has some 500 tourism-related businesses, which had a combined annual revenue of 56 billion pesos ($1.07 billion) last year.

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However in February Duterte blasted the tiny island's hotels, restaurants and other businesses, accusing them of dumping sewage directly into the sea and turning it into a "cesspool".

Officials have warned the island's drainage system is being used to send the untreated sewage into its surrounding turquoise waters.

The environment ministry says 195 businesses, along with more than 4,000 residential customers, are not connected to sewer lines.

 In February the government said a total of 300 businesses faced "evaluation" for sanitary or other offences on the 1,000-hectare (2,470-acre) island, of which 51 had already been handed official warnings for violating environmental regulations.

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Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones told AFP last month a closure would involve having airlines and ferries suspend their Boracay services and making the beaches off-limits, and stationing police there "if necessary", 

"An iron fist is needed to bring it back to its previous condition. It will be a temporary thing," Leones said.

The Boracay Foundation Inc., a business industry association on the island, had asked the government to shut down only those violating environmental laws.

"It's unfair for compliant establishments to be affected by the closure," Executive Director Pia Miraflores told AFP.

Miraflores said that even before the ban was announced, its shadow had hit some businesses hard in Boracay.

"The tour guides have already complained that they have no more guests. There's already a huge effect," she said, adding the quays and jetties were "less crowded" than before.

Some couples who scheduled their weddings on the island up to a year or two in advance had cancelled their reservations even before the ban was announced, she said, with the tour agents also besieged with client calls on whether to pursue their planned trips. 

With more than 500 hotels, Boracay employs 17,000 people, apart from 11,000 construction workers working on new projects.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Thailand - Maya Bay from 'The Beach' to be shuttered for 4 months

The once-idyllic Thai bay that became a must-see on the tourist trail after the 2000 movie "The Beach" will be closed to visitors for four months, an official said Thursday, as Thailand looks to stem the impact from crowds.

The announcement bolsters an order last month blocking boats from mooring on Maya Bay in a bid to prevent further damage to its coral reefs. 

    Up to 4,000 tourists and hundreds of boats have been flocking daily to the white-sand beach on Ko Phi Phi Ley, an island whose towering limestone cliffs and azure waters were made famous by the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

    But the bay will now be off limits to travellers for four months from June and September, which falls during Thailand's monsoon season, said National Park Office Director Songtham Suksawang. 

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 "We reached a resolution to close Maya for four months to allow the ecological system to rehabilitate," he told AFP. 

    The beach's land entrance will be shuttered while boats will be barred from dropping off passengers, he added.

    During the shutdown four universities will conduct a study on how to develop more sustainable forms of tourism, he said.

    The closure is the latest effort to mitigate the environmental damage wrought by Thailand's mammoth tourism industry, a crucial pillar of the economy that brought a record 35 million travelers to the kingdom last year. 

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 Environmental experts and officials have warned that mass tourism is causing irreversible damage to beautiful beaches, with litter and unchecked development disrupting local ecosystems.

      Smoking has already been banned on 20 of the country's most famous beaches this high season, with a fine or even jail for those who flout the new rule.

    Leonardo DiCaprio played the lead in "The Beach", a Danny Boyle-directed adaptation of Alex Garland's classic backpacker novel of the same name.
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Source - TheNation

Yogyakarta

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Often recognized as the center of intellectuals and historical places, Yogyakarta has its own charms that attract local and foreign travelers alike. Here are the things that you should not miss in the city:

Best times to visit

The right time to visit Yogyakarta actually depends on your travel itinerary. If your vacation is mostly spent outdoors, it is better to travel during the dry season from May to October. This also applies for those who seek the sunrise and sunset in some tourist destinations in Yogyakarta, such as Punthuk Setumbu, Plaosan Temple and Ratu Boko Temple.

However, if the city’s cultural scene is what you're aiming for, you may want to mark your calendar — Ramayana Ballet Prambanan show in an open theater runs from May to October and the annual Grebeg Syawal ritual is held in conjunction with Idul Fitri celebrations, estimated to be celebrated from June 14 to 16.

Climate

Just like other provinces in Indonesia, Yogyakarta has two seasons — wet and dry.

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 Popular areas - Malioboro

 

Known as the busiest shopping street in Yogyakarta, Maliboro is the right place to taste traditional dishes and shop for batik and other souvenirs. The one-way street is alive 24 hours a day, extending for about 2 kilometers from north to south.

For those who are not too keen on exploring Malioboro by foot, becak (pedicabs) and bentor (a portmanteau of becak and motorcycle) are available throughout the street to take you around the area. Many of the drivers also can be your guide about tourist destinations in Yogyakarta, especially to find bakpia (full moon-shaped pastry) establishments. Sometimes they can even take you farther to Yogyakarta Palace. The tariff for becak starts from Rp 25,000 (US$2) to Rp 30,000.

Visit this place on weekdays as Malioboro is known to be crowded on weekends.

Located near Malioboro, there is also Pasar Beringharjo (Beringharjo Market) for people looking for all types of batik. 

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 Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat is the palace of the sultan of Yogyakarta. Visitors have to explore the area by foot and guides are available inside the palace.

The palace has two alun-alun (town square) — south and north. Alun-alun Kidul (south town square), is like a magnet for people, especially in the evening, because it is where street food vendors flock to and entertainment events are held. It also has two giant beringin (banyan) trees and, according to legend, your wish will be granted if you can pass through the space between both trees with your eyes closed.

Many of the cultural events in Yogyakarta are held at the palace, including Grebeg Syawal and Sekaten. Those who visit the palace can enjoy dances and music performances daily at Bangsal Sri Manganti. On Mondays and Tuesdays visitors can enjoy gamelan performance, while on Wednesdays there is a Javanese golek (traditional puppet) dance performance. Moreover, Thursdays and Sundays are for dance performances, while Fridays are for mocopatan (Javanese verse accompanied by traditional music) performed by abdi dalem (royal servants). On Saturdays, a wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performance is usually held.

The performances usually start at 9:30 a.m., but it is better to come early to get a seat.

The entrance fee for foreign tourists starts from Rp 15,000 with an additional Rp 1,000 fee for cameras.

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Ratu Boko Palace as seen from above

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#Vietnam named one of the friendliest places on Earth for Expats

More than 80 percent of expats describe the Vietnamese as welcoming, and 16 percent plan to stay forever.

Vietnam has been named among the top 10 destinations for expats in a new ranking aimed at guiding the world’s rising number of modern nomads.

The country was placed ninth on the InterNations’ 2018 Expat Insider survey, climbing three spots from last year.

More than four in five expats, or 81 percent, described the Vietnamese people as welcoming, and 73 percent said it was easy to settle down in the country, the survey found.

Of the expats questioned, 56 percent said they had found it easy to make friends with locals, and 16 percent said they planned to stay forever.

More than half of the expats said they planned to stay in the country for up to five years, which was well above the global average of 35 percent.

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“I love the friendly vibe in the city,” said an expat from South Korea who lives in Saigon, as cited in an InterNations press release on Tuesday. “People are mostly nice and gentle.”

InterNations, the largest network for people who live and work abroad, this year ranked 65 economies by looking at comments from nearly 13,000 expats from 188 countries and territories.

Portugal was named the place with the happiest expats, followed by Taiwan, where most expats said they felt at home, and Mexico, where many said it was easy to settle down and acclimatize to the local culture.

Cambodia, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Oman, Colombia and Canada were other destinations named in the top 10.

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 The United States was ranked 36th, while the least friendly countries were Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria and Kuwait, the survey found.

 

There are around 82,000 foreigners living and working in Vietnam.

The new ranking is uplifting in wake of an HSBC survey in September 2017 that found many expats were not happy with life in the country, with only 28 percent of expats agreeing that they enjoyed a better overall quality of life than in their home countries.

According to HSBC, the average income for expats in Vietnam dropped by 14.5 percent from the previous year to $88,096 in 2017, which is lower than the global average. Vietnamese workers earned $2,200 on average last year.

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Source - vnexpress.net

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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

#Thailand - Phanom Rung Historical Park Festival 2018

Buri Ram province, in cooperation with the Fine Arts Department and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is organising the annual Phanom Rung Historical Park Festival 2018, from March 30 to April 1 at the Phnom Rung Historical Park.

The opening ceremony is scheduled on March 31. 

The event is usually held every first weekend of April to celebrate the unusual phenomenon when the rays of the rising sun shine through all of the Khmer temple's 15 doorways at the same time.  

This awe-inspiring spectacle takes place four times a year at the Phanomrung Sanctuary and is believed to bring great blessings upon everyone who is there to witness it. For those who wish to see the magic happening in 2018, make sure to be present at the sanctuary on April 3-5.

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Several other activities will also take place as part of the event. Not to be missed include the ‘dimensional mapping light and sound show’ and the ‘special light show’ highlighting the legend of Phanomrung Sanctuary, a ritual to worship the gods and celestial beings, as well as a grand procession and Apsara dance performances.

Visitors can also enjoy shopping for local arts and crafts, as well as souvenirs, or try a wide range of local cuisine at the traditional-style flea market. 

Having visited the Phanom Rung Sanctuary, tourists can also explore other attractions in vicinity including Muang Tam Sanctuary in Prakhonchai district, Wat Khao Angkarn – the Buddhist temple on an extinct volcano, the silk and cotton weaving village of Tambon Charoensuk, and Lamnangrong dam of Non Dindaeng district. 

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Another awe-inspiring place of interest in Buri Ram is the i-Mobile Stadium (Thunder Castle), which is currently the largest football stadium in Thailand and becoming a new magnet attracting visitors to Buri Ram. This 32,600-seat football stadium is owned by the Thai Premier League club Buriram United – a rising-star football club in Thailand. Also not to be missed is the Chang International Circuit, which will host the MotoGP 2018 in October. 

This year’s event joins the action-packed Thailand Tourism Year 2018, which promotes the time-honoured cultural events and festivals, as well as helping to spread tourism income to local communities across the country.

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Source - TheNation

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#Indonesia - Five things to see in Labuan Bajo besides the Komodo dragon

Aerial view of Padar Island in between Komodo and Rinca Islands near Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. 

 The Komodo dragon is not the only interesting thing to see when you travel to Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The picturesque town on the island of Flores offers the following attractions worth exploring, as compiled by kompas.com :

 Expect to marvel at paddy fields uniquely formed like a giant spiderweb in Cancar village. Travelers usually climb a hill named Puncak Weol to take in a fantastic view.

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Labuan Bajo also has a tourist destination for culture enthusiasts named Kampung, where visitors are welcomed with a traditional Manggarai caci dance.

Kampung Melo also offers a gorgeous view that is perfect for photos.

Source - TheJakartaPost