Pattaya City officials announce Songkran extended until April 30th, water play until 10PM

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Pattaya City Officials announced this week in a meeting at City Hall attended by both Banglamung district officials, police and the mayor that to encourage and boost tourism in the city the Songkran Festival for Pattaya will be extended from April 12th-April 19th to April 12th-April 30th. Additionally, historically the water wars stop at around sunset, however, to further boost tourism and drive the reputation of Pattaya as “The fun city” the water fighting will be permitted to continue until 10:00PM.

Pattaya City hall stated the following to The Pattaya News in a formal statement:

“We believe that by encouraging more tourists to come to Pattaya and driving the reputation of Pattaya as a world class “Fun City” on the level of Las Vegas and New Orleans in America we will boost overall tourism numbers by roughly 35% and bring an estimated further 700 million baht alone to the Pattaya economy. These funds we can utilize later in the year to provide better roads and complete the beach beautification project. Additionally, these funds can be used to assist in dealing with numerous waste management and trash related issues that have plagued the city for the past several months. It is a win-win for all involved.”

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City officials further stated that they are planning several unique events this year for Pattaya City to further encourage “Fun”.  They have also confirmed that in coordination with the government Pattaya has an official exception for allowing water play on main and secondary roads.

The events outlined at the meeting for the now nearly month long festival include the following:

-City sponsored water soaking stations on all major roads, including the highway and in the dark side as the city wants to encourage expats to get into the spirt of Songkran.

-Water soaking stations, sponsored by the city and manned by volunteers and city officials in front of most major supermarket entrances, banks and hospitals to ensure that everyone, including those not in the party areas, enjoy the spirit of Songkran.

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-7-11 has stated that they will be participating in the month long festival as well by having a designated employee at the door soaking every person entering and leaving the store, regardless if they are dressed for the occasion as well in collaboration with City Hall.

-The city will have sponsored water wars on Soi 7 between different groups of tourists. Some planned events include French vs. German tourists, Americans vs. English, Indians vs. Arabs and Russia vs. China.

-Instead of the official flower shirt for the city the city officials are encouraging men to go shirtless and wear official flowered thongs. The thongs should be available at all markets midweek.

If the event is a success City officials have stated that they are looking at expanding Songkran even further, perhaps to a monthly week long event to boost tourism.

Oh…and Happy April Fools, folks.

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Source - ThePattayaNews

 

#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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#Australia tourism industry under climate change threat

Australia's multi-billion dollar tourism industry is under increasing threat from climate change with some of the nation's top natural wonders in the firing line as temperatures and sea levels rise, a study warned Thursday.

The report by environmental advocacy group the Climate Council said the government needed to do more to reduce carbon emissions harming Australia's beaches, national parks and the Great Barrier Reef.

Tourism is the nation's second-largest export industry, valued at Aus$40 billion (US$31 billion) and employing more than 580,000 people, it said. 

But popular visitor destinations were at risk, with major cities in coastal areas expected to face more frequent flooding in coming years, while Australia's "Red Centre" region could experience more than 100 days annually above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2030, it found.

"Tourists travel across the globe to see Australia's remarkable natural wonders. But these icons are in the climate firing line as extreme weather events worsen and sea levels continue to rise," ecologist and report co-author Lesley Hughes said.

"Some of our country's most popular natural destinations, including our beaches, could become 'no-go zones' during peak holiday periods and seasons, with the potential for extreme temperatures to reach up to 50 degrees in Sydney and Melbourne."

 A separate report last year from Deloitte Access Economics valued the Great Barrier Reef as an asset worth Aus$56 billion, which included its tourism revenues and its indirect value for people who have not yet visited but know it exists.

The World Heritage-listed site, which attracts millions of tourists each year, is reeling from significant bouts of coral bleaching due to warming sea temperatures linked to climate change.

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"Without credible climate policy that cuts Australia's rising carbon pollution levels, the impacts of climate change will only intensify and accelerate across the country over the coming decades," Climate Council chief executive Martin Rice said.

Environmental advocates on Thursday urged Canberra to move away from coal-fired power generation.

With its heavy use of coal-fired power and relatively small population, Australia is considered one of the world's worst per capita greenhouse gas polluters.

"The extra heat from global warming will further reduce the tourist season and make some enterprises unviable," said Liz Hanna, from the School of Environment at the Australian National University.

"Protecting the tourism industry protects jobs and protects Australia's economic wellbeing."

Canberra insists it is taking strong action to address the global threat of climate change, having set an ambitious target to reduce emissions to 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

Australia sweltered through its third-hottest year on record in 2017, with seven of its 10 warmest years experienced since 2005.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Thailand - Limiting tourists on the most popular islands

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation held a meeting at the Pearl Hotel on Phuket on Tuesday to discuss the excessive numbers of tourists visiting the famous islands and bays.

Songtham Suksawang, chief of the DNP’s National Parks Office, who chaired the meeting, said that the amount of tourists in marine national parks was directly affecting the environment.

“Those national parks, especially marine national parks, are suffering from an oversupply of visitors. There are many problems such as oil from boats, rubbish and the effect on the local lifestyle on the islands, which is difficult to rehabilitate in the short term. They [meeting participants] discussed rearranging of the marine national parks to better meet the demand, but by limiting supply and providing a more sustainable solution,” he said.

“There will be a study on the limiting of tourism. Some locations have already had these studies done. After sending the officers to check, we found that there’s a specific period of time when the islands are overcrowded, which is 11am to 2pm when the tourists come onshore to rest and have lunch. There are approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people visiting some of the islands each day,” he added.

The DNP has plans for a solution on the Similan Islands by spreading tourists around the other islands, as Island Four and Island Eight are way too overcrowded.

“We will spread tourists to other islands, apart from Islands Four and Eight, by installing piers to connect them. They will be floating piers to avoid disturbing the corals. There will be a floating centre, where tourists can rest in front of the island, as well.''

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 “The purchasing process of the centres will be completed by March 31. We will start this project near the islands that are highly overcrowded, such as Similan, Phi Phi and in Phang Nga Bay. The limitation of tourists according to the time of the day will also follow after the study is done,” Songtham explained.

  “The limiting of tourists and an increase in customer fees are possible if the environment continues to be damaged too much from tourism,” he pointed out.

The DNP will also create an e-ticket to enter the islands, which will possibly start with the Similans, Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay, as this would also help solve the issue of transparency in national park management, the National Parks Office chief said.

For security, he said that he had approved budgets for ambulance and rescue boats and was currently coordinating with the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand to provide assistance to tourists in the marine national park area.

In case of emergency, the 1669 hotline is also available 24/7.

Source - TheNation

 

#Thailand to host Amour Asia Pacific 2018

Show will boost Kingdom’s reputation as world-class honeymoon destination

Thailand will host the first ever Amour Asia Pacific 2018, a luxury travel trade event that will cement the Kingdom’s reputation as the destination of choice for lovers and honeymooners from around the world. To be held from February 14-17, 2018, at the Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, Amour Asia Pacific 2018 will help spur continued growth in the elite romance travel market.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said “TAT is proud to support the Amour Asia Pacific 2018. We are confident it will help to underscore Thailand’s reputation as a world-class romance and honeymoon destination, building on the success of the Destination Wedding Planner Congress 2017, which we also hosted. As a leader in this sector, we will continue to increase our competitive advantage in the romance and honeymoon market by innovating to deliver the latest products and services that couples value, while providing opportunities for Thai operators to meet with sellers from across the globe through platforms such as, the Amour Asia Pacific 2018.”

Thailand’s reputation as a host for honeymoons and weddings helped the Kingdom attract 1.1 million international romance travellers in 2016, representing 3.37 percent of all international visitors, and generating 1.65 billion USD for the Thai economy (or approximately 1,500 USD per visitor, per trip).

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Mr. Richard Barnes, CEO of Worldwide Events said “Thailand is truly at the heart of romance and honeymoon travel in Asia, so we are pleased to be able to showcase the plethora of products and services on offer for today’s discerning luxury romance traveler. The sector has seen tremendous growth, which has led to a demand for experience-based products that cater to a diverse range of interests; all of which will be on show at the Amour Asia Pacific 2018.”

The Amour Asia Pacific 2018 is a luxury travel trade event specifically designed for the elite romance travel market, including honeymoon curators, destination wedding planners and romance travel designers. Organised by Big Worldwide Limited, a leading international tourism promoter behind major events such as M&I Forums in 2016 (including Europe, the emerging markets, and the Americas), PRIVATE Luxury Forums in 2016 (the Americas and Europe), and the Amour Europe Forum 2016.

The Amour Asia Pacific 2018 will welcome 77 high-quality buyers including both Romance Travel Buyers and Destination Wedding Planners. The show will also feature 84 exhibitors, ranging from hotel and accommodation providers to destination management companies from across the Asia Pacific including 15 from Thailand.
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As a co-host, TAT will ensure that Thailand’s hospitality is extended to every delegate, from seamless on-ground transportation, to networking activities, and an exclusive gala dinner and after party at the Nai Lert Park Heritage Home. As a TAT partner, Thailand Elite (Thailand Privilege Card) will welcome delegates on arrival, provide fast-track immigration services, and offer access to a Welcome Lounge.

To enrich the delegates’ experience and offer them a glimpse into the various shades of Thai heritage and culture, TAT is also hosting pre- and post-tour activities. Pre-tour activities include a Thai Boxing Class – The Legend Thai Boxing, a Thai Cooking Class at the Blue Elephant Cooking School, a Bangkok Food Tour – Historic Bang Rak Food Tasting and Culture Tour, a tour of Khlong Bang Luang (Royal Barge Museum + Baan Silapin), and a tour of Rattanakosin Island. Ensuring guests will leave Thailand with memories to last a lifetime, TAT’s post-tour trips are to the island paradises of Krabi and Ko Samui, two of Thailand’s key wedding and honeymoon destinations.

Amour Asia Pacific 2018 will be held from February 14-17, 2018, at the Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park.

 

Source - TheNation 

 

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

#Indonesia - Bali welcomes more American tourists

A path leading to the top of a lush, green hill in Ubud, Bali.

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 The number of American tourists arriving in Bali is said to have increased by 18.39 percent year-on-year (yoy) to 164,338 visitors between January and October 2017.

“Most of these US citizens entered through Ngurah Rai International Airport using direct flights; only 3,130 people came via cruise ship,” said Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS) statistics distribution department head I Gede Nyoman Subadri in Denpasar on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Based on the number, the US ranked sixth among the top 10 countries that contributed the largest number of tourists to Bali, behind China, Australia, Japan, India and United Kingdom.

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Subadri said the US contributed up to 3.27 percent of the total foreign tourists to Bali, which reached 5.02 million during the January-October period. The figure represented a 23.30 percent increase from last year, which means the Island of the Gods welcomed an additional 948,917 foreign visitors this year.

“More Americans traveled to Bali after former US president Barack Obama and his family vacationed here for five days back in June,” Subadri said.

During their vacation, the Obamas visited several tourist attractions on the island, such as the Ubud arts village, Jati Luwih in Tabanan regency and Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring village, Gianyar regency.

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Indonesia eyes China's Macao, Hong Kong markets to boost tourism

Indonesia has planned to hold events to sell tour packages in China's Macao and Hong Kong on Dec 12 and Dec 14 respectively, aimed at further tapping significant potentialities from the two markets, a senior official of the country's Tourism Ministry said.

Deputy Minister for International Marketing Development at the ministry Gde Pitana said the ministry would send 11 sellers from Bali, Surabaya, Lombok, Jakarta, Sabang, North Sulawesi, Papua and Riau Isles in the two events.

Most of Indonesian sellers would highlight marine and undersea tours with several tour packages in Indonesia's prominent diving and snorkeling spots.

Besides Bali, tour packages to be offered for potential tourists in Macao and Hong Kong among others were Bunaken, Raja Amat, Mansuar Island, Mike's Point and Manta's point, would be offered in the two events.

"Indonesia has plenty of beautiful undersea spots for diving and snorkeling. Indonesia had just earned The Best Dive Destination award in the recent World Travel Market event in London last month," Pitana said recently.

He said the upcoming sales mission events held in Macao's Royal Hotel and Hong Kong's Kimberly Hotel were highly expected to successfully tap the momentum prior to year-end vacation this year.

Indonesia's upcoming tour package sales events were particularly expected to attract more tourists from the Chinese mainland to visit Indonesia via Hong Kong.

Source - China Daily

Holiday trends for the coming year

A research conducted by Booking.com reveals the biggest travel predictions for 2018.

Looking for inspiration for 2018 travel? Facilitating reservations for more than 1.5 million room nights each day, the experts at the leading travel website Booking.com have combined customer insights from over 128 million real guest reviews with research from 19,000 travellers across 26 countries around the world to reveal the biggest travel predictions for 2018. 
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Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months/plan to take a trip in the next 12 months surveyed 18,509 respondents from the UK, US, Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, India, Singapore and Russia plus smaller numbers from Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Croatia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand and Taiwan. Respondents completed an online survey last August. 
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Here are eight travel predictions for the year 2018;
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New tech frontiers
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 Immersive experiences will reach the next level in 2018, with travellers looking to technology to help better understand a destination or accommodation before they book. Artificial intelligence and digital technology are helping consumers turn the corner when it comes to smart destination intuition, reshaping the way we research, book and experience travel. Almost a third (29 per cent) of global travellers say they are comfortable letting a computer plan an upcoming trip based on data from their previous travel history. 

Over six in 10 (64 per cent) of travellers say they would like to “try before they buy” with a virtual reality preview. Taking all the hard work and stress out of decision making, in 2018 technology will continue to guide us seamlessly to find the best stays and experiences for us.
 
From dream to reality The year 2018 is the year to dream big as 45 per cent of travellers have a travel bucket list in mind and the majority of those (82 per cent) will aim to tick one or more destinations off their list in the coming year. The yearning for experiences over material possessions continues and drives our desire for more incredible and memorable trips. 

Most likely to feature on a bucket list is seeing one of the wonders of the world, as almost half of travellers (47 per cent) will look to tick this off in 2018. Over a third (35 per cent) yearn to tantalise their taste buds by trying a local delicacy, 34 per cent want to head to an island paradise and 34 per cent are thrill seekers wanting to visit a world-famous theme park. 

Retro reboot

As well as new experiences, travellers will be revisiting their favorite childhood memories as part of their trips in 2018. Blending the future with the past, next year’s travellers will be inspired to return to previously loved destinations and explore them in a whole new way. 

A third of travellers (34 per cent) will consider a holiday they experienced as a child for 2018.
These popularity of these vintage vacations stems from the feelings of nostalgia and happiness the destinations evoke. Travellers say that former family holidays recall the fondest memories, even more so than childhood sweethearts or family pets. 

Pop culture pilgrimage

In 2018, television shows, films, sport and social media in particular look set to have an increasingly significant sway over booking decisions, as travellers turn to pop culture for their travel inspiration. Reading blogs or watching YouTuber recommendations will spark ideas for four in ten (39 per cent) travellers and on screen locations from television, film or music videos will win over 36 per cent of travellers in the coming year. 

The top television programme locations travellers most want to visit in 2018 are Croatia, Spain and Iceland inspired by “Game of Thrones” (29 per cent), London as seen in “Sherlock” and “The Crown” (21 per cent and 13 per cent), New York and Manhattan from “Billions” (13 per cent) and Los Angeles viewed in “Entourage” (10 per cent). 

Walk your way to wellness 

The trend for wellness getaways isn’t slowing down for 2018, with almost double the amount of people planning to take health and well-being trips in 2018 compared to 2017 (from one in 10 in 2017 to nearly one in five in 2018). 

Health and wellness inspired activities high on the travel agenda in 2018 include visiting a spa or receiving beauty treatments (33 per cent), cycling (24 per cent), water sport activities (22 per cent), taking a full body detox holiday (17 per cent), going on a yoga retreat (16 per cent), running (16 per cent) and undertaking meditation/mindfulness (15 per cent). Embracing such experiences is popular with travellers, with 59 per cent saying they prioritize experiences over material items when on holiday. 

Economic intuition

Every year, travellers are becoming savvier, especially when it comes to getting the most for their money. With significant numbers basing their travelling decisions on finance-related matters, 2018 will see travellers looking to be even more economically intuitive. Nearly half (47 per cent) will take currency exchange rates into consideration when planning their travels for the year, and almost the same amount (48 per cent) will think about the economic climate of a destination before making the decision to travel. 

More confident to follow their own intuition, travellers are less obliged to follow the herd, with over half (57 per cent) wanting to do more independent travel in 2018, placing growing value on personalised endeavours, looking for the best deals and putting together their own packages – all with the help of apps and technology. 

The great mate escape

The year 2018 is gearing up to be all about the group getaway. When asked who their 2018 travelling companions were likely to be, the segment with the biggest increase when compared to 2017, was travelling with a group of friends, increasing from 21 per cent to 25 per cent. 

Mate’s escapes are the ultimate social time away from our everyday pressures, reducing stress and building connections with your friends. With the world only a click away it’s never been easier to find the perfect place to stay and explore with a large group of friends looking for adventure across every corner of the globe. 

Friend-based getaways also have financial advantages as four in 10 (42 per cent) said that joint holidays with friends will allow them to stay in accommodation they wouldn't be able to afford on their own. 

Live like a local, not with one
In 2018, rental homes are going to be particularly popular – not just for travellers looking to stay in one, but also home owners who are thinking of inviting others to stay in their own abode. One in three travellers (33 per cent) say they’d prefer to stay in a holiday rental (a holiday home or apartment) over a hotel and one in five (21 per cent) would consider listing their home on a travel accommodation site.

When it comes to playing the role of a host, travellers reveal that it isn’t about having them there all the time. Travellers are keen to have a local experience and will look to hosts for their expertise, as a quarter of travellers say it will be important that their host has strong local knowledge about local food and places to visit (25 per cent), but travellers will want the flexibility to interact with hosts on their own terms.

Source - TheNation
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#Indonesia - Mandalika on its way to become new Bali

Tourist attraction: This picture shows the serene view of Kuta Beach, part of Mandalika tourist area, in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated on Friday the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ), designated to be developed specifically as a tourist destination 

For a long time, foreign tourists have adored Indonesia’s top resort island Bali, famous for beautiful tropical beaches and majestic temples. However, that may soon change as the government’s plan to create 10 emerging tourism destinations, popularly known as “new Bali’s,” begins to take shape with Mandalika in neighboring island, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara  

Source - TheJakartaPost

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Cheap Charlies

Did you know that Dutch and especially German people are ''Cheap Charlies'' 

The want all services but not want use any Affiliate link or Booking search block, for a Hotel, Resort or Flight.  

The think maybe become big commissions from them. 

The say the booking on one of our sites, but the lie.

We can see in the admin from all the booking affiliates where the come from. 

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Even when the not make a booking today, the system hold up the cookie into a full month, on PC, Tablet and there Smartphone. 

#Thailand - Maya Bay to be closed for three months next year.

Park officials said they were going to close Phi Phi island’s famous Maya Bay from June for three months next year.

Officials of the Koh Phi Phi National park authority held crisis talks on Thursday where they were told that the bay has been ravaged by too much tourism.

So it was going to be shut to allow the beach side of Maya Bay, as well as the waters in the bay, to recover ahead of the 2018 high season.

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Photos and stories in international media have shocked officials into doing something about the massive crowds heading to Maya Bay every day, sometimes leaving standing room only on the iconic beach, made famous by the 2000 Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Beach.

 Officials have also been receiving complaints from concerned locals about tour boats anchoring indiscriminately in the area causing damage to the bay floor and any remaining corals.

Source - TheNation

#Indonesia - Ubud listed among 'world's top 15 cities'

American travel publication Travel+Leisure recently made a list of the "World’s Top 15 Cities".

“Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines and more. Readers rated cities on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and overall value,” as quoted from the article.

Taking the 9th spot with the score of 90.13 is Ubud in Bali, right after Cape Town in South Africa that has the score of 90.24. Meanwhile, topping the list is San Miguel de Allende in Mexico that scores 92.12.

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 In a separate article from Travel+Leisure titled "The Top 10 Cities in Asia", Ubud takes the 4th spot with the same score, coming after Hoi An in Vietnam that takes the 3rd spot with the score of 90.31. The 1st winner is awarded to Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the score of 91.40.

 

“High up in the interior of the island of Bali, Ubud continues to draw those who favor the arts and reflection—rather than beaches and parties. ‘I loved everything about Ubud,’ said one reader. ‘I was spoiled by the kind and thoughtful people I met everywhere I went,’” the article wrote.

Ubud has arguably become more famous after being shown in the popular movie Eat Pray Love that featured Julia Roberts, where it showcases the beauty of Ubud Monkey Forest. These days however, Ubud is known as the best place for yoga.

Read also: Six glamping sites in Indonesia for adventure seekers

Other attractions that you can visit while going to Ubud include Campuhan Hill, Nyuh Kuning Village, Tegalalang, Ubud Temple, Sarawati Temple and Apung river where you can do rafting.

Just like other Balinese, Ubud residents adopt the traditional philosophy of tri hita karana that epitomizes the balance and harmony between the three sources of life: humans, nature and God

Below is the list of the World’s Top 15 Cities according to Travel+Leisure:

1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
2. Charleston, United States
3. Chiang Mai, Thailand
4. Kyoto, Japan
5. Florence, Italy
6. Oaxaca, Mexico
7. Hoi An, Vietnam
8. Cape Town, South Africa
9. Ubud, Indonesia
10. Luang Prabang, Laos
11. Santa Fe, United States
12. Roma, Italy
13. Siem Reap, Cambodia
14. Udaipur, India
15. Barcelona, Spain

Top 10 Cities in Asia according to Travel+Leisure:

1. Chiang Mai, Thailand
2. Kyoto, Japan
3. Hoi An, Vietnam
4. Ubud, Indonesia
5. Luang Prabang, Laos
6. Siem Reap, Cambodia
7. Udaipur, India
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Tokyo, Japan
10. Thimphu, Bhutan
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#Indonesia - Kei Islands still a hidden gem waiting to be explored

Kei Islands in the southeastern part of Maluku are reportedly attracting more and more tourists.

Home to Kei Kecil and Kei Besar islands, they can be reached by air via Karel Satsuitubun International Airport, which is located in Langgur district. Travelers can access the airport by hopping on a plane from Jakarta to Ambon, the fare starts from Rp 2.5 million (US$187).

In terms of accommodation, both islands have three-star hotels with starting rates of of Rp 400,000 per night. Affordable homestays are also available.

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When on the islands, visitors can opt to stroll the soft, white sand on the beach or snorkel deep into the Banda Sea. They can also travel to Tanimbar Kei Island, which is only one hour away from Kei Besar Island, and explore a village where the majority of residents are Hindu.

Those planning to visit Kei Islands are recommended to go during Meti Kei from Oct. 22 to 23.

“Meti Kei is a phenomenon where the seawater recedes up to 6 kilometers,” Roy Rahajaan, the Southeast Maluku Tourism Agency, told kompas.com, adding that travelers can reach the other islands by foot during this period instead of using a boat.

Dubbed “the most popular hidden gem in Indonesia” by the Tourism Ministry in 2016, Kei Islands are still less known compared with other similar destinations, such as Raja Ampat and Wakatobi. Only 300 travelers reportedly visited the place in 2016 -- which is an increase compared to 2015 when it only welcomed 40 tourists.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

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#Indonesia - Penglipuran: Cleanliness through conservation.

 

 In order: Rows of neat and tidy houses in Penglipuran traditional village, Bangli, Bali, which has become a tourist attraction teem with local and foreign visitors.

Clean and tidy houses can be found in neat rows in Penglipuran, a traditional village located at an altitude of 700 meters in Kubu sub-district in Bangli, Bali.

Penglipuran was declared one of the world’s cleanest villages in 2016 along with Giethoorn floating village in the Netherlands and Mawlynnong village in India.
Previously in 1995, the village community of Penglipuran also received the Indonesian government’s Kalpataru Award for environmental sustainability for raising and maintaining 75 hectares of bamboo forest as well as preserving its traditional spatial layout and buildings based on ancestral designs.
The village has also been a tourist attraction since 1993. In the last five years, Penglipuran has been one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in Bali alongside the regions of Ubud, Kuta and Nusa Dua.
Penglipuran is among Bali’s oldest villages, having existed since the 18th century, during the period of the Bangli Kingdom. 
The name of the village is derived from the words pengeling or eling, which means “to remember” and pura, which means “ancestral land.”

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 The name Penglipuran, therefore, implies that residents keep the land of their ancestors in mind.

Along with Trunyan village, Penglipuran has been designtated a Bali Aga village, or original Balinese village, for preserving its ancestral traditions.

Visiting Penglipuran is like taking a trip in a time machine back to Bali’s more traditional times.

“Amid the intense forces of modernization, Penglipuran continues to retain its ancestral traditions. I think this has attracted many tourists to our village,” chairman of the Penglipuran Village Tourism Awareness Group, I Nengah Moneng, said.

Moneng revealed that before becoming a tourist destination in 1993, the locals had conducted conservation works through the village’s participation in the settlement and environment reordering project formulated by the Public Works Office in the late 1980s.

The efforts, Moneng said, were meant to preserve the village’s ancestral traditions in the interests of future generations.

In 1990, villagers along with students on rural service assignments, also developed parks by utilizing portions of the village road to the front and side of house yards. 

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#Vietnam beats France to crack China's top 10 travel destinations

With 200 million Chinese tourists expected to make outbound trips in 2020, Vietnam is set to become even more popular.

Vietnam has become the 10th most popular destination among Chinese tourists, according to new statistics.

Figures from CLSA, a Hong Kong brokerage and investment firm formally known as Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia, showed Vietnam has overtaken France to enter the top 10, which is led by Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea.

The survey polled more than 400 Chinese travelers across 25 cities with an average age of 35 and a monthly income of 20,000 yuan ($2,900).

Safety remains the prime concern for mainland travelers, followed by cost and sightseeing opportunities.

A series of terror attacks last year in Europe had deterred Chinese travelers, it said, as cited by the South China Morning Post.

 Last May, a MarketWatch report, citing data from American Express, also showed that summer bookings to Europe’s top destinations, notably France and Turkey, had been hurt by the attacks.

China has always been Vietnam's main source of tourists, and their numbers increased by 57 percent on-year in the first six months of 2017, reaching nearly 1.9 million and accounting for 30 percent of all foreign arrivals. Last year, Vietnam welcomed around 2.7 million Chinese tourists, a jump of 51 percent from the year before.

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Vietnamese media said Chinese visitors have been encouraged by a new policy that allows groups of travelers to visit the border province of Quang Ninh, home to the popular Ha Long Bay, for up to three days without a visa.

CLSA reported that 135 million Chinese people traveled abroad last year, and with 200 million Chinese tourists expected to make outbound trips in 2020, Vietnam is set to become even more popular.

A Bloomberg report last December said Chinese tourists could have a big impact on Vietnam’s economy. It said a 30 percent increase in spending by Chinese tourists would boost Vietnam’s economic growth by nearly 1 percentage point. For Thailand, that would be around 1.6 points.

“Chinese tourism is pretty big for ASEAN now, and all the countries rely on Chinese visitors to keep coming and keep spending,” Edward Lee, an economist with Standard Chartered Plc in Singapore, was quoted as saying in the report.

Source - VN Express.net

#Indonesia - Surfing contest, cultural festival in celebration of South Nias 14th anniversary

To commemorate the 14^th anniversary of South Nias regency, the provincial administrations plans to hold two interesting events called South Nias Open Surfing Contest 2017 (NSOSC 2017) and South Nias Regency Traditional Song, Culture and Tradition Festival.

The two events will be held for four days from July 25 to 28 at Sorake Island. They are results of a partnership effort between the provincial administrations through South Nias culture, tourism, youth and sports department with South Nias Surfers Association (APNS) and supported by tourism ministry.

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 “We’re going to hold a surfing competition and it’s open for local and international surfers. The main goal is definitely to increase the number of local and overseas tourists to South Nias,” explained South Nias cuture, tourism, youth and sports department head Anggreani.

The surfing contest itself is an annual event and the last time it was held was last year at Ya’ahowu Party.

Other than providing winners with Rp 87 million worth of prizes, NSOSC 2017 aims to scout new talents in Nias that can be trained to compete in National and International leagues in the future.

“NSOSC 2017 is divided into three categories: Men’s (16 years and above), women’s and grommet (men’s and women’s),” Anggreani added.

As for the festival, it will feature traditional dances and rituals of South Nias 

such as faluaya, famadaya harimao, stone-jumping, moyo dance and fataelesa.

 

Sorake beach is a haven for surfers, it’s included in the 10 best surfing spots in the world and said to be the second best after Hawaii. During the months of June – July surfers flock the beach because the waves are able to reach up to 10 to 12 meters high. Another uniqueness of the beach: one will not find anything but coral reefs in it.

Nias island is reachable by sea using a ferry boat from Sibolga city in North Sumatra with a distance of 85 miles or 12 hours. Travelers will then arrive at Mount Sitoli, the biggest city in Nias Island. Continue the journey from Mount Sitoli to Teluk Dalam city for about four hours using a four-wheeled vehicle. However, for a shorter traveling time, a flight is available from Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra. (asw)

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Phuket, Thailand - Nai Harn Beach – one of the best in Asia?

Let’s have a look at what reviewers think of top-ranked Nai Harn Beach in Phuket.

Phuket’s Nai Harn Beach recently ranked fourth in the 2017 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Beaches in Asia. Situated on the southern end of the island, the beach is a stone’s throw from Phuket’s famed sunset viewing point - Promthep Cape. It’s considered a peaceful beach by Phuket standards, with no jet skis, para sailing, etc., but it is still pet friendly. So what did TripAdvisor’s reviewers think of the beach? Top issues included beach chairs/mats/loungers, local food and trash on the beach, but the overall consensus is that it is truly one of the most beautiful beaches around.

 
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Sarah R. from Brisbane, Australia commended the beauty of the beach but wasn’t so enthusiastic about the beach chairs.

“We caught a taxi from Karon to Nai Harn for a few hours on the beach before sunset at Promthep Cape. Four beach chairs cost 500 baht, and we only used them for an hour before a storm hit. Still, it’s a beautiful beach.”

Source - TheNation

Thailand wants more tourists who act like Australians

Thailand is now so popular for holidays that almost 35 million foreign tourists -- equivalent to half the country’s population -- are expected this year.

As the influx gets harder to manage, the government is shifting strategy. It’s now targeting a minimum increase in tourism revenue of about 5 percent annually instead of a particular number of visitors, Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said. That means encouraging longer stays and higher daily spending, a mix the typical Australian holidaymaker exemplifies, she said.

“Maybe they’re the ones who are like: this is my time -- I eat, I shop, and I eat, and I shop," Kobkarn, 56, said in an interview.

Australian visitors were among the top 10 biggest spenders in terms of per capita daily expenditure last year, forking out 5,831 baht ($172), Tourism Ministry data shows. Their average length of stay of almost 14 days was the highest in that group. Some nationalities take even longer holidays but tend to be more parsimonious. British tourists, for instance, stayed for just over 18 days on average while spending 4,376 baht daily.

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Tourism is a bright spot for Thailand’s economy, which faces challenges such as political uncertainty and sluggish consumer demand. The sector makes up about 18 percent of gross domestic product, Kobkarn said in the interview in Chiang Mai last month.

 

“We no longer have a target for number of tourists,” she said. “We shouldn’t go beyond the limit that we can cope. But there’s no statistic on that yet. When people say that Phuket may be too crowded, or Bangkok is too crowded, we have to make sure that we are introducing new destinations too.”

Arrivals from overseas more than doubled in the past decade, powered by a surge in Chinese holidaymakers who contributed 28 percent of 1.6 trillion baht in foreign tourism receipts in 2016. 

Affordability is one reason why Thailand has usurped Malaysia as Southeast Asia’s most popular destination, but Kobkarn said the nation must focus on quality as well as cost to tackle emerging competitive threats from the likes of Myanmar and Vietnam.

Quality doesn’t just mean targeting wealthy tourists as Thailand needs travelers on a variety of budgets, Kobkarn said. Instead, it refers to offering good value experiences that encourage return visits, increase the average length of stay and bolster daily spending per head, she said.

Read also: Thailand issues tourist guidelines for mourning period

Visitors from the Middle East are the biggest per capita daily spenders, according to the Tourism Ministry data. Chinese tourists stood out for above-average expenditure and sheer number of arrivals -- 8.8 million, dwarfing other nationalities and making China the most important single country for tourism receipts.

Thailand’s years-long tourism boom slowed somewhat in recent months. That’s partly because of terrorist bombings in resort towns in August last year and a clampdownby the military government on some operators of large Chinese tour groups, which were judged to generate insufficient local spending.

Arrivals are likely to pick up in the second half of 2017 as security concerns fade and Chinese visitors embrace independent travel over package tours, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

That signals more strain for the country’s airports, some of which are already stretched beyond capacity. State-run Airports of Thailand Pcl is planning to invest about $6 billion over a decade to try to ease the bottlenecks.

Read also: 2 weeks, 1 country and a world of wonders in Thailand

Even as Kobkarn tries to focus on revenue targets rather than visitor numbers, arrivals are projected to climb, whether drawn by the allure of white-sand beaches in resorts such as Krabi, the gastronomic delights of Bangkok or the perennially notorious sex capital Pattaya.

The Bank of Thailand forecasts 34.9 million tourist arrivals this year, a climb of about 7 percent from 2016, and 37.3 million in 2018. That’s projected to help Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy expand 3.5 percent in 2017 and 3.7 percent next year.

Thailand needs to be a quality tourism destination since a range of factors can prevent it being seen as the cheapest, such as rising wages or an appreciating exchange rate, Kobkarn said.

“We’re working very hard for people not to think only of the cost,” she said. “We’re not the best. We still have many negative things. But we’re very sincere in improving ourselves.”

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Thailand - Chiang Mai voted third among the world’s top 15 cities

A popular destination with both local and foreign tourists, Chiang Mai has been recognised as among the World’s Top 15 Cities among readers of the influential travel magazine Travel + Leisure.

“Chiang Mai, with its lovely Lanna temples, charming traditions, unique food, family-friendly attractions and stunning setting is a gem in Thailand’s northern hills. There’s so much for tourists to do here, from cultural exploration to adventurous treks and food tours. I’d like to thank the readers of Travel + Leisure for rating the city so highly and naming the capital of Lanna one of Travel + Leisure’s World’s Top 15 Cities 2017,” said Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. 

Chiang Mai took the third place on the list of Travel + Leisure World’s Top 15 Cities 2017 with a score of 91.40 out of 100.
#Bangkok came in eighth.

The score is based on a survey of over 300,000 international T+L readers who were asked to rate the “best of the best” in international travel experiences and destinations and contribute to the globally respected, Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.

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 ''Chiang Mai is an increasingly popular as a Thai destination and attracts a range of visitors from honeymooners to foodies and even MICE events. It’s the perfect place to enjoy unique Thai local experiences; such as fire massages at the Ban Rai Khing Community, traditional dancing or a sit-down Khantoke dinner,” Yuthasak said

Read more on TheNation