Over 3m tourists visit #Cambodia in H1

Cambodia welcomed 3.3 million holidaymakers during the first half of the year, an 11.2 percent hike, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Tourism.

The number of Chinese tourists, in particular, experienced strong growth from January to June. 1.2 million Chinese nationals visited the country during H1, a 38 percent increase.

China remains Cambodia’s largest tourism market, accounting for 38.7 percent of all tourists.

It is followed by Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, ranking second, third and fourth, respectively.

Tourists from South Korea, on the other hand, declined by 20.2 percent, while those from the United States decreased by 1.1 percent, the Ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Top Sopheak said the sector is experiencing healthy growth.

“In our view, the tourism sector is developing positively. The number of foreign tourists visiting the country continues to grow.

“Tourists from certain countries have indeed decreased but this is a normal market trend that should not worry us because, overall, the number of tourists has increased,” Mr Sopheak said.

According to the Ministry, Siem Reap province, home of the famed Angkor Archaeological Park, the country’s top tourist sight, saw a declined in visitors from January to June. Just 1.2 million foreign tourists visited the site, an 8 percent decrease.

By contrast, Phnom Penh and coastal areas saw strong growth in tourist arrivals, with the capital welcoming more than 2 million people and the coast nearly 600,000, a 27 percent hike in both cases.

Mr Sopheak noted that the rising number of Chinese visitors to the Kingdom is part of a wider trend, with more and more Chinese nationals travelling for leisure outside their country.

“The number of Chinese tourists is rising everywhere, not just Cambodia. But in the case of Cambodia, the close diplomatic ties with the Chinese government and the increase in investment coming from that country is certainly helping attract more tourists,” Mr Sopheak said.

He said the decline in the number of tourists in Siem Reap province is the result of tourists choosing to visit alternative destinations within the Kingdom.

“Instead of Siem Reap, more and more tourists are choosing to visit the coast and the Northeast,” Mr Sopheak said.

Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, told Khmer Times that more needs to be done to encourage tourists to stay in the Kingdom longer.

“It is good that more and more foreign tourists are visiting Cambodia. However, it is also important that the government and the private sector work together to create new tourism products that encourage people to stay here longer,” Ms Sivlin said.

During the first half of the year, the Kingdom’s three major airports handled a combined 2.3 million foreign tourists.

Last year, 6.2 million foreign holidaymakers visited the Kingdom, a 10.7 percent increase year-on-year. Cambodia is expected to attract 7 million foreign tourists a year by 2020, generating $4.3 billion for the industry. About 2 million of those visitors will come from China.

Source - Khmer Times

Thailand set to introduce visa-free travel for Chinese and Indians

Thailand to open up visa-free stays

BANGKOK, 7 August 2019: As China and India emerge as priority targets for Thailand’s latest tourism promotions, visa-free-travel is back on the table for urgent consideration.

Last week, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, told Prachachat Business he intends to introduce visa-free travel for Chinese and Indians later this year.

Currently, citizens of both countries need to apply for a visa-on-arrival although the THB2,000 service fee has been waived until October this year.

The new minister says all that might change with both countries joining a long list of countries that enjoy visa-free entry for a stay of 14 days, possibly as early as 1 November.

This year’s target for tourism revenue, including domestic travel, has been set at THB3.4 trillion. Earnings from international tourists will reach around THB2.2 trillion while tourist arrivals should exceed 40.5 million.

The move is part of a broader policy to increase tourism revenue and reverse the slow down in the tourism growth rate.

Pipat says the Chinese market could still deliver as many as 11 million tourists this year up from 10.5 million. While tourist arrivals from India in 2018 reached 1.5 million, making it the sixth-largest source of visitors. The growth rate was an impressive 27% over 2017.

The latest proposal will introduce a one-year pilot project offering Chinese and Indian tourists visa-free entry starting 1 November, a day after the current Visa-on-Arrival project ends.

Pipat told Prachachat Business: “This time I would like to propose visa-free travel, not a free Visa-on-Arrival. I believe it would stimulate the tourism industry and result in a much stronger conclusion for the high season later this year.”

Source - ThaiVisa

Tad Xai waterfalls, Laos

Tad Xai waterfall: the trek is what makes it special

For Visit Laos-China Year 2019, Vientiane Times is publishing a series of feature articles and images promoting the two countries’ collaboration in tourism and hoping to inspire more people, especially from China, to experience the nature, culture, history and hospitality of Laos, the jewel of the Mekong.

Tad Xai waterfall in Borikhamxay province is not just a place to go for the wonderful scenery, a picnic, and the waterfall itself, but is also a great place for trekking. 

In training for a Vangvieng Trail hike at the end of this year, my friends and I would normally walk along the Mekong riverbank to prepare for such an event but one recent weekend we decided to try somewhere different. 

Out of the many places we considered, we settled upon the Tad Xai waterfall at Ban Hatkhai in Borikhamxay province, which lies within the Phou Khaokhouay National Protected Area.

Reached by travelling on Road 13 South, it’s near the border between Vientiane and Borikhamxay province, and is about three hours drive from Vientiane. 

We chose this place because we heard that trekking guides are available, which we thought was a good idea because we were by no means experienced trekkers.  

I have been to Tad Xai a few times before, but mostly just to have a picnic and enjoy the waterfall, which is one of the most beautiful of the many that are to be found in the national protected area. This was the first time I would be able to explore the area more fully.  

We arrived at Ban Hatkhai around 10 am where a local tourist officer was waiting to guide us on the walk. The fee for each of us was 45,000 kip. It was several kilometres from the village to the park itself and some sections of the road were quite rough. Drivers would need a vehicle with good clearance or four-wheel drive. 

e arrived at the parking place which was shaded by large trees and bordered by a stream which burbled through various shaped rocks. It would make a good picnic spot and you could also have a dip as the water was not at all deep. A sign pointed the way to Tad Xai waterfall, which could be found at the end of a 400 metre path. 

But we were intent on having a long walk so we went in another direction along a small trail which passed through woods, so the tree canopy protected us from the hot sun.

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 We quickly became immersed in our environment and stopped to look at the unfamiliar plants and flowers that we encountered in profusion. 

Our surroundings were so enjoyable that we walked slowly and took loads of photos, forgetting that the purpose of the expedition was to get in training for the strenuous Vangvieng Trail. Never mind, the whole experience was all part of the goal, we told ourselves.  

After a while we heard the unmistakable sound of a waterfall, which soon came into view. The water cascaded down from a high cliff, so it is aptly named Pha Xay waterfall, or cliff waterfall. It was one of those hidden gems that you would only encounter by walking deep into this scenic area. 

After lingering for a while to enjoy the view and taking more photos, we continued on our way through more oddly-shaped trees and plants and then came to an open field of green grass interspersed with rocks.

Then we were back in the forest again, walking through small and large trees, listening to the sounds of insects and birds against the backdrop of faraway waterfalls, and observing the strange plant life around us. We became engrossed in our surroundings and never had time to feel tired. Now and again we saw groups of colourful butterflies, and stopped to relax near a small stream. 

The many streams that traverse the park meant we sometimes had to walk across wooden bridges and near the end of the trail we came upon a mass of different sized boulders piled up on top of each other alongside a large stream overhung with dense foliage. 

The tall thick trees were a wonderful sight and created a calming atmosphere so we took a long break and breathed in the smells. We felt we had earned a rest as this was the first trek we had made in this kind of environment. 

From here we took a different path back, which led us to the main Tad Xai cascade where most people come to enjoy a picnic. 

The waterfall has seven levels over which pours a torrent of foaming white water on its way through Phou Khaokhouay, creating a spectacular sight. 

This made another great rest stop and we loitered here for some time before making our way back to the parking area, deeply satisfied with our achievement and our decision to visit this awe-inspiring area.

Source - Vientiane Times 

Asia holds lion's share of #Vietnam's foreign arrivals

Vietnam’s tourism growth is driven mainly by Asian tourists who account for nearly 80 percent of total foreign arrivals in January-July. 

7.6 million Asians visited Vietnam in the first seven months of the year, up 8.8 percent year-on-year, accounting for 77.6 percent of total foreign arrivals.

The period saw the highest rise in Thai visitors at 227,400 arrivals, a 48.2 percent increase, followed by Taiwan (27.6 percent), South Korea (22.1 percent), Indonesia (21.2 percent), the Philippines (19.6 percent), Malaysia (13.9 percent and Japan (12.9 percent).

Vietnam welcomed 9.8 million foreigners in January-July, up 7.9 percent against the same period of last year, putting the country on track to meet its annual target of receiving 18 million foreigners this year, according to the General Statistics Office. Chinese and South Korean tourists accounted for over two-thirds of the total.

Despite a 2.8 percent decrease, mainland China remained the country’s biggest feeder market with 2.89 arrivals, followed by South Korea with 2.4 million.

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 The launch of several domestic and international flight routes to connect Vietnam's popular tourist destinations like Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Nha Trang with other Asian destinations, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea have contributed to push this growth, market observers said.

For instance, Jeju Air, a South Korean low-cost airline, last December began operating flights everyday between Daegu City and Da Nang. Korean Air, the oldest and largest air carrier in Asia, launched a direct air route between Busan and Da Nang last year. Malaysian budget airline AirAsia last April launched direct flights from Thailand's Chiang Mai to Da Nang.

Vietnam's private budget carrier Vietjet Air recently announced the launch of two new direct routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang with Tokyo this year. While the HCMC-Tokyo daily flight began operations on July 12, the Da Nang-Tokyo route is scheduled to take off on October 26.

Based on the average annual growth rate of foreign arrivals, Vietnam is forecast to become a leading travel destination in the next five years, according to the latest Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2019 - 2023 report released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Source - VN EXPRESS

Thai Dating Sites

DATING ONLINE

What you expect ? 

I did some research on several Dating sites and on small and big Facebook groups.

The girls / woman on the free dating sites and groups are not so serious.
You see also a lot of meat on the groups and sides.

Many works in a bar or massage parlours and be only hustlers to become customers.

When you do research on these girls you find out, that the most use fake names, lie about their age, and most pictures from when the are much younger.

Be careful You use only your time (money) 

Beach hustle: Thousands pack popular #Vietnam shore

Thousands of daytrippers jostled for selfie space and elbowed their way to the sea at a popular north Vietnam beach over the weekend, with extra vigilant lifeguards watching worriedly over the summer surge.

There are few beaches in this part of the country, and Sam Son in Thanh Hoa province has long been a go-to destination with its white sand coastline and blue waters.

But its beauty has proven both a blessing and a curse, leading vacationers to pack out the 16 kilometer-long beach. 

"Today, there are too many tourists," said Le Huu Mui, an 80-year-old visiting with family.

He last came to Sam Son five years ago and was shocked at the difference. 

"We have to hustle on the beach and it is less comfortable than previous years." 

On Saturday couples snapped selfies in front of elaborate sandcastles and families played spirited games of tug of war. 

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But not everyone was relaxing.

"We have to keep an eye on everything," said lifeguard Nguyen Huu Linh, 41. "There are cases of tourists not listening to us."

Visitor Dao Quyet Tien, who comes to the beach frequently, has also noticed murkier waters as more swimmers stir up sand and sediment.

"There have been a few times...when the beach water was dirty," he told AFP. "It's not comfortable to swim." 

But he admitted the crowds also brought a lively a

tmosphere to Sam Son.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Cambodia - Tractor rides and hiking to reach Oral Mountain’s peak

Though Oral Mountain is the hightest peak in Cambodia, even those without trekking experience won’t find reaching the summit hard. But the real obstacle to the summit is the tricky road journey before, with the use of a tractor almost essential.

Nearby Srae Ken village is home to about 300 Suoy Malou indigenous families. They use tractors as their daily transportation as their village does not have paved roads.

“When tourists reach the villages, we provide a tractor to take them anywhere, whether waterfalls or the peak of Oral Mountain. As you see, the road in the villages is quite hard for vehicles to drive on. Here, aside from bicycles and motorbikes, only tractors can transport materials, people and tourists,” said Theang Soth, one of a handful of local guides from Srae Ken Community, where tourists start their journey to the mountain.

It is 8km from Srae Ken village to a waterfall named Prek Snar at the mountain’s foot – a journey that takes more than two hours for tourists on a tractor driving down an unpaved road.

Soth, 47, a local guide for more than 17 years, told The Post: “One tractor can take seven to eight people, and normally we have one driver and one or two guides to help during the difficult journey. We charge $35 per guide for a day and tractor hire costs $50 per day.

“Some people come to visit a few places and then go back home – most of these people are from around Kampong Speu province. Others stay overnight, trekking from one waterfall to another on the same stream. A one day trek is not enough to explore all the waterfalls.”
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Muth Pech drove his tractor with a large family from Thpong district and carried a speaker on his shoulder playing loud music.

“We came for bathing and lunch together then we are going back home,” he said, as he took the family to Prek Snar waterfall, which has a slope resembling a water slide that plunges into a 1.2m pool.

Soth is also a good chef, and he prepares lunch in the jungle with basic equipment.
“Tourists order food with us, such as two chickens for six people, and we cook them in the forest with condiments, ingredients and rice. Normally we do chicken sour soup and grilled chicken that is enough for several people,” he said.

Soth takes his guests on a more than two-hour walk after they get off the tractor.

“From the lower stream, we visit Smounh cave where we have installed beds to relax. We also visit Bak Kanhchherl, Steung Kroul and Korki creeks, which all have cascades. If people want to see all the waterfalls, spending just one day is not enough,” he said. 
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For benefit of the whole Srae Ken Community, authorities and locals are working to build a pebble trail that will make access easier.

“We are very happy to see construction vehicles building a road in front of our homes. We’ve never seen such a nice roads in our villages,” said Chhem Chhim, Srae Ken Community chief, which was founded in 2004 in Oral district’s Trapang Chhou commune.

“When we have a new road, Srae Ken Community is going to welcome more visitors who wish to visit Oral Mountain and it will bring ecotourism jobs for our people.”

While guides cook for visitors, all expenses are the responsibility of tourists, including meat, vegetables, condiments and steamed rice.

Source - PhnomPenhPost