There’s never been so many tourists coming to #Singapore

It’s almost like a sequel to “Crazy Rich Asians.”

A year after the movie -- set in Singapore -- helped drive a record number of visitors to the city-state, the tourists are back again in full force, pushing arrivals to a new high in the third quarter.

About 5 million travelers came to the island between July and September, led by visitors from Greater China, which jumped 22%, according to data from Singapore Tourism Board’s website. The previous quarterly record was 4.83 million set in the same period a year earlier.

The surge in tourists also coincided with the reopening of the city’s grand dame, Raffles Hotel. The 132-year-old iconic hotel -- the birth place of the “Singapore Sling” -- opened after an extensive renovation.

Singapore, which competes with Hong Kong for conferences, is also benefitting from the North Asian city’s weekly pro-democracy protests that started in June. As the demonstrations turned increasingly violent, some conferences, such as the Global Wellness Summit, moved their events to the island republic.

The unrest in Hong Kong has prompted businesses to relocate events and major meetings to locations in Singapore as well as neighboring countries such as Thailand, according to hotel-industry billionaire William Heinecke.

The outlook for 2020 looks bright too with a robust line up of events such as Singapore Airshow, Food & Hotel Asia conference and Gamescom Asia, according to a report published by DBS Bank Ltd. in October.

Among the island’s biggest events in the third quarter was the Formula One night race in the city center, known for its line up of musical performances that included the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Gwen Stefani this year.

U2 also rocked Singapore for the first time this weekend. The band played the first of two shows on Saturday night to a packed crowd at the National Stadium, ripping through hits including “Where The Streets Have No Name” and “Vertigo.“ The gigs were part of the group’s Joshua Tree 2019 tour through Asia.

It’s a “sci-fi city,” frontman Bono told the crowd, pointing to the country’s diversity.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Thailand - Movie “The Cave Creates Huge Crowds at Chiang Rai’s Tham Luang Cave

12 young soccer players, members of the Wild Boars (Mu Pa) football team, and their coach were trapped inside the flooded cave in July last year. Their subsequent rescue, after 17 days.

Large crowds of people are now visiting Chiang Rai’s Tham Luang cave after the movie “The Cave” screened at theaters in Thailand. The movie is about the dramatic rescue last year of 12 boys and their football coach.

The movie “The Cave” is being shown at theaters nationwide. Tham Luang cave park officials said approximately 3,000 people are visiting the cave in Chiang Rai daily.

The Thamluang Khunnam Nangnon national park also provide a trolley service to the cave entrance.

According to park officials only 50 visitors are allowed to enter the first chamber of the cave at one time. They can also take pictures and tours are for only five minutes.

Tham Luang cave officially opened in November

The Tham Luang cave complex was officially opened for tourists in early November. Two nearby caves will be opened for nature study in the future.

The dramatic rescue of a boys soccer team from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai, has also turned the area into a sprawling tourist attraction. Drawing well over 1 million visitors since the ordeal captured headlines worldwide last year.

12 young soccer players, members of the Wild Boars (Mu Pa) football team, and their coach were trapped inside the flooded cave in July last year. Their subsequent rescue, after 17 days.

Souvenir shops have sprouted in the cave area of Chiang Rai, in Mae Sai near the border with Myanmar. Selling T-shirts depicting Tham Luang cave and the rescuers.

A statue of Sgt. Maj. Saman Gunan, the retired Thai Navy SEAL who died during the rescue mission, stands near the cave entrance.Gunman was promoted to the rank of Lt-Commander after his death.

 A nearby memorial center features a virtual cave, as well as oxygen tanks used by the rescuers. Tourists can pose for pictures by a large mural depicting the rescuers, titled “The Heroes.”

Source - Chiang Rai Times 

 Former Chiang Rai Governor Disappointed with “The Cave” Movie

 Maybe not show him enough in the movie

Thailand set to introduce “Double Tourist Visa”

A leading government figure has said that #Thailand is about to introduce a “Double Entry Tourism Visa”.

This will enable a visitor to go in and out of Thailand to neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Laos or Malaysia then return to Thailand to complete their holidays, Thai news site Post Today reported.

One media outlet even mentioned that a “multiple entry” visa was being considered.

Kobsak Pootrakul, deputy secretary general to the prime minister, told a conference that Thailand was considering a number of stimulus measures to help the tourism industry.

He said that the target was to get 42 million people visiting the kingdom next year.

Apparently 20 million did so in the first half of this year according to Kobsak.

The double entry visa would have a time limit though exactly how long this might be has not yet been announced.

Kobsak also mentioned the possibility of applying online.

Changes to the visa arrangements appear to be in the latter stages of discussion though no timeframe for their implementation has been announced as yet.

But there is one relative certainty – the border checkpoints for tourists at both Nong Khai and Sadao (the posts between Thailand and Laos and Thailand and Malaysia respectively) will be open 24 hours for a three month trial.

Kobsak said this would happen either at the end of this year or the beginning of next. Following the trial the numbers would be crunched to see if it is worth continuing.

In addition the number of VAT refund spots is being increased from the current five, he said along with plans to create walking streets at several popular tourist spots.

The Deputy Secretary General’s comments come just a day after reports that room occupancy and tourism was 20% down in Pattaya.

Source - BangkokJack

Travel wallet YouTrip sees unstoppable Thai baht as opportunity

YouTrip, the provider of a multi-currency travel wallet service in Asia, thinks it could be a beneficiary of Thailand’s high-flying baht.

The baht’s climb spurs foreign-exchange demand by encouraging Thais to travel and shop abroad, YouTrip’s Chief Executive Officer Caecilia Chu said in an interview in Bangkok. The company rolled out its service in Singapore last year and in Thailand this month.

“This is the best time to enter the market,” Chu said. “People want to buy things outside of Thailand because the currency is so strong.”

YouTrip offers a multi-currency travel e-wallet with a prepaid Mastercard. Users charge up the wallet from their smartphones. The card lets travelers pay overseas with no fees in 150 currencies at wholesale exchange rates, according to the firm.

The service is trying to disrupt a sector that can involve either time-consuming, cash-heavy trips to money changers, or the use of traditional bank cards with fees and exchange-rate markups.

The firm’s revenue comes from commissions paid by merchants for purchases using the card.

The Thai baht has appreciated more than 9% against the dollar in the past year, the most in emerging markets, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The jump has hurt the trade-led Thai economy, which is on course for the weakest growth in 2019 in five years.

The slowdown could crimp outbound tourism temporarily but many analysts see long-term potential. Chu said about 11 million Thais go overseas for holiday each year, spending an estimated 400 billion baht ($13.2 billion).

She aims to sign up 400,000 Thai customers in the first year. The “untapped opportunity” stems from the fact they undertake foreign-exchange transactions in cash, Chu said.

YouTrip, which also has a base in Hong Kong, plans to expand into at most two more Southeast Asian markets over the next year, Chu said. The firm raised S$25.5 million ($18.7 million) in funding in May.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Indonesia - Tambing Lake in Poso sees significant increase in visitors

The number of tourists visiting Tambing Lake in Lore Lindu National Park, Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, has increased significantly during the past week. Lore Lindu National Park Agency (TNLL) recorded that at least 3,000 foreign and domestic tourists visited the lake.

“This is a significant increase compared with the previous data of 1,000 visitors in a week,” Jusman, the head of the TNLL, said.

He said the TNLL regarded the increase as a positive change, but also an indication that they have to consequently increase supervision and safety measures in the area. 

Tambing Lake is located within the biosphere conservation area of Lore Lindu. The area also comprises the operational area of the military and police antiterrorist Operation Tinombala. 

However, Jusman said that so far there had been no safety threats in the tourist area.

Tambing Lake is located 1,700 meters above sea level and is known for its beautiful natural landscape and cold weather. The area is also the habitat of endemic species such as babirusa, anoa, the maleo bird, tarsius and black monkeys.

Its biodiversity attracts bird lovers and researchers from all over the world to observe birds in their natural habitat.  

Students and campers also often visit the area to enjoy the natural environment. Recently, many groups from private and state-owned companies visited the location for team-building events. The area is located only 90 kilometers from Palu city. 

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Cambodia to ban elephant rides at Angkor temples

Cambodia will ban all elephant rides at the country's famed Angkor temple park by early next year, an official said Friday, a rare win for conservationists who have long decried the popular practice as cruel.

The Angkor archaeological complex in northern Siem Reap attracts the bulk of the kingdom's foreign tourists -- which topped six million in 2018 -- and many opt for elephants rides around the ancient temples.

But these rides "will end by the start of 2020", said Long Kosal, a spokesman with the Apsara Authority, which manages the park.

"Using elephants for business is not appropriate anymore," he told AFP, adding that some of the animals were "already old".

 

So far, five of the 14 working elephants have been transferred to a community forest about 40 kilometres (25 miles) away from the temples.

"They will live out their natural lives there," Kosal said.

The company that owns the elephants will continue to look after them, he added.

Cambodia has long come under fire from animal rights groups for ubiquitous elephant rides on offer for tourists, also seen in neighboring Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. 

The elephants are broken in during training and rights groups have accused handlers of overworking them.

In 2016, a female elephant died by the roadside after carrying tourists around the Angkor Wat temple complex in severely hot weather.

The animal had been working for around 45 minutes before she collapsed.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Vietnam - A 3-day retreat in Tu Le

 Tu Le's rice fields, a major attraction of the commune.

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  Tu Le Commune in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai is well-known for its beautiful rice fields, hot mineral springs and infinity swimming pool.

Located on National Highway 32 in Van Chan District and next to Khau Pha Pass, Tu Le could be a get-away spot of choice for many types of travelers, from backpackers to luxury seekers. The commune is home to the Black H’Mong and Thai communities.

The roads through Tu Le show off all of what makes northwestern Vietnam so beautiful. The scenery here, especially mountains, mountain passes and rice fields, is a big attraction for photographers and trekkers. 

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 Khau Pha Pass in Yen Bai Province stuns travelers with its twists and turns with high mountains on the one side and a deep valley on the other.

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Day One

Tourists can either ride a motorcycle from Hanoi or take a 6-hour-bus from the city's My Dinh Station to Tu Le, 300 km away.

After checking into a hotel, homestay or resort and have lunch, you can take a tour of Khau Pha Pass, which means "the sky’s horn". Tu Le is about 4 kilometers from the pass, one of northwestern Vietnam’s four top mountain passes for its roughness, height and beauty.

Located at an altitude of over 1,200 meters above sea level, Khau Pha’s climate mirrors that of resort town Da Lat in the Central Highlands. However, temperatures may drop due to its subtropical positioning. In winter, temperatures might even reach below zero with the possibility of snow.

In the afternoon, you can do traditional food shopping or visit local markets.

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The Thai ethnic group people in Yen Bai still make com in the traditional way

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Day Two

Bathing in a hot mineral spring is a must-try activity when visiting Tu Le. Relaxing in a massive 35 degrees Celsius pool not only benefits your joints and circulation but could also help you relax and rejuvenate. An indoor hot mineral spring additionally provides a chance for quiet solitude.

Tien Nu Cave, near central Tu Le, is a not-to-miss tourist attraction. At VND50,000 ($2) per adult, visitors can explore the cave where fairies were said to descend from Khau Pha sky gate to earth according to local legends.

For the last 300 years, Thai ethnic people have held the belief that, on the 30th of the 12th month on the lunar calendar, fairies descend from the sky to revel in worldly beauty. Amid sliver smoke, the fairies are said to bathe in Nam Lung stream and get changed in Tien Nu Cave.

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 A resort on the hills in Tu Le

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Day Three

Another location worth a dive is the infinity swimming pool on top of a hill, especially at 5 a.m, when clouds drift by at leisure. Filled via a direct supply of mineral water, the pool remains warm and fresh.

To add more to the trip, don’t forget to savor local delicacies like green rice flakes (com), sticky rice, nuggets, liquor, bamboo noodles with boiled goose, and fried pork.

There are many types of hotels, resorts and homestays in the area highly rated on TripAdvisor and Booking.com, namely Guesthouse Kim Quy (VND130,000 or $5.6), Le Champ Tu Le Resort (VND2.5 million or $108) for a bungalow and less for a dorm bed, Yen Bai Homestay - Zoni House (VND260,000 or $11), and Pho Nui Hotel (VND350,000 or $15) per night. Such variety provides plenty of options for every type of travelers.

Source - VN Express