The first intercity trains ran in 1830 in the UK, but today Asia is showing the world how to build and run high-speed railways while Britain has called a halt to a major project.
Experts cite a range of reasons as to why an anticipated return of international tourists to the mainland has not materialised, but the timing of a resumption of ‘normality’ seems increasingly unknowable
Amsterdam’s Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, opened in 1883, was recently taken over by Asian resort brand Anantara. We checked in to find out why.
Chinese tourists visiting Japan largely seem unfazed about eating seafood following the Fukushima waste water release, with restaurants reporting little impact.
As construction of Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City metros continues, by Chinese and Japanese companies respectively, safety concerns have fuelled old stereotypes for the former, but at least it is running.
In Indonesia, a Bali-based NGO has joined The Ocean Cleanup in tackling the ‘tsunamis of trash’ washing down rivers and onto beaches, and is helping villages shut down illegal rubbish dumps.
News reports of weather records being set and broken regularly this summer, the hottest on record, underscore the need for immediate and drastic action to combat the effects of climate breakdown.
Climbers who can’t book mountain huts hurry to the top of Japan’s most sacred peak overnight, sparking safety fears. It’s an example of the scramble for tourist accommodation in Japan amid a post-Covid rebound.
Matty Healy’s LGBTQ-related rant in Malaysia begs the question: when tourists from liberal societies are invited to visit less tolerant countries, shouldn’t a lack of respect be expected?
The Tasman, in the heart of Hobart, the capital of Tasmania in Australia, is a luxurious mix of old and new that offers easy access to art and boat tours offering the freshest seafood.
Thai island Koh Samui is facing a severe shortage of fresh water, which has been blamed on increased demand and ‘rapid development’. But the problem has been around since the mid-1990s.
Not one experience in Asia made the latest Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards top 15 in the family-friendly category, despite eight of the top 25 ‘Overall experiences’ being in the continent.
Some Western media reports suggest holidaymakers visit Taiwan now before war breaks out, painting a picture of an island under threat. It’s a view which has received much derision on social media.
Potheads flocked to Thailand after it decriminalised marijuana for medicinal use, but these visitors’ enthusiasm contrasts with negative views in China of the drug’s widespread sale for recreational use.
An eighty-something avant-garde pianist from New York giving a recital aboard a ferry crossing a Norwegian fjord was our introduction to the 2021 Momentum arts festival, which returns this year.
The US government claimed that a US$19.5 million loan to the Habitation Jouissant hotel, in Haiti, was part of its pledge to help address climate change, but there’s little evidence of a greater good.
‘The Great Kalayaan Expedition’ to three of the Spratly Islands the Philippines controls is the latest example of tourism being used as a soft power weapon. Hong Kong has wielded it too – against Manila.
Thailand is benefiting from its Chinese Approved Destination Status, with tourists from China expected to hit pre-pandemic numbers by October 2023.
In this edition of the Global Impact newsletter, we take the temperature of the Asian travel sector as it continues to open up after years of closed borders and quarantine.
From beautiful spectacles to horrifying tales, Australia’s new tourism experiences tied to Aboriginal history stand out among the fresh ‘offerings’ awaiting visitors.
Mitigating climate change effects could mean curbing air travel, but that might be avoided if governments employ good environmental policies, such as Costa Rica and Tokyo have done.
Labuan Bajo, Lake Toba, Yogyakarta, Mandalika and Likupang make up the reduced list of new Bali alternatives Indonesia has announced. Here’s what each of them have to offer tourists.
Hong Kong-owned hotel brand Rosewood’s Vienna hotel is perfectly located on Petersplatz and includes the Neue Hoheit restaurant and Asaya Spa, with prices starting at US$765 per night.
Videos of customers interfering with sushi and licking plates and bowls in Japanese conveyor belt restaurants are going viral and the trend is forcing restaurants to upgrade security and change the way they serve and display food.
From November to March, air pollution from farmers burning crop stubble covers parts of Thailand in choking smog. This casts a shadow over not only the health of its people but of its all-important tourism industry.
Tourists and other foreigners have reacted in fury to news that Bali’s authorities plan to ban them from renting motorbikes, instead allowing them to only rent cars from travel agents.
The ‘Hello Hong Kong’ promotion dangled free flights to draw back tourists. Taiwan is trying to woo them with US$160 discount cards issued upon arrival.
Da Nang’s Nam O Beach and its litter-strewn sands became a hot topic this month, but the Vietnamese city’s refuse issues are far bigger, with some saying it is no wonder tourists never return.
Nas Daily travel vlogger Nuseir Yassin is under fire for his recent video on Bali, being called, among other things, ‘disgustingly ignorant’ on social media – but it’s hardly the first time.
South Korea’s ‘Feel the Rhythm of Korea’ videos – some featuring BTS – provide a masterclass in tourism video making that the ‘Hello Hong Kong’ campaign team would do well to learn from.
