Destinations News: Travel Weekly Asia

Destinations News

The Tham Luang cave complex.

Work underway to attract tourists to site of cave rescueConstruction of a museum commemorating the rescue of the 12 young soccer players, the Wild Boars, from the Tham Luang cave is...

In recent weeks, travel agents in Dandong report a surge in demand for tours to North Korea.

Chinese tourists flock to this border, a gateway to N. KoreaTourism from the Chinese border in Dandong into North Korea is seeing an uplift amid cautious optimism as North Korea proclaims...

Golden Bridge has opened to online acclaim.

Da Nang’s new bridge is goldenSince opening in June, Danang’s newest tourist attraction has hit the social media jackpot.

Sunrise at Shwedagon Pagoda is a top tourist attraction in Yangon.

Myanmar eases visa restrictions to boost tourismFrom October, Japanese and South Korean travellers to Myanmar will be able to enter the country visa-free by air and land.

HKTB wants to see more cooperation with Greater Bay cities such as Guangzhou.

Hong Kong should swap mainland competition for cooperation, says HKTBThe Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) was happy to report a 10.1% rise in visitor arrivals over the first half of 2018, with the...

Skyline views from hotel pools for Hong Kongers opting for a staycation

Hong Kongers love luxury, staycations and AsiaOver a third of Hong Kong travellers are happy to pay for five-star accommodation when they travel, according to Travel Search...

Philippines wants to use a departure tax to fund tourism infrastructure.

Tourist fee eyed to replace travel taxThe Philippine government is studying a measure to impose a US$9 (P500) tourist fee to replace the current US$30 travel tax.

Lombok update: Over 500 hikers now evacuated from Mount Rinjani

Lombok update: Over 500 hikers now evacuated from Mount RinjaniAround 560 hikers and their guides have now been rescued from Mount Rijani following Sunday morning’s earthquake.

Lombok authorities face a major clean-up of damage caused by 6.4-magnitude earthquake.

Lombok quake latest: Island faces big clean-upLombok is continuing to clean-up after a powerful earthquake struck the island on Sunday, killing at least 14 people.

Heavy seas forced the cancellation of ferries to Lombok and fast boats to the Gili islands.

Bali takes a pounding from huge wavesBali has been battered by a series of high tides and enormous sea swells that have caused damage across the southern end of the...

Chef Sebastien Lepinoy in his fine dining French restaurant Les Amis, which kept its two stars.

39 Michelin stars, but no 3-starred restaurants for SingaporeTravelling to satisfy your stomach — culinary tourism — is an increasing trend worldwide. However, foodies basing their travel...

Crowds pouring through turnstiles will move faster thanks to facial recognition.

Hong Kong–Shenzhen border introduces facial recognitionFacial recognition technology is being used to speed up the processing time at Shenzhen Bay and Lo Wu, two checkpoints that...

Rolling the dice for integrated resorts.

Japan approves ‘casino bill’ despite oppositionJapan’s parliament has passed the controversial Integrated Resort bill, which will open the doors for the country’s first legal...

In central Tokyo, temperatures over 40C were also registered for the first time.

First the floods, now Japan sizzlesJapan's weather agency has declared a heatwave sweeping the country a natural disaster, with little let up in sight until early...

Increasing numbers of visitors flock to Macau, here seen in Senado Square at night.

Macau’s tourism arrivals increase in leaps and boundsThe statistics are pointing to a successful year of tourism for Macau.

Each bill denomination depicts elements of Hong Kong’s culture from HK$20 to HK$1000.

Cantonese culture featured on new Hong Kong banknotesTravellers to Hong Kong will soon be able to catch a glimpse of some of Hong Kong’s main attractions simply by looking in their...

The former US naval base-turned-tourist destination.

Subic woos Taiwanese touristsThe Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT), is working to make Subic in...

Huge dykes have also been constructed along the beaches to prevent future damages from tsunamis.

Fukushima prefecture readies for sunbathers after 2011 disasterThe 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and the ensuing tsunami caused massive damage and the loss of lives to Japan, especially in the...

Japan is stepping up its security ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020.

Japan to ban passengers carrying knives onto trainsOf all the souvenirs that tourists take home from Japan, knives are surprisingly popular. After all, if it is good enough for...

Almost half the complaints about transport services in Hong Kong have been about taxis.

Taxi! Hong Kong cabbies face tough new penaltiesThe Hong Kong government is cracking down on the notoriously bad service doled out by many of Hong Kong’s taxi drivers with a...