News in Asia

Fodor's, a popular travel-related website, has published the list of places worldwide to be avoided in 2020 if you consider yourself a responsible traveller.

Great tourism potential of Aceh, Sumatra's northwestern province, was in the focus of attention during the Aceh Sumatra Expo (ASPO) 2019, organized by the Aceh Tourism and Culture Agency held last week in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Shwe Nan Daw monastery near Mandalay Hill, Myanmar, will receive additional USD300,000 for restoration works from US government on request of the Department of State’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

The Gardens by the Bay are ready for Christmas extravaganza – Yuletide spirits will fill the place between November 30 and December 26.

The Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia reports a 30 percent growth of Chinese tourist arrivals during the first nine months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. The Chinese remain the most numerous group of foreign visitors to Cambodia.

Following the recent announcement that elephant rides will be banned in Angkor, the Apsara Authority and Elephant Management Association has started relocation of elephants from the Angkor area to Bos Thom community forest in Siem Reap province.

Taiwan's famous hot spring destination and a popular cold season escape, Jiaoxi located in the northeastern part of Taiwan's Yilan County, will get its own Hot Spring Night Market mid-December.

This week, the Michelin Guide has announced the star awards to Thai restaurants which made it to the new 'The Michelin Guide 2020 Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Phang-nga 'edition.

While Nepal's tourism sector is preparing to the largest ever promotion campaign 'Visit Nepal 2020', air traffic congestion at the nation's main air haven, the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), poses challenges. 

Oman stopped issuing Visas on Arrival since the beginning of November – now foreign tourists who wish to visit the country should apply for their tourist visas in adnavce.

Vietjet, an international low-cost airline from Vietnam, has recently announced the launch of two new routes from Da Nang to Singapore and Hong Kong.

The launch of new direct flights and an increase in flight frequency between destinations in Vietnam and the countries from the Asian region including India, Thailand, Hong Kong, etc. will contribute to the growth of tourist arrivals to Vietnam, the representatives of the tourism industry in the country believe.

Inbound tourism in the Philippines continues growing. During the first nine months of 2019, between January and September, over 6 million oveseas travellers visited the country, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reports.

The Philippines' Boracay Island, reopened after 6-months rehabilitation closure, looks healthier than ever: recently an Olive Ridley sea turtle was found laying eggs on the beachfront of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay.

A diving instructor with Sea Turtle Diver Co Ltd. reported having spotted a rare giant manta ray of about 5 metres wide near Ta Chai Island in Similan Islands National Park, Phang Nga province. 

UNESCO has named Bangkok and Sukhothai among 66 new Creative Cities. Thus the total number of UNESCO Creative Cities in Thailand reached four – earlier Chiang Mai and Phuket also received this status.

Keikyu railway operator announced fare reduction on train tickets between Haneda Airport and destinations in central Tokyo by about 30%. 

Tokyo has recently got a new observation deck considered by many the best in the city. The new deck is located in the East Tower of the Shibuya Scramble Square, in Tokyo's Shibuya district.

Shanghai will probably get one of the largest Legoland resorts in the world in the course of 4 or 5 years. At least the U.K.’s Merlin Entertainments and China Media Capital made a respective agreement to build a Legoland Resort near Shanghai.

Puy du Fou, a historical theme park from France famous for its spectacular historical and cultural shows, as part of its international expansion will build a theme park at the foot of the Great Wall in China by 2022.