Asia Vacations - Travel, Tourism - Info & Review

-With Japan the undisputed favorite, Aussies are getting more adventurous when it comes to Asia travel. SINGAPORE, June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past 12 months various Asian destinations have seen significant increases in visitors from Down Under. Australian travelers are moving deeper into well-trodden countries like Indonesia and Japan, too. Japan is home to four of Asia's 10 fastest-growing Aussie tourist destinations, according to a recent study conducted by Agoda, one of the world's leading accommodation sites and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq:PCLN). "It is really interesting to see the types of places that Australian travelers are starting to discover in greater numbers," says Andy Edwards, Global Director for Brand and Communications at Agoda. "Beach, ski and cultural destinations—this is a list that reflects the diverse range of travelers that turn to Agoda every day for a wide range of accommodations and deals." Fr

By Sandra Grauschopf Updated June 29, 2016. Description: How would you like the chance to explore Taiwan with the help of an English-speaking tour guide? Enter Asian Art's 2016 Museum Foundation's Member Sweepstakes and you could win a fun-filled trip worth $13,000. The prize includes the chance to visit temples, the National Palace, and more. Sweepstakes Links: Click Here to Enter this SweepstakesClick Here for the Official Sweepstakes RulesClick Here for the Sweepstakes' Home Page Note: If the sweepstakes entry link doesn't work for you, try entering through the home page and looking for a link to the sweepstakes. Category: International Travel Sweepstakes, Big Sweepstakes, One Entry Sweepstakes Eligibility: Open to residents of the United States (void in Florida, New York, Puerto Rico, territories and other U.S. possessions), 18+ and above the age of majority Start Date: May 24, 2016 End Date: September 18, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. PT Entry F

Posted 29 Jun 2016 11:34 Updated 29 Jun 2016 12:34 SINGAPORE: Universal Studios Singapore (USS) is the top amusement park in Asia for the third year running, travel site TripAdvisor announced on Wednesday (Jun 29). On a global basis, it came in 17th overall. USS beat out regional competitors such as Hong Kong Disneyland (second), Tokyo DisneySea (fourth), Universal Studios Japan (fifth), Tokyo Disneyland (sixth) and Legoland Malaysia (twelfth).  Adventure Cove in Resorts World Sentosa was also ranked among the top 10 water parks in Asia, coming in sixth. Waterbom Bali in Indonesia, Black Mountain Water Park in Thailand and Caribbean Bay in South Korea took the top three spots respectively, while Sunway Lagoon Theme Park in Malaysia pipped Adventure Cove to come in fifth. "We are honoured that Universal Studios Singapore is awarded top amusement park in Asia for three years in a row, and Adventure Cove Waterpark has been ranked the sixth water park in Asia,&qu

One local restaurateur is bringing a unique dining concept to Austin inspired by 10,000 miles of travel throughout Southeast Asia. Street, which opened to the public this week, is bridging the gap between Asian-American and traditional Asian cuisine. Street is located downstairs from Chinatown on Greystone Drive, in the former Musashino space. Owner and chef Ronald Cheng (who also owns the Chinatown chain) wanted to make his travels accessible to our foodie city. Cheng has achieved just that with Street, which features a lineup of his favorite authentic Asian street dishes. Street's made-from-scratch menu offers everything from sushi rolls with a twist to unusual plates like jellyfish salad. There's also an entire section spotlighting "on a stick" items, as well as lunch specials representing Cheng's treasured places, like the Taipei Box with fried pork chops, braised tofu and egg, and pickled vegetables or the Hong Kong Box with roast duck, Chinese sausage,

NEW YORK/SHANGHAI: U.S. and Chinese online travel sites have reported a jump in queries about UK holidays since Britain voted to leave the European Union last week, a sign that "Brexit" and the resulting dramatic drop in the pound could boost tourism. Travel agents, hotel chains and airlines say it is too early to tell if the vote will impact bookings in the longer term, but inquiries jumped as travelers hunt for cheaper breaks. Britain's decision to pull out of the European Union leaves the world's fifth-largest economy facing deep uncertainty. Thepound has dropped to its lowest level in over three decades. But for travelers like Wen Zhihong, from China's western Chengdu, that means lower prices. She had been planning to spend her vacation travelling with her daughter in France and Italy, but said she changed her mind after the vote. "Now it seems a better idea to travel to England," Wen, a university official, said. "With the depreciatio

Save 40 per cent on a 21-day tour of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Save 40 per cent on a 21-day tour of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Visit floating markets in Bangkok, the monks and waterfalls of Luang Prabang. Travel down Vietnam visiting Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City followed by the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Travelbay deal costs $3519 a person twin share and includes 29 meals, accommodation, all flights in Asia, lots of sightseeing and more. There are multiple departure dates until December. Phone 1800 020 020. See travelbay.com The story Travel deals: Save 40 per cent on a 21 day tour of Southeast Asia first appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald. Source: Travel deals: Save 40 per cent on a 21 day tour of Southeast Asia

There's been way too many examples of people leaving their jobs to travel the world and much has been said about their journeys and the glory they found along the road. What no one really talks about is what happens a little further down the road.  After the initial exhilaration of being on the road, reality returns to bite you really hard! In an economy like India's, a gap to travel is still frowned upon by several prospective employees. So, when you return to apply for a regular job, if at all you do, you are met with knitted brows and with judgements of a "far too casual" attitude.  Travel blogger Akanksha Dureja says, "It is very hard to explain/justify the break for traveling if you ever want to go back to corporate. Even if you somehow convince them, there will always be a doubt that you might again take off, leaving behind the projects you are working in jeopardy. You might not be taken seriously and not given important responsibilities." Trav

Reporting from Shanghai's international luxury travel market For a decade, the International Luxury Travel Market has showcased the best in global luxury travel to a select group of buyers and suppliers, who regularly meet at its annual global flagship event in Cannes, France, as well at its annual international events in Asia and the Americas and its specialist events in Japan and Africa. This contributor recently attended ILTM Asia 2016 in Shanghai for four days of meetings with high-end representatives from tourism boards, hotel brands, luxury cruise and excursion planners, private clinics and much more. Lucy Clifton, the managing director of Spotl1ght Communications, which manages ILTM's events, said that the Shanghai show attracted almost 500 exhibitors from 59 countries, including 19 Asian nations. "The landscape of the industry has changed significantly over the last decade," Clifton said. "ILTM Asia reflects this changing world in great detail for our

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines – Concur, an SAP company, announced recently a collaboration with AirAsia to implement an integrated Travel and Expense solution for its subsidiary AirAsia Global Shared Services, which provides business process outsourcing services to AirAsia Group's 17,000 employees. Air Asia needed a solution which would be simple to use and make travel expensing painless, as well as reduce paper usage and the time required to raise and claim travel expenses. It must also be secure both from an integrity and data security perspective. AirAsia is Asia Pacific's largest low-cost carrier, with scheduled domestic and international flights to over 100 destinations from Japan to India. AirAsia's main hub is KLIA2, the no-frills terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. All of AirAsia's Kuala Lumpur departures and arrivals operate through this terminal. "Even under normal circumstances, travel claims and co-ordination

Back in Victorian times, wealthier citizens could sometimes be found wandering among London's poorer, informal neighbourhoods, distributing charity to the needy. "Slumming" – as it was called – was later dismissed as a morally dubious and voyeuristic pastime.  Today, it's making a comeback; wealthy Westerners are once more making forays into slums – and this time, they're venturing right across the developing world. According to estimates by tour operators and researchers, over one million tourists visited a township, favela or slum somewhere in the world in 2014. Most of these visits were made as part of three or four-hour tours in the hotspots of global slum tourism; major cities and towns in Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro and Mumbai. There is reason to think that slum tourism is even more common than these numbers suggest. Consider the thousands of international volunteers, who spend anything from a few days to several months in different slums across the

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has suspended the travel agent license of Deal Travel from Jun 4 until further notice, it announced in a press release on Friday (Jun 24).  The suspension of the company's travel agent licence is due to its failure to submit "the necessary documents to verify its compliance with the minimum financial requirements" to STB according to regulations. The authority has also received complaints from Deal Travel's business partners regarding significant payments owed, it added. The company, which was registered in April 2013, has listed vouchers for travel deals on e-commerce site Deal.com.sg to regional destinations such as Batam, Bintan and Hanoi. The details of its licence on STB's website list Deal.com.sg as its website, and an email address with the domain of parent company Ensogo.  Ensogo reportedly shuttered its Southeast Asian operations earlier this month, and Thai newspaper Bangkok Post wrote on Wednesday tha

China will continue to drive tourism in Asia Pacific this year, with 50.4 million Chinese visitors expected to travel to destinations in the region in 2016. This is according to the MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index, which found that 15.7% of total international overnight arrivals into Asia Pacific cities this year will from China. These travellers are expected to spend US$45.3 billion in their destinations, comprising 18.2% of total tourist expenditure in the region. It is not only China driving tourism in Asia Pacific however, but the entire the Northeast Asia region. Four of the region's top five source markets are in Northeast Asia, with China being followed by South Korea (32.5m international arrivals), Taiwan (22.5m), the US (20.6m) and Japan (18.0m). Thailand has been one of the main beneficiaries of the Chinese outbound boom These four Northeast Asian markets are expected to contribute 38.4% of total international overnight arrivals to the region in 2016. "In

It's that time of year again—when Washington cooks, the public transport goes on extended holiday, people head to the beach, and I offer some thoughts on books to take with you on vacation if you have an interest in Asian history, Southeast Asian politics, and Southeast Asian culture. Keep in mind that none of these books are exactly traditional "beach reads"—light page-turners that you can flip through while also watching your kids bury themselves in sand. One recent work that I recommend highly is China's Future by David Shambaugh, director of the China Policy Program at George Washington University. Shambaugh is always worth reading on China, but in this relatively slim new work he concisely outlines his thesis that the Communist Party is beginning to crack—that China is actually less stable domestically than many outsiders think, and that China cannot defy the trend of history by continuing to get richer without opening its political system. I don't shar

Browse > Home / Events, News, Thailand / PATA educational on China boom PATA educational on China boom June 21, 2016 by e-NewsWire   Filed under Events, News, Thailand Leave a Comment BANGKOK, 21 June 2016: By 2020, China will generate 150 million trips to destinations in the Asia- Pacific region, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association. PATA CEO, Mario Hardy, shared the forecast with delegates attending the 6th PATA academy on the Chinese outbound market, last week. The three-day PATA academy event was held at the association's headquarters in Bangkok. "According to our latest visitor forecasts, arrivals from China to Asia Pacific destinations will climb from an estimated 102 million in 2015 to more than 150 million trips by 2020, dominating the region's international tourism landscape," he told academy participants. The event was attended by 18 executives from 13 public and private organisations coming from seven desti

PHOTO: Phuket, Thailand. (Photo courtesy of Thinkstock) CHIANG MAI, THAILAND - It could soon become easier for tourists to travel between countries in Southeast Asia. Taking the podium at the recent Thailand Travel Mart in Chiang Mai, Thai politician Surin Pitsuwan, the former secretary general of ASEAN (from 2008-2012) spoke about the need for a stronger relationship between ASEAN countries. One of the ways to strengthen the bond with one another is to share tourism promotion and revenue. One visa means more options for travelers Pitsuwan's pitch centered around the practical reasons for streamlining the process of tourism in Southeast Asia. The ideal arrangement would be to have one tourist visa for multiple countries. His argument is that, together, the countries would be more attractive to international travelers than they would be individually. The desires and plans of international arrivals in the region seem to be changing. Pitsuwan explained that "they [tou

For weeks, the boats, packed to the rim with desperate people, remained at sea as country after country refused to take them in, until overwhelming international pressure and media attention forced action to be taken. While the most recent "sailing season" — the time between monsoons when it is most safe for boats to travel — saw far, far fewer vessels taking to sea, observers warn that the root causes of the crisis haven't gone away, while thousands of refugees remain trapped in camps and detention centers across southeast Asia. "We talk about it being one year since the boat crisis, but for many survivors that crisis is still continuing," says Amy Smith, executive director of Bangkok-based Fortify Rights. Stranded at sea Every year, thousands of Rohingya Muslims flee Myanmar, where they suffer hardship and oppression in conditions that have been found tantamount to genocide by the Yale Law School Human Rights Clinic. Myanmar's government does n

Plan your perfect trip with this week's roundup of the best travel deals. You'll find last-minute 5-star Vegas stays, all-inclusive resort vacations in the fall, and much more. Southwest Airlines 1-Way Fares Nationwide Vendor:  Southwest Airlines via DealBase Price:  From $38.98 Lowest By:  $25 Expires:  June 23 Get away for less this summer with this Southwest Airlines 1-way fare sale. We saw this deal for $3 less a couple of days ago, but it's still a great value and the lowest price we could find for some routes by $25. Fly out from locations like Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., among others. Arrive in major hubs like Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville. On the DealBase landing page, click "Southwest Airlines" in the top line to see this sale. This price is valid for flights departing on August 23 from Las Vegas, NV, (LAS) with arrival in Los Angeles, CA, (LAX). Book this travel deal by June 23 for trav

Everyone loves a good bun, including an Asian one. Different from bao, the newly popular portable eats, Asian buns are baked to golden perfection and are sweet, savory or both. Fillings include coconut cream, taro, BBQ pork and ham and onions. My favorite place to get one of these delicacies is Saigon Market in Mills 50. I can enjoy a bun or two while shopping for groceries. They also make other baked goods, banh mi sandwiches and more prepared foods. It's a one-stop shop. Additional places that make them in Central Florida include Qi Dragon Bakery (just north of Florida Mall) and Sunpearl Bakery (Pine Hills). You can also buy them at various Asian markets around the area. A bun costs between $1 and $2. Anh Vu Dinh is an Editorial Systems Editor at the Orlando Sentinel. He can be reached at adinh@orlandosentinel.com. Source: Asian buns

We made a packing pact for our around-the-world trip: carry-on bags only. With nearly a dozen flights on five carriers, lost luggage seemed as certain as a snuffling baby on a red-eye. So we packed like Snoopy. Jabin used a Think Tank Airport International LE Classic roller bag, which meets most airlines' overhead storage dimensions, and a Patagonia backpack. His main priority was his camera gear, though he carved out space for some comfort items, such as an REI self-inflating travel pillow, a Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter Plus (for locales with questionable tap water) and Bose QuietComfort 20 headphones, his pick for Most Valuable Player. "I was able to strip down [the devices] to the minimum without losing quality equipment," he said. "I spent a lot of money at REI, mostly on clothes that were made for hiking and were quick-dry. The shorts all doubled as bathing suits." [Around the world in 20 days] His clothing list borrowed a page from the Eagle

Photos by Goats on the Road Central Asia is one of the few off-track travel destinations remaining on our planet. This area of the world was once a part of the former Soviet Union, but since the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the 'Stan countries (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) became independent nations. This jigsaw-looking part of the map is a playground for adventure junkies, culture seekers and history buffs. We still reminisce about our independent travels in Central Asia. Western influence has barely reached these lands — get here before things change... The village of Langar is located in the Wakhan Valley in Tajikistan. In my opinion, it's one of the most beautiful places along the Pamir Highway. If you arrive during harvest season, you'll see villagers working hard in the fields. The views of the mountains and valley are spectacular. READ MORE: Arslanbob: Kyrgyzstan's Magical Mountain Village Just outside of the v

Under the leadership of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) CEO Dr. Mario Hardy, the PATA as a travel and tourism organization has gained importance, leadership and reach. PATA is spreading its reach on a global scale. It appears the organization is now a world player in the global travel and tourism industry. eTN publisher Juergen Steinmetz asked the PATA CEO if including Gulf destinations would compete with PATA's traditional market in the Pacific Asia region  Mr. Hardy told eTN: "All destinations worldwide are welcomed to join PATA to gain insights from the fastest-growing travel region in the world. We are very much open to the idea of hosting a PATA event outside of our main region and sharing the knowledge and expertise of our Asian-based members." In the eyes of PATA The Middle East is now Asia Pacific. Mario Hardy explained: "Arguably every destination is competing with its neighbor, close or distant. You have to remember that PATA is about the

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 8 a.m. Getting ready to ride Edwin Goei Has this ever happened to you? You're at a National Park or someplace tranquil, finding your moment of Zen, when all of a sudden, you sense a disturbance in the Force. A bus pulls up, and within seconds, hundreds of photo-snapping tourists pour out. In an instant, Eden turns into a fanny-pack convention. Well, my friends, I have been on that bus. I have been part of the horde. And if you like road trips but hate driving or separately booking all the hotels along the way, you should consider dusting off your own fanny pack and going on one of these bus tours. Most of all, they're bargains. As of this writing, the website for America Asia, a Monterey Park-based travel company that operates a bus fleet large enough to mount a D-Day invasion, is offering a four-day trip to Arizona and New Mexico at $318 for two people. And if there are three of you, provided that no one minds sharing a

Sabre Corporation has named Daver Lau regional director for Sabre Travel Network North Asia. Reporting to newly appointed Asia-Pacific vice president of sales and market development, Todd Arthur, Lau will lead the Sabre Travel Network business in North Asia. This includes China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. Based out of Taiwan, Lau will be responsible for business expansion and relationship development in the North Asia region, as well as driving local product and supporting customer initiatives in these markets. Banyan Tree appoints new DOSM HKECIA hosts first-ever Global Exhibitions Day Conference SLH appoints Asia-Pacific vice president in Singapore A business and travel technology veteran, Lau has held various management roles in Asia-Pacific in the last 19 years, most recently serving as general manager for Amadeus Taiwan Limited.  Roshan Mendis, senior vice president for Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific, says: "Daver brings to the tab

MarketResearchReports.Biz report analyzes and presents an overview on "Medical Tourism Market Report: 2015 Edition" worldwide. More than forty countries in Asia, America, Africa and Eastern Europe are serving millions of medical tourists annually. International medical service providers are in continuous race to get accreditation from Joint Commission International (JCI). Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India are the major destinations in the Asian medical tourism market. Thailand is more popular among Western European medical tourists for cosmetic surgery. Singapore and India specialize in complex procedures with India having a cost advantage and Singapore a technology advantage. The most common categories of procedures that people pursue during medical tourism trips are cosmetic surgery, dentistry, cardiology (cardiac surgery), and orthopedic surgery. The healthcare industry in Thailand has seen rapid growth in recent years, ahead of the country's GDP. In Thailan