Hotels and resorts
How does an island with high prices and few beaches attract tourists? Singapore lays out a plan
Inexpensive hotels and swaying palm trees have long attracted travelers to Southeast Asia, but Singapore is doubling down on a different strategy — focusing on increasing tourism receipts instead of traveler arrivals. Officials on Friday outlined a plan to increase tourism revenue in the city-state from a record-breaking $29.8 million in 2024 to $47 million-$50 […]
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Is it safe to travel to Thailand right now? Thai officials say yes
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is expecting that country’s upcoming Songkran festival will generate more tourism revenue than it did last year, despite projections that the March 28 earthquake has dampened tourist arrivals to the kingdom. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which epicentered in neighboring Myanmar, caused a building under construction near Bangkok’s famous Chatuchak market to […]
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International visitors pour into Japan — to the delight and dismay of its ski towns
In spring, they come for the cherry blossoms. In fall, for the foliage tours. Now, more travelers are booking winter trips to Japan, as the country’s reputation as a world-class skiing destination continues to lure visitors from Asia-Pacific and beyond. Foreign visitors to Japan rose 33% this past winter from pre-pandemic levels. Some 10.5 million […]
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Singapore is more expensive than regional peers. So it’s using a different playbook to attract visitors
British national Tony Cross first set foot in Singapore in 1992, when the city-state’s main draws were its glitzy malls, the pulsating Zouk nightclub and the renowned Singapore Zoo. Today, shopping has taken a backseat, as prices for goods have climbed alongside commercial rents in a city where space is scarce. And, Singapore’s once-thriving clubbing […]
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Social media chatter about Thailand pops 60% following ‘White Lotus’ premiere
Social media conversations about traveling in Thailand rose 60% after the premiere of the third season of “The White Lotus” on Feb. 16. The data measured social media chatter during the three days before and after the show’s airing, according to social media analytics company Sprout Social. The Emmy-winning HBO series is expected to draw […]
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From sneakers to luxury handbags, hotels are providing more so you can pack less
Many people love to travel. But few like to pack. But travelers are getting help from an unlikely source — hotels. “Hotels [are] making it easier for guests to jump into their favorite activities without packing or planning in advance,” said Henley Vazquez, founder of the New York-based travel agency Fora. Some hotels have been […]
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Chinese travelers cancel Lunar New Year trips to Thailand over safety concerns
Chinese travelers are canceling plans to visit Thailand during the Lunar New Year holiday, as concerns over the kidnapping of actor Wang Xing continue to reverberate through the country. Net booking volume for trips to Thailand fell 15.6% from Jan. 13 to Jan. 20 from the previous week, after news of the rescue of Wang […]
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He bought an abandoned tin mine in Phuket in 1984. Now, his hotel chain is worth over $200 million
Ho Kwon Ping is the co-founder and executive chairman of Banyan Group. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Growing up, Ho Kwon Ping didn’t think he’d become a businessman, let alone a hotel tycoon. “I had not always wanted to be an entrepreneur,” he told CNBC Make It. “It’s just that the few times where […]
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‘The best experience’: He’s been on 30 trips with a company that links travelers who can see with those who can’t
Glyn Evans has been on 30 trips with the same travel company, but he can still pinpoint the moment that stands out as his favorite. During a trip to Las Vegas, he served as best man for a couple on the same tour who got married on a whim. Yet unlike most weddings, the bride […]
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72-year-old hotel tycoon cautions against a major character flaw in successful people: ‘Never get caught by hubris’
Ho Kwon Ping, 72, is the executive chairman of Banyan Group. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Building a business is not for the faint of heart, and many of those who dare to take the chance share one trait: self-confidence. That’s according to hotel tycoon Ho Kwon Ping, 72, the founder and executive chairman […]
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