Destination Digest: Vietnam News in Brief

Destination Digest: Vietnam News in Brief

There’s plenty of good news coming out of Vietnam at the moment. Here are a few stories making the headlines:    Global searches for Vietnam tourism on the rise   Vietnam’s tourism industry is witnessing strong international interest, with global searches for travel to the country in the first half of February rising by 30-45% against…

Destination Digest: Malaysia News in Brief

Destination Digest: Malaysia News in Brief

A selection of bitesize news stories currently making the headlines in Malaysia:    Malaysian tourism surges to 36 million visitors   Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, revealed today (21/2) that Malaysia’s tourism industry is experiencing a significant surge, with visitor numbers soaring to an impressive 36 million. He attributed…

Destination Digest: Indonesia News in Brief

Destination Digest: Indonesia News in Brief

A few bitesize news stories and tourism developments making the headlines in Indonesia in recent weeks:    Indonesia sees significant tourism growth in 2024   Indonesia welcomed 13.9 million foreign tourists in 2024, marking a significant increase from the 11.68 million visitors recorded in 2023, the Ministry of Tourism announced in a press release on Saturday,…

Thailand Welcomes 5.5 Million Foreign Visitors in Early 2025

Thailand Welcomes 5.5 Million Foreign Visitors in Early 2025

We’re only 2 months into the year, but Thailand is already well on its way to meeting (and exceeding) its targets for international arrivals in 2025, and potentially returning to pre-pandemic levels if these trends continue.  According to a recent statement by Sorawong Thienthong, from Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand welcomed 5.5 million…

Arts Festival Showcases Malaysian Culture Around the Peninsula

Arts Festival Showcases Malaysian Culture Around the Peninsula

From January to August 2025, Malaysia will stage the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF). Now celebrating its 10th year, the festival will cover various locations, communities and artists nationwide, united by a common theme: Community Side By Side.  Since 2014, this incredible arts festival has been a mainstay of the Malaysian arts calendar, delivering…

Visit Malaysia 2026 Campaign Kicks Off in India

Visit Malaysia 2026 Campaign Kicks Off in India

The long-awaited Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign from Tourism Malaysia has finally begun, with India one of the first strategic locations to be the focal point of promotions in the year ahead. The decision reflects the importance of Indian travellers to the Malaysian market, and is indicative of Malaysia’s ambition to attract 1.6 million arrivals from…

President Envisions Indonesia Rivaling Singapore and Hong Kong

President Envisions Indonesia Rivaling Singapore and Hong Kong

Indonesia’s new President, Prabowo Subianto, has revealed plans to expand tourism in Bali and extend development to the lesser-visited northern region. Central to the project is the construction of a second airport on the island, which he believes “will make Bali the new Singapore or Hong Kong, with this development at the centre.”  The new…

Indonesia Promotes Sustainability at ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025

Indonesia Promotes Sustainability at ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025

Tourism officials from Indonesia used the recent ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025 in Malaysia to showcase a series of innovative tourism strategies and new initiatives which aim to boost regional tourism in the archipelago this year.   Held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, from 15-20 January 2025, ATF 2025 was centred around the following theme: “Unity in…