East Asia | eTurboNews (eTN)

Another Chinese airline this time from Taiwan joins global airline alliance

Eva Air from Taiwan joins Star Alliance

Founded just over 16 years ago, Star Alliance has progressively built its presence in Asia/Pacific and now has eight member carriers based in this region, which continues to show a growing demand ...

Fleet renewal - Japanese Skymark Airline

Skymark Airlines intends to select the 737 MAX

Boeing and Tokyo-based Skymark Airlines (Skymark) today announced the airline's intent to select the Boeing 737 MAX as its next generation single aisle aircraft of choice, making it Japan's first ...

Green Globe member Maya Ubud Resort & Spa

Bali resort awarded highest accolade in Indonesian hospitality industry

LOS ANGELES, California - Green Globe member, the Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, counts among the “Top Green Destinations” in the travel and tourism industry, and recently claimed its crown as ...

Official: Growth of tourism in Phuket source of many problems

Degradation of Phuket blamed on rapid development of mass tourism industry

PHUKET, Thailand - The Senate Standing Committee on Tourism yesterday highlighted a series of issues plaguing Phuket due to the rapid development of the province into a major center for mass ...

Design, Design, Design

Singapore continues to reinvent itself

By Jan Sevilla, eTN Correspondent, reporting from Singapore

SINGAPORE - The 272-square-mile island between Malaysia and Indonesia may seem to look very small on the map, but this bustling metropolitan area keeps on growing each day.

Yangon International Airport gears up for 20 percent annual growth

Myanmar airport prepares for surge in passenger numbers

YANGON, MYANMAR – Yangon International Airport (YIA) in Myanmar is gearing up for projected 20% annual growth with new common-use systems from air transport IT specialist, SITA , as the country ...

Suncheon Bay Garden expo

Suncheon Expo to celebrate 'North Korean Refugees' Day'

SUNCHEON, South Korea - "A variety of festive activities will take place at the Suncheon Bay Garden expo on Sunday to celebrate 'North Korean Refugees' Day'," its organizing committee said.

In the heart of Bangkok

Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld: at the city center for MICE business

Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld is the only fully-integrated, five-star hotel, convention center, and lifestyle complex within the heart of Bangkok.

Hotel specials

Agoda.com makes it easier to visit Palawan, the Philippines’ last frontier

SINGAPORE – Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq:PCLN), is showcasing a selection of great hotels in Palawan, one of the ...

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Banned In China

China: President Xi Jinping is no Winnie the Pooh

By Oleg Von Siziakov

Chinese censors have banned a picture of Winnie the Pooh and his friend Tigger.

2013 Thai Food Festival

TAT invites global food-lovers to Thai Food Festival 2013

BANGKOK, Thailand - Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in its ongoing promotion, World Destination of Food in Thailand, invites both domestic and international tourists who love food to ...

Japan Airlines

JAL announces international fare fuel surcharge

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Airlines (JAL) has requested approval from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT) to revise down the fuel surcharges applied on all ...

Thailand campaign for World Expo 2020 Ayutthaya

Thailand's World Expo 2020 bid rejected

By Andrew J. Wood, eTN Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thailand's bid to host the 2020 World Expo was in tatters as the organizers rejected Thailand's bid for failing to secure government support.

From Sweets to Manga to Japan inbound tourism trends

Inbound Japan: shopping habits spread wide

Foreign visitors spend an average of 46,436 yen for shopping during their visits to Japan, much higher for food (29,864 yen) and amusement activities (12,136 yen).

Travelers Riding New Wave in Japan

Outbound Japan: cruise market

Japanese consumers have further embraced overseas cruises in a big way with the number in 2012 surging to 120,000 travelers, the highest tally not seen since 2000 when it reached 130,500, thanks ...

Kai Tak Cruise Terminal

New cruise terminal expected to be a boon for Kowloon malls

HONG KONG - The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, which opens today, will be a magnet for attracting big-spending visitors, say retail landlords and travel industry operators.

Let the battle begin

Guests are the winners as GM and Chef battle it out at Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives

BANGKOK, Thailand - It's not often that Centara General Managers and Executive Chefs do battle with each other. Not in public!

Japanese Visitor Dies in Malaysia

Japanese tourist dies while in police custody in Malaysia

LUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A 33-year Japanese tourist arrested for allegedly threatening Malaysian police with a knife has been found dead in a police cell and is believed to have hanged himself, a ...

Vietnamese Tourism

Vietnam tourism: Lack of money for promotion campaigns is biggest problem

A report of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism VNAT showed that in 2000-2012, the state’s budget spent VND410 billion in total on the tourism promotion activities.

Merpati Nusantara airlines plane crashes

Passenger plane with 52 people on board crash-lands in eastern Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Passengers on an Indonesian airliner had a lucky escape on Monday after their plane crashed on landing and broke in half, local news website Detik.com reported.

Fewer Japanese Tourists Coming To Korea

Decline in Japanese tourists raises concerns in Korean tourism industry

SEOUL, Korea - South Korea used to be a dream destination for many Japanese tourists - with the two capitals less than one hour away by flight.

nature provides tourism opportunity

Full moon parties take off in Thailand

PHUKET, Thailand - Thailand is where the idea of full moon parties really began, on the island of Pha Ngan, and the idea has now spread to Phuket.

Cross-Strait Travel

Chinese individual tourism to Taiwan surges 237 percent

BEIJING, China - The number of Chinese mainlanders traveling to Taiwan as individual tourists from January to May totaled 166,000, an increase of 237.49 percent year on year, new data has ...

Attack on tourist in Ipoh

German visitor attacked, injured in Malaysia

IPOH, Malaysia - A German tourist, who had just arrived to Malaysia from Singapore, was assaulted by two men who tried to rob him yesterday morning.

luxurious and sustainable boutique retreat

Green Globe recertifies Anantara Seminyak Resort and Spa Bali

LOS ANGELES, California - “Anantara Seminyak Resort & Spa Bali has proudly achieved Green Globe Certification for the third time, continuing to be the luxurious boutique retreat along the ...

Tourism and travelers in China

Many travelers dead in bus explosion in China

A fire on a bus in southeastern China has killed 47 people and is being investigated as a “serious criminal case,” state media said on Saturday, just days after 120 people died in a fire at a ...

22nd World Economic Forum on East Asia

In pursuing reforms, listen to people, say Myanmar and Philippine presidents

NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar – Necessary political and economic reforms must push forward because that is what citizens want, the leaders of Myanmar and the Philippines said in the closing session of ...

global travel markets

Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2013

By Andrew J. Wood

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2013 kicked off highlighting four niche markets: golf; ecotourism; wedding and honeymoon; health and wellness and attracting an estimated 1,000 ...

Formula one racing Thailand style

Thailand's bid to host F1