Indonesia - Bali named among top post-pandemic destinations

Bali is among the international destinations such as Andalusia and Catalonia in Spain, as well as Florida in the United States, listed as the most desirable places to visit after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The travel industry has been one of the hardest-hit sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic, but travelers around the world have also been eager to get back on the proverbial road and visit new holiday destinations.

Dutch online ticketing company Booking.com has recorded growing wishlists on its app, listed by people in quarantine around the world in March and April.

On the list, Bali ranks second among the most desirable tourist destinations.

The island is listed along with international destinations such as Andalusia and Catalonia in Spain, as well as Florida in the United States. Krasnodar Krai in Russia tops the list.

In a statement, Booking.com said the list was based on the number of likes for properties listed on the app.

The data was compiled in March and April and compared to similar data in March and April 2019.

Alongside Bali, there are 27 Indonesian destinations on the list, such as West Nusa Tenggara, Jakarta, Yogyakarta and West Java.

The list also revealed that Indonesian users on the app are hesitant to plan international journeys after the pandemic.

Around 76 percent of Indonesian users’ wishlists comprise domestic destinations in sunny cities and places with beaches, such as Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, and Ubud and Seminyak in Bali.

Meanwhile, international destinations are dominated by Asian metropolitans, such as Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Seoul.

On Saturday, Reuters reported that Bali could reopen to tourists in October, following the government's success in controlling the coronavirus outbreak. If the infection curve continues to improve, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is looking to revitalize destinations and do promotional work for some parts of the country, including Bali, between June and October.

Source - #TheJakartaPost

5 Secret Destinations to Visit in #Myanmar (Burma) in 2020

A land with a troubled past, Myanmar has only recently begun to open up to international tourism — and for many travellers, it still passes well below the radar.

 Yet, with its great expanses of unexplored jungle, extensive shoreline, diverse culture, atmospheric incense-filled temples and countless minority groups inhabiting even the most far-flung corners, Myanmar is a sleeping giant. This is a place for those who want to leave the usual tourist trail far behind and tread where few others set foot. Don’t expect travel there to ever be easy, but for the most adventurous and determined explorers, here are 5 secret destinations to visit during your trip to Myanmar in 2020.

1. Keng Tung (Kyaingtong)

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Tucked away in the north-eastern corner of Shan State where Myanmar meets Thailand, Laos and China, Keng Tung, remote, inaccessible and, until recently, off-limits to tourists, is a place to visit before word spreads. The only practical way of reaching it from the rest of the country is to fly in— although it’s also possible to arrive by road from the Thai border crossing at Mae Sai. The town itself has several attractions of interest, including a large standing Buddha, a distinctive monastery and some hot springs, but the main thing to do here is to enjoy the ample opportunities for trekking out to the minority villages in the surrounding area. As one of the most important towns of the Shan people, it’s also a great place to sample Shan food, reputedly the best in all of Myanmar.

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Chin State, bordering India and Bangladesh in the west of Myanmar, is the epitome of ‘off the beaten track’. It is one of the country’s poorest, least developed and most sparsely populated areas and has very little in the way of infrastructure. However, for intrepid explorers who make their way there the potential rewards are great. This is an area with a patchwork of tribes speaking myriad languages and with lush forests and remote mountains to discover. Trekking into minority villages around the town of Mindat is possible, and the region’s best-known peak, Mount Victoria, offers sublime views of the surrounding countryside— sometimes even as far as India on a clear day. Nearby Kanpetlet, a laidback town with decent accommodation, is a good place to base yourself before tackling the mountain.

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In the north-west of Myanmar, bordering the tiny Indian state of Nagaland, lies the Naga Self-administered Zone, home to various tribes sharing broadly similar culture and traditions that make up the loosely-defined Naga people.

This is another of Myanmar’s poorest and most inaccessible areas, and the tribal groups there maintain their age-old customs through their lively festivals, their distinctive dress and their traditional way of life, remaining largely untouched by the outside world.

 Some of these tribes may have been active head-hunters as recently ago as 1969, but nowadays they are more welcoming and friendly, and a trip to their little-known homelands will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of any trip to Myanmar.

4. Dawei
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This port town on Myanmar’s south-western Andaman coast, in Tanintharyi Region, is for those who have grown tired of the overcrowded, overpriced beaches and resorts of neighbouring Thailand and who are searching for something fresh. The town of Dawei itself can be reached by land since the road is now open to international visitors — or if you want to save some time, you can fly in from Yangon. Once there, you will have access to a good range of accommodation, pristine stretches of sand, simple beach restaurants, a handful of pagodas to visit and a secret place of your own to chill, safe from tourist hordes across the border just a little further south.

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5. Mergui Archipelago

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If you’ve ever studied a map of Myanmar, you may have noticed the fractured coastline of the deep south and wondered what undiscovered island paradises lie hidden there. However, the breathtaking beauty of the unspoiled beaches and transparent, turquoise seas of the Mergui Archipelago is likely to be far beyond anything you ever imagined. Try picturing the most perfect Thai islands before the arrival of mass tourism — or any kind of tourism at all — and you might be somewhere close. These islands have only been open to foreign visitors since 1997, and this is a destination you need to see before it hits the mainstream.

Although it is gradually opening up, Myanmar is still largely terra incognita to most international travellers, and even the most popular destinations like Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake receive relatively few tourists. However, if you want the chance to discover some of Southeast Asia’s last truly secret destinations, this is a country that should be on your holiday list.

Source - MM Times

Sustainable tourism in #Vietnam being pushed through travel influencers

Secretary general of the Asean-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk announced today that the Vietnam leg of the Asean Community-based Tourism Programme 2019 is now taking place in Mai Chau Valley.

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Community-based tourism (CBT), an emerging form of sustainable tourism, empowers local residents by allowing their participation in developing tourism products and returns the profits to the community.
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The Asean Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025 suggests invigorating community participation as a way to encourage sustainable and inclusive tourism among member states. In continued efforts to promote community-based tourism, Asean has set up the Asean CBT Standard and grants Asean CBT awards to local communities that achieves the high standards of excellence.
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To support this effort, the Asean-Korea Centre (AKC) has organised the “Community-based Tourism Programme: 2019 in Vietnam, following the success of previous programs in Malaysia (2015), Brunei (2016), Thailand (2017), and Indonesia (2018).
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The programme aims to promote Vietnam’s CBT and introduce its hidden tourist attraction to the South Korean public and international tourists.The trip, in which journalists, youtubers, travel essayists and other content creators are participating kicked off yesterday and runs through Friday.
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 The visitors will get to experience Vietnamese traditional culture, including the daily lives of the different ethnic minorities.

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At the end of the programne, their first-hand experience of traditional housing, batik and paper making of the H’mong ethnic group, traditional cuisine, and outdoor activities such as hiking in Pu Luong nature reserve and kayaking on the Da Reservoir will be introduced to the Korean public in feature articles and videos.
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“Mai Chau Village, situated about 75 km from Hanoi in Hoa Binh Province, received the Asean Community-based Tourism Award in 2017, in recognition of the community’s efforts to protect the natural environment and develop sustainable tourism in the region. I hope this programme enhance understanding of CBT and thus advocate for sustainable development in Asean.”

Source - TheNation

#Cambodia - Tourism caravan reaches final destination

The caravan entered Cambodia from Laos through the border gate in Steung Treng province.

 A caravan of 33 vehicles organised to promote tourism sites in China, Laos and Cambodia reached its final destination on Saturday.

 The convoy departed Kunming, in China’s Yunnan province, on Nov 16, crossing Laos before arriving in Cambodia on Nov 25.

The convoy crossed into Cambodia through the border gate at Stung Treng province. It then travelled to Phnom Penh, Kandal and Kampong Thom before reaching its final destination, Siem Reap. From Kunming to Siem Reap, the convoy traveled about 6,000 kilometers.

The official name of the caravan is the “Lancang-Mekong Culture and Tourism Exchange and Historical Cities Caravan Tour from China, Laos and Cambodia”.

The convoy’s goal was to promote tourism sites visited along the way as well as cultural and tourism exchanges within the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Framework.

The convoy was organized as part of the ‘2019 China-Cambodia Culture and Tourism Year.’

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the end of the caravan in Siem Reap on Saturday, Hor Sarun, undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism, said the convoy helped promote Cambodia’s tourism potential.

“The caravan provided an opportunity to have cultural exchanges and promote tourism by visiting important sites along the Mekong-Lancang river, which is an important historical area,” Mr Sarun said.

 

Shi Ling, deputy director-general of Yunnan’s Department of Culture and Tourism, asked Cambodians to consider traveling to Yunnan province during their next vacation.

Source - Khmer Times

#Vietnam - International Tourism Fair 2019 kicks off in Can Tho

CAN THO An international tourism fair - The VITM Can Tho 2019 - kicked off in the southern city of Can Tho’s Ninh Kieu District on Friday.

The event is being held by the Vietnam Tourism Association (VNTA) in coordination with Can Tho City’s People's Committee and Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and others attended the opening ceremony.

VITM Can Tho 2019 is the largest tourism event to be held in the Mekong Delta.

The aim is to support local tourism businesses to build, promote and sell their products to make tourism a key economic sector in the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, vice president of the VNTA Cao Thi Ngoc Lan said this was the first time the VNTA in co-ordianation with Can Tho City's People's Committee had organized the fair.

"The fair is expected to create opportunities for local people, authorities and businesses to present their tourism products and local cuisine to domestic and foreign tourists to make tourism a spearhead for economy," Lan said.

About 320 booths run by international and Vietnamese enterprises, service facilities and destinations in 25 provinces and cities are taking part in the event.

There are also booths from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Cuba.

The highlight of the fair will be the Mekong Delta Tourism Development Forum which will offer solutions for rapid tourism development.

More than 10,000 indoor and outdoors tours, 5,000 hotel rooms, air tickets and over 5,000 promotional vouchers with 20-50 per cent discounts are on offer to visitors from travel agencies and prestigious tourism service businesses such as Vietravel, Sagota, Saigontourist and Fiditour.

The fair also includes a food festival with culinary contests and a presentation of local specialties.

Chefs from all over the country will be making special local dishes at the festival.

The fair will be running until December 12 at the Center for Trade and Investment Promotion and Exhibition Fair at 108 Le Loi Street. VNS

Source - Viet Nam News

China's Terracotta Warriors exhibited in Thailand

China's renowned Terracotta Warriors have been brought to Thailand for the first time for an three-month exhibition at National Museum Bangkok that started from Sunday.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition "Qin Shi Huang, The First Emperor of China and Terracotta Warriors", was held on Sunday afternoon, after which many Thais flooded into the Siwamokkhaphiman Throne Hall to take a glimpse of the over 2,000-year old Terracotta Warriors, or funerary sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang.

Held jointly by Thailand's Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture and China's Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, the exhibition collected 86 items of artifacts from 14 leading museums around Shaanxi province, said Qian Jikui, deputy director of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, during the opening ceremony.

Qian told the audience that the exhibition is divided into four parts, Before the Qin Empire, Qin Empire: Unification and the Birth of China, Terracotta Army: Its Discovery and Mystery, The Prosperous Empire of Han with Terracotta Army being the core part.

"We are trying to show people the history and culture of Qin Empire, from its beginning to its impact on the later history of China," Qian said.

Wissanu Krea-ngam, deputy prime minister of Thailand, told the opening ceremony that it is a very rare chance to see Terracotta Warriors and other Chinese artifacts of great value in Bangkok and he encourages Thais to take the chance to learn more about China's history and culture.

China has a long history and Qin Shi Huang is a prominent figure, the deputy prime minister said, adding, "We called China Chin in Thai and it is assumed to derive from Qin, the name of Qin Shi Huang's empire, which reveals how influential Qin was."

He also hailed Thailand-China exchange and friendship for hundreds of years and said the exhibition came at a great year which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 44th anniversary of the establishment of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.
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Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian said during the opening ceremony that the exhibition marked that China-Thailand friendship have reached new height.

The Terracotta Army, discovered in 1974, reveals the sophistication of ancient Chinese civilization and its conservation demonstrates the development of Chinese technology, the Chinese ambassador noted, adding that the exhibition would further promote mutual understanding between Chinese and Thai peoples and their friendship.

Thai Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome told Xinhua after the opening ceremony that the exhibition proves how close Thailand-China relations are and it would become a great chance for Thais to learn about history and also to attract tourists.

Itthiphol said it is expected that 200,000 visitors would come to the event during the 3-month long period until Dec 15 this year.

The exhibition attracted many Thais' attention on social media as many commented they would go to visit it for sure and thanked the efforts of both governments to make it happen.

 Rakchaneewan, a Thai visitor told Xinhua that she was moved after seeing those artifacts as she can see and feel the ancient Chinese civilization just here, and she hopes the friendship between Thailand and China would last forever. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Exhibit explores a transforming #Myanmar (Burma)

However, sometimes a single photo can say more than the longest news piece or essay.

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This idea is now on display at the Catching the Light exhibit and book launch at Myanmar Deitta until May 14..
The exhibit showcases the work of German photographer Birgit Neiser, who has been visiting here since the early 1980s..
“On my first trip, we couldn’t see a lot of Myanmar, but I became fascinated by the culture and people,” she told Weekend, recounting her 1981 trip..
Like many Europeans, Neiser first came to Myanmar as a backpacker but then returned in 2010 to support an NGO in the Delta region. Since then, she has spent a couple of months here every year.

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Catching the Light focuses on the dramatic changes from the period 2010 to 2016.
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“Looking back, I feel that the country has changed more between 2010 and 2017 than between 1981 and 2010.”
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The black and white images deftly portray the political, economic and cultural transformations.
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“By documenting today’s Myanmar, my photos might serve as a point of reference in decades to come. My goal was to capture the status quo as something to come back to in the future,” she said.
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“The country will continue to change radically so I tried to record as many unique moments of this time as possible.”
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Neiser discussed with Weekend one of her more unforgettable moments on this journey – documenting an elephant camp in the forest near Putao.

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She said at the camp, the elephants worked hard to pull timber out of the forest and push it onto a truck from an elevated embankment.

“They are highly skilled and intuitive; when one log was close to rolling off the truck, they immediately tried to stop it from falling with two elephants working as a team to grab the log and heave it back onto the truck,” she said.

“The elephants seemed to enjoy the challenges they faced and I interpreted in their eyes the same proud look I saw on their mahouts at the end of the day.”

She also travelled using all sorts of local modes of transport including on the back of a timber truck in the Kachin mountains, on a motorbike through Northern Shan State and on board an old fishing vessel in the Andaman Sea.
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“If I have been able to capture the spirit of Myanmar, even scratch on its surface, I am happy.”
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“An achievement for me would be to make others understand – at least to some extent – the spirit of the country and to give back to Myanmar people not only the pictures that I took of them but also show remote corners of the country where many have not travelled.”
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During her current trip, Neiser will also do some photography in Mandalay.
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Neiser’s work has previously been displayed at the National Museum Yangon where her photographs of the country were juxtaposed with old photographs taken by Christine Scherman, another German documentary photographer who had travelled in Myanmar 100 years ago.
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“Everyone in Myanmar has become a photographer through mobile phones. Also there are many more professional photographers around than before,” she said.
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“This is wonderful, especially because the Myanmar photographers will hopefully introduce some new styles and fresh ideas to photography.”
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Myanmar Deitta is at 49 44th Street, Botahtaung Township.

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Source - MMTIMES