BY Sarmind SafiNov 24, 2023

The Department of Tourism in the North launched its second travel expo on Saturday in a bid to ensure a spur in the tourism industry in the northern provinces. Cordillera Administrative Region and the DOT Regional Offices I, II, and III kickstarted the 2nd North Luzon Travel Expo (NLTE) at the Grand Sierra Pines Hotel, North Outlook Drive in Bagiuo City. It is scheduled to be held from the NOV 25 to 27, 2023. The first of the NLT fairs was launched at SMX Convention Center Clark, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. The DOT-CAR is lining up the activities with the Tourism and Travel Fair being the main feature. This event will take place at the CAP Convention Center at Camp John Hay, Baguio City. The other activities include a music show featuring local artists of the four regions. The art in the park at Reflection Pool of Wright Park, Baguio City, Business to business networking activity at La Fayette Hotel, Baguio City. There will be product presentations at the CAP Convention Center as well as a familiarization tour or the North Luzon Inter-regional Circuit which will be a post-tour. The key destinations in Baguio City and Benguet in the Cordillera and Naguillan, San Fernando City, Bauang, San Juan and Luna in La Union in Region 1 will be visited. On November 26, a "Hibla ng Lahing Pilipino Fashion Parade will be staged at the Manor Garden, Camp John Hay. This will showcase regal fabrics from North Luzon to recognize the weavers of indigenous Filipino textiles." The DOT Cordillera chief Jovy Ganongan says the activities are aimed "to create a synergy to develop a robust tourism value chain by converging existing and new domestic tourism products, destinations, and services of the North Luzon regions to the local and international markets. She also said this is also to further strengthen the relationship of the North Luzon regions with their tourism stakeholders." Read Also: The Italian Train Group FS Will Launch A New “Night Train Like Hotel”: Rome To Dolomites Traveling Christmas Tree For The Western Lawn Of U.S. Capitol Venice Reveals 2024 Dates For Tourist Entry Fees: Report

BY Sarmind SafiNov 3, 2023

Vietnam is “the best tourism position” in Southeast Asia because of its political stability. However, the country should do better in the field of destination management. A Singaporean expert has remarked. Honorary President of the Singapore Institute of Tourism Management Wong Soon-hwa said at a conference held on Monday, "Vietnam is best positioned in Southeast Asia for tourism industry development. Vietnam is a safe destination thanks to its stable political situation, which is always a top priority for foreign investors.” Wong pointed out that Vietnam has a huge land area of about 331,000 square kilometers and an equally large population of nearly 100 million people. It is perfect for creating a pool of human resources for the tourism service industry. Vietnam is rich in natural resources, cultural heritage, and incredible cuisine. Tourists love it, according to Wong. The Vietnamese government has recently relaxed visa policies. They are offering a 3-month tourist visa for all nationals around the globe. They are also extending visa-free stays to 45 days for some of its biggest tourism markets like Japan, South Korea, and Western European economies. Vietnam, however, is lagging behind with the tough competition that Thailand and Malaysia are providing. Until October, Vietnam managed to welcome 10 million international tourists. In contrast, Thailand received more than 21.5 million. Wong has pointed this out and advised that Vietnam needs to manage its destinations more effectively. Singapore’s Sentosa Island, which is much smaller than Phu Quoc, attracts more than 20 million tourists every year. It also includes a good number of domestic visitors. Vietnam can learn from Sentosa’s development model to develop the quality of domestic destinations. The government needs to provide infrastructure, human resources, and a quick approval process so investors can get started. When working on tourism, Vietnam will have to think about the needs of domestic visitors, according to Wong. Every destination must attract not only domestic but also international tourists. Wong cited examples of Disneyland and Paris that can thrive on international visitors alone. Read Also: Muslim Miss Universe Queens Are The New Faces Of The Philippines’ Halal And Wellness Tourism Campaign Sri Lanka Has Approved Visa-Free Entry For Visitors From Six Countries Including India Best Tourism Villages In The World 2023

BY Sarmind SafiDec 23, 2023

Icelandic Tourist Board reported over 1.7 million visitors in 2022. The ethereal beauty of Iceland has persistently drawn hoards of tourists to its shores. Unavoidably, these tourists make mistakes and encounter culture crushes. There are now about six things that collectively irks the people of Iceland. First, there is the joke about Iceland and Greenland. Actually we have all heard the joke. It stems from the fact that Greenland is covered in ice and Iceland is lush green. Then there is the northern lights that tourists look for during the summers. Icelanders are tired of tourists not doing their research before planning their trip. The midnight sun that occurs between May and August is also a matter of confusion among tourists. European culture, especially Iceland does not appreciate tipping in restaurants, finding it borderline offensive in certain parts. Saying no to tipping on the part of the service-providers also results in arguments. Anna Ragna, born and raised in Iceland moved to the US in 2015. She tells Business Insider, "A lot of times there would be tips on the table for the waitress and they say, 'We can't take it,' and then it'll end up turning into an argument, and that's something that happened quite often." Iceland is renowned for its pristine beauty and the natives hate when tourists littter. Ragna says, it "enrages us as a people." There is also the issue of tampering with the delicate Icelandic moss. This slow-growing green layer is able to adapt to the harshest climates but it can be very fragile when tread  upon. It grows incredibly slowly and it can take up a hundred years just to grow a simple patch." Tourists also ignore signs in different hazardous areas. For example, an Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter rescued an  "exhausted, cold and shocked" hiker who got too close to a volcanic eruption near Grindavík on December 19. Authorities warned tourists to "think four times." Davíð Geir Jónasson who is the owner of Icelandic tour company called Vik Expeditions says he has seen this happen too many times throughout his 15-year long service. He says, "In Iceland, a warning sign is put up because someone has died or multiple people have died. It's not just because something might happen." Read Also: Kenya Is Targeting 5.5M Tourist Arrivals By 2028 Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area Is Expecting Big Changes Christmas In Nottingham: 2023 Bin Collection Dates, Tram Timetable And More