Singaporean Expert Says Vietnam Tourism Needs Better Destination Management: Report

BY  Ankita Nov 17, 2023

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) predicts a historic holiday travel season, estimating a record-breaking 30 million passengers nationwide during the upcoming 12-day Thanksgiving travel period. This projection is based on the already set records in 2023, with seven of the best ten busiest travel days in the history of TSA. TSA Administrator David Pekoske assures preparedness for the expected surge, working closely with airline and airport partners to maintain efficient screening processes. Pekoske emphasized the commitment to keeping wait times under 30 minutes in the case of the standard screening lanes. When it comes to TSA PreCheck lanes, the wait time is under 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the devastating Maui wildfires has impacted tourism in Hawaii. Although the holiday travel period may not break records, improving visitor demand and local travel may contribute to a busier atmosphere at state airports. After immediate economic losses following the wildfires, Maui is gradually reopening to visitors, with a projected recovery to pre-fire levels not expected until 2028. Recent tourism data indicates a decrease in arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands, with Maui experiencing a 57% drop in visitors in September. Despite a slower Thanksgiving, Jerry Gibson, president of the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, notes a last-minute pickup for December. This is particularly true on Oahu, the Big Island, and Kauai. Room rates are higher for the festive season, offering travelers more value due to lower volumes. Hawaiian Airlines responds to increased travel demand by adding 20 neighbor island round trips during Thanksgiving. The carrier also enhances service between Honolulu and Las Vegas, with a daily schedule from November 17 to January 12, except on December 31. Additional flights are scheduled between December 21 and 29, and a round-trip third weekly flight between Pago Pago and Honolulu on December 13 and January 3. Read Also: November Trips In 2023: From London To The World Zanzibar Or Oman: Which Do The Hungarian Tourists Like?

BY  Abdul Aziz Nov 11, 2023

Vietnam has exceeded its target of attracting eight million international visitors for the year 2023 by welcoming 8.9 million tourists in the first nine months. This target was set before China reopened following COVID-19-related border closures, from where around one-third of Vietnam's total international tourists came in 2019. This figure is less than half the pre-pandemic international arrivals, which were 18 million. With the introduction of new, more open visa policies, there have been calls to revise the target. Vu The Binh, the chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said that Vietnam could increase the target to 10-12 million tourists by 2023, which is achievable. During the first nine months of 2023, the number of visitors was 4.7 times higher than the same period in the previous year, but only 69% of the figure seen in the same period of 2019. In September, Vietnam welcomed over one million foreign visitors, down 13.4% compared to the previous month. Out of the total number of tourists, 87.5% arrived in Vietnam by air, 11.8% by road, and 0.7% by sea. The majority of the arrivals were from Asia, followed by Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Africa. The revenue from accommodation and catering services in this period saw a rise of 16%, and earnings from travel and tourism services increased by 47.7% year-on-year. Micenet Magazine, Australia, has recently called the central region of Vietnam the new hotspot for MICE tourism. The magazine wrote, “Central Việt Nam is coming into its own as more international and domestic flights serve Đà Nẵng City, which is growing as a destination for conferences, meetings and incentive events. Its location between two UNESCO world heritage sites – Hội An, 30km southeast, and Huế, 100km northwest – also helps”. The city offers an array of choices from luxury and 5-star international as well as local brand hotels around the city, with a long beach stretching 60 km. This surge in Vietnam’s tourism has been a result of the accessible e-visa policy made available by Vietnam to its visitors. Even travel agencies have contributed to the spike that has made travel easier for tourists. They are offering cheaper flights and attractive deals to streamline e-visa services for travelers, especially from India. It makes visas a 100% online process, with limited documentation. Now you can look up the best time to visit Vietnam, because this is probably a sign for you to get packing for a Vietnam trip. Read Also: November Trips In 2023: From London To The World The Best Hotels In Mexico City For A Frida Kahlo Pilgrimage Excited For Christmas? Leicester Square’s Glittering Christmas Market Is Returning To London From Nov 8

BY  Abdul Aziz Nov 16, 2023

Christmas lights, parades, and football bring a lot of people to Wheeling and Ohio County during this magical time of year, which also helps to boost the local economy. "The holiday season in Wheeling in Ohio County is perhaps the premiere time of the year," said Frank O’Brien, director, of Visit Wheeling. The Festival of Lights in Oglebay is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. Along with hundreds of people attending the city's Winter on the Plaza event, thousands will congregate around Wheeling's Fantasy in Lights Parade. When you have several hundred thousand people spending time in your community, they spend anywhere between $3 to $5 million while they’re here, and sometimes, it's even more than that," O’Brien said. Many more will also swarm Wheeling Island Stadium for the Super Six High School Championship games. Large crowds are drawn to Wheeling's downtown by an increase in events and performances at WesBanco Arena and the capital theatre. Numerous people will be dining out, lodging in hotels, and making purchases from neighborhood merchants. And even though the city is lined with substantial construction, many people are still traveling there and managing to make ends meet. "We have been able to actually track some of that,” O’Brien said. “I'm not going to say that the roads are not a problem -- and the sidewalks being torn up is a problem -- but we are finding that people are still coming, primarily to the events at the arena and Capital Theatre." According to O'Brien, tourism generates about $800 million in revenue for the Northern Panhandle annually. Moreover, it's reasonable to anticipate making close to $10 million in the county just this season. "It's a crucial time for tourism in our area, and I think we do it better than anybody else," O’Brien said. As the holidays draw near, there will be plenty of opportunities to spread cheer and wealth. Learn More About: November Trips In 2023: From London To The World Zanzibar Or Oman: Which Do The Hungarian Tourists Like?