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BY  Abdul Aziz Nov 1, 2023

Miss Universe Bahrain 2023 Lujane Yacoub and Miss Universe Pakistan 2023 Erica Robin have been announced to be the new faces of the Phillippine Department of Tourism. They will be promoting hall and wellness travel in the country after winning the Emerging Muslim-Friendly Destination Award earlier this year. The campaign aims to invite travelers from Arab and Muslim in order to make them experience the Philippines. It is a diverse and vibrant destination that offers halal-certified services, facilities, and products. The Philippines received the Emerging Muslim-Friendly Destination Award in 2023 from the Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines in recognition of its efforts to cater to the needs and preferences of Muslim travelers. Led by Dubai-based Filipino Josh Yugen, who is the founder of Yugen PR & Events, the two Miss Universe queens arrived in Manila this weekend to collaborate with the Philippines Department of Tourism in promoting its “Halal and Wellness Tourism” campaign, inviting more travelers from Arab and Muslim countries to experience the Philippines. ‘Miss Universes’ trip to the Philippines would be a significant boost for our country that would hopefully influence the global Muslim community to visit the archipelago nation, which is home to white sand beaches, famous diving spots, lively entertainment, diverse cultural heritage and distinctive wildlife,” expressed Tourism Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar. ‘We are delighted to initiate this alliance with the beauty queens representing Arab and Muslim countries to further spread awareness of our country’s offering,’ said Jennifer Sanvictores, Global Head of Sales, Marketing and Communications for The Farm at San Benito & CG Hospitality. ‘ It brings a greater opportunity to attract travellers, not only from the Gulf, but also from the ASEAN region to come to The Farm at San Benito or any destination in the Philippines that has Halal certification. We look forward to caring for the beauty queen’s well-being while they are here with us and help them put their best foot forward at the global pageant next month.’ Read Also: Montana: The Unique Treasure Trove Of The United States Glasgow City Council Moved To Offer More Bus Stops For Tourists Sri Lanka Has Approved Visa-Free Entry For Visitors From Six Countries Including India

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 Dec 27, 2023

Bora Bora is a heavenly part of French Polynesia, sitting in the expanse of the south Pacific Ocean. They are set to make a shift in their tourism policy in the upcoming year. Given its natural splendor, the island has become a hot spot for tourists from all over the world. Tourists in large cruise ships have overwhelmed the island for the longest time. The island became so overrun with in 2019 that Bora Bora vowed to tackle the problem by limiting the number of visitors aboard cruise ships. However, this year, a new government having formed abandoned the promises made. They instead have pledged to double the number of visitors by 2033. It has actually gone to the extent of welcoming large cruise ships to many of its ports. This dramatic shift in policy has divided the opinion in Polynesia. Many support the growth of the tourism sector whereas there are others who want a more sustainable model of the island. The ships that port at the island is now posing a risk to the environmental stability of the ecosystem. The French Polynesia is made up of more than 100 islands that includes Bora Bora and Tahiti. Tourism is vital for French Polynesia. According to Tahiti tourism, it is responsible for contributing about 12% of GDP and 80% of the export revenue. Rainui Besinau is the chair of Bora Bora's tourism association. Besinau says, “The hotels wanted to protect the quality of their service. So when the ships arrived, the hotels closed the doors to the people outside. They [didn’t] want to be invaded. ”There are two models that have been proposed. One being the luxury model with a peaceful island and not too many people in the water. Or, a mass tourism spot involving cruise ships. Environmentalists have welcomed the move. Marie-Laure Vanizette, the spokeperson for an environmental group has said, “Capping tourist numbers is logical. It will also help, “preserve our assets and our way of life”. Additional Reading: 6 Things Locals Wish Tourists Wouldn’t Do When In Iceland Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area Is Expecting Big Changes