6 Jun, 2023
India suffers 12-point drop in Global Muslim Travel Index rankings
India has dropped a staggering 12 points in the destination rankings of the annual Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2023. It is the fourth straight year of decline since 2019. Although some blame is being laid at the doorstep of the Covid-19 crisis, most of it is being directly attributed to the anti-Muslim, Islamophobic political […]
more…1 Feb, 2022
35 Years On: How Visit Thailand Year 1987 Revolutionised Global Tourism
The year 2022 marks the 35th anniversary of Visit Thailand Year 1987, the record-breaking marketing extravaganza which revolutionised the Thai and global tourism industry. What lessons can be learned from its successes and failures? How can it help design a new post-pandemic model for global tourism? As Thailand Bureau Chief for the more…2 Oct, 2021
Inaugural Global Lecture: “25 Women Who Put Thai Tourism on the Global Map”
As Thailand is reopening to tourism, a look back may help us look ahead more clearly. I am proud to be the first to launch this "Power of History" lecture series. All will be FREE but BY INVITATION more…1 Jul, 2021
Inaugural “Power of History” Lecture: The Rise and Fall of PATA
Click here to register Click here to register The same lecture can be given privately at a more convenient time for those interested. For further inquiries and info, please email: more…10 Jan, 2020
Unmatched Lectures on Thailand: The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY
Bangkok - This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways International, the two founding pillars of what is now the kingdom's largest service economy sector and job-creator. This meteoric rise did not happen by chance. It was the result of a broad range more…15 Nov, 2019
How 1987 Visit Thailand Year Revolutionised Global Travel & Tourism
One of the world's greatest tourism marketing extravaganzas, 1987 Visit Thailand Year changed the face of global Travel & Tourism. While establishing Thailand's marketing genius, it also exposed the kingdom's management deficiencies. Today, as the country prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai more…18 Mar, 2019
June 14, 2019: First Forum on The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY
Bangkok – At 0900 hrs on March 18, exactly 59 years ago, what was then known as the Tourist Organisation of Thailand opened for business. Its duty, in the words of Gen Chalermchai Charuvastr, its first Director-General, was to promote visitor arrivals by "creating a wholesome image" of the Thai more…11 Apr, 2018
FREE DOWNLOAD: The Next Big Thing – Thailand Outbound Travel Report 2018
Bangkok -- Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil has made travel journalism history yet again by publishing the first report on the surging Thai outbound travel industry. The report is being made available FREE, thanks to support from Minister of Tourism and Sports Weerasak Kowsurat and Tourism Authority of Thailand more…17 Jul, 2017
FREE DOWNLOAD: The Olive Tree – How Travel & Tourism can Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Olive Tree is the first and only publication designed to help Travel & Tourism become a more committed part of the solution in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Free download. Click on any of the images below. ++++++++++ The Olive Tree Edition 20, July-August 2020 [caption id="attachment_60510" align="aligncenter" width="432"] Click on more…1 Dec, 2016
Call for Entries: The First ASEAN Travel & Tourism Hall of Fame
By Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor, Travel Impact Newswire Bangkok – Today marks the launch of the ASEAN Travel & Tourism Hall of Fame (ATTHoF), the first global website to honour the achievements of the many industry veterans and stalwarts who elevated this robust and dynamic industry to its present heights. Click here more…31 May, 2023
Trial by fire for “responsible and sustainable travel”
This week, Nepal is playing host to the Adventure Mart and Annual Summit of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). According to the website, it is "a global tourism forum that brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers from both the public and private sectors to address more…28 May, 2023
How Death Outlives War: The Human Costs of “The Other Global Warming”
Bangkok -- Over the last 50 years, extreme weather turbo-charged by man-made global warming has caused more than two million deaths and $4.3 trillion in economic losses, according to a World Meteorological Organisation report released on 22 May. A week earlier, on 15 May, the Costs of War project had more…22 May, 2023
Registration link: How recent elections in “Incredible India” and “Amazing Thailand” will impact Travel & Tourism
The extraordinary anti-establishment results of the May 2023 elections in both Thailand and India could prove to be a geopolitical game-changer for Asia. Travel & Tourism will be affected for better and/or for worse. Join this unmatched analysis and discussion with Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor, Travel Impact Newswire, the Asia-Pacific region's leading more…1 May, 2023
Labour Day: Global workers say People suffering more than Planet, more strikes likely
Bangkok - The global trades union movement has issued a strong May 1 Labour Day statement chastising corporations and governments for prioritising the planet over the suffering of working people. The statement warns that more strikes can be expected if the situation continues to deteriorate. Marking its 150th anniversary this year, more…26 Apr, 2023
As wars rage, tourism suffers, the arms bazaar prospers
Bangkok -- On 24 April, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its annual report on global military expenditure. It makes shocking reading. Even as the world grapples with poverty, climate change, health pandemics, natural disasters and struggles to revive jobs and economic growth, total global military expenditure increased more…21 Apr, 2023
Unipolar or Multipolar World: Russia to hold U.N. debate on ways to dethrone U.S.
United Nations -- On 24 April 2023, a landmark debate is to be held at the UN HQ in New York on ways to dethrone the United States and its allies as the global unipolar power and replace it with a multipolar, "equitable and democratic international order." The debate, called more…9 Apr, 2023
Legalisation of Thai sex work: 15 questions for Travel & Tourism to consider NOW!!
Bangkok - Thailand is heading towards legalising sex work. Making the sale of sex similar to that of selling any service, it is hoped, will end the currently widespread harmful side-effects: corruption, human trafficking, human rights violations, and more. It will also allow sex workers to become mainstream members of more…14 Mar, 2023
Register here: 10 Simple, Creative Ways Thai Travel & Tourism SMEs can MAKE MORE MONEY
This post contains details of the registration process for the Executive Business Briefing on 28 March 2023 on "10 Simple, Creative Ways Thai Travel & Tourism SMEs can MAKE MORE more…3 Mar, 2023
Organic and Balance Tourism featured at Thai “Happy Society” Fair
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand -- Organic tourism and Balanced Tourism products were both prominently present at the 8th Annual Sookjai Organic Festival held at the Suan Sampran eco-resort (https://suansampran.com/) between February 17-19. They were among a vast spread of organic products and services on display, ranging from fruits and vegetables to more…28 Feb, 2023
Change at the Top: Next Few Months Will be Critical for PATA
Bangkok - The first female and Asian-American appointed as CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has also turned out to be its shortest-serving. The 27 February 2023 announcement of the resignation of Ms Liz Ortiguera and the accompanying statement to the PATA membership by Chairman Peter Semone beg more…17 Feb, 2023
Japan leads visa-free destination presence at revived Thai outbound travel show
Bangkok - Japan and the visa-free destinations of Northeast Asia and ASEAN took up an estimated 60% of the floor space at the 28th Thailand International Travel Fair held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok between 16-19 February 2023. Saudi Arabia also made its inaugural appearance. The show more…13 Feb, 2023
WebBeds Summit proves that Thai foreign policy, not tourism policy, is leading the recovery
Bangkok - Thai tourism is bouncing back robustly, thanks to open doors, vigorous marketing campaigns and a hungry private sector. But a closer look will show that Thai foreign policy, not tourism policy, is the bedrock reason for the recovery. Recognising the significance and importance of that could prove to more…1 Feb, 2023
Critical Tourism Studies conference in Vietnam will reset the post-Covid agenda
Bangkok -- The post-Covid travel & tourism agenda in the Asia Pacific is heading for a major reset at the upcoming 3rd Critical Tourism Studies (CTS) Conference to be held in Vietnam, Hanoi, between 13-17 February 2023. In a radical departure from the politically correct topics which dominate the humdrum more…22 Jan, 2023
Watershed conference flags wisdom-based cultural solutions to Climate Change crisis
Bangkok -- The search for solutions to the climate change crisis is dominated by expensive and complicated technological and financial fixes. But a three-day conference organised by the Southeast Asia Cultural Heritage Alliance (SEACHA) jointly with Thailand's pre-eminent natural history and heritage institution, the Siam Society, cited the region’s centuries-old more…15 Dec, 2022
Registration details: “Shaping a Better Future for Thai Tourism by Understanding the Past”
more…12 Dec, 2022
Celebrity designer Jimmy Choo officiates at Malaysian segment of Thai Silk Fashion Expo
Bangkok - Celebrity Malaysian fashion designer Datuk Jimmy Choo was a Guest of Honour at the Malaysian segment of the Thai Silk International Fashion Week held at the Siam Paragon Hall in Bangkok between December 7-11, 2022 International fashion designers from more than 60 nations participated in the 25 shows held more…9 Dec, 2022
How a Pattaya transgender show promotes unity, diversity and humanity
Pattaya, Thailand -- Transgender shows are must-visit attractions in the Thai beach resort of Pattaya. Decked in glittering costumes, the heavily made-up performers lip-sync their way through a repertoire of popular songs. It may come across as superficial, dumbed-down entertainment, but one transgender show has elevated the content with a more…29 Nov, 2022
What do APEC summits really achieve?
Enormous amounts of time, effort and money go into hosting summits such as the APEC 2022. They always end with rah-rah statements hailing their success. But are they really a "success"? How does one define, evaluate and rate "success"? Is there room for an objective debate? One way of analysing the more…23 Nov, 2022
Discovering the APEC 2022 theme “Open Connect Balance” in Northeast Thailand
Bangkok - Hundreds of journalists from Thailand and around the world covered the APEC summit in Bangkok between 18-19 November. Not me. Having reported on dozens of such summits over my 50 years in journalism, I no longer see the need to tolerate onerous security requirements or waste time listening more…17 Nov, 2022
A soul-searching tour to keep Thailand safe from “The Other Global Warming”
Bangkok - On 29 Oct 2022, I took a group of civil society tourism activists on an Alliance of Civilisations tour of the Bangkok riverside. These iconic sites -- an historic temple, church and mosque in one neighbourhood cluster -- represent the real competitive advantage of Thai tourism, viz., a more…6 Nov, 2022
Israeli elections outcome makes a Clash of Civilisations a near certainty
The return of Israeli politician Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister of Israel is set to intensify the Clash of Civilisations (which I have labelled "The Other Global Warming") and worsen the threats to global security and stability. That Travel & Tourism will eventually feel the heat is a foregone conclusion. In more…3 Nov, 2022
How to find and retain staff post-Covid? Try compassion, empathy and fairness
Bangkok: Sukamal Mondal is one of a rising generation of Indian-born management executives in global Travel & Tourism. Since moving from China to Thailand in 2012, the Mandarin-speaking hotelier has risen to Area General Manager of eight properties of the Onyx Hospitality Group, owned by the Thai business conglomerate Italthai. more…24 Oct, 2022
PATA Summit topics all “Old Hat”, says industry veteran
When the Covid-19 crisis began in 2020 and hit its peak in 2021, the global travel & tourism industry saw some glimmer of hope that it would soon come to an end. Recovery and resilience campaigns emerged on the drawing boards, with three mantras dominating the discourse: 1) Build Back more…29 Sep, 2022
“Rethinking Tourism” on the agenda at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand
Bangkok -- I enjoyed a refreshing and stimulating World Tourism Day discussion on "Rethinking Tourism" at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, the oldest, largest and most active foreign media club in Southeast Asia. Here are some of the core takeaways from the Sept 28 panel discussion: 1. Senator Weerasak Kowsurat, more…29 Aug, 2022
Now in Thailand: Asia’s first Alliance of Civilisations visitor experience
Bangkok - More by chance than design, Thailand has created Asia’s first Alliance of Civilisations visitor experience. Initiated by the Thai Foreign Ministry, primarily to serve a diplomatic purpose, the “Community of Three Religions” offers a perfect base for designing a global community-based Travel & Tourism model in the post-Covid more…19 Aug, 2022
“13 Lives” Thai actor hopes film delivers a Greater Good for Thailand and the world
Bangkok - The hugely positive global reaction to the movie "13 Lives" will be a marketing bonanza for Thai travel & tourism but one of its lead Thai actors says he truly hopes it will go beyond that and deliver a greater good for Thai society and humanity at large. In more…15 Aug, 2022
India at 75: At the Epicentre of a Clash of Civilisations
India marked the 75th anniversary of its independence on Aug 15 with widespread soul-searching about its past, present and future. The country is now the epicentre of the Clash of Civilisations, openly pursuing a “Muslim-mukt” (Muslim-free) agenda that will take at least a few decades to succeed. The path ahead more…9 Aug, 2022
Sixteen thought-prompting takeaways from “Thirteen Lives”
Released worldwide last week, “Thirteen Lives” is much more than just a movie. In a world obsessed with story-telling, it is a Grand Story of the first order. Like all stories of heroism, it can be viewed, enjoyed and forgotten, or it can be studied as a work of art more…8 Aug, 2022
The Travel Industry Journalists Who Took a Stand Against War, and Made History
In January 2003, a group of 44 journalists made history by co-signing the first anti-war statement ever issued by the Travel & Tourism industry. Released at the first ASEAN Tourism Forum held in Cambodia, the journalists’ petition was a follow-up to an official anti-war statement released also for the first more…14 Jul, 2022
Loading ...
