Thailand's economy rebounds in fourth quarter

BANGKOK - Thailand's economy rebounded in the fourth quarter of last year on the back of rising exports and the easing of coronavirus restrictions that allowed tourists to return, senior officials said Monday.

The 1.9 percent on-year expansion was more than double what was forecast and marked a strong bounce after a 0.2 percent contraction in the previous three months.

For the whole year the economy grew 1.6 percent, according to the National Economic and Social Development Council, and also beat expectations. 

Southeast Asia's second-largest economy was hit with a 6.1 percent contraction in 2020 -- its worst economic performance since the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis.

The NESDC said it saw growth of 3.5 to 4.5 percent this year as tourism picks up and government spending kicks in.

Council secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan said reopening the border to fully vaccinated foreign tourists in November had made some impact. 

Nearly 500,000 tourists have visited since November, well short of the country's target of 5 million, but the arrivals provided much-needed support to the economy.

The reopening was dealt a blow in December by the fast-spreading Omicron Covid variant.

The NESDC said it expected inflation of 1.5 to 2.5 percent for 2022. 

Agence France-Presse

Overseas tourists finally roam free on Thai island of Phuket

PHUKET, Thailand—Newly arrived overseas tourists on Thailand's island of Phuket were able to roam free without quarantine on Friday for the first time in more than a year, as Thailand launched a special program for vaccinated visitors to the island.

Tourists swam in hotel pools and walked along Phuket's postcard-perfect beaches after receiving a COVID-19 test result within 24 hours of arrival.

"This is the perfect place to just relax and clean our minds, our heads, after a long time," said Sigal Baram, lying by the pool, who was visiting from Israel with her husband and friends. The group was among the first to arrive in the country.

The 'Phuket Sandbox' initiative allows free movement on the island for fully vaccinated tourists, with no quarantine required, although masks are required in most public places. 

While five-star hotels and restaurants welcomed back tourists, local street vendors said they were not benefiting from the plan, because tourists frequent mostly large hotels. 

"There is no way street vendors will get the money from overseas tourists... it will go to hotels and restaurants instead," said Yupin Papor, a massage therapist who lost her job during the pandemic and became a street vendor selling food on the beach.

Thailand lost about $50 billion in tourism revenue last year, when foreign arrivals plunged 83%.

Phuket was hit particularly hard by job losses and business closures.

"I see the shops closed. It's a big difference to me from before," said Omar Alraeesi from United Arab Emirates, who comes to Phuket every year.

Millions of people visited Phuket every year before the pandemic and the government and tourism industry hope the reopening will help save its battered economy. (Additional reporting by Jorge Silva and Artorn Pookasook, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

-reuters-

UK economy loses £22 billion as virus ravages tourism: study

LONDON - Britain's economy will lose about £22 billion ($29 billion, 24 billion euros) this year on the coronavirus-induced collapse of global travel, which could imperil three million jobs, an industry body forecast Wednesday.

International visitor spending could plunge by 78 percent from 2019, equating to a loss of £60 million per day or £420 million a week, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicted in a key report.

"Travellers and tourists are staying away from the UK in droves because of continuing uncertainty around travel restrictions designed to curb the spread of COVID-19," the WTTC stated.

It continued: "The severe impact on UK travel and tourism is laid bare by WTTC as the economic fallout from coronavirus continues to burn its way through the sector. 

"Nearly three million jobs in the UK supported by travel and tourism are at risk of being lost in a 'worst case' scenario mapped out by WTTC economic modeling."

The nation's economy shrank by one fifth in the second quarter, more than any European neighbour, as the lockdown plunged the country into its deepest recession on record.

Tourists remain reluctant to visit because Britain is the European country worst hit by the coronavirus. 

YEARS TO RECOVER

Travel has also been discouraged after the UK government recently re-imposed quarantine on those returning from nations including Austria, Croatia, France, the Netherlands and Spain.

The WTTC added Wednesday that London has been hardest hit by the travel collapse because around 85 percent of tourist spending in the capital is from foreign visitors.

"The economic pain and suffering caused to millions of households across the UK, who are dependent upon Travel & Tourism for their livelihoods, is evident from the latest figures," added WTTC President Gloria Guevara in the report.

"The lack of international travel caused by the pandemic could wipe out more than £22 billion from the UK economy alone... from which it could take years to recover. 

"It could also threaten London's position as one of the world's premier hubs for business and leisure travel which could see other destinations take over.

"We urgently need to replace stop-start quarantine measures with rapid, comprehensive and cost-effective test and trace programs at departure points across the country."

British tourism's lobbying body VisitBritain had forecast Tuesday that the number of foreign tourists will plummet by 73 percent in 2020 to 11 million people on the back of the pandemic, which has grounded aircraft worldwide.

Agence France-Presse

'They told people not to come': Australia's bushfires ravage tourism industry

SYDNEY - Pillars of fire and smoke from bushfires are tarnishing Australia's reputation for pristine vistas abounding in wildlife and wreaking havoc on tourism, operators said, as authorities are forced to cancel concerts, close parks and evacuate towns.

The smoke has shrouded entire cities and driven air quality to unhealthy levels, with at least 10 people dying in the fires in the past week, while colonies of animals such as koalas and flying foxes have been destroyed.

"Seeing all the images of fires on television and social media is not going to help, it puts a dent in Australia's reputation as a safe tourist destination," said Shane Oliver, chief economist at AMP Capital.

"It's come at a time when the economy was already fragile," he added, ranking tourism as Australia's fourth biggest export whose strength officials had been counting on to help offset a domestic reluctance to spend.

Bushfires burning for weeks near the world heritage site of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney in the southeastern state of New South Wales have driven away tourists.

As visitors take to social media to warn others to steer clear, the number of busloads of tourists each day has fallen to about 4 from 15 or 20, said Stacey Reynolds, a receptionist at the Blue Mountains Backpacker Hostel in Katoomba.

"They told people not to come in and it's affected everything, from restaurants to motels to backpackers to cafes," she added. "The streets are empty."

Although there is no published nationwide data on tourism since the fires took hold in late spring, Australia attracted 2.71 million holiday makers last summer, up 3.2 percent from the previous year, as many fled the northern hemisphere winter.

Hotels in the largest city of Sydney saw a fall of 10 percent in guest numbers in December, the Accommodation Association of Australia said.

"The fires and the smoke have had a real brand and reputational damage in Sydney," added its chief executive, Dean Long.

The train and cable network of Scenic World in the Blue Mountains had 50,000 fewer visitors in December, down 50 percent from last year, Chief Experience Officer Amanda Byrne said.

Scenic World was open, but the hotels around the area are having more cancellations than bookings, she said.

Government agency Tourism Australia, which released a new advertisement last month to lure Britons to beautiful beaches and stunning scenery, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The scorching temperatures and bushfires, which have also burnt vineyards in South Australia and warmed the usually cool island state of Tasmania, will hit the sector hard, said Judith Mair, who studies tourism, environment and consumer behavior.

"It will be in stages - immediately with evacuations, dislocations and cancellations, but also in the longer term, because tourists buy holidays based on the image of a destination and Australia's is being badly affected," said Mair, a professor at the University of Queensland Business School.

Hundreds of national parks in the southeastern states of New South Wales and Victoria, thronged by 100 million visitors a year, have closed.

With fires burning nearby, Christopher Warren, co-proprietor of a bed and breakfast in Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales, said he had to evacuate his guests.

"The worst-case scenario is that we would be hit by a fire and our business would be destroyed," said Warren, who saw the best case as a loss of income exceeding A$80,000 ($56,048), through the disruption of 3 of his busiest months.

Paul Mackie, who uses AirBnB to rent out an apartment on Sydney's Bondi Beach to British and European tourists in the peak summer holiday period was hit by last-minute cancellations.

"I had bookings for the whole of this period going for the next couple of months, but a lot have cancelled because they said they saw the news of the fires," Mackie added.

AirBnB declined to comment.

A Sydney airport spokesman said it did not have recent statistics on whether the fires were hitting arrival. A Qantas spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the wildfires had hurt bookings.

The fires have spotlighted Australia's environment policies, criticized most recently at a UN summit in Madrid, said Susanne Becken, a professor of sustainable tourism at Griffith University in Queensland.

"The government's response to the climate crisis does not bode well...and this is not good for tourism," Becken said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thousands of tourists evacuate amid Australian wildfire

Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola, Australia, Thursday. Thousands of tourists fled Australia's wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

A hot Christmas in Australia

Tourists and locals stand near a Christmas tree as they celebrate Christmas Day on Sydney's Bondi Beach in Australia. Unlike in the northern hemisphere where it is winter now, Australia's  summer season starts in December. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Christians worldwide prepare for holidays with an eye on security

JAKARTA - Christmas church services and other celebrations are being held this weekend under the gaze of armed guards and security cameras in many countries after Islamic State gunmen attacked a Methodist church in Pakistan as a Sunday service began.

Majority-Muslim countries in Asia and the Middle East were particularly nervous after United States President Donald Trump's recent announcement that he intends to relocate the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a decision that has outraged many Muslims.

In Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, police said they had stepped up security around churches and tourist sites, mindful of near-simultaneous attacks on churches there at Christmas in 2000 that killed about 20 people.

Muslim volunteers in Indonesia are also on standby to provide additional security if requested.

"If our brothers and sisters who celebrate Christmas need to maintain their security to worship, we will help," said Yaqut Chiolil Qoumas, chairman of the youth wing of the Nahdlatul Ulema, one of the country's biggest Muslim organisations.

In Cairo, where a bombing at the Egyptian capital's largest Coptic cathedral killed at least 25 people last December, the interior ministry said police would conduct regular searches of streets around churches ahead of the Coptic celebration of Christmas on Jan. 7.

Egypt's Christian minority has been targeted in several attacks in recent years, including the bombing of two churches in the north of the country on Palm Sunday in April.

At the Heliopolis Basilica, a Catholic cathedral in northeastern Cairo, security forces had set up metal detectors at the main doors and police vehicles were stationed outside ahead of masses on Dec. 25, which marks Christmas Day for Catholic and Protestant Christians.

German police brought in experts and an explosives robot to investigate a suspicious package at a Christmas market in the city of Bonn late on Friday.

Germany is on high alert a year after a failed Tunisian asylum seeker killed 12 people when he hijacked a truck and drove it into a Berlin Christmas market.

BOMBED-OUT CHURCH

In the Pakistani city of Quetta, members of a Bethel Memorial Methodist Church were repairing the damage done by a pair of suicide bombers who attacked during a service last Sunday, killing 10 people and wounding more than 50.

Broken pews and damaged musical instruments were still strewn around church grounds on Thursday, with about a dozen police standing guard.

"We're making efforts to complete repairs and renovation before Christmas, but it seems difficult in view of the lot of damage," said Pastor Simon Bashir, who was leading the service when the attackers struck. He was not hurt.

The government of Baluchistan province, of which Quetta is capital, plans to deploy 3,000 security personnel in and around 39 Christian churches this Sunday and Monday.

Provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari told Reuters volunteers from churches were also being trained to conduct body searches and identify worshippers entering churches.

Pakistan's Christian minority, which makes up about 1 percent of the population of 208 million, has been a frequent target, along with Shi'ite and Sufi Muslims, of Sunni Muslim militants.

In the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, where an Easter Day bombing in a park last year killed more than 70 people, police Detective Inspector General Haider Ashraf said every church would be monitored with CCTV cameras as part of security measures.

Christian Kaleem Masih lost his aunt in the Easter attack, which was claimed by Islamic State, and his wife was wounded, but he said they would be attending Christmas services.

"Christmas is our holy day," Kaleem said. "We will fulfil our religious duty by celebrating it with smiles on our faces."

JERUSALEM ISSUE

In Malaysia, a police official said Trump's decision on Jerusalem increased worry about attacks.

"We are concerned not only with safety at churches and places of worship but also any threats by Islamic State or any other security threat following the Jerusalem issue," said Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, is home to Islam's third holiest site and has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it in an action not recognised internationally.

Protests across the Muslim world in Asia and the Middle East have largely been peaceful.

In Jerusalem itself, an Israeli police spokesman said there were no new security measures but police would deploy forces as usual around Christian holy sites including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and also secure convoys of worshipers from the West Bank city of Bethlehem, traditionally known as the birthplace of Jesus Christ and run by the Palestinian Authority.

Many Palestinian Christians oppose Trump's announcement and say they have no fear of attacks.

"Trump's decision offended all Palestinians, be they Christians or Muslims. Why would we feel threatened by Muslims?" said George Antone, a Catholic who lives in Gaza, which is run by the Palestinian Hamas group.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tour bus crash kills 10 in S. Korea

SEOUL - At least 10 people were killed and seven others seriously injured after their tour bus crashed and caught fire on a highway near South Korea's southeastern city of Ulsan, police said Friday.

Although the precise cause of the accident is still under investigation, the driver of the bus was taken into custody for questioning about the vehicle's maintenance record.

The bus was carrying 20 people late Thursday night when one of the front tires exploded, causing it to crash into a concrete guardrail and catch fire, South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited an eyewitness as saying.

"A few people escaped from the bus which then went up in flames after some loud explosions," the unnamed witness who was driving behind the bus said.

Half the passengers were trapped inside by a door blocked by the concrete guardrail.

Most passengers were retirees returning from the airport after a trip to China.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Travel insurance: To buy or not to buy?

MANILA - This summer, whenever you're making travel plans, you will most likely be asked if you want to buy travel insurance.

These days, travel insurance has become increasingly easier to purchase and could be loaded into travel packages or part of airfare purchase. Like many of us, you’re probably wondering if should you fork over the extra cash.

What, exactly, is travel insurance? This is a type of insurance that you purchase to cover a variety such as death, injury, medical expenses, accidents, trip cancellation or interruption, lost or delayed baggage, theft and losses incurred during the trip, to name a few.

Travel insurance policies vary in terms of coverage and in terms of pricing, depending upon your service provider and the extent of the coverage provided.

Travel insurance is definitely useful in protecting you against life’s eventualities. However, some travelers may have a greater need for it than others.

Here are seven tips to guide you when purchasing travel insurance:

1. If you do not have life insurance coverage and you have dependents, then travel insurance may be especially useful.

Although the possibility of death due to air travel is low, this still gives you a layer of protection that you do not have. Since the coverage of this plan only covers either your traveling time, or the duration of your travel, you may wish to purchase life insurance to provide you protection 24/7.

2. If you do not have comprehensive medical insurance, travel insurance will be useful.

Let’s face it, you can’t really tell when you will fall sick and the worse that can happen is to find yourself getting sick when you’re out of town, and without the funds to cover your expenses. With travel insurance, you can be assured that you will be able to cover your medical needs, at least until you get back home.

3. If you’re traveling overseas, you need travel insurance.

That’s because nearly all health insurance policies provide domestic coverage, exposing you to risks once you are out of your country. Imagine needing hospitalization in a foreign country, where costs are definitely higher than what you have in the Philippines. However, if you are among the very few who have global medical insurance coverage, then you do not need travel insurance for this purpose.

4. If you are buying a non-refundable, prepaid ticket, travel insurance will come in handy, what with the many cancellations and flight disruptions that often happen.

This is particularly true if you are paying a big amount for your ticket—say for overseas travel. This ensures that you can cover your ticket should any kind of flight disruption happen.

5. If you purchased your ticket through a credit card, check if you were given travel insurance coverage.

This is one feature offered by a number of credit card companies to travelers who purchase their tickets using their cards. This is an economical way of getting travel insurance, so if you are planning to travel in the future, you may wish to check what your credit card provider has to offer.

6. Before paying for a policy, check what you are buying.

Some travel insurance plans have exclusions such as pre-existing conditions, travel to high-risk countries, acts of terrorism or natural disasters. If you are purchasing travel insurance because you want to be protected against these, then make sure that it is expressly covered in the plan that you purchased.

7. Most travel insurance providers also offer concierge or emergency assistance services for those unforeseen events that can happen during your trip.

Find out what these services are and know how to contact these service providers should the need arise.

Happy traveling!

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Pangkamot', best-seller in first Pinoy handicrafts shop in Barcelona

SPAIN –'Pangkamot sa likod' or wooden back scratcher is the top-selling item at 'Narra,' the first Filipino handicrafts shop in Barcelona, Spain.

Costing 1.95 euros or roughly P100, it has become an instant favorite among Spaniards and tourists who find the itch-relieving stick a novelty, according to Armie Cabarubias Colada, one of Narra’s owners.

Narra also sells wooden kitchenware, anahaw fans, and decorations, which can only be seen in Filipino homes. The shop has shell chandeliers, rice field paintings, and bamboo and coconut adornments too.

Bags, accessories, clothes, a small quantity of Filipino grocery products, and even hot siopao and adobong mani are also available in the store that caters to both Filipino and non-Filipino clientele and aims to further promote Filipino culture abroad.

Asian decorations, said Armie and her sister-co-owner Annie, are getting the spotlight in the home decor scene in Europe and the United States.

So while Spain is still picking up from recession, the Cabarubias sisters took the courage to put up 'Narra' with the help of their family.

Business and entrepreneurship run in the family as they once had a Filipino restaurant bearing the same name as their handicrafts shop.

The sisters, born and raised in Spain, still plan to continue with their respective jobs while managing 'Narra'. Armie works as bank operations manager, while Annie has a casting-advertising agency for dancers, once recognized for business excellence by Barcelona-based Centro Filipino.

"If you won't give good service, the product is not of good quality, and the store location is not good, the business will not prosper," said Annie in Spanish in an interview with TFC’s Balitang Global.

'Narra' is located at Calle Valdoncella, in Raval, a neighborhood close to Barcelona city center and where a huge number of Filipinos reside.

They are currently looking for suppliers and cost-effective ways to import products from the Philippines. Some of the store’s products are manufactured in Spain using imported raw materials from Asia.

An online store will also be launched soon, and as the holidays are fast approaching, Filipino Christmas decors like parol are expected to be part of Narra’s dainty gift and pasalubong items.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Seven dead as New Zealand helicopter crashes into glacier

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Six tourists and their pilot were killed when their helicopter crashed into a heavily crevassed glacier in New Zealand during bad weather on Saturday, police said.

The sightseeing helicopter plunged into the Fox Glacier, a popular tourist site on the West Coast of the south Island, with weather conditions reported to be heavily overcast and raining at the time.

A paramedic and an alpine rescue team who were winched down to the crash site confirmed there were no survivors, a police spokesman said.

Efforts were under way to recover the bodies but police said this could take time because of the atrocious weather.

"I'm not going to risk any more lives, we've lost seven," inspector John Canning told reporters.

The names and nationalities of the pilot and six passengers were not immediately available.

The downed helicopter was reported to belong to Alpine Adventures, a company that advertises itself as an "experienced helicopter flight-seeing company providing visitors with a diverse range of South Island scenic helicopter flights and private charters in some of most spectacular alpine and coastal regions of New Zealand".

Five years ago, nine people including four tourists were killed when a plane carrying a party of skydivers crashed on take off at Fox Glacier airport.

Fox Glacier is 13 kilometres (eight miles) long and is listed as one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, attracting thousands of tourists each year.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Three killed, seven injured in Alaska plane crash

LOS ANGELES, United States - A small plane transporting tourists on a fishing trip crashed in Alaska on Tuesday killing three passengers and injuring seven, authorities said.

Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the sea plane, a De Havilland Turbine Otter, crashed on takeoff at Eastwind Lake near Iliamna after hitting a patch of trees.

A spokesman with the National Transportation Safety Board said two of the injured were in critical condition.

The plane was owned by a company that caters to tourists that flock to the region every summer to go fishing.

A similar incident in June left nine people dead.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

British toll in Tunisia attack to rise to 'around 30'

LONDON, United Kingdom - The number of Britons killed in a gun massacre in Tunisia is expected to rise to "around 30", officials said on Monday, as a British military plane evacuated some of the injured.

Prime Minister David Cameron promised to mount a "full investigation" into Friday's attack on a beach resort near the city of Sousse with 16 British detectives already in Tunisia to aid the police there.

Hundreds more British police were sent to interview tourists who have been returning to Britain from Tunisia, some of whom might have witnessed the beach massacre claimed by the Islamic State group.

"We will not give up our way of life and cower in the face of terrorism," Cameron said, underlining the need both to fight IS jihadists in Iraq and Syria and to tackle non-violent extremists in Britain.

Britain is to hold a minute's silence on Friday for the one-week anniversary of the attack, the worst for the country since four suicide bombings in London on July 7, 2005 killed 52 people.

US President Barack Obama expressed condolences in a phone call to Cameron, and said his country "stood firmly by" Britain, a spokeswoman for the prime minister said.

Flags were flown at half mast over Cameron's Downing Street office in sympathy with the victims, and amid fears of a heightened risk of attack, Britain is to hold a major emergency response exercise in London over the next two days.

The confirmed death toll of Britons is currently at 18 out of the 38 foreign tourists who were mowed down by a Kalashnikov-toting gunman, identified as 23-year-old student Seifeddine Rezgui.

Tunisia says four other victims have been identified as tourists from Germany, Portugal, Ireland and Belgium. Ireland said Sunday three of its citizens were killed.

A Royal Air Force (RAF) Boeing C17 plane evacuated four injured Britons on Monday and all 25 of the British wounded -- out of a total of 39 hurt -- will have been brought back by Tuesday, officials said.

Among the Britons killed was former Birmingham City footballer Denis Thwaites, 70, and his wife Elaine, the club announced on Twitter, saying it was "deeply shocked and saddened".

The RAF is ready to repatriate victims' bodies using in accordance with families' wishes using C17 and C130 military transport planes, according to the prime minister.

The government is pressing Tunisia to allow access for British experts to speed victims' identification.

Cameron said he shared the "frustration" of families waiting for news but noted the difficulty of the process as many tourists had not been carrying identification or were too disfigured.

Tour operators have laid on flights to evacuate tourists and the Association of British Travel Agents said about half of an estimated 20,000 British tourists in Tunisia at the time of the attack were now home.

British interior minister Theresa May travelled to Tunisia on Monday along with junior foreign minister Tobias Ellwood, who himself lost his brother in a terror attack on the Indonesian island of Bali in 2002.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Tourists fear MERS outbreak in South Korea

SEOUL - Tourists in South Korea were worried on Thursday amid a Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak, which has killed at least three people and infected dozens in two weeks.

In Myeong-dong, a tourist attraction in capital city Seoul, tourists wore mask while walking around the streets.

One of the tourists said she feels insecure about the situation.

"When I arrived at the Incheon International Airport, I saw people wearing mask so I think there must be some disease around here. So, I feel a bit unsecured, so I buy the mask and wear here," said 56-year-old Malaysian tourist Zakiah Hussin.

According to South Korea Tourism Organization, about 2,500 people on Monday (June 1) and about 4,500 people on Tuesday (June 2) canceled trips to the country, mostly by tourists from China and other Asian regions.

"I thought about cancel this trip before because of the MERS. News in China (you know) very scareful. But this graduation trip is meaningful as we scheduled it long times ago. So We still decided to be here anyhow," said 22-year-old Lorraine Long from China.

"It is not going to be convenient for foreigners to come here with the fact that MERS is around," 21-year-old Brazilian tourist Tais Correa added fear about trip in South Korea.

Earlier in the day, South Korea's Health Ministry confirmed five additional cases of MERS, raising the total to 35, including two more health care workers who treated infected patients.

There have been three deaths directly confirmed as a result from MERS, sharply raising public fear and confusion as authorities tried to contain the spread of the disease by tracking down people who may have had contact with patients.

All the cases have been traced to a 68-year-old man who had visited Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the countries with the most MERS cases.

Whilst there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission, the worst-case scenario would be for the virus to change and spread rapidly, as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) did in 2002-2003, killing about 800 people around the world.

MERS was first identified in humans in 2012 and is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that triggered SARS. But MERS has a much higher death rate at 38 percent, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) figures.

The new cases would bring the total number globally to 1,179, based on World Health Organisation (WHO) data, with at least 442 related deaths.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Ang ganda! Offbeat but beautiful spots in PH

It’s no secret that Philippines has 7,107 islands—hundreds of which offer pristine beaches, beautiful mountain views, and postcard-worthy spots, but many are still unknown to mainstream tourists.

Travel photographer and advocacy group Black Pencil Project’s Mon Corpuz shows us the beauty of the Philippines through photos he took while on a travel-volunteerism adventure.

Mobile users can view the desktop version of the slideshow here.

This secluded wonder will surely make your jaw drop; no wonder Palawan has been voted as among the world’s top islands. You may reach this paradise via a plane ride from Manila. Resort accommodations may be pricey but for some tourists, it’s all worth it.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Boracay celebrates 'Flores de Mayo'

Tourists in Boracay witness a celebration of the annual Flores de Mayo. This report tells us what's unique about it. - ANC, The World Tonight, May 26, 2015

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Malaysian travel agents name Boracay as favorite beach

MANILA – The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) declared Boracay as Favorite Beach Destination 2015 for its MATTA Fair on March 13 to 15 at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur, the Philippine Embassy said.

"Boracay has consistently been part of the list of the best beaches in the world, as evidenced by awards bestowed on it by major travel magazines and organizations," said Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya.

MATTA organizing committee chairman S. Jayakumar said that the Philippines is rich in natural resources and biodiversity, and also praised Boracay’s fine white sand beaches.

"It is our pleasure for Malaysians to discover the island, with its pristine white sands and breathtaking beaches, which captivated many visitors for nature tripping, watersports and beach hopping," Malaya said.

The announcement was made in a press conference on Monday at the MATTA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

"Now is the best time to visit the Philippines. For one, the Philippine Government has declared this year as Visit Philippines Year 2015 (VPY 2015). The flurry of festivals, concerts, conferences, other activities and events lined up will draw in both domestic and foreign tourists in the country," the ambassador said.

AMBASSADOR'S TOUR

It was also at this event where Malaya formally introduced the Second Ambassador's Tour to the Philippines. The tour will visit Cebu and Bohol on May 2 to 5.

"Cebu and Bohol are increasingly becoming major Philippine tourist destinations. It is an opportunity for our Malaysian friends to see other parts of the country," Malaya said.

The four day tour costs RM2788 or PhP33456 (half twin) and RM3288 or PhP39456 (single) to include the Bohol day tour. The fee includes three-nights hotel stay with daily breakfast in a four-star hotel, meals, transfers and tours with English-speaking local guide. Official carrier is AirAsia, which flies directly to Cebu from Kuala Lumpur.

The ambassador also thanked Malaysians for discovering more of the Philippines, as Malaysia posted the highest growth in tourist arrivals at 27.24 percent increase with 139,245 arrivals in 2014, and became the Philippines’ ninth largest tourist market.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How hotel boom in Manila is giving hope to Philippine tourism

MANILA - Global hotel brands are helping Manila add a record number of rooms this year, lured by the growth prospects of its emerging gaming scene.

That will boost the underperforming Philippine tourism sector, although other infrastructure is needed before it can really take off.

First-timers in the Philippines, Accor Group's Novotel and MGallery, Hilton Worldwide's Conrad and Wyndham Worldwide Corp's Tryp will be contributing to the majority of the 4,612 rooms opening in Manila this year. That number is more than double the rooms added last year and four times the average increase in the last four years, according to Colliers International Philippines.

Manila is one of the most active locations in the region in new hotel openings, said Romeo Arahan, a research analyst at the real estate services firm.

Room additions are expected to exceed 3,500 annually in the next two years, mostly in Manila's integrated casino-resorts. The new rooms will help plug Manila's chronic shortage of quality accommodation. The imminent entry of Genting Singapore's Crockfords Tower, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' Savoy and Hotel Okura's flagship brand will also help draw visitors accustomed to luxury travel.

Still, having more hotel rooms does not solve everything. The archipelago nation suffers from a lack of airports to serve travellers hopping from island to island.

Official data shows the country's 2014 foreign tourist arrivals were slightly below a target of 5 million, already low by Southeast Asian standards. An uptick in Chinese visitors was capped by a territorial dispute with the Philippines. The government expects overall visitors to reach 6 million in 2015.

Aileen Clemente, president of the Federation of Tourism Industries of the Philippines, said she expects 10 million foreign visitors next year, sticking to a target set by the government.

"Attracting tourists is a problem because you have a government that is very ambitious in targets but infrastructure is insufficient to accommodate the targets," Colliers' Arahan told Reuters.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Why some Japanese are going on 'digital detox' trips

TOKYO - While many tourists go to great lengths to remain always digitally accessible, a growing number of gadget-weary travelers in Japan are seeing what it is like to leave behind mobile phones and social media services altogether.

Joining a trend that started overseas last year, they are ditching their phones and Tablets for "digital detox" holidays at summer camps or hotels, discovering the joys of time spent without instant connection to the digital world.

"We want our travelers to experience something that is not part of their usual routine. By turning off their mobile phones, we want people to appreciate the moment and realize things which are often ignored when our digital devices are there," said Mirei Eguchi, chief executive officer of Kushunada Co., which offers a "digital detox" vacation package in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Overseas, digital detox retreats such as Camp Grounded in the woods of northern California and programs at resorts such as the Westin Dublin Hotel in Ireland have been drawing crowds for "unplugged" holidays.

The travel fad is now slowing gaining public interest in Japan.

"It is not that we want people to totally abandon going digital but rather, we want them to realize how important items such as mobile phones are in our lives and have a healthy relationship with these electronic devices," Eguchi, 31, said.

Launched in August, the two-day, one-night digital detox "retreat" taking place once a month at a Kushunada facility is open for 10 to 20 participants. They must surrender their smartphones and digital devices at check-in, receiving them back only at the end of the program. They must also take off their watches, and there are no clocks in any of the rooms.

The program is a mix of gadget-free indoor and outdoor activities such as getting-to-know-you games, a unique tea ceremony with meditation using stones known as "sekicha," and early morning exercises in front of Atami's famous beach.

Mayumi Morimitsu, an office worker in her 40s, was among the 15 participants who signed up for the digital detox weekend, which usually costs around 23,000 yen, in early December. She said she joined out of curiosity after reading a newspaper report.

After the activities, especially a three-hour solo trip around the city with only a printed map, she said she "realized just how much I had depended on my smartphone in terms of direction and time."

Hirofumi Shimizu, 25, was also experiencing a digital detox retreat for the first time. A Kyoto-based graduate student until recently, he is used to checking his computer and mobile phone every day.

By the time he had his mobile phone back, he felt "light" holding it and "no longer bound" to the device.

A repeater at the Atami-based program, Masahide Yokoo, 58, knows well as president of a Gifu-based real estate firm that mobile phones or computers are essential for work. Still, he said, "The moment we give up our smartphones, we are made to realize many things in life which often go unnoticed such as the scenery in front of us or the wonderful encounters we have."

Kushunada plans to hold an international symposium with foreign groups engaged in digital detox next year in Atami.

According to Tomohiko Yoneda, chief editor of the Japanese version of weblog Lifehacker and author of a book about digital detoxes, there is a growing need for people in Japan to take an "offline holiday."

Being too connected to Facebook, Twitter or other social media sometimes messes up relationships and gives some people a sense of inferiority because of this tendency to seek the approval of others for one's posts, Yoneda said.

A 2012 study by security company Symantec Corp. showed that Japanese Internet users accessed smartphones and computers or an average of 49 hours per week. A 2014 report by the Japan Tourism Marketing Co. also found that some people were choosing to travel to places where they can unplug from social media.

"One would think that things can just be settled by simply turning off their mobile phones but it does not come easily for everyone. Some people would pay money to be in a place which has no service coverage," said Yoneda, who successfully detached himself from digital devices for about a month.

Being away from electronic devices also comes with medical benefits, said Kiyoko Yanase, a Tochigi-based doctor and a respiratory expert who experienced the digital detox program in Atami.

Yanase said many of her patients have problems with insomnia, partly due to daytime stress caused by factors such as computer work. Internet addiction is also becoming a health concern, she said.

Although to a lesser extent, Cafe Lydian in Atami has embraced digital detox by starting a free dessert service since August to reward customers who turn off their mobile phones and devices while eating.

"Eating takes just a short time. Still, I want them to enjoy the food they are eating and appreciate the company they are with at that moment," said Tomoyuki Nakata, the cafe's 40-year-old chef who was inspired by recent digital detox programs worldwide and wanted to try it at the cafe.

Outside of Atami, Hoshinoya Karuizawa resort in Nagano Prefecture offered a digital detox vacation package from September to November including amenities such as a spa treatment. Other travelers go to temples for meditation or visit remote islands that automatically disconnect them from the outside world since they are out of service coverage areas.

"With the emergence of social media, there is this pleasure of seeking other people's approval, and that is addictive. Even when you're traveling, eating good food or in a party, you are not actually appreciating what is happening now and this ability to be in the moment is something we must regain at some point," Yoneda said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

World's 19th best beach is in Boracay: website

MANILA – The tourist favorite White Beach in Boracay has been recognized by a popular travel ratings website as one of the best in the world.

Named such for its powder-fine white sand, White Beach ranked 19th on TripAdvisor’s list of Top 25 Beaches in the World for 2014. For the list, TripAdvisor took into account insights from millions of the travel ratings site’s users.

Topping the list of best beaches in the world is Baia do Sancho in Brazil, followed by Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos, Flamenco Beach in Puerto Rico, Rabbit Beach in Italy and Whitehaven Beach in Whitsunday Islands.

In TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Beaches in Asia list, White Beach ranked No. 1, beating counterparts in India, Thailand, China and other countries in the region.

Other Philippine entries in this list include Secret Lagoon Beach in El Nido, Palawan, which ranked fourth; and Yapak Beach in Boracay, which ranked sixth.

In 2012, Boracay was hailed by TripAdvisor as the second beach destination in the world.

 source: www.abs-cbnnews.com