Travel & Leisure

Pedestrians walk between restaurants in Tokyo's Shinbashi district on Oct. 25, when the city lifted restrictions on operating hours. (Photo by Shosuke Kato)
Food & Beverage

With patrons missing, 20% of Tokyo restaurants keep shorter hours

Lifestyle changes under pandemic eat away at nighttime traffic

3 November 2021
Thailand started welcoming quarantine-free international tourists on Monday.
1 November 2021
Asakusa Tobu Hotel in Tokyo has installed a Tobu Railway training simulator in a guest room.
Travel & Leisure

Japanese hotels offer railroad rooms to attract train spotters

New breed of features include driving simulators, station views and digital detox

31 October 2021
Blackpink's Rose, left, Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo perform at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California, in 2019. 
Travel & Leisure

Blackpink's Lisa opts out as icon of Thailand's tourism reopening

K-pop star's agency declines offer to have her co-star in year-end event in Phuket

30 October 2021
A mixologist creates gin based cocktails at a bar in Bangkok, Thailand in January 2017.
Economy

Bangkok to lift ban on alcohol consumption in restaurants on Nov. 1

Kingdom also to scrap night curfew, hurrying to revive economy with tourists

29 October 2021
Tourists in Tokyo. Rakuten looks to draw more Japanese hotels to its travel platform by auditing bookings. (Photo by Kosuke Imamura)
Travel & Leisure

Rakuten tackles $2bn problem: rampant trip cancellations

Japanese tech group adopts program that audits bookings for no-show risk

28 October 2021
The redesigned Imperial Hotel in Tokyo by architect Tsuyoshi Tane features a beige stone exterior. (Courtesy of Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects)
Travel & Leisure

Imperial Hotel Tokyo's palatial makeover unveiled

Multitiered design envisioned by famed architect Tsuyoshi Tane

28 October 2021
An All Nippon Airways aircraft at Haneda Airport in Tokyo: Months of coronavirus-related curbs have weighed on Japan's aviation sector.
Companies

ANA poised for $960m 1st-half loss as COVID recovery lags

Monthslong state of emergency hampered recovery in Japanese aviation

27 October 2021
The inquiry report cited the potential risk to Victoria's economy from removing Crown as the operator of the Crown Melbourne, Australia's largest casino.
Travel & Leisure

Australia's Crown Resorts to keep control of flagship casino

State to install overseer due to 'illegal, dishonest and unethical' conduct

26 October 2021
Police in Vietnam inspect travel documents of commuters during the first day of a lockdown in Hanoi on Sept. 6. The country's economy has been hammered by COVID curbs.
Coronavirus

Asian economies take $1.7tn hit from COVID in 2020

Tourism and other service sectors suffered most

26 October 2021
Restaurants across Japan, outside of Okinawa, can now stay open past 8 p.m. (Photo by Rie Ishii)
Coronavirus

Japan's restaurants and hotels welcome life after state of emergency

Businesses and customers remain cautious about rushing into new normal

26 October 2021
Seen here is a model of a smart city Indonesia's MNC Group plans to build in the Lido special economic zone in West Java Province. (Photo by Koya Jibiki)
Business trends

Giant theme park and smart city to open near Jakarta in 2024

Amusement facility will be one of Southeast Asia's largest

24 October 2021
Iida Dam in central Ibaraki Prefecture. Tour participants will have the chance to take a rare look at the inner workings of public infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of Ibaraki Prefecture)
Travel & Leisure

Dam, that's beautiful: Infrastructure tourism gains steam in Japan

Tokyo-based Club Tourism offers backstage access to public facilities

24 October 2021
Tourism Minister Nancy Shukri, right, says strict safety protocols would be in place for the reopening. (File photo by Wong Ying Xian and Reuters)
Interview

Malaysia eyes allowing tourists from 10 nations next month: minister

Nancy Shukri says island haven Langkawi, Johor targeted for quarantine-free visits

22 October 2021
An arrival gate at  Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok prepares for an inspection ahead of the country's Nov. 1 reopening.
Coronavirus

Thailand to reopen for quarantine-free entry from 46 countries

Bigger-than-expected list needed to stimulate tourism, PM says

22 October 2021
Singapore is now allowing inoculated travelers from the U.K., the U.S. and selected other countries to enter without quarantining.
Coronavirus

Singapore quarantine-free travel stirs hope for wider Asia revival

Philippines, Thailand also easing rules for some arrivals to spur economies

19 October 2021
Tata Sons' less-than-stellar record in the airline industry does not bode well for Air India, which has seen better days.
Transportation

Tata's takeover of Air India faces turbulence as foes lash out

Burden of investment falls on family's shoulders after privatization

15 October 2021
A man straightens beach loungers as the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Sept. 14 as it prepares to welcome international visitors vaccinated against COVID-19.
Economy

Bali reopens to travelers from 19 countries in monthlong program

Visitors must quarantine for 5 days in designated hotels

14 October 2021
Bangkok's skyline: Thailand maintains a curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., and restaurants are not permitted to serve alcohol.
Coronavirus

Thailand to lift quarantine for vaccinated visitors in November

Reopening starts with 10 nations, Prayuth says, likely including U.S. and China

12 October 2021
A plane carrying foreign tourists arrives in Phuket after the island opened to overseas visitors on July 1.
Economy

Thailand's proposed $15 tax on foreign tourists stirs debate

Industry warns added fee could drive away visitors and hinder recovery

11 October 2021
A Seibu rail line: Seibu Holdings has put subsidiary Seibu Construction up for sale. 
Companies

Japanese rail group Seibu to sell construction unit amid COVID slump

Company accelerates asset sales as commuters and vacationers stay home

8 October 2021
People walk near the Forbidden City in Beijing on Oct. 5. Travel across China was muted during the National Day holidays.
Travel & Leisure

China's National Day travel drops again, but movie theaters rebound

Pockets of coronavirus infections hurt tourism-related spending

8 October 2021
The luxury-grade Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok has launched its first-ever COVID-19 recovery clinic. (Photo courtesy of the hospital)
Health Care

Thailand to revive its medical tourism sector amid COVID pandemic

Businesses aim to profit from government's 'living with COVID' strategy

6 October 2021
Bali desperately needs tourists to revive its economy, which contracted by the largest margin among all Indonesian provinces in 2020.
Economy

Bali to open to some foreign travellers from mid-October

Arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea may be permitted but list not finalized

4 October 2021
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says "it's time to give Australians their lives back" and let them travel again.
Coronavirus

Australia to ease international border restrictions from November

First phase to free up outbound travel, linked to home quarantines on return

1 October 2021