Travel & Leisure

The Maldivian government now expects to attract 1.5 million vacationers by the end of this year, nearing the 1.7 million tourists it received in 2019.
International relations

Russian tourists make big splash in the Maldives

Island nation's gamble to open despite pandemic could draw near-record visitors

29 July 2021
The forests of northern Okinawa's Yanbaru region are home to a diversity of life. (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
Life

Japan's Amami island picked as Natural World Heritage site

UNESCO recognizes 4 southwestern isles for rare species and mangrove forests

27 July 2021
People walk past a deserted food court in Singapore: The city-state recently tightened social distancing requirements following a flare-up of COVID-19 cases.
Coronavirus

Singapore eyes September border easing once vaccine rate hits 80%

City-state considers swapping two-week isolation with 'rigorous testing regime'

26 July 2021
Breakfast is served! On China's Hainan Island, starting the day with a steamed bun and a cup of laobacha, or "old man's tea," is a ritual for many locals. (Screen grab from YouTube) 
Life

Chinese breakfasts are almost beyond the imagination

Discover 'old dad's tea,' roasted lamb 'baozi' and clay pot seafood noodles

26 July 2021
ANA and other airlines are beginning to try out vaccine certificate apps like the IATA Travel Pass. (Photo by Hajime Matsumoto)
COVID vaccines

Analog Japan's paper-only vaccine certificates worry airlines

Digital records seen as key to travel industry's recovery from COVID-19

25 July 2021
The decision removes a lifeline for Crown which has been trying to convince regulators it can rebuild its culture after an earlier inquiry in February found it allowed money laundering on its premises for years.
Travel & Leisure

Australia's Star Entertainment pulls $6.6bn bid for Crown Resorts

Casino operator says it may consider a tie-up with the troubled company

23 July 2021
A hotel in Chiba Prefecture prepares to host athletes from Europe. Many hotels have been forced to cut rates after the Games' organizer banned spectators for Tokyo area events.
Business trends

In spectator-less Olympics, hotel bust drives retail boom

Money saved from rooms and tickets goes to big-screen TVs and designer handbags

22 July 2021
Minor International has more than 520 hotels across 55 countries. (Photo courtesy of the company)
Travel & Leisure

Thailand's Minor sells Portugal hotels for $170m

Hotelier to continue managing properties under deal with Spanish buyer

22 July 2021
Mima Ito of Japan trains for the Tokyo Olympics on July 19. The opening ceremony will be held on July 23.
Markets

Pandemic-year Olympics to test legend of stock market gold

With no international fans flocking to Tokyo, tourism-related shares lose luster

20 July 2021
Garuda Indonesia's net loss ballooned to $2.4 billion in 2020.
Transportation

Garuda Indonesia racks up $2.4bn loss

National carrier's operational continuity is questioned by auditors

16 July 2021
The Thai government's initiative to reopen tourism has been spreading throughout the country's famous resorts such as Samui island.
Travel & Leisure

Thailand opens Samui for vaccinated visitors despite delta threat

Hotels ramp up capacity amid optimism in COVID-slammed tourism sector

15 July 2021
Phuket gives a water cannon salute to the first plane arriving with foreign tourists who do not have to be quarantined as the Thai tourist island on July 1 begins a crucial experiment to rescue its economy.
Economy

Thai resort welcomes 1st quarantine-free tourists in over a year

Country's experiment starts on Phuket with flight from Abu Dhabi

1 July 2021
A worker cleans beach chairs in Bali. The Indonesian government looks to boost tourist traffic to the province by offering vaccines.
COVID vaccines

Bali vaccine vacations to offer global visitors a beach and a jab

Sinovac, Sinopharm and AstraZeneca shots to be made available

29 June 2021
Tablecross is shifting its service, placing new emphasis on reaching Japanese customers as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps Japan's borders closed. (Photo courtesy of Serkan Toso) 
Travel & Leisure

Japan restaurant-booking startup looks to domestic market

With borders still closed, Tablecross expands service for locals

27 June 2021
Images of BTS members welcome visitors at the entrance of Hybe Insight in Seoul. 
Media & Entertainment

Seoul's 'BTS museum' lures fans to the world of K-pop

Hybe Insight set to become a must-see attraction for fans, post-COVID

26 June 2021
Tourists will be able to roam around Phuket after testing negative for the virus upon arrival. 
Travel & Leisure

Phuket to reopen for vaccinated tourists without quarantine: 5 things to know

'Sandbox' experiment will be steppingstone for further reopening

25 June 2021
Jet Airways aircraft, seen here in April 2019, are parked at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.
Transportation

India's Jet Airways aims to fly again by year-end with rehab plan cleared

Bankruptcy panel rejects carrier's request to restore all airport slots

25 June 2021
Malaysia's Genting Group is set to open Resorts World Las Vegas, the first new mega-resort on the city's famed Strip in more than a decade. (Photo courtesy of Resorts World Las Vegas)
Travel & Leisure

Malaysia's Genting rolls the dice on new $4.3bn Las Vegas resort

Complex on gambling city's famed Strip opens as US emerges from COVID lockdowns

24 June 2021
Sunset at Australia's Siding Spring Observatory in the Warrumbungle National Park near Coonabarabran, New South Wales. (Photo by Filippo Rivetti, courtesy of Destination NSW)
Life

Australia's first 'dark sky park' draws in stargazers

Astronomy in focus atop the Warrumbungle mountains

23 June 2021
Garuda Indonesia CEO Irfan Setiaputra, pictured during an interview in 2020, informed parliament that the airline lost $2 billion last year. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
Transportation

Garuda Indonesia posts $2bn net loss in 2020, CEO says

Debt repayment suspension among options being considered to manage COVID fallout

22 June 2021
"Technique is of course important, but guests come back for an experience that feels like a comforting embrace," says Daniel Calvert, executive chef at SEZANNE at the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi which is scheduled to open on July 1. (Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi)
Life

Daniel Calvert brings a fresh perspective to Four Seasons Tokyo

Flagship restaurant SEZANNE mixes elegance with comfort and warmth

22 June 2021
Fabrics dyed using traditional techniques hang to dry at a dyehouse in Sichuan Province, China. (Courtesy of Liu Yan)
Life

Rediscovering 'tipsy cheek' and other forgotten Chinese colors

Hues of ancient times possessed a poetry sadly missing in today's Pantone world

19 June 2021
Garuda Indonesia is facing a host of financial woes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Transportation

Garuda Indonesia share trading halted after Islamic bond default

COVID-induced headaches mount for carrier struggling with debts

18 June 2021
A member of Sri Lanka's military tries to clear Sarakkuwa Beach, north of Colombo, of pellets from a plastic and chemical spill that has delivered another blow to the country's pandemic-ravaged economy. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara)
Environment

Sri Lanka fishing and tourism sectors drown in new crisis

Plastic pellet and chemical spill fuels fear of seafood and hinders exports

12 June 2021
Yokohama's Minato Mirai waterfront business district. The Japanese port city lost multiple potential suitors to build an integrated resort casino. (Photo by Tomoya Ushiyama)
Travel & Leisure

Genting Singapore-led group in running for Yokohama casino deal

Two competing offers, one unnamed, to be considered ahead of final decision this summer

11 June 2021