Save this for your next trip ✈️ #Travel #BucketList #MustSee

https://worldwildschooling.com/post-php-2026-04-18-2/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Travel destinations? Yes, please! @travel-destinations-yes-please-WorldWildSchool

Security In Bali Tightened In Response To Murders Of Several Foreigners

Bali, the island in Indonesia famous as a tourist attraction, now has its security tightened by the local authorities in response to the unfortunate wave of kidnapping and murders of several foreigners there, according to a news report by VnExpress.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Police on Indonesia’s Bali island have vowed to increase security after several foreigners were kidnapped and brutally murdered this year.

“We urge the public to promptly report any criminal or suspicious activity involving foreigners to the nearest authorities,” director of criminal investigation at the Bali police department, Senior Commisioner I Gede Adhi Mulyawarman was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.

A wave of kidnappings and brutal murders have tarnished the island’s once-peaceful reputation.

On Feb. 15 Ukrainian Igor Komarov, 28, was kidnapped and later found dead in a suspected murder case, Jakarta Post reported.

A video circulating online showed Komarov being beaten and pleading with his family for help, and indicated that the attackers demanded a US$10 million ransom for his release. In late February his body was discovered by locals.

In March, Dutch tourist Rene Pouw was killed by two knife-wielding motorbike attackers, AFP reported.

According to United Nations data, Indonesia has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, with a murder rate of just 0.3 per 100,000 people in 2022.

Reports from Indonesia’s statistics agency indicate that Bali remains among the safest places in the country. Bali reported 7.05 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2025, the highest figure in the past decade.

According to the Australian government’s travel advisory website, Bali is generally safe for tourists, but caution is advised regarding motorcycle accidents, petty theft and alcohol-related issues.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you ever visited Bali in Indonesia before? Do you think the crime wave affecting foreigners will turn away international tourists from visiting Bali?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Noch bis zum 23.5.2026 ist in Frankfurt am Main in der Kunststiftung der DZ-Bank zu sehen: "n+1. Mehr als ein Bild". Eine empfehlenswerte Zusammenstallung aus Installationen, Fotografien und Videoarbeiten. Der Eintritt ist frei.

https://kunststiftungdzbank.de/ausstellen/#/ausstellungshalle

#Frankfurt #FrankfurtMain #Hessen #MustSee #Ausstellung #Fotografie #photography

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 133

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Ring Reaction Videos – When The Ring (an American remake of the 1998 film Ringu) was released in cinemas in 2002, it had a huge impact on many moviegoers as it scared them and made them think that Asian horror can be adapted by Western filmmakers to entertain a larger, English-oriented audience worldwide. In fact, The Ring sparked a wave of American remakes of established horror films from Asia. The movie also made Naomi Watts a movie star. There are viewers who enjoyed the subtle yet creepy approach to horror by the 2002 film and there are those who find it superior to the Japanese original. How The Ring impacts the following YouTubers through their reaction videos below is a must-see.

https://youtu.be/mU6kg0g69Kg?si=cCFI9ZgeCtT4sXCO

https://youtu.be/Sf7XP8IsQ9c?si=7RWivxravQEg0J6k

https://youtu.be/NZWE5wppyJs?si=g4dIOTVnzAA4oEA1

https://youtu.be/Plxbo9bWl6s?si=PGr7hv_DaBAs4Elz

https://youtu.be/7sskUw6HAak?si=2lyHfVX54q2uDHbk

#2 Batman versus Predator Revisited – Back in the early 1990s, I saw issues of the huge crossover mini-series Batman versus Predator displayed on shelves on local comic book stores, and each one cost a lot of money! Looking back at the crossover, there definitely is a lot of things about it that justify the high cover price. Some comic book enthusiasts say that Batman versus Predator is the best crossover comic book story to feature the Predator while there are others who said that Batman is the perfect superhero to be matched against the sci-fi movie icon. To understand how Batman versus Predator came to be, watch the retrospective video below.

https://youtu.be/84KoXIKZkGs?si=VNvqjnXu_gAtNW-Y

#3 Project Sylpheed Examined – First released in Japan in 2006, Project Sylpheed was a science fiction shooter game that was released by Square Enix exclusively on the Xbox 360 console. I always wanted to play that game’s English version (released in 2007) but I never had the opportunity to buy it. Project Sylpheed was the third game of its franchise and it was the successor to the original Silpheed game of the 1980s. Believe it or not, the game still looks great by today’s standards and the vibrant colors and stylish visual elements made it stand out nicely among 3D shooters. To see what Project Sylpheed is about and why is it still enjoyable to play, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/Bgcu8nv6CXM?si=TAm4LFeDDqQ1wqK1

#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Jon Bernthal’s Punisher And The Woke Mob – When I first think about the Punisher who first appeared in comics long ago, I think of a very hard-edged vigilante who wages a dangerous war against criminals on his own terms. In the 21st century, we now have a live-action Punisher who drifted away from his comic book legacy and woke Disney now fully dictates Marvel Comics. Along the way, the current Punisher actor Jon Bernthal is woke and supports the LGBTQ community and its agenda. Ranting for Vengeance recently posted a video slamming Bernthal’s Punisher and the woke mob, and you can find out more by watching it below.

https://youtu.be/nUuGAW-u0xY?si=nTfKphavjnOXd2p1

#5 Rice Ball Craze In Japan – In Japan, rice balls are popular and there is nothing like the enjoyment of consuming rice with seaweed wrapping and ingredients mixed in. From time to time, rice balls get discounted and there is always an influx of buyers who pursue them with good taste and better value in mind. Even foreign tourists can take advantage of the discounts of rice balls. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

https://youtu.be/RxoDOwMC6Bw?si=Wmc-3ikSo8XkZn26

#6 Orion Pictures Revisited – When I was very young, there were some notables movies I saw that involved Orion Pictures in more ways than one. Some movies the Orion produced (or co-produced) that were memorable to watch include Caddyshack and Excalibur. Other memorable films distributed by Orion include Platoon, RoboCop, The Terminator, First Blood and The Silence of the Lambs to name some. Before Orion even started as a movie business, there were notable events in Hollywood history that led to its founding. Watch and learn from the retrospective video below.

https://youtu.be/MEQHBGmOtfE?si=3b3lJuu_GqSE1oF6

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 132

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Resident Evil: Extinction Reaction/Review Videos – I saw Resident Evil: Extinction in the local cinema in 2007. By the time the movie ended, it was clear to me that the Resident Evil live-action movie series was all about showcasing Milla Jovovich as the action star and the characters from the games were just tokens to add RE relevance (Ali Larter as Claire Redfield in the 2007 film) since the films were not serious adaptations of the video games’ stories. RE: Extinction’s most notable attraction is its Mad Max-inspired wasteland setting and there were some moviegoers who enjoy the movie as a thrill ride. That being said, you have to see how the YouTubers reacted to Resident Evil: Extinction in the videos below.

https://youtu.be/uIVlB3oGYIo?si=AUhO9vBfk6B8gTCZ

https://youtu.be/5jKlE2RYOn0?si=5OL1u7yZGuvmDvJA

https://youtu.be/mzOveD5Ubq4?si=nSYFJRfBsJ04MXg3

https://youtu.be/eu9wFXJWNSU?si=1zwJvO8nzIyxN3Eo

#2 Resident Evil: Code Veronica Retrospective – I can hardly believe it has been more over 25 years since Resident Evil: Code Veronica was first released on the Sega Dreamcast. At the time of its release, it was clearly the next-generation Resident Evil experience and the first major game (or mainline game) of its series to have fully polygonal environments for players to explore. Come to think of it, RE: Code Veronica was the result of Capcom’s failed plan to port Resident Evil 2 to the Sega Saturn which led to developing a new project mainly for the Dreamcast. If you are nostalgic about RE: Code Veronica or if are a newcomer who wants to discover it, watch this amusing retrospective video.

https://youtu.be/qFyaDANvWwg?si=k9M1ZE5O4tpOHmT0

#3 Horror Video Games Only Playable On The Dreamcast – More on the fun but failed Sega Dreamcast console, there were some horror-themed adventure games in its software lineup that had unique concepts and gameplay features. While Resident Evil: Code Veronica was ported by Capcom to other gaming platform, there were these other horror games remained on the Dreamcast. No porting and no remastered releases of them until now. Enjoy this retro gaming look at those Dreamcast-only games.

https://youtu.be/lBulWqN0bls?si=OH51WeWsu5zmDkr2

#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Upcoming Supergirl – Supergirl, the upcoming movie of James Gunn’s DCU, was slammed by Ranting for Vengeance. There was a new trailer of the movie released and it did not captivate me nor interest me. It did not help that the Supergirl actress Milly Alcock actually slammed the fans as there was backlash against the said new trailer. Going back to the new Supergirl trailer, Ranting for Vengeance explains that the modern cinematic versions of the title character and Lobo do not resemble their literary counterparts. He also spotted signs of feminism in the movie. To find out more details, watch the video below.

https://youtu.be/woa5sjM_84A?si=lAxkiSczqhecswOn

#5 The Japanese Fisherman’s Cuisine – How fresh and tasty do you like your meal to be? In Japan, there is a place that serves meals to customers using the cuisine of local fishermen. Such cuisine includes not only the fresh catches and high-quality ingredients but also the methods and traditions involved in making unique tastes. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

https://youtu.be/MWc_CgHOlO4?si=0YyoMfiekUudZohO

#5 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Moulin Rouge! – Around twenty-five years ago, the cinematic musical Moulin Rouge! was released in cinemas and it dazzled many moviegoers as well as music enthusiasts. Stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor proved to be very good singers and their acting abilities were really artistic. As of this writing, there are just not enough reaction videos of Moulin Rouge! on YouTube which is surprising considering its huge significance as a modern cinematic musical. Recently, Ashleigh Burton posted her own reaction video of the 2001 film and it is a must-see.

https://youtu.be/AWQIwAwFa4c?si=S3zMC5l1707xyT-p

#6 Circus Circus’ 2-Floor Suite – After watching several YouTube videos about Circus Circus Hotel and Casino out of nostalgia about Las Vegas, I found this video about the 2-storey suite and watched it entirely. When I was very young, me and my relatives stayed in a nice suite at the same hotel but this 2-storey suite looks grander, more spacious and more ideal for families or a group of people to stay in. It was only by watching the video that I learned about its existence for the first time. I urge you all to watch it and pay attention to the details.

https://youtu.be/dE0ctv-Ka8E?si=WnJmlNyHD7204lEl

#7 Nintendo 64 In 1995 – When Nintendo first announced its “64-bit” successor to their best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), there was huge anticipation for it by gamers and the media. As time went on, the pre-release hype intensified and there were journalists from the West who even went to Japan to get the latest updates from Nintendo itself. Posted below is a nice look back at the anticipation of the Nintendo 64 in 1995.

https://youtu.be/Y1pwaIWST5k?si=McOmZh8c-NcMWcmG

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

As More Filipinos Visit Vietnam, Philippines Attracts Less Vietnamese Tourists

In 2025, more than 480,000 Filipinos visited Vietnam while the Philippines failed to attract a significant number of Vietnam tourists which reflected its weakness with foreign visitors, according to a new report by VnExpress.

The travel platform Agoda confirmed that online search by Filipino users for accommodation in Vietnam surged 86% in 2025. Vietnam itself achieved an all-time high of 21.2 million foreign tourists who arrived in 2025. The Philippines attracted only 5.94 foreign tourists last year.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Vietnam is increasingly emerging as a preferred destination for Philippine travelers, welcoming over 482,000 arrivals in 2025, thanks to ASEAN visa exemption policies and closer bilateral exchanges.

According to the Tourism Information Center under the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), since the Covid pandemic, the number of Filipino visitors to Vietnam has recovered and grown impressively. Filipino tourists are particularly fond of destinations such as Da Nang, Sa Pa, Phu Quoc and Nha Trang, as well as Vietnam’s distinctive cuisine.

VNAT Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said Vietnam and the Philippines share many similarities in tourism resources, natural conditions and culture. Both are located in Southeast Asia and have favorable conditions for cooperation in developing tourism products and attracting visitors.

The expansion of direct flight routes between major cities by airlines of both countries has also significantly contributed to boosting tourist arrivals.

Conversely, the number of Vietnamese tourists traveling to the Philippines remains unstable and has even shown a declining trend recently. This is partly due to increasing competition among destinations in the region.

Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III noted that Philippine airlines are actively implementing various initiatives to attract tourists. The Philippines is also considering establishing a tourism representative office in Vietnam to strengthen its presence and promote cooperation.

Tourism cooperation between the two countries was established early on and continues to be reinforced. In 2026, the Philippines will host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) under the rotational mechanism, with Vietnam’s tourism sector actively participating in the event.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? If you are a citizen of the Philippines, have you thought about touring Vietnam recently? Do you think the government of the Philippines has not done enough to promote itself actively to the Vietnamese?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Record High 6.76 Million Foreign Tourists Visited Vietnam In 1st Quarter Of 2026

Vietnam successfully attracted a record 6.76 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of 2026, according to a news article by VnExpress. If the pace continues until the end of the year, it will help Vietnam break its current record of 21.2 million foreign tourists attracted in 2025.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Vietnam welcomed 6.76 million international visitors in the first three months of the year 2026, up 12% year-on-year and the highest quarterly figure ever recorded.

With nearly 2.1 million international visitors in March, Vietnam has for the first time achieved a new record of receiving over 2 million visitors for three consecutive months in a year, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

This result underscores the appeal, resilience, and growing strength of Vietnam’’s tourism sector amid an uncertain global environment, it added.

Of the total 6.76 million international visitors, 82.3% arrived by air, 15.5% by land, and 2.2% by sea.

The administration said that the dominance of air travel highlights Vietnam’s strong appeal to mid- and long-haul markets that are particularly sensitive to geopolitical shifts and fuel costs.

In the context of the Middle East conflict causing soaring oil prices and disrupting some international flights, the high number of visitors arriving by air reflects connectivity and affirms international tourists’ confidence in a safe, stable, and accessible destination, the administration added.

Mainland China and South Korea continue to be the two largest source markets for tourists to Vietnam, accounting for approximately 40% of the total international visitors.

Southeast Asian markets recorded strong growth, including Malaysia (up 21.5%), Singapore (30%), Cambodia (41%), Indonesia (44%), the Philippines (69%), and Thailand (6.5%).

Vietnam has set a target of receiving 25 million international tourists this year.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you thought about visiting Vietnam for vacation this year? What is the one location in Vietnam that you find attractive right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 131 (Holy Week Special)

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. This is the Holy Week special and I have below some selected videos for your faith in the Lord, for your enlightenment about Israel and more.

#1 Only Jesus Live Video By Hillsong Worship – This past February, Hillsong Worship posted a live worship music video of the song Only Jesus. The song emphasizes that through scripture, Lord Jesus is revealed as the risen King, seated on the throne, and exalted forever. The song will help lift you up spiritually to worship the Lord and the music video itself has been viewed over a million times. Enjoy the video below.

https://youtu.be/F3E-svbfrYo?si=yewfkk3P8M0QQduh

#2 Bless The Lord Lyric Video By New Life Music – Bless The Lord is an original worship song by New Life Music. The song is a reminder to the faithful to honor the Lord by blessing His name, praising Him with gladness and living on with uncompromising faith in Him. Watch and enjoy the lyric video of Bless The Lord below.

https://youtu.be/KlMV8_MfeF4?si=bxIjJYu-gv_34eXL

#3 The Love Of My Father Video By Planetshakers – The Love of My Father is a worship song from Planetshakers’ Open Door Live Album and it will remind you that God is our father and His love for the faithful (His children) is real, eternal and always holy. We live in an age in which more people in modern society have drifted away from the Lord because of worldliness and they were influenced by rabid feminists and gender activists who openly hate the patriarchy and hate the concept of fatherhood. As such, The Love of My Father is needed for our worship of the Lord and to deepen our relationship with Him. Lift yourselves up with the Planetshakers music video below.

https://youtu.be/tTFiF2iD-j0?si=O1GTzaahVI24dcm1

#4 Teachings By Pastor Paul and Shoddy Chase – I encourage you all to deepen your faith in the Lord with the respective teachings of God’s Word led by Pastors Paul and Shoddy Chase. I personally attended their teachings on separate Sunday worship services at New Life Alabang. Grab your bible and notebooks, be ready to write something down and watch the videos below.

https://youtu.be/j2Zf3_2WuYQ?si=b7JbxTzkP66xoTRm

https://youtu.be/D_mpEXqoGrA?si=Cqyx3Kf7-CNsnDv7

#5 Breakthroughs In The World – We live in a twisted and unpredictable world. No matter what happens, we must never let the dark forces separate us from the Lord. As such, we all need to pray to the Lord for protection, endurance and miracles. Within this twisted world we live in, there are indeed developments and good news that happened under the watch of the Lord. Learn what has been happening in the CBN News videos below.

https://youtu.be/N1FhuXyGfb4?si=9GYmMsIdVY6ri9Gn

https://youtu.be/CSdUrXcsHdk?si=KSuaIAhJcVWYKuar

https://youtu.be/0Q8e7n9iQgE?si=_6piP2WAnSfWFAkI

https://youtu.be/jAVnzC2H1T0?si=zwMmwAZPn2zQJOJ-

https://youtu.be/JfYkhPetW4w?si=EyUuUw6hPYXC5Wz9

https://youtu.be/3gq1qNq88WE?si=jjS7RC72MpX5DB9m

#6 HolyLandSite Israel Videos – I have said it before and I will say it again. Israel is the land God designated to the Jewish people and He sent His only begotten Son Lord Jesus to them to save the lost and unsaved. Israel is the Holy Land and the many miracles and breakthroughs that happened there were recorded in the Holy Bible. Having toured Israel myself, I can clearly say that the Holy Bible came to life in front of me when I visited the holy sites.

https://youtu.be/2eqkcW8BOvs?si=Bq9gABpGIf6j0RC8

https://youtu.be/0canuJBBjrQ?si=ifCUx81WSAwVpIoL

https://youtu.be/rut0rCv77wo?si=cghICpXHJB3moSax

https://youtu.be/QxjrqKSUPNs?si=-JDDhOBrsE_keSZH

https://youtu.be/BMARXEXLfB4?si=3sljgPJHw_rgv-JU

https://youtu.be/rLFquAMi_rI?si=7F4fAHDvIL1v19jZ

In ending this Holy Week Special, I share with you the following scriptures from the Holy Bible.

Jesus answered him,

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

John 3:3 (AMPC)

Grace and spiritual blessing be to you and [soul] peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah),

Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father—

To Him [be ascribed all] the glory through all the ages of the ages and the eternities of the eternities! Amen (so be it).

Galatians 1:3-5 (AMPC)

For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One.

1 Timothy 2:5 (TPT)

Thank you for your time. Always move forward with uncompromising faith in the Lord. Always remember that Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations as He is God’s son as well as the Anointed Mediator between the Heavenly Father and men. Also pray to the Lord to support Israel, its people and for the peace of Jerusalem.

Remember that God always loves the faithful and Lord Jesus is absolutely the hope of ALL nations!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Luxury Hotels In Thailand Slash Prices To Deal With Tourism Slowdown

As the armed conflict in the Middle East continues to cause economic disruptions, hiked oil prices and impact international air travel, luxury hotels in Thailand have been cutting down their prices as a way to deal with the slowdown on tourism, according to a news report of VnExpress.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Luxury hotels across Thailand, the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, are rolling out deep discounts to attract domestic travelers as international arrivals weaken due to disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.

Thai residents and expatriates are being offered discounts of up to 70% at five-star hotels, where nightly rates can typically reach US$1,000, Bloomberg reported.

At Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, one of the capital’s most iconic riverside properties, rooms are now priced below $300 per night. In southern Thailand, a luxury resort overlooking the dramatic limestone cliffs of Railay Beach is offering stays from around $430 per night, roughly half its usual rate.

The steep promotions come as flight cancellations and airspace closures tied to the conflict in Iran disrupt key Europe-Asia travel routes, making journeys to Thailand more complex and costly.

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism fears a loss of 596,000 visitors and 40.9 billion baht ($1.29 billion) in revenues if the conflict drags on for more than eight weeks.

Phangnga Province has already seen a sharp decline in European arrivals and estimates losses at nearly 1.7 billion baht ($52.3 million), according to its hotel association, Bangkok Post reported.

Authorities are also preparing contingency measures to offset any decline in arrivals from long-haul markets including Europe and the U.S. Thailand experienced a tourism downturn last year amid a combination of kidnapping incidents, flooding and border conflict.

The country is aiming to attract 37 million foreign visitors this year, a projected increase of more than 11% from 2025 but that target is increasingly at risk.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Does the discounting of room rates by luxury hotels in Thailand entice you to visit them? How long do you think the slump of tourism will last?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco