Smoking on the beach banned

BANGKOK , 12 October 2017: Hua Hin’s municipal “beach police” will target smokers in a move to clean up the resort’s beaches as a new rule banning smoking at 20 beaches, nationwide, comes into effect 1 November.

Thailand’s Thai language daily, Thai Rath, broke the story saying Hua Hin’s city authorities would introduce a THB2,000 fine on beach goers who throw their cigarette butts on the seashore.

A representative of the Hua Hin authority said a 2,000 baht fine would be reasonable for smokers caught puffing on beaches, next month. The law stipulates the fine should not exceed THB100,000. Read more

Clean up Thai beaches

Thailand identified its cleanest beaches and not a single one was a popular beach destination rated by the likes of TripAdvisor.

The Pollution Control Department bases its top 10 list on a scorecard of strict environmental checks of land and sea conditions at all of the country’s beaches.

Predictably, the top beaches were in national parks protected from consumer activities such as hotel and tourism developments.  Some of them close for six months to allow the sensitive environment to recover. Read more

Hotels champion beach clean up

PHUKET, 7 September 2017: The Phuket Hotels Association is encouraging locals and tourists to value the beauty of Phuket’s beaches and surrounding Andaman seas through a “Hearts with Hands, Keep Phuket Clean beach clean up event Saturday 16 September.

This is the second clean-up initiative to be launched this month; the other focusing on Samet Island, in the Gulf of Thailand sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The Phuket Hotels Association’s Environmental & Sustainability Working Group launched the island wide initiative in support of the International Coastal Clean Up Campaign, which will see millions of volunteers across the globe unite to fight ocean pollution. Read more

Talks on linking Vietnam and Cambodia’s tourism

PHNOM PENH, 31 August 2017: Vietnamese and Cambodian tourism officials met in Phnon Penh, earlier this week, to explore how to boost tourism between the two countries.

Vietnam’s General Department of Tourism, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism met with officials from with Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism and the Embassy of Vietnam in Cambodia for the event hosted in Phnom Penh, Tuesday, Vietnam Breaking News reported.

Celebration for the 50th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations was the core element for the gathering of tourism officials. Read more

Where are Thailand’s cleanest beaches?

BANGKOK, 28 August, 2017: Thailand’s Pollution Control Department’s named the country’s top beaches that gained a five star rating in its latest study of nationwide pollution.

The recently completed coastal and marine environment quality evaluation project awarded five-star ratings to 13 beaches around Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand reported Friday.

According to the Pollution Control Department, this year’s beach evaluation was based on an assessment of water quality that included both solid waste and pollution in the sea; plastic and oil pollution and residue; coastal and beach trash management; condition of reefs and national park resources; environmental control, and tourism management. Read more

Thailand’s bookings looks bright

BANGKOK, Thailand, August 22, 2017: Interest in booking Thailand holidays is as robust as ever with the country heading for a great last quarter season, TripAdvisor senior director key accounts APAC, Grant Colquhoun, told a press briefing, Tuesday.

Commenting on TripAdisor’s latest inbound travel data for Thailand he said “barring anything disruptive Thailand tourism is looking robust… there is a wish-to-visit driven by low-cost airlines, new air access and emerging beach resorts.”

He argued that there was no sign of Thailand’s popularity waning, or bookings dampened by a strengthening of the Thai baht against the US dollar and UK pound. Read more

AirAsia flies to Sihanoukville

SEPANG, 11 AUGUST 2017: AirAsia introduced its newest route, Thursday, linking Kuala Lumpur and Sihanoukville, in Cambodia.

Effective 10 August, the airline flies four weekly services direct from Kuala Lumpur to Cambodia’s southern coastal port and beach resort.

The town’s airport is located 7 km to the north of the port and has up until now been served by domestic airlines and a flight from Vietnam. Read more

Ban on fireworks

SIHANOUKVILLE, 26 June 2017: Sihanoukville provincial authorities say they will strengthen measures to prevent the sale of fireworks and sky lanterns claiming the crackdown would improve tourist safety.

Hundreds of tourists visiting beaches ignite fireworks and launch paper lanterns that rise on the heat created by a paraffin burner fixed to the interior of the lantern.

Khmer Times quoted the provincial tourist and waterway traffic police deputy chief, Nop Panha, saying the authorities have now banned the selling of fireworks and sky lanterns at the beaches for safety reasons. Read more

Vietnam targets beach tourism

HANOI, 26 April 2017: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism says the government’s 2020 master plan for tourism development aims to develop seven key tourism zones, of which five are sea-island related zones, reflecting the importance of marine, coastal  and island tourism.

Local media quoted VNAT deputy general director, Ngo Hoai Chung, saying sea and island tourism has drawn a large number of foreign and domestic investors, accounting for 70% of the sector’s total investment.

Beyond tourism revenue, sea and island tourism contributes to the country’s socio-economic development while consolidating national defense and security.  Read more

Myanmar’s beach destinations to watch

BANGKOK, 25 April 2017: Four of Myanmar’s beach destinations are emerging as contenders in Asia’s search for the next exotic tropical getaway spot, according to the latest C9 Hotelworks report.

According to research released in C9 Hotelworks’ Ngapali Beach Tourism Market Review, over 70,000 visitors visited the resort last year, which was an impressive 31% year-on-year increase. Most travellers booked domestic flights to the gateway Thandwe Airport from Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Heho and Sittwe.

Based on discussions with the local authorities, C9 Hotelworks believes Thandwe is currently in advanced discussions to add in direct international flights in the not too distant future. Read more

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