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Tourism
Stories about leisure travel in Hong Kong, China, Asia, and around the world.
Tourists dressed in traditional Thai attire visit the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 19. Despite the multiple challenges it faced, the land of smiles still managed to welcome 33 million tourists last year. Photo: EPA
Asia housing and property

The View | Why Thailand, India and Japan’s hotel sectors deserve a closer look

Thailand’s resilience in the face of an eventful 2025, India’s uneven boom in branded hotel supply and Japan’s record visitor numbers amid a row with China are deserving of attention.

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Mainland China

China needs silver and young spenders, plus policy support, for growth: HSBC

Video gaming

How Seoul became the world’s esports capital and attracts fans from across Asia

History

Exhibition of love letters from history, from spies to poets and royalty

The London exhibition includes a letter from Oscar Wilde’s lover asking Queen Victoria for a pardon and King Edward VIII’s abdication letter.

The 1936 document of abdication written by Britain’s King Edward VIII is part of an exhibition titled “Love Letters” at the National Archives in London. The king gave up the throne in 1936 so that he could marry “the woman I love”, twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson. Photo: AP
Japan

As Muslim tourism grows, can Japan adapt to travellers’ prayer needs?

In places where purpose-built prayer rooms are not feasible, experts say flexibility is vital to enhance visitor experience.

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Hong Kong entertainment

Blackpink fever hits Hong Kong as Rosé delights in local snack on way to stage

Thousands of fans from the city and beyond pack Kai Tak Stadium as the girl group kick off the final leg of their record-breaking Deadline world tour.

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China travel

Foreigners flock to China’s ice and snow sights, with 130% inbound tourism spike

Freezing temperatures will not dampen the spirits of snow seekers, as China cements its reputation as the world’s ultimate winter playground.

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The moon rises above illuminated ice sculptures during the opening ceremony of the 42nd Harbin China International Ice and Snow Festival at Harbin in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province on January 5. Photo: AFP
Japan

Has Japan’s tourism peaked? Row with China set to slow arrivals from record high

A major travel firm says tourist arrivals in Japan are expected to fall this year from a record 42.7 million in 2025.

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China travel

China’s Trip.com probe targets algorithms, prices after vendor anger: analysts

Regulators accuse one of the world’s biggest travel platforms of abusing market power, with analysts warning of wider industry scrutiny.

Thailand

‘So fake’: viral Lisa image for Thai tourism fuels AI concerns

The image of K-pop star Lisa Manobal framed against blooms of the Red Lotus Sea has sparked a meme wave and debate about AI in creative work.

A Thai tourism promotional image featuring K-pop star Lisa. Photo: Instagram/tourismthailand
Hong Kong entertainment

Blackpink fans gear up for Hong Kong finale

K-pop fans are gearing up for shows, with Hong Kong the final stop of the band’s global tour.

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A Blackpink fan takes a selfie at a pop-up store in Kai Tak Mall 2. Photo: Karma Lo
Japan

Video | Japan posts record tourist arrivals despite China row

The number of mainland Chinese tourists visiting Japan had dropped 45 per cent in the month of December amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.

India

Video | Men grab bull by the horns in Indian harvest festival

Critics have called the sport cruel, but for some it is a vital part of life in Tamil Nadu.

Trending in China

Nearly all residents, some livestock, in historic China village act in local TV series

TV drama producers flock to ‘natural film studio’; chickens, geese, ducks, horses act as extras; ‘skilled’ donkey is paid US$70 a day.

In a historic Chinese village, nearly all residents contribute to the local television series industry. The work which accounts for 20 per cent of the village’s income. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote
Malaysia

Malaysia’s Johor books 5 Singaporeans for littering under new enforcement regime

The cases come as the country enforces new rules sending littering offences to court as the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign rolls out.

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A night market in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where local authorities have stepped up enforcement against littering as part of a broader push to improve cleanliness. Photo: Shutterstock
Asia travel

Cebu’s quirkiest luxury resort and the former Hong Kong-based banker behind it

Plantation Bay has been a hotspot in Cebu, the Philippines, since 1996. Owner Manny Gonzalez shares why his independent property is special.

Asia travel

What is glamping like in Hong Kong? A reluctant camper gives it a try

A writer and his family head to the far reaches of Hong Kong’s New Territories for grills and thrills on their first glamping experience.

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Natural disasters

Recovery continues after 8 skiers killed in avalanches in Austria

Three avalanches across Austria on the weekend killed eight people - all during off-piste ski tours.

Rescuers search for people after an avalanche in the Salzburg Pongau region of western Austria on Saturday. Photo: Bergrettung Pongau via AP
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong blogger’s Iran trip sparks debate about solo travel safety

Online community split over whether women travelling alone to ‘dangerous’ nations is reckless or eye-opening.

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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong hiker, 63, dies after collapsing on Robin’s Nest trail

Hiker was with four others at Robin’s Nest Country Park in Sha Tau Kok, near the border.

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Japan

Video | Japan ramen joint bans Chinese customers amid menu price row

The restaurant says it had to call police over unruly Chinese diners, but online sleuths say the real cause of the trouble was dual pricing on its menus.

Iekei restaurant in the western city of Osaka has ignited controversy by slapping a ban on all Chinese customers, accusing them of being troublemakers.
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Travel news and advice

Steps from the Colosseum, virtual tour offers a peek inside ancient Roman house

The House of the Griffins and its frescoes can now be explored via an onsite virtual tour into otherwise off-limits underground areas.

Colosseum Archeological Park guide Valentina uses a head-mounted device to livestream a guided tour of the newly restored underground House of the Griffins, dated between the second and first century BC, on the Palatine Hill next to the Colosseum, in Rome, Italy. Photo: AP
European travel

‘Unabashed nationalism’? Louvre increases ticket prices for non-Europeans

Debate about so-called ‘dual pricing’ is raging as France hikes prices for non-Europeans visiting the Louvre by 45 per cent this week.

China travel

‘Structurally hurt’: why are Chinese tourists spending less abroad than before?

China’s outbound travel sector has bounced back from the pandemic, but the era of duty-free shopping sprees appears to be over.

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Asia travel

What’s fuelling South Korea’s running boom? A look at the fitness obsession

From office workers to ultra-marathoners, South Korea’s running boom is reshaping streets, travel and retail as millions hit the pavement.

Runners set off during the DMZ International Peace Marathon, in the Demilitarized Zone in Gangwon province, in South Korea, on September 21, 2025. Some 10 million South Koreans now identify as runners, according to industry and tourism data, roughly double the figure from 2015. Photo: The Korea Times
Hong Kong environmental issues

Editorial | Hong Kong’s biodiversity strategy must be clear and comprehensive

The discovery of new species should prompt more concrete commitments and proactive policy coordination to conserve the city’s flora and fauna.

The newly discovered soft coral species, Paraminabea inflata, is seen off the coast of Hong Kong Island. Researchers from Baptist University announced the discovery of two corals, including one called Parasphaerasclera dimorpha, on January 5. Photo: Handout
Asia travel

3 underrated ski resorts that should be on your radar this winter

Ski in sight of Italy’s Mont Blanc, go from piste to onsen in Niigata and Nagano in Japan, or hit the snow at Quebec’s Club Med in Canada.

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Japan

‘Easier targets’: is Japan safe for foreigners if disaster strikes?

Rising xenophobia, ‘vigilante’ patrols and memories of 1923 have rights advocates concerned that history could repeat itself.

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