Filipinos are advised to apply for visas early to avoid delays even as they鈥檙e cautioned against visa scams that include the issuance of fake appointment letters or the promise to influence visa decisions.听

Selling appointments is one of the top visa fraud scams, according to Bernard Vijaykumar, head of North Asia & Philippines of VFS Global, a company that helps governments and diplomatic missions with visa, passport, and consular services.听

Visa appointments, he said, are free. VFS Global, moreover, is neither involved in job placement nor immigration services.听听

鈥淒o not fall for VFS Global dupes promising [such services],鈥� he said in a February 12 media event. 鈥淲e will not ask applicants to deposit money to any accounts.鈥�听

Visa applications in the Philippines in 2024 rose 3% as compared to 2023, Mr. Vijaykumar also said at the event.听听

There was likewise a 38% growth in 2024 versus 2019.听

The most popular travel destinations observed in the Philippines are 鈥� in alphabetical order – Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and the U.K.听

VFS Global offered tips to avoid visa-related frauds:听听

1. Know that you can apply early – Most countries accept visa applications up to 90 days before the travel date. For a Schengen visa, one can apply up to 6 months prior to the date of travel.

2. Know that visa appointments are free – There could be a nominal service fee to prepay for select countries.

3. Know that VFS Global has no role or influence on the decision of the visa application – The decision on visa applications, the visa tenure, and the timelines to process them lie in the hands of the concerned embassies or consulates.听

4. Know that VFS Global does not work in association with any third-party entities – Beware of scammers who claim to be associated with, or pose, as VFS Global and guarantee appointments or positive visa decision

5. Know that VFS Global is neither involved in job placement nor immigration-related services. – Be cautious of scammers offering spurious job or immigration opportunities in exchange for money.听听

In addition, travelers are reminded to review their visa applications to avoid these common mistakes:听

1. Information mismatch – The details on the application forms, such as name, passport number, and date of birth, must match the official documents.听

2. Incorrect photo format 鈥� Check the photo guidelines specific to one鈥檚 target destination.

3. Incomplete documentation – Refer to the checklist for one鈥檚 target destination.

4. Unauthenticated bank statements – For certain destinations, applicants should ensure their bank statements are updated and authenticated as required. While most travelers know they need to present bank statements, failing to have these statements authenticated remains a common mistake.

Peak travel seasons can cause delays, which is why it鈥檚 advisable to apply early, Mr. Vijaykumar said.听

鈥淲aiting until the last moment not only increases the risk of delays but also exposes applicants to fraudulent entities seeking to exploit their urgency,鈥� he said.听

Ivaylo S. Ivanov, SVP of hotel operations at Okada Manila, explains the significance of receiving a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide.

AS SUNFLOWERS, petunias, bonsai plants, and rose cacti decorate the public spaces in the city of Baguio at this time of the year when it holds the Panagbenga Festival, visitors learn that neither earthquakes nor viruses can keep a good city down.

It is something of an understatement to call the Philippines a tourism hotspot. If the country could only be known for any one thing, it would be the beauty of its natural heritage, the expansive cuisine, and the hospitality of its people.

The age of the Internet and globalization has only cemented the country鈥檚 reputation, with many tourists from overseas coming to the Philippines to explore its pristine beaches and sample its exotic food. In fact, a total of 4,852,107 international visitors were recorded from January to July this year alone.

Tourism has proven to be a significant pillar for the country鈥檚 economic development, as it grew by in the past 10 years (2009-2010).

鈥淩evenue from arrivals is 24.24% higher versus the same period in 2018, translating to about P298.81 billion in inbound receipts in just the first seven months of the year,鈥� Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said.

For the month of July this year alone, 18.06% more inbound arrivals were recorded than in 2018 for a total 719,057 visitors. Tourism generated an estimated P53.47 billion during that time, the highest month in terms of receipts and 53.64% higher than the same month last year.

Tourist per capita expenditure 鈥� the sum of expenditure made by inbound tourists for travel costs and consumption in the country 鈥� reportedly rose to $1,263.96 or 40.39% higher than July 2018.

The numbers mark 12.36% increase from the same period of last year鈥檚 figures with the peak season months of November to December remaining, according to the DoT.
In 2018, the Philippines welcomed 7.1 million international visitors compared to 2009 where there were only three million foreign arrivals.

The tourism decade and onwards

The tourism industry is booming, and many Filipinos are enjoying its benefits. By 2018, 13% of total employment 鈥� 5.4 million jobs 鈥� was directly attributed to the tourism sector.

鈥淭he positive growth of the tourism industry today is because of the innovations of the Tourism Act of 2009. The law has enabled the nation to develop the sector to provide inclusive growth to communities all over the country,鈥� said Ms. Puyat.

Signed into law on May 12, 2009 by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Tourism Act was authored by Senator Richard J. Gordon and 1st District of Bohol Representative Edgardo M. Chatto.

Since the enactment of Tourism Act in 2009, foreign arrivals have more than doubled, growing from three million in 2009 to 7.1 million individuals by the end of 2018. Before the full implementation of the law, in 2009 total employment in the tourism industry was only at 3.9 million.

In celebration of the law鈥檚 massive achievement, the DoT will launch a year-long campaign titled 鈥淭ourism Decade: Celebrating the Rise of the Philippine Travel Industry with the Tourism Act of 2009,鈥� which will narrate how the RA 9593 has significantly improved the lives of thousands of individuals and communities.

The DoT launched the campaign with the release of its latest video, a microsite with mini-documentaries and the opening of the multi-media exhibition, Onwards: The Philippine Tourism in Intramuros. The launch event was held at Museo de Intramuros on September 27, 2019.

Through the stories of the people from the tourism sector, and those that dedicated their lives to making meaningful and memorable experience for visitors, the government hopes to spread awareness about the transformative power of the tourism industry, and how it can lead the country towards growth.

鈥淭he Tourism Decade celebration is an event not only to commemorate the law, but also to honor the travel industry鈥檚 contributions to the improvement of the lives of the Filipino people, and to bring attention to tourism鈥檚 functions as an engine of investment, employment, growth and national development,鈥� Ms. Puyat said in her keynote speech.
鈥淚f not for the implementation of Tourism Act, it would have been difficult for us to see the rising impact of the tourism industry on the country鈥檚 economic progress over the years, reaching a 12.7% contribution to the nation鈥檚 gross domestic product in 2018. This continued growth has proven tourism鈥檚 direct linkages to various socio-economic development activities that have been helping improve our people鈥檚 quality of life,鈥� she added.

The campaign features the stories of Whang-Od, the century-old Mambabatok of Kalinga; Rambo, the dog tour guide of Batad, Ifugao; the Deafinite Tour Guiding Service of Intramuros for its deaf-friendly tours; the Lake Pandin Women Rafters of San Pablo, Laguna; and Bobby Adrao, an advocate for whale shark protection in Donsol, Sorsogon.
Further down south, the campaign also puts the spotlight on two Puerto Princesa locals: Angelo Cayabo, a former dishwasher who established dolphin-watching tours in Palawan; and Eva Valledor, founder of Binuatan Creations, a successful sustainable community livelihood program famous for their weaved products. It also covered the experiences of the Loboc River Choir in Bohol; Laida Escoltura, a known home cook from General Luna, Siargao; and the indigenous T鈥橞oli people of South Cotabato who exemplify how cultural tourism can enhance Philippine living traditions.

Throughout the campaign, DoT plans to add more stories about more people who will forever be part of its more fun tourism story. There will be an exhibition for the public to explore the impact of the act in more detail called 鈥淥nwards: The Philippine Tourism Decade Exhibition鈥� which has two parts: the outdoor and interactive installation at Plaza Roma; and the indoor exhibition in San Ignacio Church, both located inside Intramuros鈥� historic walls.

Today, Sept. 30, a preview of the exhibition is open while DoT continues to collect stories nominated by different regions which will also be featured in the exhibition.
Featured at the indoor exhibition are portraits of the DoT tourism workers and documentary shows.

INTERNATIONAL budget hotel chain, ZEN Rooms, has introduced ZEN Homes 鈥� its solution to what the company sees as a current lack of affordable accommodations in one of the country’s most prominent central business districts, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig.

“Until now, there were simply zero professional affordable options for travelers in BGC 鈥� only luxury hotels and amateur Airbnbs,” Nathan Boublil, ZEN Rooms cofounder and global managing director, told 大象传媒 in an e-mail interview late-December 2017.

The dearth of options, he said, puts travelers in a tight spot: luxury hotels are expensive and while amateur Airbnbs are “clearly more affordable, it is not the most reliable or the safest options.”

“[Airbnbs are] not even necessarily cheap as there are no economies of scale on the service,” he explained.

So, in order to provide a more affordable and reliable option, ZEN Rooms has introduced serviced apartments which can cost as low as P2,000/night all-in and includes facilities like pools, gyms and fully functional kitchens.

“ZEN Homes [has] the service level of a mid-range hotel and is cheaper than an Airbnb. We are able to achieve such low prices thanks to the economies of scale of managing many units and hotels (unlike amateur Airbnbs who cannot spread their cost across units),” Mr. Boublil said.

Located at the ICON Plaza and Forbeswood Parklane, ZEN Rooms currently operate 70 “homes” and plans to introduce 50 more by the first quarter of 2018.

ZEN Rooms, a budget hotel brand backed by Rocket Internet SE of Germany, was founded in the middle of 2015 by Nathan Boublil and Kiren Tanna, who built in 2012 鈥� also backed by Rocket Internet 鈥� which has become the largest food delivery service in Asia.

Unlike budget hotel brands which typically construct properties from the ground-up, ZEN Rooms operates by taking over existing rooms in already-built buildings such as condominiums or hotels and re-branding them and furnishing them with all the fixtures of a hotel: a front desk, a restaurant, etc.

The serviced apartments are also bigger spaces 鈥� from 40 square meters for studio rooms to 60 square meters for apartments which can house four people. And because of the added amenities, Mr. Boublil said guests stay for around one week on average.

“Professionals having meetings in BGC would have to stay in Makati and then commute. Amateur Airbnbs is often not an option for them given the lack of reliability and planning needed to check in/out,” he said of the rationale behind the apartments.

“Given this lack of budget hotels that we could possibly franchise and work with, we decided to create the offering ourselves from scratch, by taking apartment units under management and operating them,” he added.

ZEN Rooms first introduced the service in Makati in the first quarter of 2017 and decided to replicate it in BGC during the last quarter of the same year, noting that since opening in BGC, its current customer demographics are skewed towards professional/business travelers (60% profession and 40% leisure.)

“Given the excellent customer satisfaction ratings, we are now growing our ZEN Home division fast, benefiting travelers and real estate owners 鈥� and essentially turning into the largest budget serviced apartment business in the Philippines, in addition to our budget hotel franchise,” he said.

ZEN Rooms entered the Philippine market in 2016 and is now currently operating more than a thousand rooms in 10 cities nationwide. In Asia, the company is currently operating more than 5,000 rooms in over 35 locations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

WHEN MARTIAL LAW was declared in Mindanao in May, the tourism and hospitality industry in Davao City saw a plunge in tourist arrivals, at least during the first few months of the announcement. According to its Tourism Office鈥檚 latest report, there was a 19% drop in the number of tourists who visited the city in June, from 152,678 tourists in June last year, to 123,343 tourist arrivals in the same period this year. But since August (thanks to the Kadayawan festival held every third week of August) everything, it seems, is picking up again. It鈥檚 back to regular business.

鈥淭he business was good [early this year], but when martial law was declared, there was a drop of tourists arrivals 鈥� of Chinese visitors cancelling their trips 鈥� in June and July. But it picked up in August because of the Kadayawan festival and because they saw that it is peaceful here,鈥� said Bryan Yves Lasala, general manager of the Waterfront Insular Hotel, of the effects of Marial Law on the hotel.

The majority, or 80%, of the hotel鈥檚 visitors are locals, while the remaining guests are from the US, China, Korea, and Japan.

Upon the hotel鈥檚 invitation, a group of lifestyle journalists from Manila stayed at the Waterfront from Oct 11-13.

For the past 56 years, Waterfront has remained the only available accommodation in Davao City that has a beachfront, which makes it different from the rest, said Mr. Lasala. Davao City has a total of 10,000 rooms counting small and big hotels (Marco Polo, Seda, Microtel, Red Planet, Go Hotels, Dusit Thani), inns, and pension houses.

An iconic landmark in the city for the past five decades and counting, Waterfront Insular is primarily a MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, and exhibitions) hotel. While it has been hosting conferences, it has also become the go-to place for a communal New Year countdown in the city. Its beachfront is a good viewing location for offshore firework displays. It is widely known that Davao implements a firecracker ban, so locals enjoy staycations and tourists book accommodations at the hotel which is less than 45 minutes away from the city proper and less than 20 minutes away from the International Airport.

SMOKING, CURFEWS, AND ISAW

When at the heart of the city, it is inevitable that one goes to the night market. In front of Aldevinco 鈥� a small shopping strip where pearls, souvenirs, and durian are sold 鈥� is a night market focusing on street food like isaw, barbecue, kwek kwek, and other skewers. Today there is no trace of the bombing that happened in the same spot last year as the crowd of hungry people sit on the plastic chairs while partaking of both their food and the juiciest gossip.

The night market is smokey because of the grilled food 鈥� the city is otherwise smoke-free thanks to a long-standing ban on smoking cigarettes in public. Chain smokers are limited to indulging in their vice in small designated smoking areas 鈥� a P5,000 fine awaits people who dare break the rule.

The city is veiled in darkness as the nights grow longer as the year draws to a close. Because the city is under martial law, there are curfews for minors but the locals said adults can still go out late at night. From the point of view of a first-time visitor, Davao 鈥� amidst all the bad publicity 鈥� seemed safe and at peace.

The night market closes at 7 p.m.

WATER AND LAND ACTIVITIES
The mornings, meanwhile call for day trips to the sea.

Waterfront Insular is a convenient exit point going to nearby Samal Island where people can relax and swim in the Davao Gulf. A typhoon (Odette) was looming in Luzon at the time of our visit, but Mindanao remained sunny; the water, still and serene.

Waterfront also has its own beach, but Samal Island鈥檚 is clearer, cleaner, cooler. The resort-hotel offers boat services going back and forth to Samal 鈥� it takes just 30 minutes for the two-way trip. Insular鈥檚 partner tourist attraction in Samal is a quiet Bali-style villa called Chema鈥檚 by the Sea. At least three groups of tourists were also on the island with us, but the place remained quiet and at peace.

Lunch, though, is better taken back at the hotel鈥檚 Caf茅 Uno and La Parilla, each having distinct menus. Pizza, pasta, salad, and a buffet of Filipino food like pancit, chicken inasal, street food (kwek kwek and fish balls), and taho are available in Caf茅 Uno that serves breakfast and lunch buffets. Fresh sea food, meat skewers, and soup, meanwhile, are available in La Parilla.

From Waterfront is another tourist spot not too far away called Eden Nature Park and Resort. A garden of fruits and vegetables and manmade forest, Eden is like Tagaytay 鈥� because both are elevated areas making them cool and breezy. The sprawling resort is host to activities like fishing, sky swinging and sky cycling, horseback riding, swimming, and gardening.

CHANGING LANDSCAPES
A standee of the city鈥檚 former mayor and now President, Rodrigo R. Duterte, is found in almost every tourist spot we visited: in Eden, in the airport, and in Waterfront鈥檚 lobby. While the politician鈥檚 slogan is 鈥渃hange is coming,鈥� Waterfront, on the other hand, remains rooted in the past at its core, including design-wise.

Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, the 12-hectare property has six function rooms, one big pool, and 159 rooms. According to general manager Mr. Lasala, the management did not want to touch anything because they respect and regard the structure as part of the national heritage. The amenities and rooms are mostly wooden and reminiscent of the Baguio hotels of the last century. The two-story property has no elevators 鈥� one goes up via pebbled stairways.

While the classic ambiance of the hotel has remained consistent through the years, it has witnessed changes in its name many times over the course of the last 50 years. It was build by a group of investors led by the Ayalas in 1961 and was first called Islandia Hotel. The following year, it鈥檚 name was changed to El Davao Insular Hotel when a Spanish national became its hotel manager. The Inter-continental group came to manage the hotel in 1980, when it was renamed the Davao Insular Inter-Continental Inn. In 1991, the Ayalas took over for two years 鈥� changing its name again, this time as the Insular Hotel Davao. Three years after that, the hotel became the Insular Century Hotel, after the Century Hotel group took the new management. In 1999, Waterfront Philippines acquired the property and the hotel has been using the name Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao ever since.

Martial Law is scheduled to be lifted in December and the hotel鈥檚 name (who knows) may change yet again, but what will remain constant, according to Mr. Lasala, is their efforts in keeping its good service sustainable for its guests.

SEOUL 鈥� While most tourists flock to shooting locations of Korean dramas or shop for Korean cosmetics, often overlooked on their itinerary are the many museums in South Korea.

South Korea鈥檚 place in the art world has been cemented with the Gwangju and Busan biennales. In past years, Seoul has hosted retrospectives on Van Gogh, Renoir, Rodin, Warhol, and Picasso, while international artists regularly hold solo shows there.

Samsung鈥檚 Leeum Museum of Art boasts of Maman by Louise Bourgeois, while the Ho-am Museum houses a cast of Rodin鈥檚 The Gates of Hell and The Burghers of Calais.

Several government-run museums, some of which offer free admission, provide a deeper understanding of Korean culture and history.

The National Museum of Korea is the largest in the country, and showcases Korean cultural assets. It has over 300,000 pieces in its collection, but only around 15,000 are displayed at a time.

Some of the must-see pieces are the 10-storey Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda (National Treasure No. 86) and a 5^th century gold crown (National Treasure No. 191).

Korean contemporary art is displayed at the National Museum of Contemporary Art鈥檚 main branch in Gwacheon and its two Seoul branches 鈥� one inside Deoksu Palace and another next to Gyeongbok Palace.

For a quick introduction to modern Korean history, the place to go is the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, located along Gwanghwamun.

Through interactive displays (in English and Korean), visitors learn about the birth of the Republic of Korea 鈥� its struggles during the Japanese occupation, liberation in 1945, the Korean War, the country鈥檚 rapid economic development, and the Democratization movement.

A rooftop garden on the museum鈥檚 8^th floor offers expansive views of Seoul鈥檚 main road Gwanghwamun and its park, as well as Gyeongbok Palace and the mountains behind it.

Visitors are also given a chance to experience the Korean War using virtual reality goggles, as well as sit behind the President鈥檚 desk at a mock-up of the Cheong Wa Dae office.

The real Cheong Wa Dae 鈥� the presidential residence also known as Blue House because of its blue roof tiles 鈥� is just a 15-minute walk away from the museum. It has its own museum called Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae, which is open to the public. There are exhibits there about the country鈥檚 presidents and history in the last 60 years.

鈥楪ARDEN MUSEUM IN THE SKY鈥�

Several museums are worth taking a trip outside Seoul for.

Museum SAN (Space Art Nature) is tucked away inside the Oak Valley resort in the mountains of Wonju, Gangwon province. 鈥淪an鈥� incidentally also means mountain in Korean.

Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who designed the museum, was quoted in a 2014 Financial Times interview as saying he wanted to 鈥渃reate a garden museum in the sky, a dreamlike museum like no other.鈥�

Visitors walk through the sculpture garden amid trees covered in rust and yellow leaves to reach the main building. A stunning red archway by Alexander Liberman rises over a pathway to the museum, surrounded by pools of water reflecting the stunning fall foliage.

Nature, art, and architecture combine to make a visit to Museum SAN a memorable one. It has a Paper Gallery dedicated to Korean paper craft; the Cheongjo Gallery featuring a few Korean modern and contemporary art pieces; as well as a hall showcasing a work of video art pioneer Nam June Paik.

For some, the highlight are American artist James Turrell鈥檚 artworks 鈥� Sky Space, Horizon Room, Ganzfeld, and Wedgework. 鈥淭he beauty of light and the sense of infinite space by Mr. Turrell will make you meditate on yourself,鈥� the museum said.

STAY AT AN ART HOTEL
Haslla Art World, located in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, is not just a museum but also a hotel. Overlooking the East Sea, the museum-hotel boasts of stunning views, a sculpture park, stylish rooms, and quirky art pieces.

Haslla is designed by artist couple Ok-yung Choi and Shin-jung Park, who wanted to bring art closer to the people. The museum features a hodge podge mix of colorful paintings, sculptures, and installations, which are very 鈥淚nstagram-able.鈥�

A tunnel connecting the museum to a Pinocchio exhibition, may remind fans of Netflick鈥檚 Stranger Things of dark passageways in Upside Down.

On display at the Pinocchio exhibit are toys, paintings, and souvenirs 鈥� all in the image of the beloved fictional character. A museum docent says the owner chose to focus on Pinocchio as a way to make art more relatable to children, and even adults.

All located in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Kowloon, the Marco Polo Hongkong, Gateway, and Prince hotels form part of Harbour City 鈥� Hong Kong鈥檚 largest shopping complex with more than 450 shops including leading luxury brands.

鈥淔ilipino guests love shopping, eating, and new experiences when they are traveling around. As a world-famous shopping paradise and culinary capital, Hong Kong is an attractive destination with a huge variety of shopping and dining options for Filipino guests to choose from,鈥� Marco Polo Hotels 鈥� Hong Kong Director of Communications Samantha Poon said in an e-mail to 大象传媒.

Ms. Poon explained the updates in a presentation at a media dinner on Oct. 26 at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila.

The landmark Marco Polo Hongkong has upgraded its building fa莽ade overlooking the Victoria Habour, while the Prince Hotel has unveiled a more contemporary lobby.

To enhance client comfort, Gateway Hotel opened a new Continental Club floor with 21 rooms and suites overlooking bustling Canton Road. The Club floor offers a stylish design and latest technology for travelers.

鈥淭here is a constantly increasing trend of Filipino guests鈥� visit to the three Marco Polo hotels in the previous two years,鈥� Ms. Poon said in an e-mail.

She noted that Gateway Hotel is relatively the most popular among the three hotels in Hong Kong. 鈥淐hic Gateway Hotel boasts sophisticated interiors within a stylish urban sanctuary. All of its spacious rooms and suites feature sleek design elements evoking a contemporary residential feel,鈥� she said in her e-mail.

鈥淥f course if you wish to enjoy the breathtaking view of Victoria Harbour, Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel is definitely the choice. Alternatively, Prince Hotel is at the doorstep of the China Ferry Terminal where ferry services to Hong Kong鈥檚 fascinating neighboring cities including Macau and other areas in China, such as Zhuhai, Zhongshan are available.鈥�

In addition, hotel guests may enjoy Hong Kong鈥檚 longest-running outdoor beer festival, the German Bierfest, which is ongoing until Nov. 11 at the Marco Polo Hongkong. An extensive selection of German beers are being served, including the famous Erdinger Wei脽br盲u. Guests are entertained by traditional performances by the Notenhobler.

鈥淲e recommend Filipino guests to visit Hong Kong during late autumn, from October to around Christmas time when the weather is relatively cool and pleasant… They may enjoy a precious moment with their loved ones during Christmas, one of their favorite celebration with family,鈥� she said.

Marco Polo Hotels 鈥� Hong Kong won the Merit Award at the 2017 Hong Kong Merit Awards Quality Award ceremony in July. The award recognizes outstanding performances and quality standards of organizations in all fields of industry and business. 鈥� Michelle Anne P. Soliman

KOREA鈥檚 ability to offer new sites and experiences even to returning travelers is one of the main reasons it continues to draw throngs of tourists worldwide. First-timers will be captivated by its palaces, monuments, natural wonders, and shopping districts, while those who come back for a second, third, or fourth visit will find that they can still see the Land of the Morning Calm with fresh eyes — with the same sense of discovery and newness as their initial trip.

In 2017, for instance, Seoul opened at least three new destinations in quick succession. Lotte World Tower, the fifth-tallest skyscraper in the world, opened to the public in April. The tower houses Seoul Sky, the third-highest observation deck in the world, on the 117^th to 123^rd floors. Meanwhile, Seoullo 7017, an elevated highway transformed into a public park for pedestrians, was inaugurated a month after. Freezing Island, an indoor park with over 200 ice sculptures, commenced operations in July.

On a recent trip my seventh in the last six years — I had the chance to check out Seoul鈥檚 latest offerings as well as try some of the top tourist picks. The two days were packed, filling my senses to the brim. The itinerary prepared by the Korea Tourism Organization Manila Office proved that Seoul is definitely worth returning to.

From an informal survey taken during program, the runaway favorite was the opportunity to don a hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, and then taking a tour of the Bukchon Hanok Village and its surrounding areas on board a pedicab. Several Bukchon shops rent out hanbok, complete with headdress and other accessories. They will also provide appropriate hairstyling for the ladies to complement the look. Whether your bucket list includes strolling around the historic city or exploring the cultural areas by a pedicab, doing so while wearing a hanbok will make for better appreciation of Korean culture.

The pedicab ride was more interesting, no small thanks to cyclists of Artee Riders Club. A lady biker — the only one in the group — took us around while sharing that she grew up in the US, that she had a Master鈥檚 Degree from an American university, and that she recently returned to Korea to discover her roots.

We moved from the traditional to the modern by trooping to the Gr茅vin Museum, a gallery featuring wax figures of famous personalities. As expected, the exhibition is replete with statues of Hallyu stars such as singers Psy and G-Dragon and actors Lee Min Ho and Kim Soo Hyun. They are in good company with the likenesses of Pope Francis, President Donald Trump, Queen Elizabeth, and Tom Cruise. Aside from wax figures, Gr茅vin also has interactive media zones with a flight simulator, casino roulette and a digital lab that allows patrons to make their own wax figures.

Those who fancy performance art should watch The Painters: Hero, a nonverbal performance at the Jongno Theater that features four artists creating several artworks in minutes. Combined with dance, mime and comedy, it was a worthwhile spectacle similar to Nanta, another nonverbal kitchen musical that ran in the Philippines in 2015. It was fun to witness the performers draw celebrities and Korean icons in a snap, keeping the audience glued for the duration of the 80-minute show.

More than a visual feast, the familiarization tour was also a gastronomic delight. In the cooking class conducted by OME Cooking Club, we learned the perfect way to prepare mushroom japchae, Korea鈥檚 version of pancit, and spicy chicken stew. The delectable Italian dinner at Ola! at Some Sevit, the huge artificial islands in the middle of the Han River which is a preferred events venue, was a highlight of excursion. The shabu shabu following The Painters was filling but quite healthy.

A trip to Seoul will not be complete without a short detour to the cosmetics shops. For this leg, we went to the flagship store of Sulwhasoo, a premium Korean beauty line. Its posh wellness center in Gangnam has a wide array of makeup and skincare products and even offers value-added services like a spa. In September, there was an exhibit on a popular Korean folklore.

I was most excited to see the new sites, particularly Seoul Sky, which I missed in my visit last spring. For 27,000 Korean Won (roughly P1,200), you gain entrance to the observatory, which is the third-highest in the world and gives a breathtaking, 360-degree view of Seoul. Unlike other viewing decks atop buildings, Lotte World Tower鈥檚 Seoul Sky has transparent glass floors which may be daunting to those with acrophobia but the brave are rewarded with an unobstructed view of the busy streets below. The elevator that ferries visitors to the observatory, dubbed the Sky Shuttle, has a four-walled screen that shows the transformation of Seoul and the Han River over the years.

The Seoullo 7017, meantime, used to be the Seoul Station Overpass built in 1970. It was due for demolition but the city decided to convert it this year into a multi-use facility with restaurants, shops and recreational stops. It has art performances at night and is fast becoming a favorite stamping ground of Seoulites.

Meantime, Freezing Island is a good alternative to the Ice Museum of Hongdae. As it was launched barely four months ago, its operators promised the installation of more sculptures and putting up additional pavilions for its customers.

In line with its 鈥淚.Seoul.U鈥� tourism campaign, the city is expected to constantly innovate to give its guests unique experiences every single visit, providing a fresh perspective each time.

For more information, contact the Korea Tourism Organization Manila Office at 880-0312, @koreatourismmanila or visit their Facebook page at .

BUSAN may well be Korea鈥檚 land of festivals with unique celebrations for every season. From the Haeundae Sand Festival, Polar Bear Swim Festival, Busan Nakdong River Canola Blossoms Festival, the Busan One Asia Festival and the now world-renowned Busan International Film Festival, there is a reason to troop to Korea鈥檚 second-largest city any time of the year. But even without these special festivities, this major maritime hub has been attracting more visitors as it slowly establishes itself as a preferred location for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).

It prides itself for having a wide array of accommodations, convention facilities, and a perfect support system complementing both business and tourism.

According to the Busan Tourism Organization, this city in the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula ranked fourth among MICE cities in Asia and 15^th in the world in a study conducted by the Union of International Associations (UIA) in 2011. In a more recent UIA survey released in June, Korea ranked first for meetings held in 2016. Out of 11,000 international meetings, 997 were held in Korea, representing 9.5%, increasing from 7.5% in 2015. The Land of the Morning Calm has consistently improved its standing from fourth in 2014 with 636 events to second place the following year with 891 events. Notably, Busan captured a respectable share of the events, hosting 152 meetings last year.

Korea recorded over 2,200 MICE tourists from the Philippines from January to December 2016. In the first 10 months of the year, more than 3,000 MICE visitors from the Philippines were listed. Seoul remains the top destination, followed by Busan, Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam and Daegu.

Busan decided to take the MICE path when it launched a meetings industry promotion plan in 2012. Aiming to become Asia鈥檚 business meeting hub, it expanded the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) and auditorium, established other conference venues, and developed hotels and other types of lodgings for the expected deluge of visitors.

Now, Busan is more than a just alternative stop to Seoul. It is a destination that offers a vibe different from the capital city and certainly worth exploring well after the scheduled conference or exhibit is over.

Here are some of the recommended sites and activities for business travelers to Busan:

1. Ride the Busan Songdo Cable Car — Opened in June, this newest attraction provides an eight-minute ride from Songnim Park to Amnam Park. Also called the Busan Air Cruise, the cable car runs about 1.6 kilometers east to west across the sea and peaks at 86 meters. Although more expensive by 5,000 Korean Won, it is best to choose the crystal cabins with transparent bottoms for a more spectacular view of the Songdo Beach and the city as a whole.

2. Hit the beach — Haeundae and Gwangalli Beaches are open all year round but can only accommodate swimmers during summer. However, tourists visiting either during spring or fall will nonetheless enjoy as there are other things to do besides swimming. The nearby Busan Aquarium has an extensive collection of marine wildlife while those who prefer the outdoors can just commune with the pigeons of Haeundae.

3. Find the Little Prince at the Gamcheon Cultural Village — This colorful village with quaint caf茅s and one-of-a-kind shops continues to draw visitors. Dubbed as the Santorini of South Korea, it boasts of installations, murals and other artworks lined in its many art streets. Its picturesque and colorful hillside houses provide the area with a different creative charm. For some reason, however, tourists are drawn to the statue of The Little Prince, the main character in Antoine de Saint-Exupery鈥檚 novella with the same title.

4. Say a little prayer at the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple 鈥� Although a bit difficult to reach by public transport, this majestic cliffside temple is a must-visit Busan monument. Buddhist monks roam the area and we were lucky to have been gifted with bracelets and more importantly, blessings, during our visit.

5. Food trip at the Jagalchi and Gukje Markets and the nearby BIFF Square 鈥� As a maritime port, even Koreans from other regions flock to Busan for its fresh seafood. The Jagalchi and Gukje Markets have restaurants with some of the best seafood platters. The adventurous may try the octopus sashimi, with newly harvested octopus that are moist, juicy, and still moving. BIFF Square, meantime, offers sweet Busan treats like ssiat hotteok, a sweet and chewy pancake stuffed with seeds and peanuts and may be addicting.

6. Check out the newly renovated Busan Tower — Busan Tower was refurbished last year and only reopened in July. Although not very tall compared to Seoul鈥檚 Namsan Tower or Lotte World Tower, it is increasingly drawing visitors for its multimedia display and interactive facilities.

7. Try the various unique hands-on activities — Busan is teeming with service providers that promote hands-on activities like the making of Samjin Eomuk (fish cake) or preparing your own makgeolli (rice wine) face mask. Short and simple, these projects are more for cultural appreciation. A jimjilbang (Korean spa) stopover at the Shinsegae, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the world鈥檚 largest shopping complex, will prove to be a unique experience. Leave your shyness at the door as customers will wander in their birthday suit.

8. Feel the adrenaline rush at Oryukdo Skywalk — There are five to six rock islands off the southern coast of Busan called Oryukdo (鈥渙鈥� means five while 鈥測uk鈥� means six in Korean) Island. Considered a National Cultural Heritage site, it is composed of the islands of Gonggotdo, Guldo, Surido, Usakdo (comprised of Bangpaedo and Sol), and Deungdaedo, where the lighthouse stands. A skywalk has been built so visitors can fully appreciate Busan鈥檚 deep blue ocean while walking on a transparent ledge.

So a visit to Busan need not be all business. Convention participants, managers, executives, and even incentive recipients can certainly take pleasure in what Busan has to offer after the last item in the agenda has been stricken off. And thereafter, Busan will definitely beckon you back.

For inquiries, contact the Korea MICE Bureau mice@knto.or.kr or visit .

TRAVELING has become more than just a simple vacation as there are quite a number of people who have made traveling a way of life 鈥� leaving their jobs to travel the world 鈥� but there are also those who travel to experience the best the world has to offer, and for those kinds of travelers, Luxury Gold presents more than 40 itineraries promising a 鈥渦nique and exclusive collection of VIP experiences,鈥� said a company press release.

鈥淟uxury Gold is special, it鈥檚 more for the discerning travelers looking for the best experiences,鈥� said Aileen Clemente, chairman and president of Rajah Travel Corp., the local partner of Insight Vacations (which creates the Luxury Gold itineraries) during the press conference on Oct. 20 at the Raffles Hotel in Makati.

The 42 itineraries done for the 2018 brochure features new and old favorites including Italy, France, Britain, India, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries in Asia, Latin America, North America, and Africa.

鈥淓verything is handpicked,鈥� said Evon Ler, president of Insight Vacations Asia, of the itineraries which she assured includes VIP access to many well-known tourist spots including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Doge鈥檚 Palace in Venice, and a private visit to the Tower of London, among many others.

This year鈥檚 brochure also features the Chairman鈥檚 Collection 鈥� experiences handpicked by the Travel Corp.鈥檚 (Insight Vacation is part of the company) chairman, Stanley Tollman.

Available only on select departure dates, the Chairman鈥檚 Collection includes a lunch with an Italian count at his grand Tuscan Villa, or visiting the gardens of Alnwick Castle with the Duchess of Northumberland, among others.

The beauty of a Luxury Gold experience, said Ms. Ler, is that everything is already taken care of: passengers are driven to their five-star accommodations (sometimes even a castle) via a limousine, a Michelin-starred lunch or dinner will always be included in the itineraries, and the tours will be helmed by a travel concierge who will ensure a smooth-running journey and will include local experts who will provide 鈥渁n extraordinary perspective on the heritage and traditions of their respective regions,鈥� said the press release.

The itineraries are also meant for smaller tour group, usually around 25 people.

鈥淔ilipinos know what luxury travel is about… Filipinos enjoy luxury,鈥� said Robin Yap, president of the Travel Corp. in Asia, before adding that when Singaporeans are offered a luxury itinerary, the first thing they鈥檒l ask is 鈥渉ow much鈥� before 鈥渉ow good is it,鈥� unlike Filipinos who ask 鈥渨ill I have a good time鈥� first.

Mr. Yap considers the Philippines their second largest volume market following Singapore, but that it鈥檚 mostly because of visa considerations which he considers a good thing as this encourages people to book early.

Compared to the usual Insight Vacations itineraries, he has pegged Luxury Gold itineraries at 20% higher in price on average, but stressed that every cent is worth it because of the elevated experience they offer.

A cursory look at the brochure shows a British Royale itinerary 鈥� a nine- to 10-day journey from England to Scotland 鈥� which costs at least $4,225 per person. The British itinerary which includes the Chairman鈥檚 Collection (the visit with the Duchess of Northumberland) costs $5,225 per person.

Ms. Clemente pointed out that the favorite destinations for Filipinos include Lourdes in France, and Russia (鈥渋t will always be mystical to Filipinos鈥�), while Iceland is coming up because of the increased interest in seeing the Aurora Borealis alongside New Zealand which she described is 鈥渧ery, very active in promotions.鈥�

For more information about the brochure and itineraries, contact Rajah Travel at 894-0886 or e-mail leisuretoursitl1@rajahtravel.com or visit .

鈥淧eople have always come in the summer for the beaches,鈥� says Riccardo Binda, cutting into a succulently tender slice of Florentine steak, grilled over embers.

鈥淣ow we鈥檙e getting visitors all year round. It鈥檚 something new that has developed as the reputation of Bolgheri鈥檚 wine has grown.鈥�

Binda is the general manager of the local consortium of wine makers in an area known for its production of high-quality Bordeaux-style reds.

Sourced from eighth generation master butcher Dario Cecchini and hung for 100 days, the T-bone he is eating is a popular choice.

On a sunny October afternoon, the Osteria Magona is packed and abuzz with the mingling murmurs of quiet foodie contentment and wine-fueled chat in English, French, German and Japanese.

It鈥檚 a scene to gladden the heart of Dario Franceschini, Italy鈥檚 culture and tourism minister, as he prepares the accounts on what is expected to be a record year for tourism.

The sector accounts for around 10% of the country鈥檚 GDP and has become a significant engine of growth for an economy emerging from years of stagnation.

A bumper summer season saw a 16% surge in the total number of visits to the country鈥檚 long coastlines, with the number of overseas customers up a little more than five percent.

WORLD WINE TOWN
But with just over 52 million foreign visitors in 2016, according to the UN鈥檚 World Tourism Organization, Italy still lags behind its comparable neighbors France, with 82 million visitors last year, and Spain with 75 million.

The minister is also acutely aware that much of the recent growth in tourism can be attributed to terrorism-related security concerns that have diverted holiday makers from Tunisia, Egypt, and Turkey.

Against that backdrop, authorities are looking to bolster year-round arrivals and target visitors in search of more than a sun tan.

Foreign directors have been brought in to revamp some of the country鈥檚 major museums and art galleries, while a major upgrade of the Francigena pilgrim鈥檚 route reflects an effort to draw in more hikers and cyclists.

But according to designer and entrepreneur Franco Malenotti, the country is not making the most of its celebrated wines and rich culinary heritage.

鈥淓nogastronomic (food and wine) tourism is a big new trend,鈥� Malenotti told AFP, citing research that points to a major surge in Asian and Latin American foodies heading for Europe in the next few years.

鈥淚taly should be in the avant-garde in this sector. But it鈥檚 not. Why? Because we have done almost nothing to foster and promote it.鈥�

Malenotti鈥檚 eclectic career has included designing Batman and other Hollywood costumes as well as owning the cult fashion label Belstaff.

His latest venture is a 鈥淲orld Wine Town,鈥� an accommodation and restaurant complex constructed around a recently opened museum dedicated to the story of Bolgheri鈥檚 wines and designed by Oscar-winning cinema set designer Dante Ferretti.

AIRBNB BOOM
With more than 1,000 wines on tap, Malenotti is banking on the complex drawing in people like German couple Susann and Rainer Schmidt.

鈥淵ou want to taste and try the wines, but also to learn something,鈥� says Susann, glass in hand after a stroll round an exhibition in which holograms of famous wine makers such as Piero Antinori and Nicolo Incisa della Rocchetta recount their roles in making Bolgheri鈥檚 reputation.

Malenotti was inspired by the example of Bordeaux鈥檚 Cite du Vin.

鈥淲hatever product you are selling, you need a back story. It is called storytelling and it is very important in marketing,鈥� he said.

鈥淎fter coming here the majority of tourists go on to visit the wineries. In places like the Napa Valley (in the US), estates get more than half their sales from the cellar door, here in Bolgheri it is only 5%. That shows how much there is still to do.鈥�

As well as keeping restaurateurs busy, booming wine tourism has also impacted the local economy by creating a new demand for accommodation that the traditional hotel sector has yet to meet.

In Castagneto, the village closest to the museum, Malenotti estimates that three quarters of the properties are partly or fully available to rent on Airbnb-style platforms.

鈥淚t is a very disruptive trend, but not necessarily a bad one: the people really live in the area, buy stuff at the shop downstairs, eat out.

鈥淎nd already there are service companies springing up offering to do the check-ins and check-outs, the cleaning and the laundry for these kind of rentals.鈥�

The wine town project will be completed over the next year with the opening of a school for sommeliers.

鈥淚 worked with Dante on many Hollywood films and I鈥檇 also seen the great success he had with his redesign of the Egyptian museum in Turin, which has doubled its visitor numbers and is now one of the most visited museums in all of Italy,鈥� said Malenotti.

鈥淚t is what people are looking for. Once vacations were about going to a disco, relaxing, having fun.

鈥淣ow culture and well-being are the things driving today鈥檚 tourism. So Italy should really be leading the world.鈥� 鈥� AFP

NUVALI revels in nostalgia, but at the same time, it is forward-looking. Its contradictions allow it to look at the past with sentimentality while living in the present and creating a future with lessons learned from the times gone by. The 2,290 hectare mixed-used property, a project of Ayala Land, is designed with the idea of Manila before it became what is now — a crowded urban jungle. Nuvali vows not to become another limited and suffocating urbanized city with no spaces for human interactions. Forty percent of the development is allocated to open spaces that encourage the public, both residents and visitors, to walk, jog, cycle, play, and read under the trees. The property is home to 51,986 trees, 86% of which are native species. Fifty percent of the residential areas are open spaces for its 6,000 current inhabitants, majority of whom are the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The Ayala Land development townships in Nuvali are Ayala Land Premier, Alveo, Avida, and Amaia.

鈥淲e leave nature as it is and we don鈥檛 want to have any interventions with it as much as possible. Majority of our land owners are OFWs who have lived and worked abroad and have their expectations based on the country they鈥檝e temporarily called home. They are seeking a serene escape,鈥� said Nuvali General Manager John Estacio in a meeting with journalists on Oct. 9 at Seda hotel, another Ayala property that also champions a sustainable lifestyle.

Seda, an eco-friendly hotel, is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) silver certified hotel and recipient of the Urban Land Institute Philippines鈥� Healthy Places Award. The hotel faces a man-made lake with lanes for bicycle riders and pedestrians.

Nuvali鈥檚 overarching brand is about sustainable and green living. 鈥淧eople have come to appreciate a lifestyle that embraces sustainability,鈥� added Mr. Estacio.

Sixty-four percent of the huge Nuvali property — or 1,458 hectares — are already developed for concrete edifices like shopping malls, a hotel, a hospital, a big grocery, business offices, a convention hub, and two schools (Xavier School and Miriam College) set amidst Mother Nature. Future plans, according to Mr. Estacio, include another Seda hotel, an extended shopping mall, 鈥渁nd perhaps a museum.鈥� He said the construction of a new building depends on the demand.

While it may not have a museum or art gallery yet, the property already has a sprinkling of outdoor art installations by Michael Cacnio, Juan Carlo Calma, and Eduardo Castrillo.

Nuvali — from the words 鈥渘ova,鈥� or the birth of a star, and 鈥渧alley,鈥� where it is situated — gets around 60,000 visitors per weekend. Tourists can either drive there — Nuvali is less than an hour away from Metro Manila if the traffic is light — or they can take a P2P bus from the Glorietta, BGC, and Balibago stations (P250).

There visitors can enjoy recreational activities which revolve around the idea of interacting with nature. For an entrance fee of P20, visitors can pick fruits and vegetables at an organic farm called Greens and Patches. Whatever they pick is weighed and priced accordingly. Beside the farm is a zone called Camp N, which purposely lures people to move around and have fun in its obstacle courses, rope courses, and an aerial walk.

Nuvali also has a 50-km mountain bike trail.

The property is home to a thriving wildlife and bird sanctuary for endemic species. When the beeps of our smart phones and the buzzes of the city life are the usual sounds of our daily life, the aviary is a good reminder that there are other sounds in the world we need to hear: the chirps and tweets of birds, and the rustling sounds the leaves make when the wind kisses them.

The main attractions of Nuvali are the things we used to enjoy, but alas, took for granted.

The spookiest for the company鈥檚 1,800 staff was Bolsover Castle in central England, which is built on top of an ancient burial ground.

One staff member said she heard a scream which became louder as she walked away from the castle but when she rushed back she found no one there.

Security guards also said they were alarmed by unexplained lights and some staff said they saw the ghost of a little boy holding the hands of unknowing visitors.

The ghosts of a young boy and a woman have been seen in the ruins of Kenilworth Castle. Some employees said they also saw an antique cot rocking itself.

In Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight in southern England, ghostly apparitions are common.

The pale disembodied face of Elizabeth Ruffin, a young girl who drowned in a well on the site, has been spotted, as well as the 鈥淕rey Lady,鈥� a phantom wearing a long cloak accompanied by four dogs.

In Pendennis Castle in Cornwall in southwest England, visitors reported hearing the piercing cries of a kitchen maid who fell to her death when the castle was under siege for six months in the 17^th century.

Whitby Abbey in northern England, whose Gothic ruins inspired Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, has unexplained cold draughts, stock flying off the shelves, and strange taps on the shoulder seemingly from no one.

At the home of Charles Darwin, the British 19^th century naturalist, a staff member reported that a quill that lay on the desk suddenly started spinning and would not stop until she left the room. — AFP

Chinese travelers 鈥� who spent $261 billion overseas last year 鈥� are increasingly opting for “staycations,” a boon for domestic tourism operators, but a challenge for retailers and hotel chains tapping into Chinese demand abroad.

The country’s tourists made 2.54 billion trips in China in the first half of this year, up 13.5% from 2016, far outstripping an outbound market that has slowed as consumers tighten their belts amid recent economic wobbles.

“This Golden Week, we prefer to travel domestically,” said Tian Haiqin, 50, a Beijing housewife who said cost, jet lag, and language barriers were the main reasons for staying at home. “It’s quite expensive to travel abroad, not only to far Western countries, but also around Asia.”

Tian said she planned to spend around 20,000 yuan ($3,000) a week for her and her son to stay in a resort in the eastern city of Hangzhou, known for its scenic lakes and surrounding hills.

She’s not alone. Around 710 million Chinese will make trips in the country for the National Day holiday, according to estimates from travel agent International. Some six million will travel abroad.

The holiday break 鈥� one of the world’s biggest mass movements of people 鈥� gives a snapshot of China’s big-spending tourists, who can make, or break, the fortunes of hotel chains, duty-free stores, cruise firms, and brands.

Tong Yiling, Asia analyst at BMI Research, said the domestic tourism sector had seen a “rapid improvement” in competitiveness, with improved transport links and big investment in tourist sites. Better marketing about local travel destinations and the impact of tighter capital controls to deter Chinese from taking money abroad were also having an effect.

Many are looking to cash in on the domestic trend.

Walt Disney Co.’s Shanghai park saw over 10 million visitors in its first year, while Fosun International’s Club Med has opened hotels in Guilin, island getaway Sanya, and skiing resorts in the northeast.

SECURITY WORRIES
Some overseas destinations have taken a hit over security concerns, industry insiders said. Attacks in Europe, instability on the Korean peninsula, and political uncertainty in the United States have weighed on tourist demand.

“I think one of the most important reasons why people like to travel within this country is because of lots of unexpected incidents such as terrorist attacks in recent years,” said an official surnamed Zhou at travel company Leyou. “People feel it could be very dangerous to travel overseas.”

Visitor numbers to South Korea, normally a popular destination for Chinese, dropped more than 60% in August against 2016 due to a political row between Beijing and Seoul over South Korea’s installation of a missile defense system.

To be sure, China’s outbound tourism spending is still growing. A report from CLSA in July estimated Chinese tourists would spend $429 billion overseas by 2021.

But growth is slowing. Outbound travel was up just over 5% last year, down from close to 30% growth in 2010, according to BMI Research.

Beijing has helped, opening duty-free zones around the country and cracking down on dishonest local tour operators. A boom in local “adventure” tours has also helped lure younger millennial tourists to domestic travel.

“Compared with outbound travel, domestic travel has been greater in size and growth rate for the first several months of this year,” Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agent, said in written comments to Reuters.

Outbound tourism, meanwhile, is in a “new normal of steady, slow-to-moderate growth,” with tighter shopping budgets “curbing” the rise in spending overseas, it said.

Even last year, luxury brands LVMH and Burberry flagged lower Chinese tourist spending overseas.

BMI’s Tong pointed to several areas of China’s tourism market that should grow fastest in the next few years: historic sites, theme parks, and countryside farmhouse getaways, which the government is promoting to boost rural incomes.

Many Chinese, though, still look to escape the holiday rush that can see huge crowds at train stations and tourism hot spots.

Yu Yongyi, 22, has booked a trip to Vietnam, to add to holidays he has made to Spain, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

“Most of the time I’ll go abroad for holidays because the price of flights is getting lower,” said Yu, head of marketing for start-up Eniutrip. “So it’s often cheaper to go abroad than to stay at home.” 鈥� Reuters

CHICAGO, described by President Trump and others as a hellish, dystopian crime scene akin to a 鈥渨ar-torn nation鈥� and 鈥渨orse than Afghanistan鈥� is about to shatter all of its tourism records, including the one it set last year.

An abundance of creative energy is driving this renaissance: The growing skyline is getting filled with increasingly stylish hotels, and a new Riverwalk that resembles New York鈥檚 High Line is daring locals to stay outside well past summer鈥檚 end. Its long-famous museums are gaining scrappy rivals, and two gleaming new theaters are reminding Americans of the city鈥檚 prowess on-stage.

Add in the food scene — Bon Appetit named Chicago the best restaurant city of the year — and the only art-and-architecture biennial in the US, which kicked off its second iteration two weeks ago, and it鈥檚 easy to forget that this burgeoning hub of 2.7 million is also making headlines for its homicide rates.

In the middle of it all is Rahm Emanuel, who set his sights beyond the typical issues of economics and education when he became mayor of Chicago in 2011. The year before he started, tourism in the Windy City had notched 39 million visitors. By 2020, he said at the time, he wanted 50 million.

It was an ambitious goal, but by 2016, the city cleared a record 54 million arrivals — and it鈥檚 on track to exceed that number again in 2017. (By contrast, New York hosted nearly 62 million tourists in 2016.)

鈥淲e hit it within three years,鈥� Mr. Emanuel told Bloomberg. 鈥淪o I said OK, let鈥檚 go to 55 million by 2020!鈥�

A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Chicago鈥檚 tourism success has two sides. Without leaving the city鈥檚 compact downtown bubble, visitors to the city can stroll along the Riverwalk, Chicago鈥檚 ambitious waterfront-turned-pedestrian-plaza which opened last fall; hear jazz concerts on the lawn at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which culminated an expansion this summer; or drop $175 for a 10-course tasting menu at one of the country鈥檚 most daring restaurants, Alinea.

These visitors will rarely venture to the city鈥檚 south or west sides, where locals are keenly aware that the city has already logged 500 homicides this year. (In 2016, Chicago鈥檚 homicide rate trailed cities such as St. Louis, Baltimore, and Detroit when measured on a per-capita basis.)

Though Chicago鈥檚 neighborhoods remain highly segregated — a reality in many major US cities — the city鈥檚 tourism push has had ripple effects transforming the city end-to-end. There are many ways to slice the figures, but according to Choose Chicago, roughly 4,600 tourism jobs were added in 2016, raising the industry total to upward of 145,000 positions; in the same period, $900 million in tourism-related tax revenues were injected into the local economy.

A major public art initiative has brought free performances to every park in the city. Mr. Emanuel is spending $4 million this year to add 120 new sculpture works by prominent and up-and-coming local artists. A major effort to spruce up public transportation systems has also installed public artworks in many of Chicago鈥檚 CTA stations, turning them into bona fide gallery spaces for the masses.

Said David Whitaker, chief executive officer and president of Choose Chicago, the city鈥檚 tourism marketing arm, 鈥淐ities have to continue to reinvent themselves, and that鈥檚 what鈥檚 happening here.鈥�

And though many artists, entrepreneurs, and investors are part of the narrative, he鈥檚 quick to give credit to Mr. Emanuel. 鈥淚鈥檝e been in this business for 25 years, [promoting tourism] in several major cities — and I鈥檝e never seen a mayor who鈥檚 a bigger champion of tourism. It鈥檚 so central for him. He really gets that a great place to visit is equally a great place to live, work, and play.鈥�

A PUSH FOR CULTURE
The arts, it turns out, are what鈥檚 unlocking Chicago鈥檚 future. 鈥淐ulture is a venue for tourism, economic development, and public enrichment,鈥� said Mr. Emanuel, who held a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet before running for public office. 鈥淎s soon as I was elected, I had my office write a cultural plan, and we鈥檝e been assiduously following it, getting culture out to the neighborhoods and holding it up for economic purposes. I ran on this, it was part of my campaign.鈥�

Theater is his next big frontier — even if it鈥檚 been a strength of Chicago鈥檚 for many years. In the last two weeks, two major new venues have been christened: the Theater on the Lake in Lincoln Park, and the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, designed by local architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill. 鈥淕iven my own background, I鈥檓 a big proponent [of theater]. Our theater scene is bar none,鈥� said Mr. Emanuel. 鈥淚t鈥檚 creative — a real community — and willing to take risks.鈥�

But the city鈥檚 most notable success has come from its exceptionally creative food scene. With influential hometown chefs that range from Grant Achatz to Paul Kahan, Mr. Emanuel was able to attract the annual James Beard Awards, the Oscars of the food world, in 2015. 鈥淚 thought it would be symbolic of the city鈥檚 emergence,鈥� he explained. Now the awards will be hosted in Chicago through 2021. 鈥淧eople will go to a city just for the restaurants,鈥� said Mr. Emanuel. 鈥淚 had no idea there was a whole tourism world driven by that.鈥�

He鈥檇 better get ready for more food pilgrims, now that Bon Appetit鈥檚 editors have crowned the city their favorite food destination. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt that each thing has begotten another victory, another acknowledgment,鈥� said Mr. Emanuel about the recognition. (See below for our guide on where to eat and what to see in the city.) In the past eight months, Mr. Whitaker says his office has more than doubled Chicago鈥檚 earned media value, a term that refers to coverage by newspapers and magazines.

The buzz is working. In an informal survey of more than a dozen recent travelers to Chicago, a majority prioritized the city鈥檚 dining scene, regardless of whether they were visiting for work or pleasure. (Business travelers accounted for a third of the respondents.) Only a small number said they felt worried about the city鈥檚 crime, which was reflected in a sharp divide between the neighborhoods they chose to explore.

Both leisure and business travel are growing at equal pace in Chicago, though those who visit for work claim 30% of the pie, which is 10 points better than the national average. Twenty-five new hotels have opened in the last three years, with more in development. To insiders who scrutinize these numbers, this across-the-board acceleration is the clearest indication that Chicago has yet to peak.

鈥淰isitors want to experience what locals do — increasingly now,鈥� explained Mr. Whitaker, reiterating that what鈥檚 good for leisure travelers is inherently good for locals. Meanwhile, a boost in convention travel is a another sign that Chicago is a city where businesses can flourish. Last year, out of the 31 major meetings (those that have more than 3,000 attendees), half reported chart-topping attendance or sales.

Put it all together, said Mr. Whitaker, and you have a strong case for corporate relocations — an argument that Emanuel hopes will get Amazon.com to open its second campus in the Second City. (Preliminary bids are currently being fielded.) 鈥淚sn鈥檛 it wonderful when a city that鈥檚 been around for a while suddenly becomes a hot new city?鈥� he asks. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to think where this all might lead us.鈥�

Mr. Emanuel, likewise, is excited about the next steps. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to predict what this year will bring,鈥� he said about the possibility of reaching his 2020 goals in 2017. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 feeling confident.鈥�

鈥� The Robey: This new, already expanding Design Hotel is the first cool place to stay in Wicker Park. Minimalist interiors keep guests鈥� eyes trained on the property鈥檚 beautiful crowd. Rooms from $276.

鈥� The Ace Hotel: Rooms with turntables and acoustic guitars, plus a communal fire pit in the open-air bar, might make this the coolest Ace Hotel yet. Rooms from $240.

鈥� The Conrad: The slightly corporate lobby belies sumptuous marble bathrooms, massive suites, and iconic Michigan Avenue views. Rooms from $349.

WHERE TO EAT
鈥� Giant: Jason Vincent isn鈥檛 a household name outside Chicago, but few chefs are more locally beloved. His latest, 44-seat neighborhood spot serves flat-out-fun food such as parmesan-crusted onion rings and uni shooters.

鈥� Parachute: The trailblazing proprietors of this no-frills hotspot bend and break the rules of Korean cuisine to create original and memorable meals — think tapioca croquettes topped with furikake and chicken-and-egg bibimbap.

鈥� Elske: Restrained Nordic influences add color to the clean flavors at this buzzy husband-and-wife operation, where desserts are as much a star as the main courses.

鈥� Alinea: Chicago鈥檚 most influential restaurant is fresh off a total renovation. Mark off your entire evening for a meal at this temple to culinary drama.

WHAT TO SEE
鈥� The Chicago Architecture Biennial: At the Chicago Cultural Center, 140 artists from 20 countries have installed multimedia exhibitions centering on the theme 鈥淢ake New History.鈥� City-wide public programming will include sound installations and lectures by such global luminaries as Pritzker Prize winner Tadao Ando. On view through Jan. 7, 2018.

鈥� Museum of Contemporary Art: To celebrate its 50^th anniversary, the institution has just unveiled its $16-million makeover. Up first in the redesigned spaces: a Takashi Murakami retrospective.

鈥� The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare: Chicago Shakespeare Theater鈥檚 innovative, new venue opened on Sept. 19 in a glassy, adaptive-reuse building whose seating towers can be reconfigured for each production. Currently playing: James Thierr茅e鈥檚 The Toad Knew.

鈥� The Chicago Riverwalk: In a project that has drawn comparisons to New York鈥檚 High Line, the south bank of the Chicago river has sprung to life with wineries, caf茅s, and gelaterias.

SINGAPORE — Asian cities — led by Bangkok — remain the destinations of choice of global tourists this year, with the Philippines yet to catch up with regional leaders in terms of providing convenient and more cost-efficient travel options.

Thailand鈥檚 capital city remained the top travel destination among foreign tourists last year, keeping the lead with some 19.41 million international visitors spending at least a whole day of travel there, according to the Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index 2017 announced on Tuesday.

London placed second with 19.06 million visitors booked in 2016, followed by Paris with 15.45 million foreign tourists.

In the report, Mastercard pointed out that the Asia Pacific region remains the preferred travel site among foreigners, with nine of the top 20 destinations located in the region. Singapore ranked fifth to overtake New York, while Seoul also jumped three slots to seventh place from a year ago.

Other Asian cities which are preferred travel destinations are Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; Tokyo and Osaka in Japan; Hong Kong; Taipei; and Shanghai, China.

Mastercard ranked 132 cities worldwide using public data covering their total international overnight visitor arrivals, including the amounts which these tourists spent while on travel.

Eric F. Schneider, senior vice-president for Asia Pacific at Mastercard Advisors, said he expects these Asian cities to maintain Asia Pacific鈥檚 footing as the region of choice, adding that he does 鈥渘ot expect any major changes鈥� in the rankings in 2017.

According to the study, foreigners saw ease of travel as among the biggest considerations in flying to these Asian locations — mostly for leisure, except for the case of Shanghai which saw nearly half of its visitors flying in for business trips.

鈥淚 think it comes down to Bangkok being a very connected city,鈥� Mr. Schneider said in a media briefing held at the Mastercard Asia Pacific Office in Singapore.

鈥淭here are cases where we see that growth can come from increased investments in infrastructure such as airports and flight connectivity. The more connected a city is, the easier it is for more people to get to that city.鈥�

The same can be said for Singapore and Tokyo, with the financial executive pointing out substantial investments in the construction of airports and efficient mass transit systems geared towards improving the ease of travel to and within these cities.

Mr. Schneider said there remains room for other Asian cities like Manila to rise through the ranks given robust economic growth momentum, but noted that structural deficiencies must first be addressed.

鈥淭he Philippines, I anticipate, is going to be more of an inbound destination for years to come relative to an outbound source country for tourists. The surprising thing is we don鈥檛 see the Philippines yet in the top destination cities,鈥� Mr. Schneider said.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad to hear… that there鈥檚 more work being done on investments in infrastructure. I absolutely highlight the opportunities to look at visa restrictions and how those can be relaxed particularly for major feeder countries like China and India, and look at connectivity as well.鈥�

The Duterte administration has committed to spend over P8 trillion in public infrastructure from 2016 to 2022 as part of its ambitious 鈥淏uild, Build, Build鈥� mantra, which aims to improve ease of doing business and overall connectivity in the archipelago.

Mr. Schneider said it would likely 鈥渢ake a little longer鈥� for the Philippines to become as sizeable as source of tourists as China, which is the biggest tourism market with its population of 1.3 billion. Instead, he noted that the country should instead focus on attracting more visitors with tourism serving as an 鈥渆ngine鈥� for increased economic output.

In particular, Mr. Schneider said economies with relatively weaker currencies become more attractive to foreign tourists over the short term, as they expect to get more out of the money they make back home.

Tourism receipts received by cities play a substantial role in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). Mastercard reports that the $28.5 billion which tourists spent in Dubai last year accounted for 26.3% of total GDP, the highest share recorded among the top cities.

Some 5.9 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines in 2016 and spent P230.13 billion locally, but narrowly missed the 6-million target set by the Department of Tourism. This year, the agency expects 6.5 million travelers to come to the Philippine islands.

Some 2.88 million foreigners went to the Philippines as of end-May, higher than the 2.52 million who came during the same period last year — this is already roughly 44% of the full-year goal.

PAUL SALTZMAN was stoned 鈥� not on drugs, but on inner peace 鈥� as he sat cross-legged in an ashram bungalow in northern India. It was 1968, and across the room his new friend, the 24-year-old Beatles guitarist George Harrison, set down his sitar and the two of them talked about meditation, fame, and finding bliss within and without.

At the time, Saltzman was a 24-year-old documentary filmmaker from Canada. He had never imagined when he set out for India that he would find the world鈥檚 greatest band holed up in the very ashram to which he, too, was drawn. Eventually, John Lennon and Paul McCartney would invite him to join their entourage at a long table on a cliff overlooking the Ganges river in the foothills of the Himalayas. He鈥檇 hang with Harrison in his room as he practiced sitar.

Over the course of his week at the ashram, he would capture some of the most intimate photographs of the Fab Four in their decade together. In 2000 he published a book of photos called The Beatles in India, and he would go on to share his story at Beatles conventions and gallery exhibitions. In the last few years, he has led tours back to India and the city of Rishikesh, about a five-hour drive northeast of New Delhi.

And next year, Saltzman aims to take part in the 50^th anniversary celebrations being planned in both Rishikesh and Liverpool, the quartet鈥檚 hometown, to mark the band鈥檚 time in India. This month, the Uttarakhand region鈥檚 forestry department announced that it is mapping out renovations on some of the ashram鈥檚 buildings and that it will create a mini-museum to the Fab Four in Rishikesh.

THE DETAILS, SO FAR
The now-legendary spiritual retreat was opened in 1961 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the diminutive mystic who turned the West on to Transcendental Meditation, but it has been abandoned for years. In 2015 the forestry department finally began to allow paying tourists to wander the overgrown grounds, where the walls are covered in colorful graffiti murals.

The plan is to revitalize the site in time for the half-centenary and, coincidentally, the 100^th anniversary of the Maharishi鈥檚 birth. But first, because the site is part of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, the department will reinforce a wall to keep the elephants, tigers, and leopards out, according to Sanatan Sonkar, director of the reserve. Then the forestry department will renovate one of the main buildings, which will be converted into a Beatles exhibit and an interpretive center for the tiger reserve, Sonkar told Bloomberg.

The Maharishi鈥檚 bungalow, one of the only buildings remaining from the time when the Beatles were there, will also be restored. What photos and memorabilia will be displayed is still to be determined, and the Indian government has yet to sign off on the final architectural plans. Sonkar said the work could be completed in January.

Satpal Maharaj, Uttarakhand鈥檚 tourism minister, said he wants to partner with the forestry department to develop and promote the ashram and museum. He鈥檚 also looking to put on a concert in honor of the Beatles on the banks of the Ganges. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be a big achievement for Rishikesh,鈥� Maharaj said. 鈥淚t will definitely be a selling point.鈥�

In Liverpool, The Beatles Story, the largest permanent Beatles museum, is also designing an exhibit that will open Feb. 15 with memorabilia, photos, and video interviews with people who were there, said Diane Glover, the Liverpool attraction鈥檚 marketing manager.

She traveled to Rishikesh to visit the ashram earlier this year and saw 鈥渁 lot of monkeys and some elephant dung鈥� and an abandoned hall that serves as a makeshift exhibit with graffiti and murals. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a magical place, to be quite honest,鈥� she said.

Glover met with a forestry official and put him in touch with contacts who can help with the celebration, she said. Saltzman is to attend the Liverpool exhibit opening and return for a Q&A as part of a lineup of events through 2018.

A SPIRITUAL CENTER
Long before the Beatles arrived in Rishikesh, the location was a revered pilgrimage for Hindus. Today the city is known as the 鈥淵oga Capital of the World鈥� and draws thousands of Westerners in search of the ideal downward dog and one-nostril inhale. Tourism officials say there are a few hundred centers for meditation and yoga, as well as adventure travel companies that offer river rafting, mountain trekking, and jungle safaris.

At the time, the Beatles were at a crossroads. They had stopped touring, tired of the Beatlemania mobs. They had flirted with LSD, released the monumental Sgt. Pepper鈥檚 Lonely Hearts Club Band album in 1967, and were already drifting apart with disparate interests. They were searching for some sort of cosmic connection, and gurus and mantras were in vogue. The group first attended a Maharishi lecture in August 1967 at a London hotel. Two days later, they were on a train to Wales for a 10-day seminar with the yogi, but it was cut short by the death of their 32-year-old manager Brian Epstein, according to The Beatles Story timeline. Their next opportunity was a meditation teacher-training course with the Maharishi in Rishikesh. The four, along with their partners, arrived on what would be the band鈥檚 final trip abroad in February 1968. The solitude, meditation, vegetarian food, and natural beauty all contributed to an explosive creativity. Many of the songs on the double album The Beatles, known as the White Album, were composed there, as well as a few that ended up on Abbey Road. Lennon wrote the song 鈥淭he Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill鈥� about an American visiting the ashram who hunted tigers in the jungle, and 鈥淒ear Prudence鈥� about actress Mia Farrow鈥檚 sister Prudence (both of whom were at the ashram) because Prudence was so deep into meditation she wouldn鈥檛 come out of her hut. McCartney wrote 鈥淲hy Don鈥檛 We Do It in the Road鈥� after he saw monkeys copulating. Lennon and McCartney, along with Scottish balladeer Donovan 鈥� he and Mike Love of the Beach Boys were also among the entourage 鈥� came up with 鈥淩ocky Raccoon鈥� riffing on the roof of a bungalow.

鈥淥ur time at the ashram was indeed very creative,鈥� Donovan wrote in the foreword to the 2005 edition of Saltzman鈥檚 book. The photos, he wrote, 鈥渟how that we鈥檙e young art students again, we鈥檙e young musicians and we are seekers. We had only our acoustic guitars with us. We threw off our Western clothes. We took up our silk pantaloons. We were in the no-time zone. We could be ourselves again. And who ourselves were 鈥� who ourselves are 鈥� we were keen to find out.鈥� Harrison, who had already taken up the sitar with Ravi Shankar in India in 1966, was finding his spiritual center in Indian philosophy. 鈥淭he Beatles were the avatars for our generation,鈥� Saltzman said. Their trip East 鈥渙pened the floodgates of interest in travel and meditation and yoga and the spiritual life for millions of people around the world who knew nothing about Rishikesh and meditation.鈥�

After finishing his sitar practice, Saltzman recalled, 鈥淕eorge said, 鈥業 get higher meditating than I ever did on drugs.鈥� And then after a while, he said, 鈥榃e鈥檙e the Beatles. We have all the money you could ever dream of, we have all the fame we could ever wish for. But it isn鈥檛 love, it isn鈥檛 health, it isn鈥檛 peace inside, is it?鈥� I鈥檝e never forgotten that.鈥�

Saltzman, now 73 and still meditating, will lead a tour next September to India that ends in Rishikesh.

BLESSED with an ideal beach and well-manicured landscape, Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas is a 鈥減aradise鈥� for people looking to do outdoor activities and at the same time relax and enjoy themselves with family and friends.

It is a condition that the people behind the development of Pico de Loro Cove are tapping into as they promote the area as a prime destination for 鈥渞ace-cation.鈥�

Only a two-hour drive away from Manila, Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club and Pico Sands Hotel are angling to entice more active people looking to get a good workout and have a fun time and let them see for themselves what they have to offer.

To complement their race-cation push, Pico de Loro has, for the last seven years, been staging its annual triathlon to highlight its natural beauty and its stature as a place fully equipped to host vacationers and/or athletes and weekend warriors.

鈥淧ico de Loro Cove is very well-developed. It has a 1.5 kilometer-long beach shoreline, mountainous terrain, and well-manicured landscape that make it ideal for an event of such nature (a triathlon) or any nature that would involve the use of the beach primarily, and the terrain,鈥� said Maggie M. Garcia, Pico Sands Hotel general manager, in an interview with 大象传媒 during this year鈥檚 edition of their triathlon 鈥� the Aboitiz Tri 鈥� done in partnership with the Aboitiz Group early this month.

鈥淭his area is known for its beaches and seascape. It focuses on our core strengths in terms of location and surrounding environment. It is a very good opportunity for us to expose or promote Pico de Loro to budding athletes and enthusiasts that there is a place near Manila where they can do sports and relax and enjoy with the family,鈥� she added.

Apart from the triathlon, Pico de Loro hosted a Hobie race which was participated in by international racers early this year.

NOT JUST THE NATURAL FACILITY
But Pico de Loro is not only touting its natural facilities as the main draw for its race-cation push as the resort community, which also includes condominiums along with the country club and the hotel, has also made sure to provide the right amenities to make the area conducive for such kinds of vacation, in line with the vision of its developer, Costa del Hamilo, Inc., which is part of the SM Group.

鈥淲e have a good relationship with the local government unit of Nasugbu. It is very important for the development of the area as it buys into the whole concept of promoting it as a tourism and sports tourism destination. So they make sure everything is taken care of, including the road condition leading to the place,鈥� said Ms. Garcia.

鈥淭he place has its own helipad and harbor for people or racers to use if they don鈥檛 want to travel by road. We have a ready emergency team. We have generators and our own water supply. So the resort is ready and [is] a sporting event organizer鈥檚 dream place,鈥� the Pico Sands Hotel official added.

It is an assertion supported by Ruel Cuevas, chief executive officer of Bike King Philippines, organizer of the annual Aboitiz Tri, known previously as the Pico Tri. 鈥淧ico de Loro is very suited for triathlon events and for race-cation for the challenging possibilities of the course and for the entire family to enjoy what the place has to offer without not necessarily going too far or too long a time,鈥� he said in a separate interview.

As far as the amenities of the community resort, the selection is wide range and of international standards, Ms. Garcia said.

While their loved ones or friends are out on a race, guests can use the resort鈥檚 beach, pool, and spa as well as activity areas for basketball, badminton, bowling, video games, videoke, tennis, and various water sports, among others.

There is also a play area for young children and restaurants which offer a wide selection of cuisines.

Recognizing that a vacation is a time for family bonding, Pico Sands Hotel, in particular, is offering various packages, including on rooms, for those on a race-cation.

鈥淲e really make an effort to accommodate guests and give them the best experience possible. So we have various packages from rooms to spa to sports packages,鈥� Ms. Garcia said.

GOOD PLATFORM
With everything the place has to offer, Ms. Garcia said it makes sense to tap into the race-cation potential of Pico de Loro.

鈥淭he area is very ideal as a race-cation destination. It is a good platform to step on as it plays to our strengths and highlights the whole area and the community surrounding it. It will be part of the club and the hotel鈥檚 thrust moving forward,鈥� Ms. Garcia said.

鈥淭he annual triathlon has been up for seven years now and we have to say that it has complemented what Pico de Loro is all about. Over the years the race has grown significantly and has become a marked event in the triathlon community, not only for the challenge it presents but also for the whole atmosphere that participants and their entourage experience while here. We have had racers coming back and even new ones trying it out,鈥� added Ms. Garcia, even as she said that down the line other events like mountain-climbing, trail running, and even surfing are being considered by the group as possible race-cation offerings.

For more information on what Pico de Loro Cove has to offer, log on to and

I HAD to hit the half century mark before I dared scale Mt. Fuji and fully realize what this Japanese old adage meant: 鈥淗e who climbs Mount Fuji is a wise man, but he who climbs it twice is a fool.鈥�

At 3,776 meters above sea level, Mt. Fuji 鈥� or Fuji-san, as most Japanese refer to the towering volcano 鈥� is considered as one of the symbolic features of Japan and was registered as a World Heritage site on June 22, 2013. The mountain attracts around 300,000 visitors during the two-month official climbing season that starts in early July and runs to mid-September.

It has erupted 16 times since 781 A.D., with its last eruption happening sometime between 1707-1708 鈥� making it safe for climbing. It is often compared to our own Mayon volcano for its perfect cone and to Mount Apo, which is the highest mountain in the Philippines.

There are four routes to the summit of Mt. Fuji: the Yoshida Route from the Yamanashi Prefecture side which is the most popular route, the Subashiri Route, Gotemba Route, and Fujinomiya Route from the Shizuoka Prefecture side.

During the climbing season, the Yamanashi Prefecture Mt. Fuji 5^th station General Administration Center acts as the starting point in conquering Fuji-san. It has mountain lodges, stores that cater for all climbing needs, and provides information and updates on weather forecast. It also runs the Mt. Fuji Preservation Association Fund that helps preserve the mountain (they ask for a 楼1,000 donation from visitors). It also provides safety measure to protect climbers and the mountain鈥檚 environment.

My friends and I arranged to scale the mountain in August despite a storm which was approaching Japan. Climbing Mt. Fuji is not as complicated as going up Mt. Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 鈥� the latter required an advance reservation and procurement of a package for accommodation and food for the entire stay. Mt. Fuji can be climbed at any time within the climbing season, with no prior reservations except for the accommodation in the huts located in each station.

We planned to join the crowd doing the so-called 鈥渂ullet climbing鈥� which refers to ascending and descending continuously without taking a full rest in between. Although discouraged to do so, a majority of the visitors prefer to take on the challenge. The safest way to climb Mt. Fuji is to spend the night in one of the mountain huts found in each station, and proceed to the summit before sunrise.

Night came when we neared the fifth station 鈥� the highest altitude (2,305 meters) accessible by vehicle and where most visitors choose to begin their climb to save at least five hours鈥� worth of hiking from the base.

Upon settling and preparing for the climb, the rain poured and the cold started to seep in. But we did not waver. Armed with equipment for a night trek, we left the fifth station at exactly 10 p.m. with the goal of reaching the summit by sunrise.

When we reached the sixth station 鈥� drenched and cold 鈥� the ascent was aborted because of the fear the weather will even worsen overnight. So we all returned to the 5^th station with heavier luggage which we would call 鈥渄isappointment.鈥� Since we planned to join the bullet climb, we didn鈥檛 have any room reservations, so we stayed at the visitors鈥� lounge and waited for the first bus heading back to Shinjuku.

Our first attempt at conquering Mt. Fuji was a failure.

Since our purpose for visiting Japan a third time was to reach its highest peak, we resolved that we weren鈥檛 going to give up that easily. We stayed the night at our accommodations in Shinjuku 鈥� two and half hours of travel from Mt Fuji 鈥� and prayed before sleeping that the weather would give us a chance.

We decided to face Fuji-san for a second encounter in the morning if the sky cleared up, even if it meant having our allotted budget slashed by half.

Thankfully, God heard our prayers and the skies were calm that morning.

After a quick stop at Tsukiji market which houses the largest wholesale market for fish, fruits, and vegetables in central Tokyo, we returned to the 5^th station of Mt. Fuji.

On a fine, clear day during this season, Mt. Fuji flaunts a reddish-brown intensity 鈥� far different from its snow-capped cone which is the popular image we see on the internet or on postcards. That is how it looks for about half of the year.

Since the weather on Mt. Fuji is unpredictable 鈥� sometimes dropping to below zero even during the summer 鈥� we were more than prepared. We had raincoats, thermal suits under our outer layers, trail food and water, head lamps, walking sticks, and loads of determination. The mountain鈥檚 summit is said to be 20 degrees colder than the base, with an average temperature of 4.5掳C in August.

As we arrived at the 5^th station earlier this time, we started the trek up at 8 p.m.

We opted for the Yoshida climbing trail, the most popular among the four routes, and it was filled with huts at each of the 10 stations on Mt. Fuji鈥檚 slopes. The huts are actually cottages that offer lodgings, but visitors should make reservations in advance. They have emergency services and even sell goods and souvenirs. There are also toilets beside the huts which can be used for a fee. Although these offered a big help to weary climbers, in a way these exploit the mountain for commercial purposes. Climbers can ask for calligraphy stamp to be placed on their walking stick at each station 鈥� also for a fee.

As one goes higher, the air becomes thinner, the temperature drops, and breathing becomes laborious. Climbers may feel the onset of hypothermia or altitude sickness. When strong winds slapped us, we had to stop to let them pass as it was already hard enough to trek given the circumstances 鈥� What more when you are fighting against the wind? One of the many things we remained grateful though, was that it didn鈥檛 rain that night.

It got colder and colder throughout the night, and our food supply was limited. It was definitely one of the toughest experiences I had to endure in my years of mountaineering. It felt as though we were dragging ourselves up the slopes. But we just let out a long sigh and told ourselves, 鈥�ginusto natin 鈥檛o e (this is what you wanted to do).鈥� Or it was just old age catching up with me?

At 3,000 meters above the ground, with clear skies above us, it seemed like the stars were only a stretched hand away.

The trail narrowed as we neared the last stations, so we had to wait for other people to catch up. Thanks to the narrow trail, climbers frequently clog up the path just below the summit before sunrise, so it happens quite often that people are not able to reach the top on schedule.

The climb was physically demanding and I had to take quick rests frequently. I even felt like I fell asleep while trekking. By 5 a.m., we reached a spot between the 8^th and 9^th stations where we stopped and waited for something magical to happen.

A ray of sunlight started to penetrate the curtain of clouds. It was as though a ray of hope shone upon us after the gruelling nine-hour trek up. The day welcomed us with such a spectacle when the sun broke over the horizon that it relieved our exhaustion. Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever witnessed was in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Climbing Mt. Fuji is probably on every mountaineer鈥檚 bucket list. But the beauty of the mountain that lured me from afar was not what I expected when I faced it head-on.

Unlike the view we get to enjoy while hiking and climbing our mountains in the Philippines 鈥� the obstacles along the trail, virgin forests that block strong winds and shield from the sun, springs and waterfalls that are Instagram-worthy 鈥� Mt. Fuji presented us with nothing but slopes covered with lava flows and red pyroclastic materials from previous eruptions. However, I must say that this attribute made Fuji-san a unique mountain, definitely etching itself in the heart of this mountaineer.

At that magical moment when the sun pushed its way through thick clouds and its rays hit the red mountain, I heard fellow climbers express their awe and even clap for the beauty we were all privileged to see. It came to me that this experience of climbing with hundreds of like-minded hikers from across the world is rewarding.

After a few minutes of rest and appreciation of the daybreak, we resumed the climb. We could see the summit from this distance, but physical exhaustion and lack of sleep made us spend more hours than expected to reach our target.

Reaching the summit is like slotting in the last piece of a hard puzzle. It made me feel complete 鈥� I won鈥檛 even ask for other mountains to climb (but of course reaching base camp of Mt. Everest or seeing its foot in Nepal will always be a longtime goal). We obtained our last calligraphic stamp from the shrine at the summit. Climbers can also send a postcard or letter from Japan鈥檚 highest post office or call someone from Japan鈥檚 highest public phone.

There is also the 500-meter diameter crater which we didn鈥檛 dare to explore as it would take another one-and-a-half hours to circle it.

We could have rested at one of the huts at the 10^th station, but aside from the fact that we didn鈥檛 have the extra 楼5,000 to rent one, we had to catch the last train to Shinjuku. So we started our descent.

Descending Mt. Fuji was just as strenuous as ascending it. The trail is different; it is covered in crushed lava, loose soil, and is extremely slippery. I lost count of how many times I slipped and even fell.

It was a five-hour endless zigzag downward until we finally reached the 7^th station, and we knew that, thankfully, the 5^th station was not far away.

We reached the 5^th station just in time to catch the bus going back to Shinjuku.

While finally resting on the bus, I looked back at the majestic mountain and pondered: Is Fuji-san meant to be admired and gazed upon from the distance, an image that has been immortalized in countless works of art, or should one climb it and taste a mountaineers art of suffering?

The train, made famous in the 2015 Bond movie Spectre, trundles tourists between the town of Oujda and the former mining city of Bouarfa along a 350-kilometer-long stretch of desert.

“It takes between eight and 12 hours to make the trip, sometimes even more,” says Mr. Kunz, 70, who is known as Edi, blaming sandstorms for frequent delays.

His passion for trains put him in the driver’s seat more than 10 years ago when he persuaded Morocco’s National Office of Railways to let him run a tourist train on a disused railway line.

The track that runs near the border with Algeria was originally built nearly 100 years ago when Morocco was a French protectorate.

It was part of an ambitious project, the Mediterranean-Niger railway, to link the sea to inland Africa.

However, the project was short-lived and, in time, the mines and factories in Bouarfa shut down, until the desert region with its lunar landscapes was rediscovered by Kunz and the location scouts for Spectre.

Exterior shots of the train making its way through the desert darkness were used in the Bond movie, a star-studded spy thriller with Daniel Craig reprising the role of 007.

One of the most striking sequences in the film depicts a romantic dinner between Bond and a character played by French actress Lea Seydoux that is interrupted by the villain Mr. Hinx, played by wrestler Dave Bautista.

The resulting fight between Bond and Hinx in a train carriage has been praised by some critics as one of the best scenes in the whole movie.

CRADLE IN THE DESERT
The tourist train that Mr. Kunz hires from Morocco’s national railway operator is not quite as luxurious as the one featured in Spectre.

Tourists can choose from a first-class, air-conditioned carriage and another that dates back to the 1960s, in which they can open the windows to take in the scenery and snap pictures.

The train moves at a top speed of 50 kilometers per hour (kph), but this can often drop to 10 kph and sometimes the train has to come to a complete halt because of sand on the tracks.

When that happens, workers resort to shovels to get rid of the sand before the train can proceed.

“Some people buy BMWs but I bought myself a train,” Mr. Kunz says, with a chuckle, recalling how he struggled to make a profit with his desert train project.

In a good year, he says, he makes five to six trips between Oujda and Bouarfa.

On the route to Bouarfa, the first dozen or so kilometers are through a fertile plain, and then the train passes through the Tiouli tunnel.

After that it is mostly desert.

Along the way, passengers see abandoned train stations 鈥� and the more unusual sight of a former Roman Catholic church turned into a judo club, near a mosque.

Mr. Kunz is hoping to transform one of the abandoned stations into a restaurant, but for the time being dinner is served in the train.

The chef, Aziz, prepares local specialities 鈥� spicy tajine stews and mint tea 鈥� for the tourists.

“This train is important. It creates jobs and helps promote our country,” Aziz says.

One of the passengers on the Oriental Desert Express is Mona, a young Moroccan based in Paris.

“It is a welcome change of scenery. It’s nothing but an infinite desert behind us and ahead of us,” she says.

“There’s an extraordinary atmosphere on the train,” she adds, comparing its slow progress through the Saharan sands to being rocked in a cradle. 鈥� AFP

Known as much as a wild-party island as a place of tranquility with coves of turquoise blue water, Ibiza has increased in popularity over the years.

But behind the sea, sun, dancing, and yachts lurk a serious problem of tourism overcrowding that is preventing many locals from finding affordable accommodation.

“It’s not easy living in a van but rental prices are crazy, you just can’t pay them,” says Mr. Andrade, a 47-year-old Argentine who has lived in this part of the Balearic Islands since 2000, but was forced to move out of his home when he separated from his wife.

In his metallic blue van, he sleeps on a sofa-bed and makes meals on a small gas cooker. On the roof, solar panels provide him with electricity.

Just under a decade ago, he says he could rent a country house for just €400 ($470) a month. Now for that price, he would be reduced to sharing a room.

The number of tourists visiting Ibiza, a small island of just 142,000 inhabitants, has almost doubled from 1.7 million in 2010 to three million in 2016, according to the regional statistics institute.

This mirrors a similar trend in the rest of Spain, the world’s third tourism destination which close to 76 million people visited in 2016, although there are fears last month’s terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils may dampen their enthusiasm.

In Ibiza, high demand for accommodation prompted the appearance of scores of tourist rentals, most of them without a permit, provoking a rise in real-estate prices and making it hard to find a room for less than €600.

The citizens’ Platform of those Affected by Rental Prices in Ibiza has detailed the existence of countless abusive offers 鈥� €500 a month to live on a balcony, €300 for a mattress not including the bathroom, or €2,100 for a small caravan.

TROUBLE ATTRACTING WORKERS
With a salary of just €1,400 as a truck driver and vendor, Mr. Andrade chose to buy his van for €3,000.

Four caravans are parked next to his van in a wasteland, its occupants opting for a nomadic lifestyle due to high rental prices.

The situation gets even worse in high season, when the number of people on the island triples and temporary workers are needed in the tourism industry and other sectors, such as health services.

Such is the difficulty to find affordable housing that the Can Misses Hospital in Ibiza, the main one on the island, has rehabilitated an unused floor to provide accommodation for temporary workers.

Javier Segura, a 30-year-old microbiologist, arrived in June and was forced to stay there after an unsuccessful search for a flat.

“Some of the offers were rip-offs and others were really pricey… over €2,000 to €3,000,” he says.

“And the offers with accessible prices, between €1,000 and €2,000, were all taken.”

In an ironic twist, the tourism sector itself is finding it hard to find much-needed temporary workers if it doesn’t offer accommodation with the contract.

Years ago “in May, I would receive 10 to 12 CVs every day to come work in the summer, now just one or two come,” says Joan Riera, owner of the Can Alfredo rice restaurant in Ibiza Town, who has since opted to hire local personnel only.

REDUCING TOURISM
“We have perverted the system,” deplores Lucas Prats, president of an organization that promotes tourism.

Before there were “buildings dedicated to residential homes and those in tourism zones. Now everything is for tourism.”

As such, the regional parliament of the Balearic Islands has passed a law banning the use of apartments for tourists without a permit.

It also limits to just over 623,000 the number of visitors who can stay in hotels or legal rental accommodation in one go, and plans to reduce that figure to around 500,000.

The aim is to stop locals from turning against tourism, an important activity for an island that was once poor and relied solely on fishing and agriculture before turning into an attraction for visitors in the 1960s.

“In Ibiza there are no exceptions, we all live off tourism,” says Prats. 鈥� AFP

MANILA, the Philippine capital, might have been left behind by other burgeoning cities in the metropolitan area but it is not a city without charms as a considerable amount of the country鈥檚 heritage still rests within its borders and none is more prominent than the walled city of Intramuros.

Upon the invitation of Waterfront Manila Pavilion Resort and Casino, a more than 300-room hotel casino located a literal stone鈥檚 throw away from Rizal Park and Intramuros, the media were toured around few of the more than century-old attractions within the former seat of power during the Spanish colonial period.

SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH
Of course, what is a visit to Intramuros without walking inside the 410-year-old San Agustin Church? The UNESCO World Heritage site and National Historical landmark is one of the most beautiful churches in the country, with its trompe l鈥檕eil ceiling painted by two Italian artists, its baroque pulpit shaped like a pineapple, and the grand pipe organ.

But beyond the main church, one should also spend a few hours touring the monastery-turned-museum. The long, wide hallways surrounding the church鈥檚 courtyard connect a series of rooms housing exhibits highlight the church鈥檚 history — one of the rooms displays the few vestments which survived the looting of the church by British troops during the English occupation of Manila (and Cavite) from 1762-1764.

FORT SANTIAGO
Another landmark in Intramuros and a school excursion favorite is Fort Santiago. Built by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi (whose body is interred inside the San Agustin Church) in 1571, the fort was also the prison which held the country鈥檚 national hero Jose Protacio Rizal before his execution in 1896. Within the walls of the fort is a shrine and museum containing Rizalist memorabilia from during his incarceration.

Fronting the fort is Plaza Moriones (not to be confused with the park of the same name located in Tondo, Manila). Starting in the 1990s, the plaza, designed by landscape architect Dolly Plaza, resembled a tropical garden with palm trees and other greenery. Last year, the Intramuros administration decided to renovate the park, replacing the greenery with granite paving and plant boxes, a move which infuriated well-known tour guide and cultural worker Carlos Celdran.

BALUARTE DE SAN DIEGO
Because Intramuros was the seat of power during the Spanish colonial period, it contains within its walls several forts meant to secure the city from other invaders and one of these was Baluarte de San Diego.

Built from 1587-1596 by Jesuit priest Antonio Sedeno, the fort contains three concentric structures, the inner two circles having terracotta finishes supposedly for waterproofing as it housed a foundry in the 18^th century.

The Baluarte began as a circular fort called Nuestra Se帽ora de Guia, and then was renovated in 1593 upon the orders of Governor General Gomez Perez Dasmari帽as to join the walls of the city.

CASA MANILA
Across the San Agustin Church stands Casa Manila. Designed by Ramon Faustmann, the museum is said to be a replica of the 19^th century house of Binondo merchant Don Severino Mendoza.

The three-story structure is decked out in the manner of a typical ilustrado (the educated Filipino class) home, including the bedrooms and living room sporting European furnitute, the toilets, and a prayer room. But what sets this museum apart from other houses during the period is the ice box in the kitchen as ice was a luxury during the era — it was, after all, imported all the way from Boston.

All four sites are quite near each other so if one has an afternoon — or morning because afternoons can be unforgivingly hot — to spare, it would be nice to walk around Intramuros, a testament to the country鈥檚 long colonial history.

The island province is one of the best-kept secrets of Region IV-B or Mimaropa region, comprised of Mindoro (Oriental and Occidental), Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.

These attractions will come to the fore when it hosts the annual Mimaropa Festival in November.

The province is home to pristine seawater, unspoiled beaches, wild rivers, and waterfalls.

Just as attractive as the popular sights at nearby Palawan are the crystal-clear seawaters and white-sand beaches in Tablas, Bon-Bon, Nonok-Nonok, and Cobrador; the waterfalls in Trangkalan, Dagubdob, and Busay, and the Cresta del Gallo Island鈥檚 stunning sandbar and the Cantingas River in Sibuyan.

These sites are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and other water activities like scuba diving and macro-diving photography, as the province鈥檚 more than 30 dive sites boast of diverse marine life including sharks, rays, tunas, and snappers surrounded by immense coral walls and gardens.

For mountaineers, the 2,058-meter high Mount Guiting-Guiting poses an enjoyable challenge.

There are also centuries-old churches, Spanish forts, and well-preserved ancestral homes.

Romblon鈥檚 old plaza has retained its historical character, featuring the marble statues of Dr. Jose Rizal, a large roaring lion, and a grotto with the life-size image of Our Lady of Lourdes. Many heritage edifices are intact, like the Cathedral of San Jose with its antique tableau altar, stained-glass windows, and its vintage convent.

Romblon鈥檚 old municipal hall, built during the Spanish colonial period, remains perched on a hill overlooking the ruins of Fuerza de San Andres and Fuerza de Santiago, both declared as National Cultural Treasures.

Visitors will be met with authentic Filipino cuisine and exotic fruits served with the genuine hospitality of Romblo帽anons.

鈥淩omblo帽anos are not only exceptionally skilled in crafting marbles. They are indeed one of the friendliest people in the world,鈥� said Romblon Governor Eduardo Firmalo, an obstetrician of the St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center in Quezon City.

Romblo帽anons鈥� hospitality is shown in the preparation of their dishes for visitors, including sarsa (tiny shrimps wrapped in dried coconut leaves), liswi (colorful edible shells), and gamus (raw unripe langka or jackfruit thinly sliced), along with mainstays tinola with malunggay leaves (chicken stew with morringa leaves), nilaga and sinigang (beef soup and sour soup), adobo (pork and/or chicken stewed in vinegar), and inihaw na pusit, isda, and baboy (barbecued squid, fish and pork).

All those dishes and locally grown fruits like banana, pineapple, and avocado are served with Romblo帽anons鈥� infectious smiles.

The Paris region registered 16.4 million arrivals in the six months to June, its tourist board said on Tuesday.

That was the most in any first half of the year since current records began in 2008, confirming a strong recovery from a lull that followed Islamist attacks in the French capital in November 2015 that killed 130 people.

Frederic Valletoux, president of the Paris region tourist board, said a strong July and August, and good bookings for September meant the region could see 32-34 million tourist arrivals this year compared with 30 million in 2016 and 32 million in 2015.

It was too early to say if Thursday鈥檚 attacks in the Catalan capital and the coastal resort of Cambrils would weigh on that forecast.

鈥�(This) could be a record year but let鈥檚 not get carried away,鈥� he told a news conference.

鈥淣ow will Barcelona have an impact on other destinations like Paris? It鈥檚 hard to say. It鈥檚 Europe. The international situation remains turbulent and terrorism a daily threat.鈥�

The 10.2% year-on-year bounce in first-half arrivals was driven by a 14.9% rise in foreign tourists, led by Americans and Chinese. Fewer Britons visited as the pound lost value amid uncertainties over Brexit.

Among reasons for the upturn, tourism officials cited government financing for marketing campaigns abroad and enhanced security measures in Paris.

Tourism generates over 7% of France鈥檚 national income. In the Ile de France region, which includes Paris 鈥� one of the world鈥檚 most visited cities 鈥� about half a million people have jobs linked to tourism.

The French revival is not confined to Paris. Visitor numbers nationwide are seen rising to 89 million in 2017 from 83 million last year. France targets 100 million visitors annually by 2020.

Mr. Valletoux said it was likely that Barcelona鈥檚 tourism sector would now take a hit, but the experience of Paris and New York showed the Spanish city would recover.

鈥淥ne can expect Barcelona to experience some slowdown. It took three years for New York to bounce back after the Sept 11 attacks, for Madrid it was a year (after the 2004 commuter train bombings) and for Paris also a year,鈥� Mr. Valletoux said.

The Barcelona attack was the latest of a spate across Europe in the past 13 months in which militants have used vehicles as weapons, killing nearly 130 people in France, Germany, Britain, Sweden, and Spain. 鈥� Reuters

Matthew Zatto, manager, Destination Marketing for Southeast Asia, of Trip Advisor, will discuss “Tourism In The Age of Technology.” Artist, food writer, chef and TV host Claude Tayag will expound on “Culinary Tourism,” while Gabby Roxas, marketing director of Google Philippines, will share with the audience “How Google Powers Up Tourism.”

PATA, the biggest travel organization in the world, was founded in Hawaii in 1951 and counts over 40,000 members from governments, destinations, transport, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, educational institutions, financial and consultancy services, and media. Its mission is to enhance, encourage and support the growth, value and quality of travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific. The Philippine Chapter helps translate these global objectives into action in the local travel and hospitality industry.

Tickets 鈥� which include a Certificate of Attendance and a raffle stub 鈥� may be purchased from the PATA Secretariat at 459-5200 local 524. Students’ tickets are also available at a discount and may be purchased through 527-8251 local 173.