foreign tourists – Author Carlo Carrasco

SBMA And Leechiu Property Consultants To Advance Freeport Investments And Tourism

March 14, 2026March 9, 2026carlocarrasco

Having been to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone many times already, the former US Naval base has been a strong engine for tourism, commerce and investments for the Philippines over the decades. Each time I visited, there was also something new to discover and the economic modernization happened gradually.

In a serious bid to enhance investments and accelerate the growth of tourism, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced that it has teamed up with the Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) and their officials had important talks recently.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement of the SBMA. Some parts in boldface…

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) officials met with executives of Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) to explore collaborative initiatives to accelerate tourism growth and investment promotion here.

Led by SBMA Business and Investment Group’s Senior Deputy Administrator (SDA) Renato Lee III, discussions focused on expanding high-impact tourism segments including cruise ship tourism, wreck diving, forest trails, and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) activities.

David Lee-Chiu, CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants highlighted Subic Bay’s deep-water port and strategic location as key advantages in positioning the Freeport as a competitive cruise ship destination in Luzon.

Lee-Chiu also noted that increased cruise calls would drive growth across hospitality, retail, transport, and local enterprises.

Meanwhile, SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Alino also mentioned “wreck diving” as a strong niche market, with Subic Bay’s historic shipwrecks that continue to attract both domestic and international divers.

Also discussed was the development and promotion of forest trails and eco-tourism experiences, recognizing Subic Bay Freeport’s protected forest areas as prime assets for sustainable tourism, nature-based recreation, and eco-adventure activities.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you have visited the Subic Bay Freeport Zone over the past three months, how was your stay and did you find the place worth revisiting? Do you think the SBMA can still achieve so much more in terms of tourism growth and business?

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

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

Cases Of Foreign Tourists Getting Overcharged In Vietnam Increase

March 12, 2026March 5, 2026carlocarrasco

Having traveled to many destinations around the world, I am always mindful about how much money I carry, how much do products and services cost, and what exactly should I pay for. Vietnam, which attracted a record 21.2 million foreign tourists last year, has a disturbing trend of foreign tourists getting overcharged for services and products, according to a VnExpress news article.

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

Gouging tourists is giving Vietnam a bad name despite its sustained promotional efforts, insiders warn.

They want the authorities to hike fines manifold and deploy technology-based monitoring systems to prevent the insidious practice.

Chi Mai, 35, a Hanoi-based tour guide whose family has lived in the capital for three generations, says incidents of overcharging have become so common that they no longer surprise locals.

“Even residents buying 200 grams of pickled fruit in the Old Quarter without first checking the price can be charged double. It’s not surprising that foreign tourists are asked to pay four or five times.”

The repeated reports of such instances leave her disheartened, she says.

“If authorities fail to tackle this issue in a decisive manner, Vietnam’s international tourism promotion efforts will prove ineffective.”

On Feb. 24 an American tourist was charged VND1 million (US$38) for a seven-kilometer trip, 14 times the usual fare, by a motorbike-taxi driver in Hanoi. The driver admitted to the violation, apologized to the tourist and promised not to repeat the act.

Earlier cases also drew attention. In January Hanoi authorities fined a street vendor for charging two foreign tourists nearly four times the normal price of a conical hat.

In July 2025 a group of Filipino tourists were charged VND1.4 million ($53) for a taxi ride of less than 1 km, 50 times the normal fare.

Two months later an Australian family reportedly paid VND1.2 million for a cyclo trip, three times the regulated rate.

Overcharging and aggressive solicitation are not confined to Hanoi and have been reported across other tourist hubs such as Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

Nguyen Tien Dat, CEO of Hanoi-based tour operator AZA Travel, says overcharging tends to occur more frequently in destinations with large numbers of international visitors.

He recounts a personal experience in Da Nang where a taxi driver took a longer route from the airport while Dat was on a phone call. Only after he protested strongly did the driver adjust the fare.

“Even veteran tourism professionals such as tour guides and travel agency executives can fall victim to such practices, and international visitors are even more exposed,” Mai says, adding she has frequently intervened to help tourists resolve pricing disputes.

Tran Trung Hieu, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, acknowledges that gouging remains an issue, particularly in areas such as the Old Quarter and during major festivals.

Failure to publicly display prices and forcing customers to make purchases are fraudulent practices, he says.

The department has established a tourist hotline and increased security presence on pedestrian streets during weekends, he says.

“Price gouging, at worst, discourages visitors from returning.“

In Da Nang, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has formed a rapid response team to address complaints and conducts regular inspections of tourism service providers.

There are task forces to monitor commercial fraud, counterfeit goods and non-compliance with pricing regulations.

Authorities on Phu Quoc Island recently established a tourism rapid response team to protect visitors and address service-related concerns amid a tourism boom.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? If you were able to travel overseas over the past twelve months, were you excessively charged for a service or for a product you purchased? Does the trend of overcharging tourists in Vietnam discourage you from visiting the country? Do you think the authorities in Vietnam will be able to solve the problems?

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

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 127

March 9, 2026March 4, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 A Notable, Dark Scene In The Godfather – Early this year, the lost world the legendary actor Robert Duvall who passed away at age 95. He truly was one of the greatest actors ever not only in Hollywood but in global cinema. I best remember Duvall as Tom Hagen in The Godfather and it just so happens that the film has a very notable deleted scene and if you read the novel focused on Jack Woltz, you will realize the darkness behind it. For your viewing, posted below is a video focused on Tom Hagen and Jack Woltz, and the deleted scene itself.

#2 The History Of Raccoon City And The Resident Evil Events –This year marks the 30^th anniversary of the best-selling Resident Evil game franchise. Having played the first three Resident Evil games on PlayStation, Raccoon City was the hot spot of misadventures, zombie outbreaks, and criminal science. As more RE games got released, Capcom expanded the lore with background tales, audio recordings, artworks and more. If you want to dive deeply into the fictional history of Raccoon City and why its legacy is tied with the Umbrella corporation, go watch the video below.

#3 The Wholesome Hotel In Las Vegas – The first time I ever visited Las Vegas was in 1989. I was only 13-years-old back then and our family stayed in Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. Even though the hotel had gambling joints within, I still noticed how family-friendly the place was as it had an indoor circus venue, circus games, makeshift museums and a video arcade (where I played many classic arcade games). If there were any significant changes that happened through the decades, it would be the presence of an indoor amusement park with rides which reflects the hotel’s focus on attracting families and tourists who have limited budgets. Here’s another close look at Circus Circus in Las Vegas.

#4 Rushed And Incomplete RPGs – If there is any way to quickly describe a role-playing game (RPG) in video game format, it would be the fact that it was made to be lengthy and have a lot of content created for it. Like what happened in movies, productions of RPGs face similar problems with regards to lacking time and/or money which in turn would force the game makers to cut down their designs just to complete it. In the history of video games, the first PlayStation console was rich with RPGs in the late 1990s. Some of them turned out to be rushed and incomplete. To find out which ones, watch the retro gaming video below.

#5 Looking For “Luxury” Buffets In Japan? – With the Japanese Yen hovering about 150 per one American Dollar, a lot of foreigners find Japan a more affordable place to explore and experience. In certain places, tourists can find buffets that they consider “luxurious”. But what exactly makes a food joint luxurious and what would a traveler hope or want to eat there? Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#6 Eraser Revisited – Almost 30 years ago, the action movie Eraser (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) was released in cinemas and I had a fun time watching it. When it comes to action film roles of Schwarzenegger, the US Marshal John Kruger was very unique to watch. It should be noted that James Cromwell had another schemer-type of role in the film. To discover more about the 1996 movie, watch the videos below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 126

March 4, 2026February 26, 2026carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Dead Rising Revisited – I can hardly believe that it will be twenty years since I first play Dead Rising on a rented Xbox 360 console. Released by Capcom in August 2006, Dead Rising is a zombie apocalypse adventure game developed by a Japanese team with Keiji Inafune (Mega Man) as producer. As its story was mainly set in a shopping mall, the game was easily compared with the Dawn of the Dead movies. When I first played it, I was hooked as the gameplay was pretty playable and the in-game action was entertainingly exaggerated. That said, now is a good time to revisit Dead Rising with the video below.

#2 The Binions In Las Vegas –I have toured Las Vegas twice in my life. Still, I never actually visited Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel which is located in Downtown Las Vegas on the Fremont Street Experience. Historically, it is know as the place where the World Series of Poker started and it had a unique gambling atmosphere with classic table games and low-limit slots. However, if you look even deeper into the history of the Binions place and the family that originally owned, there is something darker and intriguing to discover. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Night Of The Living Dead (1968) Revisited – What is there to say about the original Night of the Living Dead movie from 1968? The George Romero-directed zombie apocalypse movie has long been declared as the most definitive zombie horror movie and was considered as the turning point in horror film-making. As such, it is not surprising to see the movie (in public domain since the beginning) featured in multiple movie reaction videos and retrospective videos on YouTube. For your curiosity and enjoyment, watch the videos below.

#4 Notable Places Beneath Tokyo Tower – The last time I toured Japan was way back in 1997. During that same trip, I visited Tokyo Tower and enjoyed a fine view of the city several feet above ground. As our city tour moved on a somewhat tight schedule, I was not able to fully explore Tokyo Tower. That said, Nippon TV posted recently a video about the places to shop, visit and dine beneath the famous tower. Watch and learn from the video below.

#5 Street Fighter Alpha 2 SNES Version Examined – Back in 1996, I was an avid arcade gamer and Street Fighter Alpha 2 was my favorite among the many 2D fighting games available in local arcades. In late-1996, copies of Street Fighter Alpha 2 running on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) were displayed in game stores which caught my attention because I never expected the console to be capable of processing the game and making it playable (note: Street Fighter Alpha games of the time were prominently released on PlayStation and Sega Saturn). To examine closely the quality of the SNES port of Street Fighter Alpha 2, watch the video below.

#6 Democrats’ Chuck Schumer Proved Himself Pathetic – Do you have a high-ranking representative or leader in government who does NOT care about you and the nation at all? The Democrats of America today are a bunch of unhinged, twisted, wicked and unpatriotic people who do not really care about the American people. One of them is the Democrats’ leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer who prioritized the rainbow pride flag over America. Watch the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 125

February 25, 2026February 22, 2026carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Revisited – Looking back in the years 1998 and 1999, the Resident Evil franchise of games became wildly popular and was even considered by some as Capcom’s most important franchise. The huge success of Resident Evil 2 convinced Capcom to approve a line of several Resident Evil-related projects for release on different platforms. One of those projects was Resident Evil 3: Nemesis which was actually a side-story game released in late-1999 and eventually sold in the millions for the company. The reception from the fans was mixed…some fans felt it was a worthy follow-up to RE2 while others felt it was unsatisfying. To understand how RE3 came to be, which content got cut and what exactly happened behind the scenes, watch the retrospective video below.

#2 The Many Scams And Rip-offs In Las Vegas –Las Vegas can be a fun place to visit if only you have enough money, you know where to go and if you have the knowledge to prevent yourself from getting scammed or paying for the wrong things. Every day, a lot of people got fooled into paying questionable products/fees/services and getting cheated by different types of people in Las Vegas. To protect yourself and do the right things before visiting Las Vegas, watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Escape From New York Revisited – What can there be said about the 1981 movie Escape From New York? On face value, it looks like an action movie with a terrifying portrayal of New York City but it was something else. Director John Carpenter wrote the film as his reaction to the Watergate scandal, and their team hired Kurt Russell to play Snake Plissken. Even though it was never a massive blockbuster film, Escape From New York has some socially relevant themes and entertained people in different ways which explains why it has become the subject of many YouTube videos. Posted below for you are selected reaction videos plus one trivia video of the movie.

#4 The Hidden Villages Of Japan – When it comes to exploring Japan, there are a lot of places to visit way outside of the metropolitan areas. Nippon TV recently posted a video about Japanese villages that have been hidden in the mountains of the central part of the country. These places have been well preserved and the same can be said about their culture and traditions. There is also the famous “Samurai Road” that is scenic and should interest people who enjoy traveling along mountain trails. Watch and enjoy the video below.

#5 A Look Back At Stardust Of Las Vegas – The first time I visited Las Vegas was in 1989, and I saw the Stardust Resort and Casino while riding the car. I never had the chance visit Stardust but I noticed its appearances on TV and movies. Opened in 1958 and closed in 2006, Stardust was indeed a lively establishment of the Las Vegas trip having attracted lots of tourists and gamblers. Its legacy, however, is not very pretty as there were lots of criminal elements and scandals that happened behind the scenes. To learn about the history of Stardust, watch the video below.

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I Love Israel: Direct Flights Between Israel And Vietnam To Launch This Year

February 22, 2026February 18, 2026carlocarrasco

In connection with the expansion plans of Israel’s EL AL Airlines, direct flights between the Jewish state and Vietnam will commence this year, according to a news report by VnExpress. Already the national carrier of Israel confirmed it will launch direct flights with the Philippines in the near future.

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

Israel’s national carrier El Al Israel Airlines has announced plans to launch a direct route to Hanoi capital of Vietnam as part of a broader expansion of its global network.

The airline said it is entering a new growth phase after nearly three years of focusing on key destinations in Europe, North America and Asia following the outbreak of conflict in October 2023.

Under its upcoming development strategy, El Al plans to introduce nine new routes.

From October 2026, the carrier will operate a long-haul direct service linking Tel Aviv and Hanoi. The route is expected to run three round-trip flights per week.

It should be recalled that the ties between Israel and Vietnam are indeed strong and really cooperative. That said, it makes perfect sense for the two nations to have direct flights with each other. Israelis looking for new destinations for holiday or business can visit Vietnam which is now a major tourist destination of Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese, meanwhile, can discover the Holy Land in Israel and possibly engage in business with the booming Israeli tech sector. There is a lot that Israel and Vietnam can achieve together.

To those in Vietnam reading this, I encourage you all to read my feature articles about the Pool of Siloam, the Southern Steps in Jerusalem, Nazareth Village, the grave of Oskar Schindler, the Dead Sea Beach, and some nice commercial joints (click here, here, here and here).

To all my readers, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 124

February 18, 2026February 15, 2026carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Tremors Revisited And Explained – By today’s standards, Tremors is a classic among monster movies (AKA creature features) Hollywood released. With the way it was written and presented, Tremors is always fun to watch again. I have seen it many times and yet it is worth repeating from start to finish. Behind the scenes, there were a lot of stuff, adjustments and unexpected developments that happened during production. If you wish to see such stuff, watch and learn from the Tremors videos of Represent This below.

#2 A Look At Excalibur In Las Vegas –I never had the opportunity to visit Excalibur in Las Vegas. During its first several years of operation, Excalibur welcomed countless tourists with its fantasy-themed atmosphere, designs, facilities and entertainment. Imagine having a meal while watching two knights riding horses and performing a joust in front of you. Imagine seeing members of the hotel staff wearing fantasy costumes. Like Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, Excalibur was a fine hotel that catered to families while still having casinos for gamblers. To learn more about what Excalibur was and what made it stand out among the hotels of Las Vegas, watch the video below.

#3 Meals At The Expressway In Japan – How often do you stop for a meal when traveling along a major highway? In many parts of the world, highways or expressways have clusters of gas stations, convenience stores, groceries and restaurants for travelers who need some relief from the stress of long travel. For many travelers, traveling far while being hungry can be a problem. In recent times, Nippon TV posted a video about meals and food items that travelers can find along expressways and the variety is interesting to see. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Cleopatra Movie Revisited – Way back in 1963, the movie Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was released. The historical epic was made at a staggering cost of $44 million which was almost three times more expensive than 1959’s Ben-Hur. Behind the scenes, 20^th Century Fox was in very deep financial trouble and many hard business risks were taken to make Cleopatra. Elizabeth Taylor, who signed a record-setting $1 million contract for the film, had health problems that added to the delay of the production. The film even lost its original movie director. To learn more about the history and the behind-the-scenes intrigue of Cleopatra, watch the video below.

#5 Innerspace Revisited – Innerspace (stylized as InnerSpace) from 1987 is a fun movie to watch and it has fine performances from Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan and Martin Short. That said, it is not surprising to see Innerspace featured in reaction videos and retrospective videos by YouTubers. For your enjoyment, watch the videos below.

#6 Breath Of Fire Retrospective – When Breath of Fire was first released in 1993, it was a surprising Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) as it had a somewhat fresh concept and it was released by Capcom (already famous for fighting games). The first game was successful enough to convince Capcom to make sequels (released on other game consoles as technology evolved) achieving varying degrees of critical and commercial success. Going back to the original game, some wondered what made it notable and how the game came to be. To find out the history of Breath of Fire and what its story was about, watch the video below.

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Indonesia Attracts 15.39 Million Foreign Visitors In 2025

February 14, 2026February 10, 2026carlocarrasco

Indonesia, the 2^nd largest economy of Southeast Asia, successfully attracted 15.39 million foreign visitors in 2025 and it is already looking forward to attracting even more this year, according to a news report by VnExpress.

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

Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, welcomed 15.39 million foreign visitors in 2025, exceeding its target of 14-15 million arrivals.

“We have exceeded our target and performed better than our previous projections,” Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said at a meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara News Agency.

Government figures show that average spending per foreign visitor reached US$1,267 in 2025, surpassing the target of $1,220.

Malaysia remained the biggest contributor to Indonesia’s tourism revenue, while the United Arab Emirates posted the fastest growth in visitor numbers.

Arrivals from China rose sharply, reaching 1.34 million in 2025, the highest level in six years, according to Xinhua News Agency. The data indicates that travel from China to Indonesia has not only recovered but has also exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

By doing the math of the numbers revealed in the above news report, US$1,267 multiplied with 15.39 foreign tourists is equal to roughly US$19.5 billion in foreign tourism revenue. That is a huge economic boost for Indonesia.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you ever toured Indonesia? If you have visited Indonesia, what did you enjoy the most while touring there?

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

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 123

February 13, 2026February 12, 2026carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Dawn Of The Dead Remake Revisited – Back in 2004, I saw the Dawn of the Dead remake inside a cinema located inside a shopping mall here in the Philippines. The Zack Snyder-directed film only inspired me to look for the 1978 original version of Dawn of the Dead directed by the late George Romero. The only thing the two films have in common is the concept of desperate people taking refuge inside a shopping mall during a zombie apocalypse. Zack Snyder’s film was more about violent action with horror elements blended with it. As Snyder went on to direct high-profile DC Comics superhero movies and produced other such projects of Warner Bros., it was natural for film buffs to gravitate to 2004’s Dawn of Dead which was his directorial debut. To learn more about the said remake and see the cinematic elements that formed the style of Snyder, watch the videos below.

#2 Premium Sushi, Hearty Tempura And Wagyu Beef For Breakfast In Japan –If you were traveling overseas, how hungry do you get when you start the day? Would you go for a simple and affordable breakfast or would you want something special in the morning? In Tokyo, there are these food joints that offer customers a luxurious breakfast with Wagyu beef, special tempura and premium sushi to name some. Already, local and foreign tourists are flocking to such food joints for the premium breakfast experience and you can learn more from the Nippon TV videos below.

#3 The Different Versions Of Final Fantasy VI – Among all the many Final Fantasy games released since 1987, Final Fantasy VI is still my favorite of them all. I first played the classic Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) on Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1994 which was titled “Final Fantasy III”, and it has a great epic story, a huge cast of playable characters, lots of unique gameplay features and great game design. Through the decades, Final Fantasy VI was ported to many consoles, mobile devices and even on personal computer. You might be wondering which version of Final Fantasy VI is the best in terms of visual quality, which one is the most available and which one is the most updated version. That said, you can find out by watching the video below.

#4 Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Revisited – When Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest was first released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1987, many fans who enjoyed the first game were alienated by how different the sequel felt, looked and played. It still was horror-themed 2D adventure game with Simon Belmont as the playable protagonist again but the creative team of Konami implemented role-playing elements and open-world exploration into the gameplay. Major game design changes aside, Castlevania II still has a lot more than meets the eye and you can find out by watching the video below. Surely it will challenge what you know about Simon Belmont and the Castlevania lore.

#5 Why Feminists Support Islam – Let’s be very clear here. Islam is a truly ugly religion and it is incompatible not only with Western democracy and values, but also with several other cultures around the world. The strange thing is that modern-day feminists actually support Islam even though the ugly religion itself goes against women’s rights, against personal liberty and against freedom as we know it. In the video below, Ayaan Hirsi Ali explains in detail why mainstream feminists today support Islam, why feminism today is very twisted and why feminists even aligned themselves with Islamic terrorists.

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Vietnam Attracts 2.5 Million Foreign Tourists In January 2026

February 12, 2026February 7, 2026carlocarrasco

Vietnam, which is already one of the leading players of Southeast Asia on foreign tourism, is off to a powerful start as it successfully attracted 2.5 million foreign tourists in January 2026 alone, according to a news report by VnExpress. The relaxed visa policies and enhanced tourism campaigns were factors behind the early success.

For insight, Vietnam attracted 21.2 million foreign tourists in 2025. It is expected to attract more from Israel as its ties with the Jewish state are getting stronger. Also, a lot of Filipino travelers searched for accommodations in Vietnam online in 2025. These are only a few of many factors highlighting the tourism boom in Vietnam.

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

Vietnam received 2.5 million foreign visitors in January, its highest monthly number ever, thanks to relaxed visa policies and increased tourism campaigns.

It represents an increase of more than 21% from the previous month, data released Tuesday by the General Statistics Office shows.

The composition of Vietnam’s top source markets changed during the month. South Korea overtook mainland China to become the top market with nearly 490,000 visitors, and China was next with 460,000.

Cambodia emerged as the most notable mover with more than 223,000 arrivals to rise to third place overtaking Taiwan. The rest of top 10 comprised Taiwan, Japan, the U.S, Australia, Russia, India, and Malaysia.

Industry insiders attribute the jump to ground-breaking visa policies, strong innovation in tourism promotion and marketing, greater product diversification, and improved service quality.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you ever toured Vietnam? With the strong start, do you think Vietnam will be able to attract more than 30 million foreign tourists this year? What is the first thing that comes to your mind when it comes to tourism in Vietnam?

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

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