In due time, space will be the new frontier of engaging in business and the transportation of people, cargo and the different forms of hardware. That said, the United States and Japan are moving towards that new frontier as they signed the memorandum of cooperation on space transportation business, according to news report by Kyodo News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire news report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Japan and the United States have agreed to further enhance cooperation in the space transportation business by standardizing part of the review procedures when Japanese firms launch rockets from U.S. sites and vice versa, Japan’s Cabinet Office said Tuesday.
Japan’s National Space Policy Secretariat and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration signed a memorandum of cooperationon Monday, also aimed at streamlining regulations and intensifying information sharing.
“We would like to build a system adaptable to space business, which is widely expanding in a variety of forms,” said Takatsugu Ryuzaki, director general of the secretariat in charge of the country’s space development and utilization, after the signing.
With several spaceport projects underway in Japan, including in Kochi and Oita prefectures, the two sides will discuss guidelines for space business operators setting out specific requirements for spaceports.
In addition to rocket launches, the two security allies are considering connecting Japanese and U.S. cities via suborbital flights at an altitude of around 100 kilometers.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this new agreement by Japan and America will lead to breakthroughs of space transportation business within your lifetime? Do you think other nations will follow the standards of America and Japan on space business? Does your country have any existing spaceports?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Frogger Print Ad
Do you find this old ad humorous?
When Frogger was first released in video arcades in 1981, it easily attracted countless gamers offering them bouts of fun and the video game critics were very impressed with it. Considering its massive arcade success, it was unsurprisingly ported to the game consoles and home computers of the time. Parker Brothers secured the license for cartridge versions and the company produced Frogger ports for not just the Atari 2600 but also the Atari 7800. This print ad they came up with had a deliberate cartoony artwork (with a touch of humor) and an artist created a hand-drawn illustration intentionally made to resemble a screenshot from the game. I saw this ad a number of times when I read comic books in 1982.
2. The Legend of Kage Japanese Arcade Flyer
Action and excitement in ancient Japan!
In my life, I never had the opportunity to play the original arcade version of The Legend of Kage and ended up playing only the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) port. Behind the scenes, Taito itself came close to preventing The Legend of Kage from being released in the arcades. The company placed it in a certain game show where it received praise by many which prompted Taito to give it a full arcade release. To promote the game, the Japanese arcade flyer had lively hand-drawn artwork that perfectly reflected what the game is about, who the playable hero is and what ancient Japanese setting was used. Fortunately for Taito, The Legend of Kage became a huge commercial hit and this led to the production of ports for different consoles and computers.
3. Hyper Olympic Japanese Arcade Flyer
Arguably the best track and field game ever made for the arcades.
In 1983, Konami released their summer Olympics-inspired arcade game Hyper Olympic (titled Track & Field in other parts of the world) which offered players the opportunities to compete in a series of events with emphasis on pressing the buttons as quickly as possible. The arcade flyer Konami came up with featured fine-looking hand-drawn artwork showing athletes competing in track and field events (with the types of events displayed at the top-most part of the flyer) while showing just one screenshot (lower right) and displaying the officially 1984 Los Angeles Olympics logo (lower left). In my view, this old arcade flyer does a good job promoting both the arcade game as well as the 1984 Olympics itself. Too bad nobody makes this kind of arcade flyer anymore.
4. Terra Cresta Japanese Arcade Flyer
Did you ever play Terra Cresta in the arcades in Japan?
Nichibutsu, which produced a lot of arcade games that were released only in Japan, released Terra Cresta in Japanese arcades in 1985. It turns out Terra Cresta is a sequel to their 1980 game Moon Cresta which itself was their first big arcade hit game. Nichibutsu literally loaded the front of Terra Cresta’s arcade flyer with lots of visuals and details. As you can see, seven screenshots of the game were displayed (each with descriptive text), a fancy looking artwork that emphasized the science fiction setting, some English descriptive text, the cocktail table arcade machine and a pretty Japanese lady wearing an aerobics outfit with legwarmers (popular in the 1980s). This flyer truly has a strong 1980s flavor.
5. Sega Master System European Print Ad
From the early days of Sega’s console business.
After many years doing arcade games, Sega made the bold decision to start competing in console gaming with the release of the SG-1000 in 1983 in Japan. Even though Nintendo was a very tough competitor with the best-selling Famicom, Sega did not give up and proceeded to launch their console in America and Europe referred to as the Master System. In a serious attempt to gain customers specifically in England, Sega made a print ad showcasing a family sitting in front of a TV set with the young boy playing a racing game on a Master System. Looking at how the descriptive text was presented, it was clear that Sega emphasized bringing the arcade game experience into the comfort of home while also promising that a lot more new games will be released in the near future. This is an eye-catching ad and also a fine example of aggressive marketing by Sega.
6. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run North American Print Ad
What was the best baseball video game you ever played?
Following the commercial success of the 1994 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball, Nintendo got Ken Griffey Jr. again as endorser and proceeded with the follow-up Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run. With the highly talented Rare (Donkey Kong Country) chosen as game developer, Nintendo was highly confident with the baseball sequel and the 2-page print ad reflected that. The Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run ad had a striking image of a broken baseball bat on one side while the game’s details, two screenshots and the creative description dominated the other side. While I am not so interested in baseball, I can say that this old print ad is indeed attention-grabbing.
7. 2Xtreme North American Print Ad
From the time when the X Games were wildly popular.
Remember how popular the X Games (Extreme Games) were back in the 1990s? Early in the life of the PlayStation console, Sony released ESPN Extreme Games which sold over a million copies worldwide. As expected, a follow-up titled 2Xtreme was approved for a 1996 release. Sony came up with a 2-page ad that had an upside-down X Games participant with roller blades dominating most of the space and six screenshots were displayed. The descriptive text in the lower part of the ad was deliberately written to be hip and cool.
8. Macross Plus Japanese Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
Based on the mid-1990s anime OAV, the Macross Plus video game from Banpresto was designed as a vertical-scrolling 2D shooter that captures the feel and intensity of the anime’s spectacle. The front of the Japan-only arcade flyer showcased the YF-19 Excalibur, the YF-21 Sturmvogel and the VF-11 Thunderbolt (plus the basic arcade controls on the lower-left) which were all rendered in 3D polygons to delight Macross fans and gamers who are interested in new 2D shooting experiences. The rear of the flyer showed additional details and it even includes English text descriptions. Strangely, no screenshots of the game were displayed. Being a long-time Macross fan, I can say this old arcade flyer is still engaging to look at.
9. Macross VF-X2 North American Print Ad
An impressive looking print ad for a Macross video game that never got released in North America.
In the late 1990s, Bandai prepared to launch Macross VF-X2 (the sequel to 1997’s Macross Digital Mission VF-X) on the PlayStation console in North America. This was a very intriguing move because Bandai never brought the mentioned 1997 Macross game outside of Japan. Shortly after the official announcement of a North American release, Macross VF-X2 got featured in video game magazines, an English demo of the game (first mission only) was distributed through Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, and Bandai came up with the 2-page print ad you see here. Unfortunately, Macross VF-X2’s North American release got cancelled because of copyright issues and legal obstacles (note: Harmony Gold held the Western rights to Robotech and actively blocked the release of genuine Macross products in America). As such, this impressive looking Macross VF-X2 print ad for North America ended up as a promotion for nothing!
10. Star Wars: Racer Arcade Japanese Print Ad/Poster
This is one of the many video games based on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
In 1999, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was a massive box office hit in theaters around the world and it marked a new era of Star Wars movies with digital effects available. Similar with 1993’s Jurassic Park, George Lucas’ movie also had a huge lineup of merchandise, action figures and video games. The pod racing from the movie became the basis for Star Wars: Racer Arcade which was released in Japan on June 2000, and then in America a month later. To help arcade operators attract gamers and Star Wars fans, a print ad and poster were released featuring a very dynamic image of pod racing from the game dominating the background, a few screenshots displayed and some computer-generated of characters and vehicles. At the lower right part of the ad/poster is the image of the arcade machine which has a huge screen, a seat and control panel. The descriptive Japanese text was written to excite both fans and gamers. Did you play this Sega-produced Star Wars game in the arcades?
11. Konami Wai Wai World Japanese Print Ad
Can you spot Simon Belmont, Mikey Walsh and King Kong in this Japan-only print ad of Konami Wai Wai World?
Going back to the late-1980s, Konami released a 2D adventure game on the Famicom that was very ambitious as it featured side-scrolling treks, vertical-scrolling shooting sequences and, most notably, a cast of characters that emphasized crossovers between intellectual properties of gaming. I am talking about Konami Wai Wai World (sometimes called Konami World for short) which had characters, settings and elements of Konami’s own properties like Gradius, Castlevania and Twin Bee. Not only that, King Kong of King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch and Mikey Walsh of The Goonies were also featured which is astonishing because they represent entertainment intellectual properties that were licensed to Konami for video game adaptation. That said, the emphasis of crossovers and excitement was shown in the form of 2D character sprites in this Japanese print ad of Konami Wai Wai World. This is the kind of game that Konami itself will never be able to make again and to do a remake or an enhanced re-release of Konami Wai Wai World will require overcoming all the legal obstacles in the way.
The United States and Venezuela signed a major deal regarding oil and Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez is thankful to President Donald J. Trump and State Secretary Marco Rubio for it, according to a news report by Newsmax.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt of Newsmax’s report. Some parts in boldface…
Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez thanked President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the oil agreement between the two countries.
The deal drew rave reviews from conservatives and criticism from Democrats.
“That is why we chose the path of diplomacy with the United States of America, to transform our differences into cooperation. And that cooperation into investment, production, well-being, and concrete results for Venezuelans,” Rodriguez said in a televised address Saturday.
“I thank President Donald Trump, Secretary Rubio, and his government for the efforts made by both their administration and ours, as well as the entire Venezuelan team that dedicated their time to reaching this agreement,” she said.
Rodriguez said the pact would run 25 years and target production of more than 1.5 million barrels a day.
She said Venezuela would receive about $19 a barrel, which could generate more than $209 billion for the state.
“It’s no use having our oil reserves underground just so they appear in a statistic or an accounting record and we can say we’re the country with the world’s largest reserves when we can’t convert them into development for Venezuela,” she said.
“Our reserves must be transformed into well-being, prosperity, and happiness for this country and enable us to restore our productive capacity so that we can establish ourselves as an energy and manufacturing powerhouse.“
Rodriguez added that the change would strengthen energy security in the Western Hemisphere and promote greater stability and balance in global energy markets.
Trump announced the agreement Friday, calling it “THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY!”
It covers 65 billion barrels of proven reserves across 17 fields, with the U.S. receiving 55% of output, including an ownership stake.
The White House has described 100-year development rights, a term Rodriguez did not repeat.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the US-Venezuela oil deal will be beneficial for both nations? Do you think the deal will help America economically in the long run? What is your view of Venezuela since the dictator Nicolas Maduro was removed by America?
By citing key factors like weak consumption, Middle East oil shock and the collapse in private investment, Moody’s Analytics officially slashed its 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 3%, according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
MOODY’S ANALYTICS slashed its 2026 growth forecast for the Philippines, amid weak consumption and a collapse in private investment.
In its latest Asia-Pacific Outlook report dated Aug. 24, the analytics firm said it now sees Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 3% this year, slower than its 4% projection in June.
“We lowered our 2026 GDP growth forecast to 3% from 4% in the June vintage after incorporating the second-quarter GDP result, which was far weaker than expected,” Moody’s Analytics Assistant Director and Economist Sarah Tan said in an e-mailed reply to questions.
The Philippine economy slumped to its worst post-pandemic growth of 2.3% in the April-to-June period, as investments and public construction continued to reel from last year’s flood control corruption scandal. Rising prices from the Middle East war-driven oil shock also strained household spending.
“The economy expanded by just 2.3% year on year, with private consumption showing notable weakness and private investment collapsing,” Ms. Tan noted. “This points to softer underlying domestic demand than we had previously anticipated.”
As of the first half of 2026, the country’s GDP growth averaged 2.6%, well below the government’s 3.5%-4.5% full-year target.
If Moody’s Analytics’ forecast holds true, the government will miss its growth target for a fourth year in a row. The economy would also further soften from last year’s post-pandemic low growth of 4.4%.
Economists earlier said that reaching even the bottom end of the government’s target entails a steep climb, as it means the economy must grow by at least 4.4% in the second half.
Moody’s Analytics sees growth recovering over the next two years to 4.6% in 2027 and 5.1% in 2028. The government wants full-year expansion to be between 5% and 6% from 2027 to 2030.
Meanwhile, GlobalSource Partners Country Analyst Diwa C. Guinigundo noted that the Philippines could face a more complicated path toward fiscal consolidation if growth remains below potential.
“Slower growth would make fiscal consolidation and debt reduction more difficult,” he said in a Viber message. “The issue is not simply that government revenues would grow more slowly; a weaker economy also means a smaller denominator for the debt-to-GDP ratio.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think 2026 will end up as a very disappointing year of economic growth for the Philippines? Do you think the economy of the Philippines could still fall into a recession in 2027 or in the first half of 2028? Are you convinced that the Philippines has nothing to gain economically from hosting the ASEAN Summit?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Recently in Japan, police officers arrested two men from the nation of Chile over the theft of four luxury wristwatches from a store in Tokyo, according to a news report by NHK World. One of the suspects admitted that he and his partner planned to sell the stolen watches and bring the money back with them to Chile.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of NHK World. Some parts in boldface…
Japanese police have arrested two Chilean men on suspicion of stealing four luxury wristwatches from a shop in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward earlier this week. The stolen items are worth about 200 million yen, or roughly 1.25 million dollars.
Police arrested the men after they were found at a private lodging facility in the western city of Osaka on Thursday. The suspects are 23 and 33 years old, respectively.
Police say investigators found a watch of the same brand as one of the stolen items in the men’s belongings.
Police quote the 23-year-old suspect as saying the two stole only one watch. They also say the 33-year-old suspect admitted to the allegations, and told investigators that the pair planned to sell the watches and take the money back to their home country.
Police say they are investigating where the suspects traveled to after they arrived in Japan on August 21, and what led them to commit the crime.
The theft occurred at a watch retailer in the Nakano Broadway commercial facility on Tuesday. A display case was broken with a hammer. Two perpetrators were in the shop for only around 10 seconds before fleeing the scene.
For additional insight, watch the related Nippon TV news video below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the two Chilean suspects are guilty of the crime beyond reasonable doubt? Do you think the investigators will be able to find more details behind the theft and how the suspects traveled all the way to Osaka after committing the theft in Tokyo? If you were in Japan during the past few years, have you ever witnessed foreigners committing violence or theft there?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
The United States officially revoked the US visa of Taif Sami Mohammed Al Shakarchi, the Iraqi national who was awarded by the failed Biden Administration in 2022, according to US State Department citing her placement on the Terror Watchlist of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In a New York Post report, Taif Sami Mohammed Al Shakarchi’s alleged links to the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran and Iran-backed militias in Iraq drew headlines. She was also the target of two Republicans in the US House of Representatives accused of being the “key enabler of terrorist funding in Iraq.”
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire statement of the US State Department. Some parts in boldface…
The U.S. Department of State has revoked the visa of an Iraqi national who was presented an award by the Biden Administration for her purported role in fighting corruption and her advocacy for “gender equity.”
Taif Sami Mohammed Al Shakarchi was given the International Woman of Courage Award in 2022by former Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) and former First Lady Jill Biden.
The award recognized “women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity.”
This Iraqi national’s visa has now been revoked by the State Department following her placement on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Terror Watchlist. She is no longer present in the United States.
Under President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, suspected terrorists will never be allowed to remain in the United States.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you aware that Taif Sami Mohammed Al Shakarchi was Iraq’s Finance Minister from 2022 to 2026? Do you suspect Taif Sami Mohammed Al Shakarchi may have been involved in financing connected with Islamic terrorists? Should all her communications and interactions with the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran be investigated?
Recently in Las Piñas City, five hundred members of different tricycle operators and drivers’ associations (TODAs) got involved in the cleanup drive through their respective barangays, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Five hundred members of various tricycle operators and drivers’ associations (TODA) in Las Piñas City have been deployed to their respective barangays to carry out community cleanup activities under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.
Mayor April Aguilar said the beneficiaries have started their 10-day work assignment, where they will assist in cleaning creeks, public markets, roads, and other areas identified by the city government.
Aguilar said that some of the workers were deployed with personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) to help clear and clean creeks as part of the city’s efforts to maintain clean waterways and reduce the risk of flooding.
She said that others were assigned to cleanup activities in public markets and along roads in their respective barangays.
The mayor said that each beneficiary will receive P755 per day for 10 days, or a total of P7,550, for the services they render under the program.
She said that Public Employment Service Office (PESO) head Red Garcia and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Muntinlupa-Parañaque-Las Piñas (Muntaparlas) Director Jeremiah Carlos, conducted the orientation before the workers were deployed.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, are you thankful to the police for apprehending the suspect? Do you think the cleanup drive involving tricycle drivers and operators are making a good impact in the city?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
As Japan is in the middle of reforming its immigration system and the permanent residency requirements for foreigners, a 72-year-old man from South Korea was arrested by the local authorities for overstaying in the country for a few decades already, according to a VnExpress news report. The suspect admitted he overstayed and supported himself with different jobs locally and how exactly he entered Japan will surprise you.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
A 72-year-old South Korean man has been arrested in Japan for allegedly overstaying his tourist visa for more than 26 years, police said.
Shizuoka Prefectural Police announced on Aug. 26 that the man had entered Japan illegally and continued to live in Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Police said they received a tip about the man in June and subsequently arrested him.
He originally entered Japan in September 1993 on a 15-day tourist visa, using his brother’s passport because he hoped to find better-paid work in the country, as reported by ANNnewsCH.
The man is believed to have remained in Japan since his arrival 26 years ago.
Because visa overstaying was not a criminal offense in Japan until February 2000, when a revised immigration law took effect, police arrested him on suspicion of overstaying from that point onward, according to the Japan Times.
The suspect has admitted to the allegation, telling investigators that he supported himself by working various day jobs.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the person who informed the local police about the overstaying foreigner should be rewarded? Does this news make you feel concerned about the potential presence of illegal aliens in your local community? Do you think Japan has what it takes to find all of the overstaying foreigners, apprehend them and eventually deport them? If ever the suspect gets deported, do you think he could adjust to life in his native South Korea?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
As it enjoys the many benefits of the ongoing tourism boom, Vietnam now has the opportunity to truly build itself up economically by means of long-term investments and creating new jobs. That said, the tourism industry of the nation has shifted focus from attracting visitors to higher spending, longer stays and other economic opportunities, 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…
Vietnam is shifting tourism growth from attracting more visitors to generating greater value from each trip, with a focus on higher spending, longer stays, green development, technology application and cultural experiences.
Thecountry aims to welcome 45-50 million international visitors and 160 million domestic tourists by 2030, Do Cam Tho, head of the Planning and Finance Division at the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at HORECFEX Vietnam 2026, a major hospitality and tourism forum.
She said 2026-27 would be a pivotal period in shifting tourism development from expansion in scale to deeper value creation.
Vietnam welcomed 21.2 million international visitors and 137 million domestic tourists in 2025, with total tourism revenue estimated at around VND1 quadrillion ($38.1 billion).
In thefirst seven months of 2026, the country received nearly 13.92 million foreign tourists, up 13.8% year on year, whiledomestic visitors numbered about 98 million, withtourism revenue of 675 trillion VND.
International visitors currently spend an average of US$1,200-1,400 per trip in Vietnam, while domestic tourists about 2.4-2.6 million VND (US$92-99).
About 70% of foreign visitors come from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan (China), while markets with higher spending power, including the Middle East, Northern Europe, North America and Australia, still account for relatively small shares.
Tourism is receiving greater attention as Vietnam seeks to achieve rapid national development and make tourism a spearhead economic sector, Tho was quoted by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper as saying.
Under the proposed approach, Vietnam targets total tourism revenue of $80-90 billion by 2030. The country is expected to have about 1.5 million accommodation rooms and tourism is projected to create around 5.8 million direct and indirect jobs.
Among three development scenarios for 2030, the most ambitious targets annual international visitor growth of 15-18%. Achieving it will require institutional reforms, development of the night-time economy, diversification of high-end markets and measures to increase visitor spending.
VNAT said Vietnam will continue to consolidate Northeast Asian and ASEAN markets while expanding into Europe, North America, Australia and other markets with high spending capacity and longer stays.
India, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Russia and Muslim markets have been identified as areas with significant growth potential.
For domestic tourism, the focus will shift from boosting visitor numbers to encouraging higher spending, with an emphasis on two- to three-day weekend getaways, high-end Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, family vacations and night-time tourism.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Vietnam’s tourism industry players are fully prepared to make the most of the economic benefits that come with surging foreign and domestic tourism? Do you think new investments related with the tourism boom will be made soon in Vietnam? How many millions of new jobs do you think will be created in Vietnam as a result of the tourism boom?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center confirmed that the company that wins the bid for the P7 billion Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) project will receive exemptions and incentives that include exemptions from national and local taxes, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The winning bidder for the ₱7-billion concession to transform Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) into a world-class logistics hub will receive a generous government incentives package, including national and local tax exemptions.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center noted that the project’s implementing agency, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), will offer a competitive slate of incentives to support long-term private investment.
Under the Special Corporate Income Tax (SCIT) regime,the winning operator may qualify for a five percent corporate income tax rate for up to 16 years, with the possibility of an extension subject to eligibility requirements.
As long as it is registered as an export enterprise with the SBMA, the concessionaire will be exempt from all national and local taxesunder the SCIT regime.
It may alsoenjoy exemptions from customs duties and value-added tax (VAT) on imports, along with zero-rated VAT on qualified local purchases.
Beyond fiscal incentives, the project also opens up commercial opportunities outside standard airport operations. The operator can generate additional revenue through cargo handling, warehousing, commercial leasing, logistics services, and other non-aeronautical ventures.
“The SBIA project offers a compelling opportunity for the private sector to partner with the government in developing one of the Philippines’ most strategic aviation and logistics gateways,” the PPP Center said in a statement.
The SBMA recently launched a comparative challenge for the airport’s modernization and expansion, which originated from an unsolicited proposal by United States-based Cerberus Asia Pacific Investments LLC.
Under this process, interested firms may submit competing offers against the original proposal. As the original proponent, Cerberus retains the right to match or beat the best offer.
Cerberus, which has assets across transportation, real estate, and other sectors, wants to manage the SBIA under a 25-year operate-rehabilitate-add-transfer (ORAT) scheme, with an investment cost of around ₱7 billion.
The concession aims to develop the gateway, located northwest of Manila, into a strategic cargo and logistics hub that would help ease congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), especially as demand for air cargo continues to grow.
The project will focus onupgrading existing airport facilities to align them with international standards, alongside the development of new facilities to transform the airport into a higher-capacity logistics hub.
TheSBIA is poised to support logistics and aviation growth through the development of the airport’s midway apron, which will consist of two warehouse buildings with a total floor area of 22,400 square meters (sqm) and a 32,000-sqm aircraft staging and parking area.
The north airport land development, meanwhile, covers an additional 88,000 sqm across four parcels of land for warehouse facilities, a hangar, a storage facility, and additional apron space.
To ensure proper development of the project, SBMA will assist the private partner in securing the necessary approvals for implementation and facilitating permits and regulatory coordination.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Subic Bay International Airport project will attract a lot of bidders from overseas? Do you believe the modernization of SBIA will add a lot to the economy of the Philippines in the long-term?
