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?
Welcome back, readers and fellow believers of the Lord!
It is a long-running tradition that the world we live in remains twisted, divided and chaotic. Apart from the persistent political divisions magnified by the dishonest mainstream news media, people around the world have differences in terms of culture, social classes, lifestyles, identity and geographic norms. Along the way, Satan keeps on influencing people to become his agents of evil, lying and division. The chaos just goes on and on.
Being worldly is unholy. Wordliness – which includes wickedness, corruption, idolatry, homosexuality, immorality, dishonesty, theft and a lot more negative elements – is twisted and it often leads to deterioration, division and destruction. Is it any wonder why are there so many brainwashed and paid political activists causing chaos in societies? Why do you think Islamic terrorism keeps on happening? Why do you think the Islamo-Leftists keep on empowering mass migration, illegal immigration and multiculturalism against nations of the world? Did you notice people are being deceived by the zealots of social justice, identity politics, climate change, diversity and inclusion? Satan is responsible and he has a lot of the sinners, the lost, the anarchists and the terrorists who don’t even realize they are his pawns.
No matter what happens around us and to us, we the faithful should never lose hope and we should keep on moving forward in faith and with the Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus is our Savior, our Redeem and the Hope of ALL nations! No matter how much chaos happens to us, we should never lose faith in Him and we can do His will by spreading God’s Word. God is the eternal Creator and we should remember why He redeemed us with His Son Jesus.
We should always keep worshiping the Lord wholeheartedly. Worshiping God protects your heart from going astray. Worshiping and honoring Him puts us in His path and this includes the guiding light of the Holy Spirit which shows us the way to follow. Lord Jesus achieved victory over death as well as victory over evil.
The truth is this…Satan can be defeated by having uncompromising faith in the Lord, in His Word and following the ways and commands of the Lord. Lord Jesus Himself defeated Satan long ago and you can find out how in the bible verse below.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But He answered and said,
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
Jesus said to him,
“It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
Then Jesus said to him,
“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Matthew 4:1-11 (NKJV)
As seen in the above scripture, the Lord defeated Satan and by following Jesus and God’s Word, we can be protected from whatever attacks or tricks Satan throws at us the faithful. With the Lord, nothing is impossible!
Resisting the devil involves complete submission to God. Learn from the scripture below.
So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 (AMPC)
It is clear that we the faithful should never open doors that lead to evil. We should follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and let it guide us so that we do not make mistakes. Never give any edge nor space to evil. Meanwhile, the lost, the chaotic and the unsaved who spent their lives committing evil under Satan’s influence still have time to turn around and come to Lord Jesus for submission and repentance. Learn from the scriptures below.
Jesus answered him,
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
John 3:3 (AMPC)
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying:
“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
And again:
“I will put My trust in Him.”
And again:
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2:10-15 (NKJV)
As seen above, there is indeed hope for the lost and unsaved to come to the Lord. This is why we are reminded to preach God’s Word to others and pray for them to realize the light of hope and salvation from Jesus. There are indeed a lot of people out there who rejected God or did not prioritize Him, but they have time to turn around and come to Him. After surrendering to Him, they will learn to praise, honor and thank Him eternally in His Kingdom. Learn from the scriptures below.
It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises [with musical accompaniment] to Your name, O Most High,
To show forth Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night,
With an instrument of ten strings and with the lute, with a solemn sound upon the lyre.
For You, O Lord, have made me glad by Your works; at the deeds of Your hands I joyfully sing.
How great are Your doings, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep.
A man in his rude and uncultivated state knows not, neither does a [self-confident] fool understand this:
That though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to be destroyed forever.
But You, Lord, are on high forever.
For behold, Your adversaries, O Lord, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the evildoers shall be scattered.
Psalm 92:1-9 (AMPC)
The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible].
Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
[Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].
[They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Psalm 92:12-15 (AMPC)
O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation!
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights and strength of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker [in reverent praise and supplication].
Psalm 95:1-6 (AMPC)
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless (affectionately praise) His name; show forth His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be reverently feared and worshiped above all [so-called] gods.
For all the gods of the nations are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come [before Him] into His courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; tremble before and reverently fear Him, all the earth.
Say among the nations that the Lord reigns; the world also is established, so that it cannot be moved; He shall judge and rule the people righteously and with justice.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all the things which fill it;
Let the field be exultant, and all that is in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
Before the Lord, for He comes, for He comes to judge and govern the earth! He shall judge the world with righteousness and justice and the peoples with His faithfulness and truth.
Psalm 96:1-13 (AMPC)
Our Lord is not just all-powerful. He is also a very caring and loving Lord, the most definitive Leader and Authority we can follow with all our hearts. For as long as our faith in Him remains uncompromising, Satan, the idols and his evil influence cannot win and will end up isolated with defeat. Those who are still trapped by Satan can be freed by leading them to Jesus for repentance, submission and hope. The Lord reigns eternally and we the faithful can help the lost and unsaved realize that! Learn from the scripture below.
The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles and coastlands be glad!
Clouds and darkness are round about Him [as at Sinai]; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about.
His lightnings illumine the world; the earth sees and trembles.
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.
Let all those be put to shame who serve graven images, who boast in idols. Fall prostrate before Him, all you gods.
Psalm 97:1-7 (AMPC)
O sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation for Him.
The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness has He openly shown in the sight of the nations.
He has [earnestly] remembered His mercy and loving-kindness, His truth and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have witnessed the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!
Psalm 98:1-4 (AMPC)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!
Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Psalm 100:1-3 (AMPC)
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits—
Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;
Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!
Psalm 103:1-5 (AMPC)
All the praise, all the glory, all the thanks and all the honor to God! We the faithful are eternally secured in Heaven as we are faithful Jesus our Lord and the Hope of all nations! We the faithful can help the lost and unsaved make their way to the Lord for light and hope they need.
From this point on, I would like to reach out to the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Are you frustrated with religion? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists and secularists fool and abused you? Were you victimized by a religious fanatic? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a toxic person? Are you fed up with being promiscuous and living with sadness? Have you spent an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, paintings and relics? Are you addicted to something for so long?
All of that darkness can end! How? You can save yourselves by submitting to the Lord willingly and realize He is the Light! No force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from a pastor.
Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:
Father God,
I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord.
With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).
Now that you are living a new life as a Christian (devoted follower of Lord Jesus), I highly encourage you to visit Israel someday. It is in Israel where the Holy Land is, and you should go there to deepen your faith in the Lord. I myself had been to Israel and I brought the Holy Bible with me to many holy sites there such as Nazareth, Galilee and its sea, the Pool of Siloam, Magdala, Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, the Upper Room, the Temple Mount, the Jordan River and the Southern Steps to name some. I did my part deepening my faith in our Lord and praying to Him. I also did my part blessing the Jewish people during my time there, and I assure you all that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical. Go to Israel with the Holy Bible and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep on living with holiness under the watch of God. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion.
Indonesia, the 2nd 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?
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.
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?
With an all-time high of 42.7 million foreign tourists counted in 2025, Japan is clearly having a tremendous tourism boom that is also unprecedented. While the country took in over $60 billion from the said foreign tourists, immense tourism is causing a wide series of challenges for the Japanese residents and the authority, and this early the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) announced that the nation will make serious moves to tackle overtourism by the year 2030, according to a news article by Kyodo News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
The Japan Tourism Agency said Friday it plans to more than double the number of regions taking steps to address overtourism from the current 47 by 2030, in an effort to increase understanding among the public of the importance of inbound tourism to the nation’s economy.
A goal to boost the number of such regions to 100 will be included for the first time in the government’s next basic tourism promotion plan. A draft of the plan, which covers five years from fiscal 2026, was presented to a panel of experts and is scheduled to be approved by the Cabinet in March.
According to the draft, the government will maintain its existing targets to increase inbound visitor numbers to 60 million and their annual spending to 15 trillion yen ($97 billion) by 2030.
In 2025, foreign visitors to Japan reached an estimated record of 42.7 million, with their spending also at a new all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen, according to the government.
With a sharp decline in Chinese tourists due to deteriorating bilateral relations, the draft also stressed the importance of preparing for changes in the international situation, saying that efforts will be made to attract visitors from a wide range of countries and regions.
The agency has been implementing model projects to support regions taking steps to address overtourism issues, such as traffic congestion and nuisance behavior.
To date, 47 regions, including Kyoto in western Japan and Taketomi in Okinawa Prefecture, have been advancing initiatives based on resident feedback, including easing congestion on local roads and limiting visitor numbers.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think that the ongoing tourism in Japan will last for at least the next three years? Would you be surprised to see foreign tourist arrivals in Japan reach 45 million by the end of this year? Are you dismayed to see foreign tourists misbehave or violate local rules during their stay in Japan? Do you think China’s hostility against Japan will bring down this year’s count of foreign tourists?
This early, Malaysia is aiming at the top of the 34th edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) which it will host in 2027, according to news report by VnExpress. Malaysia finished 4th place in the 2025 SEA Games held in Thailand with fifty-seven gold medals won.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has set the goal of the country being overall champions at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027, which will be hosted by Malaysia.
Newly appointed Youth and Sports Minister Mohd Taufiq Johari said after taking office on Jan. 16 that the ministry, together with the National Sports Council (NSC), will strengthen cooperation with national sports associations and others to work towards that goal.
He expressed confidence that Malaysia could emerge as the strongest team at the SEA Games 2027, and voiced optimism about repeating the overall championship the country secured when it last hosted the event in 2017.
Taufiq praised the dedication and fighting spirit displayed by Malaysian athletes at the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand, saying he hoped they will maintain the same qualities when Malaysia hosts the Games in 2027.
He added that the KBS, together with the NSC and relevant agencies, have already drawn up detailed plans and a clear timeline, including the organization of workshops, to ensure medal targets can be achieved.
Apart from being a highly competitive nation in the SEA Games, Malaysia itself is the 2nd most visited nation of Southeast Asia in 2025. Hosting the SEA Games in 2027 could help it attract more foreign tourists in the short term.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you convinced that the preparations initiated by Malaysia will pay off nicely during the 2027 SEA Games? Being the host nation, what sports do you think Malaysia could add to or subtract from the 2027 SEA Games? Do you feel excited about the next Southeast Asian Games?
While the Philippines continues to endure difficulties on attracting foreign tourists (click here and here), statistics of the global travel platform Agoda revealed that a lot more Filipinos searched online for accommodations in Vietnam, according to a travel article by VnExpress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the travel article of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Travelers from the Philippines showed the strongest interest in visiting Vietnam in 2025, with accommodation searches rising 86% year-on-year, according to travel platform Agoda.
The trend was consistent with official tourism data. The number of Filipino visitors to Vietnam reached 482,173 in 2025, up 81.3% from 2024, according to the General Statistics Office.
Air connectivity between the two countries has also improved, with several carriers launching new direct routes.
In July last year, Philippine Airlines began operating a Manila-Da Nang service with three flights a week. A month later, Vietjet opened the Ho Chi Minh City-Manila route, offering five round-trip flights per week.
“Growing international interest suggests Vietnam is consolidating its position as a leading regional destination, benefiting from improved connectivity, visa policies and diversified travel experiences,” said Vu Ngoc Lam, country director at Agoda Vietnam.
Vietnam welcomed a record 21.2 million international visitors in 2025, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest total on record.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think a lot more Filipinos will visit Vietnam this year as the direct flights continue? What is it about Vietnam that captures the interests of foreign travelers? If you have been to Vietnam as a tourist, how much did you spend per day there?
For Filipinos who want to visit Japan, a visa is often required which is something I can relate with. In recent times, there has been this lack of available slots for visa appointments and the Japanese embassy in Manila confirmed that there is an unprecedented surge of Filipino visa applicants, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s embassy in Manila is aware of the lack of available slots for visa appointments at its application centers and issued its response on the matter.
In a statement sent to the Manila Bulletin, the embassy cited the surge of Filipinos expressing interest in going to Japan.
Except during the surge of Covid-19 pandemic, the embassy said, Filipino visa applicants reached ”unprecedented levels.”
”The number of short-stay visas issued surged more than sixfold (6.15 times) over the decade from 2013 (73,143) to 2023 (450,087), and increased further to 490,907 in 2024,” it said.
According to the embassy, this prompted them to make significant changes in their visa processing system.
”In response to the increasing demand, the visa processing system underwent a fundamental overhaul starting April 2025 to maintain proper screening quality and streamline the process, transitioning to a Visa Application Center system,” it said.
”Furthermore, the introduction of the e-VISA began last December for visas issued to tourists in package tours organized by designated travel agencies,” it added.
The embassy acknowledged that people-to-people exchanges form the foundation of Philippines-Japan relations, and the embassy “welcomes our Filipino friends’ growing interest in visiting Japan, with the number of Filipino visitors reaching a record high of 880,000 in 2025.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you already applied for a visa to visit Japan over the past twelve months? How many people do you personally know want to visit Japan? If you intend to visit Japan soon, have you started finding out what the requirements are for application?
Thailand, the 2nd most visited nation of Southeast Asia in 2025, has set ambitious tourism targets for itself for 2026 and it includes achieving US$95 billion in tourism revenue, according to a VnExpress news release. Thailand attracted over thirty million international arrivals last year which was actually a decline of more than 7% compared to 2024.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has expressed confidence that the country’s tourism sector will earn 3 trillion THB (US$95.35 billion) in revenue this year through its “Amazing 5 Economy” strategy.
The plan targets an 11% increase in international visitors, enhanced domestic tourism, and a focus on sustainable, high-quality growth despite global challenges.
TAT aims for 36.7 million international arrivals and about 210 million domestic trips in 2026. Meanwhile, the revenue target includes 2 trillion THB from international markets, with an expected 11% increase in international tourist arrivals, and 1 trillion THB from domestic tourism, projected to grow by 4%, said TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool.
In 2026, TAT plans to reignite quality tourism growth by addressing challenges such as geopolitical tensions, increasing global competition, and domestic factors like the strong baht, household debt, safety concerns, and natural disasters. The key to success lies in the “Amazing 5 Economy” framework, which includes life economy, sub-culture economy, night economy, circular economy, and platform economy.
In 2025, Thailand recorded total tourism revenue of approximately 2.7 trillion THB. International arrivals reached 32.97 million, down 7.23% year-on-year.
It saw declines in short-haul markets such as Malaysia and China. However, long-haul markets showed strong momentum, with visitors from Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa reaching a record 10.8 million.
Notably, arrivals from the U.K. and the U.S. each surpassed one million for the first time. Domestic tourism also expanded, with more than 202 million trips, up 2.7%.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you ever toured Thailand before? If you did, how long did you stay in Thailand and how was your overall travel experience there? Do you think Thailand will be to achieve its ambitious tourism targets this year?
Finally, the Department of Tourism (DOT) revealed that 5.94 million foreign tourists and over 543,000 returning overseas Filipinos arrived in the Philippines in 2025 resulting in tourism revenue of P694 billion, according to a news release by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines recorded 6.4 million foreign visitors and returning overseas Filipinos in 2025, generating an estimated PHP694 billion in tourism receipts, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Tuesday.
Citing Bureau of Immigration data, the DOT said 5,940,975 were foreign visitors, including cruise passengers and categories not fully captured in eTravel.
Another 543,085 were returning overseas Filipinos, bringing total inbound arrivals to 6,484,060.
The DOT said preliminary international visitor spending was estimated at PHP694 billion.
While arrivals remain below pre-pandemic levels in 2019, the DOT said the outcome was achieved despite global and domestic challenges, including travel alerts from key markets and fiscal constraints.
The agency said tourism performance should not be measured by arrivals alone, citing strong domestic travel, value creation and job generation.
Guided by the National Tourism Development Plan 2023–2028, the DOT said it remains focused on improving connectivity, safety, workforce skills and service standards.
For insight as to why the Philippines is having a lot of trouble attracting visitors from abroad, watch the YouTube videos below.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you agree with the Department of Tourism’s claim that tourism performance should not be measured by arrivals alone while the Philippines keeps on falling behind its Southeast Asian neighbors that attracted a lot more foreign tourists? Do you think the DOT should examine closely how satisfied or dissatisfied foreign tourists really are before they leave the country? Are you tired of seeing the Philippines failing to hit its annual international tourist arrival targets?
Author Carlo Carrasco 