Sydney’s half-hearted heritage tourism reopening
Sydney’s reopening to international tourism has been half-hearted for travellers interested in the city’s colonial history and heritage.
Chef Tran Duc from Hoi An’s Mango Group chats about coming through two difficult years
We chat with Hoi An chef and owner of Mango Mango and Mango Rooms, Tran Duc, about surviving the past two years and the outlook ahead.
KOTO expands after Hanoi opens borders
One of the delights of visiting Hanoi following the opening of Vietnam's international borders in March, was sitting down with Jimmy Pham, founder of KOTO, Vietnam's first social enterprise.
After the pandemic - a better travel industry?
The longer you dwell on views like this, the more you see and appreciate.
Parramatta Powerhouse - an inauspicious start to Sydney’s big new museum
Work on Sydney’s controvesial new Powerhouse museum gets under way with the demolition of a late 19th century villa.
Hobart's MONA Museum takes a stand on mandatory vaccination
David Walsh from MONA in Hobart has taken the lead in mandating vaccination at the popular museum.
Qantas throws its brand behind Australia's troubled vaccination rollout
Australia’s low vaccination rates are hampering the country’s COVID recovery. Qantas is leading the vaccination charge.
Australia’s tourism industry faces a fractured post-lockdown outlook
Sydney’s COVID disaster is bringing national pain to a battered tourism industry.
Australia’s misdirected COVID tourism relief package
The Morrison government's $1.2 billion tourism recovery package looks more like a gift to airlines than a support package for a smashed tourism industry.
Parramatta - Australia’s great heritage tourism failure
Parramatta played a crucial role in the founding of the British penal colony in Australia. But it’s so far failed to build a heritage tourism industry from its rich heritage sites.
Too much tech - a visit to Sydney’s upgraded Hyde Park Barracks museum
Sydney's Hyde Park Barracks (1819) is one of the city's most important heritage buildings. In 2019, the World Heritage listed former convict barracks closed for an $18 million bicentennial renovation. We recently headed back for a look at the upgrade.
Talking travel scams with Google CEO Sundar Pichai - an imaginary meeting Part 1
“Google's capacity to maintain its reputation and its grubby business model in spite of the harm caused by these and other scams are feats more impressive than any of its technological accomplishments. “
Hoi An's Mango Group launches a new brand in challenging times
While restaurants around the globe have been pondering an uncertain coronavirus future, Hoi An's Mango Group took the bold step of launching a new delivery-based brand and concept. Urban Fresh began delivering gastro-cafe cuisine during lockdown .
Vietnam eases coronavirus restrictions and the tourism industry tentatively reopens
As Vietnam tentatively relaxes coronavirus restrictions, tourism and hospitality businesses across the country will be hoping for a surge in domestic travel to compensate for the absence of international visitors.
Don't forget the inspirational small tourism businesses struggling through the coronavirus crisis
Let's keep thinking about inspirational people and places in our industry during these times of travel restrictions. This video comes from a visit last year to Mu Cang Chai Ecolodge in Vietnam’s remote Yen Bai Province.
2020 is a catastrophe for the travel industry - what’s next?
The new decade got off to a bad start for the travel industry - then got worse. Mark Bowyer, publisher of Thinking Travel, thinks aloud about what lies ahead.
Parks and green spaces of Saigon
A timely reminder from Rusty Compass of green spaces in Saigon’s central area for travellers looking for a place to walk and breathe.
Sihanoukville Cambodia - a tourism development binge like few others
Sihanoukville is in the messy mid-stages of one of the most all-consuming processes of tourism development ever seen in the region. Cranes fill the sky, construction dust fills the air. Chinese mass tourism, especially gambling tourism, is the focus.
Angkor set to get even better for cyclists
Angkor Wat, one of Asia’s great destinations for cyclists, is about to get better.
Saigon's Caravelle Hotel takes the lead in eliminating single-use plastic
Saigon’s historic Caravelle Hotel has put reducing plastic waste at the centre of its recent reopening after major renovations.