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Πέμπτη 8 Ιανουαρίου 2026

Weekly Asia Pacific Snapshot: New Visa Bond Fee for Some to US; Mongolia visa-free for 34 countries; and more

 The list of featured destinations in this newsletter will rotate weekly, the remaining destinations can be found on our webpage.

Northeast Asia
Destination Headlines:
  • China records 142 million domestic travel trips in New Year holiday; over 6.61M cross-border trips. China.org.cn; China Daily (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • China Daily launches “China Bound” smart tourism platform for international visitors. Travel Daily News (Jan 2)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a major extension on November 3-4, 2025. The unilateral visa-free entry policy has been extended through December 31, 2026. The policy now covers 46 countries, including the newly added Sweden. China Briefing (Nov 3, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • Hong Kong SAR records 49.9 million visitor arrivals in 2025. Macau Business (Jan 4)
  • Hong Kong SAR records 5.4M trips during New Year holidays; surges with mega events boost. China Daily; Travel Daily Media (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Hong Kong SAR opens tender for new operator at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. Cruise Adviser (Jan 1)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • The Hong Kong SAR government has abolished the transit visa for Nepali passport bearers travelling from Nepal through Hong Kong SAR to other countries and from other countries to Nepal on the condition that they remain within the transit area, starting from Nov 15. The Rising Nepal (Nov 15, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • Airlines in Japan see rise in New Year passengers, driven by overseas travel. NHK World (Jan 5)
  • China travel curbs hit Japan duty-free sales in December. The Japan Times (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Japan triples departure tax for overseas travellers from July 2026. Travel Daily News (Jan 5)
 
Destination Headlines:
  • Park Sung-hyeuck appointed as new president of Korea Tourism Organization. Korea JooAng Daily (Dec 31, 2025)
  • Foreign tourists embrace 'K-Digging' experiential tourism. The Chosun Daily (Jan 2)
Travel Updates: 
  • Seoul Lantern Festival extended until Jan 18 after drawing record 2.7M visitors. The Korea Times (Jan 5)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • Korea (ROK) extends the group visa fee waiver for six Asian countries: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Travel and Tour World (Jan 2)
  • The temporary suspension of the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) system, which was scheduled to end this year, will be extended for one more year, through December 2026. This applys to 67 countries currently exempt from K-ETA. K-ETA (Dec 23, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • Mongolia among world’s top 20 in tourism recovery. Kazinform (Jan 2)
  • Mongolia aims for 1 million tourists and US$1B in tourism revenue: Prime Minister. Asia News Network (Jan 7)
Travel Updates:
  • National camel festival to take place from Jan 23-25 in Dundgovi province. AKI Press (Jan 6)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • Mongolia has officially announced the extension of its visa-free entry policy for citizens of 34 countries through January 1, 2027. Immigration Agency of Mongolia (Dec 31, 2025)
Southeast Asia
Destination Headlines:
  • Indonesia targets up to 17 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026. Travel Daily News (Jan 5)
  • Indonesia records 14 mllion foreign tourist visits in Jan–Nov period. Jakarta Globe (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Indonesia to tighten licensing for unregistered hotels and villas in Bali and Jakarta. TTG Asia (Jan 5)
  • Bali to screen tourists' finances under quality tourism plan. Antara News (Jan 2)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • Indonesia relaxed its multiple-entry visa protocols allowing for foreign nationals to extend their stay two times at 60 days each. This will allow people to stay for 180 days from the time of entry into Indonesia. Directorate General of Immigration (May 15, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • Sabah sets 4M tourists target. Daily Express (Jan 6)
  • Visit Malaysia 2026 officially launches with nationwide welcome for international travellers. Travel Daily News (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Malaysia Airlines rolls out early booking fares for 2026 travel. TTG Asia (Jan 6)
  • AirBorneo take-off in East Malaysia. Travel Mole (Jan 5)
 
Destination Headlines:
  • Boracay, Baguio top destinations as tourism surges on Christmas break. Philippine News Agency (Jan 5)
  • Palawan adjusts tourism strategy amid softer arrivals ahead of 2026. Travel Daily News (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
 
Destination Headlines:
  • Changi Airport hits all-time high of 70 million passengers in 2025. VnExpress (Jan 5)
  • Air route connecting Kuala Lumpur with Singapore named world's third busiest. VnExpress (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • TAT and Scoot launch inaugural Singapore–Chiang Rai direct flight. Pattaya Mail (Jan 6)
 
Destination Headlines:
  • Thailand targets growth of over 10% in 2026 after seeing foreign tourist arrivals fall by 7.23% (33M) in 2025. Thai Examiner (Jan 6)
Travel Updates: 
  • Passenger fee hike set for Thailand’s international flights from Feb 2026. The Thaiger (Jan 5)
  • Tomorrowland announces its first-ever Thailand edition, launching as a full-scale festival in December 2026. The Manila Times (Jan 6)
 
Destination Headlines:
  • New Year tourism receipts top $40M in key cities. Vietnam Investment Review (Jan 6)
  • Vietnam overtakes Thailand as Chinese tourists' top choice for travel. SCMP (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Vietnam Airlines launches direct Hanoi-Cebu flights. Travel Daily Media (Jan 5)
  • Hyatt Regency Nha Trang opens as the first Hyatt Hotel on Vietnam’s south-central coast. Hospitality Net (Jan 5)
 
South Asia
Destination Headlines:
  • New ordinance tightens rules on travel agencies. Bangladesh Pratidin (Jan 2)
  • Tourist influx peaks in Rangamati in winter season. BSS News (Jan 1)
Travel Updates: 
  • Shahjalal Terminal 3 won’t open under interim govt. BanglaNews 24 (Jan 5)
Destination Headlines:
Travel Updates: 
  • Air India to relaunch flights to Rome after six-year gap. BTN Europe (Jan 5)
  • India introduces e-B-4 visa to ease business travel for Chinese nationals. The Assam Tribune (Jan 5)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • India has increased e-Visa fees for business travellers and long-term tourists to revise its visa pricing structure. The one-year e-Business Visa now costs more, affecting frequent business visitors. The five-year e-Tourist Visa has also seen a significant fee hike for eligible travellers. Visas News (Dec 24, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • Sri Lanka earns US$11B from tourism and foreign remittances. The Morning (Jan 5)
  • Sri Lanka tourist arrivals rise 4.2% in Dec 2025, after Ditwah. EconomyNext (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Sri Lanka to implement free visa scheme in first quarter of 2026. EconomyNext (Jan 5)
 Travel Policy Updates: 
  • The announcement issued on October 13, 2025, which declared that obtaining an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) would be mandatory for all short-stay visitors (tourism and business) to Sri Lanka with effect from October 15, 2025, is revoked until further notice. Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration (Oct 30, 2025)
The Pacific
Destination Headlines:
  • Sports-mad Brits drive record visitor economy spending in 2025. Sydney Times (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • Murray River Paddlesteamers launches Australia’s first five-star overnight riverboat. Travel Weekly (Jan 5)
 
Destination Headline:
  • Hawaii Tourism Authority launches new campaign at Rams game in Los Angeles. Hawaii News Now (Jan 5)
  • Hawaii climate tax on cruise ships blocked hours before launch. Travel Weekly (Jan 6)
Travel Updates: 
  • Hawaiian Airlines unveils $600 million plan to improve airports, widebody jets. Travel Weekly (Jan 6)
The Americas
Destination Headlines:
  • Domestic travel within Canada expected to grow even more in 2026. CTV News (Jan 2)
  • ‘Record-breaking’ holiday season at Big White Ski Resort. Vancouver Island Free Daily (Jan 6)
Travel Updates: 
  • TransLink selects Vancouver company to create Uber-like app for HandyDART. Daily Hive (Jan 6)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • Effective December 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m., IRCC will stop accepting new SUV Program applications, except for those from applicants who have a valid commitment from a designated organization that was made in 2025 but haven’t applied yet. Also, Self-Employment Persons Program pause is extended until further notice. Government of Canada (Dec 19, 2025)
  • IRCC will not accept any new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents until further notice, effective from January 1, 2026. Government of Canada (Dec 29, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • US tourism recovery stalls as international arrivals plummet in late 2025. Travel Pulse (Jan 5)
  • “Domestic European” destinations lead 2026 US travel trends. Time Out (Jan 5)
Travel Updates: 
  • US lifts Caribbean airspace restrictions following military operation in Venezuela. Travel Noire (Jan 5)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced the publication of the Notice of Final Rule titled “Collection of Biometric Data from Aliens Upon Entry to and Departure from the United States.” on Nov. 20. Starting from Dec. 26, 2025, DHS will collect facial biometrics from all noncitizens upon entry and exit at airports, land ports, seaports, and other authorised points of departure. US CBP (Nov 20, 2025)
  • Passport holders in seven countries (Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan) are now required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States. Independent (Jan 5)
Europe, West Asia, Africa
Destination Headlines:
  • Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah airport sets national record with 53.4M passengers. Arabian Business (Jan 2)
Travel Updates: 
  • Qatar Airways launches non-stop flights to Hail, Saudi Arabia. Travel Daily News (Jan 6)
  • Saudi Red Sea Authority launches intro guide to coastal tourism activities. The Maritime Executive (Jan 3)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced new amendments to Umrah visa regulations, reducing the validity period of the entry visa from three months to one month from the date of issuance. Ministry of Haji, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Oct 31, 2025)
Destination Headlines:
  • Tourism in Spain maintains momentum in November, with almost 100 million visitors in 2025. SUR in English (Jan 2)
  • Andalucía is Spain's fastest growing region in number of foreign tourists. SUR in English (Jan 2)
Travel Updates: 
  • easyJet forecasts 6.5% capacity increase in Spain in 2026 and announces its first digital hub. Travel Mole (Jan 2)
 
Destination Headlines:
  • Al Ain in UAE to become capital of Arab tourism in 2026. TV Brics (Jan 2)
Travel Updates: 
  • UAE rolls out major visa reforms for 2026, eases entry and expands residency options. Daiji World (Jan 6)
Destination Headlines:
Travel Updates: 
  • Türkiye opens its doors to Chinese travellers with new visa-free travel. FTN News (Jan 3)
Travel Policy Updates: 
  • Holders of ordinary Chinese passports may enter Türkiye without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, effective January 2. VISA HQ News (Jan 2)
  • Türkiye to extend work permit exemption to 3 years for foreign workers who are able to provide economic, sociocultural, and technological contributions. VisaGuide (Oct 17, 2025)
See All Destinations' Updates

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