How to visit Chiang Mai on a budget

“The hotel is one of the most unique properties in the whole of the UK, “ says Gainsborough Bath Spa’s general manager, Marc Mac Closkey. The Dublin-born hotel manager is a natural raconteur, but he’s not putting a PR spin on what are the charms of the hotel, carved out of two Grade II listed buildings in the heart of Bath—it is genuinely one-of-a-kind.

With things looking up for tourism in The Bahamas, representatives of the country’s Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) are set to build on their success at the 42nd edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and scheduled for 20 - 23 May 2024 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest tourism marketing event will offer opportunity for The Bahamas to shine as buyers and sellers of tourism products and services from countries across the region convening for business. In 2023, The Bahamas saw record-breaking tourism growth accounting for 9.6 million visitors, up 38% from 2022. While foreign air arrivals rose 17% to record 1.7 million in 2023, cruise arrivals surged 43.5% to record 7.9 million. The country’s 16 islands all enjoyed significant increases, with visits to New Providence, for instance, up 36% in 2023, to Grand Bahama up 44%, and the Out Islands up 40%.

It had been a while since I’d had a vacation vacation—the type where hours blend into nothing and your only responsibilities are to claim a lounge chair, choose a book, and try to remember where you left your sunglasses. A few days at the legendary Rockhouse in Negril, Jamaica, delivered just that and then some: think jerk chicken sandwiches off the grill, party vibes that start way before sundown, and an endless soundtrack of reggae and dancehall. Of course, I also needed to curate a packing list fit for the setting, one that included a swimsuit for making the most of my villa's private ladder into the Caribbean sea, reading material guaranteed to immerse me in Jamaican culture and history, and a versatile tote bag that would look just as appropriate on the way to the spa as it would during a clifftop dinner come nighttime. Below, a few of my favorite items from the trip.

In theory, Pimalai Resort and Spa in Thailand’s Krabi province checks all the boxes for Indian tourists. But the majority of the travelers limit their visit to Bangkok and Phuket, owner Charintip Tiyaphorn told Skift. 

Following fruitful discussions with Senior Executives of Emirates Airline, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says plans are underway to include Jamaica as one of the hubs for the airline in the Caribbean. Emirates Airline, based in Dubai, is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines that connects its customers to a network of over 150 destinations.

Discussions are underway to strengthen the relationship between Jamaica and Saudia Holidays, the official tour operator of Saudia Airlines that operates flights to over 100 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett lead the discussions on Tuesday with his Senior Tourism team and head of Saudia Holidays, Omar Kwarjah. “Getting an arrangement in place with Saudia Holidays is critical to enabling us to promote the destination and fill airline seats through the multiple code sharing partnerships available.

I first arrived in Chiang Mai in May of 1992. I came to visit a high school buddy who had married a local – a professor at Chiang Mai University. They introduced me to the local cuisine, and to their friends and family members who took me under their collective wing. 

Jamaica has recorded an impressive 1.7 million visitors as of May 7 of this year. Based on preliminary data, the island recorded 1,016,185 stopover arrivals and over 700,000 cruise passengers, earning roughly US$1.8 billion in revenue. This represents a 4.6% increase in stopover arrivals and a 23% increase in cruise passengers compared to the same period in 2023.

Some 12 international and regional airlines, including carriers flying from over 200 gateways out of the US alone into Jamaica, have contributed to “impressive growth” in activities at the Sangster and Norman Manley International airports. Collectively they generated US$200.28 million or J$30 billion in revenue from a record-breaking 6.96 million passengers traversing them in 2023.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island today for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to participate in the highly anticipated Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024 trade show.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) led 64 Thai tourism entrepreneurs and associations to showcase Thailand’s tourism attractions, products and services at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024 currently taking place in Dubai. Running until Thursday at Dubai World Trade Centre, the ATM 2024 is claimed by the organiser to be world’s third largest tourism promotion event this year.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is urging Jamaicans to seize the multitude of opportunities available within the tourism sector, emphasising the industry’s potential to generate significant economic benefits for the entire nation.