Visit

• Australia experienced a 4% decline in visitor numbers as travelers from Asian markets like Singapore and Indonesia shifted their preferences. • Rising costs have made Australia less competitive compared to other Asia-Pacific destinations. • Korean travelers are increasingly choosing Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan over Australia due to more affordable options.

US president will hold talks with Ireland’s leftwing president Catherine Connolly, and play golfDonald Trump has touched down in Dublin this morning for a two-day visit to Ireland, where he will hold talks with the Irish president and prime minister, and play golf.The weekend visit coincides with the Irish Open, a major golf tournament taking place at the beachfront Doonberg golf course owned by the US president.Many in Ireland are rooting for Connolly to let rip at Trump for his policies and rhetoric on immigrants and the Middle East. Others hope she will stifle any criticisms to avoid provoking a visitor who could upend Ireland’s economy.” Continue reading...

Trespass case launched by two mothers settled after officers often went to families’ houses between midnight and 4amFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo Indigenous mothers have settled a trespass case against New South Wales police, after officers turned up at one of their homes 150 times in 20 months to conduct bail checks on her sons.The case, which was launched against NSW police in April 2024, was settled on confidential terms three weeks before it was to go to trial in the supreme court. Continue reading...

Canadian PM Mark Carney hosts president in Calgary, where he grew up alongside large Ukrainian communityCanada offered support on Thursday to boost Ukraine’s air defenses and help replenish its drone stocks, as the countries pledged to deepen their alliance during a visit by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Mark Carney hosted the president of Ukraine in Calgary in the western province of Alberta, where the Canadian prime minister grew up among a large community of people with Ukrainian heritage. Continue reading...

Studies from hotspots across Europe that have introduced levies suggest they have no impact on visitor numbersIf you wandered down Las Ramblas or lazed on a beach in the Balearics this summer, you probably paid a tourist tax for the privilege. In fact, if you enjoyed any of Europe’s beauty spots in recent years, it is likely that an overnight levy was added to your bill.Britons have become used to paying these fees abroad but ministers have shied away from introducing them in the UK. The furious response from UK hospitality bosses helps to explain why. Continue reading...

PM will aim to centre talks with French president on key foreign policy issues such as Iran, smuggling gangs and EU relationsAndy Burnham will begin the process of courting European leaders when he welcomes Emmanuel Macron as the first foreign head of state to visit him in Downing Street.The prime minister will meet the French president at No 10 on Thursday as he looks to make inroads on a number of foreign policy objectives, including curbing irregular migration and sealing a new deal with the EU. Continue reading...

• Thailand's tourism recovery is gaining significant momentum, with hotel occupancy rates now exceeding 70%. • The surge in visitors is primarily driven by increased arrivals from key international markets, including China, Russia, India, Malaysia, and South Korea. • Growth is most concentrated in Bangkok and southern Thailand, although room rates and forward bookings continue to face pricing pressure.