22 Jul 2025

Mega Halal Bangkok 2025: Peace is the Pathway to Profits

The MEGA HALAL BANGKOK 2025 was held between July 16-18, 2025, at BITEC Bangna International Convention Center to showcase products, innovations and services of the growing global Halal ecosystem, especially in Thailand. It was organised by the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand, in collaboration with World Dex G.E.C. Ltd. and ComAsia Ltd., in collaboration with […]

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22 Jan 2025

Launch Webinar: Thailand – The World’s First “Alliance of Civilisations” Destination

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Does anyone know which country was the fastest growing source of visitor arrivals to Thailand in 2024? Saudi Arabia… Yes, that’s right.. Saudi Arabia!! The total of 228,032 visitors was a whopping 660% increase over ju

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8 Oct 2024

A Compendium of Unmatched Lectures on Thailand: The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY

Imtiaz Muqbil

I call Thailand “The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY”. For many good reasons. Privileged to have covered this dynamic sector since 1981, I have seen it grow from its early formative days to the boom era of mass-tourism. Thail

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1 Feb 2022

35 Years On: How Visit Thailand Year 1987 Revolutionised Global Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

The year 2022 marks the 35th anniversary of Visit Thailand Year 1987, the record-breaking marketing extravaganza which revolutionised the Thai and global tourism industry. What lessons can be learned from its successes and failures? How can it he

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2 Oct 2021

Inaugural Global Lecture: “25 Women Who Put Thai Tourism on the Global Map”

Imtiaz Muqbil

As Thailand is reopening to tourism, a look back may help us look ahead more clearly. I am proud to be the first to launch this “Power of History” lecture series. All will be FREE but BY INVITATION ONLY.

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1 Jul 2021

Inaugural “Power of History” Lecture: The Rise and Fall of PATA

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Click here to register Click here to register The same lecture can be given privately at a more convenient time for those interested. For further inquiries and info, please email: travelimpact2@gmail.com

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10 Jan 2020

Unmatched Lectures on Thailand: The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways International, the two founding pillars of what is now the kingdom’s largest service economy sector and job-creator. This meteoric ri

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15 Nov 2019

How 1987 Visit Thailand Year Revolutionised Global Travel & Tourism

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One of the world’s greatest tourism marketing extravaganzas, 1987 Visit Thailand Year changed the face of global Travel & Tourism. While establishing Thailand’s marketing genius, it also exposed the kingdom’s management defi

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18 Mar 2019

June 14, 2019: First Forum on The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – At 0900 hrs on March 18, exactly 59 years ago, what was then known as the Tourist Organisation of Thailand opened for business. Its duty, in the words of Gen Chalermchai Charuvastr, its first Director-General, was to promote visitor a

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11 Apr 2018

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Next Big Thing – Thailand Outbound Travel Report 2018

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Bangkok — Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil has made travel journalism history yet again by publishing the first report on the surging Thai outbound travel industry. The report is being made available FREE, thanks to sup

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17 Jul 2017

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Olive Tree – How Travel & Tourism can Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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The Olive Tree is the first and only publication designed to help Travel & Tourism become a more committed part of the solution in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Free download. Click on any of the images below. ++++++++++ The

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1 Dec 2016

Call for Entries: The First ASEAN Travel & Tourism Hall of Fame

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By Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor, Travel Impact Newswire Bangkok – Today marks the launch of the ASEAN Travel & Tourism Hall of Fame (ATTHoF), the first global website to honour the achievements of the many industry veterans and stalwarts

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18 Jul 2025

Why MAGA is now the biggest threat to ASEAN “centrality” and sovereignty

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – On 16 July, I attended an informal yet highly informative briefing by Mr. Bolbongse Vangphaen, Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the outcomes of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers�

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11 Jul 2025

Is Travel & Tourism suffering from a severe case of Anosognosia?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – A very famous saying reads thus: “The first step towards solving a problem is to recognise that there is one.” That quote goes to the heart of why the Travel & Tourism industry has huge problems solving its many pr

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8 Jul 2025

“What Next for Thai Tourism? Life After 65” Sign up for Thailand’s first “Politically Incorrect” webinar

Imtiaz Muqbil

I am proud to launch a series of “Politically Incorrect” webinars on the future of Asia-Pacific tourism, starting with Thailand.. What exactly is a “Politically Incorrect” webinar? One that goes beyond the traditional comf

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3 Jul 2025

Ex-Thai Foreign Minister openly blasts “Jewish money” for subverting U.S. democracy

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — Former Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya has blasted the role of the “Jewish lobby” and “Jewish money” as a “blatant illustration” of how democracy is being subverted in the United States, and

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1 Jul 2025

Can Asians Think? Yes, they can, but they don’t, and won’t

Imtiaz Muqbil

I have been following the lectures and writings of eminent Singaporean political scientist Prof Kishore Mahbubani ever since reading his first book, “Can Asians Think?” in 1999. My takeaway answer then was: Yes, they can, but they don

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30 Jun 2025

PATA forecast confirms geopolitics poses top risk and threat to Travel & Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Geopolitical turbulence is now indisputably the leading risk and threat facing Travel & Tourism, according to visitor arrivals forecasts presented by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Statistical data presented at a

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23 Jun 2025

The Most Catastrophic Leadership Failure in Travel & Tourism History

Imtiaz Muqbil

Exactly 30 years ago this November, the International Hotel Association convened for its annual convention in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was truly a Golden Age. Peace talks were under way to end centuries of conflicts in the Holy Land. Hope and optimis

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12 Jun 2025

Until June 15: Thai OTOP Expo offers world class community products at bargain prices

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — More than 2,000 small and medium sized enterprises selling the best of Thai community-based cultural and culinary products are exhibiting at the Impact Muang Thong Thani Exhibition and Convention Center, the biggest such turnout a

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5 Jun 2025

SDGs 2030 targets at risk of failure: UN chief’s report

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Today, 05 June 2025, World Environment Day, is being marked with multiple events and activities focussing on global warming. At a broader level, however, the sustainability agenda is not looking good. With only five years left bef

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3 Jun 2025

Thailand now gripped by “Opal Euphoria”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — Beleaguered Thailand received a much-needed Soft Power steroid boost with the crowning of Suchata (Opal) Chuangsri as Miss World 2025. The 22-year-old, Phuket-born student of international relations clearly impressed with a powerf

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30 May 2025

In Memoriam: Life and Times of the late Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Dharmnoon Prachuabmoh

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The 22 May 2025 passing of former Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Dharmnoon Prachuabmoh should give the Thai tourism industry a moment to revisit and reflect on one of the most crucial eras of its history — one from w

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24 May 2025

“Friend to many and enemy to none” – Thailand celebrates 150 years of Peacebuilding Diplomacy

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – In an era of interminable tumult and turmoil, the tourism destinations which survive will be those which can live at peace with themselves, with their neighbours and the world at large. This brilliant speech by the Minister of For

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20 May 2025

Skift Asia’s two heart-warming moments of enlightenment

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Every travel industry event has its inspiring, heart-warming takeaways. The Skift Asia Forum on May 15 was action-packed with tips and trends on surviving the ongoing turmoil and tumult. But two moments of enlightenment rekindled

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18 May 2025

Palestine activist group in Thailand demands visa curbs on Israeli “war criminals”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — Activists for Palestinian statehood are calling for curbs on the open-door visa-free entry extended to the thousands of Israeli “tourists” visiting Thailand, many of whom are mentally unstable soldiers suspected of war

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14 May 2025

Financial Times column paves way for Skift Forum to start “rewriting the rules of travel”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — On 10 May, the reputed Financial Times published an article by columnist Janan Ganesh headlined “Why Travel Didn’t Bring The World Together”. It explored why an industry that has been hailed as a “reminder

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6 May 2025

Crises-hit Thai tourism losing control

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Thailand recorded its third straight month of decline in visitor arrivals in April. In spite of an uptick during the Sonkgran New Year holiday and a resurgence in the post-Ramadan visitors from Islamic countries, Thailand recorded

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4 May 2025

How Travel & Tourism is contributing to a decline in Global Press Freedom

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Millions of dollars in advertising revenues being sucked up by tech giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft are strengthening their dominance over the dissemination of information and contributing to a “

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2 May 2025

UN body launches Global Alliance of Peace to address “widespread global despair”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) has spearheaded the creation of an “Alliance for Peace” to address the “widespread despair of global citizens” over the resurgence of deadly armed confli

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29 Apr 2025

Care about the “future generations?” Read this report…

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Heightened global geopolitical tensions have led to a 9.3% increase in arms spending worldwide to US$2,718 billion (that’s US$2,718,000,000,000) in 2024. Of that figure, the United States comprised the largest percentage (37

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26 Apr 2025

The “Collapse Of Trust”: Why Gen Z Job-Seekers Should Forget About Travel & Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The Travel & Tourism industry is today very focussed on Gen Z, the “the Young Generation” (born between 1997-2012). I would strongly recommend Gen Z NOT, repeat NOT to pursue jobs in Travel & Tourism. Why? Chec

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23 Apr 2025

PATA members get a “reality check” on the climate crisis — “Let’s do it for our kids”

Imtiaz Muqbil

The following speech was delivered by Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President of SUNx Malta, at the PATA Annual Summit in Istanbul on 22 April. His main focus was on the impact of the climate crisis, but his “reality check” message appli

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21 Apr 2025

From Covid to Chaos, Can PATA Find “Timeless Wisdom” at its Annual Summit?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — The PATA annual summit due to open in Istanbul, the commercial capital of Türkiye, at the crossroads of East and West, bears the theme “Timeless Wisdom for a Sustainable Future”. Wisdom is in short supply in this era

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7 Apr 2025

Crisis-hit Thai tourism staring down an abyss

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — Led by sharp drops in its two top source-markets, Thailand ended the January-March first quarter with 9.5 million arrivals, an anemic 1.91% increase over the 9.37 million in the first quarter of 2024. Most disturbing is the downwa

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3 Apr 2025

Trump’s “tariffquake” marks the end of U.S. leadership globally

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — The sweeping tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump have been termed the end of globalisation and free trade. In fact, it marks the end of U.S. leadership worldwide. If trust is the most important criteria of leadership, t

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2 Apr 2025

Thailand Tourism Festival showcases the Power of Peace, Unity and Harmony

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — The Thailand Tourism Festival, the kingdom’s annual celebration of nationwide travel offerings, had a strong focus on sustainability this year. Net-zero, carbon neutrality, recycling, were all the “In” thing. Its

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25 Mar 2025

FREE Webinar: Thailand, The World’s First “Alliance of Civilisations” Destination and Thailand’s first “Peace Tourism” itinerary

Imtiaz Muqbil

Thailand, The World’s First “Alliance of Civilisations” Destination and Thailand’s first “Peace Tourism” itinerary OPEN AND FREE WEBINAR — NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED (Scroll down for zoom link and passcode). In an era of conflict

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21 Mar 2025

The “Land of the Free” is all but dead. The “Land of Fear” is here

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – On 19 March, I spent a scintillating evening at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) listening to Nirmal Ghosh, author of “Backlash: Donald Trump And The Remaking Of America”. He was joined by Keith Richb

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18 Mar 2025

Nirmal Ghosh’s new book “Backlash” reveals why Trump now faces a “Counter-Backlash”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The first question that came to mind while perusing this brilliant, page-turning book by veteran foreign correspondent Nirmal Ghosh was: Whence the name, “Backlash”? I will come to his response in a minute but before t

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16 Mar 2025

Why every woman leader should read this UN Human Rights Council report

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok — International Women’s Day was celebrated with much fanfare on March 8. Widespread speeches and proclamations celebrated the exemplary roles of women leaders in growing their companies and the Travel & Tourism industry. A

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13 Mar 2025

How the booming Arms Bazaar is hurting Travel & Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

The pursuit of sustainability is doomed to fail without equal attention being paid to Peace, the 5th and most neglected of the 5Ps (Planet, Prosperity, People and Partnerships) of sustainability. Earlier this month, the linkage gained a higher se

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