The tourism and the creative economy must be maximized to ensure sustainable growth that considers public interests, said Tourism and Creative Economy Minister/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.

The First High-Level Meeting (HLM) of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum, held in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Oct. 10 and 11, will sharpen joint strategies for island and archipelagic countries to overcome marine-related challenges, especially climate change.

The long-awaited US move to welcome back international travelers -- which takes effect Monday -- follows 18 months of restrictions for 33 countries during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic that separated families, impeded business travel and frustrated tourists.

"AirAsia Malaysia has made it mandatory for only completely vaccinated adult guests to be allowed to board its flights, effective immediately," it said in a statement, adding that those under 18 who have yet to be fully vaccinated will need to be accompanied by innoculated family.

"Being vaccinated against COVID-19 is the new reality of international travel – many of the destinations Kiwis want to visit are already closed to unvaccinated visitors," Air New Zealand's Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran said in a statement.

China told United on Aug. 6 it was imposing sanctions after it alleged five passengers who traveled from San Francisco to Shanghai tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21.

InterContinental, whose brands also include Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, reported net profit of $48 million (40.5 million euros) compared with a loss after tax totalling $210 million in the first half of the previous year.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps also defended the government's decision to allow in 1,000 football fans from Italy for Sunday's European Championship final against England, to join some 60,000 other supporters. 

With the MSC Orchestra looming over Saint Mark's square, demonstrators in small motorboats waved banners reading "no to cruise ships".

All Nippon Airways will trial the International Air Transport Association Travel Pass on ANA's flights connecting Tokyo with Honolulu and New York until June 6. The smartphone app shows travelers' polymerase chain reaction test results -- currently a condition of entry to most countries -- and vaccination status.

Featured in movies and songs, the iconic bus company pulled out of Western Canada in 2018 and suspended service in Ontario and Quebec last year after a 95 percent drop in ridership at the start of the pandemic.

The £6 million ($8.4 million, 7 million euro) campaign by Khan's office with the capital's tourism and transport bodies will look to drive domestic tourism to hospitality, culture, nightlife and retail venues in the city.

The Indian Ocean archipelago of more than a thousand islands reopened its international borders in mid-July after being shut for three months, and Indians have accounted for the most visitors.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) informed cruise companies on Wednesday of the requirements they would need to meet to begin sailing again.

The passports are expected to be in the form of a smartphone app, with travelers scanning QR codes at airports before boarding flights or when entering the country.

All flights from the UAE to India -- one of the world's busiest air corridors -- will be suspended from Sunday as coronavirus cases in the South Asian nation reach record levels and overwhelm hospitals.

The trial of "Face Express," which is meant to speed up the boarding process and provide a touchless experience for passengers, only involved airport staff and not actual travelers, Narita International Airport said.

The Department for Transport said the ban on visitors from Kenya, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Pakistan would enter force at 0300 GMT on April 9.

In the ancient capital of Kyoto, cherry blossoms hit their peak on March 26 -- 10 days sooner than average and the earliest since the government started taking records in 1953.

Thailand has imposed massive restrictions visitor arrivals in order to stem coronavirus, but discouraging tourism has led to its economy recording the worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. 

After Olympics organisers announced a ban on spectators from abroad, those working in Japan's tourism industry are counting their losses.

China has been shut off to most foreigners since last March after the coronavirus exploded beyond its borders, triggering lockdowns and bringing international travel to a grinding halt.

Early in the pandemic Australia effectively closed its international border to slow the spread of the coronavirus, with non-citizens banned from visiting except in special circumstances.

As vaccines are globally being rolled out, a few countries including Bahrain have already introduced certificates identifying vaccinated people, and the European Union agreed to develop vaccine passports under pressure from tourism-dependent southern countries.

Governments initially started easing travel restrictions last year but reversed the trend after new virus strains emerged and because of "the persistent seriousness of the epidemiological situation", the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said in a report.

Planes will be lighter as they will no longer carry printed versions, saving fuel and slashing carbon footprints by an estimated 10,690 tons per year.

Short-stay business travellers to Singapore will be able to avoid the official 14-day quarantine rule if they stay at Connect@Changi, a purpose-built facility near Changi Airport.