In a step to court more tourists from the increasingly important China source market, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced that visa fees for Chinese tourists will be waived for the next four months.
A representative from TAT Beijing Office has confirmed that the favorable visa policy will last for four months, and said that they are waiting for notice of the exact date on which the policy will be implemented. The waiver will save Chinese tourists more than CNY200 for each visa application.
The events in November 2008, when airports in Thailand were closed as a result of political turmoil, have inflicted heavy losses on the country's tourism. This offer of free visa service to Chinese tourists is seen as a move to revive the country's flagging tourism industry.
China accounts for about 10% of the tourists visiting Thailand. However the numbers are dropping from one million Chinese tourists in 2006, to 800,000 in 2007, and to fewer still in 2008.
全球住宿共享巨头Airbnb（爱彼迎）近日悄悄推出了自己的“故事”板块。据传，爱彼迎已经向一些用户发送了试用邀请，目前这项业务仅适用于最新的iPhone App中的故事板块，视频长度被限制在每条10秒以内，并可附上时间、地点、旅行时长和感想。这些内容会被自动链接到故事内容的拍摄地，并与所在的民宿产品关联。 (more…)
总部位于北京的智能旅行箱开发公司ForwardX近日宣布获得1000万美元融资，由鼎晖投资领投，钟鼎创投参投。同时，该公司还新推出了一款可以“看见”的行李箱 OVIS 用来解放旅行者的双手。 (more…)
总部位于上海的出境游民宿预订平台Ostay近期获得了来自英诺天使的Pre-A轮融资，金额为1000万。 (more…)
国内领先的微信公众平台开发服务商微盟近日宣布与微信酒店直销平台运营商广州向蜜鸟网络科技有限公司签署收购协议。本次收购完成后，向蜜鸟将成为微盟的控股子公司，也标志着微盟正式进军智慧酒店市场。 (more…)
精品度假酒店品牌诗莉莉近日宣布完成B轮及B+轮融资，共计1亿元人民币。B轮融资由五岳资本领投，经纬中国跟投；B+轮融资由青松基金领投，五岳资本跟投。此前，该公司曾获得来自经纬中国的1亿元A轮融资。 (more…)