Cannes cracks down on cruise ship visitors

The French Riviera resort of Cannes is the latest popular destination to crack down on cruise ship numbers. 

From the start of 2026, ships accommodating more 1,000 guests will be banned from Cannes harbour.

And there will be an additional limit of 6,000 passengers per day allowed to visit the city, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Larger ships are not totally banned from visiting, but will have to tender further out at sea.

This is already the case for some of the largest ships now as the old port cannot accommodate the largest vessels.

The Cannes city council voted for new limits following the introduction of similar restrictions in nearby Nice and Villefranche.

“Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination, with real economic benefits," said Mayor David Lisnard. 

"It’s not about banning cruise ships, but about regulating and setting guidelines for their navigation.” 

Dual pricing in Thailand favours Thai nationals over visitors

Thailand's tourism sector continues to slump as foreign visitor numbers slide - but the government has opted to focus on boosting domestic travel, our Thai correspondent reports.

From January 1 to June 22, there was a 4.24% drop in arrivals compared to the same time last year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported.

And, bizarrely, blame is still being cast on the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has revised its forecast for the year, now predicting 37 million foreign tourists this year, falling short of the nearly 40 million record set in 2019.

But Thailand has just launched a campaign to spark domestic tourism: the Half-Half Thailand Travel initiative for Thais only.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong unveiled the program this week, saying it aims to revive the tourism industry during the low season and aid "post-pandemic recovery".

The scheme will subsidise travel expenses and accommodation for locals. 

The government will cover up to 50% of accommodation costs. In primary cities, they'll subsidise 40%, while in secondary cities, they’ll cover 50% during weekdays and 40% on weekends and holidays.

Participants can accommodation for up to five nights using digital coupons, which are also redeemable at participating restaurants, shops, and tourist locations with subsidies capped at 3,000 baht per night ($138).

The government says the initiative is set to energise domestic travel and distribute economic benefits across Thailand, focusing particularly on secondary cities, while providing a significant boost to local tourism businesses.

In another Thai-only scheme, from September 30, Bangkok commuters can enjoy a 20 baht (under $1) flat fare on all eight electric train lines, including those in surrounding areas. This initiative aims to make public transport more accessible and ease city congestion.

But passengers must register through the Tang Rat mobile app to benefit - and complete the registration process to verify their Thai nationality. 

Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced that the project is on track. "The 20 baht fare cap is a public benefit, and we are ensuring everything is ready for a smooth launch," he said.

There is no mechanism for visitors to benefit, AseanNow.com reports, in contradiction to the aim of boosting overseas numbers 

Global tourism is bouncing back, says UNWTO

International tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many people travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period of 2022.

That's the very positive news from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

The second UNWTO World Tourism barometer of the year shows that the sector’s swift recovery has continued into 2023. 

It reveals that overall international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023; and that an estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months of the year, more than double the same period of 2022.

The UNWTO says tourism has continued to show its resilience with revised data for 2022 showing over 960 million tourists travelling internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered.

Driven by strong intra-regional demand. Africa reached 88% and the Americas about 85% of 2019 levels while Asia and the Pacific lagged behind with 54% of pre-pandemic levels.

This upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China, have re-opened.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The start of the year has shown again tourism’s unique ability to bounce back. In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals.

"We must, however, remain alert to challenges ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism, and we must ensure tourism’s return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development.”

Image: Zeina Kassem, Scop.io