Latest news with #KohSamui
News.com.au
21 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Jetstar takes advantage of huge Thailand boom
Thailand has always been a popular destination among Aussies – but since the release of the latest White Lotus series, travel to the destination has particularly boomed. Not long after the first episode of the new season dropped in February, Expedia searches for Koh Samui, where the film is set, spiked 70 per cent. 'This year, two-thirds of travellers say movies, streaming services and TV shows have influenced their travel choices, with a 16 per cent increase year-on-year [and] this trend shows no signs of slowing in 2025,' Expedia travel expert, Sarah King said. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), during the first four months this year, Australian arrivals grew by 16 per cent year-on-year to 273,961. Jetstar has also seen a boom in passengers visiting the destination and is now expanding its services to Thailand, adding more than 100,000 new low-fare seats between the two destinations. In 2024 alone, more than 400,000 passengers visited the Southeast Asian destination. 'We're reshaping our international network to focus on high-demand destinations, adding an additional 130,000 seats across Thailand, South Korea and Japan each year, and allowing Australians to take off more, for less,' Jetstar executive manager commercial planning, Lyle Brownscombe said. From October 2025, Jetstar will introduce two additional return flights per week between Brisbane – Bangkok, bringing the total to five weekly services within a year of launch. It will also add a weekly return flight between Melbourne and Bangkok, and two extra services between Sydney and Phuket during the peak Christmas holiday travel period. Fares will start from $299 – for example from Sydney to Phuket, one-way and $309 from Melbourne to Bangkok, one-way. The boost to Thailand flights comes as Jetstar this week became the largest carrier between Australia and South Korea, adding three more weekly flights between Sydney and Seoul. The airline now operates 10 return services per week to the South Korean capital city from Sydney and Brisbane. 'Our growth into Asia is backed by a significant investment in our fleet, including next-generation aircraft and upgrades to our Dreamliners, allowing us to fly further and more efficiently with more comfort for passengers,' Ms Brownscombe said. In celebration of its expansion, the airline is having a sale. Meanwhile, Jetstar airline will retire its Australia–Hawaii service, with the final Sydney–Honolulu flight departing October 24, 2025. Qantas will subsequently operate services from Melbourne and Sydney to Honolulu. The move has allowed Jetstar to redeploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to high-demand routes across Asia.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Thailand Is Languishing at Just the Wrong Moment
Save Deliberation is generally a sound attribute, but Thailand is discovering it also has costs. The country's economic woes, magnified by the US trade war, have become too great to ignore. This isn't an acute crisis that's bound to consume the neighborhood in the manner of the late 1990s financial collapse. It's more of a slow-burning challenge that mixes uber-caution on interest rates at a local level with broader underlying regional trends of tepid price gains and slackening growth. Attention is warranted, nonetheless. Recession threatens and inflation, already microscopic when Donald Trump returned to the White House, is heading south. Even tourism, usually something the country with famed resorts and splendid temples can fall back on during soft patches, is languishing. The third season of HBO's hit television show The White Lotus — set on the southern island of Koh Samui — garnered millions of viewers but failed to pay big dividends for the kingdom.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's Bali tops European travel searches amid crackdown on misbehaving foreigners
Bali has been the most searched Asian destination for European tourists this summer, according to a new report from travel platform Agoda, helping Indonesia rank second in the region even as its most popular island steps up its crackdown on misbehaving foreigners and visa violations. Advertisement The report was based on accommodation search data collected for dates spanning July to August, the peak of the European summer holiday season. 'Asia remains the main choice for summer vacations for Europeans,' Gede Gunawan, senior country director of Agoda for Indonesia, told local newspaper The Bali Sun. 'And Indonesia continues to be a destination in demand thanks to its rich culture, nature, and hospitality.' Thailand topped the list overall, with Indonesia ranking second, while Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam rounded out Agoda's top five destinations in Asia for European travellers. British tourists led the way in planning trips to Asia, followed by travellers from France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, according to Agoda's data. Among those specifically eyeing Indonesia, French holidaymakers showed the strongest interest. Tourists watch a performance of Bali's iconic Kecak dance. Photo: Anadolu via Getty Images Within Indonesia, Bali remains by far the biggest draw for Europeans, topping Agoda's list of most searched resort destinations. Bangkok and Thailand's Koh Samui ranked second and third, respectively. The data also pointed to rising interest in other Indonesian destinations, including Lombok and the capital, Jakarta.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Starting over in paradise: 8 people on what it's like to run a business, find a home, and build a life in Koh Samui
On this sun-drenched tropical island, time moves more slowly — and that's exactly what many people were looking for when they chose to make it home. I had just wrapped up an interview with a millennial who left his life in the US behind to become a Muay Thai fighter. Next, I was heading off to speak with the French owner of a boutique hotel. Three days into my reporting trip, I was starting to see why so many people are drawn to Koh Samui, the Thai island that's recently been thrust into the global spotlight thanks to HBO's hit series "The White Lotus." Long before the show put it on the radar of TV audiences, Samui had already been quietly attracting people in search of something different: an unhurried pace of life, a lower cost of living, and the promise of a fresh start far from home. Samui, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is known for its gorgeous beaches and waterfalls. It spans about 88 square miles and is home to around 70,300 residents — including about 3,800 foreigners — per the latest May data. For comparison, Phuket, Thailand's largest island at roughly 210 square miles, is home to about 430,000 people, including almost 9,700 foreigners. Nearly everything of interest on Samui is connected by a single main road — Route 4169, also known as the Samui Ring Road — which loops around the island. The island's airport was built on the site of a former coconut plantation. Unlike Phuket's airport, which has flights across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Samui International Airport mainly serves nearby domestic cities and a few countries in Asia. Six international schools also make it possible for families with children to settle in for the long term. It helps that the Thai government is invested in developing policies designed to welcome long-term visitors. In 2024, the country launched the Destination Thailand Visa in a bid to attract digital nomads, remote workers, and individuals interested in participating in cultural or wellness activities. All of these help position the island as an attractive place to live. Whether they arrived last year or almost two decades ago, everyone I interviewed considered Samui to be home. Some came to escape the 9-to-5 grind, while others came to start a business or raise a family. Regardless of their reasons, they all say they've found a rhythm that feels freer and more sustainable than what they left behind. From the US to the UK and beyond, they've put down roots — and aren't planning to leave. Editors: Alex Karplus, Lina Batarags Reporters: Amanda Goh Design: Alyssa Powell Read the original article on Business Insider
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aimee Lou Wood steps out after revealing she had 'separation anxiety' from White Lotus co-star Walter Goggins - days after pair addressed feud rumours
Aimee Lou Wood was pictured leaving Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday after revealing she had 'separation anxiety' from the White Lotus cast including Walter Goggins. The actress, 31, had joined the American talk show host, 57, earlier in the day where she opened up about the intensity of filming with her co-stars for seven months in Thailand ahead of the third series of the HBO show. Among Aimee's White Lotus co-stars that she missed was her onscreen love interest Walter, 53, with whom she recently addressed their feud rumours in a tell all interview. Aimee - who plays Chelsea, the free-spirited young girlfriend of Rick (Walter) in the series - donned a blue hoodie over her chic black co-ord as she exited the Los Angeles studios after filming. She flashed a glimpse of her toned midriff in a black waistcoat-style top with a white frilled trim, which she teamed with matching trousers and black boots. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Earlier in the day, the British star was seen arriving for her interview, opting for a racy black leather jacket, which she teamed with a black midi skirt and knee-high black boots. During her chat with Jimmy, Aimee spoke about how she felt about being apart from the White Lotus cast, with whom she spent several months filming with. Filmed at the Four Seasons in Koh Samui, the cast stayed at the hotel for seven months, both living and filming in the accommodation while regular guests were evacuated. As she initially spoke about co-star Patrick Schwarzenegger and the seven months they spent filming together, Jimmy said: 'That;'s a long time to be with somebody, to be with the whole cast, that is a long time.' To which Aimee responded: 'Yeah, it was a very long time and I think that's why there's a real feeling of separation anxiety whenever we have to leave each other.' As Jimmy quipped that it was 'like two summer camp in a row', Aimee continued: 'It is, it's intense and there's definitely a lot of co-dependents'. The actress went on to admit that she couldn't go a day without speaking to co-star Leslie Bibb (Kate), noting that they 'constant voice note' each other. Touching on her bond with all of her castmates, Aimee shared: 'It's amazing though because we've found family, it's just beautiful really.' Aimee - who plays Chelsea, the free-spirited young girlfriend of Rick (Walter) in the series - donned a blue hoodie over her chic black co-ord as she exited the Los Angeles studios after filming Aimee teamed her jacket with a black midi skirt and knee-high black boots The beauty was all smiles as she happily waved to fans upon her arrival at Jimmy Kimmel Live It comes as Aimee and Walton - who recently reunited at a FYC Event on Tuesday - finally spoke out about the speculation over their strained relationship earlier this month - insisting they were both on good terms. Getting emotional in an interview for Variety Walton began: 'There is no feud. I adore, I love this woman madly, and she is so important to me.' The father-of-one, who has been married to Nadia Conners since 2011, proceeded to sing Wood's praises as he raved: 'This is Goldie Hawn. This is Meg Ryan. She can do anything, and she will.' 'You watch what the next 20 years of her experience will be. I'll be on an island, I think Greece. But she's special. There is no feud. She is love and I know that I am that to her. We care about each other very deeply,' he continued. Aimee proceeded to address the outrage over headlines that Walton unfollowed her on social media, which fans perceived as a sign they did not get along. 'I think it's such a comment on where we're at culturally,' she said over the online fury. 'Why is everyone obsessing over Instagram? That is irrelevant. We don't give a s**t about Instagram.' Aimee said: 'Yeah, it was a very long time and I think that's why there's a real feeling of separation anxiety whenever we have to leave each other' [pictured with onscreen love Walter] Aimee explained she wished more people were having 'conversations about the story' of their White Lotus characters, Rick and Chelsea, and simply enjoying the show. As rumours swirled about them, Aimee revealed she initially wanted to correct people, but feared her words would get twisted. 'Eventually I just started to sit back and watch these people making something out of absolutely nothing,' she said of why she stayed silent. Walton chimed in to say: 'If I may add, just to put this to bed? The following or unfollowing. I'm a grown-a** man.'
