Economy
Editor’s Choice: War and high fuel costs reshape Asia’s vacation plans
Akito Tanaka shares his weekly reflections and recommendations People walk past the “Bali” sign at the island's Denpasar International Airport on June 25. Foreign visitor numbers to Indonesia's premier tourist destination have held up this year but there are more Asians and fewer Europeans. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) Hello from Tokyo. It's hard to believe, but we're already in July, and many of our readers should be planning their vacations. However, the instability in the Middle East is making travel planning particularly challenging this year. Although the United States and Iran signed a memorandum aimed at ending hostilities, the two countries clashed again on Tuesday. Energy prices remain high and airfares continue to rise. When I went to London on business early last month, my flight, which is already a long one from Tokyo, took even longer because the plane had to avoid Russian airspace due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and instead flew over the Arctic. July and August are arguably the best months to visit London, with longer daylight hours offering more time to enjoy the sights or even a pint or two by the Thames. Unfortunately, for many travelers a European vacation has become significantly more difficult and expensive.
