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A Japanese castle, Sanjuro the cat, and a remarkable recovery in tourism

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Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, also known as Takahashi Castle, is a castle located in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It is not to be confused with Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture.

The Takahashi City Tourist Association is upbeat, with an official of the association saying: “We want to liven up the whole city with Sanjuro.”

A feline “lord” of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, is contributing to a recovery in tourism that was dealt a heavy hit from natural disasters last summer.

The name of the cat lord of the popular castle, which is nicknamed “castle in the sky”, is Sanjuro. He settled in the precincts of the castle in the wake of torrential rains in western Japan in July last year.

Because Sanjuro is super-friendly to people, he has attracted attention on social media.

The number of tourists coming to the castle, that fell at one point after the torrential rains, recovered rapidly, thanks to Sanjuro. He is now serving as a living “beckoning cat”, the auspicious cat statue often displayed in stores and other businesses.

Sanjuro is a male with white and brown fur. He is thought to be three or four years old.

On July 21 last year, castle cleaner Ryoichi Motohara found the cat wandering in the castle’s Sannomaru area. “At the time, I thought he was an abandoned cat, because he was very skinny.”

After observing the cat for several days, the cleaner started feeding him. From then, he began appearing in the castle’s Honmaru main area, mingling with tourists.

The cat never got angry when people would touch him. He responded to people with cute manners while purring. He became widely known through word of mouth and via online sites.

The tourist association gave the cat the name Sanjuro in tribute to Tani Sanjuro, a samurai warrior of the Bitchu Matsuyama clan who served as a troop captain of Shinsengumi, a samurai squad in the last years of the Edo period (1603-1867).

As the number of newspaper articles and TV programmes reporting about Sanjuro grew, his owner was identified around October last year.

Ms Megumi Nanba, 40, who lives in the city about 6km from the castle, said that she had been searching for her cat, who ran away from their home on July 14.

As she loved her cat and he was also was attached to her children, Ms Nanba at first wanted to take him back home. Eventually, though, Ms Nanba and her family members discussed the matter and decided to hand over their cat to the tourist association.

“I was really relieved when I found out he was alive. If he likes living in the castle, it is good for him (to stay there),” she said.

In November last year, an official of the tourist association took him home to prepare for a media presentation, and Sanjuro ran away again.

Although the association tried to find him by distributing leaflets and other means, Sanjuro could not been found, which made officials of the association increasingly worried.

Sanjuro was finally found 19 days later. Since then, the officials have kept him inside the castle’s administrative office building in the Honmaru area so as not to have such a painful feeling again.

In December last year, the association officially appointed Sanjuro to the post of “castle lord cat”. His duty as the castle lord is to stroll around in the castle twice a day, with officials holding him on a leash.

Sanjuro is highly popular for his friendliness towards visitors, such as rubbing against people’s legs and neatly sitting down on their knees.

According to the tourist association, the number of visitors in July last year in the wake of the torrential rains fell to about 20 per cent compared with that in the previous year. But in February this year, the number passed 4,000 – 40 per cent higher than that in the previous year.

The association designated March 16 as the “Day of Sanjuro” as a play on words – 3 (san), 10 (ju) and 6 (roku) – and held an event.

Tourists from across the nation swarmed to take photos of Sanjuro that day.

Ms Miho Hatanaka, 44, from Otake, Hiroshima Prefecture, said: “He is so friendly and tame. I wish I could hug him a long time.”

Her daughter Nanami, a nine-year-old elementary school student, said: “He’s so cute. I hope he keeps playing the role of castle lord.”

The association produces official items with his photo such as key chains and postcards, as well as digital stamps which can be used on LINE, a free communication app.

Manager of the tourist association Hideo Aihara said: “With Sanjuro at the core, new movements including developments of items and event plans have been occurring.

“We want to expand this positive trend while cooperating with various entities.”

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Travel Oregon’s “Only Slightly Exaggerated” campaign

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Inspired by the viral success of the “Only Slightly Exaggerated” campaign last spring, Travel Oregon is launching part two of the animated campaign that gives viewers a creative glimpse of the magical feeling of being in Oregon.

The new 1:45 minute video continues the visual narrative, showcasing different locations, experiences and thrilling adventures in Oregon—from venturing deep into the Oregon Caves National Monument to paragliding over the Steens Mountain. Like the original, this new video features a cast of animated human characters, native flora and fauna and new fantastical beings, including mystical cloud-people and a sea-stack creature, to name a few.

In addition to the sweeping outdoor animated imagery highlighted in the video, the viewer also gets a taste of Oregon’s culinary bounty. In the restaurant scene, look for the bottle of Oregon Solidarity wine, a nod to the real-life collaboration between four Oregon wineries who came together to help the Rouge Valley wine region that was affected by the Southern Oregon wildfires last summer.

“The goal of this campaign is to welcome and invite everyone to experience a happier state of being while traveling in Oregon,” said Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson. “As people are overwhelmed with the distractions of modern life, experiencing the wonders of Oregon can be the answer for that. Whether that respite is on a beach, in a high desert or under a forest canopy, there are abundant opportunities to unplug and reconnect with yourself and nature here in Oregon.”

The campaign launches tomorrow in the target markets of Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Boise, Tri Cities, Eugene and Bend. The media buy includes cinema, TV (launching during Final the Four), digital, billboards and on MAX Light Rail trains. Moreover, the campaign will be extended throughout the year through our annual visitor guide, downloadable wallpapers, posters, postcards, GIFs, shorter animation clips, and immersive new online content highlighting locations in the campaign that travelers can visit—the Oregon Caves, Steens Mountain and Clear Lake to name a few.

Utilizing the strong creative teams from the 2018 campaign, which generated more than 10 million worldwide views, the new video was brought to life in collaboration with long-time advertising partner Wieden+Kennedy with animation by Psyop and Sun Creature Studios and the musical score composed by Jim Dooley.

“Our goal with Only Slightly Exaggerated, both last year and this year, is to visualize the emotional experience of visiting Oregon. By using animation, we are able to capture experiences that go beyond traditional travel films, while also feeling unique to our state, said Ansel Wallenfang, creative at Wieden+Kennedy.

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Game of Thrones final season is here! See where it all began in Malta

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As Game of Thrones approaches its final season, set to premiere on April 14, 2019, it’s a good time for die-hard fans to take a look at the first location where it all started, Malta. Often referred to as “the hidden gem of the Mediterranean,” Malta is not so hidden when it comes to Hollywood and if you’re a Game of Thrones fan you will remember that most of season one was filmed there.

 

The quest for power between the Houses of Stark, Baratheon, Lannister and Targaryen all started on the island of Malta. Malta offers tours to join local actors who took part in Season One of HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones as they unravel the secrets and adventures of your favorite characters including Arya Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Joffrey Baratheon and Cersei Lannister.

 

Step back in time as you travel to idyllic locations such as those used in the first season including the gardens of Kings Landing, the Red Waste, the Tower of the Hand, the Stables, Maegor’s Holdfast, the Red Keep, Cobblers Square, The Street of Steel, Baelish Brothels (ext), Coppersmith’s Wynd, King’s Gate, King’s Square, and the village of Lhazar (when accessible).

 

The Maltese Islands – Malta, Gozo and Comino – have been home to Hollywood blockbusters such as Gladiator, U-571, The Count of Monte Cristo, Troy, Munich, Popeye, the movie set abandoned in 1980 which remains a huge tourist attraction in Malta, as well as prestigious dramas and sitcoms such as the BBC’s Byron and ITV’s Coronation Street to name a few. The island’s beautiful, unspoiled coastlines and breathtaking architecture have ‘doubled’ for an amazing variety of locations on the big and small screens – from ancient Rome to 19th-century Marseille and 1960’s Beirut. Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Wolfgang Petersen, Guy Ritchie and other renowned directors, as well as a host of A-list celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt, Sharon Stone, Madonna and Sean Connery, all experienced Malta’s movie making facilities and its many charms.

The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere.  Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sights and the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do. www.visitmalta.com

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Taiwanese spy targets Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida with malicious software

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Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida is a luxury property and travel club owned by U.S. President Trump. The resort was the possible scene of an attempted spy attack on the United States by Taiwan.

According to a local news report, a Chinese woman carrying a passport by the Republic of China, what is Taiwan, has been charged with making a false statement to the U.S. Secret Service after entering President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on bogus pretenses while carrying a thumb drive that contained “malicious software.

Yujing Zhang was questioned while President Trump was playing golf at the Trump International course nearby.

Zhang, after passing by at least five Secret Service agents and arriving in the main reception area of Mar-a-Lago told the Secret Service that she was there to attend a “United Nations Friendship Event” between China and the United States.

That event did not exist, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida. The complaint noted that Zhang had traveled past several signs clearly stating that the areas she was visiting were under the jurisdiction of the Secret Service and that “persons entering without lawful authority are subject to arrest and prosecution.”

Zhang was carrying four mobile phones, a laptop computer, an external hard drive, and a thumb drive.

A preliminary forensic examination of the thumb drive determined it contained malicious software.The Secret Service declined to comment.

According to the criminal complaint, Zhang was admitted to Mar-a-Lago after passing through a Secret Service checkpoint, where she presented an agent with two Republic of China passports carrying her name, and her photograph, the complaint said.

Zhang was charged with making false statements to a federal officer, and entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds.

Zang was allowed by Mar-a-Lago security to enter the property “due to a potential language barrier issue,” the complaint said.

She was then picked up in a golf cart shuttle by a Mar-a-Lago valet driver, who asked her where she intended to go.

A Secret Service agent was notified after a receptionist checked all of the access lists for Mar-a-Lago to confirm whether Zhang was approved to be on the property, and found that she was not authorized, according to the complaint.

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Death for gay guests at Beverly Hills Hotel or Hotel Bel‑Air? Dorchester Collection issues a statement

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The Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air are part of the Dorchester Collection group and upscale 5-star accommodation in Beverly Hills 2 miles from West Hollywood, known to be the Gayest City in America.

The Sultan controls the Dorchester Collection hotel group, owner of Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel‑Air among others. This is because the Sultan controls the Brunei Investment Agency (SWF). The Sultan hates gays to death.

The Sultan Hassanai Bolkiah is the head of State of Brunei and also one of the richest people on earth. He is powerful enough to put action behind his deadly wishes for the LGBT community. Stoning LGBT visitors to death in Brunei is the law as of tomorrow.

The Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) is a government-owned corporation that reports to the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Brunei. Established in 1983, its offices are located in Bandar Seri Begawan at the Ministry of Finance.

It ranks among the most secretive of sovereign wealth funds It was established in 1983, when the sultanate took over investment activities from its former colonial master, the United Kingdom. BIA invests the government General Reserve Fund, money transferred to it on the order of the sultan. Although the fund is a government entity, the line between its finances and those of the royal family remains indistinct, making its investments difficult to track.

George Timothy Clooney and Elton John and many other stars are no longer are staying in hotels operated by Dorchester Collection because there is a dangerous double standard developing right in the United States of America.

“Dorchester Collection’s Code emphasizes equality, respect, and integrity in all areas of our operation, and strongly values people and cultural diversity amongst our guests and employees.  Inclusion and diversity remain core beliefs as we do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”

This was a statement received today by Brittany Williams, the director of Communication for both hotels has a double standard here.

According to Ms. Williams, this code applies to the Dorchester Collection, and all employees wanting to work for the hotel group need to sign this code. Ms. Williams explained the Dorchester Collection is owned by the Dorchester Group.

However, according to an article in Travel Weekly from 2006, the name Dorchester Group was actually changed to Dorchester Collection. If this was the case Dorchester Collection and both Beverly Hill Hotels are directly owned by the Brunei Investment Agency.

Some major foreign assets of BIA include the Dorchester Collection, which is a portfolio of luxury hotels established in 1996; a 10% holding in the Paterson Securities of Australia, and Bahagia Investment Corporation (Malaysia), dealing with real estate.

BIA’s investment portfolio, apart from investments within Brunei, covers diverse investments in bonds, equity, currency, gold, and real estate. It has substantial investments in the United States.

Brunei investors bought The Dorchester on Park Lane in London in 1985 for US$50 million and in 1996 BIA formed the Dorchester Collection, a conglomerate of luxury hotels in UK, USA, France, and Italy which includes it. BIA owns The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles which was bought for US$185 million in 1987 as well as the Grand Hyatt Singapore Hotel. BIA has a 10% holding in the Paterson Securities of Australia, and Bahagia Investment Corporation of Malaysia, dealing with real estate.

 

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Developing safety and security for children during travel

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Safety and security are always a concern of the travel industry, no matter who the traveler might be. A major issue when dealing with children is their safety and security. In the case of young travelers, the situation becomes even more difficult and emotional. There are many reasons for this heightened need for safety and security.  Among these are:

1)   Children are perceived to be more vulnerable

2)    Most people tend to be highly protective of children

3)    The legal ramifications of injury to a child may be even more severe

4)    Children evoke emotional reactions, and these emotions may crowd out rational thinking

Child safety and security tends to become the responsibility of three groupings:

1)   The child or young adult

2)   The parent of guardian of the child

3)   The host institution

The following is a partial list of precautions that all of us need to take when dealing with the child segment of the travel market. To help provide a safer ambiance for family vacations, consider some of the following.

Just as in the case of marketing efforts, tourism security efforts need to segment the market into at least four age brackets. Some suggested brackets might be: (1) new borns-2 years, (2) 3-7 years, (3) 7-12 years, and (4) teenagers until the legal age of 18. The essential issue is to realize that while both a 17 year old and a 2 year old are legally both minors, from a safety, security, and sociological standard, they operate in a very different ways and require very different guidelines. To help maintain these various groups safe and sound Tourism Tidbits offers the following suggestions. It should be noted that these are only a few suggestions of the many that are needed, and final decisions should be made by an onsite professional.

– Keep video cameras going. In case a child is lost (or Heaven forbid kidnapped), a video camera may be an excellent tool in locating the child.

– In places where adults and children mix, consider the use of ID bracelets being offered at the time of ticket purchase. You can use the ID bracelet either as a check-in/check-out device or give them away as a souvenir. In either case, should the child be lost, the security agent will have a name and phone number to call.  It is a good idea to place both the local and home number on the bracelet.

– In areas that have special young people’s sections, make sure that it is only children who enter. Adults should not be allowed into a children’s section. If an adult is needed there in case of an emergency, he/she should only be allowed to enter accompanied by a trained security agent.

– Develop policies on older children or unaccompanied minors. Younger children may be less of a problem than older children (12-17 years of age). These are guests who are legally still minors but can often do a great deal of damage or may demand that they be treated as adults even though such treatment is against the law. Make sure that all personnel are familiar with your business regarding minors’ safety and behavior of and with minors. Employees need to know:

–      policies and laws that specifically deal with people under the legal age of maturity

–      how to handle an angry or non-compliant minor

–      how to handle someone who may be making a scene

–      -when to actively intervene or call for additional help

–      how to check IDs without offense – a person’s ID is checked and questioned as to the whereabouts of his/her parents

In the hour before closing, it is very important to make sure that unsupervised young people are accounted for. In cases where the young person falsely believes that he/she is grown-up, ask for both a driver’s license and a social security number.

– Be aware of child abandonment/abuse. A form of child abuse is abandonment of a child. Train personnel to be on the lookout for all forms of child abuse. For example, if an adult is hanging around other people’s children asking for that person’s ID, turn security cameras on the person and attempt to get the license number of the vehicle being driven. The more information you have, the easier it will be for the police to act should there be a problem. Do not assume that a child abuser will return the next day. It may be weeks or months, or never, until that person returns.

– Develop cooperative information centers. Work with local police departments, hotel associations, and other attractions so that information can be passed between security departments rapidly and easily.  Remember people judge a locale on just one negative incident. When something goes wrong in one place, it can affect the entire local tourism community.

– Be careful of safety concerns.  Do a safety analysis; look for and correct such things as: glass doors against which inadvertently a child may run into, issues of food safety, or balconies over which a child may climb and jump.

Dr. Peter Tarlow is part of the Safer Travel Program by eTN. More information
www.safertravel.com 

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5 places to visit on your bucket list

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While everyone’s ultimate travel bucket list is different, there are certain destinations that really shouldn’t be missed, from American and Canadian destinations to places around the world, including these.

Ireland

The Emerald Isle is truly magical, even if leprechauns aren’t real, or are they? You can visit the Leprechaun Museum in Dublin to find out, but the highlight here is the scenery, and the castles, the music, the people. Visit ancient sites like Newgrange, even older than Stonehenge, constructed in 3200 BC, making it older than even the Great Pyramids of Giza too. Haunting castles and castle ruins dot the lush, green landscape, and there are beautiful beaches along the rugged coasts. Some of your favorite times might be found in the pubs, many of which host live music almost every night of the week, along with plenty of Guinness and craic.

Nashville, Tennessee

Music lovers especially should visit Nashville. Known as the “Music City,” it’s home to hundreds of live music venues that draw well-known names as well as up-and-coming artists. And, while you’ll find plenty of country, that’s not all. Its most famous venue is Grand Ole Opry, and at the historic Ryman Auditorium, visitors can even attend a live recording. The city also boasts a booming rock scene, with venues big and small, including The Basement, an intimate venue hosting everything from metal to acoustic shows.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

America’s top attraction with foreign visitors, the Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Up to 18 miles wide, a mile deep and 227 miles long, the canyon walls are made up of a stunning array of colors and erosional forms, made even more impressive at sunrise and sunset. You’ll want to do more than peer over the edge, though. You can enjoy an unforgettable adventure by riding a mule to the bottom, or head out to explore one of its more remote regions, making the long but rewarding trek to gaze at one of the world’s most breathtaking sights, Havasu Falls.

Antarctica

The ultimate bucket list destination, when your vessel gets through the waters of Orne Harbor, you’ll be welcomed by hundreds of squawking penguins tending their young in a desolate frozen landscape where iceberg peaks soar as much as 300 feet from of the sea. Minke and humpback whales, fur and leopard seals, are just a few of the other creatures you’re likely to encounter in one of the world’s last true frontiers.

Iceland

While its name might lead you to believe that it’s all about icy landscapes here, it’s anything but. The winters are similar to what you’d experience in major cities on America’s east coast, and the summer months are incredible with countless roaring waterfalls and hot springs in an otherworldly place of epic fairytale proportions. Soak in the legendary Blue Lagoon with its milky blue mineral-rich waters, or head to one of the more remote hot springs where you can soak in seclusion.

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LHR: New Royal Family members mean new London Heathrow Terminal Names

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London Heathrow Airport is set to rename its four terminals as the airport prepares for the arrival of the new royal baby, expected sometime in the spring.

The newest terminal, Terminal 2, previously known as the Queen’s Terminal will be christened with its new name following the baby’s arrival. In preparation for the most significant re-branding exercise in the airport’s history, road signs will be changed, taxi drivers briefings are being arranged and satellite navigation systems will be updated

With a long heritage of association with the royal family, Heathrow has today announced that it will rename its four airport terminals after the newest generation of royals, as the airport joins Duchess of Sussex in preparing for the arrival of the new baby.

Heathrow’s busiest terminal, which handles an average of 89,000 passengers on any given day – Terminal 5 will be renamed the ‘Prince George Terminal’. Heathrow’s most diverse terminal, Terminal 4, which is home to 34 airlines flying to 123 different destinations, colloquially known as the commonwealth terminal, will be dubbed the ‘Princess Charlotte Terminal’. The terminal with the most flights to California, Terminal 3, with flights to 3 of the golden state’s major airports, will have its name changed to the ‘Prince Louis Terminal’ and Heathrow’s newest terminal will be named after the new arrival, once the baby has been christened. Runway slots at the capacity constrained airport will be allocated in order of succession to the throne.

In preparation for Heathrow’s most extensive re-branding exercise in the airport’s history, which will see the names changed on hundreds of signs, the airport has worked with several groups to make sure that everyone is briefed and prepared to help passengers make their way to sunnier climes. Taxi drivers will be briefed, navigation apps are set to be updated, road signs leading to the airport along the M25 will be changed and iconic airport landmarks such as Terminal 5’s Welcome roundabout, will be renamed, all in time for the Easter holiday peak which will see over 260,000 people travel out of the UK’s only hub on the 12th (April 2019’s busiest day).

A spokesperson for Heathrow said:“Heathrow has a long history of being a transport hub for the UK and for the British royal family, and we are proud to usher in the newest generation of royals by giving them each their own terminal. As the royal family prepares to welcome their new arrival, we’ll be gearing up to welcome our own special arrivals during the Easter holiday peak.”

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Brunei Travel: Ready to be stoned to death? How will WTTC and UNWTO respond?

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Brunei is becoming a deadly place to visit starting April 3, specially if you are member of the LGBT Community.

Next week the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) will have their annual summit in Seville, Spain. Tourism leaders from around the globe will meet and listen to keynote speaker U.S. President Obama. Will President Obama, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, or WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara say something on what is developing in Brunei?

No country in the world so far issued travel warnings against Brunei. U.S. authorities have a level 2 travel advisories against Germany or the Bahamas but find travel for Americans perfectly safe when a new law threatens citizens and visitors, including children to be subject to death by stoning for same-sex sexual acts and amputation for robbery. Such a law will come into effect in Brunei Darussalam on April 3.

Brunei is a tiny nation on the island of Borneo, in 2 distinct sections surrounded by Malaysia and the South China Sea. It’s known for its beaches and biodiverse rainforest, much of it protected within reserves. The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is home to the opulent Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque and its 29 golden domes. The capital’s massive Istana Nurul Iman palace is the residence of Brunei’s ruling sultan

“Pending provisions in Brunei’s Penal Code would allow stoning and amputation as punishments – including for children, to name only their most heinous aspects,” said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Brunei Researcher at Amnesty International.

“Brunei must immediately halt its plans to implement these vicious punishments and revise its Penal Code in compliance with its human rights obligations. The international community must urgently condemn Brunei’s move to put these cruel penalties into practice.”

These punishments are provided for in newly-implemented sections of the Brunei Darussalam Syariah Penal Code that are due to come into force on 3 April 2019, according to a discreet notice on the Attorney General’s website.

“To legalize such cruel and inhuman penalties is appalling of itself. Some of the potential ‘offences’ should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender,” said Rachel Chhoa-Howard. “These abusive provisions received widespread condemnation when plans were first discussed five years ago.”

Amnesty expressed grave concerns over the Penal Code when the code’s first phase was implemented in April 2014.

“Brunei’s Penal Code is a deeply flawed piece of legislation containing a range of provisions that violate human rights,” said Rachel Chhoa-Howard. “As well as imposing cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments, it blatantly restricts the rights to freedom of expression, religion, and belief, and codifies discrimination against women and girls.”

Stoning and a hunt to kill members of the LGBT community is not an isolated problem in Brunei alone. Brunei is joining countries like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or Tanzania.

Background

Brunei Darussalam has signed but not yet ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and has rejected all recommendations to this effect in its human rights review at the UN in 2014.

Under international human rights law, corporal punishment in all its forms, such as stoning, amputation or whipping, constitutes torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, which is prohibited in all circumstances.

Acts of torture and other ill-treatment are absolutely proscribed in the main international human rights instruments, most of which Brunei has not signed or ratified. In addition, this prohibition is also recognized as a peremptory rule of customary international law, meaning that every state is bound by it even if they are not a party to a relevant human rights treaty. All acts of torture constitute crimes under international law.

While Brunei retains the death penalty in law, it is abolitionist in practice. One new death sentence was imposed in 2017, for a drug-related offense.

Just a few years ago the Sultan of Brunei told UNWTO Secretary-General and WTTC CEO: “We will do our best to support tourism. Tourism is of strategic importance for Brunei and based on two principal resources: the country’s pristine rainforest in the heart of Borneo, and its spiritual and cultural heritage. Environmental protection and conservation must, therefore, lie at the heart of any tourism development, the Sultan had stressed.

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