Sudanese officials are seeking to attract Chinese tourists, touting the impressive scenery and cultural heritage their country has to offer. At a tourism promotion event in Beijing on Wednesday, Sudanese officials also hailed a good relationship with China in making the case that Sudan could be an ideal destination for Chinese tourists. "We have unique tourist sites, ancient cultural heritage and beautiful natural scenery - that's Sudan's real treasure," Omer Eisa Ahmed, Sudanese Ambassador to China, told hundreds of potential tourists and Chinese travel agents at the event.

A forum themed “Vietnamese, Lao, Cambodian women foster friendly cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals until 2030” took place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 15. [...] Participants shared experience in improving women empowerment, particularly in economic and political fields, preventing women and child trafficking, promoting tourism and international cooperation, and educating young generations about the development of traditional friendship and collaboration among women in the three countries.

With global oil prices flailing, Saudi Arabia is turning to another natural resource: billions of dollars gained from religious tourism as the kingdom hosts the annual hajj pilgrimage. “The money spent by pilgrims this year could be from 20 to 25 billion riyals (5.3 to 6.7 billion dollars),” said Maher Jamal, head of Makkah’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry - an estimated 70 percent increase from the previous year.

A U.S. ban on its citizens travelling to North Korea has come into effect, at a time of heightened tensions over North Korean missile launches. The new rule was announced after U.S. student Otto Warmbier died after being released from prison in North Korea. The State Department said it was necessary "due to the serious and mounting risk" of detention.

The Vermont ski industry is worried about the Trump Administration's review of the J-1 Visa exchange program which allows resorts to hire some foreign workers. "This program is an ambassadorship program. You get incredible students who come on up and are enthusiastic and hard working. They go back to their home country and share the incredible experiences they've had here in Vermont," says Ski Vermont President Parker Riehle.