Tourism Tech & Safety: Zamboanga del Sur (Philippines) launched an official tourism website (visitzambosur.com) and activated a provincial Tourist Police Unit to boost visitor security and destination visibility. Festivals & Culture: Pokhara (Nepal) will host a Dashain Tourism and Cultural Festival on Oct. 25, with tika/jamara welcomes, kite-flying, performances, and local food to pull both domestic and international travelers. Halloween Tourism Push: Hong Kong Tourism Board rolled out the first “Hong Kong Halloween Month,” expanding citywide cosplay street parties plus Halloween programming at Disneyland and Ocean Park. Visitor Pricing Policy: England’s national museums will keep free entry for foreign visitors after a policy U-turn, following debate over charging international tourists. Travel Deals: Kagoshima (Japan) is offering eligible international visitors free one-way Shinkansen tickets from Hakata when they book a participating hotel via Klook. Tourism Funding Tensions: In South Dakota, Fort Pierre residents are being surveyed to shape tourism growth; in Illinois, Gov. Pritzker announced $4.6M in tourism grants, while in Washington County, a funding dispute threatens to redirect hotel-tax money from a tourism agency. Medical Tourism: Penang (Malaysia) reported 285,400 medical tourists and RM601.8M revenue in the first half of 2026, underscoring its leading role in the sector. Regional Cooperation: ASEAN tourism ministers met in Manila to push intra-ASEAN travel, update the 2002 tourism agreement for digital and sustainability goals, and plan a regional tourism intelligence system.