LATest e-bulletin December '25

Gabriele Di Terlizzi
Dec 8, 2025
9 min read

Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Look at the endless innovative touring products developed by LAT. From slow tourism to tours aways from crowds, from an agile system of modular scheduled departures in different languages to arts, architecture, outdoor, experiential, culinary food and education packages, just to name a few!

All our offers are strictly carbon contribution @ LAT Climate Contribution, all emissions being calculated and offset by projects in cooperation with Climate Partners.

In this issue: ① Quote of the month ② A Reflection for the New Year ③ Jember, Indonesia Carnival ④ On the Road to Hell Thai Style ⑤ Malaysian or Footballer? ⑥ Singapore Economy Powers On ⑦ First Green-fuel Tax ⑧ Floods in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand

Anyone can be a barbarian; it requires a terrible effort to remain a civilized man.

Leonard Woolf

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A Flight Toward a Greener Future: Reflections for the New Year

As the year winds down, it’s natural to pause and reflect, not just on what we’ve achieved, but on the direction we’re heading. In the world of travel, the past months have reminded us of a simple yet powerful truth: the skies and lands we share belong to all of us, and the choices we make today ripple far beyond the airports and airways.

Travel industry has always been more than machines in the air or on the ground. It is connection, opportunity, and possibility. Our industry bridges continents, brings different people and cultures together, fuels economies, and opens doors to new experiences. But it is also a responsibility. The way in which all segments of our travel industry move, invest, and innovate has consequences on communities, on ecosystems, and on the climate that sustains us.

Recent international discussions have highlighted that no single segment, country, or organization can tackle these challenges alone. Solutions must be global, coordinated, and thoughtful. Fragmented actions may feel like progress, but they rarely deliver the scale or fairness the planet requires. The message is clear: when the aviation industry acts together, it thrives; when it acts in isolation, progress falters.

At the center of this vision is a commitment to unity and shared accountability. A single, globally recognized framework ensures that efforts are not duplicated, that investments reach projects that truly reduce emissions, and that the benefits of progress are shared, especially with developing nations that are often most affected by climate change. Carbon markets, carefully designed and rigorously verified, offer a path forward: a way for our industry to reduce its footprint while funding sustainable development, creating jobs, and transferring technology where it is most needed.

Equally important is the understanding that real change requires more than rules and regulations. It requires culture, an industry-wide embrace of responsibility, a recognition that every decision matters. Fragmented taxes or ad-hoc levies may appear to be solutions, but they can divert resources from meaningful action and risk weakening the very connectivity that aviation provides. The goal is balance: thriving connectivity, paired with genuine climate responsibility.

Viewed through this lens, recent calls for global cooperation feel almost symbolic, but in the best way. They mark a moment when the industry collectively acknowledges its potential, its duty, and its opportunity. They remind us that we can be a force for good, not just in connecting people, but in connecting our aspirations with the actions that shape a sustainable future.

As the new year approaches, this reflection offers a hopeful message. Let it serve as an auspicious start, a gentle reminder that better choices, coordinated efforts, and shared responsibility can lead to cleaner skies and stronger communities. Let it inspire us all to embrace collaboration, thoughtful action, and a vision of aviation not just as a service, but as a steward of the world we all share.

In the months ahead, the challenge is clear, but so is the path: by flying together, literally and figuratively, we can transform the way our industry moves, grows, and cares for the planet. Let it remind us of what is possible when unity, responsibility, and hope guide every decision we make.

At LAT we are, since long, implementing comprehensive sustainability measures with far-reaching targets and goals. Our whole product for free and independent travellers, groups and MICE is based on a Climate Contribution programme. This means that part of the greenhouse gas emissions generated is offset by certified projects such as the forest conservation project in Indonesia.

Jember, Indonesia Carnival

Every August in East Java, the city of Jember transforms into a spectacular open-air runway for the Jember Fashion Carnival, a vibrant celebration of art, culture and community that has quietly grown into one of the world's largest and most imaginative carnivals.

What began in 2002 as a single parade has evolved into a three-day festival with five themed segments: the Kids Carnival, Pets Carnival, Wonderful Archipelago Carnival Indonesia, Artwear Carnival, and the Grand Carnival. Over 2,300 participants and hundreds of volunteers bring the event to life each year, with each costume handcrafted and worn only once. The entire city joins in, turning Jember’s main street into a 120-meter runway lined with thousands of spectators.

The Artwear Carnival is the festival’s creative heart, showcasing designs by contemporary talents from Indonesia and abroad. The Grand Carnival then closes the celebration with spectacular Mardi Gras–style creations, some weighing up to 20 kilograms.

The carnival continues to thrive. A cultural partnership with Japan, driven by the Sakuranesia Foundation, has deepened its international appeal, bringing Japanese performers, artists, and even a large-scale fireworks show into the mix. This cross-cultural collaboration feels natural to locals, many of whom grew up with Japanese pop culture.

Increasingly, Indonesian celebrities, models, singers, and beauty queens are making the carnival a must-attend event, adding glamour to an already theatrical celebration. International visitors and designers have taken notice too, praising the carnival’s creativity and professionalism — with some comparing its production scale to a series of Super Bowl halftime shows.

Over the years, Jember’s costumes have also gained global recognition at major beauty pageants, strengthening Indonesia’s cultural presence on the world stage. As the event’s influence expands to parades and showcases in Singapore, the United States, and China, its role as a tool of Indonesian soft power becomes ever clearer.

For Jember itself, the carnival represents both opportunity and aspiration. Local leaders hope the city can grow into a creative hub and a gateway for visitors seeking a more authentic Indonesian experience beyond the country’s usual tourist hotspots.

If momentum continues, the Jember Fashion Carnival may not remain Indonesia’s best-kept secret for much longer.

On the Road to Hell Thai Style

Wat Mae Kaet Noi, a quiet-looking temple outside Chiang Mai, hides a garden that feels like you’ve taken a wrong turn straight into purgatory.

Thailand’s “hell gardens” aren’t unusual, but this one doesn’t bother with symbolism, it goes full horror-movie realism. Sinners are everywhere: the drunk slumped over his bottles, thieves getting their hands sawn off (complete with coin-operated sound effects), and a nightmare-level warning against abortion. Each scene is more graphic than the last.

The mastermind is the head monk, who says a vivid dream pushed him to build the place as moral guidance for locals. And people do come, families, teachers, kids. Nothing says “behave” like seeing school bullies depicted as future fish-hook kebabs.

The garden is an equal-opportunity moralizer: corrupt judges get their tongues yanked out, lifelong complainers get their mouths sealed, and sex-related sins… well, those sculptors clearly had fun. Social commentary sneaks in too, from businessmen riding on farmers’ backs to red-and yellow-shirted political rivals marching together under a hopeful “we can change.”

The grand finale? Sinners boiling in a giant pot, eyes glowing red when you drop in a coin. Subtlety is not on the menu.

After one last stop in the “heaven” corner — a peaceful breather with statues of the Buddha — it’s hard not to feel both shaken and weirdly uplifted. If the goal is better behavior, this place makes the point loud and clear: straighten up, or end up in the pot.

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Malaysian or Footballer?

Joao Figueiredo became a Malaysian citizen on June 3rd. One week later, he was already being hailed as a national hero. He scored the opening goal against Vietnam, kicked off a 4–0 thrashing, and gave Malaysians one of the most unforgettable nights in recent football history. A beautiful story… or at least it was before it blew up in everyone’s faces.

Because that glorious win? Well, it wasn’t exactly “Malaysia Boleh.” The team fielded five players who had magically become Malaysian citizens just a week earlier (plus two more earlier in the year). None were born in Malaysia, but apparently all had a grandparent somewhere on Malaysian soil, or so the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) assured everyone.

FIFA, however, was not buying the fairy tale. After an anonymous complaint, the world body investigated and declared Malaysia guilty of forging documents. “Pure and simple, a form of cheating,” they said — which is FIFA-speak for “we caught you red-handed.” FAM got slapped with a fine, the players were suspended for a year, and the whole mess has been handed over to local authorities. Fun times.

On November 17th, FIFA released its report, and let’s just say the plot twists did not disappoint. For starters, Mr. Figueiredo’s grandmother apparently wasn’t from Johor at all, but from Minas Gerais, Brazil, a slight geographical discrepancy. Similar issues surfaced for all seven players with supposed Malaysian ancestry. To top it off, the players themselves had no idea what they were signing because the forms were in Malay, a language none of them speak. Four had never even played for a Malaysian club before suddenly representing the country; three only joined one in 2025.

Malaysia insists it did nothing wrong. The Home Affairs Minister said the players went through a “rigorous process” and FAM says it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but admits there might have been a “technical error.” Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry has frozen FAM’s funding, probably the only part of this saga that surprised no one.

Naturally, Malaysians are furious. They want heads to roll at FAM and the Home Ministry. The national team was on the verge of qualifying for the Asian Cup, a rare achievement, but a points deduction for this paperwork circus could ruin that dream. As a local commentator put it, “The country doesn’t hold much hope in the football association’s ability to run the game, but even by those standards this scandal is really sickening.” Hard to argue.

And for many Malaysians, the whole affair just highlights how murky, and selective, the country’s citizenship process can be. Activists noted that these footballers got passports faster than most people can renew their driving license. Meanwhile, about 120,000 stateless people, many born and raised in Malaysia, are still waiting for recognition. For them, becoming Malaysian remains a distant fantasy.

HIGHLIGHTS

Singapore’s economy powers on

Global trade has had a brutal year. Donald Trump’s tariffs have shattered the rules-based system on which many countries depended. Yet exporters have adapted fast. Last week Singapore, one of the world’s most trade-dependent economies, reported that its non-oil domestic exports grew by 22% year on year in October, well above estimates. Shipments, particularly of electronics, to other Asian countries are more than offsetting declining sales to America.

First green-fuel tax

Singapore announced the world’s first green-fuel tax from next year. Air passengers leaving the city-state will be charged between S$1.00 ($0.77) and S$41.60, depending on flight distance and cabin class. The tax revenue will be used to buy sustainable fuel, which Singapore hopes will make up 3-5% of all fuel used in its airports by 2030.

Floods in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand

Flooding and landslides in Indonesia killed more than 300 people in the past week, according to local authorities. More than 100 people are unaccounted for in Sumatra, a western island. Heavy rains have deluged areas of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand because of a tropical storm in the Malacca Strait. Indonesian officials said more troops would join the relief efforts on Sunday.

Our whole product for free and independent travellers, groups and MICE are based on a Climate Contribution programme. This means that part of the greenhouse gas emissions that will be generated are offset by projects in collaboration with Climate Partner, one of the leading climate protection solution providers for companies.

The arising emissions are being compensated by supporting a third-party certified geothermal energy project in Darajat, Java (Indonesia). The project helps to meet the growing demand for electricity in Indonesia. By increasing the share of renewable energy, the dependence on fossil fuel-based electricity decreases, and about 705,390 tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved per year.

For over thirty years, Lotus Asia Tours Group has provided services and assistance to travellers the world over, specialising in the design and implementation of corporate events, activities, incentive tours and motivational travel, targeted at FIT, GIT and MICE markets, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indochina. The group also operates five boutique island hotels in Indonesia, in Lombok, Bali, Sulawesi, Papua and Maluku, as well as a seven-cabin luxury sailing yacht.

To learn more about our brand please head to our website, or contact us directly; we look forward to hearing how we could help make your next trip, tour or event memorable and successful.

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