Wildlife & Rule Changes: India’s Supreme Court ordered states to clear elephant corridors, survey obstructions, and ban “hulla parties” that use fireballs and burning stakes—aimed at cutting habitat loss and human-elephant conflict. Tourism Growth & Connectivity: Malaysia pushed a 2026 sales mission in Davao to boost Filipino arrivals and protect direct flight links, while India also moved to simplify international airport clearance from Sept 1 by ending the need for stamped physical boarding passes. Disaster Impact on Travel: Assam’s monsoon floods left a death trail as heavy rain and landslides hit Upper Assam and parts of Nagaland, disrupting communities and travel routes. Aviation Infrastructure: Japan is funding a new air traffic control tower at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport to modernize safety systems for a challenging airport. Cultural & Media Controls: China investigated comedian Guo Degang after he changed a revolutionary song lyric, with multiple show cancellations—another reminder of shifting “red lines” for artists. Tourism Safety: A Swiss tourist was sentenced in Bali for filming outside during Nyepi, reigniting debate on foreign visitors and local rules. Regional Tourism Demand: Northeast India is seeing more domestic and foreign interest, with Sikkim and Assam leading 2025 visits.