Vietnam may legalise gambling

Vietnam is apparently considering the possibility of legalising different forms of gambling.  The ministries of Finance, and Planning & Investment, are drafting legal documents to submit to the government for consideration.

Prior to 2003, all forms of gambling except the state-run lottery service were illegal in Vietnam.  Since then the government has allowed some 4-5 star hotels to establish electronic gambling for foreign passport holders and have licensed four casinos designated for only foreigners.  The new plans would enable more hotels and resorts to have casinos or offer some form of gambling which includes domestic tourists.

The New Luxury Signal: Emotional Stability

The New Luxury Signal: Emotional Stability

Luxury resorts used to sell status and spectacle. Now they sell something quieter: relief. Guests arrive overloaded, and the best resorts are redesigning around sensory calm, reduced friction, and emotional steadiness. Modern luxury is less about what you add, and more about what you remove.

When You Can’t Leave: Designing for the Flight Reflex in Airports, Venues, and Hospitals

When You Can’t Leave: Designing for the Flight Reflex in Airports, Venues, and Hospitals

In high-stimulus public spaces, our bodies do more than react – they strategise.
Airports, hospitals, and stadiums all evoke subtle “Flight” responses: scanning, pacing, early exits.
Understanding how threat appraisal drives behaviour can help architects and planners design calmer spaces – and reveal why relaxation, not excitement, predicts dwell, spend, and satisfaction.

Small Towns, Big Relief: Nostalgia, Tradition, and the Break From Self

Small Towns, Big Relief: Nostalgia, Tradition, and the Break From Self

Small towns do more than change the scenery. They give visitors a break from themselves. This piece unpacks how nostalgia and tradition create identity relief that boosts spend, dwell time, and community value. Practical takeaways for tourism, luxury, food, museums, and policy.

The Last Ten Minutes of Luxury

The Last Ten Minutes of Luxury

Guests pay for days yet remember minutes. The peak end rule explains why a stay often lives or dies on one high moment and the day of departure. What works, what fails, and how to design the arc so memory carries your brand home.