Author: Shawon Hannan

WOW Air, an Iceland-based low cost airline, is offering a new service connecting London Gatwick Airport in the UK with Reykjavik, in Iceland. The new service is offering twice-weekly flights on the route, using A320 aircraft that can accommodate around 168 passengers per flight. The new airline service will be complimenting Icelandair and Iceland Express airlines in linking London to Reykjavic. Matt Wood, the head of airline relations at London Gatwick Airport, said, ‘We are delighted to welcome WOW Air and its passengers to the airport today. Reykjavik saw a 12% increase in UK tourists between 2010 and 2011, and…

Travel Channel is to launch a new series that would be initially hosted by NBC News correspondent, Peter Alexander. The series would focus on highlighting how stars, celebrities and power politicians travel around the world. Called ‘Travel Like…,’ the umbrella series would present to viewers all the processes involved when stars and celebrities travel. The series is to be launched with its first episode being ‘Travel Like a President’, and would showcase how the US president travels with his retinue. The first one-hour programme would take viewers to Air Force One and beyond and highlight all the backstage activities that…

Manchester Airport will be ending a trial of body scanners, and commence testing on security scanners that are careful of people’s privacy. The use of current body scanners is being replaced by five new security scanners, which will automatically process images of the passengers, inline with a new UK government policy. The new machines can scan passengers by using radio frequency-based millimetre wave technology, as against earlier scanners using low measure x-rays. Andrew Harrison, the chief operating officer at Manchester Airport Group (MAG), the UK based holding company that owns the Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside Airports in the…

Hilton Worldwide, a US-based hotel company, has announced a new Hilton at the Ageas Bowl cricket ground, Southampton, in England. The hotel will be a franchise of the brand, and will be developed by RB Hotels Limited. It is expected to open in 2014, close to Hampshire County Cricket Club, with 171 rooms and four suites. Patrick Fitzgibbon, the senior vice president development for Europe and Africa, for Hilton Worldwide, said, ‘We are delighted to be opening our second property in Southampton, complementing the existing Hilton Southampton with a new landmark hotel at the Ageas Bowl. English cricket has experienced…

Low cost airlines may offer fares for the budget conscious, but pricing of food is hardly aimed at the cost conscious traveller, says TravelSupermarket, a UK-based online travel company. Recent research done by the company says that packed food, such as Pringles, cost around 495% more than the supermarket, while the average mark-up on food and drink for airline passengers is around 347% more than supermarket rates. Travellers often land up paying around 1,471% more for a 500ml bottle of water ordered in-flight. Bob Atkinson, the company travel expert, said, ‘Holidaymakers flying with airlines that don’t offer a complimentary meal…

First Great Western, a UK-based railway company, is offering a discounted fare on train travel for older and disabled people with bus passes. The company is launching an experimental discounted fare for one year in collaboration with the UK Department For Transport (DfT). The scheme has been introduced by Rail Minister Norman Baker as an annual Senior Railcard, priced at £28 per person. Mark Hopwood, the managing director for First Great Western, said, ‘First Great Western is privileged to provide services to some of the country’s leading destinations and our branch lines to Worcester and Weymouth are symbolic of that.…

The tourism department in Sri Lanka has entered into an association with MasterCard Worldwide (NYSE: MA), a provider of credit card services. The two entities have entered into an agreement to promote tourism in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) would use the facilities provided by the payments company to enhance its presence in the nation as well as globally. The agreement would have a specific focus on attracting India’s tourists. The five-year agreement would promote Sri Lanka as a premier tourist destination for Indian travellers. MasterCard and Maestro card holders would be able to avail special privileges…

Dairy farmers in Georgia are turning out as tourism providers to enhance profits after their original business has seen a fall in viability over the years. Georgia has more than 250 dairy farms, with dairy farming supporting the economy with inputs of about $250m. However, as operating costs have increased because of rising gas prices and higher feed costs for animals, farmers are exploring methods to convert their strengths into more money, through alternate means. Stiff competition in the market is also forcing farmers to seek better methods to generate increased profits. High costs of milking and maintenance and low…

Albania, in the Balkans, is using its rich communist legacy and leftist leanings to its own financial favour. The nation, which has hundreds of thousands of disused communist-era bunkers, is now looking to convert those bunkers into tourist attractions. With help from Germany, the firm is looking to put beds in the bunkers and rent then out to tourists willing to savour the authentic history of the communist era in the nation. In the coastal town of Tale, which is located about 50 kilometres from the Albanian capital of Tirana, developers are giving shape to a new tourist concept. Ten…

Monarch, a firm that offers cheap flights and holidays for destinations across Europe, is now offering flights to new destinations. The firm said that its new offer would allow customers to travel to the Alps for the 2012-13 ski season. It said that its offer targets holidaymakers who would like to enjoy the slopes while getting a good deal. From December this year, the company is offering flights to new ski destinations. The new itinerary will cover Grenoble in France, Munich and Friedrichsafen in Germany and Innsbruck in Austria. Customers will be offered the chance to book now for the…