Author: Shawon Hannan
The UK travel industry has reacted sharply to the cabinet reshuffle announced by the British prime minister, as the tourism minister, John Penrose, has stepped down and Prime Minister, David Cameron, is yet to name a replacement. Speaking on behalf of the travel industry, Luke Pollard, the head of public affairs at the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), a UK-based travel agents association, said, ‘It is all change for ministers with travel and tourism portfolios. It is too early to read too much into a change of personnel at the top so we will wait to see what moving…
This year, September 8, is regarded as the most popular day of the year for UK travellers over 50 years of age to set off on vacation. Saga Travel Insurance, a UK-based insurance company catering to the insurance requirements of the population in the age group of 50 years and above, has recently released research results that say that elderly travellers prefer to take a vacation when the children are back to school, with the most popular travel date being the first weekend after the schools reopen. While Spain has traditionally been the most popular destination with travellers over 50,…
As the tourist inflow into West Berlin continues to register a steady increase, the hospitality industry is involved in an intense battle between registered hotels and unregulated apartments. With the German capital having become the third most-visited city in Europe, the hotel industry is unhappy about the intense competition from unregulated apartments. West Berlin has for a long time been a favourite haunt of budget-savvy tourist groups. Cheap accommodation and services are much sought after and the industry has responded to cater to this segment. Unregulated vacation apartments are not subject to the expensive safety and standards regulations that hotels…
The tourism department of Ras Al Khaimah, an emirate in the UAE, has announced the launch of an application that could help travellers to explore the various attractions of the Gulf state. The department, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (Ras Al Khaimah TDA), said that the application would be made available for iPad and iPhone devices. The ‘RAK Tourism’ app is claimed to be a comprehensive destination application that is available for download on all iPad and iPhone devices. The tourism department said that the free application would offer customers first hand information on the attractions that are available…
If plans to showcase the gem and jewellery collection of Imelda Marcos go ahead as planned, they could soon become an attraction for tourists from far and wide. The sequestered jewels of the former first lady of the Philippines are now lying in the lockers of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank of Philippines. They are divided into three collections with each collection averaging about 300 high-value jewellery pieces. It is not just the value of the jewels or their sheer number that is expected to draw the crowds, but rather the notoriety of Imelda Marcos and everything that…
Michael O’Leary, the head of Ireland-based budget airline, Ryanair, has long had a reputation for saying what is on his mind, whoever it might offend, but his latest tirade, aimed at a complaining passenger, will have come as a shock even to those that are used to his straight talking. The complaint concerned Ryanair’s policy of charging customers a penalty if they arrive for their flight without having taken a copy of their boarding pass. In the case of the complainant, Mrs Suzy Mcleod, that oversight amounted to a total cost of £236 for her, her parents and her two…
London Gatwick Airport, in the UK, has announced that a new bloc Hotel property is to open at the airport in summer of 2013. The airport has entered into a development contract with bloc hotels to open a new 244-room property within its perimeters at the South Terminal. This is the second bloc hotel to open in the UK, with the first having previously opened in Birmingham. The former Norfolk House office building has been selected for conversion into the hotel. Emma Rees, the airport head of real estate, said, ‘Given passengers’ demand for greater hotel choice, this new development…
Flights into London Heathrow airport are being stacked, or made to circle for long periods before landing, according to the findings of a report. NATS, a UK based company that provides air traffic services and solutions, has reported that in 2010, around 120,425 of 224,497 incoming flights at Heathrow airport were held in a stack, compared to 16,541 out of 120,250 incoming flights at London Gatwick Airport, and 3,786 of 77,570 incoming flights at London Stansted Airport, during the same period. According to NATS, such stacking delays not only create operational difficulties, but also cause escalating environmental damage. At London…
Easyjet, a UK-based budget airline, is ready to launch its allocated seating on all routes of its network from November 2012, having completed a successful trial of the seating arrangement on chosen routes. The allocated seating includes a priority boarding system against a payment of a minimum of £3 per person, enabling passengers that purchase Speedy Boarding to board the aircraft first, followed by passengers requiring special assistance and families. All other passengers will board the aircraft after these groups. The allocated seating is available for three price ranges, £12 for extra leg room in front row and exit seats,…
Based on a report stating that the availability of private jets would be scarce in the coming holidays, Paramount Business Jets is encouraging customers to book their jets early to avoid a last-minute rush during the holidays. The report said that more people who can afford it would opt for private jets for their travel during the holidays. The rush for private jets is to peak during the months of November and December, and up to the second week of January. It is expected that during this time about 90 percent of all private jet fliers in the US would…