Author: News Team

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…

UK-based Seasons.co.uk has announced that it has launched a collection of five-star holidays. The luxury tour operator has announced that it has created a collection of holidays that claim to offer exciting memories. Some of the holidays on offer are limited-time offers and the company claimed that they had the potential to help travellers save significantly on their next holiday. The firm said that its latest offering caters for those who wish to travel to a range of destinations, including the Caribbean, Australia Africa, Dubai and Mexico. The packages also cater for the many different requirements of travellers, and holiday…

The Sultanate of Oman is planning to market its mountains as a tourist attraction. With the nation having discovered that its mountain-tourism programme was a huge success with local tourists, it is now planning to market them as geo-tourism. The mountains will be promoted as a destination for hiking, camping, bird watching, sightseeing, and for simply enjoying their natural beauty. The area will also be promoted as a geologist’s haven. Already Omani mountain ranges, including the Jabal al Shams and Jabal al Akhdhar, are popular summer holiday destinations for tourists, but in addition, the mountain ranges are also an attraction…

Croatia, part of the former Yugoslavia, is set to achieve record tourism figures this year. The announcement was made by the Croatian tourism minister, Veljko Ostojic, who said in a statement that the country had registered record figures for the first eight months of 2012, and is on target for its most successful tourism year ever. He commented, ‘Based on the results achieved so far and announcements (for the rest of the year) this is the best tourist season in Croatia’s history.’ According to official figures, 9.82 million visitors have entered the country during the first eight months of the…

BAA Ltd, owner and operator of six British airports including London Heathrow, has expressed satisfaction at the way the airports operated by the company were able to handle increased passenger numbers during the recently completed 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Colin Matthews, the company chief executive officer, said, ‘We are proud of Heathrow’s performance during London 2012, and warmly thank the volunteers, our own staff and the many other organisations who planned and delivered a warm and efficient welcome to Great Britain. We intend to combine the best of the games experience with Heathrow’s ongoing investment programme to steadily improve…

The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel in London, UK, has unveiled a panoramic painting of the River Thames that is being exhibited in the hotel’s Front Hall. The painting depicts the river from the same vantage point as one painted in 1957, and which is currently part of the hotel’s collection. The recent painting is created by the hotel’s artist-in-residence, David Downes, also inspired by the iconic ‘The River Thames on Lord Mayor’s Day’ artwork, painted by Canaletto. The new painting also depicts the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant on the river Thames. Kiaran MacDonald, the managing director of The Savoy,…