Author: News Team

Flybe, a UK-based airline company, has announced that it will be operating an expanded schedule from East Midlands Airport, in England, which includes a new route to Glasgow Airport, in Scotland. The new service is due to commence from September 10, 2012, operating on the popular route that was previously served by UK-based, bmi baby airline, until June 2012. The new service, which will be providing three flights per day between Monday and Friday, is intended to offer flights that are timed to allow business travellers to benefit from same day return travel, as well as onward connections to the…

VisitScotland, a Scotland-based, government owned tourism agency, will be commencing a fund raising activity for its Year of Natural Scotland 2013 tourism promotion. The agency is set to invest a £150,000 cash fund to help boost tourism in the country, and it will be open to outside financing from corporate entities and other organisations that are keen to help in the promotion of Scottish tourism. The Visit Scotland Natural Growth Fund is expected to support marketing ventures that will be highlighting the country’s natural environment. The agency has reported that around 40 percent of the tourism related spending in Scotland…

Cycling’s Tour of Britain race is well under way and will be visiting many well-known tourist destinations over the next few days. The Tour of Britain will provide holidaymakers across the country with the chance to see famous professional riders like Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in competitive action just weeks after they were carrying the nation’s hopes in the highly successful London 2012 Olympic Games. Tomorrow, visitors to the Scottish Borders will be able to line the 161.4km route for Stage 3 between Jedburgh and Dumfries. Commencing at 11.00am, the route will include Hawick, Cappercleuch, Moffat, Johnstonebridge, New Abbey…

The Spratly group of islands, the ownership status of which is currently the subject of a dispute between China and the Philippines, could soon see an increase in tourist potential if a Chinese plan is successful. According to reports, a city in southern China is planning to extend a tourism route to the disputed islands in the West Philippines Sea. State media in China said that Sanya City, a well-known tourist destination in the Southern Chinese province of Hainan, was planning to expand tourism to the islands. As per the 10-year plan, Sanya was planning to add the island chains…

The government of Iceland is planning a significant increase in taxes that could affect the nation’s tourism industry. The government said that it was planning to increase its VAT (value added tax) very significantly, from its current 7 percent to 25.5 percent. The new tax increase would affect all aspects of tourism, including accommodation, restaurant meals and tourist attractions. Critics said that tourism would be badly hit by the increase since all amenities used by tourists would become more expensive. The government is planning to increase the rates from May 1 next year. According to the European Tour Operators Association…

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…