Author: Shawon Hannan

Visitors to London, whether on business, as tourists, or for the forthcoming Olympic games, might be concerned to hear that the city has topped a survey to be recognised as the world’s most expensive destination for a 24-hour stay. Travel review website, TripAdvisor carried out the research, and its TripIndex assessed the price of a hotel room, evening meal, drinks and taxis in key locations around the world. The price that it estimated for a night out in London for two people this summer was £330.45. At the other end of the scale, Hanoi in Vietnam offered the best value…

Companies that operate daily deal sites on the Internet have been invited to sign a voluntary code of conduct that has just been unveiled. The code of conduct, which has been designed to promote, ‘fair, honest and ethical best practice’ is considered to be a first step in improving the reputation of the sector. The Global Daily Deal Association, a trade association for the daily deal industry, has developed the code with the intention of standardising practices across the industry and enhancing accountability and sustainability. Ultimately, the Association hopes to see the industry’s reputation improve with both merchants and customers.…

Holidays are so important to the British public that they will make whatever sacrifices are needed in order to afford them, according to a survey reported in the Daily Mail. The survey said that as many as 65 percent of respondents had admitted to sacrificing meals out, shopping for cheaper groceries, not buying new clothes, cancelling buying presents for their partner’s special occasion, and even selling their belongings on eBay in order to fund their all-important holiday. It also revealed that 49 percent of those questioned are hoping to save money and improve the quality of their holiday by not…

OAG, a business belonging to UBM Aviation, is to launch a product to help travellers that are affected by disruption to their travel itinerary. The airline data firm, with its head office in Luton, UK, is to launch its new Migo system that is designed to provide travellers whose flights have been disrupted due to bad weather, strikes or sudden cancellations, with alternative travel options. The options that the system will provide are not just be limited to alternative available flights but, where applicable, will also give details of land and sea routes. OAG expects that Migo, which will include…

Thomas Cook, the UK-based travel company that has suffered well-documented financial difficulties of late, sees signs of growing confidence in the UK travel market, despite the uncertain economic outlook. Speaking at the International Travel and Tourism (ITT) conference in Barbados, Ian Ailles, Thomas Cook UK mainstream managing director, said, ‘We see signs of confidence returning. I’m convinced UK consumers will continue to travel. Underlying demand will not change.’ Ailles continued in a positive vein, saying, ‘All the projections point to a continuing increase in customer demand [because] people prioritise taking a break. We expect to see fairly stable 3 percent…

The head of easyGroup and the founder of low-cost airline, easyjet, sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, saw his plans to launch a new, Africa-based, low-cost airline take a step closer to fruition today. The new airline, to be known as Fastjet, is to be developed on Lonrho Aviation’s existing platform, under the Fly540 brand. The brand carried more than 525,000 passengers between October 2010 and December 2011. Investment company, Rubicon Diversified Investments, has agreed to purchase the business from Lonrho for $85.7m, and part of the transaction involves sir Stelios’ easyGroup Holdings owning a 5 percent stake in Rubicon. The new African…

As part of its plans for coping with a massive influx of visitors for the 2012 London Olympic Games, Heathrow Airport has opened a temporary terminal that has been specifically built for the occasion. The temporary structure, which is designed to speed the flow of Olympic officials and competitors for the three days after the games end on August 12, has been built on the site of a staff car park. During its three days of operation it is likely to process in excess of ten thousand individual competitors, and their 37,000 items of luggage. Theresa Villiers attended the opening…

On the Beach, a UK-based online travel agent, has reported increased bookings for cheap summer holidays abroad. The company’s sales report suggests that larger numbers of British holidaymakers are heading for sunnier destinations to make the most of their summer vacation this year. The Canary Islands are still among the most popular British holiday destinations for summer vacations, with a 60 percent increase in bookings on the portal, year-on-year, for 2012. Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, is followed by Majorca and the Costa del Sol in Spain, both of which have experienced a 90 percent rise in bookings over the…

Ryanair, an Ireland-based low cost airline, is partnering with Tourism Ireland, at Dublin Airport, in Ireland. In an initiative to help promote Irish tourism, the airline is welcoming Irish football fans who are en route to support their team at the 2012 UEFA European Football Championships in Poland, with over 2,000 giant green hands that are being given out to Ryanair passengers. Around 20,000 Irish fans are flying with Ryanair to the Championships, which are being held in Poland and Ukraine throughout June. Michael Cawley, the airline deputy chief executive, said, ‘Euro 2012 fever has well and truly gripped Ireland…

Hilton Barcelona, a Hilton Hotels brand property in Barcelona, Spain, has reopened after completing a total refurbishment aimed at attracting new age travellers. The hotel, which had initially opened during the Barcelona Olympic Games, has re-opened on completion of a makeover of its 289 guestrooms, and 13 suites, as well as its Mosaic restaurant, The Vibe Bar and an impressive outdoor terrace. The hotel has benefited from the brand’s new innovative lobby design for the first time in Europe. British designers, Bevis Design Associates, has planned the rooms, suites and Executive Lounge decor, while Matteo Thun is the architect for…