Author: Shawon Hannan

This summer, for those travellers planning a trip to the Caribbean but have yet to make firm reservations, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is offering summer savings on vacations. The UK-based InterContinental Hotels Group, the promoter of hotel brands that include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, and others, is offering a new Latin America and Caribbean promotion for travellers. The company is offering a Discover Latin America and Caribbean, for travellers booking a stay at a hotel in around 75 select destinations between…

The Scottish Hotel Awards 2012 were held in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 20, 2012, with awards for the best hotels in Scotland. The Scottish Hotel of the Year award went to The Chester Residence, in Edinburgh, Scotland. The awards were distributed in ten categories, covering everything from housekeeping and food and beverages, to customer satisfaction, progress and growth. In an official statement, Gary McLean-Quin, the Chairman of Judges for the awards, said, ‘The whole point of this comprehensive awards program is to actively encourage, guide and recognise the highest standards at each individual hotel; then we consider the national, comparative…

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), a Thailand-based government agency that promotes tourism in Thailand, is partnering Asia Web Direct, an online travel specialist in Asia, for a new tourism campaign. The campaign, titled, Discover the Other You, is intended to encourage tourists to visit Thailand with the promise of an exclusive experience in creative tourism. Asia Web Direct is offering adventurous holidays with 100 alternatives for tourists visiting Thailand. The tours include a taste of Thai culture by experiencing Muay Thai boxing, Thai cooking classes and Thai massage techniques. The holidays are customisable to allow customers to choose from…

British Airways, a UK-based airline company, is offering complimentary tickets to friends and families of UK athletes and British citizens living outside the UK. The airline is offering hundreds of complimentary flights and tickets to UK citizens staying overseas and wanting to come back to the UK to cheer on the home teams in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The airline has launched a promotion on its Facebook page, offering complimentary fares from 20 specific destinations around the world, with 12 tickets to London per destination. The flights are available from Sydney (Australia), Moscow (Russia), New York (US),…

London Gatwick Airport has reported travel trends for the older generation of travellers. A recent report released by the airport has highlighted that 61 percent of Overseas Adventure Travellers (OTA) over 85 years of age travel more frequently now than when they were younger. Travel has become a major pastime for the older generation, as 56 percent of OTAs over 70 years of age admitted to travelling more often in recent times, compared to when they were in their youth, based on a survey of 1,000 respondents. The study has revealed that 30 percent of older travellers expect to benefit…

Cruise Industry News Annual Report, an annual report on the cruise industry, has reported that the industry is growing in the Asia, Asia-Pacific and Australian markets. The 2012 edition of the report identifies the emerging Asian-Pacific cruise industry at 1.2 million passengers annually, contributing to 6 percent of the worldwide cruise revenue. The report highlights that the growth in the Asia-Pacific region is led by Star Cruises, a Hong Kong based company with four ships, owning 35.8 percent of the market. In 2012, passenger figures are expected to hit 1.2 million for the company. Australia and New Zealand added another…

British Airways, a UK-based airline company, is featuring a special emblem celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on one of its fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft. 11-year-old, Katherine Dewar, designed the celebratory emblem, she was the winner of a competition organised by the UK children’s television program, Blue Peter. The emblem will be part of the aircraft’s livery along with a message, ‘Congratulations, Celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee’. Katherine Dewar said, ‘Since winning the competition, its been like a dream come true to see my design in so many different places around the UK but I never expected to see…

Carnival Cruise Lines, a US-based cruise line, has added a new cruise ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Breeze, to its portfolio. The new ship can carry around 3,690 passengers and will be departing on its inaugural cruise on June 3, 2012, from Venice, Italy, on a special 12-day Mediterranean cruise ending in Barcelona on June 15, 2012. The new Carnival Breeze is the 24th vessel to join the cruise line’s fleet and features several entertainment options. It is the line’s first ship to feature a multi-dimensional special effects experience, the Thrill Theater; theme water park, WaterWorks, with water slides and a…

Westin Hotels & Resorts, a hotel brand from Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, has opened a new hotel, The Westin Paris – Vendome, in Paris, France. The new hotel, which offers views of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, is part of the brand’s Breathe Westin portfolio of smoke-free hotels. Brian Povinelli, the brand’s global brand leader, said, ‘Westin Hotels & Resorts is excited to further expand its portfolio of international smoke-free properties and we are proud to have The Westin Paris – Vendome as our latest addition. As a brand that continuously adapts its programming to better coincide…

Thomas Cook Group Plc, a UK-based travel company, is offering new London City breaks, celebrating both the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games. The company is offering its Best of Britain themed short vacations, as part of its role as official provider of short breaks to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The newly created Games Breaks are designed around the British royal family’s love of sport, and to tie in with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The newly launched city breaks are named The Queen, The Duke & Duchess, The Prince Harry & Charles, The Princess…