Author: Lee Fletcher

Researching your next holiday might take longer than you think, according to the results of a recent survey. A study by a UK based online independent travel agency, sunshine.co.uk, has reported that the average British traveller spends around 24 hours researching for holidays on the Internet, before making their reservations. The study of 1,049 British travellers that visited the company’s website has revealed that they research for around 4.5 hours every week, for around six weeks, before they actually book their vacation. This tends to suggest that a surprising amount of thought goes into a vacation before customers actually commit…

Rotorua in New Zealand is preparing to offer a new reason for tourists to visit the lakeside city, the chance to sample wine in the area where it is produced. A new partnership between Skyline Rotorua and Volcanic Hills wines is expected to attract wine aficionados to the area, which is already home to a range of other tourist destinations. The plan is to create a winery at the base of the Skyline Rotorua site. Once the winery commences operation, it will offer customers an opportunity to see how the wine is made. If they are interested in exploring further,…

JetBlue has announced the launch of a pass that will allow pets on board its flights. The air carrier has launched a new pass called ‘All-Your-Pet-Can-Jet’. The offer will allow the company’s customers to travel with their pets on board without having to pay out extra fees. This will enable passengers who are apprehensive about leaving their pets at home to take them on a vacation and enjoy the holiday with their companion at their side. The airline’s offer is as follows; for USD299, customers can bring one pet with them. It is a requirement that the pet that accompanies…

New York-based Virtuoso, a global travel agency network, has announced that it is conducting a virtual travel show that will help customers to plan their travel. The company said that it was holding its virtual travel show on September 5. Customers who need to plan their travel can do so in the comfort of their homes or from anywhere where they have Internet connectivity. The firm said that the show would allow travellers to access invaluable travel information from well-known names in the industry, through a browser. The show, to be hosted on September 5 between 1pm and 6pm local…

Tourists from the UK are favouring city holidays more than ever, according to an online independent travel agency, sunshine.co.uk. The company claims that British travellers are opting for holidays in city destinations, such as Rome, Venice, Dubrovnik, Prague and New York, in preference to taking breaks in beach or adventure destinations. Britons have booked around 37 percent more city breaks on the company’s website in 2012, compared to the same period in 2011, suggesting a change in their travel trends. Based on the website statistics, the top 10 destinations for 2012 are the following: 1. Rome (Italy) 2. Venice (Italy)…

Attractions of Snowdonia, an association of organisations that promotes the Snowdonia Mountains and the coastal area of Wales, has provided a list of the area’s complimentary attractions for summer holidaymakers. The National Slate Museum, a museum located in a disused Dinorwic slate quarry within the Padarn Country Park, Snowdonia, is offering family holiday events for the summer. For children the museum is offering rides on a mini mining train, slate painting activities, as well as mining workshops, and slate-splitting demonstrations, all of which are available daily from 10am to 5pm, and entry is free of charge. Families can also take…

Hilton Worldwide, a US-based hotel conglomerate, has announced the opening of two new hotels at St George’s Park in Burton on Trent, UK. The new dual branded property, Hilton at St George’s Park and Hampton by Hilton St George’s Park, is to open at St. George’s Park, which houses training and development facilities for the England Football Association. Simon Vincent, the area president at Hilton Worldwide, said, ‘This summer has been a success for British sport, the tourism industry and Hilton Worldwide. Having operated at near full occupancy in London over the past fortnight, we are ahead of last year…

Travellers requiring information on the US state of Arizona will now be able to obtain it by visiting the Arizona Office of Tourism’s (AOT) new website. The department said that it has launched an interactive website that will provide pertinent details to customers who are planning the places of interest that they intend to see in the state, prior to visiting it in person. The department said that the site is equipped in such a way that visitors can experience Arizona’s diverse recreational destinations and unique cultural sites, on-line. The site is being presented by the AOT, which has partnered…

The tourism department in New Zealand is banking on Hobbits to promote the country as a tourist destination. The department of tourism in New Zealand is zealously promoting the nation alongside the popularity of the forthcoming film versions of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit, which were shot on location in the country. It has already entered into an official marketing campaign with Warner Bros and has established tourist destinations at sites where the film was shot. Now, recent comments from the head of Tourism New Zealand indicate that the nation is planning to go one step further, and promote hobbits as…

Kenya has announced plans to increase its earnings from tourism activities. The government of Kenya has said that it was planning to raise as much as KES100bn from tourism related activities this year. Tourism minister, Dan Mwazo, said that the nation was planning to promote itself as an important tourist destination and has planned aggressive marketing campaigns to boost its stature on the tourism world map. The minister said that the nation had earned KES98bn from tourism last year, and is now planning to increase the inflow to KES100bn this year. The statement from the minister has come as a…