Author: Lee Fletcher
The holiday season is officially here and as such, many of us are booking a quick fix in order to escape the torrential downpour. Unfortunately, whilst last minute holidays may be a common option, there is always a great deal of preparation needed to ensure your chosen trip is more holiday heaven than holiday hell. Planning Whether you choose a stay-cation or a trip further afield, it is important to plan every last detail in advance. From the journey, the airport and the airport parking, to the hotel and airport transfers, planning is a must if you wish to achieve…
The booming tourism growth in China is threatening the country’s heritage sites. With China’s economy currently firing on all cylinders, domestic tourism has increased dramatically. In addition, globalisation has brought more foreign visitors to experience a country that was once behind the Bamboo Curtain. However, the increase in tourism has affected the upkeep of heritage sites in the country with many now believed to be under threat from irresponsible tourism. Some sites are thought to be under greater threat than others. One example is the tiny village of Zili in southern China, famous for its Kaiping watchtowers, which make it…
A religious tourism package that allows travellers to gain an in-depth knowledge of Islam is being offered in Turkey. While the title of the package, ‘Muslim for a Month,’ could possibly be viewed with cynicism by the religion’s devout followers, the package is nevertheless an attempt to provide visitors with a detailed insight into Islam, especially in its moderate and tolerant form. The tours are the brainchild of Ben Bowler, who runs cultural exchange programmes and intends to take travellers, especially non-Muslims from around the world, to Turkish mosques and homes to experience Islam firsthand. Bowler said that the tourism…
Travellers to Auckland in New Zealand have been advised to prepare for the heavy rains that have been lashing the city. The weather in Auckland has been unseasonably wet, and even more rain is forecast to be on the way. Canterbury and Otago are however likely to earn a temporary reprieve from the downpour that has been raging over those cities for several days, but they too have been warned to expect a return to the wet weather soon. Weather watchers have said that there is a possibility of spotting a funnel cloud over Auckland. Funnel clouds have the capacity…
Ryanair, the Ireland-based no-frills airline company, has announced further cuts to its forthcoming flight schedules. Finland is the latest destination to suffer service reductions from the carrier, as it continues a rationalisation of its routes and flight frequencies. Flights to Turku, a town southwest of Helsinki, will cease from Stansted Airport for the winter, and flights to Tampere and Lappeenranta are also being cut. Instead of 13 routes to Tampere, which include two from Stansted and Edinburgh in the UK, there will now only be five. None of the Lappeenranta routes involve airports in the UK. According to a spokesman…
Ikea, the Sweden-based flat pack furniture chain, has announced its intention to move into the hotel business. In a major departure from its core interests, the company is looking to diversify by opening 100 low-cost hotels across Europe. A key area for growth in the hotel industry is budget-designed, boutique-style hotels that can provide rooms at affordable prices, and it is this segment that Ikea is keen to exploit. The Swedish firm is one of a number of organisations that are looking to corner this part of the market, although it remains to be seen if its hotels will be…
Virgin Trains, a subsidiary of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin group of companies, has lost in its bid to continue running the West Coast line rail services. Virgin, which has been operating services on the line since 1997, has lost the franchise to First Group, a public transport company that is registered in Aberdeen, Scotland, following a government announcement today. First Group will now be operating the franchise from December this year until 2026. The new incumbent has pledged to add capacity to the route, which constitutes the main arterial line between London Euston and Edinburgh, and incorporates the West Midlands,…
British travellers allow their spouses to do their packing, while others rely on their mothers, according to the results of a recent survey released by Travelodge Hotels, a UK-based company that owns and operates hotel properties worldwide. Around 20 percent of travellers allow their partners to pack for them, while around 10 percent of those questioned have their mothers pack for them. The study of 5,000 travellers reported that 26 percent of the respondents find packing for a journey stressful, while 21 percent have reported not having enough time to pack for themselves. A Travelodge spokesperson, Shakila Ahmed, said, ‘We…
London hotels have reported an increase in room rates of around 87 percent during the 2012 Olympic games, for the period between July 27 and August 5. STR Global, a company that provides research findings for the hotel industry, has reported that hotels across London have charged an average daily rate (ADR) of GBP216.42 from July 27 to August 5, 2012. This period has also seen a rise in occupancy of 3.2 percent, to 87.7 percent when compared to the same period last year. Elizabeth Randall Winkle, the managing director of STR Global, said, ‘Hotels across London continue to report…
London Southend Airport, an airport in the UK, has been included in the classification airports for the Metropolitan Area of London by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This makes the airport an official airport for the City of London. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has previously acknowledged the airport as an official London airport, but this latest recognition will now mean that it is automatically included, along with Gatwick, Heathrow, City, Stansted and Luton. The managing director of London Southend airport, Alastair Welch, said, ‘By offering London Southend alongside all the other London airports – especially at this…