Author: Lee Fletcher

Virgin Holidays, a UK-based holiday company and part of the Virgin Group, is offering discounts to UK Emergency Services and Ministry of Defence employees as a thank you for their part in ensuring a smooth Olympic Games 2012, which concluded in London last night. The company acknowledged the selfless work put in by the Police, NHS, Fire & Rescue, Coastguard, Mountain Rescue and the Ministry of Defence during the period, and is offering them a 10 percent discount on all Virgin Holidays or Virgin Holidays Cruise bookings made by today. The discount is on offer on all holidays departing between…

While the recently concluded Olympics games in London saw a surge of visitors to the city, hotel booking sites have reported a reduction in bookings during the period. HouseTrip.com, one of the UK-based holiday rental websites, has released statistics for its bookings during the Olympic games. Bookings for the 16-day Olympic period have decreased by 10 percent from the same period last year, while bookings immediately before and after the games have increased by 40 percent, as large numbers of visitors appeared keen to enjoy the Olympic fever, but less keen to pay astronomical accommodation charges. The company statistics also…

Doubletree by Hilton Hotels, a brand from the US-based hospitality company, Hilton Worldwide, will be opening a new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Liverpool, UK. The brand is opening the new 87-room hotel, adding to its portfolio of properties in Leeds, Manchester and London. Patrick Fitzgibbon, the senior vice president of development for Europe and Africa, for Hilton Worldwide, said, ‘The Liverpool market remains one of the most active development centres in the UK for Hilton Worldwide, already home to our upscale Hilton and economy Hampton by Hilton brands. With nearly 60 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels either open or under…

Cannes, a town on the French Riviera, is synonymous with its annual movie festival that awards some of the best names in the business, but the town that plays host to numerous film stars and celebrities during the festival, transforms back into a relatively unexplored holiday destination once the dust has settled. When the closing bell rings on those few hectic days in May, Cannes becomes a perfect holiday venue with its fine food, rich culture and warm hospitality. Add a pleasant climate, panoramic scenery and plenty to do, and Cannes can be the perfect recipe for a weekend break.…

Caribbean island, St. Barths, is being decked up to receive the rich and famous for this year’s Christmas holidays, as it has become one of the must-visit holiday destinations for the elite, according to elitetraveller.com. The tiny island claims to be blessed with all of the natural assets that make it a tourist’s haven. A green-blue harbour and landing strips for private jets are just some of the many facilities that attract celebrities and the well to do. St. Barths has villas, hotels, spas, restaurants, and numerous recreation options for those who have enough time and money on their hands.…

The popularity of package tours is increasing as cost-conscious consumers guard themselves against hidden costs. Tour operators say that Britons have become cost-conscious because of the financial crisis and are having to find more innovative ways to holiday in style. Thomson Holidays said that the demand for package tours has increased. The company, considered to be the biggest tour operator in Europe, said that most of its holidays have been booked, and that compared to the same time last year, fewer seats remain to be booked. Package holidays are in high demand as budget-conscious holiday goers consider them to be…

The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) has announced that Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) has joined it as a destination member. Tanzania National Parks, which is claimed to play a significant role in integrating sustainable conservation with high-class tourism products and services, is expecting the move to enhance its activities and influence its conservation efforts in a positive manner. The organisation has 15 national parks in its portfolio, and many of them form the core of a much larger protected ecosystem. The existing park systems protect a number of internationally recognised biodiversity and World Heritage sites. The park is also…

Sikkim, a border state in India, has made plans to attract tourists from Japan. The state, which borders China, has been a major destination for tourists seeking to understand its rich Buddhist culture. In fact, the interest in Buddhism-related tourism has been responsible for the state attracting a lot of tourists in the last two years, mostly from Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. The government is now looking to focus on measures to attract visitors from Japan, and to promote its culture to similar-minded Japanese tourists. Tourism secretary to the state, Ravindra Telang, said that the government was developing several projects…

The tourism department in the US state of Wyoming has said that it would not be restricted by the recent budget cuts, and was very confident that it would have enough capital to take care of its main tourism goals. The head of Wyoming’s Office of Tourism, said that her department would be able to absorb a possible 8 percent proposed budget cut without endangering those tourism goals, although the proposed cut would mean that Diane Shober, director of the office, would have to make ends meet with USD1m less than she would normally have been granted. She however said…

The Cavendish London, a 230-room hotel in London UK, will be acquired by The Ascott Limited, a serviced residence business unit of CapitaLand. The transaction is priced at GBP158.8 million, and on completion, of the deal in the fourth quarter of 2012, Ascott will operate the hotel. The hotel will later be transformed into luxurious serviced apartments that will be operated under the ‘Ascott the Residence’ brand, and the development will be named, Ascott St James London. The Cavendish London is located on Jermyn Street, in Mayfair. The location is close to the city’s prime cultural, dining, shopping and leisure…