Author: Lee Fletcher
The city of London is preparing its army of bin men and street sweepers to offer information to tourists that get lost in the city or are unable to locate a place of interest during the upcoming 2012 London Olympic Games. An estimated one million international visitors are expected to land in London during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the city has been gearing up to offer an incident-free holiday to them all. Around 1,000 road sweepers and refuse collectors have been trained to offer directions and other tourist information to foreign visitors, in addition to their regular…
Virtuoso, a US-based luxury travel network, has announced the results of its sixth annual Travel Dreams survey, which it recently conducted. The poll was carried out to ascertain the latest dreams of modern day travellers, with responses given by the readers of travel magazine, Virtuoso Life. The survey highlighted that the favourite travel dreams involve adventures on the seas, including going on a world cruise, calling on all seven continents, and sailing around the Mediterranean on a private yacht. When it came to making the trip of a lifetime, the most favoured dream was a visit to the Galapagos Islands,…
Radisson Blu Hotels and Resorts, a part of Belgium-based The Rezidor Hotel Group, has announced a new Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, at Ajaccio Bay, in Corsica. The 170-room property is located close to Porticcio and is on the Agosta Beach. It claims to be a resort with a panoramic view and up-rated customer service. This is the first of the Radisson Blu brand properties in Corsica, and it is owned by the Ollandini group. All 170 rooms and suites at the first-class resort have amenities that include a Nespresso coffee machine and complimentary high-speed Internet access. The hotel says…
While most economies of the world are struggling to make headway against the gloom of recession, miraculously the travel industry appears to be on an upward trend, as global budgets for vacations continue to increase. A survey, sponsored by the Wyndham Hotel Group, has recently polled around 5,600 adults residing in cities of the US, Brazil, Canada, China, and the UK. According to the survey, 70 percent of the respondents intend to spend a similar budget or more on vacationing in 2012, compared to their budget in 2011, with 35 percent intending to spend more than last year. Around 66…
Ryanair, an Ireland-based low cost airline, has announced the cancellation of weekly flights to Morocco, which took effect June 28, 2012. Ryanair has reported that ONDA, the airports authority that is owned by the Moroccan government, has backed down on an agreement with the airline and will be working with a new handling company, which will increase the airline’s charges. The airline has announced the cancellation of eight weekly flights to Nador, six weekly flights to Fez, eight weekly flights to Marrakech, four weekly flights to Tangier, and the closure of its operations at Oujda Airport. The airline deputy chief…
Airports are charging cheaper rates for parking a small aeroplane than for parking a car, says a recent study. The study, conducted on the UK’s 10 airports, shows that while parking a car for a day can work out to be expensive, it is cheaper to park a small aircraft for the same amount of time. While London Heathrow Airport is the most expensive for parking a car, with a charge of GBP51.80 for 24 hours parking in the short-stay car park, an equivalent stay in the long-stay car park will cost GBP17.90 with advance booking. Manchester Airport charges GBP35…
A large welcoming committee at the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria Hotel in Sheffield, UK, greeted the Olympic Torch at a reception hosted by the hotel. The Holiday Inn brand is the official hotel services provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as a supporting partner for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. The UK’s Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, Olympic sponsors, local celebrities, and members of the UK Sports Federations were in attendance at the reception. Nick Clegg said, ‘It was an honour to be part of welcoming the Olympic flame to our city. Monday’s events…
Two new hotels will be ready to welcome visitors to London this summer. A new boutique residence, The Dorset Square Hotel, has already opened in the Marylebone area of London, UK. The hotel has opened under the banner of Design Hotels group, and is owned by the husband and wife duo, Kit and Tim Kemp. It has 38 rooms, which range from a single room to the special Dorset Square Room, overlooking the city and the property’s beautiful gardens. The hotel’s location, Marylebone, is a prosperous city area in central London, with residential areas, stylish shops, cafes and restaurants, as…
British Airways has reported that the recent acquisition of British Midland International (bmi) airline has benefited it in strengthening its domestic service. The airline, while unveiling its winter 2012 schedule, reported an increase of 32 percent in the number of seats to Scotland, against last year’s schedule. The new schedule is also offering new routes from London City Airport to Aberdeen, and from London Heathrow Airport to Leeds Bradford Airport, and Belfast Airport. The airline is offering more flights and bigger aircraft to Scotland, adding around 27,000 more seats per week between London airports and Scotland destinations. The additional flights…
Azerbaijan has welcomed its first Marriott hotel with the opening of the 243-room, JW Marriott Absheron Baku, in Baku, the country’s capital city. Marriott International will be operating the hotel, which overlooks the Caspian Sea, under a management agreement with Yeni Absheron Oteli LLC. Amy McPherson, president and managing director for Marriott International in Europe, said, ‘We are thrilled to grow our luxury JW Marriott portfolio in Europe and to open world-class hotels such as the JW Marriott Absheron Baku. A dynamic and cosmopolitan city, Baku is a destination on the rise, experiencing impressive growth and a cultural rebirth. With…