Author: News Team
International tourist arrivals grew by over 4 percent in 2011 to 980 million, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. With growth expected to continue in 2012, at a somewhat slower rate, international tourist arrivals are on track to reach the milestone 1 billion mark later this year. International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4 percent in 2011 to a total 980 million, up from 939 million in 2010, in a year characterized by a stalled global economic recovery, major political changes in the Middle East and North Africa, and natural disasters in Japan. By region, Europe (+6 percent) was…
Holiday prices to Spain have dropped by up to 40 per cent at some resorts in Spain, research has revealed. In the last five years the price of holidaying in Spain has dropped dramatically. A range of standard get-away items, such as sun cream and drinks, totalled less than £38 on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Making Spain the second cheapest destination in a survey by Post Office Travel Money. Another major factor was the rising value of the pound, up 6.4 per cent against the euro in the last three months. If you want to get a bit further away,…
Isn’t it annoying when you have to trudge through first class, bypassing those smug passengers adjusting the settings on their fold out squashy beds, lazily flicking through the channels on their personal flat screen TV’s and leisurely reading through the menu to decide exactly which exotic tropically inspired dish they would like during their flight. Whilst sipping on an elegant flute of champagne. Then you reach your own designated seat at the rear of the aircraft; home of howling babies, restricted leg room and a simple choice of fish or chicken. However, thanks to the one of a kind hostel…
A five star bed and breakfast in Brockenhurst is offering its guests an unusual way of settling their bill. Echoing the vastly popular Channel 4 programme ‘Four in a Bed’, the Hampshire guesthouse allows their lodgers to only pay what they feel is a fair figure for their room. The decided sum is a reflection on the standard of the rooms, quality customer experience and the overall stay at this establishment. So if your pillow is a little on the lumpy side, or the shower is still luke-warm after fiddling with the knobs for a few minutes, feel free to…
Research has found that travellers become a little superstitious of flying on Friday 13, despite it being one of the safest modes of transport. Instead of tempting fate travellers avoid the 13 and look for other dates to travel on. One comparison website has noticed a 27 per cent drop in bookings on the unlucky day, something that happens every time the dreaded day rolls around according to the site. Friday 13 fell in May last year, and there was a 24 per cent drop in bookings compared to seven days prior where there was keen interest. However the site…
THESE heart-stopping pictures of office rooms suspended in thin air have given high-flying business meetings a new meaning in the headquarters of a leading Danish bank, Designed by Scandinavian architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the new headquarters for Copenhagen-based mortgage bank Nykredit has captured people’s attention around the world. The ten-storey glass structure is one of the Danish city’s largest office buildings and features a dramatic atrium flooded with natural light providing links to all levels. And although the open atrium is raised above the ground allowing passing traffic a view of the activities inside the building, the…
The New York Times has listed Birmingham as one of the must-see destinations for 2012. An unlikely option as it’s rarely considered an obvious travel destination by tourists both overseas and in this country. However the 2012 Olympics means that Birmingham has been touted as an unlikely destination for curious Americans. The US newspaper’s ‘45 Places to Go in 2012’ feature has placed the home of Cadbury’s and the Bullring at number 19 – a ranking that places it above the likes or Jordan, Dubrovnik, Vienna and Antarctica. Over the last 20 years the city has under gone a radical…
Today’s decision by the government to go give the green light to HS2 was greeted as “a fantastic day for the West Midlands” by business leaders in Birmingham but warned that the government must introduce legislation to start the project this year. Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group (BCCG), said HS2, part of a larger High Speed Network, would create a fundamental change to the way people travel. He said: “This is a fantastic day for the West Midlands. However, the imperative is to press ahead with all speed because delay will simply stall the impetus…
Six months since South Sudan’s independence, the world’s newest nation is struggling to cope with a major refugee crisis and massive internal displacement, international agency Oxfam said today. Tens of thousands of people have fled violence in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan across the border in Sudan, and an estimated 60,000 people have also reportedly been affected by last week’s fighting in the South Sudan state of Jonglei. Over 55,000 refugees have arrived in Upper Nile state in South Sudan in recent months, fleeing conflict in Sudan’s Blue Nile region. More people continue to arrive and are sheltering in newly…
Mayrhofen in Austria makes a wonderful choice for your 2012 ski holiday as it has a perfect balance of traditional Austrian buildings and cuisine. But venture out at night and you’ll find the liveliest après ski scene in the region, with an abundance of bars and clubs for you to enjoy yourself after a long day on the slopes. If however, you are wishing to avoid the après ski hype, this versatile place is still perfect for you as the bars are present but not dominating and if a nice meal and a bottle of wine is more your thing…