Author: News Team

It’s been a tough week for President Obama’s public relations team. A series of family holidays have been turned into a political talking point, with opponents of the government claiming that overseas travel is not a major priority during a recession. It’s an interesting event for the travel industry, with the value of a Presidential visit often bringing millions of dollars to the regions involved. Michelle Obama’s holiday in Spain cost the country less than many of its past leaders have spent during their vacation periods, although the perceived ‘luxury’ of travelling outside the country is likely to make the…

It’s been named one of the World’s Best Websites, championed by open source advocated, and feared by the traditional travel publishing industry. The subject matter is, of course, WikiTravel, one of the largest travel websites on the internet and the single largest multi-user publisher of global travel tips online. Available in 21 languages with over 20,000 articles, it’s a true giant of the modern internet. The website’s premise is fairly simple: users can manually create pages for travel destinations and activities that they love, just like Wikipedia. Once a page has been created, anyone with a memory or a guide…

The North American airline industry isn’t one that attracts excess praise. With industry giants and tired monopolies dominating the skies, customer service for most of the continent’s major airlines tends to range from ‘poor’ to ‘abysmal’. But amongst the clutter of size and mediocre service, one independent airline has managed to attract critical acclaim in a way that few can emulate. The airline in question is Southwest Airlines, and its operating territory is the United States. One of several low-cost airlines operating within the country, Southwest has gained praise from consumers for its friendly customer service and value-driven approach to…

It’s everyone’s travel dream – driving through Europe’s most scenic and historical countryside. For years the cost has deterred even the most affluent traveller from venturing towards the rental booth, asking for a high-end sedan, and venturing down the highway. But given the rock-bottom prices on offer from many of Europe’s top car rental agencies, is the dream holiday really an impossibility? Two week vehicle rentals are available throughout the UK for approximately £500 – a cost that is similar to that found in other European countries. While taxes and other expenses can vary, what’s largely thought of as an…

There’s no place like Buenos Aires, especially if you’re a keen tango fan. The capital and largest city in Argentina, Buenos Aires has gained a reputation throughout the world as one of its most inspiring and artistic European cities, despite being located tens-of-thousands of kilometres from Europe. It’s an intriguing mix of European architecture and distinctly Latin culture, and it’s now a tourist mecca. It’s no surprise that Buenos Aires has gained such attention throughout the world. The city is one of the most developed in the region, housing a selection of international businesses and major offices despite Argentina’s near…

Brazil’s most popular city is neither its capital nor its largest. Located between the Atlantic and one of the world’s most impressive mountain ranges, Rio de Janeiro is widely regarded as a breathtaking centre for semi-tropical beach life and immense parties. With several of the world’s greatest beached in its commercial core, it’s very much a city that breathes beach life and athleticism. It’s also, unfortunately, a city with a fairly deserved reputation for crime and danger. Rio’s extensive collection of slums and substandard housing communities have contributed somewhat, alongside its great deal of social issues. Known as ‘favelas’ to…

One of the world’s hidden cultural treasure spots, the Caribbean is a favourite amongst sun seeking holidayers. Extending from the Florida Peninsula’s western coast all the way down to the top point of South America, the Caribbean Sea is one of the world’s most ecologically varied and culturally interesting locations. From luxury resorts to developing nations, the region truly has it all. And yet so many Britons pass over the Caribbean as a holiday spot, largely due to its inconvenient location and relative expense. With the warm Spanish summer significantly closer to home and an African island getaway available for…

With the green travel practice of ecotourism rapidly gaining ground, few destinations offer as much to the environmentally conscious explorer as Antarctica. Home of the world’s South Pole and all but completely uninhabited by man, the southern continent remains the world’s centre of adventure and an increasingly popular target for those with a slightly different approach to global travel. But as appealing as an Antarctic holiday may seem, accessing the southern continent tends to be an expensive and highly uncomfortable endeavour. While flights to regions of the Arctic remain fairly affordable, access to Antarctica is limited to that provided by…

South Finland’s Ruissalo island certainly isn’t the nation’s party capital. The island is home to just over one-hundred people, housing relatively few travellers and catering to a permanent population that’s fairly quiet and self contained. Administratively a sector of the nation’s important Turku area, most residents dismiss the island as a small yet pretty opportunity to get away from city life. But once a year, Ruissalo transforms into one of Europe’s premier party destinations. The island is home to the annual Ruisrock music festival, the largest of its type in Finland and the second-largest music festival in Europe after Germany’s…

An estimated seventy-thousand travellers could face cancellation or holiday disruption after travel agency Kiss Flights announced it would cease operations. The firm is one of Britain’s biggest fare and holiday comparison companies, employing several hundred employees and holding accounts for tens-of-thousands of British holidayers, many of whom are currently stuck overseas. It’s the third bankruptcy of its type this month, with rival travel firm Sun 4 U announcing the end of its consumer travel operations just over a week ago. Both companies have encountered problems in managing cash flow, despite the influx of bookings due to Britain’s peak tourism season.…