Author: News Team
It almost goes without saying ocean cruises these days generate some pretty hefty bucks – in fact, billions of Euros annually, to be exact. And there seems little sign the continued growth of the industry, year-on-year, is in any way, shape or form likely to slow down any time soon, despite the economic hardships being experienced across the world. Last month, the cruise industry was held up as an example of “European excellence”, with passenger numbers reportedly up by nearly 10% over the last year, and market share during the same period increasing by a staggering 30%, generating more than…
Hurricane Rina is predicted to turn into a ‘major’ storm mid-week and hit the holiday resort in Mexico, Cancun. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) has forecasted the weather system will reach the popular tourist area on Thursday after strengthening over the next 48 hours. At present the thunderstorms are around 195 miles southwest of Grand Cayman island and has winds that so far reach 80 miles per hour. A number of people have been reported killed by flooding and mudslides as the storm brushed over Nicaragua and Honduras. The sixth named hurricane in the Atlantic…
Speaking at the British Chamber of Shipping, Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham today outlined the UK’s ongoing commitment to tackle piracy off the coast of East Africa. Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham said: “This government is 100% behind a more robust response to piracy. I am pleased to announce that a UK-funded maritime intelligence and information coordination center will be set up in Seychelles. The FCO and Serious Organized Crime Agency are carrying out urgent work with the government of the Seychelles to take this forward. “The new intelligence center will coordinate the tracking of financial flows and enforcement operations…
High roaming charges, data protection concerns, or simply a lack of an Internet-compatible device – according to a recent survey, these are the reasons why many travelers reject smartphone use abroad. Together with ITB Berlin, Hochschule Heilbronn polled a total of 4,000 people from Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK to find out their willingness to make use of local services abroad with their smartphones. These services identify a subscriber’s geographical position, which make it possible to access navigation systems, maps, special information, and booking services in the area. The representative survey was carried out by IPSOS, an international…
THESE are just some of the fearsome weapons seized by customs officials at the UK’s borders from holidaymakers who bizarrely thought they could bring them back into country as souvenirs. The chilling collection of knives, knuckle dusters and imitation firearms were on display at Birmingham Airport on Thursday. And UK Border Agency officers say most of the weapons are brought in to the country by unwitting Brits looking for unusual souvenirs. But they risk prosecution by doing so. Even if the items are brought in to the country innocently, passengers could fall foul of strict laws governing weapons possession. Among…
A proposal by the EU to increase the time pilots are on duty could see them flying with levels of fatigue equivalent to five cans of larger. The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has said that pilots could see their duty hours rise from nine to almost thirteen hours. Union representatives told MP’s this new proposal would see pilots flying with fatigue that’s equates to being four times over the legal alcohol limit. MP’s at Westminster were presented with this evidence, which was calculated using a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) computer programme. Flight safety and security head,…
Ecuador is located on the equatorial line in northwestern South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west, Colombia to the north, and Peru to the south and east. Ecuador is the eighth largest country in South America, at roughly the size of the US state of Nevada. Ecuador is 283,561 square kilometers in size and has a very diverse geography. Ecuador has four geographical regions: The Andes (La Sierra), the Amazon Rainforest (El Oriente), La Costa (The Coast), and the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands are located around 1,000 kilometers west of mainland Ecuador. The volcanic islands have a…
British families travelling to long-haul destinations this half term have been warned that they could face substantial extra costs on arrival or departure from their destination. Costs they hadn’t bargained for, according to a new survey. New research from the Post Office has revealed that compulsory tourist visas and taxes can set a family of four back as much as £145. The US requires UK visitors to pay $14 (£9.27) for each ESTA visa, which needs to be purchased before travelling, allowing families to factor this into their holiday budget. However some popular winter destinations collect payable…
British tourists have been warned to take care if visiting Thailand in the near future due to continued flooding. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have advised tourists to ‘exercise caution due to widespread flooding’. The far eastern country has been hit by monsoon rains, however the capital Bangkok has so far avoided the worst of the flooding. Some outer regions are still experiencing rising water, with parts of the country left under water. The flooding has so far taken the lives of 297, with two people missing. Over 2.3 million people have been affected with worst…
Queuing times are set to be cut thanks to Gatwick’s advanced new security zone as part of a £1.2bn investment into the airport. The £45m security areas have promised passengers speedier passage through the airport, cutting process times to just under five minutes. Nineteen new security lanes have been opened allowing 5,000 passengers to pass per hour to the departure lounge. Passengers with reduced mobility and families with young children will have two dedicated lanes, and passengers travelling first class or business will have two ‘premium’ lanes. Before passing through security passengers will be able to…