News Archive: travel and tourism

22, 2009 October:

Setting aside rivalry

Queensland and NSW will set aside their rivalry to join forces on tourism - both state governments will contribute $4 million to international tourism marketing, in an effort to sell package deals including both states...

BA boost for Egypt

News that British Airways is to launch thrice-weekly direct flights from London Gatwick to the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh, later this month should boost demand for property Sharm El Sheikh, along with the Egypt property market in general, according to Steve Worboys, managing director, Experience International property agency...

21, 2009 October:

Pyramid scheme: pear-shaped

UN World Heritage Sites can take many forms, but once gained they are a hugely significant asset to hold onto - not least because they can be a real boon for an area's tourist sector - but now, in a misjudged bid to attract more visitors, the town of Tiwanaku in the Bolivian Andes has done a disastrous DIY renovation project on its famous Akapana pyramid - which could see it being stripped of its Heritage status...

Sight sea-ing in Mexico

If you don't have sea legs then Mexico's newest tourist attraction may not float your boat - the country is gearing up to open the world's largest underwater museum in tourist mecca Cancun - and the first of 400 sculptures will be placed under the water off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula next month...

Croc wrestling in Vegas

A plan to build a second Australia Zoo, this time near the famous Las Vegas strip, is back on the agenda almost five years after first being proposed...

Hitler highway ‘horrible'

A highway billboard using a saluting Adolf Hitler to advertise a Thai wax museum has been covered up after complaints from the Israeli and German ambassadors, the museum's manager has confirmed...

Get your skates on

As the first flurries of snow arrive in the French Alps, the region's property industry is reporting an increase in interest from real estate investors who have also been encouraged by last season's excellent winter conditions...

Scots branded ‘blunt'

An American travel guide which brands Scots as less than polite, Ben Nevis nothing more than a big hill and Loch Ness as boring, has been slammed by critics - the book, entitled Culture Smart! Scotland, promises readers a guide on how to avoid making gaffes when visiting Scotland, but has instead been accused of painting an inaccurate and unflattering picture of the country...

20, 2009 October:

Cyprus property flying high

The Cyprus property market is set to skyrocket following the opening of the vastly improved and extended Larnaka International Airport on 7th November 2009 - and the anticipated rise in tourist numbers and boost to the economy couldn't have come at a better time as the country tries to shrug off the lingering effects of the global economic crisis...

Worldwide guide

Yesterday I wrote about our reliance on computers when choosing pretty much everything - from homes to hotels to holidays - but now, in a refreshing blast from the past, a new survey has found that nearly half of British travellers still rely on professional travel guidebooks when choosing a hotel - proof that the humble book hasn't had its day...

Carry on climbing

Tourists might be allowed to keep climbing Uluru after all - a controversial federal government plan to close the climb appears to have been dropped...

Hindering green living?

The eco-friendly holiday company Responsibletravel.com says offset schemes hinder attempts to reduce worldwide carbon emissions...

Blooming marvellous

The Royal Horticultural Society and National Picture Gallery have emerged as the big winners of Britain's 'staycation summer', a survey has found...

Record numbers for Oz airport

Growth in the emerging international markets such as China and India has resulted in more than five million international passengers passing through Melbourne Airport in a 12-month period for the first time...

Web deals ‘not a bargain?'

Astute holiday-makers and businesses might have to do a bit more homework to ensure they're getting the best accommodation prices if they've been relying on website deals for discounts...

19, 2009 October:

‘Best job' man gets helper

Tourism Queensland has finally tracked down the winner of a global competition to find a helper for Best Job in the World island caretaker Ben Southall...

Domestic decline

The recent spike in domestic tourism this summer masks a serious decline in the number of holidays taken at home, according to new research...

Career breaks on the up

A growing number of Britons are taking career breaks in an attempt to escape the economic downturn, according to new figures...

16, 2009 October:

Girls gone wild

One of my best ever holidays was a three month greyhound adventure across the United States with two of my best girlfriends - and it seems I'm not alone - according to new research, 65 per cent of women would far rather holiday with a gal pal than with their own husband or partner - sorry guys!..

Another London mistake

Transport for London has confused the Victoria & Albert and Natural History museums just weeks after being forced into an embarrassing climbdown over its decision to erase the River Thames from the Tube map...

Liquid lunch

Britain could be the only EU country where the restrictions on taking liquids on aircraft remain in force, it has emerged...

High demand for France

French property developer, MGM, has announced upbeat proposals to build more new French tourist homes in response to strong demand...

Luxury within reach

The price of luxury hotel rooms in many of the world's major cities is becoming more affordable than ever as prices tumble, according to a new report...

15, 2009 October:

All white on the night

One of America's top tourist attractions is the White House in Atlanta, Georgia - yes, that's right - Atlanta - property developer Fred Milani has built a 16,500 square foot exact replica of the President's famous residence, complete with Oval Office, but now he has been forced to put it up for sale following the downturn in the US property market...

Old haunts

Australia's endless, empty landscapes have been the setting for numerous horror films, many starring foreign tourists who meet gruesome deaths - but now a Queensland researcher has suggested that the country's penchant and talent for these movies may actually be scaring tourists away...

Starry starry night

After publishing a Tokyo dining guide, Michelin unveiled yesterday a book focusing on Japan's western cities of Kyoto and Osaka, awarding stars to its entire selection of 150 restaurants...

Ouch!

A pitch-black art installation in London claimed its first victim on the opening day as a man walked straight into a wall, a report said yesterday...

Ryanair: damage control

European budget carrier Ryanair is giving away 1.1 million seats for free in response to a critical documentary aired by the BBC's Panorama programme...

The X-factor

An x-ray machine which takes "naked" images of airline passengers is undergoing trials in England as part of a new high-tech security system...

Oz attracts Middle East

Tourism Queensland will appoint a representative in the Middle East next month to encourage visitors from that emerging market...

New centre for Stonehenge

English Heritage has unveiled its designs for a new £25-million visitor centre at Stonehenge, in Wiltshire...

14, 2009 October:

Jet lag pill: closer

A pill that could cure jet lag has moved a step closer after scientists identified the brain cell that sends us to sleep or keeps us awake and affects our body clocks...

Time to kill

Changi Airport's popular Free City Shuttle (FCS), taking transit passengers by bus to the city and a free sightseeing tour, has been relaunched with a new Transit Singapore Passport (TSP)...

Slippery slope

Ski resorts in France and the United States have been forced to cut the cost of lift passes and ski equipment hire in an attempt to keep skiers on the slopes in the coming season, according to new research...

Protection on all trips

Holidaymakers who book flights or hotels directly may soon enjoy the same protection as those booking a package holiday, Abta, the travel association, said this week...

Free second honeymoons

Malaysia's eastern state of Terengganu is offering free honeymoons worth up to $488 each to rekindle the romance between married couples on the brink of divorce...

Surf the net in the air

German flag carrier Lufthansa and Japanese electronics giant Panasonic have teamed up to offer passengers wireless Internet on long-haul flights from 2010, the airline said Monday...

13, 2009 October:

Disney seeks UK twin

Twin towns - a rather strange phenomenon - but one that may be about to become far more popular with news that the ultimate fantasy factory - Walt Disney World in Florida - is on the look out for a town in the UK to twin with...

Ship of memories

Would you pay to go on an ocean cruise if you were certain that it would hit an iceberg and sink - no, didn't think so - but now holidaymakers with a taste for history can sign up to board a ship that recreates the first (and only) voyage of the fated Titanic - well, except for its final moments that is...

The big question

Travellers with hygiene issues, fat people and holidaymakers who cough and sneeze are the most disliked passengers to be seated next to on an airplane, according to a survey...

Blockbusters: boon for UK tourism

Two potential blockbuster movies are set to boost British tourism in the next few months - Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law, is set to hit screens in December and also coincides with the 150th anniversary of the birth of the detective's creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle...

A Tesco trip

Shoppers picking up their weekly groceries at Tesco will soon be able to browse for their summer getaway after Teletext Holidays announced it is to open a series of in-store travel shops around the country...

12, 2009 October:

Great Britain?

Whatever happened to Great Britain is the question we should be asking ourselves this morning after new research revealed that Britain is the worst place to live in Europe despite having the highest salaries - this positive monetary aspect was cancelled out by a poor climate, long working hours and high household and grocery bills...

On track for success

San Francisco is well known for its fleet of heritage ‘streetcars' or trams that cruise around the city and now Melbourne in Australia has donated one of its iconic W-Class trams to the Californian city, linking the two locales in a public (transport) display of affection...

Liquid lunch

Face cream, water or wine, it makes no difference: European airport security will confiscate liquids for years to come as the development of technology to scan for explosives is way behind schedule...

AirAsia to fly to Paris

Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia yesterday confirmed it will soon start a service to Paris after winning the necessary landing rights, a top official said...

See restoration in action

One of Caravaggio's masterpieces, the Adoration of the Shepherds, will be restored in one of the rooms of Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, where the Italian Chamber of Deputies meets, and in an unusual first for such project, the whole restoration process will be open to the public...

09, 2009 October:

Text appeal

We are living in the age of the text message - more than 1.2 billion messages are sent each day - so here's a useful new service that utilizes our addiction to texting - the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded an initiative to provide holiday information to travelers via email and texts and it can even contact them in emergencies when they are on holiday...

Flush before flying

A Japanese airline has embraced a controversial new method of reducing aircraft weight - by asking passengers to spend a penny before boarding...