Budapest - Top 10 Sights
Come on a whirlwind journey with Flight Centre to find out just 10 reasons to visit Budapest... For more information, check out our travel guide for Budapest: http://www.flightcentre.com.au/world-travel/...

By: Flight Centre Australia

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Budapest - Top 10 Sights - Video

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minnesota, March 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Connect World Travel & Tourism (CWTT), aleading Destination Management Company headquartered in Dubai, andTavisca Solutionssigned an agreement to launch an online portal,Choosenfly.com, aimed to power online bookings for Connect World Travel & Tourism's B2B2B affiliates and brands.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140527/689192)

CWTT is the region's foremost DMC presenting Dubai to the rest of the world in a luxurious manner. With this launch, CWTT will consolidate multiple hotel suppliers' content and more than thousand self-contracted hotels to provide search and booking capability to its B2B2B distribution networks all over the world.

"Choosenfly.com's technology advanced B2B Global Reservation System focuses on securing and providing the lowest available hotels and sightseeing prices, in an easy yet efficient manner," saidJustin Jacob, MD CWTT."With an online portal of this caliber, now we will also be able to reach out to our partners and be functional 24/7 without being worried about the global boundaries and different time zones. The user-friendly interface will ensure our partners can book our Hotels' and Activities' inventory in a hassle-free manner," he added.

CWTT claims that this online portal will enable them to aggregate inventory from all major suppliers of hotels and unique self-contracted hotels, at one place, which will make it easier for their partners to search and book from CWTT's one-stop-shop, Choosenfly.com, hence making it a one-touch travel solution site for hotels and activities.

The technology behind Chosenfly.com will be developed and supported byTavisca Solutions, a travel technology products and solutions provider that works with (B2B, B2C and B2B2C) travel companies across the globe and helps them enhance their online business.

"tavisca is one of the leading travel technology provider catering to many of the major online B2B and B2C portals. By selecting tavisca's travelnxt platform we are confident to meet our goal of focusing on our core business, enabling both efficient cost management and a high standard of customer service with superior technology," saidPreethi Ajay, Business Development Head, CWTT.

Choosenfly.com website will have the following key features:

"We are happy to be part of this strategic agreement withCWTT, one of Dubai's leading DMC. Along with our online booking enginetravelnxt, CWTT will be usinginnventia, our Inventory Management system, extensively, to manage their self-contracted hotels andactivities," saidBharat Garg, Director IT at Tavisca Solutions.

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CWTT and Tavisca Solutions Enters Agreement to Develop a B2B2B Online Portal

Casa Dorada Los Cabos Competes as Mexico and Central Americas Leading Beach Resort at World Travel Awards 2015

Casa Dorada Los Cabos is the only property in Los Cabos nominated in the Leading Beach Resort category and one of only four Los Cabos resorts nominated across 28 categories in the Mexico & Central America region. Other great news for Los Cabos is that it has been nominated as Mexico and Central Americas Leading Destination for 2015.

Founded in 1993, World Travel Awards (WTA) is considered the Oscars of the Travel Industry. Travel, tourism and hospitality companies from across the globe compete for the prestigious top accolades culminating in several magnificent Gala Presentation Ceremonies. This years Latin America Ceremony will take place in Bogota, Colombia on the 9th of October.

Casa Dorada can include this World Travel Award 2015 nomination among its many accolades. The Resort has previously been nominated as a World Travel Awards finalist for Mexico & Central Americas Leading Luxury Resort in 2010 and Leading Spa Resort in 2013, as well as Worlds Leading Beach Resort in 2014. It was also ranked #5 as top Family Hotel and #10 among Mexicos Top Resorts at Travel + Leisures Worlds Best Awards 2011.

About Casa Dorada With an incomparable location on Medano Beach--the best swimmable beach of Cabo, Casa Dorada is just steps away from world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, and the marina. As a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, a collection of the worlds finest independent luxury hotels, Casa Dorada Los Cabos brings the upscale service and family-friendly features to the Cabo San Lucas oceanfront. The Resort grants visitors a more convenient, yet equally spectacular, alternative to the more remote hotel zone of the Tourist Corridor. Boasting unobstructed vistas of Lands End and the famous Arch, Casa Dorada is just 30 minutes away from Los Cabos International Airport. All of the 185 spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom suites and penthouses, open up to Los Cabos most dazzling ocean view, while the luminous and contemporary interiors ensure your comfort and satisfaction.

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Casa Dorada Los Cabos Competes as Mexico and Central Americas Leading Beach Resort at World Travel Awards 2015

By Michael B. Baker

Although the region is home to some of the priciest cities in the world, corporate travel costs are moderating across much of the Asia/Pacific region. Growing demand there struggles to keep up with a glut of hotel supply.

[Please click here to view the digital edition of the 2015 Corporate Travel Index, featuring all per diem listings, downloadable as a pdf.]

Combined hotel rates and miscellaneous costs for 2014 declined year over year in 15 of the 22 Asia/Pacific markets measured by the BTN Corporate Travel Index, many of them by double-digit percentages. With the exception of Jakarta (up 7.2 percent)which has seen strong business travel growth in recent years amid a strengthening economy and growing middle classand New Delhi (up 5.5 percent), increases were about 2 percent or less. Overall, the average daily hotel cost in the Asia/Pacific region in 2014 was $184, down 14.7 percent from the 2013 CTI.

In its forecast for 2015, BCD Travel consultancy Advito noted that in emerging markets within Asia, "plentiful new rooms are applying downward pressure on rates and encouraging hotels to seek deals with corporate clients. Companies with well-managed programs can dictate some very attractive deals in the region."

As of January, STR Global reported 2,400 hotels totaling more than 540,000 rooms in planning stages or under construction. About a quarter of those rooms are in China; other countries with big hotel growth in the region include Indonesia, India and Malaysia.

While not measured by CTI, corporate travel costs also benefit from the proliferation of low-cost carriers across the Asia/Pacific. During the past 10 years, LCCs have increased their traffic share in the region from nearly nothing to 58 percent, according to Advito. Chinese officials also want to expand LCCs' current 7 percent local market share. Some LCCs, though, including Tigerair in Singapore and Qantas subsidiary Jetstar Asia, have curtailed growth as they struggle to keep pace with overall capacity growth in the region. The three largest U.S. carriers, meanwhile, have added several routes to the Asia/Pacific region, and Delta Air Lines is especially hard at work trying to develop a new transpacific hub in Seattle.

Hong Kong, despite some demand hiccups from pro-democracy protests in the second half of the year, maintained its status as the most expensive corporate travel market in the Asia/Pacific region and is the third-most expensive market among the 100 non-U.S. markets measured in the CTI. Combined hotel rates and miscellaneous costs there increased 0.9 percent year over year, and hotel rates alone are more than 75 percent higher than any other city in the region.

Average daily meal costs in Hong Kong are among the highest in the world, though still shy of Shanghai, which is cheaper than only inflation-plagued Caracas (see page 22). While Shanghai hotel and miscellaneous costs are average for the region and flat year over year, sky-high food costs propelled the city to fourth-most expensive Asia/Pacific market, compared with 10th last year.

In Marriott International's fourth-quarter earnings call, CFO Carl Berquist said his company projects continued strong travel demand in Shanghai this year and improving strength in Hong Kong.

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2015 Corporate Travel Index: As Asia/Pacific Demand Falls Short Of Supply, Business Travel Costs Drop

Vinepair.com

BEERY GOODNESS: Across the world, beer preferences clearly vary. People also, for the most part, tend to favour lighter, less alcoholic brews.

Travel the world, and you'll find there's quite a bit of disagreement about what the best or at least preferred beer looks like.

Sure, Americans love Bud Light (and a lot of other watery stuff). But just north of the border, in Canada, the beer of choice is Bud Light's heavier cousin Budweiser.

Down in Mexico, people choose Corona most often. In China, beer drinkers down a lager beer called Snow; in India, people like a pale lager called Kingfisher best; in Brazil, the most popular brew is a Pilsner called Skol; and across the ocean, in Australia, it's a beer called Victoria Bitter.

Beverage industry site Vinepair culled data from market research firm Euromonitor and corporate reports by beer companies around the world to come up with a list of the most popular beers, as measured by market share. Using that data, they created a map, which paints a surprisingly varied picture of beer preferences around the globe.

CLICK TO SEE A LARGER VERSION OF THE MAP

In North and Central America, favourites range from the well-known brands listed above to lesser known brews like Gallo, which is Guatemala's favourite, and Imperial, which Costa Ricans buy most often.

In South America, some countries prefer their local brews, while others have gained an appreciation for ones made elsewhere (sometimes, even, by next door neighbours). Polar, Venezuela's favourite, is brewed domestically. And Quilmes Argentina's beer of choice was originally founded in the country, though it now operates out of Luxembourg and has plants all around the world. Paraguay, meanwhile, drinks Brahma beer, which is Brazilian, the most.

In Europe, beer preferences tend to stay true to each country's own brewing culture. The French prefer Kronenbourg 1664, which is owned by Denmark-based Carlsberg, but brewed in Strassbourg, France. In Ireland, the beer of choice is locally made Guinness. In the Netherlands, it's Heineken. In Italy, it's Birra Moretti. And in Spain it's Cruzcampo.

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How to travel the world and drink beer like a local

18 March 2015 - by - Stellenbosch Experience

Stellenbosch mingled with trade and media; meeting with the likes of Falstaff gourmet magazine, Reisen Exklusiv, Sdafrika Magazin, Reisefieber, Genieen & reisen magazine, and Berliner Morgenpost.

In addition, an exclusive wine evening for top international bloggers, media and trade was hosted by Stellenbosch at which Kleine Zalze wines and Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel were served. Guests included Slow Travel Berlin, Tripadvisor, iAmbassador, Traveldudes, Harpers Bazaar Germany and Die WELT magazine.

Annemarie Ferns, CEO of Stellenbosch 360 attended ITB Berlin and shares: ITB Berlin is one of the biggest tourism trade shows in the world, making it the perfect platform from which to share our regions offerings with trade and media. Of particular importance this year was promoting our authentic experiences, such as dining with locals, cycling and hiking through the vineyards or Jonkershoek, as well as the towns caf culture.

Annareth Bolton, CEO of Stellenbosch Wine Routes also comments; ITB Berlin was very good, with a lot of hard work going into the planning of our attendance of the trade show. It is difficult to stand out, as there are so many wonderful destinations to choose from around the world. It was important to follow-up with the connections we made last year and to see the results of our hard work in 2014, but it was also great to see that our campaign is right on track when one looks at global travel trends. We are light years ahead of most other international wine regions. The need for individualized, tailor-made travel is big, and that is exactly what we specialize in - connecting travellers with locals and giving them the opportunity to immerse themselves in our region and culture.

This years annual ITB World Travel Trends Report revealed that Stellenbosch is indeed heading in the right direction with the Stellenbosch Experience initiative, sharing the food and wine capitals offerings with the world through the eyes of locals and international explorers, using primarily digital marketing.

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, owner of Destinate and the driving force of the Stellenbosch Experience campaign says; Travel is changing. Its all about authentic experiences and immersing yourself in the local culture. This change has largely been driven by Millennials and so will continue to be the case for some time, even intruding into the more traditional travel methods of older generations. Stellenboschs wine and tourism offerings are certainly on trend when it comes to providing travellers with a unique experience and the approach we take on sharing information and stories about the town and its offerings via digital and social media channels are spot on too.

Ahead of winter, the Stellenbosch Experience is launching a Winter in the Winelands campaign with a focus on the town as a family-friendly and affordable destination for all seasons. This campaign will see value-added Stay & Play winter packages on offer that check all the right boxes in terms of ultimate bucket-list encounters in Stellenbosch from budget to luxury, but all with great value for money at the core.

The Stellenbosch Experience campaign is made possible by partners like Kleine Zalze, Spier, Stellenbosch Vineyards, Tokara, Lourensford and Jordan Wines.

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Global Trends From ITB Berlin Show Stellenbosch Destination Marketing To Be Right On Track