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Category Archives: World Travel

Tourist arrivals plummet in State

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A decade since World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) commended Kerala for registering the worlds highest growth in the tourism sector, most of the States tourism stakeholders are a worried lot.

They are concerned and annoyed at the sharp decline in arrival of foreign tourists during December, when tourist arrivals generally peak.

Cost factor

Former general secretary of Mattancherry-based Kashmir Traders Association Sajid Hussain Khatai said there was roughly 70 per cent decline in arrival of foreign tourists to the heritage locale this month. Good many foreigners are showing a marked preference for Sri Lanka which resembles Kerala, but offers a more quality experience at much lesser cost. Dozens of Kashmiri traders selling handicrafts and carpets antiques are thus making a beeline to set shop in the island nation.

Even cruise ships (which bring tourists by the hundred) prefer to call at Colombo than Kochi because of lower berthing charges there. Of late, Goa and southern States too were offering stiff competition to Kerala, because they offered cheaper accommodation, travel and food, Mr. Khatai said.

The president of Kerala Travel Mart Society a conclave of prominent tourism stakeholders Abraham George said most hoteliers and other players in the sector were feeling the heat because of a noticeable fall in number of tourist arrivals. Economic recession in places like Europe has prompted group cancellations. Many who are keen to visit Kerala are peeved at hartals being called at the drop of a hat and have begun to skip the State, because their travel itinerary suffers. The increase in number of hotels, resorts etc., has further affected investors.

He called for a consensus on hartals, simultaneous with aggressive marketing of destinations, to woo tourists.

The State government too acknowledges a slowdown in the sector this season. Secretary of Kerala Tourism Suman Billa said stakeholders were hit because of hike in power tariff and salaries for staff. There is also an increase in number of hotel/resort rooms. Thus, many properties do not command the price they once had. Still, tourist arrivals in 2013 are seven to eight per cent higher than in 2012.

Garbage woes

Mr Billa expressed concern at tourists, especially from foreign countries, shunning what were once extremely popular locales like Fort Kochi because of slack garbage management and encroachments. Inadequate and ill-maintained roads/footpaths is another macro issue that needs to be tackled at the State level, since this is affecting many destinations.

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Tourist arrivals plummet in State

World Travel Guide For Places to Visit | Official Destination …

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Review: Kerry Hotel, Beijing

An offshoot of the luxury Shangri-La chain, the Kerry Hotel in Beijing had a multimillion-dollar facelift in 2011, in the hope of luring youthful busi...

Spicy as salsa roja, intoxicating as a shot of tequila, volatile as the volcanoes of the central sierra, surreal as a Frida Kahlo canvas, monumental a...

Grand Canyon All American Helicopter Tour

Prices from $299.99 Was $363.99Prices from 197.91 Was 260.59Prices from 231,79 Was 305,19 Take off from Las Vegas Airport on an exhilarating helicopter flight to the Grand Canyon. You'll enjoy a 45-minute helicopter....

From Banff to Baffin Island, from Tofino to Toronto, Canada is a remarkable country. Whether youre a hard-core adrenaline junkie looking for a back...

Far from being haunted by its tumultuous modern history, Berlin has recast itself as one of Europes most exciting destinations. This edgy, energeti...

It's time to dig out your skis and snowboards. Plan your winter getaway with our up-to-date ski guides, packed with snow reports, accommodation info and apres-ski tips.

Quiz time!

Take a look at our brand new collection of quizzes and see how well you do. Why not invite your friends to play too and see who can guess all the answers in the quickest time...

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World Travel Guide For Places to Visit | Official Destination ...

World Travel and Tourism Council

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David Scowsill, WTTC President & CEO .

Peru will host the World Travel & Tourism Councils Americas Summit, to be held in Lima on 10-11 September 2014. This decision follows President Ollanta Humala receiving the Open Letter from UNWTO and WTTC in 2012 as part of the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign, in which the Head of State recognises the positive role played by Travel & Tourism in the economic development of their country. To be held in partnership with MINCETUR, Perus tourism ministry, the Americas Summit will bring together the public sector and leading private sector organisations from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean to engage in a constructive debate on a range of global Travel & Tourism issues in the Americas regional context. David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC, says: "The Summit will have a pan-American focus and address economic and travel-related issues, which are of vital importance to one of the world's most important Travel & Tourism regions. Our industry is a major generator of economic wealth and jobs in the region, so the Summit will ask what more the public and private sectors can do to generate long-term sustainable growth in Travel & Tourism in the Americas. READ MORE >>>

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World Travel and Tourism Council

Geographia – World Travel Destinations, Culture and History Guide

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Sites for Sore Eyes The newest destinations from Geographia:

Sinai Its Biblical sites have drawn spiritual pilgrims through the wadis and the waters of theSinai Peninsula for nearly 2,000 years, but Sinai today is anything but the barren prison it was for Moses and the Israelites. For scuba divers, in fact, the coral reefs of the Red Sea are an absolute paradise. Geographia brings you the web's most comprehensive guide to the land where manna fell from heaven.

The Islands of the Bahamas Our most visited site (especially when the temperature drops below 40 F on the U.S. East Coast) has all the latest info and a brand new look.

Contact Us We love feedback. If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail us at: info@geographia.com

Nelson in Nevis Britain's greatest naval hero is most often associated with the Battle of Trafalgar, but on the Caribbean isle of Nevis, his biggest association was with a woman named Fanny Nisbet.

Pirates of the Bahamas During the Golden Age of Piracy, the Islands of the Bahamas were home to some of the most infamous cutthroats to ever hoist the Jolly Roger.

Land of Fire & Ice Learn about the fascinating geography and culture of Iceland; a nation of strong women and rugged terrain.

A Journey to Moscow At the grand old age of 850, Moscow is now being hailed by the global media as Europe's most exciting capital. With A Journey to Moscow (our first city site) we hope to begin a long and ever-expanding coverage of Russia's top town.

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Geographia - World Travel Destinations, Culture and History Guide

Ascott Voted World’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand

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Garnered 110 awards to date in 2013 and is scheduled to open 57 properties over the next few years

CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited, has been named the 'World's Leading Serviced Apartment Brand' at the 2013 World Travel Awards held in Doha, Qatar. The prestigious World Travel Awards, hailed as the 'Oscars of the travel industry', honour the best travel and hospitality companies that push the boundaries of product and service excellence. Winners were voted by travellers and travel professionals worldwide.

This latest award tops the list of 110 coveted accolades that Ascott has received to date in 2013, cementing its position as the global serviced residence industry leader. Last year, Ascott received a total of 79 awards.

Mr Lee Chee Koon, Ascott's Chief Executive Officer, said: "It is a tremendous honour for Ascott to be recognised as the 'World's Leading Serviced Apartment Brand'. Winning this award speaks volume about the confidence global travellers and travel professionals have in our brands and company. I dedicate this award to our staff, who work tirelessly to deliver the best stay experience for our customers and to make them feel at home at our properties across more than 80 cities in over 20 countries. We are slated to open another 57 properties in Asia, Europe and the Gulf region over the next few years. We look forward to welcoming more travellers to experience our award-winning hospitality and unique Ascott moments."

Ascott is currently scheduled to open properties in the key gateway cities of China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam over the next few years. This year, through investment and management contracts, Ascott has added 22 properties with more than 3,700 apartment units to its portfolio. Ascott also entered into cities such as Hefei, Nanjing and Wuxi in China, Gurgaon in India, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Sri Racha in Thailand. The new properties bring the company closer to its target of having 40,000 apartment units globally by 2015.

Mr Graham E. Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards, said: "The award for 'World's Leading Serviced Apartment Brand' is the highest honour that we bestow and Ascott truly deserves to win. Only winners of our regional awards get to vie for the World award and Ascott was recently conferred 'Leading Serviced Apartment Brand' in Asia and Europe, as well as 18 other country awards. Starting with one property in Singapore in 1984, Ascott has steadily expanded to become the world's largest international serviced residence owner and operator; all the while consistently elevating the customer experience through constant innovations. It is no wonder that travel professionals and consumers from around the globe voted for Ascott. Congratulations to Ascott on this significant achievement."

Ascott has invested in a number of initiatives to enhance customer experience across different touch points. Besides ongoing refurbishment for its properties in Asia Pacific and Europe, the company has begun offering free internet access this year to meet the increasing data demand by residents.

In addition, Ascott has introduced new web and mobile booking features to enable an easier and faster search by customers for its properties. These encompass a citywide search function that allows customers to view all available properties in a city, and filters to help them narrow down available apartments according to their needs. Customers can also perform a multi-city, multi-property or multi-apartment booking within a single reservation process.

Besides the World Travel Awards, Ascott won top accolades at the 2013 Business Traveller Awards. It took the titles of 'Best Serviced Residence Brand' in China and Asia Pacific, and 'Best Serviced Apartment Company' in the United Kingdom. Ascott also became the first serviced residence company to be conferred the distinguished Business Superbrands status in Singapore, which pays tribute to the most valued business-to-business brands around the world. For the full list of accolades that Ascott has won in 2013, please visit http://www.theascottlimited.com/en/aboutus/awards_and_accolades.html?year=2013.

The company operates three brands Ascott, Citadines and Somerset. Its portfolio spans 82 cities across more than 20 countries, 21 of which are new cities in Ascott"s portfolio where its serviced residences are being developed.

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Ascott Voted World's Leading Serviced Apartment Brand

Travel Daily#s world famous networking night, Thirsty Thursday, came to Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort

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Travel and Lifestyle Press Releases Friday December 20, 2013 13:31

Bangkok--20 Dec--Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, Pattaya

Pattaya is the latest Travel Daily Thirsty Thursday destination when Robert John Lohrmann, general manager of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya hosted this world famous networking night at the resorts jungle-themed Zulu Bar.

Members of the Thai and international travel trade, hoteliers and Pattaya business owners came together for an evening of free food and drink, excellent networking opportunities and the lucky draws.

We were delighted to welcome travel industry colleagues to the first Pattaya TT and to Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, said Mr. Lohrmann.

Having been a solid business partner with Travel Daily for many years including stints in Phuket, Shanghai and now Pattaya, I know how effective these events are.

It was a night to remember in Thailands premier party destination Pattaya. Everyone found time to be there!

Travel Dailys Regional Director, Paul Adams, added; We proud to bring TT to Pattaya for the first time especially to an amazing resort like the Centara Grand Mirage! Travel agents and other tourism players greatly enjoyed themselves, mixing business and pleasure.

The Amari Watergate Bangkok invites everyone to celebrate Christmas & New Years festive season with a variety of special dishes and entertainment. - Christmas Eve : Tuesday 24th December 2013 Roof Top Garden, 8th Floor 19:00 to 23:00...

Hilltop Location in Shinagawa is the Latest in Growing Global Portfolio of Marriott Hotels in Asia and around the world Marriott International announces the opening of the Tokyo Marriott Hotel on a hilltop address known locally as Gotenyama. This...

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Travel Daily#s world famous networking night, Thirsty Thursday, came to Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort

2014 Travel: Sochi, Brazil, Berlin, Sarajevo

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The Olympics, the World Cup and commemorations of World War I, D-Day and the fall of the Berlin Wall are some of the events that will spotlight destinations like Sochi, Brazil, Sarajevo, Normandy and Berlin in 2014.

Elsewhere abroad, a potentially game-changing high-speed rail service has just launched linking Paris and Barcelona. Some travelers may now prefer the train over a plane, with the train ride cut in half to just over six hours between the two cities.

Back in the U.S., St. Louis marks the 250th anniversary of its Feb. 15, 1764 founding with celebrations in February including a reenactment, parties and a music festival. Other events are planned throughout the year.

Harry Potter fans will have a new reason to visit Florida next summer when the Universal Orlando theme park opens a new area with attractions inspired by the books' fictional scenes in Diagon Alley and London. A train called the Hogwarts Express will take visitors back and forth between the new Potter attractions including a restaurant called the Leaky Cauldron and Universal's existing Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal also plans an 1,800-room 1960s-themed resort and eight new restaurants at the CityWalk dining area for 2014.

Nearby, Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., will open a new family coaster, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, in the spring.

OLYMPICS AND WORLD CUP

The Winter Olympics, Feb. 7-23, take place in Sochi, a Russian Black Sea resort that's one of the least-known Olympic destinations in years. The indoor events will be held in ice arenas on the coast, while skiing and snowboarding are in the Caucasus Mountains 30 miles (50 kilometers) inland. With its subtropical climate and lush greenery, the coastal area of Sochi has long been a popular destination; some elaborate worker resorts from the Stalinist era remain, and new winter resorts are under construction.

The World Cup soccer games, June 12-July 13, will be held in 12 cities in Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuaiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo. The most exotic destination, Manaus, a steamy city in the Amazon jungle, may also be the most controversial: England soccer coach Roy Hodgson called it "the place ideally to avoid," while the London tabloid the Mirror called it a "crime-ridden hell-hole." But loads of soccer fans are likely to travel there despite the bad press to attend some of the tournament's top matches, including England-Italy and Portugal-U.S. The city is also a gateway to Amazon tourism, with Manaus-based operators offering boat trips and tours into the jungle.

REMEMBERING WAR

The summer of 2014 marks a century since World War I was triggered by the June 28, 1914 assassination of the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, now the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Events are planned across Europe to commemorate the centenary http://www.1914.org and some U.S. tour operators like Road Scholar are offering itineraries visiting places connected to the war. Famous battlefields include Verdun, France; Gallipoli, Turkey, and Western Belgium, where red poppies still bloom in Flanders Fields, a battlefield immortalized in the famous poem: "In Flanders Fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row."

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2014 Travel: Sochi, Brazil, Berlin, Sarajevo

iPhone Travel App World Travel Globe Announces 10,000 Downloads Across the World

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(PRWEB UK) 17 December 2013

World Travel Globe, an iPhone app that funnels tourist and travel information on one platform, announces 10,000 downloads this month. The newly launched app is free and available for download at iTunes and is quickly gaining popularity among business travellers, vacationers, and general explorers looking to take a trip on a whim.

Creator Marcus Crellin invented the app off of the game that he used to play as a child where he would close his eyes, spin the globe, and then open his eyes to see what destination he would pretend to visit.

It was exciting to fantasize about other destinations of the world, he said, what types of food Id eat, the way people dressed and looked, and the different attractions each country boasted. Now, as an engineer, I travel a lot for work and Im privileged to be able to see all of these attractions face to face.

Since Crellin is always jet hopping, he designed the app as a useful tool for people looking to stay educated and organized. After spinning the app and picking a destination, users can browse information funneled from websites, including weather forecasts, currency rates, festivals, sporting events, and more. Forget following link after link to pull up subway systems in London the app does the research and pulls it up with a swipe of a finger.

Its nice to see people using the app and taking interest in it, said Crellin. I just want to help make travelling easier thats all there is to it. If I can help take the stress off of planning a trip to make it even that much more enjoyable, then that alone has made my day.

About World Travel Globe World Travel Globe is an iPhone application that assists with the planning of trips. Spin the globe and hit anywhere in the world to discover new places and adventures for travel destinations, including ongoing events like festivals, major sporting events, carnivals, and more. World Travel Globe will pull up the necessary information from all over the web to help plan a trip from the convenience of your phone, supplying the user with related regional information, weather forecasts, currency and exchange rates, time differences, and visa requirements.

To see what World Travel Globe can do for you, visit http://www.worldtravelglobe.com.

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iPhone Travel App World Travel Globe Announces 10,000 Downloads Across the World


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