The Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) has been named Middle Easts leading exhibition & convention centre at the glittering World Travel Awards (WTA) ceremony held in Dubai last Monday. Qatar also won the title of Middle Easts Leading Business Travel Destination, confirming Doha as a world-class capital for commerce and communication. Qatar scooped no fewer than nine of the regional awards on offer at the World Travel Awards (WTA) ceremony . A member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), QNCC was officially opened last December. Since then, the centre has hosted well over 100 events, including the World Innovation Summit for Education, the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum, the Arab Expatriate Scientists Symposium, and Unctad XIII. Around 130,000 visitors have already passed through its perfectly proportioned interiors, keen to share knowledge and, where possible, find common ground. We recognised a long time ago that if we were to deliver the vision of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of QF , to make Qatar Foundation a global centre of excellence in the spheres of education, science and community development, it was essential that we found a home for the worlds leading innovators and industry experts to exchange their ideas. We began work on the project as far back as 2006, but we were in no hurry. The most important thing was to get it right, said Eng Saad al-Muhannadi, QF Vice President of Capital Projects and Facilities Management. Our architects devised complex mathematical equations to decide what would be the best support structure for the ceiling, and the outcome was a construction that somehow resembled a sidra tree. So, you could say that the design was the product of cutting edge science merging with traditional symbolism, he pointed out. QNCC was conceived with a focus on sustainability. The exhibition hall is built according to gold certification standards on Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED), endorsed by the US Green Building Council. The building incorporates innovative water conservation features and energy-efficient fixtures. In the future, environmental considerations will be central to the planning of any construction project at Qatar Foundation, said al-Muhannadi. Later this year, QNCC will host the COP18 international climate change conference. With 30,000 delegates from 192 countries and 5,000 journalists in attendance, the three-week long event will be the largest ever hosted in Qatar. In December this year, the WTA Grand Finals will take place in Indias capital, New Delhi. Competition will be intense, but for both Qatar and QNCC, there is every reason to feel optimistic that their first-rate business facilities will be recognised and celebrated on an international stage, a spokesperson said.

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National convention centre wins top award

Queenstown welcomes the world of tourism for the second consecutive year when the premier travel trade fair Trenz opens socially tonight and gets down to business tomorrow.

More than 1000 international travel buyers, New Zealand exhibitors, domestic and international media, sponsors and VIPs, including Prime Minister John Key, will attend the Tourism Industry Association-managed expo in the Queenstown Events Centre until Thursday.

Exhibitors from the Southern Lakes region of Queenstown, Wanaka and Fiordland will look to capitalise on having travel buyers and journalists from 31 countries on their doorstep during the upcoming days of 15-minute appointments, networking and social functions and familiarisation trips.

Appointments with buyers from the emerging visitor markets of China, India, and Indonesia will be especially sought after among exhibitors.

New Zealand tourism operators who exhibited at last year's Trenz told the association their attendance delivered $164 million of new business over the following 12 monthsTrenz was expected to pump more than $1.5 million directly into Queenstown and Southern Lakes businesses this week.

Destination Queenstown chairman Mark Quickfall said last week the community was looking forward to welcoming Trenz visitors and showcasing what the resort had to offer.

"To have some of the world's most influential travel buyers and media visit our region and experience it first-hand is fantastic, but to also be able to host activity afternoons and showcase the diversity of our scenery and experiences is an invaluable opportunity."

More than 500 buyers, media and exhibitors will have the chance to enjoy a range of experiences, from jet boating, skydiving and 4WD driving to scenic flights, wine tours and a ride on the Kingston Flyer steam train.

Media delegates will have the opportunity to try some of Queenstown's new experiences on Thursday afternoon, including You vs Wild and Art Adventures, then write about them for their readers all around the world.

Travel buyers and media also get the chance to experience the best of Wanaka and Fiordland on hosted visits before and after the expo.

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Travel buyers to taste wares

Regency Travel & Tours of Qatar has won the Middle Easts and Qatars leading travel agency award for the sixth time in a row for the year 2012 at the World Travel Awards ceremony in Dubai recently. Earlier, Regency had won the World Travel award for the Middle Easts leading Travel Agency for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Regency Travel and Tours scooped the honour for 2012 competing against big names in the travel industry. Regency bagged the award for Qatars leading travel agency for three years in a row. Hailed as the Oscars of the Travel Industry, World Travel Awards is acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade, and celebrates those brands that are pushing the boundaries of industry excellence. A packed audience comprising VIPs, senior tourism figures and international media from more than 30 countries witnessed the WTAs Middle East Ceremony 2012. More than 462 organisations across the Middle East, spanning more than 125 categories entered the competition. Tareq Abdullatif Taha, chief executive officer of Regency Travel and Tours received the award. Accompanying him to Dubai to receive the award were General Manager N M Shafiq, Travel Manager Naushad M E, Tours Manager Farooq Siddiqui, Assistant Tours Manager Jagannath Pothiraj, Sam Varghese, Regency Group HR director, Fadi Barakeh, AREDC general manager, Kallai Aboosabil, Regency Fleets general manager, Abegale Bantugan, Ali Youness, Aileen Mariano and Allan Eviota from product development, operations and sales and marketing team and a few other guests from Qatar. Tareq said he was proud to represent Qatar and having yet again won this years Middle East leading travel agency award. He attributed the success to loyal customers for their trust in the organisation and he also dedicated the award to his team and their hard work and the quality of service that they provide to the customers. He promised that the Regency team would work harder to keep up the confidence and quality of service that the company is known for. Tareq also dedicated the award to the people of Qatar. Lebanese pop star Carole Samaha headlined the glittering show, with Wonho Chung providing the comedy, and the South African string quartet Sterling EQ also performing. Graham E Cooke, president & founder, WTA, underlined the depth and quality of the travel and tourism sector across the Middle East.

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Regency crowned Mideast’s best travel agency again

7 May 2012

From May 16-18, 2012, key industry identities from the public and private sectors, NGOs and the media will convene for a unique networking forum. The event will be the first in a series of WTTC "Regional Summits," and will explore commonalities as well as challenges throughout the travel and tourism industry in the Americas while identifying opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Speakers will include Ministers of Tourism from around the world including Secretary Gloria Guevara of Mexico; US Deputy Secretary of State, Thomas Nides; Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization; executives from hotels, airlines, tour operators and travel agencies; and key opinion leaders from the media such as CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg.

The Summit will attract delegates from across the Americas, including Central America, The Caribbean, South America and North America.

David Scowsill, President and CEO of WTTC added, "Mexico is the perfect host for the Americas Summit. Mexico has rightly put Travel & Tourism at the heart of its economy as a generator of employment, export income and GDP. President Caldern"s commitment to tourism is underlined by being the first to join the WTTC"s and UNWTO"s joint Global Leaders for Tourism campaign, which recognises the importance of tourism to growth and development. Holding the Americas Summit in Mexico just one month before the G20 meeting of world leaders will place Travel & Tourism among the most important topics being discussed in Los Cabos."

Mexico will also host the United Nations World Tourism Organization"s T20 meeting of tourism ministers in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, from May 15-16.

The World Travel & Tourism Council is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. It promotes sustainable growth for the industry, working with governments and international institutions to create jobs, to drive exports and to generate prosperity. In 2011 Travel & Tourism accounted for 255 million jobs globally. At US$6.3 trillion (9.1% of GDP) the sector is a key driver for investment and economic growth. For more than 20 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council has been the voice of this industry globally. Members are the Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world's leading, private sector Travel & Tourism businesses. These Members bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making, raising awareness of the importance of the industry as an economic generator of prosperity.

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President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón and Carlos Slim to speak at inaugural WTTC Americas Summit

Bolivia check. Norway check. Turkey check.

Brunei? a young boy asked, glancing from his passport to his friends.

Before waiting for an answer, the boy took off across the crowded atrium, his friends trailing behind with their own passports in hand.

No, this is not the opening sequence of an Amazing Race-style reality show for kids. This was the scene Sunday afternoon at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, where hundreds gathered for the sixth annual International Childrens Festival.

Coinciding with the start of Passport D.C., a three-weekend-long event that allows adults to pop in and out of mansions on Embassy Row, the International Childrens Festival is an opportunity to introduce kids to world geography, traditions, foods, dress and song. Each child received a paper passport to collect stamps from 22 participating embassies.

We want to promote U.S. engagement in the world, said Sharon Wilkinson of Meridian International Center, which helped organize the festival. Global awareness should start at a young age.

The United States led off a parade to start the festival, with children dressed as cowgirls and cowboys marching across a stage to the tune of Its a Small World. Cameras flashed, children screamed and handfuls of cereal streamed across the auditorium. Other countries followed, displaying traditional garb from Kenya, Egypt, El Salvador and Norway.

After the parade, children watched dance and musical performances, made Australian boomerangs and Afghan kites, and sampled Bahraini pastries.

I think its a great opportunity to expand their horizons, said Shazia Kanani of Vienna, who attended the festival with her husband and two children.

Although her boys a 5-month-old and a 2-year-old were too young to participate in many of the activities, Kanani said she was excited to expose them to sounds, colors and flavors from around the world.

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Children in Washington travel the world in a day

(Reuters) - A recent opinion piece in the New York Times resurrected the age-old debate about whether ugly buildings deserved preservation if deemed historically important. While the staff and travelers at online travel advisers Trippy.com (www.trippy.com) may be undecided on that issue, they can certainly tell you which buildings they'd put on the list for consideration. Here are their ...

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Travel Picks: Top 10 "ugly" buildings to visit

BELLEVUE, WA--(Marketwire -05/04/12)- Expedia.com, the world's leading online travel agency, today announced that as of its first anniversary, the Expedia Rewards program bestowed more than four billion rewards points on Expedia members in the United States. The Expedia Rewards loyalty program allows members to earn points on the hotels, flights, resorts, vacation packages and activities they book on Expedia.com.

3.7 million Expedia travelers signed up for Expedia Rewards in the first year of the program, averaging 7,000 travelers enrolling in Expedia Rewards each day. One program member earned more than 940,000 in the past year, while another topped 850,000 points. Members can earn up to two Expedia Rewards points per dollar spent on flights, hotels, activities and vacation packages that include a hotel. When hotels and flights are booked as a package -- booked simultaneously -- the rewards points earn rate rises.

The billions of points earned by Expedia customers represent only a portion of the rewards available to a traveler. Expedia designed its program to complement, rather than compete with, airline rewards programs and to allow consumers to "double dip." Expedia Rewards members who are part of an airline or eligible credit card loyalty program can continue to earn frequent flyer and credit card program points when they book through Expedia while at the same time earning Expedia Rewards points. And members are not limited to one hotel brand loyalty program. Expedia Rewards allows members to redeem points for coupons at more than 70,000 Expedia Special Rate hotels. Members can also vacation anywhere at any time, because Expedia Rewards have no blackout dates or capacity restrictions.

"3.7 million new members represent a fine first year for the Expedia Rewards program, but we're only just getting started," said Joe Megibow, vice president and general manager, Expedia.com. "On top of our already great package savings and deals, we are now the only online travel agency with a loyalty program like this. We think this last year has shown the booking with Expedia is more rewarding than ever, without compromise -- book with us and you continue to earn your airline miles in addition to earning Expedia points. Book anywhere else and that's not an option."

In addition to Expedia Rewards, the company features the Expedia Elite Plus Program, which gives members exclusive perks at select hotels. To qualify for Expedia Elite Plus, travelers need to stay 15 hotel nights or complete $10,000 worth of travel via Expedia in a calendar year. Once the traveler reaches either threshold they are automatically enrolled. Elite Plus travel benefits include free room upgrades, priority customer care and much more.

About ExpediaExpedia.com is the world's leading online travel site, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com/, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest selection of vacation packages, flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and in-destination activities, attractions, and services. With the Expedia Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com customers can get the best rates available online for all types of travel.

Expedia, Expedia.com, the Airplane logo, Expedia Rewards and Elite Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. 2012 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-50

SOURCE: Expedia, Inc. Web site: http://www.expedia.com/

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A Rewarding Year for Expedia Customers: Expedia Customers Earned 4.3 Billion Points in First Year of Expedia Rewards ...

BRUGES, Belgium (Reuters) - The well-preserved historic Bruges city centre is a UNESCO world heritage site and with eight Michelin star restaurants and the most independent chocolatiers in Belgium, it is worth a visit even for those who do not like museums. The Belgian city of just over 100,000 inhabitants had its heyday in the 14th and 15th century until its access to the sea silted up, cutting ...

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Travel Postcard: 48 Hours in Bruges

REGINA - Jeff Stock has the "best summer job ever."

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2012 Saskatchewanderer picked for video skills and world travel resume

Military servicemen and servicewomen are eligible for discounts for flights, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, skiing and more. Servicemen and servicewomen have a world of travel bargains available. Here are some areas to explore:

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Travel bargains for military personnel

As a travel writer, I'm always looking for new tools I can use to help plan my trips. Lately, there's been lots of talk about a social media site called Pinterest, a free online photo bulletin board that's popular with designers, foodies and crafts people.

But could you use it to plan trips? Well, yes. It turns out that the travel industry, as well as individual travelers, are starting to use this visual social platform with interesting results.

The photos make it easy for a traveler to quickly scan a destination's food, architecture or historic sites. If you're intrigued by a picture, a click on it will take you to more content.

For instance, the Pinterest page of Westchester-Frederick Country, Va., (www.pinterest.com/winchesterva) has a category called "Events & Attractions." Click on the photo of singer Patsy Cline, and you'll be taken to details on touring the house where she lived from ages 16 to 21, as well as a video of her music.

The Pinterest page of Savannah, Ga., (www.pinterest.com/visitsavannah/) also is pulling in traffic, with boards such as "Haunted Savannah," "Shop Savannah" and "Savannah Hotels" (with some photos linking to online reservations).

Search tips

Look for the red Pinterest button on travel websites you visit; a click on it will take you to their Pinterest profiles.

Use the site's search box (next to the magnifying glass icon).

Do both a "Boards" and a "People" search (below the regular search box) for keywords such as resorts, hotels, tourism, CVB (conventions and visitors bureaus), visits, vacations, etc. You'll often get different results.

Pinterest pages

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Pinterest spreading to the travel world

22-03-2011 04:53 REP Interactive ; ; http ; ; **** HRG Costa Rica ; REP Interactive Best Vacation in the World This is Costa Rica filmed by REP Interactive. In Costa Rica the visitor can enjoy tropical beaches, extreme adventures, the wonders of nature and delicious food. Thousands of tourists have made Costa Rica their top travel choice throughout the world. Costa Rica ranked first in the top 10 most popular destinations for adventure tourism according to the US magazine International Business Times. A survey was given to travel guides from the well-known agency, Virtuoso, a television network promoting luxury vacation spots in the Americas, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and Australia. The waterfalls and the blue waters of the Celeste River in Tenorio Volcano National Park, surrounded by 31676 acres of tropical rainforest, are one of the reasons that helped place Costa Rica among the top ten in the world, as well as the variety of adventure sport options like rafting, hiking, climbing, cycling, and others. South Africa, the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, and Australia, occupy the five positions, respectively, following Costa Rica in this Top 10 list.

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Best Vacation in the World - Video

19-04-2011 00:10 Andrew Basiago shares his story of time travel and Project Pegasus with activist and radio host Bob Tuskin. Very interesting info. What do you think? We'd like to get your opinions on this info. Real or Disinfo? Sorry for audio issues this was an impromptu recording by a third party.

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Bob Tuskin Speaks with Andrew Basiago: Time Travel and Project Pegasus At Free Your Mind Conference - Video

07-06-2011 22:53 Thanks for watching and subscribing, if you enjoyed the video click like, thanks! Eating Bangkok - Part 1 - The Kings Chef - Abenteuer Leben I went to Bangkok and the Kings Chef made me a meal! For Part 2: For Part 3: Check out the Store Section and my site - My place for all my Fitness and Supplement Needs - http Follow Me: Facebook - Twitter - Google+ Check out my other Channels: Vlogs - Supplement Reviews - The Furious Dog - Furious Eats - Furious GamePlay - Please vote for me for King of The Web! Super Easy! Vote for me up to 10 times per day! Thanks for subscribing! furiouspete123 furious pete epic meals thailand cooking food German deutsch kabel eins pro7 Galileo "Man vs Food" Man Travel Bangkok "Kings Chef" Crab "Market kitchen restaurant"

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Furious World Tour - Furious Pete in Bangkok - Part 1/3 - The Kings Chef -Abenteuer Leben - täglich Wissen - Kabel Eins - Video

17-07-2011 06:23

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Jay Chou - Time Travel (Secret Fast Version) - Video

31-08-2011 02:08 Click LIKE/FAV Please, thanks! Comments are appreciated! Click to share - Chicago Eats - German TV show for Kabel Eins and Abenteuer Leben. In this first part we do the bacon bomb challenge and kill the timmy o'tool burger challenge Click here for Part 2: Furious Pete Clothing here - Facebook - Twitter - Google+ VLOGS - Supplement Reviews - Furious Eats - Supplements and Fitness Tips - Where I train - http Thanks for subscribing! Tags - furious pete, furiouspete123, epicmealtime, epic meal time, chicago, TV show, German TV, kabel eins, deutch, germans, Pro 7, Youtube, HD, Chiago Eats, Deep Dish, Bacon Bomb, Bacon, Pig, Meatloaf, burger, challenge, , deutsch, grease, hot dogs, bartolinins, cheese, eating, hungry, funny, funnies, funny video, funny junk, funnyjunk, hilarious "Man v. Food" "Man vs Food" Man vs Food "Travel channel"

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Furious World Tour - Furious Pete in Chicago - Abenteuer Leben - Part 1/2 - Bacon Bomb and Timmy's Challenge - Video

23-11-2011 07:13 Click that Like button if you enjoyed this video! Favorite too if you want! Thanks! Welcome to Toronto. This is my hometown and I'm going to show you my favorite eats! So follow along! This is a 3 part video so make sure you check them all out! Click to retweet - Part 2:...

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Furious World Tour - Furious Pete in Toronto - Part 1/3 - Amazing Poutine - Abenteuer Leben - Kabel Eins - Video

21-03-2012 13:55 Download this song on iTunes here: You have no idea what you mean to me. I still remember playing countless bar gigs and birthday parties hoping for that big break. Well... you guys were my big break. Because of you I'm able to travel the world and connect with you through music. You have made my dreams reality. You are seriously the best fans an artist could ask for. Thank you so much. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!! Tyler Thanks so much for coming to these places! Portsmouth, UK London, UK Manchester, UK Belfast, UK Dublin, IE Glasgow, UK Birmingham, UK Paris, FR Amsterdam, NE Antwerp, BE Hamburg, DE Copenhagen, DK Stockholm, SWE Berlin, DE Cologne, DE Frankfurt, DE Munich, DE Vienna, AUT Milan, IT

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Tyler Ward - Paper Heart (Official European Tour Video) - On iTunes - Original Song - Video

09-04-2012 05:01 like me on we shot this in 10 days, just the two of us. Max, my friend in the movie, is a talented filmmaker, he edited this movie. check him out

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Make It Count - Video

10-04-2012 11:02 Mitch and Egor travel to the North Scottish Coast, the unlikely location of what is widely considered to be Britain's best wave - Thurso East. While sampling a few perfect barrels, Mitch, Egor and a host of British pros from all eras pay homage to this world-class cold water surf spot. In the words of local surfer Andy Bain - 'There's no place like home!' Interviewees; Malcolm Findlay, Chris 'Guts' Griffiths, Andy Bain, Nigel Semmens, Paul 'The Gill' Gill, Ben Skinner Surfers; Chris Noble, Ozzy Rick, Dane Reynolds, Jayce Robinson, Rich Sills, Mitch Corbett, Sam Lamiroy, Nathan Phillips, Jesse Davies, Alan Stokes, Johnny Fryer, Micah Lester, Gabe Davies, Russell Winter Archive courtesy of; Mr B Productions, Darren Manson, Andy Bennetts Music; 'Wave Theme' scored for The Endless Winter by Hotel Flamingo Ford S-MAX presents The Endless Winter - A Very British Surf Movie In just half a century the British surf scene has evolved from a cult to a thriving industry that boasts world- class waves, champion surfers and a 300000 strong surfing community. Mark 'Egor' Harris and Mitch Corbett will travel the length of the country discovering how this iconic surf scene was born, as well as stopping and surfing at significant breaks along the way. On their journey they'll meet key characters from the history of British surfing as well as current crews that epitomise each region's unique surfing culture.

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The Endless Winter; Episode 6 - A World Class Wave on Scotland's North Shore - Video