China tycoon wants Iceland patch

BEIJING, 31 August 2011 – A Chinese tycoon is trying to buy a huge tract of land in Iceland for a US$100 million eco-tourism project that will include a golf course, the Financial Times said Tuesday.

Huang Nubo, a real estate investor and former government official, has sealed a provisional deal to acquire 300 square kilometres (about 200 square miles) of Icelandic territory, the newspaper said.

Iceland occupies a strategically important location between Europe and North America and has been touted as a potential hub for Asian cargo should climate change open Arctic waters to shipping. Read more

Paris tourism enjoys record year

PARIS, 25 August 2011 – The City of Light is attracting visitors in record numbers this year, Paris officials said Wednesday, as tourism remains buoyant despite the concerns over a possible return to recession.

The number of tourists rose 3.5 % in the first half of the year to a record 7.6 million, according to Paris tourism office director Paul Roll.

The hotel occupancy rate rose to 78.3 % to its best reading in a decade, with the average cost of rooms rising 7.8 % to 158.40 euros ($228.56). Read more

Britain’s image shredded by riots

LONDON, 15 August 2011 – Barely two weeks after beginning the one-year countdown to the London Olympics, Britain has been left bruised by a wave of rioting and now faces a struggle to restore its reputation among tourists.

Prime Minister David Cameron has led calls for Britain to put on a fresh face, after images of youths burning buildings and cars across the country were splashed across newspapers and television screens worldwide.

European governments warned their citizens visiting Britain to avoid crowds, while South Africa advised its nationals against all non-essential travel to the country, as if Britain had become the world’s latest warzone.

Read more

Italy cuts cruel festivals

ROME, 11 August 2011 – A series of historic Italian feasts involving animals including the famous Palio horse race in Siena are being excluded from a new list of celebrations compiled by Italy’s tourism ministry, officials said.

The ministry has compiled a list of 34 feasts under the category “Italian Heritage”, leaving off events such as the Palio or a famous joust in Foligno in central Italy that have been accused by campaigners of cruelty to animals.

“A majority of Italians condemn the exploitation of animals and their death for enjoyment,” Tourism Minister Michela Brambilla told reporters on Tuesday. Read more

UK riots prompt warnings

BANGKOK, 11 August 2011 – Riots in London raised concerns for the safety of tourists travelling to the UK as the violence spread to other major cities in the country on Thursday.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens planning trips to the UK to “keep an eye on media reports,” and recommended travellers to visit its website for updates or travel advisories.

Airlines and travel agents are concerned that if riots are not contained this week, it will dampen travel demand during August a traditional peak for travel to the UK. Read more

Venice tourist wave clogs ferries

ROME, 27 July 2011 – With hordes of tourists clogging up public transport in Italy’s floating city, Venice announced Tuesday that visitors and residents will have to queue separately to use the famous “vaporetti” ferries.

Heaving crowds have been caused not only by the summer tourists but also by a period of poor weather in the region which had seen holidaymakers abandon the beaches to soak up the city sights, Venice’s public transport body said.

The separate queues will remain in place until the end of the high season, they added. Read more

Chinese head duty-free spend

PARIS, 20 July 2011 – Chinese travellers nearly doubled their spending on tax-free goods in 2010 to 1.3 billion euros (US$1.84 billion), tax-free transaction specialist Global Blue said Tuesday.

The firm, owned by Barclays Private Equity and a leader in processing duty-free purchases, said in a statement that in the 12 months to March it handled 16.3 million traveller transactions, up 29 %, and 5.7 million currency transactions, up 4.2 %.

Total transactions at 22 million were up 33 % combined, it said.

The company’s turnover rose 40 % to 325 million euros (US$458 million). Read more

Thomas Cook takes a plunge

LONDON, 13 July 2011 – Shares in British travel group Thomas Cook plunged 27% Tuesday after it issued a gloomy profits warning blamed on weak consumer sentiment and ongoing unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.

Thomas Cook’s share price collapsed by 27.14% to stand at 89.40 pence in London morning deals, as the group added that it would begin a wide-ranging strategic review of its struggling British division.

The firm said in a trading update that there would be an earnings shortfall in the third quarter, or three months to the end of June, which would leave its full-year profits behind previous company expectations. Read more

Tourists dodge bulls in Pamplona

PAMPLONA, 12 July 2011 – More than a thousand daredevils dodged fighting bulls in Spain’s San Fermin festival Monday, scores of them falling but only one needing hospital treatment.

A 29-year-man from Madrid suffered a large leg bruise after he stumbled and fell during the fifth of eight daily bull-runs in the northern city of Pamplona, organisers said.

It was the smallest number of injured in the bull-run in three years.

The six bulls and six steers with bells around their necks raced 846.6 metres through the cobbled streets from a pen to the bullring in just two minutes 33 seconds. One bull broke far ahead of the pack. Read more

Venice accommodation tax postponed

LONDON, 23 June 2011 – A move to introduce an accommodation tax on travellers staying in Venice was postponed, Wednesday, amidst banner waving protests led by residents who claimed the tax would ultimately add  to their own tax burden.

It is now unlikely that the tax can be approved until 23 August.

Local hotel associations also opposed the tax claiming tourism management in the city was a delicate balancing act.

The proposed tax is very similar to Florence’s (one euro, per star, per person, per night).

“This is an interesting development, even surprising, given that initially this vote was seen as a formality,” said Nick Greenfield, Head of Tour Operator Relations at ETOA, Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »