Practical Paris

FOR several years, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau has been active on the subject of accessibility, leading dedicated workshops and raising awareness among Parisian tourism professionals who are seeking to improve the welcome they offer to their visitors. Helping all visitors to enjoy and explore the French capital they have published the 2019-2020 version of its dedicated brochure Accessible Paris.

This practical 28-page guide provides visitors with everything they need to know on how to get to and around #Paris, where to stay, and also where to find adapted places for entertainment. It is also a source of information for #accessible cultural attractions and recreational activities, and suggests a sightseeing itinerary adapted to wheelchair users. The rich content of this new edition provides an increased number of accessible activities for everyone to discover.

Available in French and in English, at the Tourist Office’s information point, at City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), it is also available on request in large print or in (French) braille. In addition, it can be consulted and downloaded on the website PARISINFO.COM, in the rubric ‘Practical/Visiting Paris with a disability’.


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History Creates Tourism

WORLD Tourism Day 2019 will be celebrated on September 27 and Cambodia and Djibouti have won the honor to be global examples in the tourism and cultural world for 2019, according to a string of key decisions for tourism and culture future in 2019 taken by the global tourism institutions.

Phnom Penh, the capital of Kingdom of Cambodia and Djibouti city, the capital of The Republic of Djibouti were selected as the official model cities for World Tourism Day celebrations and official hosts of global tourism events.

Both Djibouti and Phnom Penh where in previous years selected as World`s Capital of Culture and Tourism and globally recognized as centers of heritage, tourism and culture.

The  theme was decided to be History and Tourism: A symbiotic relationship!, destined not only to enliven tourism during 2019, but also to emphasize that tourism is inextricably linked with historical legacy.

History is the main attraction that is creating tourism demand and visitors expectation is linked with the existence of historical and cultural heritage.



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Helsinki and Lyon Awarded Titles of 2019 European Capitals of Smart Tourism

HELSINKI and Lyon the winners of the first edition of the European Capital of Smart Tourism competition were awarded their titles yesterday, November 7 at a ceremony in Brussels, on the occasion of the European Tourism Day.Cities of more than 100.000 inhabitants were eligible in the first edition of this competition, 38 cities from 19 EU Member States applied.In addition, four cities received 2019 European Smart Tourism Awards for their outstanding achievements in the four categories of the competition: Málaga (Accessibility), Ljubljana (Sustainability), Copenhagen (Digitalisation) and Linz (Cultural Heritage & Creativity).

The European Capital of Smart Tourism is a new EU initiative, based on a proposal from the European Parliament, which secured its funding for 2018 - 2019 through a Preparatory Action. The initiative seeks to strengthen tourism-generated innovative development in EU cities and their surroundings, increase their attractiveness as well as strengthen economic growth and job creation.

To celebrate their success, Helsinki and Lyon have planned an exciting schedule of activities for 2019. For example, Helsinki will be launching a smart city guidance pilot scheme, making use of collaborative work with businesses and digital tools to create a smarter way to guide people in the city. Lyon's representatives will be travelling the globe for shows, press meetings and special events to inform new audiences about the city's smart opportunities.

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European Capital of Smart Tourism nominees

A new EU initiative aims to promote smart tourism in the EU, foster innovative, sustainable and inclusive tourism development, as well as spread and facilitate the exchange of best practices. The European Capital of Smart Tourism initiative recognises outstanding achievements in four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation as well as cultural heritage and creativity, by European cities as tourism destinations.

The following cities have been shortlisted as finalists in the competition for the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2019 are:

Brussels (Belgium), Helsinki (Finland), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Lyon (France), Málaga (Spain), Nantes (France), Palma (Spain), Poznań (Poland), Tallinn (Estonia), and Valencia (Spain).


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Stockholm: A city for all

STOCKHOLM, the Swedish capital situated on 14 small islands, is famous for its closeness to nature, booming tech-scene, gender-fluid fashion, colorful LGBT community and the Nobel prize. The one thing that really makes the city stand out internationally is its progressive values: #Stockholm is a city for all.

In the spirit of openness, the city’s tourism board, Visit Stockholm, has come together with its national counter-part Visit Sweden, to publish an open letter addressed to “lovers, haters and hesitators”. The open letter is the city’s way of welcoming the global public to a city built on the idea of an inclusive and open society with democracy at its core.

The ‘Open Letter’ is published on www.visitstockholm.com/open-letter and on social media, and is accompanied by a https://youtu.be/AyF3rs9Q5ks shot in Stockholm last August. The video features real tourists live casted on the streets of Stockholm, and marks the start of the city’s effort to both show and communicate the values of the Swedish capital.

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Radisson Blu to embrace the heart of Venice

NOMINATED as the European Capital of Culture in 2019, #Venice is home to the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world; it draws more than 500,000 visitors to its bi-annual International Art Exhibition. Venice is also home to La Fenice theater and one of the oldest film festivals and carnivals.

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has signed a long-term management agreement of a canal-side hotel in the inner part of Venice’s San Marco district, just steps from renowned Saint Mark’s Square. The Radisson Blu Hotel, Venice San Marco is expected to open by the end of 2019.

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On the runway . . .

BRITISH Airways is to launch new routes from London City Airport to three European capitals, Paris, Prague and Reykjavik, in October.

The new services to the three popular cities will mean British Airways will fly to 30 destinations from London City this winter.

The Orly flights are being transferred to London City Airport from Heathrow, offering customers a choice of two London airports from Paris. Flights to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris will continue to operate from Heathrow.

It will be the fifth French route served by British Airways from the Docklands airport. The launch of Prague and Reykjavik routes will be the first time British Airways has flown to the Czech Republic or Iceland from London City.


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Best time to book your European city break for Spring 2017

WITH spring around the corner, there is no better time than now to start planning your next city getaway.

For the third year in a row city trips came in as second-favourite holiday for Brits, right after a beach trip. “In our global international travel study, we saw that 43% of Brits are planning a city break this year”, says Neil James Cartwright, momondo’s spokesperson.

10 most popular city break destinations among Brits this year according to Momondo.

1. Glasgow
2. Lisbon    
3. Amsterdam                              
4. Barcelona                              
5. Rome                                      
6. Reykjavik                              
7. Budapest                              
8. Porto                                      
9. Copenhagen                            

10. Venice                                

Travel stats around European city trips:

• With 43% of Brits planning a city break this year, this type of holiday comes in second favourite right after a beach trip

• For more than a fourth of Brits it is most important to save money on plane tickets

• The cheapest fares can be found 56 days in advance

• Book your trip in time and you can achieve an average saving of up to 39%

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Spring into these top cities

SPRING guides to Barcelona, Berlin, Istanbul, London, Moscow, New York, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Sydney, and Tokyo are available now at www.seasonalcities.com.

The guides, written by resident travel journalists and updated every season, are an insider's edit of top fives (sights, events, shops, restaurants, bars and clubs, and hotels), and they provide three-day weather forecasts for each of the cities. 

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Picture Credit: Cherry Blossom in Paris</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

Book city tours online

A BESPOKE tour guide service has been launched online. London-based Touriocity specializes in offering private, tailor-made tours in 50+ cities across the world. 

Alex Grant, founder and CEO of Touriocity, says: ‘I used to work as a tour guide in Rome, so I know how having an expert take you round a city can be a really special experience and a highlight of your trip. I wanted to open this up, so that a private tour with an expert is something that everyone who is 'travel curious' can enjoy.

‘It was also important to me to offer a boutique online service. So with Touriocity you can take control and design and create your perfect private tour online before you set off on your travels. You know you will see the sights you want to see, when you want to see them, with a friendly expert guide.’

If the customer, he adds, is not sure what they want to see, Touriocity will suggest a tour of the main sights in the city. Touriocity employs guides who are experts on the cities in which they work.  One of the guides in Rome has a PhD in Archaeology and has dug at some of the sights in the city.   

www.touriocity.com

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Ryanair beefs up Berlin winter schedules

RYANAIR has launched its biggest ever #Berlin winter 2016 schedule, with 15 new routes - to Budapest, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Lisbon, Manchester, Rzeszow (Poland), Seville, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Timisoara (Romania), Toulouse, Vilnius, Malta, and Pisa. They will help to support 3,500 jobs as Ryanair doubles its Berlin Schonefeld operation. 

German consumers and visitors can choose from 39 Berlin routes this winter.

Ryanair will continue to connect Berlin with Europe’s major centres of business, including London (4 daily), and Barcelona (2 daily).

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Paris wins top spot in best-city survey

#PARIS has pushed London off the top spot to win back the number one place as the highest rated city in 2015, out of a total of 50 cities. Sydney, which had been in the top three since 2011, falls back to fourth place, overtaken by New York as well as Paris. 

These are the findings of the latest Anholt-GfK City Brands Index, a bi-annual study conducted in September of last year, two months before the terrorist murders in Paris.

Simon Anholt, creator of the Index, says: ‘Our survey was conducted before the November attacks in Paris, but if past experience is anything to go by, such attacks do not change people's perceptions of the city in any significant or long-lasting way. There may be a temporary change in people's behaviour towards Paris, but the attacks do not affect the reasons why people might admire the city's beauty, cultural life, opportunities, etc. and this is what index measures.’

The study evaluates the power and appeal of each city's image, giving a holistic and detailed perspective based on six key dimensions: Presence (the city's international status and standing); Place (its physical outdoors aspect and transport); Prerequisites (basic requirements, such as affordable accommodation and the standard of public amenities); People (friendliness, cultural diversity, how safe one feels); Pulse (interesting things to do); and Potential (the economic and educational opportunities available).

Those top cities …

• Paris 
• London 
• New York 
• Sydney 
• Los Angeles 
• Rome 
• Berlin 
• Amsterdam 
• Melbourne 
• Washington DC

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Picture Credit: By Benh LIEU SONG - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

London by sunset

The London Helicopter Company is launching a series of sunset tours from early January 2016.

For the first time – and for six weeks only – company will be taking to the #London skies as the sun goes down, giving passengers a bird’s eye view of some of the city’s iconic sights and bright lights coming to life as the evening draws in.

The tours begin on January 8 and are available on a Friday or Saturday until February 13. In early January, the dusk flights will depart at approximately 4pm for a 4.12pm sunset, pushing back each week until February 13, when the flight will depart at approximately 5pm for a 5.11pm sunset.

The London Sights tour at sunset costs £1,000 for six people and takes passengers from Battersea to the London Wetland Centre in Barnes and then east to Canary Wharf, with highlights along the way including Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe, London’s bridges, the financial district, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and The Shard..

The London Max tour at sunset costs £1,500 for six people and gives longer in the air, taking passengers from Battersea out west to the Son House past Tw Ickenham and then back east as far as Thames Barrier.

www.thelondonhelicopter.com

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Top cities for shopping

EXPEDIA has compiled a list of the world’s top 25 travel destinations for shopping.

Based on data that includes blogger recommendations, visitor numbers, value for money, and friendliness.

The top four in the list are New York, Berlin, Los Angeles, and London, while Edinburgh comes in No.20

The complete list is:

1. New York 
2. Berlin
3. Los Angeles 
4. London 
5. Kuala Lumpur 
6. Tokyo
7. Singapore 
8. Istanbul 
9. Paris 
10. Madrid 
11. Sao Paulo 
12. Bangkok 
13. San Francisco
14. Dubai 
15. Milan 
16. Rome 
17. Hong Kong 
18. Seoul 
19. Marrakech 
20. Edinburgh 
21. Melbourne 
22. Vienna 
23. Cape Town 
24. Amsterdam
25. Bucharest 

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48411817@N04/11327286036">2013 Holiday Train - Midway Station</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">(license)

London visitor numbers hit record levels

LONDON’S draw as a tourism magnet continued in the second quarter of this year, with a 6% rise in foreign visitors to a record 5.1 million. Tourist spending in the UK capital over the same period was £3.2 billion, up 8% on the April to June period last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

The latest figures mean that the number of overseas visitors to #London has risen by 22.5% over the past five years.

The UK-wide picture was also positive, with 9.9 million international visitors to the three-month period, a rise of 5% year-on-year.

Overall tourist spending across the UK was £5.8 billion, a 7% increase compared with the second quarter of 2014.

The latest figures follow on from a record-breaking 2014 when London attracted 17.4 million overseas visitors, spending £11.8 billion.

Overseas visitor arrivals in London are forecast to reach 18.82 million this year, putting the city ahead of Bangkok and Paris.

London mayor Boris Johnson said: ‘These numbers prove that our great capital is without a doubt the best place on earth to visit. People come from around the world to experience our unique mix of history, culture, shopping, and world-class events.

London will add another major event to its calendar in January … a free outdoor light festival, Lumiere London.

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Boom for Berlin tourism

#BERLIN continues to grow in popularity with international #tourists guests. The number of nights spent in the German capital by foreign guests increased by 8.5% in the first half of 2015.

More than 5.8 million guests visited Berlin in the first six months of the year.

Cornelia Yzer, Berlin senator for Economics, Technology and Research: ‘Berlin once again has surpassed tourism records in year-over-year statistics in the first half 2015. It remains one of the world's fastest-growing cities in the tourism business. The high growth, especially among international guests, shows that we have been able to establish the German capital internationally as a tourist destination and have increased the attractiveness of Berlin in new markets.’

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Picture Credit: Berliner Dom Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

London ranked as world's top travel destination

#LONDON has been rated as the world’s most popular travel destination, ahead of Bangkok, Paris, Dubai, and Istanbul.

The UK capital will attract this year 18.82 million international overnight visitors who will spend a total of £13.3 billion, according to the annual #MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index, which puts the city in top place for the fifth time in seven years. 

New York drops out of the top five with 12.27 million visitors.

The index ranks the 132 most visited cities around the world

The MasterCard report predicts a 6% rise in international overnight visitors to London in 2015 and a 2.3% increase in spending, compared to last year, underlining the city’s dominance as a global hub for international business and tourism and a gateway to the rest of the country.


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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/72739078@N00/137584366">P1080218</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)