New ports of call in Europe for Viking cruises

VIKING cruises today announced the addition of two new itineraries and a variety of new pre- and post-cruise extensions to its river cruise offerings for 2019. 

Debuting in March 2019, the new 10-day Holland & Belgium itinerary will sail between Amsterdam and Antwerp, allowing guests to explore the inland waterways of the Low Countries and visit new ports of call for Viking: Rotterdam, Maastricht and Nijmegen.

Also, in commemoration of World War II and D-Day, Viking will offer a new 11-day cruisetour, Paris & D-Day 75th Anniversary, with two special departures that coincide with the June 6, 2019 anniversary. On this historic journey, guests will travel from London to the maritime city of Portsmouth before boarding their ship in Paris and sailing through Normandy, where they will visit and honor D-Day landing sites.


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Welcome to Britain

BRITAIN is packed full of amazing experiences all year round and 2019 is going to be no exception. From sporting events to literary celebrations, from music festivals to new gallery openings, visitors to #Britain during 2019 are in for a cultural extravaganza.

There is reassurance from both the UK Government and the European Commission that flights will continue to operate between the UK and the EU after the 29 March 2019 regardless of the wider #Brexit negotiations.

EU nationals will be able to continue to travel on ID cards until at least 2021. The expectations is that visitors who are citizens of current EU Member States and who have a valid passport will still to be able to use e-gates to make entry quick and easy. Visitors who are citizens of current EU member states will continue to be able to travel without a visa. Please check the UK government website for the latest advice.


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Celebrate in the Kings playground

KNOWN as the playground of the Kings of France, and remembered as the cradle of the French Renaissance, the #LoireValley will shine even brighter in 2019. The UNESCO World Heritage region will be celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the French Renaissance, which coincides with the anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death in #France. 

During the first year of Francois Ier's reign in 1515, and following his victory at Marignano, the French King met Leonardo Da Vinci. Awed by the genius, and by Italy's artistic and architectural renewal, France's great Renaissance king invited the artist to live in France. In 1516 (with the Mona Lisa, The Virgin and child with St. Anne and St. John the Baptist, all now at the Louvre Museum), Leonardo left Rome for Royal Amboise, settling at the Château du Clos Lucé, where he spent the last three years of his life.

The building of majestic Chateau de Chambord, whose staircase and design was inspired by Da Vinci's ideal city, began in 1519. This inspired later Renaissance gems like Chenonceau--of Catherine de Medici fame, Azay-le-Rideau, Valençay and Villandry. The program of events will include a large traveling digital show, an international architecture competition, banquets, and a wealth of exhibitions, including a virtual exhibit of Leonardo's 17 masterpieces at the Chateau du Clos Lucé. 


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Sweden:The Edible Country

TO highlight healthy and natural food available in nature, #Sweden, together with four Swedish Michelin-starred chefs, is launching The Edible Country - a 100-million-acre-DIY gourmet restaurant. The restaurant, with a menu created from ingredients found in Swedish nature, is free of charge and open for reservations.

In this new global initiative, Sweden is showing the world how easy and accessible healthy food can be. The Edible Country consists of a nine-course menu that visitors can prepare and cook themselves - in the wild. It is co-created by Swedish Michelin-starred chefs Titti Qvarnström, Niklas Ekstedt, Jacob Holmström and Anton Bjuhr.

As part of the initiative, seven handmade wooden tables have been placed across the country with ready-to-use kitchen kits and cooking tools. The tables are bookable between May and September through visitsweden.com/ediblecountry or bookatable.co.uk/theediblecountry


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Ryanair partnership takes off

RYANAIR, Europe’s No.1 airline, and SiteMinder, the global hotel industry’s leading guest acquisition platform, today announce a partnership to provide European hotels direct access to sell their properties on Ryanair Rooms. 

Ryanair Rooms is the only hotel booking website that gives hotel guests 10% of the hotel booking price back in flight credit, to use against Ryanair flights. The website is now available as a distribution channel to SiteMinder’s 30,000 hotel customers across #Europe and around the world, which can now offer their guests a new incentive to ‘Go Direct’.

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Explore the beauty of Prague

PRAGUE Airport, CzechTourism, Prague City Tourism and the tourism hub for Central Bohemia have launched an advertising campaign in New York.

The campaign aims to present #Prague and Central Bohemia in the US as an attractive and safe #destination and promote incoming tourism from the country.

The campaign to promote tourism in Prague and Central Bohemia includes approximately 1,000 advertising spaces on New York underground trains and 80 advertising spaces in the underground station on 53rd Street and 5th Avenue, right in the centre of Manhattan.

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Win an Exclusive Getaway in one of Marbella’s best retreats

TRAVEL lovers of Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook have the chance to win an exceptional two-night break at the stunning Jazmines & Moras Boutique Hotel in #Marbella, by entering a social media contest showcasing the luxury of experiencing nature.

The nature-inspired contest is accepting entries from 21st  December to 22nd February 2019 and is open to all travel lovers and bloggers who love sharing content on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. The six winners will be selected based on their entries and experiences of capturing the luxury of hotels and the enjoyment of travelling. The sights, scents, tastes and feels of the environment, anywhere in the world.

This gives an opportunity for all kinds of travel lovers to be creative with their social sharing. The most creative presentation on different social media will have the best chance to win this contest.

Travel bloggers and aspiring influencers who want to win the two-nights luxury accommodation at the Jazmines & Moras boutique hotel will mention @jazminesymoras on their story, post their photo and text entry along with the hashtag #iwantmymarbellaexperience, then simply register their name, email and social media profile at www.jazminesymoras.com



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Where will you be ringing in the New Year?

TOKYO, Paris and New York City are the top destinations to ring in 2019 according to Agoda, one of the world's fastest growing online travel agents (OTA), with more than a third more people opting to getaway to celebrate on New Year's Eve.

A top ten destination for many markets globally and number one for Chinese and Singaporean travelers, Tokyo's appeal continues with a jam-packed itinerary of concerts, parades and light shows making it the perfect destination to cast off the old and welcome in the #NewYear.

It's no wonder Paris, boasting endless themed parties, New Year countdowns at popular landmarks and shows for the whole family, has secured the top spot for travel in Europe. The "City of Love" is a top ten for their British neighbors as well as travelers from Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The ball drop at Times Square in New York City is one of the most iconic and star-driven celebrations of New Year's Eve in the world, so it comes as no surprise that New York City is the top North American destination for travelers globally and number two for Americans traveling domestically.


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Poland's only signature golf course to celebrate in 2019

MODRY LAS Golf Club has rounded off an impressive record-breaking season that has laid the groundwork for a special anniversary year in 2019. With bookings up and new facilities taking shape, the Gary Player-designed course will celebrate its 10th anniversary in style. 

The Polish resort, which was officially opened by Player in 2009, has collected a host of international awards during its first decade in operation. Now in its ninth year, Poland’s only signature course recorded a 20% increase in associated accommodation bookings and a similar hike in stay-and-play packages.

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Apulia & Salento Food & Wine Tours

IN today’s era, food and wine tours are the most attractive element of the tourism experience. Outside dining is common among tourists and the tasty food is supposed to rank alongside climate, accommodation, and scenery. Keeping all that points in mind, Italy Luxury Tours step forward to offer you the best food & wine tours to the famous cities of #Italy which are Apulia & Salento.

Food and wine tour to Apulia and Salento for 7 nights/8 days operated by Italy Luxury Tours have brought together the best local food collectives to give an amazing experience in and around this ancient Italy towns. As everyone knows that Apulia is a region whose symbolic side is the balance of foods and wines deriving both from land and sea, so this #foodandwine tours offered by Italy Luxury Tours will let you refine your senses for delicious wine and foods.

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News from Top French Cities

WHILE the Top French Cities of Orleans and Tours celebrate the French Renaissance year round, mark your calendars for these upcoming developments:

In late March the city of Saint-Etienne will hold its 11th Design Biennial, curated by American Lisa White.

Starting April 27, 2019 and through early December, the great Northern city of Lille will be effervescent —indoors and out—with contemporary art exhibits, installations and other events. A great open-air kick-off will launch "Eldorado: Lille 3000," a huge citywide fete held every three years.

Lille will also host March 13 to June 11, 2019 a major Giacometti retrospective featuring over 150 works at its Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Sports fans must know by now that France will be hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup from June 7 to July 7 in 9 cities. Six of the 9 host stadiums are in the Top French Cities: Grenoble, Le Havre, Montpellier, Nice, Reims, and Rennes; from which of course the French team will try to match their male counterparts and win. 

Elegant Montpellier will welcome a new contemporary art center in July which will be known as Le MoCo.

Nice will be now be accessible via direct flights from New York on La Compagnie from May through October.


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Get into the holiday spirit

GET in to a different type of holiday spirit and start plotting their summer escape now as British Airways launches new routes from Heathrow to Ljubljana in Slovenia and Montpellier in France.

Seats to Slovenia’s capital are available to book on ba.com from today with flights taking off on Mondays and Fridays from July 15 through to September 2, 2019. Fares start from £63.00 one-way* in Euro Traveller.

Situated on France’s southern coast, Montpellier will be served with a four-per-week schedule, departing on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from July 15 through to September 2 also. Fares start from £38.00 per person one-way.

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On the rails . . .

AUSTRALIAN owned International Rail has just launched its new live booking system for rail systems in UK and Europe, allowing agents to book trains instantly for their clients. Available for trains in the UK, Europe, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, as well as popular intercountry services such as Eurostar and overnight trains; the website will connect directly to the European reservations systems, managing director Jonathan Hume said.
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Up in the air . . .

LATAM Airlines, Latin America’s leading airline, has announced that it will commence a non-stop service to Munich (Germany) from São Paulo on 25 June 2019 with tickets now on sale. LATAM will operate four weekly flights using Boeing 767 aircraft with capacity for 191 passengers in Economy and 30 in Premium Business.

The Bavarian capital will become LATAM’s second destination in Germany after Frankfurt and its ninth European city. Located north of the Alps, Munich is a leading centre for business, art, education, sports and tourism. Home to leading multinational companies, an internationally renowned football team and the annual Oktoberfest beer festival, it attracts both tourists and business travellers from around the world.

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Top Christmas Destination

HAVING been named the world’s number one Christmas city, #Helsinki is more than ready for another festive holiday season. The unique appeal of the Finnish capital is obvious also during the Christmas season, the warm atmosphere, fun activities, stunning nature and other Christmas elements are described in detail on the MyHelsinki.fi website. 

Helsinki has been highlighted as a top destination this Christmas by numerous international media outlets, The Guardian listed Helsinki has one of Europe’s best Christmas getaway destinations. Christmas in Helsinki is a mix of new and old traditions. A Christmas atmosphere is guaranteed all the way from late November through to Epiphany at the start of the New Year. The holiday season is rounded off by the popular Lux Helsinki light festival, which presents brilliant light art throughout the city centre from 5 to 9 January 2019.

The most anticipated architectural grand opening of the year takes place around Finnish Independence Day at the start of December, when the internationally acclaimed Helsinki Central Library Oodi opens to the public. The grand opening programme includes dance, music and theatre performances over two days on 5 and 6 December.

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Up in the air . . .

IN October 2018, the Lufthansa Group airlines welcomed around 13.2 million passengers. This shows an increase of nine percent compared to the previous year’s month. The available seat kilometres were up 8.9 percent over the previous year, at the same time, sales increased by 9.4 percent.

The Network Airlines including Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS and Austrian Airlines carried around 9.6 million passengers in October – 7.4 percent more than in the prior-year period. The strongest passenger growth of the network airlines was recorded at Vienna hub followed by Zurich.

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Travel to Puglia with your morning brew

PUGLIA'S official tourist board has launched a new marketing campaign in association with London based advertising agency CupTheMarket. 150,000 thirsty Londoners will sip their morning brew in Puglia-branded paper cups which will be distributed from 50 coffee shops across the Capital’s zones one and two.

The fully compostable cups will feature captivating designs recalling iconic Apulian landmarks. The Trulli, the countryside, the sea and cactuses are all represented under the strap line ‘#Puglia travel therapy, grab your cup of happiness’. In between City meetings or whilst enjoying their lunch in Hyde Park, potential visitors will be able to link directly to the Tourist board’s landing page through a unique QR code printed on the eco-friendly cups.

A number of cafés will also distribute leaflets inviting customers to snap a selfie with their Puglia paper cups and post it on Instagram using the #weareinpuglia hashtag, with prizes on offer for the best shots.



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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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Portfolio expansion for Exceptional Villas

LEADING luxury villa rental provider, Exceptional Villas announced today that they have further expanded their portfolio across many new markets in #Europe for the 2019 season. The company which are also considered to be one of the most trusted #villas rental companies in the world have added luxury vacation rentals in Ibiza, Mallorca, Italy, Greece and the Greek Islands, France and Italy.

#Italy is the company's most popular European destination. The country has some of the world's most beautiful cities such as Florence, Venice, Rome, Sienna and Milan as well as the beautiful hilltop villages of Tuscany, gorgeous vineyards, the majestic Italian Alps, Italian Islands such as Capri and the stunningly beautiful Amalfi Coast.

It is a country that has something for everyone with properties to suit all tastes and all budgets too. Exceptional Villas expects to see a large increase in visitors travelling to Italy this year, especially from its US clientele.

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Cornwall to Copenhagen

SCANDINAVIA'S leading airline, SAS, has today announced that it will introduce operations from Cornwall Airport Newquay in 2019.

The airline’s inaugural route from the Airport will link Cornwall directly with Copenhagen, with flights operating Mondays and Fridays over the peak summer season (commencing 28 June 2019).

The new service not only opens a direct link between Cornwall and #Denmark, but also allows for passengers to connect onto a network of over 70 onward destinations in Europe, Asia and North America via a seamless transfer in #Copenhagen, including other popular European cities such as Oslo and Stockholm.



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