Tasmania tees off for golf tourism

TASMANIA has been named the ‘undiscovered golf destination of the year’ by International Association Of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). 

Chief executive of Tourism Tasmania, John Fitzgerald, said the accolade acknowledged the island state’s growing world-class golf offering.

‘Recent developments have certainly raised awareness of Tasmania as a golfing destination. However, I believe it is our incredible natural features, heritage, world-class produce, wines, beers and whiskies, and the welcoming and engaging nature of our people, that have elevated our island’s status as a golfing destination that surpasses every serious golfer’s expectations.’

IAGTO’s chief executive Peter Walton added: ‘Tasmania richly deserves being named Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year in the 2016 IAGTO Awards. To earn such an accolade is no mean feat. The winner is voted for by members of the International Golf Travel Writers Association, which is administered by IAGTO. There are more than 200 members in 36 countries around the world, and these are journalists who are at the cutting edge of golf tourism trends. Where they go, golf travellers follow, spurred on by the prospect of discovering a new gem after reading about it in respected golf publications or online.

‘Tasmania is now well and truly on the global golfing map thanks to this award and I am sure it will result in an increase in golfers from other parts of the world wanting to play the lush fairways and greens of this pristine island.’ he said.

Tasmania’s windswept King Island is also positioning itself as a world-class golfing destination with the opening this month (October) of the Cape Wickham Golf Course.  The Ratho Links Course – laid out by Scottish emigrants in 1822 – is another drawcard for Tasmania. 

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Picture Credit: "Blick ueber Great Oyster Bay zur Freycinet Peninsula". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Make-over for Ayers Rock holiday apartments

AYERS ROCK RESORT'S self-catering accommodation, Emu Walk Apartments, has been refurbished with a modern indigenous-inspired design.

All 63 apartments have undergone a total internal make-over.

ayersrockresort.com.au/emu

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Carnival time on Grand Bahama

THE three-day Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival on Grand Bahama Island starts on May 7. 

In Nassau harbour and on Junkanoo Beach, the carnival comprises concerts, cultural events, and street parades.

http://bahamasjunkanoocarnival.com




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Lighten up in Sydney

VIVID SYDNEY is set to shine even more brightly this year, when the world's largest festival of light, music, and ideas delivers its biggest programme yet. 

For 18 nights, from May 22 to June 8, Vivid Sydney will transform the city and harbour. The 2015 program includes expansion into new city precincts – Chatswood and Central Park – its biggest ever music programme, and heavy-hitting speakers at Vivid Ideas.

Destination NSW chief executive officer Sandra Chipchase says: ‘Vivid Sydney is an incredible public event that has seen amazing growth, attracting a record 1.43 million attendees in 2014. It's the largest festival of its kind in the world, and with our biggest programme yet, there's even more to love about Vivid Sydney this year.

‘Favourite locations Circular Quay, Walsh Bay, Martin Place, and Darling Harbour are back with more than 60 light installations and projections, and more water theatre shows – this time with lasers and fire.’

www.vividsydney.com

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Picture Credit: "Vivid in Reverse (14780884779)" by jeremyg3030 via Wikimedia Commons; Courtesy of www.vividsydney.com/media-centre

5th boom year for Caribbean tourists ..

.. record numbers for the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, and Aruba.

TOURISM to the Caribbean saw its fifth year of growth in 2014, with a record number of visitors and spend. The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) says a record 26.3 million holidaymakers visited the islands in 2014, up 1.3 million on 2013. 

The growth was faster than the region had anticipated, and it came with a record spend of US$29.2 billion (£19.1 billion).

UK numbers were up by 12%, helped by increased flights to the region and more confidence in the economy. 

The Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, and Aruba set their own tourism records in the year (making up 45% of arrivals), while St. Lucia, Belize - from the mouth of St, Herman's cave pictured, and Haiti also posted record overnight levels.

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Picture Credit: "Hotel nacional habana". Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons; "St Hermans Cave Belize" by Yourexhalekiss - Own work.via Wikimedia Commons.

Capital maps

THE attractions in Martinique’s capital town, Fort-de-France, can be found on self-guided audio tour maps, available for rent from the town’s tourism office.

‘With these new maps, visitors from around the world are able to easily find and enjoy Fort-de-France’s attractions and charms without getting lost in translation,’ says Muriel Wiltord, Director Americas for The Martinique Promotion Bureau.

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Picture Credit: "Sunset in Martinique 2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons; "Fort de France 2". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Go on … treat yourself!

THE normal rental rate for the beach-front Villa Gajah Putih on Bali is a mere US$4,000 (£2,570) … that’s for one, whole night. 

The very good news for zillionaires is that it’s being cut to a paltry $2,000 stays until March 31. 

Gosh, what a bargain!

For this you get seven air-conditioned bedrooms, “unique” ironwood floors, views of the ocean or lush gardens, en-suite bathrooms of floor-to-wall marble, a tennis court, and a swimming pool.

Did I mention the more than 20 “discreet staff” including a personal butler from 7am until 10pm daily, and a personal chef?

For more information on availability and special rates, contact - reservations@semararesorts.com

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Picture Credit: semararesorts.com

St. Kitts & Nevis targets Britain

ST. KITTS & NEVIS tourism officials have concluded a promotional drive in the UK, aimed at raising the profile of the destination.

Minister of Tourism & International Transport Richard Skerritt says: ‘St. Kitts & Nevis offer something very special to the consumer who is seeking an authentic island experience complemented by a desire for luxury.’

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Picture Credit: "Nevis 2008" by Brian Tibbets Btibbets via Wikimedia Commons

Find the real Caribbean on Tobago

THE Tobago Travel Guide highlights what the island has to offer in terms of culture, food, wildlife, and nature.

Responsibletravel.com managing director, Justin Francis, says: ‘Despite its size, Tobago is setting a real example to other Caribbean destinations in terms of responsible, authentic tourism. With insider tips, podcasts and expert advice from Tobagonians, our travel guide gives tourists a chance to discover that a Caribbean holiday can be much more enriching than just a traditional beach break’.

Taken from the guide, responsibletravel.com gives ten reasons to visit Tobago. Here are some of them:

Board a boat: Its cove-filled coastline and outlying Little Tobago and Goat Islands, are best explored from the water, giving tourists a chance to be a real pirate of the Caribbean.

World-class underwater wildlife: Jacques Cousteau rated Tobago’s Buccoo Reef as the third most spectacular reef in the world, so it’s not surprising that the island has some of the best diving in the Caribbean.

Turtle time: Discover some of the Caribbean’s most secretive residents. 

Hawksbill and endangered giant Leatherback turtles lay their eggs on Tobago’s Caribbean shores, around Courland Bay, Grafton Beach and Mt Irvine Back Bay from March to September each year.

Roam the rainforest: The Main Ridge Forest Reserve has protected the island’s trees and main source of freshwater since 1776, when it was a pioneer of conservation. 

Now visitors can roam the 10,000 acres of untouched rainforest in search of armadillos, hummingbirds, peccaries and iguanas.

Local recipes over international imports: Island cuisine is stubbornly local and often the only option served.

Hail local heritage: With home-grown festivals across the island each month, there’s no escaping traditional Caribbean culture on Tobago. The Tobago Heritage Festival, each July and August, parades its way around the island, with individual communities showcasing their own cultural highlights.

Delve into history: The English, Dutch, and French have fought over Tobago, and its colonial history has shaped the island today. Heritage festivals and forts tell some stories, but the best tales are those told by the Tobagonians themselves.

www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/tobago/travel-guide

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Picture Credit: "Castara Village Beach" Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons; "Tobago-sunset" by Reinhard Jahn via Wikimedia Commons;  'Leatherback LEVIATHAN' by Steve Garvie - Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland via Wikimedia Commons

Caribbean’s top five

RESONANCE CONSULTANCY has benchmarked the quality of Caribbean tourist destinations based on the ratings and reviews published by travellers on social media channels, combined with core statistics for factors such as crime and flight access.

‘Traditional measures of success – numbers of visitors and the spending they generate – don’t tell destination marketing and management organizations the whole story,’ says Chris Fair, president of Resonance Consultancy. ‘Looking through a supply-side lens helps destinations better understand their strengths from their visitors’ perspective, and identifies areas for improvement based on benchmarking against their competitors.’

Its report ranks Caribbean destinations in 12 areas, including accommodation, attractions and amusements, food, culture, and shopping. 

The top five Caribbean destinations with the most quality tourism products and experiences per visitor are:

1. Turks and Caicos

2. Barbados

3. Trinidad & Tobago

4. Martinique

5. Anguilla

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Picture Credit: 'Beaches - Turks and Caicos' by Captain-tucker (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons; "Revellers Wine at Trinidad Carnival" by Jean-Marc /Jo BeLo/Jhon-John from Caracas, Venezuela via Wikimedia Commons

London office to lead Falkland Isles tourism push

THE Falkland Islands Tourist Board has announced plans to open a London office next year.

The tourism board is also planning to recruit a director of international communications to lead promotion and marketing of the islands in the UK, US and emerging markets.

Says the board’s managing director, Tony Mason: ‘Having a strong base in the United Kingdom and continuing to develop partnerships in the United States and with emerging markets will ensure the message gets out that the Falkland Islands are truly the most beautiful and unspoilt nature and wildlife offering in the world.’

UK visitor arrivals are expected to reach 3,000 this year, up 20% on 2013.

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Picture Credit: From Top: "Falkland Islands Penguins 40" by Ben Tubby - flickr.com. via Wikimedia Commons; "Pot Stanley Cathedral" via Wikimedia Commons

Holidays with a very big difference … Welcome to North Korea!

IT has a notorious reputation as one the most oppressive states on the planet, but leisure trips to see the isolated, Communist North Korea are being promoted.

If you want to run in the Pyongyang Marathon next April, ski on North Korea’s uncrowded mountain slopes, or visit ancient temples, then Experience North Korea has the holiday for you. 

Founded three years ago, Experience North Korea works with travel agencies and tour operators around the world to offer North Korean tours.

The company’s North Korea’s holidays begin and end in Beijing, where customers obtain their visas, and flights to Pyongyang are with Air Koryo or Air China. Other travellers can arrive on flights from Vladivostok.

Experience North Korea’s website has a helpful list of do’s and don’ts – mostly the latter – for intrepid visitors about to visit the country which, says Human Rights Watch, has one of the world’s worst human rights records.

• Do prepare for your journey by appropriately educating yourself about North Korea, so that you understand what kind of country you are going to visit. 
• Do behave with respect to the regime and more importantly to its leaders … don’t insult the leaders publicly… this is crucial for good relations with the tour guides.
• Do win the trust of your guides during the first few days by being friendly, respectful, and always asking what you can take pictures of and what you cannot. In return the guides will give you more flexibility during your trip.
• Don’t go to North Korea if you are a journalist or a photographer … this can seriously mean trouble for you and your guides.
• Don’t insult the leaders publicly, this might not only get you in trouble but it will for sure ruin your relationship with the guides who are the gatekeepers of your visit.
• Don’t travel unescorted or try to sneak out of the hotel at night without authorization.
• Don’t abuse or constantly question the rules that are explained to you. The rules are fixed and are not at the tour guide’s decisions.

If you’re tempted, go to http://experiencenorthkorea.com

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Picture Credit: 'Pyongyang Arch of Triumph' by Kok Leng Yeo from Singapore via Wikimedia Commons

The marathon of fun

MARATHON runners from across the world are set to descend on Negril, Jamaica, for 26.2 miles of fun … also known as the Reggae Marathon.

Taking place on December 6, it’s expected that 3,000 runners will take part.

Competitors can take on the ultimate 26.2 mile challenge, a half marathon, or a 10km race and compete for US $10,000 (£6,200) in prize money.

All of the races start and finish at Long Bay Beach Park on Negril's famed Seven Mile Beach.

UK tour operators such as Thomson, First Choice and Virgin Holidays offer a range of accommodation and holiday options that will appeal to runners and those who like their holidays a little more laid-back.

www.reggaemarathon.com

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Picture Credit - From Top: reggaemarathon.com; 'Rasta rules' by Bruno Henrique Baruta Barreto from Curitiba, Brasil, upload by Herrick (Paz de Jah) via Wikimedia Commons

Aruba tourism booms

TOURISM in Aruba expanded in the first half of 2014 at one of the strongest rates in the Caribbean region.

Latest statistics from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation showed a 5.3 percent growth for the six months to June, compared to the same period in 2013. 

The island – a Dutch colony – welcomed almost 490,000 tourists.


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Picture Credit: Centre of Oranjestad, Aruba via Wikimedia Commons

‘Come to Britain’ call to Columbians

A DELEGATION of UK tourism businesses joined VisitBritain and UKinbound recently for a multi-city tourism roadshow in Colombia to promote Britain as a tourist destination.

VisitBritain’s Nurture Market project fosters links with emerging markets in which the tourism agency does not currently have a physical presence. The number of visits from Colombia to Britain – 24,000 in 2013 – is currently small, but the market is growing.   

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Picture Credit: Google Maps

Top nosh on the Cayman Isles

THIS winter holiday makers can enjoy Caymanian cuisine with two food festivals taking place on Grand Cayman throughout January and February 2015.

• From January 15^th- 18^th, foodies can join Chef Eric Ripert, at the exciting Cayman Cookout, for a weekend celebrating the food, wine and natural beauty of the Caribbean. A roster of famous chefs, wine experts and spirits blenders will offer tastings, demonstrations, tours, and dinners.

• On Saturday February 7, the annual Taste of Cayman Food & Wine Festival will be held at Camana Bay. Taste of Cayman began in the late 80's with a small number of Cayman restaurateurs meeting in a field to compete in a Chili Cook Off, and has since grown to see more than 45 restaurants and distributors participating in an open air event that attracts thousands of visitors.

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Picture Credit: Seven_Mile_Beach_2006.jpg: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Burtonpe derivative work: Massimo Telò [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Travel matters.............

MONTEGO BAY, the second city of Jamaica, now has a cultural centre. Formerly the Montego Bay Civic Centre, it has an art gallery, museum, space for the performing arts, a bistro, an artisan village, and a gift shop.

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Picture Credit: Montego Bay, Jamaica - by WPPilot via Wikimedia Commons

Falklands;’ tourist numbers on the up

THE Falkland Islands are expected to see an 18.7% increase in tourists this year. Figures from the islands’ tourist board suggest that it expects 5,600 more visitors this year, reaching 59,000.

Port Stanley, Falkland Islands By Liam Quinn via Wikimedia Commons

The number of tourists from Britain is set to top 3,000, up 20% on last year. Tourism spend this year is expected to reach more than £9.1 million.

In the first quarter of the year, leisure arrivals increased by almost 25%, with UK numbers up 20% to 1, 220.

King Penguins, West Falkland 

By Ben Tubby via Wikimedia Commons

Tony Mason, managing director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board said: ‘We have even more to offer since introducing the successful accommodation accreditation programme last year, which has raised the bar in the calibre of places to stay. The refurbished Jetty Visitor Centre is also proving a welcome pit-stop for cruise travellers.’

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Celebrate on Samoa

A CELEBRATION of Samoan and Polynesian culture, the Teuila Festival (August 25-September 6) is an annual event now in its 24th year, with activities and shows held across the country.

Visitors will experience Samoan dance, arts, gastronomy, and traditional tattooing.

The festival is named after the red teuila, the national flower of Samoa.

www.teuilafestivalsamoa.com

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Island on the move

NEW tourism developments on St. Kitts in the Caribbean include the opening of the SALT Plage beach bar .................

Salt Plage exudes relaxed sofistication

...........and the start of work on a superyacht marina at Christophe Harbour. 

Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts

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