Chinese New Year to boost UK visitor figures

FORWARD flight booking data showed that bookings from China to the UK were up 24% from Wednesday 30 January to Tuesday 12 February, compared to the period when Chinese New Year fell last year. Longer term forward booking data shows that bookings from China to the UK were up 31% from January to June this year compared to the same period in 2018.

Chinese New Year is a prime time to travel for the Chinese and the UK is gearing up to host some of the largest celebrations outside of Asia. Events include three days of celebrations in Liverpool, parades in Manchester, festivals and performances in Birmingham and Leeds to a street parade from Charing Cross to Chinatown in London and the first ever Chinese New Year festival in Edinburgh.

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Mango Madness

ST. LUCIA'S luxury resort Anse Chastanet are in for a special treat next month when Mango Madness returns from June 13 to 17. The popular event celebrates the tropical fruit and offers mango-themed activities to entertain and educate visitors.

As part of the five-day festivities, there will be a live, interactive cooking class using mangos as the core ingredient. Participants will learn to cook with the flavorful fruit in the Chef de Cuisine's special cooking class.


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Celebrate Ramadan in Dubai

THIS Ramadan, First Central Hotel Suites will take you on a culinary journey to experience the finest Middle Eastern delicacies with a variety of continental flavours. Diners will be treated to a sumptuous Iftar buffet with a wide selection of traditional and international specialties along with an irresistible assortment of authentic Arabic beverages and desserts.

Wael El Behi, General Manager of First Central Hotel Suites, said, “Ramadan is a distinctive festivity where friends and family gather to share the blessings of the holy month. .”

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100 Reasons to Celebrate

PUERTO Vallarta’s annual LGBTQ cultural celebration, Vallarta Pride, will bring a new level of camp to the city’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of its founding with a “100 Reasons to Celebrate” theme, which will culminate on Saturday, May 26 with a grand nighttime shindig worthy of any small-town summer carnival – if that carnival featured half-naked “go-go boys” and drag queens galore.

Taking place in Puerto Vallarta from May 20 to 27, Vallarta Pride has grown yearly, with its 2017 edition attracting more than 17,000 visitors. The event has become a staple in the international Pride calendar, and now drives a considerable influx of visitors during what used to be the end of Puerto Vallarta’s traditional high season for tourism.

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Happy Easter!

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Croatia cruising adventure awaits

CROATIA'S award-winning DMC and small ship #cruise company, Katarina Line, announced that it is expanding its custom tour options for 2018 as the North American group travel market heats up. Its programs include a wider range of tours catering to groups such as music aficionados, youth travel, food lovers, history buffs, soft adventure vacationers, as well as those seeking classic sightseeing tours. The new tours include more excursions into neighboring countries such as Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia, among others, and feature English speaking guides and private buses.

Among Katarina Line’s diverse new programs for 2018 are festivals such as the 3-night “Prosciutto Fair” in #Croatia. Scheduled for October 20 – 21, 2018, the fair draws upwards of 25,000 people each year to the town of Tinjan in Istria. It features more than 30 types of prosciutto from countries such as Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Spain, and, of course Croatia. In addition to participating in the festival, the guests enjoy a tasting of Istrian Grappa – homemade brandy – olive oil tasting, and sightseeing in Rovinj and Labin. 

The “Croatia Classic,” which starts at the Croatian capital of Zagreb, takes guests through the mountains of Gorski Kotar and Plitvice Lakes National Park, and to the coastal town of Zadar, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Itinerary highlights include tours of Zagreb and Zadar, a visit to Plitvice Lakes, rafting on the Zrmaja River, and a castle tour. 

Also on offer are  5-night hiking tours of the Kvarner Bay that include the islands of Lošinj, Cres, and Susak, and which boasts more than 1,200 different plant species. 

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Tickets on sale for New Years Eve fireworks in London

TICKETS for London’s world-famous New Year’s Eve fireworks went on sale on Friday 29 September at 12 noon.  This year’s stunning spectacle will once again be focused around the Coca-Cola London Eye on the River Thames.

More than 3,000 people, from pyrotechnicians to stewards, work together to ensure that the capital’s celebrations run smoothly and are the most dazzling on the planet. The renowned pyrotechnic and lighting display will feature more than 12,000 fireworks, 2,000 lighting cues and 30 tonnes of equipment on three barges.

While Big Ben’s famous ‘bongs’ have fallen silent during vital renovation works this year, the unmistakeable bell will sound to kickstart the fireworks, ringing in the New Year in true London style.  As well as being enjoyed by more than 100,000 spectators in the viewing areas, the display is watched by over 12 million broadcast viewers on TV, promoting London as global capital of tourism and culture.

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Picture Credit: Mexicanwave 62457680@N00/81087154 London says "Happy New Year" via photopin

Get Down To Dorset for Great Music

#DORSET Midsummer Music Festival - A family friendly #music #festival based just outside Dorchester, in a natural amphitheatre on the slopes of Bulbarrow Hill is on June 23 and 24th this year.

This year the legendary Ben Waters will be playing as well as local favourites such as Howling At The Moon, new up and coming acts such as DD Allen and even LaceBlack who are an act coming over especially from Italy.

Children's entertainment, most of which is included in the price of the ticket at just £3. This includes Jamie Jigsaw (magician, juggler and all round entertainer), Bugfest (bringing creepy crawlies to life) and Hoop On hula hoop workshops.

There will be a wide range of food catering for every taste - from Pizza to Thai, Fish & Chips to Hog Roast. There will also be local beer, cider and wine to enjoy.

For those who wish to make the most of the weekend, there is also camping available in this area of outstanding natural beauty.

www.midsummermusic.co.uk

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Dandie Dogs on Parade

OVER one hundred and fifty Dandie Dinmont Terrier owner and enthusiasts from across fourteen countries including USA, Canada, Scandinavia and Europearegearing up to visit the Scottish Borders in honour of the 175th birthday of the breed’s founding father ‘Old Ginger’, born at The Haining in Selkirk on 4 June 1842.

The anniversary celebrations, which form part of Scotland’s 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, will take place across three days (2 – 4 June) enabling both locals and visitors to step back in time and explore the ancestry of the breed named after a character from Sir Walter Scott's novel ‘Guy Mannering’.

Activities across the weekend include a ‘Barking Plaid’ Tartan Fashion Show at Dryburgh Abbey Hotel which will see items exclusively styled in the historic Walter Scott black and white tartan fabric for both dogs and owners (Friday 2 June) and a ‘Meet the Dandies’ public event at Bowhill House and Country Estate (Saturday 3 June).

A street parade of Dandie Dinmont Terriers through Selkirk will kick-off the birthday party proceedings (Sunday 4 June) followed by the opening of the Dandie Dinmont Discovery Centre, the Dandie Dinmont Derby and the unveiling of the ‘Old Ginger’ bronze statue by the Queen's sculptor for Scotland, Alexander Stoddart, all due to take place at The Haining - recognised as being the home of the Dandie Dinmont terrier.

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Secret Eats

AS part of the Ottawa 2017 celebrations there is a Secret Eats Tour – Rideau-Goulbourn which will be hosted by Scott Moffatt, the Councillor for the area.

This Secret Eats tour will take participants to four stops where they will eat, visit, and learn about the people and places that contributed to the history and character of Rideau-Goulbourn.

Foodies will tour each destination on this Secret Eats adventure and sample some of the delectable local cuisine that awaits in rural Ottawa.

Tickets for the Secret Eats Rideau-Goulbourn Tour are $40 (plus tax and service charges). A tour ticket enables free use of any OC Transpo bus route and the O-Train Trillium Line, to and from Greenboro Station. 

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Summer Party Night in Liverpool

MAKE the most of the August Bank Holiday this year with a memorable ‘Summer Party Night’ aboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Boudicca in Liverpool, on the evening of Monday 28th August 2017. 

Boudicca – one of Fred. Olsen’s most popular and friendly ships – will be in port during the city’s annual ‘International Beatleweek Festival’, taking place from 23rd to 29th August 2017, and Fred. Olsen is delighted to have secured one of the best-known Beatles tribute acts around – 'The Backbeat Beatles' – to entertain guests live on this very special party evening.

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English Tourism Week

ENGLISH Tourism Weeks runs from Saturday March 25 - Sunday April 2 and is a celebration of the vibrancy and quality of England's visitor attractions and tourism experiences.

Events will be taking place all over the UK and there are special offers and deals on entry to tourist attractions, meal deals and accommodation to help everyone celebrate our tourism industry.

Have a look at www.visitengland.com/english-tourism-week# to see whats happening in your county.

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Red Poppy Festival

KNOWN as the “Red Poppy Capital Of Texas,” the city of Georgetown, #Texas, will mark the spring season by celebrating its signature red poppies with the 18th Annual Red Poppy Festival, April 28 - 30, 2017. 

Located downtown in the “Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas,” the festival encompasses three days of concerts, parades, contests, art, food and family fun in the downtown area.

Georgetown is one of the few places in the United States where red poppies grow naturally every year. On April 25, 1990 the town was certified by local residents and the Texas Legislature as the “Red Poppy Capital of Texas.” Red poppies have been a part of Georgetown’s landscape for more than 70 years.

Admission is free.

 

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Reykjavik Winter Lights Festival

#REYKJAVIK is set to be illuminated at the city’s 16th annual Winter Lights Festival which runs from February 2-5 this year. 

The festival celebrates both the winter and the growing sun light after a long period of darkness. The program is a mixture of art and industry, environment and history, sports and culture.

All events are free of charge except The Northernlights Run and there will be free of charge museum night buses. The buses will be transporting people between the museums free of charge making it easier to participate in the Museum Night Game. 

www.winterlightsfestival.is

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Top 10 reasons to visit Valencia

#VALENCIA is one of the most vibrant short break destinations in Europe, and with new direct flights from the UK starting in 2017, it will also be more accessible. Easyjet will add direct flights from London Luton from February 3 and Ryanair will start flying to Valencia from Glasgow on March 27.

1.  First Heritage Fallas: The renowned Fallas Festival will be more special than ever this year, as it celebrates its new status as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity awarded by UNESCO in November. From 15 to 19 March the streets and squares of the city will fill with huge papier-mache sculptures, offering in many cases a satirical review of the past year. The fallas will be burnt at midnight on 19 March, after a few days of concerts, fireworks, parades and other special events.

2.  World Food Capital: Valencia has been named the World’s Food Capital 2017 by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) and will be at the centre of the debate about feeding the world in a sustainable and healthy way this year. This accolade recognises the important role of the Valencian huerta, the well-preserved 10,000-hectare market garden that surrounds the city.

3.  New gastro-cultural hubs: Bombas Gens, an old hydraulic pumps factory in the outskirts of the city, will reopen as a new gastro-cultural centre expected in spring this year. The striking example of industrial architecture from the 1930s will feature a new Art Centre which will house exhibitions, workshops and social activities, and will also be the new home to Ricard Camarena’s Michelin starred restaurant.

4.  New hotels: One of the most awaited new openings this year is the Marques House, a new luxury hotel in the city centre, next to the baroque Marques de Dos Aguas palace that houses the Ceramics Museum (renowned for its spectacular façade).

5.  City of Running: Valencia will host the Half Marathon World Championship in 2018 and many local athletes will be preparing for that but running enthusiasts will be able to join various races this year, including the Marathon on 19 November, or simply enjoy jogging along the Turia Gardens or by the seafront.

6.  New cycling ring road: Cycling is also a delight in Valencia, with many streets in the historic city centre restricted to normal traffic and a wide network of cycle lanes, which will be expanded this year with the completion of the cycling ring road. A cycle lane of more than 20 kilometres alongside the main traffic lanes of Valencia’s inner ring road will connect all the different boroughs.

7.  Silk Trail: Valencia was City of Silk in 2016 and will host a meeting of the Silk Road Task Force this year, proof of the city’s important role in the global silk trade in the 15th century. Visitors can learn about it in the Museum of Silk and the new Silk Trail, a guided tour that takes them through the historic borough of Velluters, where the traders flourished, and into some of the most representative buildings of the period such as La Lonja (Silk Exchange), a World Heritage site.

8.  Sustainable tourism: 2017 is the Year of Sustainable Tourism and Valencia is a great place to celebrate it. Visitors can reduce their carbon footprint exploring the city on foot or by bike.

9.  Discover Valencia’s greatest artists: While not so well known internationally, Valencia has produced several great painters like Joaquin Sorolla or Ignacio Pinazo, whose works are celebrated in various exhibitions throughout the city this year.

10. Paella: Spain’s most international dish, paella, is always a good reason to visit Valencia, where it originates. Now there is even a new paella emoji available on Whatsapp to invite friends for a meal, whilst those who really impress their friends and relatives can learn to cook paella at Valencia’s School of Rice Dishes and Paellas.

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Picture Credit: ElleFlorio 91423413@N02/31346832440 [ V A L E N C I A ] via photopin, By Sento from Valencia, Spain - DSC06754, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50822109, Father Alex 16202437@N02/28939778135 IMG_4683 via photopin