Travel Japan with a local

TRIPFRIENDS, an SNS application dedicated to introducing tour guides to tourists, which the company SeaCalls has developed based on the concept that "Traveling alone is no longer lonely."

Tripfriends, fully compatible with Android and iOS, attracts many keen travelers, helping them find nice food at places visited, experience Japan's culture and look for partners to enjoy various activities.

Tripfriends is recommended to people who would say:

I like traveling alone but would sometimes like somebody's company
I want to interact with locals
I want more people to know about my town
I want a social networking site where users love traveling
I want to make an album of my travel memories and share it with my friends
I love hanging out with people more than anything

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Star attraction at Berlin Zoo

BERLIN keeps on growing, with the latest couple moving into the Zoo in July this year, Pandas Meng Meng and Jiao Qing were welcomed into their new 5,000 m² Panda Garden. Both Pandas also celebrated their birthdays . . . in the same week!

With more than three million visitors per year, the Berlin Zoo and its Aquarium is one of the most popular attractions in the German capital. About 63 per cent of its visitors come from abroad, while German visitors from outside #Berlin make up another 11 per cent.

www.zoo-berlin.de

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Picture Credit: about.visitberlin.de, "Meng Meng" 

Congestion on arrival in Malaysia

CONCERNS about delays and congestion experienced by tourists at Malaysia’s airports and immigration counters are being addressed by Tourism Malaysia.

YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Siew Ka Wei, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia said, “We are aware of this congestion at the airports from the various comments made directly to us as well as from postings made in blogs, and we would like to give assurance that we are working collectively with the immigration department and airport authority to address the delay in processing the entry of visitors to Malaysia.”

He continued, “We look forward to a quick solution since the situation has become critical. The coming months are the peak holiday season for many markets. In addition, the 2017 SEA Games is just around the corner for which we are expecting to welcome some 15,000 athletes and officials to Malaysia along with their army of supporters,” he added.

He said, “Tourists usually get a first glimpse of a country at the airport. The first impression there counts and will affect the rest of their holiday and time spent in our country. Let’s work together to provide a smooth welcome at their arrival by ensuring a hassle-free entry at the airport and immigration counters.”

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Lower your voice . . .

AS Brits holidaying abroad, it’s true to say we have long-suffered a poor reputation amongst our European neighbours.

Whilst it is true that only a small percentage of individuals are responsible for the tarnished reputation of ‘Brits Abroad’, travel site momondo.co.uk has discovered that this status has perhaps even taken its toll on other Brits over the years, as many of us now shy away from other Brits when travelling overseas.

Surveying British attitudes, momondo discovered that for 32% of us, if we hear someone with a familiar British accent while travelling abroad, we will only talk to them if they initiate contact. Furthermore, 15% of us will simply smile but not initiate contact, and 6% of us will even go so far as to lower our voices, so the other person doesn’t know we are from the same country.

Additionally only 15% of Brits surveyed will start a conversation with a fellow British traveller when on holiday, and only 14% of us prefer it when there are many tourists of their own nationality at their chosen travel destination

Also 5% of Brits admitted to avoiding fellow compatriots abroad, as they prefer to talk to locals, while 3% of multi-lingual Brits will quickly switch to another language, so fellow Brits won’t know they are from the same country.

Finally 19% of us prefer it when there are many tourists of other nationalities at our destination.

Neil James Cartwright, spokesperson for momondo comments “We Brits have a fair way to go still, in terms of earning back a shining reputation of being perfect travel guests to other nations. Too often the small minority of drunk, trouble-making Brits hit the headlines, when we know the majority of British travellers are perfectly delightful.

“We urge all travellers to stay unprejudiced about all nationalities. Travel should be about learning and engaging, and this can only be done with an open mind. Our DNA journey campaign last year proved we have far more nations in our ancestral DNA than we usually imagine, which makes being tolerant and liberal when we travel even more imperative,” concludes Cartwright.

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International tourists reach nearly half a billion in 2016

DESPITE many challenges facing Europe in 2016, tourism has once again shown extraordinary strength and resilience, reinforcing its contribution to economic growth, job creation and social well-being in the European Union (EU-28).

The 28 countries of the EU boasted a solid growth in international tourist arrivals of above 4% in 2016, exceeding the world’s average growth rate, and increasing by 21 million to 499 million.

2016 was the 7th consecutive year of sustained growth for the EU-28 following the 2009 global economic and financial crisis, with 107 million more tourists than the pre-crisis level of 2008.

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Oasis of calm in Tokyo's business district

SITUATED in Otemachi, the economic center of #Japan, surrounded by financial and media giants you will find “HOSHINOYA Tokyo”. Otemachi which is next to the Imperial Palace, was an area of Bushi’s (vassals) mansions during the Edo-period and has a distinctive atmosphere different from other areas of Tokyo such as Shinjuku or Shibuya. 

HOSHINOYA Tokyo is uniquely created as a “Japanese Ryokan”. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese style inn where you can relax in a tatami-floored room with hot spring baths and seasonal cuisine. 

Ryokans, however, are hard to find in large cities and are more typically located in scenic areas such as in the mountains or by the ocean where the beauty of the seasons are celebrated. 

Now staying in a ryokan is one of the most popular experience for tourists from overseas to enjoy the authentic Japan. 

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Picture Credit: By Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37238534

Tourism & the Windsors

AS a series of lavish ceremonies are held to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, Travelzoo has looked at the question of whether the Royal Family are in tourism terms worth the estimated £37.9 million it costs UK taxpayers to keep it in the style to which it’s accustomed. 

Travelzoo's global survey of tourists* revealed that Italians are the biggest supporters of the #British monarchy, with almost 60% citing the #Royalfamily as one of the factors that makes the UK an attractive holiday destination. Almost half of Canadian (49%) and US travellers (48%) are also drawn to Britain because of the Queen and the Royal family, but not everyone is as enthralled – just 19% of German, 15% of French, and only 10% of Spanish travellers want to come to the UK because of the British monarchy.

US visitors contribute 7% of in-bound tourism spend in the UK, while French, German, Italian and Spanish travellers contribute almost a third (29%) – a combined £7.7 billion between them.

‘The UK makes £106 billion from tourism each year – 3,000 times more than UK taxpayers spend on keeping the Royal Family – and there's no denying that the Queen and the royal family play a role in making Britain a more appealing travel destination,’ said Louise Hodges at Travelzoo.

The Travelzoo survey asked respondents if they believed the Queen and royal family played an important part in the UK's tourism industry: 70% said yes.

Say Ms Hodges: ‘Buckingham Palace and the royal palaces have been in the top ten UK tourist attractions for decades now, attracting a record 2.5 million paying visitors in 2014, and contributing £55 million to the UK economy.’

*Travelzoo's survey was conducted using an online questionnaire in the five largest European Union member states by population, plus the US and Canada. The questionnaire was completed by 4,950 Travelzoo members.

Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: ‘I suspect it might be possible to exaggerate the value of the Windsors to Britain’s tourism industry. Firstly, the cost of keeping them is disputed; campaign group Republic says the annual £37.9 million sovereign grant from the Treasury takes no account of the cost – also borne by taxpayers – of security. Secondly, while it’s undoubtedly the case that the royal palaces – Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Holyroodhouse (Edinburgh), Hillsborough (Belfast), Clarence House, Kensington Palace, and St, James's Palace, to name only seven – are big attractions, similarly majestic real estate in France, Germany, Austria, and Russia is also a big draw, even though these countries are republics. Thirdly, I think that much of the appeal of the British monarchy – and its continued popularity – derives specifically from the way in which Queen Elizabeth II has reigned. It will be interesting to see if and how that changes when the crown passes to the heir?’

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Drownings as selfie craze gets fatal

THRILL SEEKERS are visiting the coastlines of Britain with the intention of taking selfies in the most dangerous poses, and the craze is often landing them in trouble … many are ending up dead. 

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) reports that the desire to catch the perfect pose has led to the deaths of 92 people over the past two years. The RNLI reports saving almost 385 lives in near fatal incidents.

People go far too close to slippery, unstable, and uneven cliff edges to take their picture with the coastline in the background. Many have fallen into the sea.

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Picture Credit: Liscannor - Lislarkin North via photopin.com

TFL welcomes visitors to London with travel tips

TRAVELLING around #London could become easier for #tourists after Transport for London’s creation of a series of top #traveltips films to help customers get the most out of the city. 

The short films help visitors to understand ticket options and navigate the transport network.

The films – with subtitles in English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Dutch, give the following advice for tourists:

• Travel around London easily with a Visitor Oyster card 
• Yellow card readers 
• How to move around a station 
• Try out some of the different ways to travel, such as Santander Cycles and river services 
• The busiest times on the network

For the majority of visitors, the most convenient and flexible way to travel is by pay as you go using a Visitor Oyster card or a contactless payment card. Customers can simply touch in and out on the yellow card readers at a station, or touch in only on a bus stop.

Visitor Oyster cards can be purchased online or from a travel agent ahead of a trip to London. The cards also carry special offers and discounts at restaurants, shops, galleries, and entertainment venues.

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Where right is wrong …

THERE have been calls in New Zealand for T-plates – that’s T for tourists – to be attached to hire cars driven by foreign holidaymakers, the worry being that they’re unfamiliar with the rules of the road in NZ and cause problems for the natives, who are. The main rule of the road in NZ is that cars drive on the left, which – as Americans in Britain will tell you – is often a challenge for drivers from right-hand countries. 

The T-plates idea is a good one, since the left-right difference is not an uncommon cause of accidents – some of them fatal – in the UK and across the Channel, where our European neighbours insist obstinately on driving on the wrong – or right – side. 

It’s often assumed that Britain is one of the very few left-hand drive countries on the planet. There are certainly more that drive on the right, but the UK is far from alone in sticking to the system that prevailed across Europe until a Russian czar and Napoleon had the silly idea of switching carriage traffic to the right.

The countries and territories that drive on the right number 165, but an impressive 75 stick to the left. Almost all of the latter were British territories, the exceptions being Canada and the US; although the US does have one territory that drives on the left: The United States Virgin Islands where, however, the cars are imported from the US and therefore left-hand drives. That must be fun.

India is obviously a major market for right-hand drive cars, but there other very big countries population-wise that drive on the left having never been a British Empire territory or a Commonwealth member: Indonesia (formerly a Dutch colony) and Japan do it, too.




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Paris floods close tourist hotspots

THANKS to almost a week of heavy rain and massive #flooding, tourists in #Paris have not been able to visit all the sights they would normally see. 

Authorities have closed popular tourist attractions such as The Louvre museum, Musée d'Orsay and the national library. Railway and subway stations in the city centre have been closed, too.

The flooding has left four people dead and 24 injured throughout France.

The water level of the River Seine has gradually begun to fall, but it’s believed it could take 10 days for the river to return to a normal level.

There have also been serious floods in Germany, Romania, and Belgium.

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Picture Credit: Louvre</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

Tourists banned from three more Thai islands

THAI authorities have ordered the removal of all tourist facilities on three small islands off Phuket, citing coral damage due to the sheer volume of sightseers. All tourist related structures including shops and restaurants will be removed from Koh Khai Nok, Koh Khai Nui, and Koh Khai Nai islands, and designated areas only will be set aside for boat trips in the area.

The Thai government recently closes off the island of Koh Tachai in the Andaman Sea for similar reasons.

‘We want operators and guides in #PhangNga and surrounding areas to understand the rules and procedures in conducting a tour to prevent further damage to our marine natural resources and the coastal area. They must practice environmentally- friendly tourism,’ said the government’s department of marine and coastal resources.

‘Tour groups spend at least three hours swimming, feeding fish, and snorkelling in the water, which severely damages the marine ecosystem, especially on coral reefs.’

A report by the Phuket Marine Biology Centre said more than 60 speedboats a day visit the area.

Officials are clearing all beach umbrellas and beach chairs in the area. Shops and restaurants on the #KohKhai #islands will be removed.


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Picture Credit: Longtail boat</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

New Zealand group wants foreign drivers to display ‘T’ plates

TOURISTS driving in 
#NewZealand would be required to take a driving test and display “T Plates” in their car windows if it were up to a group that says the visitors are causing too many automobile wrecks in the country. 

The ‘T Plates for Tourist’ group says that people visiting New Zealand are unprepared for the country’s rough roads and should be tested to make sure they know how to drive on them. If they pass the test, they should display a “T plate” in the window of their cars to warn local drivers.

‘People who come to this country are given the right to drive despite many of them not knowing our driving rules or regulations -- hence the number of crashes that occur on our roads,’ says the group’s spokesman.

The worst month for crashes in the country is February, according to the New Zealand Transport Agency. In an average February between 2006 and 2013, the agency said foreign drivers were involved in 7 percent of accidents that ended in injury or death.

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17,000+ calls to India’s tourist helpline

THE #tourist #helpline set up by India’s Ministry of Tourism in February has already received more than 17,900 calls.

The new helpline was launched on February 8, and by March 20 it had handled 17,911 requests for assistance and information from tourists, marking an average of almost 578 calls per day.

The Toll Free Tourist Infoline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in English, Hindi, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

It main objective is to provide information related to travel and tourism in India, as well as helping travellers in distress and, if required, alerting the authorities. It forms part of the Indian government’s drive to improve the safety of tourists in the country.

A new mobile app is also being launched help tourists, and the Incredible #India website will be revamped to make it ‘more tourist-friendly’.

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International tourists flock to regional England

MORE international tourists are travelling across English regions than ever before, with some areas showing double digit growth in visitor numbers. Devon’s pristine coastline is a magnet for international tourists visiting Britain.

The findings are part of research conducted by VisitBritain, which showed that during the first nine months of 2015, visits to English regions outside London were up by 7% on the same period in 2014, with a record 11.7 million visits.

Spending by international visitors across the regions was up 4% to £5.8 billion compared to the same period in 2014.

The number of international visitors travelling to northern England showed especially strong growth in the first nine months of 2015, with visits to the North- East up 23% compared to the same period in 2014, and up 12% in the North-West.

Tourism minister David Evennett MP said: ‘We invested £10 million in 2015 to boost tourism in the north and these figures show that it is already making a huge difference, bringing more visitors to the area. A booming tourism industry supports local economies, brings job growth to the regions and helps cement their reputation as must-visit destinations.’

The top three markets for visits to the English regions outside London were Germany, France, and the Irish Republic. Looking at longer haul markets, visits from China to the regions were up 47% to 116,000 and Canada up by 20% to 241,000.

The latest figures come as VisitBritain prepares to host its annual tourism event, ExploreGB, in Liverpool, to attract even more international visitors to Britain.

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Malta’s 50c tourist eco-tax expected to raise €6 million a year

MALTA’S tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis says the 50c (38p) per night tourist eco-tax, which will come into effect in April, is expected to generate approximately €6 million (£4.65 million) annually.

He said the tax will be capped at €5 (£3.88), and that the income would be used for a public-private partnership scheme which will include the #Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and the government.

It will also be used to refurbish and maintain public spaces in tourist areas.

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Island hop in Indonesia

FOLLOWING the launching the first non-stop service from the UK to Jakarta from London Heathrow, Garuda #Indonesia is offering its Wonderful Indonesia Travel Pass. 

The pass enables travellers to explore the country beyond the capital – and Bali –with the itinerary of their choice, giving them the opportunity to go to tropical beaches, see underwater landscapes, and visit World Heritage sites, and multi-cultural cities with a flexible flight ticket that allows travel between three and five destinations.

There are six price levels – for example, £25 for 1-200 miles, £62 for 450-800 miles and £150 for 1,400-2,000 miles – representing overall savings of up to 30% on standard airfares. Business class fares for the passes are also available, starting from £75 for up to 200 miles up to £469 for 1,400-2,000 miles.

The pass can also be purchased in different categories: Adventure, Underwater, Heritage, and Explore.

The pass is available from Garuda Indonesia sales offices and via selected travel agents and must be purchased outside Indonesia in combination with a Garuda Indonesia international return ticket.

www.garuda-indonesia.com

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13931652@N00/3902262564">Pura Ulan Danu</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">(license)

Boom year for London tourism

#LONDON continued to welcome record numbers of international tourists – more than 5.2 million – between July and September last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: ‘London is the best big city on the planet. We really know how to roll out the red carpet and put on a show for the millions of visitors who flock here year after year.

London also recorded a rise in the number of domestic visits to the city, with 9.3 million trips to London during the first nine months of 2015.

This growth has contributed £2.25 billion to London’s economy.

The number of international visits to London has risen steadily over the last five years, with 2014 seeing a record-breaking 17.4 million trips to the capital, a trend which has been matched across the UK as a whole.

VisitBritain has forecast that the number of overseas visitors travelling to the UK in 2016 will increase again by 3.8 per cent to 36.7 million, with those tourists spending almost £23 billion.

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Two-year visa introduced for UK visitors to China

BRITISH tourists can now get two-year, multi-entry visas to #China, enabling visitors from the UK to make multiple trips for longer periods. 

‘This is great news for people visiting China and will allow travellers to return to China and see even more areas of this incredible country without the need to apply for another visa,’ says Laurence Hicks, managing director of Wendy Wu Tours.

Chinese visitors to the UK will have the same visa arrangement.

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Picture Credit: By d'n'c - Wangfujing Xiaochijie (Wangfujing / Beijing), CC BY-SA 2.0

Norfolk, Suffolk target the Dutch in tourism drive

#NORFOLK AND #SUFFOLK tourism boards are targeting overseas visitors in their 2016 campaigns. 

Using a combination of new marketing techniques and off-peak prices, tourism businesses in the regions are hoping to attract high-spending overseas visitors. 

Visit Norfolk, working with Visit East Anglia, is taking the lead with a £150,000 New Year tourism campaign to attract Dutch visitors to the two East Anglian counties.

Executive director at Visit East Anglia, Pete Waters, said his team hopes to capitalize on the direct transport links already in place between this region and the Netherlands to increase Dutch visitor numbers by 5%, generating an estimated £2.3 million boost to the local economy.

The campaign would capitalize on the Stena Line ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and Norwich Airport to Amsterdam. Last year, 198,507 overseas visitors spent £100.82 million in Norfolk – approximately 3.3% of the overall £2.97 billion visitor economy. More than 210,000 foreign visitors spent £86.11 million in Suffolk. 

Chairman of Norfolk Tourist Attractions Association Martin Dupée said: ‘It’s not as hard to get into Norfolk as it once was, but we have still got a way to go. Having that link with European partners is an opportunity that can bring in the international market.’

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