Top Ten places in #Africa

ACACIA Africa has updated its top ten list of the most popular #destinations to visit in Southern and East #Africa (20 January 2019), the results compiled from expert sources and Instagram hashtags. In the 12 months since the original data was made available there have been some significant changes - Uganda taking the top slot from South Africa and Mozambique moving from tenth to third place.

The cost of trekking the endangered mountain gorilla in Uganda is half that of neighbouring Rwanda, and while the price differential might well have drawn more people to visit the country over 2018, Acacia claim our growing concern with over-tourism and eagerness to see places which are less well visited or where tourist numbers are more strictly monitored to protect the environment, in this case the gorillas habitat, is the reason behind Uganda’s rise to fame.

1.   Uganda
2.   Tanzania
3.   Mozambique
4.   Kenya
5.   Namibia
6.   Zimbabwe
7.   Botswana
8.   Zambia
9.   South Africa
10. Malawi

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Up in the air . . .

AIR Europa will launch new, three-times weekly flights to Colombia’s second city, Medellin, in June. The new route, operated by Air Europa’s state-of-the-art Dreamliner aircraft, will launch on the June 1st, with three flights per week between Madrid’s Barajas International Airport and José María Córdova International Airport, the international airport of Medellin.

British travellers are able to connect through Air Europa’s twice-daily flight from London Gatwick.

Visitor numbers to #Colombia have grown over recent years, with travellers enticed to Colombia by the South American country’s spectacular natural wonders, unspoiled Caribbean beaches, magnificent colonial architecture and lively local culture.

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Palatial elegance at sea

THE world’s newest and most luxurious residence at sea will be perched on the 14th deck of Seven Seas Splendor, above the bridge and overlooking the ship’s bow, when she sets sail in February 2020. 

As the largest suite ever constructed on a luxury cruise ship with more than 278 square-metres of interior accommodation, the Regent Suite is 412 total square-metres of palatial elegance at sea. 

Complete with an in-suite spa retreat featuring a personal sauna, steam room and treatment area with unlimited spa treatments,unobstructed 270-degree views over the ship’s bow from the 120 square-metre wraparound veranda, and a glass-enclosed solarium on top of the bridge with a Captain’s view of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Guests in the Regent Suite also enjoy a dedicated personal butler to manage all the details of the guests’ experience, a personal car with driver and guide in every port. 

The Regent Suite is nearly twice as large as the average Australian home and 20 times larger than the average cruise ship stateroom and is already sold-out for nearly all of Seven Seas Splendor’s 2020 inaugural season sailings.   


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Unwind and relax in the bush

WHILE the Big Five game drives and encounters with wildlife are always a huge drawcard, it’s only half the safari experience at Garonga Safari Camp, #SouthAfrica. Equally important is slowing down the pace of life, nurturing yourself, and ‘resetting your system’. #Garonga has just upped the relaxation ante to a whole new level by revamping the existing bush bath by adding a new freestanding bath – but even more excitingly, now offer a dreamy new Star Bath and Yoga Deck.

The Star Bath not only offers views over the bush and the dazzling African night sky - but has its very own galaxy of twinkling stars, all in complete privacy. Soak away your troubles, let go and look back on the sightings and experiences of the day with a glass of wine in hand. 

Those already familiar with the practice of mindfulness and meditation, or those that just love a good stretch or daytime nap, will be excited to see Garonga’s new Yoga Deck. An enclosed tented structure designed to allow air to flow freely, perfectly frames an exquisite view of the valley. You can step onto the mat and practice in privacy surrounded by only the peaceful sounds of the surrounding bush. If you’re lucky you might even get some of the local wildlife passing by!

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Bangkok, Tokyo & Taipei top 3 destinations for Lunar New Year

BANGKOK, Tokyo and Taipei are the top three most popular destination for Asia Pacific travelers over the Lunar New Year period in 2019, according to booking data from Agoda, one of the fastest growing digital travel platforms. 

This year, Osaka, slips from third spot in 2018 to sixth, while Taiwan scoops three of the top ten destinations with Taipei in third, and Kaohsiung and Taichung in fifth and seventh respectively. Overall, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand will benefit most from travelers celebrating the Lunar New Year.

Travels during the Spring Festival tend to be reserved for family bonding and indulging in food and leisure activities that the whole family can enjoy. It is thus not surprising that most travelers in the region has chosen gourmet and retail paradise in Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore among their top ten destinations.

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Tbilisi is for the whole family

Tbilisi the Georgian capital is not only a beautiful city where unique cultural and architectural monuments are concentrated, but also a place where you can have a great time with your family. There are many entertainment centers, beautiful parks and museums for young intellectuals and don't pass by the Razo Gabriadze Puppet Theater and be sure to visit the local zoo and water park with the children.

Old Tbilisi is the most beautiful and cozy landmark place. This is the historic center of the city where you can see beautiful old buildings and cobbled streets. It's better to organize excursions and walks around the city in summer. The Georgian capital offers fun at local fairs and holiday festivals with Santa Claus in winter.  Little travelers can get a lot of vivid impressions during a trip on the cable car from where the city is visible in a bird's-eye view.


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Strawberries anyone?

STRAWBERRY production is flourishing in Chiba Prefecture,Japan home to more than 100 strawberry farms where visitors can enjoy "strawberry picking," which is quite popular with tourists.

Varieties of strawberry species are grown on many of the strawberry-picking farms, and visitors can enjoy eating the berries to compare their tastes. Notably, "CHI-BA+BERRY," a new strawberry variety that hit the stores in January 2017, is available only in Chiba Prefecture.

Chiba Prefecture sits about 40 kilometres southeast of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. There are many attractions making ii an interesting region to visit. The Chiba Urban Monorail, the longest suspended monorail in the world, Kasori Shell Midden, the largest shellmound in the world, Inage Beach, the first artificial beach in the nation and the Chiba City Zoological Park.

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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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Focus on tourism in the Solomon Islands

THE Solomon Islands government is looking to the tourism sector to attract 60,000 visitors annually by 2025, in the process netting the country’s economy SBD1 billion. With International visitation to the Solomon Islands growing on average nine per cent annually, the destination is hopeful of achieving the 30,000 mark by the end of 2019.  

Addressing delegates attending the 2019 ‘Measure What Matters’ Tourism Focus in Honiara, #SolomonIslands caretaker prime minister, the Hon. Rick Rick Houenipwela said contributions from tourism in recent years had now grown to the point when the sector was now looked at to plug the gap left by the country’s former key economic drivers, including forestry and mining."

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A destination to take your breath away

ONE of Australia’s fastest growing, must see destinations is proud to introduce ‘The Tweed Tourism Company’ (TTC) to manage the destination’s marketing, tourism experiences, product development, industry events and visitor information services on behalf of the Tweed region.

The Tweed is located in Northern NSW and offers an abundance of food, art and nature based experiences. The region boosts lush green valleys, majestic mountains, natural river streams and a vast coastline of untouched beaches. With ideal weather, pristine natural environment and a burgeoning arts scene, this is one of Australia’s most desirable travel destinations.

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Picture credit: By Froggydarb at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9592249

Leaving the EU a positive impact for the Isle of Wight

LEAVING the EU is having a positive impact on holiday island the Isle of Wight, according to Wight Coast Holidays who are the island's leading provider of self catering holidays.

Estimates vary but the company have seen a rise in holidays by over 20% for #IsleofWight holiday rentals in 2019 compared to 2018.

According to a spokesman from their office in Bembridge they have received multiple bookings from holidaymakers who normally visit Spain, France and Portugal worried about possible delays at airports after the UK leaves the EU - and the prospect of queueing for their flights with children in tow for hours on end has led to them considering the Isle of Wight in 2019, with some visiting for the first time in a few years.

For many in the UK the Isle of Wight ferry crossing separates them from a staycation on the mainland, and the crossing takes less than an hour with Red Funnel from Southampton and Wightlink from Portsmouth Harbour and Lymington.

While it's likely that other UK destinations will experience a holiday industry boost in Devon and Cornwall for example, the fact that to get to the Isle of Wight involves a ferry crossing for those used to going abroad could mean the island will benefit more from the uncertainty over Brexit.

Top attractions on the island include Carisbrooke Castle and Osborne House but for family holidays the beaches of Bembridge, Seaview, Sandown and Shanklin could mean tourists will return again in future years with a positive impact on the tourist industry, which is a major player in the island's economy.


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Baobab studded camp set to open in 2020

MASHATU Game Reserve’s portfolio of camps is expanding with the introduction of Mashatu Euphorbia. Mashatu Euphorbia is the new 5-star camp, situated in this privately owned, baobab-studded reserve in #Botswana. 

This “green” camp combines luxury with conservation and sustainability, where solar energy and state of the art water processing systems ensure a harmonious blend with the African bush. Set high up on a cliff face amongst a forest of euphorbia succulents which open up to reveal exquisite vistas of the Majale River and endless plains below.

Mashatu Euphorbia will begin welcoming guests from June 2020, but reservations are now open mashatu.com 

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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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From Snow to Hot Springs in Montana

WHILE Montana's seemingly endless supply of fresh powder tends to garner most of the attention during the winter, there's another natural wonder that's a close second: hot springs. With 14 hot spring resorts and day-use pools located throughout the state, there are plenty of places to take a relaxing dip or a morning plunge.

Montana's hot springs have been in use for thousands of years, first by American Indian tribes who discovered the springs as they traveled throughout the state's vast landscapes, followed by early miners and pioneers. Today, the natural pools welcome visitors from around the world to relax in their healing waters.

The western portion of the state – from Livingston to Missoula – has the highest density of natural hot springs to explore.

A regional favorite, Chico Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa, is located in the Paradise Valley in the small town of Pray, Montana, and offers an idyllic soak in its pools. Established in 1900, Chico Hot Springs is on the National Historic Register and encompasses 152 acres.


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The Huacachina Mermaid

HUACACHINA is a natural oasis in the desert of Ica, located at the south of Lima- Perù, famous for dune buggy rides and sandboarding. But did you know that there is a legend surrounding this beautiful oasis? 

The young Inca princess Huacay China, married a young warrior Ajall Krinaand and they were happy together, but Ajall was senT to war and he died during the battle. The princess full of sadness and tears went to the place where they met, she wept constantly, day after day, until her tears formed a small lagoon and she became a mermaid that protects it.

www.legendaryperu.com.pe

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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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The Curious Global Traveller

A race to be the first, a desire to live like a local, and a continued focus on value for money - Booking.com reveals what's driving travellers into original homes, tree houses, boats and beyond.

From accommodations that float, to stays up in the trees, unique property types are a growing trend, with over one third of global travellers (37%)* planning to book a stay in an alternative accommodation in 2019.

Living like a local is key for almost half (49%)** of global travellers, who believe that staying in a home-type accommodation lets them see areas of a city or parts of a country that they wouldn't have otherwise explored.

Keeping a close eye on the travel budget is a top priority, with almost half (45%)** of global travellers stating that staying in a home-type accommodation allows them to feel that they are getting the most value for their money.

Olivier Grémillon, Vice President at Booking.com, explains: "We are seeing a clear trend among travellers to try unique types of accommodations and we understand that the perfect stay may look different for each of them. So, whether it's an icy igloo, a cozy cabin or luxury villa you're after - Booking.com offers more than 5.8 million instantly bookable homes, apartments and other unique places to stay to make sure that your next special experience is just a few clicks away."


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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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Americans seek unique and novel experiences

EXPEDIA.COM analyzed thousands of data points this year to identify the top trends in travel for 2018, and the results show that American travelers are increasingly interested in unique and novel experiences.

Activities and experiences are increasingly popular as travelers look to personalize and customize their vacations. These are the fastest-growing activity categories in 2018 for the U.S.:

Fastest-growing category: Attractions. Observation decks and architectural landmarks are leading the pack, with the Eiffel Tower, Rome's Colosseum, the 360 Chicago Observation Deck and the High Roller Observation Wheel in Las Vegas among the top trending attractions.

Runner-up: Tours & Sightseeing. Walking and hop-on-hop-off bus tours remain popular among travelers visiting big cities.

Third place: Shopping & Culinary Experiences round out the top categories, as travelers look to get the most out of their destinations and sample local flavors.


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241 global awards in 2018

CELEBRATING the year that was, in 2018 Banyan Tree Group were awarded 241 global award for their branding and exceptional experiences as a leading hospitality leader. 

An international operator and developer of premium resorts, hotels, residences, spas, golf and integrated resorts, Banyan Tree continues to lead the luxury travel category, having won 117 international benchmark awards including:

· Travel+Leisure US World’s Best     

  Awards 2018 Top 20 Hotel Brands in the World

· DestinAsian 13th Readers’ Choice Awards 2018 Best Hotel Brands for Leisure

· Beijing News The Best Hotel Brand 2017.

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