Travelling to Asia
Immensely popular as a tourist destination, Asia provides a peek into a rich history and an even richer culture. In fact, some of the great wonders of the world can be found within the boundaries of this continent. Travellers to Asia will probably have the Great Wall of China as their first stop. Extending to about 2,414 kilometers or 1,500 miles with a height of about 25 feet, the wall has been said to be visible even in outer space. Erected by the Qin dynasty’s first emperor Shihuangdi to defend the city from the nomadic people, the wall is made out of earth and stone. Another worthy travel spot in Asia, particularly in China is the Terra-cotta Warriors and Soldiers Museum in Xi’an China, which is considered to be one of the world’s greatest archaeological find. Another tourist destination that should be in the list of any traveller to Asia is the Forbidden City, now known as the Palace Museum in Beijing. The enclosed location holds the former palaces of Chinese emperors. Tiananmen Square, which is also located in Beijing, set adja cent to the Forbidden City. A witness to a series of student-led demonstrations and rallies in 1989 calling for the removal of Deng Xiaoping, the square is now a memorial of those whose lives were sacrificed. Asian travellers will probably want to also go to Dunhang, where ancient Buddhist frescoes in caves can be found.
Travelling Tips
Whether you are going on business or pleasure, Travelling can be very stressful. Tension can start from the planning stage up to the time you are leaving. However, stress does not have to ruin your business or vacation. These simple tips are guaranteed to help you get rid of that travel stress bug.
Plan ahead
There is no replacing good planning. To ensure that your travel will be stress-free, make sure that your flights and hotel accommodations are booked and confirmed. This will put you at ease knowing that delays are unlikely and there will be no surprises at the hotel desk. If you arrange for transportation for the duration of your travel, all the better. In case, you will have to get around the city by taxi, it is good to ask the concierge to help you find a reputable taxi company.
Be prepared to get lost
Remember that you are on a foreign land and unless you have already travelled there a couple of time, you’ll have no way of knowing how to get around. Becoming lost is probably the biggest
nightmare for travellers. Be fore embarking on your trip, buy a travel book with maps and some useful phrases that you can use with the locals. Carry with you a credit card, identification papers and enough money to get around the city in case you get lost. It is also a good idea to ask your hotel for a business card which you can show to locals when you ask for directions. By acknowledging that you can get lost, you can better prepare and be ready for anything.
Keep the communication open
Nothing can be a better stress-buster than staying connected with your family when Travelling. With today’s technology, communication is increasingly more available. People who travel can now keep in touch through cellular phones, emails and text messages. Rates in international phone calls are also cheaper now than before.
Reward yourself
Do not procrastinate. If on a business travel, make sure that you have done all your work before you go sightseeing. Set aside a day where all you can do is travel to different sights in the city. If your schedule is spread out, make sure that you have ample time to go somewhere. It will also help to make out an itinerary of places to see. You can always ask the hotel to help you with that.
Eat local cuisine
Eating can minimize travel stress! So, treat yourself to local foods and stay away from your usual
staple of burger, spaghetti and cola . Be adventurous and have fun in local restaurants. Before leaving, you can ask people who already travelled in the country if they can recommend any restaurants. Hotel personnel can also help you immensely. When you’re there, don’t hesitate to ask for the house specialty and enjoy!
Keep a travel journal
Writing down your experiences during your travel will not only preserves the memories, it will also help you relieve stress. Describe the sights that you have seen, the places that you have been to, even the people you have met. Get small keepsakes from each experience, a napkin from the restaurant where you have eaten, a receipt from a souvenir shop, a bus ticket going to a special place. This will keep the magic of your travel with you.
The Pearl Class experience
While most airlines are struggling to keep their margins intact, in the times of recession, Etihad has managed to keep its nose above the water. One of the reasons is the comfort it provides its passenger. The Pearl Class experience makes the passengers opt for it each time they travel abroad. Comfort and style – The Pearl Business class in Etihad’s new fleet of aircraft including the two-class A330-200s, the A340-500s and the Boeing 777-300 Ers brings new levels of comfort into the skies. Each seat is a soft cocoon of blues and pastels, with total privacy and comfort. The seat reclines 180 degrees into a fully flat, comfortable, 6 ft 1-inch Business Bed. With an 88-inch pitch and direct access to the aisle, the Pearl Business class seat offers plenty of space and solitude. For added comfort, each self-contained seat is equipped with individual lighting and a reading lamp. There’s also a built-in massage facility to help the passengers relax. As a final touch, the revolutionary mood lighting system synchronised with the time and duration of the journey creates a soothing ambience that helps guests arriverested, refreshed and ready to make the best of their trip.
Entertainment and communication – The Pearl Business class in the new fleet of aircraft (the A340-500, the two-class A330-200 and Boeing 777-300ER) offers over 350 hours of world-class entertainment with an advanced audio-video-on-demand system. A 15-inch personal LCD screens the largest in comparable cabins in the industry add a whole new dimension to entertainment in the air. Using the Plug-and-play feature to view their own videos, the passengers can enjoy the flexibility of creating their own play lists. There is also a wide range of interactive games to choose from. The pearl Business seat has power access, USB ports and an RCA socket which helps a passenger to connect his laptop and work he hours away. Etihad chauffeur service – Etihad Chauffeur offers premium customers a luxury transfer to and from Etihad’s home base at Abu Dhabi airport to any location in the Uniter Arab Emirates. The Airlines offers executive Caprice Classic for Pearl Business Class customers. Whilst using “Etihad Chauffeur” premium customers can enjoy the special features of the including refresher towels, fresh mineral water and daily newspapers. The luxury service is now available to Etihad’s premium customers in several of Etihad’s key global destinations including London Heathrow, Manchester, New York, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Sydney.
Jordan to promote niche products to Indian travelers
Travelers – jordanian govt, to ease visa entry to jordan for indians. Based on statistics collected by the jordan tourism board, jordan has received 37,000 Indian visitors in 2008. In its efforts to tap Indian tourism arrivals into jordan, the board participaed for the first time India’s leading B2B travel and tourism exchange in New Delhi recently. Eleven jordanian tour operators participated in this expo. Jordan will launch its presence in the Indian market and has appointed Ashish sharma, vice president & COO of celebrations! World tourism consultancy, as its Indiarepresentative. “We will actively pursue marketing activities for jordan tourism Board in India and our foucs will be to organize familiarization trips for trade and media professionals and organize road shows across India”, said sharma. He added jordan offers fun & adventure, history and culture, eco and nature, leisure and wellness, religion and faith, incentive and conference . The country’s MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) industry has come toage. It understands the particular demands of the meetings and incentive market, and strives to exceed expectations. There are daily flights from amman to India offered by Emirates airways, and flights four times a week by other airways like: Royal jordanian, gulf air, and Qatar qirways, he added. The kingdom is attracting considerable investments in hotels and multi-purpose property developments, with particularly lucrativeprojects in Aqaba and the Dead Sea. AS for Amman, it is also embarking on a lot of investment ventures with the continuous growth of its hotel industry whre new hotels are frequently being built. Jordan touches every one of a visitor’s senses-from spicy aromas and culinary pleasures to an invigorating mud wrap, first glimpse of Petra’s Treasury and the sound of desert silence. Jordanians promise that traveleres may even find that Jordan may be able to awaken one’s sixth sense. Travelers are invited to make time to enjoy one of Nature’s most unusual adventure playgrounds; to step back into some of the world’s best preserved nabataean and roman cities; float in-orratheron-the dead sea, the lowest point in the world; and for an even greater adrenaline rush try hand gliding off the crags that tower over Wadi Rum: or abseil down waterfalls in Wadi Mujib.
Amazing thailand making an amazing recovery
Thailand is a friendly and welcoming country, where safety, security and the well being of international visitors is paramount. With the current world situation, we know these are tough economic times and the world tourism fitures may be affected. As for Thailand, after the reopening of suvarnabhumi international airport last december, the number of arrivals at the same airport has already reached 1 million since late january this year. To stimulate the tourism sector, the royal thai government agreed to an exemption of tourist visa fees for a period of three months, effective since 5th march that is last week. Furthermore, the airports of thailand or ao t has reduced a least 20% on their landing and parking fees for airlines. Tourism remains a primary pillar of Thailand’s national economic development, helping to distribute income nationwide and directly creating 2.4 million jobs. Thailand has been at the forefront of tourism development worldwide with innovative marketing programmes and unique products. For the year 2008, Thailand welcomed around 14.24 million international visitors, that is a decrease of about 1.5 percent over 2007, in addition, the figures for the latest arrivals from the south show a substantial increase which brings the total arrivals to 14.6 million. Even though the world economy had been affected by the oil and global financial crisis plus, there was a sharp drop in the number of visitors in December due to the closure of suvarnabhumi international airport. The result is that there has been a decline in arrivals from key source markets like East Asia while strong growth in arrivals from the middle East (+8%), ASEAN(+7%), and Oceania (+5%). Arrivals from europe totalled 3.7 million in 2008 that is only 1.5% decline. The three biggest european markets for thailand are the UK, Germany and France. For Germany last year, Thailand received a total of five hundred and five thousand visitors. In the recent past, there have been strong growth in the number of German repeat visitors, independent travellers, business travellers, students,a nd especially retired people. The average lenth of German has now risen to 16 days from 14 in the past. Therefore, the result for last year was rather satisfactory.
Niagara falls
One wonder after another, Niagara falls is for more than a natural phenomenon. A world-class destination with something for everyone, the city offers thriving night life, one-of-akind sightseeing, and adventure for all ages. The Niagara falls honeymoon and family activities like the Maid of the mist tour and marineland are long-time traditions, while new Niagara attractions abound. The popular Fallsview casino has made Niagara falls a must-visit canadian destination, and an array of Niagara accommodations-from charming to luxe-offer visitors an ideal retreat. A growing gourmet food and wine scene, drawing upon nearby Niagara-on-the-lake vineyards, offers everthing from out-of-the-way restaurant fems to popular fallsview dining. Come see what makes Niagara falls one of the world’s favorite destinations! The majestic rumble of the falls can be heard from miles away, but the sight itself never fails to cause the viewer to pause and gaze in wonder at the 6000.000 gallon per second mass of hissing, frothing water crashing over a 170 foot cliff amid huge clouds of spary and mist. The canadian falls, is also called the horseshoe falls (because of its shape). A small body of land known as goat island divides the river into two channels. On one side is the canadian horseshoe falls, and on the far side across the border is the smaller, american falls. On sunny days rainbows rise just above the mists. The rainbow bridge, the queenston bridge and the bridge streeet bridge each span the distance between the cities of Niagara falls, New York, USA and Niagara falls, Ontario, Canada: two totally different worlds.
Destination south africa
South africa tourism performing impressively in terms of arrivals growth and spend. In the context of an extremely-challenging global environment, south africa’s tourism sector continues to impress, especially in terms of arrivals growth and total foreign direct spend generated. However, provincial spread, seasonality patterns, and length of stay are areas that require attention. This was the message from marthinus van schalkwyk, minister of environmental affairs and tourism, the headquarters of south african tourism in sandton. Vistiors arrivals figures were announced earlier this year. The minister announced the figures for foreign direct spend generated by tourism last year. He also revealed which of the key traveler markets had maintained good growth, which had declined, and which ahd remained steady. The south african industry continued toperform well in spite of pressures exerted by the global financial crisis that had seen growth in the global industry shrink to 1.3 percent last year. South africa had recorded 5.5 percent arrivals growthover the period. The foreign direct spend in 2008 had grown by an estimated 23.5 percent, bringing the total revenue generated by tourism to more than R356 billion since 2003. A total of 9,591,828 foreigners visited south africa last year compared to 9,090,881 in 2007. Regional and short-haul tourists remained the largest and most lucrative market for the south african industry. Arrivals from africa grew seven percent last year with mozambique (13.2 percent), angola (15.3 percent), and swaziland (4.7 percent) continuing to show strong growth. African land markets last year contributed an estimated R43.5 billion in toal foreign direct spend to the economy. The americas region performed well with a 5.2 percent increase in 2008. However, growth declined in the asia and australasia (-3.2 percent) and Europe (-0.5 percent) regions.
Lively Liverpool
From the wide, flowing mersey to the countryside and beaches beyond the suburbs, liverpool is more than just a city with a big reputation. It’s the centre of a vast area of beauty, culture and entertainment that deserves exploration. Thanks to the legacy of 800 years of civic pride and massive recent investment, many of the attractions on offer are superb value or even free. Liverpool city region is rich is in history and variety. The surrounding area is full of exciting attractions and amazing points of interest. Just a short drive from liverpool is the classic seaside resort of southport, with its award-winning family beaches and superb shopping, as well as a fantastic annual line-up of events that can’t fail to keep you entertained. Just over the water from liverpool is the wirral peninsula. Surrounded by the river mersey, river dee and the irish sea, its bursting with an array of coastal and countryside attractions, and it’s unique coastline gives you the perfect opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life. Located midway between the cosmopolitan cities of liverpool and manchester, the thriving borough of st helens has an eclectic mix of glorious countryside, fascinating heritage, vibrant nightlifeand quality sporting events. Whether you enjoy delving into histroy, indulging inthrillseeking sports or getting away from it all the great outdoors, you’ll find it in the towns and villages of runcorn, widnes, hale, daresbury and moore in halton just eight miles from the centre of liverpool, knowsley is rich in exciting family days out. Famous for its safari parm, it’s fitting that the borough is best known for it’s wildlife, as it’s one of the greenest places in the UK. Liverpool’s world heritage site stretches along the waterfront from albert dock, through the pier head up to stanley dock, andup through the historic commercial districts and the ropewalks area to the cultural quarter which is dominated by the magnificent st george’s hall. It is one of over 850 cultural and natural world heritage sites which include the great wall of china, the pyramids of giza, the cities of edinburgh and bath, hadrian’s wall and stonehenge.
Amazing melbourne
Melbourne, australia’s second largest city is a mellifluous blend of diversity in all walks of life. The fusion of past tradition and varied cultural influences has created an invigorating city and dynamic centre for culture, communities and commerce. It is a place with distinctive character. With its amalgamation of victorian architecture and the contemporary, abundant gardens, theatres and museums and a plethora of shopping arcades, it is easily one of the best places to spend a pleasant summer. Add to that the umpteen festivals and sporting events and you have the perfect recipe for a fantastic holiday. Although getting around in melbourne is simple because of the trams, trains and buses, a good way to understand any city is to take a walk around and melbourne is definitely one of those cities which are a pleasure to discover by walking.
The fed square is a happening place, akin to the times square or the piccadilly square. Melbourne’s most prominent showcase, it is designed as a tribute to the first 100 years of australian nationhood and blends art, architecture, and great food and wine with a space to hang out. It also houses the lan potter centre, the australian centre for the moving image, and the melbourne visitor centre. The fed square is a great place where one can spend the entire day without getting bored. Just across the square is the century and half year old flinders railway station standing in its victorian splendour. This is the hub of city’s train system where all metropolitan trains begin and end their journey. Beyond the station stretches out the shopper’s paradise in the streets with quaint english names. The ‘paris end’ of tree lined collins street is stocked up with higfashion outlets while the swanston street is full of duty free shops. The nusy bourke street is the destination for those seeking newer shopping experience in pedestrian malls and department stores. The historic grand arcades have existed since the victorian times. ‘The Block’, a fantastic old arcade with exquisite mosaic floor and stained glass arched roof and the sculpture of gogg and McGogg, two mthical giants. Crowded with delifhtful shops, it is a mind-blowing beautiful sight.
Gothenburg is a pleasant shopping city
Gothenburg is a pleasant shopping city with most shops and department stores located within convenient walking distance in the city centre. If shopping is your bag then you should come to the maritime city of Gothenburg and sample its wares. The pride of Sweden’s west coast is big enough to make you feel that you are in a major international destination but small enough (no bad thing when you’re doing a bit of ’speed shopping’) that you can do it all on foot, or take a short tram ride between the shopping districts. Also Gothenburg has Michelin star-rated restraurants and quality eateries aplenty- so there’s no excuse for not eating well while on a shopping expedition. If we deal with the geography of Gothenburg’s main shopping districts first they are; Nordstan, Innerstaden and Avenyn.
SWEDEN’S SECOND BIGGEST CITY
Sweden’s second biggest city is known for its friendly atmosphere and everything from shopping and museums to cafes and nightclubs are within comfortable walking distance. Gotheburg also has many fine restaurants with excellent chefs. Among the specialities are fresh fish and seafood. Chefs from Gothenburg have won he prestigious “chef of the year” title sevel times in the past nine years. The parade street Avenyn is an attraction in itself with its constantly vibrant pulse, outdoor restaurants nightclubs, and lots of people. In Sweden’s largest indoor shopping centre Nordstan you’ll find the latest fashions and specialist stores. The art Museum is famous for its collection of Nordic art and the Gothenburn Opera House gives both classical and modern performances. Liseberg amusement park is the most visited attraction in Scandinavia.
Jet Airways has announced agreement
Jet Airways has announced agreement with Virgin Atlantic with effect from 06 May 2009. The new agreement means that guests can book with Virgin Atlantic to travel with Jet Airways on their double daily service between Mumbai and Longdon Heathrow. The code share agreement between Virgin Atalntic and Jet Airways represents a significant step forward in strenthening the relationship between our two airlines. The Mumbai -London route holds great potential and we were looking to enhance our presence on this route by mean’s of a codeshare partnership with a carrier whose commitment to service and product quality closely mirrors our own. The new codeshare will be particularly useful for passengers travelling between many points on Virgin Atlantic’s worldwide network and Mumbai w ho will be able to make convenient, same-terminal connections at London Heathrow’s Terminal 3. Finnair’s second Airbus A 330 aircraft will make its first commercial flight to Delhi on 01-May-09 after which it will start regular scheduled flights on New York and Delhi routes. Finnair’s first A 330 aircraft started flights on the New York route in April. The arrival of the new planes is a part of the extensive long haul fleet renewal. During the current year, Finnair will receive a total of five new Airbus A 330 aircraft. The next A 330s will arrive in May and June. The new A 330 aircraft will be equipped with the new lighter Finnair cabindesign. These aircraft represent the latest travel comfort modern technology and first class fuel efficiency.
CROWN FOR VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD
Visitors from across the world can visit the crown of the Statue of Libert. One of the celebrated attractions of the Big Apple. Statue of Liberty the iconic attraction is slated in every travel operator’s itinerary designed as a must watch for all Indian tourists visiting United States or New York city. The department of the Interior has invested $25 million under the President’s economic recovery plan to stabilize the Baggage and Dormitory Building at Ellis Island built in 1908 to house immigrants waiting for further processing, and repair 2,000 feet of the island’s crumbling seawall. Access to the crown is limited to 10 people at a time guided by a National Park Service ranger. The Park Service which has responsibility to keep visitors safe and make it possible for them to evacuate in the event of an emergency, closed the crown becuase of health and safety concerns. The crown is accessible only by a narrow 168– step double-helix spiral staircase. All the risk of climbing to the crown is eliminated. This includes raising the handrails o the spiral staircase and stationing rangers throughout the Statue to aid visitors as well as help them enjoy the experience and learn more about the Statue and its symbolism. The funds to restore the building and seal wall at Ellis island are part of more than $750 million in Recovery Funds will be invested in national parks across the nation. The Statue of Liberty will be open for the next two years. Then it will be closed agian for work on a long-term solution that will improve safety and security permanently.
Tourism Authority of Thailand
With the aim to promote tourism in Pattaya. Tourism Authority of Thailand recently organized Pattaya road show in Delhi after holding it in Mumbai.The road show provided a feel of Pattaya with cultural dances and display of innovative tourism product ranges from hotels, beaches entertainment destinations and wildlife. The cultural dances were performed by Tiffany group. The show was attented by distinguished from Pattaya city administration such as Itthiphol Kunplome, Mayor pattaya city Wattana Chantanawaranon. Deputy Mayor Pattaya City clerk Praiwal Honges chief of Tourism Department and Teerarat Uruakeolarn, Foreign Affairs Officer Pattaya. The road show provided an opportunity for Indian buyers to interact with 40 participants from Pattaya representing 20 various tourism companies.
Hit Count