More than £60BN at stake, should invest now or pay the price The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has issued a stark warning to the UK Government: the UK’s successful Travel & Tourism industry faces stagnation and long-term decline. On the eve of the UK Government’s first Visitor Economy Advisory Council, the global tourism body revealed data that shows £60BN is at risk over the next 10 years, in lost tourism business. While forecasts indicate short-term stability, the long-term outlook is weak as the UK loses ground to European competitors. The UK’s Travel & Tourism sector directly employs almost the same number of people as the NHS. It contributed £280BN to the UK economy in 2024 (10.3%) and supported over 4.1MN jobs (11.3%). It also contributes £100...
Read MoreCategory: विदेश
travelogues, travel articles and news from around the world
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has strengthened its commitment to the Indian market by appointing BRANDit as its official PR agency in India. This strategic partnership aims to amplify Ras Al Khaimah’s appeal as a leading travel destination, catering to the growing number of Indian travellers seeking unique experiences in the Middle East. BRANDit will lead the PR mandate to position Ras Al Khaimah as a must-visit destination, highlighting its diverse offerings, including pristine beaches, awe-inspiring mountains, luxurious resorts and rich cultural heritage. By leveraging its expertise in travel representation, BRANDit will develop targeted campaigns, engage with key media and collaborate with travel trade stakeholders to build a stronger presence for Ras Al Khai...
Read MoreQadam train station was once the pride of Syria’s capital, for some a symbol of post-war revival A train station in Damascus was once the pride of the Syrian capital, an essential link between Europe and the Arabian Peninsula during the Ottoman Empire and then a national transit hub. But more than a decade of war left it a wasteland of bullet-scarred walls and twisted steel. The Qadam station’s remaining staff say they still have an attachment to the railway and hope that it, like the country, can be revived after the swift and stunning downfall of leader Bashar Assad last month. On a recent day, train operator Mazen Malla led us through the landscape of charred train cars and workshops damaged by artillery fire. Bullet casings littered the ground. Malla grew up near the s...
Read MoreI have lived in Lagos, a seaside megacity of over 20 million people, since early 2022. Before moving to the Nigerian capital, I was a correspondent for Reuters in my native Harare, Zimbabwe. When I first arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport here, I was almost knocked off my feet by the heat and humidity. But I've since grown to love this busy financial, artistic and cultural capital. As the Reuters Nigeria bureau chief, I oversee a team of people responsible for covering everything from the humanitarian impact of a long-running Islamist insurgency to the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu to the completion of Africa's largest petrochemical plant, the Dangote Refinery. When visitors ask me about Lagos, here's what I tell them: Getting around: The "Danfo...
Read MoreBenin’s mecca of spirits and gods draws tourists and followers with famed Voodoo festival
As children dance with great speed and energy in colorful robes, guided by the drumbeats and chants from dance troupes, the gods and spirits that are evident all around the arena are beckoned upon by the old and young for peace and prosperity. And on the sidelines, camera clicks from foreigners and locals follow the festivities. Welcome to the ancient town of Ouidah, in southern Benin, a mecca of gods and spirits where the celebration of the annual Voodoo festival brings a mix of tourism and religion in a clash of cultures and the ability for ancient traditional beliefs to adapt to modern life. The small West African nation held the annual festival last weekend, with Voodoo day marking the “return to the source for all Africans and Afro-descendants,” said Christian...
Read MoreArchaeologists have unearthed a lavish private bath complex in Pompeii, highlighting the wealth and grandeur of the ancient Roman city before it was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, the site said on Friday. The baths, featuring hot, warm and cold rooms, could host up to 30 guests, allowing them to relax before heading into an adjacent, black-walled banquet hall, decorated with scenes from Greek mythology. The private thermal baths complex discovered by archaeologists in a villa of the ancient city of Pompeii is seen, in Pompeii, Italy, in this undated handout picture released on January 17, 2025. Pompeii Archeological Park/Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism/Handout via REUTERS The pleasure complex lies inside a grand residence that has been uncovered ov...
Read MoreEager visitors flock to see spectacular lava fountaining from Kilauea in Hawaii
People were flocking to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday to get a glimpse of fountaining lava. The eruption that began Dec. 23 in a crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano has paused periodically. It resumed Wednesday morning as a “small sluggish lava flow,” and then increased into a fountain that appeared to be 200 feet (60 meters) high, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. By the afternoon, visitors to the national park on the Big Island were able to see two fountains from an overlook. The observatory said it was possible fountain heights would increase as more gas-rich lava erupted. “The park is already very busy with people eager to see the eruption and we expect visitation to increase as the news gets out again,” Jessica Ferracane, park spokesperson, said...
Read MoreJapan saw 3.49 million visitors in December, an all-time high for any month, official data showed on Wednesday, capping off a record year for tourism fuelled by the weak yen. December arrivals of foreign visitors for business and leisure rose from 3.19 million in November, breaking the previous monthly record of 3.31 million set in October, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed. A total of 36.87 million visitors arrived in 2024, exceeding the previous 12-month high of 31.9 million set in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut global borders. The December figures were boosted by school vacation and holiday-related demand from many markets, the JNTO said. The tourism boom has been a welcome boost to Japan's economy. Spending by visitors, classified ...
Read MoreMinor Hotels expands China portfolio with a new collaboration Anantara Hotels & Resorts’ first project in Sichuan province is set to enrich Southwest China’s tourism landscape with high-end skiing and wellness experiences Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group that owns and operates hotels, resorts and residences in 57 countries, has entered into an agreement with Sichuan Dexinhousheng Enterprise Management Co., Ltd to develop Anantara Xiling Snow Mountain Chengdu Resort. Slated to debut in October 2025, Anantara’s first property in Sichuan province will provide access to a host of nature-based experiences in the heart of Western Sichuan’s Golden Tourist Route. Located in Dayi County, an hour’s drive from Chengdu city, the 111-key luxury resort will leverage the unique na...
Read MoreDutch big-air star kitesurfer Walker achieves perfect timing with Red Bull Air Race pilot Czepiela for iconic feat in South Africa Extreme big-air kitesurfer Lasse Walker pulled off a world-first feat off Dolphin Beach in Cape Town on Thursday, January 16 when he completed a stunning jump in the water over the low-altitude plane of masterful Red Bull Air Race pilot Łukasz 'Luke' Czepiela. Dutchman Walker grew up on the coast of the Netherlands, where he looked up to the exploits of local kitesurfing legends Ruben Lenten and Kevin Langeree and realised that his future lay in the sport. Lasse Walker of the Netherlands jumps over a CubCrafters Carbon Cub airplane piloted by Luke Czepiela of Poland on Dolphin Beach in Cape Town, South Africa on January 16, 2025. PHOTO: Sebastian Mark...
Read More
You must be logged in to post a comment.