Renald Epie has been appointed as the executive chef of Fairmont Dubai. He has more than 20 years’ experiencing the art of classical French cuisine at different Michelin-starred restaurants.   He started off his career in culinary at the age …

Following the success of last year’s inaugural campaign, Thomson Safaris is celebrating Porter Appreciation Week this year, February 4-11, 2019, in honor of the nearly 15,000 Tanzanian porters who aid trekkers on their quest to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. …

IBTM Arabia, part of IBTM’s global portfolio of meetings and events industry trade shows and the most established event of its kind in the MENA MICE industry, has announced first details of the networking programme for its 2019 event, which …

Outbound travel’s economic contribution to the U.K. stands at 37.1 billion pound in Gross Value Added (GVA). It comprises 1.8 per cent of the U.K. Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  It provides 221,000 jobs which is higher than that of wholesale …

The idea for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale came from a meeting that was organized in 2010 with Malayali artists living and working in Mumbai. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) offers people the opportunity to see original, international contemporary art practices, however, it …

Quito International Airport has opened its domestic VIP lounge after being remodeled with avant-garde decoration and design catering to the passenger comfort.     The project was commissioned by Corporacion Quiport and directed by the Adriana Hoys Design Studio and …

A new analysis from the World Travel & Tourism Council stated that over 300,000 jobs will be at risk in the tourism sector in the United Kingdom considering if the country leaves the European Union without a deal on March …

Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent U.S. dollars 17.82 billion in 2018, as per the preliminary year-end statistics. It recorded an increase of 6.8 per cent over 2017.  This generated a +6.8 per cent or U.S. dollars 133.1 million more …

East Midlands Trains has invested over £150,000 to provide improved waiting facilities for customers using Leicester station. In a first for the train operator, the waiting rooms have a free water filling station for customers.   The refurbished standard class …

Princess Cruises guests onboard Diamond Princess will now enjoy a refreshed onboard atmosphere following an extensive 14-day, multimillion dollar dry dock in Singapore, continuing Princess Cruises “Come Back New Promise” commitment focused on investing more than US$450 million across the …

Royal Caribbean International announced the appointment of two new senior sales personnel a sales director to head up and lead the Royal Caribbean sales team and a new head of key accounts.     From early April, sales director, Martin …

SeaWorld Orlando executive Jim Dean will head the Pinellas County tourism bureau following the sudden departure of CEO David Downing.     The county administrator Barry Burton announced Dean as the interim president and CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater starting …

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Abelema Afeku, has been appointed Chairperson of the Leadership Taskforce of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).     The appointment was announced at the first meeting of the Leadership Taskforce …

 Heavy snowstorm has led to the cancellation of British Airways flights at Heathrow while the Bristol and Bournemouth airports were affected.     Around 90 flights were cancelled by the British Airways as the temperatures went down to -15C overnight …

An agreement has been signed between the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the Basque Culinary Centre to hold the fifth World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism that will be held in San Sebastian, Spain between May 2nd and 3rd . …

Amtrak Board of Directors today appointed Kevin Winters as the new Amtrak inspector general, effective immediately. He succeeds Tom Howard, who will retire after four decades of experience in senior federal accountability positions.   Winters has served as Deputy Inspector …

After winning a battle for the right to introduce a tourism tax Edinburgh local councils will have the power to bring in visitor levy if they choose. This year before the necessary legislation is brought forward a consultation on the …

The Tangkahan village near Mount Leuser in North Sumatra and Pemuteran village in Bali is two of many villages in Indonesia that offer unique ecotourism attractions.     They can set an example for other villages across the country to …

Oceania Cruises, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, announced a ground-breaking sustainability initiative to eliminate millions of plastic water bottles per year through a new partnership with Vero Water. This pioneering green initiative is the newest facet of …

As per the new Catalan government rule vehicles for hire should take bookings 15 minutes in advance  which led to the suspension of Uber services in Barcelona.   Cabify, Spain’s own ride-hailing app having one million users in Barcelona also …

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promised to bring 40 million overseas visitors to Japan by 2020.     More than 30 million visitors came to Japan in 2018, part of a prolonged tourism boom that has brought roughly 4.5 …

Lorraine Headley-Raeburn has been appointed as the chairperson of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority board of directors  and also serve as a consultant to the while Dean Fenton as the new US director of tourism.     The announcements …

Between January 21 and March 1 to celebrate China’s annual Spring festival will have around 3 billion trips and usher in the Year of the Pig.     Known as the ‘Chunyun’, the 40-day period will see Chinese people coming …

Temperatures as low as minus 56 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 49 Celsius) in US Midwest, that affected millions of Americans has left at least 21 dead.  Officials across multiple states linked numerous deaths to the frigid air. According to Stathis Poulakidas, …

The President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Patricia Affonso-Dass, praised the diversity of the region, calling it the most welcoming region in the world.   Addressing the 37th annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which is the Caribbean’s largest …

New Zealanders worried about being flooded with overseas visitors may get what they had wished for.   Air New Zealand’s recent $100m profit downgrade reflects the experience of the wider tourism industry which is witnessing slower growth, with slight drops …

  Due to flooding from heavy rain Saudi Arabia says 12 people have died and more than 170 injured this week.     In the area of Tabuk 10 people died, one was in Medina and another in the Northern …

With a record-breaking 4.31 million travellers visiting Jamaica in 2018, the island nation’s tourism industry is poised to boost its rate of growth by expanding investments in small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises. By expanding investment in small and medium sized …

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre(the Centre)kicked off its Culinaria journey with the launch of its new line of live cooking stations during the Australian High Commission Malaysia’s Australia Day 2019 Celebration, a stylish reception attended by over 1,000 distinguished guests …

The participants from 50+ Countries and many Indian States and Union Territories exhibited their destinations at OTM 2019, held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from January 23 to 25.     OTM 2019 had 1,000+ exhibitors, including National and State …

Tsim Sha Tsui’s 457-meter waterfront Avenue of Stars reopens on Jan. 31, 2019, after three-year makeover under the aegis of architect James Corner (the mastermind behind New York’s High Line and Seattle’s Central Waterfront) and local team New World Development. …

East Java’s city Banyuwangi has been hailed as the best festival city by the Tourism Ministry because of a high increase of annual tourism events.     Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that in 2012, Banyuwangi only held 12 events. …

As the U.S. Midwest plunges to minus 50 degree centigrade, Chicago rail has found a way to keep the trains running. Tracks on Chicago’s Metra commuter rail system are on flames, though not literally. The flames actually come from gas-fed …

World Travel Awards (WTA) is pleased to announce its annual “call for entries” for inclusion in the most prestigious awards and recognition initiative in travel and tourism.   Each country’s very best brands and products are now invited to submit …

Thailand’s first, and Southeast Asia’s longest, water, light and sound feature recently opened on the banks of the Chao Phraya River with a wonderful display of dozens of waterjet fountains choreographed to dance with accompaniment of classical music.   The …

Global human rights organisation Amnesty International on Wednesday called for banning of listings from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank on online travel sites.   The report by the London-based rights group titled “Destination: Occupation,” said rental sites Airbnb, …

The Hudson Valley food scene is an important part of the identity of the region, predominantly in Dutchess County.   And it’s more than a brand. For tourism, dining is an important motivating force in the region, creating jobs as …

During the 2019 SITE Global Conference the SITE Thailand chapter was announced held between January 11-13. SITE will have 30 chapters worldwide and 2,480 members in 90 countries with the new addition.     SITE Thailand chapter has 23 incentive …

UK saw a decline of 5.3 % in overseas tourists and a 2.3% fall in spending contrary to the predictions that a record year in 2017 will continue into 2018.     It bucked the global travel trend where the …

  As per a new research and figures from 2017 tourism in Medway is on the rise and the industry is currently worth £333 million a year after having a growth of 6.2 %.     The study was commissioned …

In partnership with The Pure Group, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s home airline creates dedicated yoga and meditation space in the Business Class lounge at The Pier in Hong Kong. The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga is spread over 700 square-foot area. …

The United States has issued a harsh travel warning to American citizens asking them not to travel to the country owing to risk of arbitrary arrest and detention. Tensions have escalated between the U.S. and the regime of Nicolás Maduro …

 In order to boost the number of parking spaces available Gatwick airport, the UK’s second busiest after Heathrow is working on a pilot project for robotic valet parking.     The airport is working with Stanley Robotic, a parking company …

Hosting conferences in Darwin is becoming a smart option for event organisers as recent events have seen record numbers of attendance. Several events hosted at the Darwin Convention Centre in 2018 achieved their highest delegate numbers, seeing people from all …

As winter tourism continues to grow it has given the homestay business a shot in the arm in Xinjiang, Northwest China’s Uygur autonomous region.   Various winter fun activities and more trains and flights have turned up the heat during …

Northern Aegean tourism destinations Çanakkale’s Gökçeada and Bozcaada islands intend to draw more tourists during the winter season with various activities.   On the two islands, which are traditional summer hotspots due to their unspoiled nature and golden sands, the …

Visit England, the national tourism agency rated the museum 81 percent following a thorough once-over. The evaluation praised the family-friendly offer of the museum, the maintenance of displays, cleanliness and degree of customer care. Museum cleanliness, comprising café, shop and …

Five years after the “snow jam” when cars, trucks and school buses got stranded on Atlanta freeways, another winter storm is on the verge of threatening the city — just as thousands of fans begin pouring in for Super Bowl …

After an EasyJet flight was diverted to Edinburgh while flying from Manchester to Iceland Police Scotland arrested a man. The EasyJet flight was less than an hour into its journey when it was diverted to Edinburgh on Monday evening.   …

Digitalistaion is the fourth industrial revolution leading to greater demand for human and emotional connections.  The meetings industry has huge opportunity in the digital world to develop the connection and deliver messages in emotional ways that cannot be achieved online. …