tourists

itsmatos: Note location of Ashanti's next gig. mauraatidolator: oh yeah, she's from glen cove! mauraatidolator: i guess now that billy joel has turned his back this is all nassau county's got R&B singer Ashanti turns into tourism ambassador [AP]

Foreign tourists visiting Bulgaria are up by 16.6% for the first five months of 2008 compared to the same period of 2007. The Chair of Bulgaria's State Agency for Tourism Aneliya Krushkova announced the numbers last week. The new statistics show that Bulgaria’s popularity for international visitors and investors continues to be strong.

The Northern Emirates’ hospitality industry is undergoing a major boom with projects worth more than Dh300 billion due to be completed by 2011. The number of tourists visiting Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain is increasing rapidly and is expected to reach more than five million a year. “Ras Al Khaimah is emerging fast [...]

PHNOM PENH, July 10 (Xinhua) – The Cambodian Association of Travel Agencies (CATA) expected that the Preah Vihear Temple in the eponymous province of the country will draw more tourists, as it has become a World Heritage Site, national media said Thursday. “Just the novelty factor of the Preah Vihear Temple being on the list (of [...]

The French, according to an international survey. From time: “Remember the tightwad tourist whose baggy shorts, frequent complaining and shouted questions about why none of the locals spoke any English made the ugly American the world’s Visitor From Hell? Well, it’s time for Archie Bunker to move over and make way for Petulant Pierre. According to a [...]

2013 should be a very exciting day for Britain and for space tourists world wide as another entrepreneur, Steve Bennett joined the race. He has built the Nova 2 (I wonder what happened to Nova 1), a three seater capsule that is expected to take tourists 60 miles up in space. Lifting you up at [...]

Japan, whose topographically Eastern premises of the world makes a special mark on its attraction, has a way of giving momentum to what we call as Japan Tourism. One can see its treasure trove of vibrant festivals that appear to be constituting the most primeval regional tint in them. The festivals varying from area to area admit the religious significance attached to them. Many a time, colossal p

Expedia surveyed 4,000 hotel proprietors internationally asking them who they would prefer to stay in their hotels. Japanese, who were voted by hoteliers as the world’s best tourists in a global travel survey released this month. It also rated the travellers on categories that included manners, willingness to learn the local language and sample the cuisine, [...]

Thailand has been named as the most favorite Asian vacation destinationamong Scandinavian visitors, according to the Thai Tourism Authorityoffice in Sweden.The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s StockholmOffice Director Manit Boonchim said that Swedish tourists have votedfor this country as their most favorite place in Asia. This isaccording to an impressively high number of Swedish tourists toThai

A survey to find out the world top tourists, by online travel company, expedia has found that the Japanese were the top ranked tourists. Among the topics being asked in the survey were, behaviour,manners,generosity,willingness to learn the language and willingness to try the local cuisine and their propensity to complain. Japanese tourists were the tops overall followed by the British and the Germ

They are the summer darlings of every top Parisian department store: Chinese tourists who save on hotel costs to lavish their savings on French fashion, perfume and designer labels they cannot buy at home.But this year Paris's boutiques and tour firms have become the latest casualties of the diplomatic row surrounding the Olympic torch protests, as Chinese tourists boycott France as a holiday dest

In a country known for innovative technology, are we really justified in being surprised that they have the most advanced public toilets as well? Concentrating on comfort, cleanliness and even attempting to ease embarrassment, Japanese toilets are far beyond what most expect, though for anyone living there, these should be fast becoming the norm. Of course we won’t go into the health befits of t

Rabat, June 18 (Xinhua) The participation of Morocco in the International Tourism Fair, which embraces the Chinese capital Beijing between 19 and June 21 this opportunity to attract more Chinese tourists. The Morocco in this exhibition, the Moroccan National Tourist Office and a number of Moroccan travel agencies to create partnerships with their counterparts in China in particular, the numbe

General expected the British independent travel agencies that the number of British tourists influxes of Morocco during the summer of 2008 rose significantly.According to the Assembly, the retreat of the pound sterling compared to the European unified currency, travelers will encourage Britons to abandon the traditional destinations in Europe Spain and Portugal and thus move towards other countrie

An epic Australian outback movie starring Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman will spearhead a new tourism campaign designed to recapture the country’s “mojo” and lure more visitors Down Under. More: continued here

AP - France seems to be falling off the itinerary of Chinese tourists, in a display of China’s pique at French support for protesting Tibetans and angry demonstrations against the Olympic torch on the streets of Paris. Original post by AP

Shimla: A meeting of Tourism Department was held here last evening to review the scheme-wise progress of works approved for 10th Plan onwards. Smt. Manisha Nanda, Secretary, Tourism, who presided over the meeting, reviewed the progress of works worth Rs. 100 crore funded by Union Ministry of Tourism. She urged the officers of the department to [...]

Sydney Airport Corporation said 36 extra flights, including one charter flight, have been scheduled for the event, at which organisers expect to attract 125,000 people on Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visas. Danny Casey, the Chief Operating Officer, said every flight in the lead up to the event is fully booked."World Youth Day is bringing international visitors into Sydney in droves. Sydney is

The survey, a brand-tracking study conducted by SA Tourism, assessed South Africa's core market countries: Kenya, Nigeria, the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany and the Netherlands.It was first conducted in November 2005 and tracked responses in November 2006, February 2007 and November 2007. It was tabled in parliament in response to a question from the DA's Gareth Morgan.The survey divided

mossad agents Killing Oz Tourists to Steal their Identity to use in fake al-Qaeda operations zev_jew_spy.jpg, image/jpeg, 272x343 The Israeli Mossad agent Zev Barkan has been running Asian criminal gangs used to obtain Australian Identity documents and other passports stolen from Australians Killed in Asia, a New Zealand security official has said.I was contacted by a New Zealand official, who ha

Qatar Airways Tourist Visa:How to Obtain a Tourist Visa via Qatar AirwaysIf you are not a member of Qatar's list of approved nationalities for visa on arrival, you can get a visa either via a hotel or via Qatar Airways. However, to get a visa with Qatar Airways, you have to book a room for your stay with a five or four star hotel. We have included a list of approved hotels below.The hotel can be

I guess it’s natural that they have it, but it still came as a surprise. A few weeks back I got this next Hebrew brochure by email that details a travel proposal for visiting Taiwan. I was always under the impression that no Israelis ever travel to Taiwan to tour around, keeping track of the [...]

In Marketplace Glacier National Park Where You Won'tSee Other Tourists This Is One of Our National TreasuresBut Few Visit: Most Overlooked Parks 10 Places to See Before You DieGuess Which US Site Is Mentioned Going, Going GoneWhere Tax Rebates Are HeadedPilot Sees Rocket Fly by Cockpit Next

During Hue Festival, tourists can travel between Ha Noi to Hue by train * Tien Giang Transport Corporation has opened a 56km-bus route from My Tho City to My Loi ferry in Go Cong Dong district Saturday. There will be 60 to 70 bus trips a day. Buses will depart from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Each trip lasts from 80 to 90 minutes. * Jetstar Pacific began operation in Ha Noi on Friday. This company is a

Over the last 6 years the number of foreign tourists, who stay in their own houses on Cyprus, has increased from 114 thousand to 138 thousand people, it is 5.7% from the whole stream of tourists coming to the country. Original post by Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery News

Some available tour packages for tourists who are interested to travel around Shimla , generally conducted by different travel agencies in Shimla. Tour No. 1 : Shimla - Kufri - Fagu - Chini Bunglow -Naldehra – Shimla. – It will cost approx. 200 INR per seat. Tour No. 2 : Shimla - Fagu - Matiana - Narkanda – Shimla – It will cost approx. 250 INR per seat. Tour No. 3 : Shimla - Kufri

Ho Chi Minh City welcomed 195,000 foreign tourists in May, up 12 percent from a year earlier, according the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism. The top ten tourism markets with the highest number of arrivals are the US, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, the Republic of Korea, China, France, Singapore, Canada and Malaysia. Over the past five months, HCM City attracted 1.2 million foreign tourists

In a country known for innovative technology, are we really justified in being surprised that they have the most advanced public toilets as well? Concentrating on comfort, cleanliness and even attempting to ease embarrassment, Japanese toilets are far beyond what most expect, though for anyone living there, these should be fast becoming the norm.Of course we won't go into the health befits of the

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has named Hello Kitty, the famous feline character mass-produced by Sanrio Co., as its goodwill ambassador to China and Hong Kong. This move is part of the ministry’s “Visit Japan” campaign which aims to attract 10 million visitors each year. AP reports that tourists from China and [...]

Chunky mmonkeys at a Japanese park has been put on diet after being overfed by tourists. About one third of the parks 50 Macaca mulatta monkeys, which generally weigh up to 11 kg in the wild, are now overweight. The heaviest male weighs over 29kg.The heaviest male weighs over 29kg and does little more than shuffle around the 420-square-metre enclosure waiting for the next hand-out, according to pa

According the data and record of the Tourism Ministry ,at the moment there are about 3,000 rooms available for tourists in Jaipur. Also, the state would have another 12 five-star hotels in major cities by 2010. Keeping in mind a shortage of 2,000 rooms in Jaipur itself during the Delhi Commonwealth Games , the government is planning to give incentives to private players, including those owning anc

With its rich history, culture and desert landscape, Rajasthan sees a golden opportunity in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games to up its tourist inflow and is sprucing up its roads, hotels and monuments to lure foreigners who come visiting the Indian capital.Rajasthan has some of the best hotels globally. As Rajasthan is the closest neighbor of Delhi's and expects many tourists. As places like J

I think this should serve as a lesson why questionable countries like Yemen, where Islam is dominant, really don't need money from tourists. From The Japan Times: SAN'A (Kyodo) Two female Japanese tourists kidnapped in Yemen have been safely freed, officials at the Japanese Embassy in Yemen said Thursday morning. The women, who local tribesmen kidnapped at the historic site of Marib in western

Chandigarh: Chandigarh witnesses a whopping increase in the number of tourists visiting the city in 2007. Statistics released by the Department of Tourism UT Administration, revealed that as many as 9,54,726 of tourists visited city beautiful last year. Out of which 9,28,159 included domestic tourists while rest of 26,567 were foreigners. There has been an increase [...]

A record of over 10,000 tourists, 80% of them are foreigners, visit Ha Long Bay during these holidays. The sharp increase was attributed to the daily resumption of sea routes to Ha Long Bay from China , including Beihai-Ha Long and the Hainan-Ha Long links. Furthermore, the route from Hong Kong to Ha Long, was conducted weekly. On the other hand, Malaysia ’s Star Cruises brings visitors to Ha

Eight people die as a bus carrying European and North American tourists crashes in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. A news by AsianLoveStories.com. addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fasianlovestories.com%2Ftourists-die-in-egypt-bus-crash'; addthis_title = 'Tourists+die+in+Egypt+bus+crash'; addthis_pub = 'asianlove';

Dollar down, Euro up, tourists arriveMartha’s Vineyard Times, MA - 19 minutes agoAt Coldwell Banker Landmarks Real Estate, rental department manager Carol Shore said weekly vacation rentals are very strong compared to last year, … Original post by nathaniel

For many younger people taking a gap year and traveling the world is seen as their last chance to experience true freedom before they enter the big hard world of corporate pressure or before starting a few hard years of studying at university. For many of us in the world our holidays amount to two [...]

Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik predicted that the number of foreign tourists to Indonesia in the next couple of months will increase by 30 percent compared to last year`s rate of increase. He therefore expressed optimism that projected seven million foreign tourists could be reached, he said after dedicating a huge billboard on Visit Indonesia Year 2008 at the Ngurah Rai airport in Bali on Sunday. He also said, however, the increase in the number of foreign tourists coming to Indonesia in January and February 2008 reached a rate of only 13-15 percent, but in June, July and August the increase may reach more than 30 percent. Thus, the average increase in the number of foreign tourists in 2008 reached 27 percent, which would be an increase from five million in 2007 to seven

Many foreign tourists have arrived in Mentawai Island district in West Sumatra province in their preparation to enjoy surfing in the offshore district waters which was frequently selected as host for World Champions Surfing Series event.The tourists, among others coming from United States, Australia, Britain and Austria, arrived at the island by ferry or hiring boats after landing at Minangkabau International Airport (BIM) in Padang Pariaman district.Martin Daly, head of world surfing agent, Indies Trader Marine Adventures from Australia said in Padang, capital of West Sumatra recently that ocean waves in Mentawai waters have the most consistent movements among the well known surfing locations in the world. There are about 400 spot surfing with almost six-meter high of the ocean waves w

A word of advice for travellers to use a recognised travel company - so they do not get caught in dodgy dealing.The warning follows a police investigation into a New Zealand-based company selling return tickets to Bali online - for flights that do not actually exist.Orewa Police, who are investigating, say at least ten people have paid a thousand dollars by credit card.

The newly opened international golf course by Mong Cai beach, the northern province of Quang Ninh has attracted a lot of visitors. The 18 hole golf course in Mong Cai is the first one in Vietnam having two separate courses with one for training and the other for competition. Other services such as restaurants and tour guides around the area are available for guests. Golf tours are also

It’s been a long cold winter in Scotland, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that more and more of them have been taking a winter holiday in warmer parts of Europe, helping the European travel industry make a good start to the year. The number taking a winter break has increased to new records [...]

The Mui Ne tourist site in Binh Thuan province has become a popular destination for Russian visitors to Viet Nam. According to Klokov Igor Nikolaevich, general director of the Russian travel company Lanta-An, the number of Russian visitors to Binh Thuan has increased since the opening of Lanta-An’s office in Mui Ne. He said some 300 Russian visitors come to Phan Thiet-Mui Ne per month, and the

Update: 12:20PM TWO tourists were tricked by a taxi driver and his accomplice who fled with their bag containing a Samsung mobile phone, a Panasonic digital camera, a Sony digital camera, assorted bank cards and $F370 and $A50. (...)

New Delhi: Mr. Ram Subhag Singh, Commissioner Tourism and Managing Director Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation said that Tour Operators and Travel Agents from all over the country would be able to make on line bookings for H.P.T.D.C hotels during the current summer season. He was addressing a meeting of Private Tour Operators and Travel [...]

New Delhi: Ram Subhag Singh, Commissioner Tourism and Managing Director H.P. Tourism Development Corporation said at New Delhi today that Himachal Pradesh Government has set up a target to attract 94 lakh tourists during current year and State is fully geared to welcome the tourists during current summer season which began on 15th April, 2008. Ram [...]

The government expects Indonesia to attract 2.3 million tourists from China through a cooperation scheme between the ministry of arts and tourism and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (PT Bank ICBC) Indonesia."If at least 10 per cent out of the 23 million active credit card holders of the bank in China are enticed to visit Indonesia, it means that some 2.3 million Chinese tourists will come to this country," Arts and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said after the signing of the agreement with PT Bank ICBC here Tuesday.The ministry´s director general for marketing, Sapta Nirwandar, meanwhile said the realistic target of Chinese tourist arrivals in Indonesia this year was set at 300,000.Under the agreement with the ICBC, the bank would give facilities to credit card holders to visit I

Japan, whose topographically Eastern premises of the world makes a special mark on its attraction, has a way of giving momentum to what we call as Japan Tourism. One can see its treasure trove of vibrant festivals that appear to be constituting the most primeval regional tint in them. The festivals varying from area to area admit the religious significance attached to them. Many a time, colossal parades walk over various avenues honoring the temple gods and all this is accompanied by the gleeful beats that are capable of putting every tourist on the dance mode. Some of the most heartening and rich festivals that revitalize the tourism in Japan do need your attention if you want to infuse the true essence of Japan in you. You can prepare yourself to gyrate with native people at the cadence

Motorhome tourists get haircuts at the local barber, shop at local markets and buy more souvenirs from the places they go to see: "They never want to stay in just one place, and unlike the tourists taking advantage of the cheap ‘everything included’ system we see in many of our hotels, they don’t only stay a short time and then return to their countries,” Bulent Karaboncuk, the head of the Turkey

Promotion Card For Tourists Turkish Culture & Tourism Ministry is getting prepared to dispense "Promotion Cards" to tourists who arrive in Turkey. Under the project, tourists will earn bonus points as they spend money in Turkey, like in credit cards. Companies in tourism sector such as hotels and restaurants will become part of the project and when tourists use services of these companies, they will earn discounts and gifts. The project`s budget is nearly 2.1 million YTL (one USD equals to 1.24 YTL). "Tourist Promotion Card" will be valid for five years, and its usage will be supported by a web portal. Officials said that tourists may visit Turkey again to use the bonus points they collected.

Despite a report from the Gran Canaria Tourist Board that notes a slight decrease in tourism numbers in the Canaries in 2007, the industry is optimistic. So optimistic in fact, that Tenerife continues to grant building permits to developers of new hotels in anticipation of 2008 tourism dollars. One of the latest additions is the [...]

I have said repeatedly on this blog that certain radical Islamic clergymen have a stranglehold on sections of the Muslim population and they won't give up their postitions of authority and power... NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE OVERLY RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL OR STUPID!

In yet another sickening display of the religion of peace doing what it does best. Targeting CIVILIANS… The Australian ISLAMIC cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has returned to his hardline rhetoric with a call for followers to “beat up” Western tourists and for young Muslims to die as martyrs. Bashir likened non-Muslims to crawling animals. “Worms, snakes, maggots [...]

Firebrand Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has called on his young Indonesian followers to attack tourists - including Australians - in a fiery sermon.In the talk - given in October last year and captured on video by an Australian PhD student - Bashir urges hisfollowers to "beat up" western tourists, whom he likens to "worms, snakes and maggots"."God willing there are none [tourists] here," he told the young Indonesian audience. "If there were infidels here, just beat them up. Do not tolerate them."Worms, snakes, maggots - those are animals that crawl. Take a look at Bali... those infidel tourists. They are naked."Indonesia News Blog:

Using sunscreen cosmetics, particularly the creams with the filters protecting from the ultraviolet rays, tourists damage nature: these filters contain the elements which can cause the disappearance of coral reefs. It was concluded by Italian scientists, is reported in the edition “Environmental Health Perspectives”. The research was carried out by the specialists from the Polytechnic [...]

Sultanate country of Oman was included in the list of best countries for the visiting of tourists due to its new hotels and solicitous attitude towards the environment. The tourist portal Concierge has included Oman in the top-10 list of the best countries. Original post by Eric Bland, Discovery News

Many tourists return back to the Florida Keys year after year never tiring of its mix of tranquillity and beauty. It covers an area of over 155 miles, stretching from south west from Miami all the way down to Key West on its most southern tip. People never tire of driving from the top to [...]

Europeans no longer need a visa when visiting San Francisco, a full British passport is all that is now needed. Airlines will issue you with a Visa waver form on the aircraft before landing and also a Customs Declaration card. They must be handed into Customs when going through passport control. San Francisco International airport [...]

In a country known for innovative technology, are we really justified in being surprised that they have the most advanced public toilets as well? Concentrating on comfort, cleanliness and even attempting to ease embarrassment, Japanese toilets are far beyond what most expect, though for anyone living there, these should be fast becoming the norm. Of course we won’t go into the health befits of the squat toilets from yesteryears that are still common here, but are really not as innovative as you’d hope from the Japanese. Those you’d find in other Asian countries as well, mostly in villages though. When it comes to a bit of innovation, it starts here by eliminating embarrassment. Talk about the discomfort of knowing someone is in a stall next to you and can actually hear you making som

"The image of Kenya has been destroyed overnight -- the image of palm trees and elephants has been replaced by that of a madman," he said."Tourism in Kenya is devastated and the problem is affecting the whole of Africa," he said.He said that in neighbouring Tanzania, resorts are getting 30 percent cancellations. Tourism officials in Uganda said last week that arrivals have dropped by up to 30 percent.

"The image of Kenya has been destroyed overnight -- the image of palm trees and elephants has been replaced by that of a madman," he said."Tourism in Kenya is devastated and the problem is affecting the whole of Africa," he said.He said that in neighbouring Tanzania, resorts are getting 30 percent cancellations. Tourism officials in Uganda said last week that arrivals have dropped by up to 30 percent.

By James BukovskyThe most important Phuket festival that is held each year must certainly be the Vegetarian festival. The Vegetarian festival in Phuket takes place during the first 9 days of the 9th lunar month of the traditional Chinese calendar.The Vegetarian festival normally falls in the last week of September of within the first week of October.The Phuket vegetarian festival is organized each year to celebrate the start of the Taoist lent. Due to the large number of Phuket residents with Chinese roots, the Taoist lent is celebrated among a large group of the population of Phuket. The vegetarian festival starts of by devout Chinese religious believers completely abstaining from all dairy and meat products.The festivities in Phuket that are held during the vegetarian festival can be fou

One woman's naked ambition to lure more tourists to New Zealand by offering naturist adventures is taking flight.Naturist Kay Hannam said Europe's naturists, particularly from Germany, had traditionally travelled to United States and Canada for their holidays, attracted by low exchange rates. But they were now looking more widely afield and were impressed with what New Zealand had to offer.

British tourists are being advised against all but essential travel to areas of Kenya's two biggest towns as post-election violence erupted in the East African country.With the death toll since last week's disputed poll climbing past the 120 mark, the Foreign Office (FO) issued fresh travel advice.Among places Britons were warned not to travel to except in essential circumstances were Nairobi city centre and the town's Uhuru Park as well as parts of Mombasa - the gateway to the Indian Ocean beach resort hotels.

British tourists are being advised against all but essential travel to areas of Kenya's two biggest towns as post-election violence erupted in the East African country.With the death toll since last week's disputed poll climbing past the 120 mark, the Foreign Office (FO) issued fresh travel advice.Among places Britons were warned not to travel to except in essential circumstances were Nairobi city centre and the town's Uhuru Park as well as parts of Mombasa - the gateway to the Indian Ocean beach resort hotels.

housands of New Zealand travellers face disruption as a result of planned strikes by Qantas engineers in Australia from January 9.About 1700 engineers are to down tools for four-hour rolling stoppages in support of a demand for a 5 per cent pay rise. The airline has offered 3 per cent.It could be the biggest disruption to air travel in Australia since a 1989 pilots' dispute, which grounded domestic flights for months.

The dim light from a candle on a wooden table placed in a fruit orchard was just enough for two people.Two Australians, a man and a woman, burst out crying and hugged each other.A guide in the Mekong Delta tells foreign visitorsabout animal habitats and biological features ofthe area, and shows them a boa constrictorThanh, the owner of the orchard, runs up to them and asks what is wrong.They say: "We feel sorry because we are leaving this lovely place tomorrow. We will miss this unusually peaceful place which exceeded our expectations"This is a story that plays out often in the Mekong Delta where foreign tourists make homestay visits, living with local farmers.They have the opportunity to live like their hosts, picking their own vegetables and cooking themselves.Thanh tells me the story about the two Australians, adding: "It was not easy to create attractive tours for foreign tourists. I had to read books and search the Internet to get information about lifestyles in different c

By Jeremy Clarke MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Bethan, 56, lives in southern England on the same street as best friend Allie, 64. They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is ''just full of big young boys who like us older...

The Cabarrus County Tourism Authority board of directors unanimously voted to request an increase in the occupancy tax charged to visitors who stay in hotels.Raising the tax from 5 to 6 percent should increase the Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau's budget about $400,000 to $2.7 million next year.The tax, which funds the CVB, is levied in addition to the standard 6.75 percent sales tax.Wednesday's request, which was approved with little discussion, requires approval of County Commission.

With the wildfires that devasted portions of Southern California, there has been concern voiced by some as to the impact on tourism. Although it was tragic for many in residential areas, the effect on convention and central tourism areas has been minimal. Now is a great time to plan for a trip to the area to see all the best attractions.Through our affiliation with Go USA Card, Southpoint provides these popular cards which gain you access to all the top local attractions at one low price.The Go USA Cards provide admission to top attractions, including area museums, tours, theme parks, wine tastings, dining and shopping discounts,These are great for vacations, and can be given as gifts. Many purchase several for use at different times of the year.Check out all the great attractions included in each of these California area Go USA Cards::Hollywoodor choose unlimited admission to all USA site

by Mayen JaymalinThe Department of Tourism (DOT) plans to mount intensive marketing missions to attract more tourists next year, particularly sports lovers from various European countries. Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said this early, the DOT is already working on its marketing plan. "We are taking a more assertive role in pushing our beaches and aqua sports attractions to the European traveler," Durano said. He said DOT's marketing rally to Europe in 2008 will begin with the biggest dive show in France Salon de la Plongee sous-Marine in Paris from Jan. 11 to 14. Durano said DOT is also set to join Germany's Boot Show, the leading water sports exhibit in Europe, that will be staged in Dusseldorf from Jan. 19 to 28. Durano added that DOT will also attend similar events in Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands and Scandinavia in the first quarter of 2008. Aside from programs designed to attract more than 200,000 European tourists in 2008, the DOT will also participate in the

The number of Chinese tourists who visited Bali in the first 10 months of 2007 was more than 69,400 or up 131 percent from the same period last year, a tourism operator said. The figure put China in the sixth place after Japan, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia in terms of foreign tourists visiting the resort island, Tjok Gde Agung said here Tuesday. Tjok said he was pleased with the

The holiday season is coming. Most of us may already plan the best thing to accompany our holiday. If you are the ones who love traveling to many places, then you have to prepare yourself for the journey. There are many wonderful cities in Europe, such as London, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, etc. Each of those cities has its own unique characteristics. London is the capital city of the United

There’s nothing like a pesky tourist with a sunburnt nose to ruin a beautiful vacation shot. What’s a photo-loving vacationer to do? It seems like everywhere you go, Stan’s there too, wading into the sea with his arm floaties or building a sand-castle on the beach. [more]

We were out and about at Broadway at the Beach last night to celebrate my dear friend Amalia’s birthday (who knew our favorite dance place, Revolutions, would be closed on a Wednesday?).  We started at the newly opened Buddha Lounge– Asian-influenced cuisine, very decadent decor, and a hookah lounge (which I now know doesn’t mean what I would of guessed, it’s a Willy Wonka inspired smoking contraption).            So, we were one of 5 people in Club Malibu, the other three were guys in there were from Washington D.C. for the 2007 Nationals Myrtle Beach TAP Pool’s Amateur Tour at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.  Victor, an engineer for the DOD and Jose, a real estate developer (hmmm..networking), had won and would be playing their final today.  They asked us where else to go on a Wednesday night, and we had no idea.  I am making it my personal mission to find out!  Share This

PARIS -- France is reaping a fat reward by tapping into the potentially massive Chinese tourism market under a special access provision extended to the European Union but not Canada.Every day, thousands of Chinese tourists, who typically stay in two-star hotels in Paris's suburbs, come by the busloads into the heart of the world's most popular tourist destination to shop and take pictures of each other in front of landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

“It is highly probable that as many as one million tourists will visit Bansko this winter,” tour-operators forecast. There are 15 000 hotel beds in the resort now, and there will be twice as many as soon as hotels and apartment buildings that are currently under construction are completed. “I see no problem accomodating all the guests of the resort. I guarantee there will be neither water supply restrictions nor outages. We’ve set aside 25 million levs (1 Euro = 1.95 levs) of municipal money to develop the infrastructure,” Bansko Mayor Alexander Kravarov said. Since the beginning of the construction boom in Bansko the investments in local hotels and apartment buildings has already exceeded one billion Euros.

It was just a $15 fare for the trishaw ride but the 3 British tourists did not want to pay a single cent. The aged Mr Lee had to struggle with a total passenger weight of about 200kg, and being made fun of, yet not being paid part of the fare. Worse still, one of the three big bullies, Mr Bo Davis uploaded the video to Youtube. According to Asiaone news article below, he made the following comments: "If it were three Asian guys and not three white guys. Would it have got the same reaction?" I feel he did not even think what he had done was wrong. He probably thought it was his consumer right not to pay Mr Lee at all just because he was cycling too slowly. It was not a problem about nationality or race. It was a matter of compassion and respect for someone as elderly as Mr Lee. If they think we Singaporeans are targeting them because they are whites, I suggest they leave our shores forever. We do not need tourists who do not even show decent respect for our people.Singapore Netizen fu

By Katie Paul BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Canadian lobster and tuna fisherman Everett Condon had never traveled further south than the United States until this year, when he spent his off-season going to tango shows and getting plastic surgery in Argentina. Like thousands of others, mostly from the United States, Europe, and Canada, Condon was drawn to South America's attractive exchange rates and reputable doctors who are highly skilled due to a local rage for cosmetic surgery. The 66-year-old signed up online for a face-lift, eye-lift, and chest reduction through the flashy Web site of a Buenos Aires medical tourism company. "I've been thinking of this for a long time, but it's a lot more expensive in my country," said Condon, who had a nose job back home and then started looked for cheaper options to make himself look younger. The Buenos Aires boob-job boom began after a 2002 financial collapse and currency devaluation made visiting the country cheaper. Since then, companies have sp

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) recommends that travel operators increase their internet service offerings to access the rapidly growing Chinese market.According to a study by Pata and the Nielsen Co, nearly seven in 10 Chinese travellers use destination websites and six in 10 use online travel discussion forums to source information.

Hundreds of foreign tourists, mostly from the U.S., arrived in Central Java capital Semarang's Tanjung Emas port on board a Holland America Line Amsterdam cruise Friday.According to Bobby from Merapi Tours and Travel agency, which guided the 687 tourists on their one-day tour in Central Java, the cruise stopped in Singapore on Thursday and will continue on to Bali. From the resort island, the cruise, which left from Seattle in the U.S., will depart to Australia."I'm so happy that I can visit Indonesia and enjoy a ride on board a steam-powered train in Ambarawa, especially since many souvenir traders offered their handicrafts. This is really interesting," German tourist Bunde Reinhard told The Jakarta Post.The man, who is on a 62-day vacation on board the cruise with his wife, was one 120 tourists who decided to take a trip on the 1902 train (see photo). After the train trip, the tourists visited Borobudur Temple.More...Indonesia News Blog: http://indosnesos.blogspot.com

Tourism ministry issues apology to gay tourists: By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter - Nassau, Bahamas: The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation has assured Ebony Pyramid Entertainment, the group whose annual party was "raided" by police two weeks ago, that it does not condone discrimination of any form, following claims that the homosexual community was being targeted. In a letter addressed to the executive director of Ebony Pyramid Entertainment DaJuan Xavier, the ministry expressed regret that the group's visit to the Bahamas "included an incident which involved the Royal Bahamas Police Force." "Certainly you know from your previous visits that we are happy to welcome the millions of guests who visit each year and we are especially delighted when persons, as you and your clients do, return year after year," said the letter, signed by Tourism Director General Vernice Walkine. The written communication came after Ebony Pyramid Entertainment demanded a public, published apol

NEW DELHI: So you own a yatch, drive a Ferrari and spend your weekends on the most exotic locales. Its time to move on... If you haven’t yet donned a spacesuit, you are way behind your global peers. Space tourism is a reality which is all set to make its presence felt in India.And spending a cool Rs 80 lakh can put you into the leagues of Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Gregory Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Charles Simonyi — all non-professional astronauts.

Andorra's businessmen and women are normally counting their takings at the end of the country's ski season, but after the worst year for tourism for twenty years some are instead counting their blessings that they are in business still at all for the forthcoming 2008 skiing season. While some might consider this year - when the first meaningful snow fell in mid March instead of mid November - a