Top Stories
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Eurostar train direct from London to Provence — and into the life of Cezanne
DestinationsSoon after we emerge from Le Tunnel, we start the time-honoured litany of English folk on to the Continent. “The French are so much more stylish.” “Thinner too.” “Cultured.” We eat croissants and pains au chocolat and resolve to kick out the schoolboy Franglais once and for all. “I am, finally, going to learn French [...]
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Verona considers charging tourists to see Romeo and Juliet’s famous balcony
DestinationsVerona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, is hoping to cash in on the enduring appeal of Shakespeare’s “star-cross’d lovers”, by charging two euros (£1.68) per head to see the famous balcony. Tourists who want to enter the courtyard to see the balcony from where Juliet was supposedly wooed by Romeo could soon have to [...]
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Best travel ads this week: Holland argues it’s cooler than Brooklyn
TransportTrave ads seek to inspire and excite viewers into booking a trip. The methods used to elicit such sentiments include fast-paced music, flashy images, and emotional voiceovers; and ultimately they aim to convince viewers that a better time is just a plane ride away. This week Holland defends its traditional way of life as the [...]
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River cruise line Viking adds first ocean voyages with two new ships
TransportViking Cruises Ltd. ordered two vessels to start an ocean cruise business, a first for the company, which has focused on river voyages, Chairman Torstein Hagen said. The 928-passenger ships are being built by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani Spa and will sail beginning in 2015 and 2016, respectively, on European itineraries, Hagen, who leads Woodland [...]
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Spain bullfighting ban pushed by Nobel prize winner
DestinationsNobel Literature laureate J.M. Coetzee has called on Spain to abandon plans to protect bullfighting, making a rare public appeal against what he called “an archaic form of entertainment.” In an open letter to Spain’s legislature released Thursday, Coetzee called bullfights “a throwback to a time when people took no heed of the feelings of [...]
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The world’s most popular international meeting destinations
DestinationsThe number and frequency of meetings held by international associations, and the business travel they generate, is on the rise. The International Congress and Convention Association estimates that the number of conventions increased by more than a thousand to 11,150 meetings in 2012. Europe is the most popular destination for international meetings with 12 out [...]
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Wind turbines are spoiling Scotland natural beauty, worry conservationists
DestinationsMan-made structures can now be seen from at least 70 per cent of Scotland, with a recent five per cent increase in the area affected by development being blamed on the spread of wind turbines. An official report from Scottish Natural Heritage, the environment agency, found that the figure had risen from 65 per cent [...]
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Europe’s days as the leader of global tourism are numbered
DestinationsDespite rising competition from tourism destinations in Asia and emerging economies, Europe welcomed more than half of all international tourist arrivals in 2012, or 535 million foreign visitors, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Europe also earned the largest regional share of international tourism receipts, which reached an estimated total of $1075 billion [...]
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TUI’s new CEO plans operations overhaul with $1.3 billion profit goal
DigitalTUI AG said it plans to generate 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in operating profit by 2015 and resume its dividend as new Chief Executive Officer Friedrich Joussen overhauls Europe’s largest tour operator. Joussen, who took over from Michael Frenzel in February, will cut administrative costs and jobs at the corporate headquarter in Hanover, Germany, [...]
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London locals create personal tourism campaign that bests official videos
DestinationsA pair of Londoners enlisted the help of dozens of locals – including Dermot O’Leary – in an attempt to persuade a friend to visit the city. Tim Benzie and Paul Joseph made this quirky film featuring dozen the city’s top attractions in the hope of convincing Tim’s niece, who lives in Australia, to visit [...]
