Top Stories
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Orbitz says more Americans are headed to the beach this summer
DestinationsNearly three-quarters of Americans are planning to take a summer break and many will be heading to the beach, which is the most popular vacation getaway, according to a report released on Thursday by online travel company Orbitz. Historical and cultural tours are the next most popular option, followed by cruises, Orbitz said. With their [...]
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Hotels and cities with “LGBT-friendly” reputations poised for growth
DestinationsLGBT festivals, fairs, and events are among the activities LGBT travelers are least interested when taking a trip; however, an “LGBT-friendly” reputation is one of the leading motivators for selecting a destination. Similarly, an “LGBT-friendly” reputation was the third-most important factor in selecting a hotel, after price and location, according to an online survey executed [...]
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Atlanta gets 40 million visitors in 2012, right up with LA and Vegas
DestinationsAtlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has announced the city hosted more than 40 million visitors last year, and the record puts Atlanta on par with Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego. Reed made the announcement during a press conference Tuesday afternoon, and said tourism is one of Atlanta’s primary economic drivers. City officials say visitation [...]
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Asian women and senior citizens are fastest growing traveler demographic
DestinationsChinese tourists get a lot of attention these days. But beyond their spending, large numbers, and idiosyncratic habits, they also represent a new class of globetrotters. As of last year, there are more tourists overall traveling abroad than ever before, at 1.04 billion according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Many of these new tourists are visiting—as well [...]
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Flyers don’t need airline apps to book, but they want them to improve flights
TransportTravelers don’t articulate it this way, but many hunger for a HotelTonight-like app for flights. In other words, they are longing for the ability to book flights in a few taps. That’s one takeaway from a March survey of Flightview app users, released yesterday, which found that nearly 50% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with airline [...]
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Saudis, Australians, and Chinese are world’s top travel spenders
DestinationsAs global travellers intend to increase budgets for their next trip by an average of five per cent this year, Saudi tourists retain their position as the biggest spenders on the planet by spending an average of $6,666 per trip. While budgets are no longer among the top three reasons for travellers in choosing their [...]
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Airline capacity reductions felt across U.S. cities
TransportAirlines survived $147-a-barrel oil, a financial collapse on Wall Street, and a recession in 2008 by doing two things: slashing capacity — fewer flights, different-size aircrafts, recalibrated routes — and charging annoying fees for everything from baggage to “choice” seats. Nationwide, there are 8 percent fewer airplane seats with passengers in them than five years [...]
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Greece hotels expect 2013 to be a lot better, after bad 2012
DestinationsGreece may draw a record number of more than 17 million tourists this year as fears of a euro exit dissipates and a decrease in strikes helps the country’s image abroad, the head of the Athens-Attica Hotels Association said. “We are facing a more stable future,” Alexandros Vassilikos said at a press conference in Athens [...]
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Turkey’s Q1 tourism up 22.5 percent as its rise continues
DestinationsThe number of tourists visiting Turkey in the first quarter of 2013 increased by 22.5 percent compared to the same period in 2012, and hit 4.2 million people, Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry’s report published on Wednesday on its official website says. The number of tourists visiting Turkey in March increased by 26 percent compared [...]
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Greece tourism dropped in 2012; economy shrinks and unemployment grows
DestinationsThe number of international visits to Greece fell 5.5 percent last year, as political turmoil during elections in June and the economic crisis in Europe affected the country’s tourism industry. A total of 15.5 million non-resident visitors arrived in Greece in 2012, according to a statement from the Athens-based Hellenic Statistical Authority. European visitors, 89.3 [...]
