Travel and Tourism Industry News

The tourism industry continues to be amongst the most dynamic economic sectors, generating a wide range of benefits including a growing contribution to GDP, in some cases over 10%, and substantial foreign exchange earnings. Tourism as a reliable tool for sustainable job creation was at the centre of the 5th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism [...]

A selection of 25 Santa Monica accommodations, from luxury to beachfront hotels, and value options to boutique havens, are welcoming guests with a never-before seen hotel promotion showcasing a Southern California hotel collection as diverse as its destination. Santa Monica’s “Sun, Sea, Save” promotion offers travelers a 3rd night free and a variety of free [...]

Smart Destinations, the company behind Go Cards and Explorer Passes, announces the addition of the Empire State Building Observatory as part of the NYC Explorer Pass. The newly-renovated visitor’s area at the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the most visited attractions for visitors to New York City and represents an important addition to [...]

The first franchised Courtyard by Marriott property in France will open in late 2010 under an agreement reached between Marriott International and Societe Hoteliere de Boulogne. The 115-room Courtyard by Marriott Paris Boulogne will be located in the re-development of an historic building that was originally owned by the Banque de France at 114 Route [...]

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has given a cautious welcome to the new travel rules for US citizens, saying they are positive but insufficient. US President Barack Obama announced on Monday that restrictions on travel and money transfers to Cuba would be lifted for Americans with relatives in the Caribbean country. In an article published [...]

Thirty environmental police officers from 28 south and central provinces are taking part in a three-day training workshop opened on April 14 by the international wildlife trading monitoring network, TRAFFIC. Co-organised by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia-Greater Mekong Programme, the Central Environmental Police, and Forest Protection Department, the workshop provides officers an overview of the Convention on [...]

Ninh Binh’s record-breaking pagoda, Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre in Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien district, is drawing crowds of visitors, curious to see the magnanimous construction with their own eyes. The original pagoda was built by a Zen Buddhist priest Nguyen Minh Khong (1066-1141) in the 11th century, the Vietnam news agency reported Friday. The [...]