Iceland: the world’s most dramatic landscapes February 16, 2014 There may only be one proper city in Iceland, but with geysers, volcanic caves, and grinding tectonic plates, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into YOU WILL get lost in Iceland: not geographically, but inside your head. It’s easy to get disorientated when stepping out in swimming gear, exposing your vulnerable flesh to temperatures well [...]
Chinese holidaymakers lead the charge over Christmas January 13, 2014 Wealthy foreign visitors helped keep Britain’s tills ringing over Christmas with spending up a record 40 per cent on the previous year. Chinese tourists led the charge, with spending up 52 per cent to around £741 per transaction in December, according to figures out today by tax-free shopping specialist Global Blue. While China accounted for [...]
Thai visitors among the UK’s big shopper league this Christmas November 18, 2013 WEALTHY foreign visitors are expected to keep Britain’s tills ringing over the crucial Christmas period, with spend from Thai tourists outpacing all other nationalities so far this year. Thai visitors are the fastest growing consumers of luxury goods in the UK this year so far, with spending up 53 per cent compared to the 37 [...]
UK to relax visa rules for visitors from Gulf states December 9, 2013 VISA rules for nationals from several Gulf states coming to Britain are being relaxed by the government in a drive to boost visitor numbers and encourage higher tourist spending. The Home Office announced yesterday that short-term visitors from Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will be able to obtain a new electronic visa waiver [...]
European Court of Justice rules states can refuse welfare to immigrants but how many “benefits tourists” are there really? November 11, 2014 The European Court of Justice has ruled member states are free to exclude EU citizens from other nations who move to their country for the sole purpose of claiming benefits. The news was music to the ears of those in Downing Street, who have been seeking to crack down on so-called benefits tourism. So long [...]
Tale of two cities: Six Bill de Blasio policies November 6, 2013 1 Wants to raise the city’s income tax (which comes on top of federal and state tax) on those earning more than $500,000 a year from 3.9 per cent to 4.4 per cent to fund pre-school education. 2 Wants a so-called living wage of $11.75 an hour for those who work for the city council [...]
Greek economy to miss growth forecast in 2014 November 27, 2013 THE TROUBLED Greek economy will continue to shrink in 2014, despite official forecasts to the contrary, according to international researchers. The Organisation for Co-operation and Development (OECD) released an updated economic survey yesterday, suggesting that the embattled Mediterranean economy will contract by 0.4 per cent next year. However, the Greek government has forecast that growth [...]
Chinese to splash cash in London September 26, 2013 LONDON’S high-end retailers are expecting a boom in spending by Chinese customers next week, as tourists flock to the capital during Golden Week – the country’s annual October holiday. Last year, luxury stores saw an increase of 31 per cent in Chinese spending during the holiday, while during Chinese New Year in February sales rose [...]
Giant panda numbers are up: see them in Chengdu February 23, 2014 They famously eat shoots and leaves. LISA YOUNG gets up-close and personal with the Chinese city’s most famous residents IT’S a warm August morning, the time of year when the sizzling Chengdu summer gives way to cooler climes. Chengdu sits in a fog-filled bowl 500 metres above sea level in the Sichuan Province of south [...]
Fastjet expands flights overseas with new Johannesburg route October 14, 2013 FASTJET, the budget African airline backed by EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, yesterday announced long-awaited plans to charter its first international flight service. The London-listed company will start offering flights from Tanzania to South Africa, nearly a year after the company first got off the ground with internal flights in Tanzania to top tourist spots [...]