Category: Holidays

  • Ecuador capitalises on recognition of travel domain name

    Ecuador is found at the equatorial line in northwestern South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west, Colombia to the north, and Peru to the south and east. Ecuador is the eighth largest country in South America, at roughly the dimensions of the united states state of Nevada. Ecuador is 283,561 square kilometers in size and has a extremely diverse geography. Ecuador has four realms: The Andes (La Sierra), the Amazon Rainforest (El Oriente), La Costa (The Coast), and the Galapagos Islands.

    The Galapagos Islands can be found around 1,000 kilometers west of mainland Ecuador. The volcanic islands have a subtropical climate and are marked by beaches and forests. In the course of the Galápagos Islands’ dry season, which runs from June to December, the elements is cooler and windier. From October to May, the elements is warmer and there’s frequently light rain.

    The coast runs along the west coast and contours low mountains, valleys, plains, mangroves, rivers, and rainforests. The coast has a tropical climate, and is hot and humid. The coast is cloudy, cooler, and dry from May to December, and warmer and rainier from January to April.

    The Andes region, or central highlands, lying between the western coastal lowlands and the eastern jungles, contains mountain ranges, foothills, and valleys. Both sides of the Andes, the Western and Eastern Andes contain 60 volcanoes with a typical altitude of seven,000 feet, covering a distance of 400 km from the northern to the southern Andes. Here is called the “Avenue of the Volcanoes.” As a result of altitude, the Andes region has cool, spring-like weather, with an excessive amount of sunshine. Temperatures vary inside the day. The highlands are overcast and wet throughout the rainy season (October-May), and drier, with mild showers, common inside the afternoon, through the dry season (June-September).

    The Amazon region is east of the Andes, and it borders Colombia and Peru, and contains a part of the Amazon rainforest, in addition to rivers and rolling jungles. Three active volcanoes can be found in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest: Sangay, Reventador and Sumaco. It truly is the one country where three active volcanoes can be found contained in the Amazon rainforest, The Amazon is hot and humid, and receives an important amount of rainfall year-round. The Amazon is the wettest from June to August.

    Ecuador uses the u. s. dollar as its currency. Natural landscapes make up a great deal of the land mass—the Amazon alone takes up about 50% of the land area. www.ecuador.travel

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  • ITB Berlin: Russians like to book their holidays on the last moment

    Booking one’s holidays on the last possible moment remains a well-liked trend: a number of the world’s most vital travel markets last-minute bookings make up the most important percentage of holidays. Russian citizens specially opt to book their holidays at short notice (lower than a month before departing). That is the results of a distinct survey by IPK International’s World Travel Monitor, which was commissioned by ITB Berlin. Many of the top ten international source markets for travel abroad (with at the least one overnight) Russia reported the top percentage of last-minute bookings. In 2012 Russians booked 73 per cent in their trips on the last moment, under one month before departing. The habit of booking trips late has always been popular in Russia. During the last five years the craze towards booking travel on the last moment has remained unchanged and has fluctuated hardly in any respect.

    The Italian and Chinese markets also clearly belong within the same category. Unlike in Russia last-minute bookings inside the above markets have declined. In 2008 69 per cent of Italian holidaymakers booked their trips on the last moment, whereas in 2012 that figure was only 64 per cent. In China the selection of last-minute bookings fell from 73 per cent in 2008 to 62 per cent in 2012. At 58 per cent and 53 per cent respectively last-minute bookings in Japan and France were comparatively low, although both markets reported a slight upward trend. In 2008 the figure for Japan was 53 per cent and for France it was 51 per cent. At 46 per cent, the German market’s share of last-minute bookings was relatively high. However, compared with other western European countries this figure was below average.

    When it involves their next holidays the Dutch like to make their plans ahead. At 33 per cent the Dutch market reported the best percentage of early bookings (four months or more before departing). Nevertheless, there’s a shift going down here too: over the past five years early bookings have fallen by 27 per cent. At 29 and 28 per cent respectively, the German and UK markets also reported a comparatively high percentage of early bookings. In Germany last-minute bookings have fallen by six per cent since 2008, whereas within the UK they’ve got risen slightly, by four per cent. Early bookings are of only minor importance in Russia, China and Japan. In 2012 only six per cent of Russian holidaymakers and 8 per cent each of Chinese and Japanese travellers booked their trips four months or more prematurely.

    Commenting, Dr. Martin Buck, director of Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin, said: “The proven fact that the varied source markets report widely differing booking habits could carry an incredible message for all those commercial providers who’re already operating within the respective markets or are planning on doing so. The brilliant level of dialogue in this subject, which in Germany a minimum of was going down over the past few years, is a trademark of the way important the aspect of booking ahead is when buying a vacation. We’re delighted that conducting market surveys of this type gives us the chance to produce the travel industry with much more essential information that extends far beyond the normal function of our show.“

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  • Abu Dhabi records sharp rise in visitor numbers

    Abu Dhabi has reported a 12 per cent rise within the choice of guests staying in its 145 hotels and hotel apartments for the primary half this year in comparison to the 1st six months of last year.

    Figures just released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority also show guests inside the emirate are staying longer and that there were significant increases in hotel occupancies and revenues.

    During the primary 1/2 this year some 1,333,339 guests checked into Abu Dhabi accommodation delivering 4,226,604 guest nights – an increase of 25 per cent on 2012.

    On average the guest stayed 3.17 nights – that’s up 12 per cent on last year, which translates into an occupancy rate of 71 per cent – again up eight per cent on 2012.

    “We on target and this heightened performance, despite significant increases in resort and hotel inventory, justifies our increased efforts in trade engagement and international marketing and promotion and the expanded product operators and investors have put into the destination,” said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general, TCA Abu Dhabi.

    “We anticipate the momentum building within the second half the year which covers key happenings consisting of the Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi Art, the Al Ain Aerobatics Show, some of headline concerts on Yas Island and major sports including the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the Wake Park World Champonship Finals.

    “On the business events front we will watch for hosting the International Conference on Neurology and Epidemiology that is expected to be attended by upwards of 600 specialists in these fields and Abu Dhabi’s hosting, this December, of the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum.”

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  • Fowlds to spotlight plight of African rhino in London

    Join Dr William Fowlds on September 18th 2013 as he hosts an inspirational lecture on the Royal Geographical Society, London, highlighting the plight of the rhino and his mission to offer protection to these iconic creatures of South Africa and to elevate funds for TUSK Trust & Born Free Foundation.

    South Africa was gripped by a major surge in rhino poaching lately.

    In 2007, 13 rhinos were poached.

    In 2013 it estimated that 900 rhinos would be poached with almost three rhinos being killed day by day.

    Rhinos are poached for his or her horns which, in line with some South East Asian countries, have healing capabilities and other medicinal uses and values.

    Modern science has, however, proved that the horn carries absolutely no medicinal value and is, actually, made of the identical protein, keratin, that’s present in human fingernails.

    Yet the demand for the product continues to extend.

    Current international debate aimed toward bringing an end to poaching include; legalising the rhino horn trade, dehorning rhinos, stricter law enforcement, decreasing demand through bans (that is illegal to trade in rhino horn through rules stipulated by CITES) or education, and a far better consolidated and collaborative approach by all stakeholders, the location is becoming more critical by the day.

    Fowlds is a South African veterinarian and star of ITV1’s Safari Vet School.

    His day-to-day job includes darting lions, elephants and antelopes but last year he was called out to a harrowing situation, unlike anything he’d encountered before.

    Overnight, three rhinos have been illegally darted using veterinary drugs and the poachers had brutally removed bone, skin and horn with either machetes or axes, leaving the rhinos for dead.

    One rhino had actually already died from its injuries but Themba, a male, and Thandi, a feminine were still alive once they were discovered a higher morning.

    So began a gruelling, heart-rending week of attempting to save these two, huge and massively mutilated animals.

    Decisions needed to be made whether to euthanize them instantly or give them a raffle.

    Will was firm to take a look at to save lots of these rhinos.

    This is his story.

    Bear Grylls, who will offer an introduction to the lecture, said: “As the world’s population explodes, the wildlife on all seven continents is being negatively affected and their numbers are dwindling.

    “I have chosen to support one such specie as a logo for all animals in trouble world wide; the rhino in Africa.

    “Will Fowlds’s story need to be heard by all, his account of the tragic consequences of poaching and the hope that he holds for the long run in his crusade to avoid wasting the survivors of those criminal acts.”

    Tickets cost £20 per person and include a complimentary drinks reception before the lecture.

    To purchase tickets please have a look at the official website.

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  • ITB Berlin: Russians wish to book their holidays on the last moment

    Booking one’s holidays on the last possible moment is still a well-liked trend: some of the world’s most vital travel markets last-minute bookings make up the most important percentage of holidays. Russian citizens chiefly like to book their holidays at short notice (not up to a month before departing). It really is the results of a different survey by IPK International’s World Travel Monitor, which was commissioned by ITB Berlin. One of many top ten international source markets for travel abroad (with no less than one overnight) Russia reported the best percentage of last-minute bookings. In 2012 Russians booked 73 per cent in their trips on the last moment, under one month before departing. The habit of booking trips late has always been popular in Russia. During the last five years the craze towards booking travel on the last moment has remained unchanged and has fluctuated hardly in any respect.

    The Italian and Chinese markets also clearly belong within the same category. Unlike in Russia last-minute bookings within the above markets have declined. In 2008 69 per cent of Italian holidaymakers booked their trips on the last moment, whereas in 2012 that figure was only 64 per cent. In China the collection of last-minute bookings fell from 73 per cent in 2008 to 62 per cent in 2012. At 58 per cent and 53 per cent respectively last-minute bookings in Japan and France were comparatively low, although both markets reported a slight upward trend. In 2008 the figure for Japan was 53 per cent and for France it was 51 per cent. At 46 per cent, the German market’s share of last-minute bookings was relatively high. However, compared with other western European countries this figure was below average.

    When it involves their next holidays the Dutch wish to make their plans ahead. At 33 per cent the Dutch market reported the very best percentage of early bookings (four months or more before departing). Nevertheless, there’s a shift happening here too: over the past five years early bookings have fallen by 27 per cent. At 29 and 28 per cent respectively, the German and UK markets also reported a comparatively high percentage of early bookings. In Germany last-minute bookings have fallen by six per cent since 2008, whereas within the UK they’ve risen slightly, by four per cent. Early bookings are of only minor importance in Russia, China and Japan. In 2012 only six per cent of Russian holidaymakers and 8 per cent each of Chinese and Japanese travellers booked their trips four months or more upfront.

    Commenting, Dr. Martin Buck, director of Travel & Logistics at Messe Berlin, said: “The incontrovertible fact that the numerous source markets report widely differing booking habits could carry a crucial message for all those commercial providers who’re already operating within the respective markets or are planning on doing so. The bright level of discussion in this subject, which in Germany at the very least was going on during the last few years, is a hallmark of the way important the aspect of booking ahead is when buying a vacation. We’re delighted that conducting market surveys of this type gives us the chance to supply the travel industry with much more essential information that extends far beyond the normal function of our show.“