Evidence of a revitalized Florence is everywhere — from the opening of trendy restaurants to the banishing of cars from landmark piazzas.
The new Eurostar Web site offers the usual timetable and booking options, but adds a layer of art, food, fashion and music listings available via the rail service, avoiding the usual tourist honeypots.
Federal authorities in Kansas City moved Friday to strike at the heart of a nationwide illicit travel industry.
Prosecutors here announced indictments against more than three dozen defendants - including one former reality TV show contestant - who allegedly created an illegal black market in deeply discounted airline tickets by purchasing them with stolen identities.
The schemes, which operated from December 2001 until March 2010, charged as little as $75 for tickets that were worth many times that amount, prosecutors alleged.
U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips estimated the total loss to airlines, banks, merchants and credit card holders at more than $20 million.
"What began as a local law enforcement investigation ultimately exposed an extensive nationwide black market for airline tickets," Phillips said.
From the desks of the HotelNewsNow.com editorial staff:
• STR’s December prelim numbers down;
• STR weekly results mark first double-metric increase in more than a year;
• hotel lending remains scarce;
• Interstate deal points to improved transactions market; and
• U.S. unemployment claims up for the week.
Europe on Tuesday cleared a merger between US carriers United and Continental that will create the world's biggest airline, with the companies now racing to secure US approval.
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A former pest controller is due before a judge later this week accused of murdering an 83-year-old retired Army officer shot dead in a village six years ago.
There are many different factors that can influence the peaks and valleys of a hotel’s life cycle.
Experience and activity specialist Viator has revamped its affiliate distribution platform. The redesigned Viator Partner Program enables travel websites to offer users a broad range of sightseeing tours, activities, attraction passes and event tickets with no set up costs. The affiliate program, which was originally created in 2001, already provides more than 1,000 partners including airlines, hotel companies, destination sites and online travel agencies with an ancillary revenue stream through access to more than 5,500 activities in more than 450 destinations. The system features customer reviews, star ratings and suggested itineraries as well as respected and trusted local operators, handpicked by Viator’s in-house travel experts. In addition, the user interface and search functionality have been improved. Viator founder and chairman Rod Cuthbert said the new Partner Platform makes integr
A BISHOP yesterday renewed calls for more funding for the military as he led the funeral of a “first class” young Welsh soldier killed in a gun battle in Afghanistan.
Travelport GDS, one of the world’s leading global distribution system (GDS) providers, has today announced a new multi-year full content agreement with Virgin Atlantic, giving all Galileo and Worldspan-connected travel agents access to the airline’s full published fares and inventory. The global agreement, which also includes access to the airline’s lowest web fares, extends the long-standing relationship between the two organisations. “We are delighted to have signed this global full content agreement and to be able to give our travel agency customers access to Virgin Atlantic’s full inventory, including their lowest web fares,” said Matthew Hall, Travelport’s vice president for airline services for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “By working with innovative, high profile carriers such as Virgin Atlantic to secure their full content on the GDS, we are ensuring that our agency customers remain competitive and continue to have access to the best possible airline
Midscale-without-F&B segment enjoys prominent place in the U.S. hotel industry even though it faces challenges that can be traced to the current economic turmoil.
Atlantic Canada’s largest LGBTQ festival Halifax Pride is in full swing from July 18-25, 2010 in Halifax, a popular Canadian gay travel destination, with 8 days of exciting events including the 23rd annual Halifax Pride parade
Press release - 19 August 2008 - Sabre - Wataniya Airways Wataniya Airways, the recently launched Kuwaiti premium airline has chosen the SabreSonic solution, a new-generation customer sales and service system from Sabre Airline Solutions, to help it deliver a premium level of service for their travel guests. Using the SabreSonic solution, Wataniya Airways will provide its customers with the highest standard of customer service across all sales and service channels, including use of mobile technology, to make the check-in process faster and more efficient. The agreement allows Wataniya Airways to launch its operations in January 2009, as originally intended, with reservations expected to be taken from November 2008 onwards. According to Wataniya Airways chief executive officer George Cooper, the decision was reached as a result
The Niagara Peninsula in Ontario is ground zero for ice wine, whose grapes are ready for harvesting in the middle of winter.
Westin Hotels and Resorts recently announced that The Westin Fuzhou Minjing is scheduled to open for business on December 23, 2010. The 378-room luxury hotel is located in the business hub of downtown Fuzhou, the capital and the largest municipality of southeast China's Fujian Province. The hotel is close to commercial offices, shopping, restaurants, and historic [...]
Demand, booking pace and transactions are all showing signs of improvement, but the good news isn’t limited to these three metrics. Here are four more signs of recovery.
The Global Travel Group is to turn its recently acquired website Icelolly.com into a holiday aggregator as search engines become too expensive. Icelolly.com is the website of Bradford-based online travel agency Sunmaster, acquired by Global in June this year. A joint venture between Sunmaster and Global will allow members to advertise on the site via pay-per-click and pay-per-call. Global Travel Group chief executive Andrew Botterill said: "We’re looking to generate a portal that can deliver leads via clicks or calls to the Global membership." Botterill said members already use the Icelolly aggregator website but it will be available to consumers by next January. "We want to build a brand that’s up there with Lastminute.com, one that people associate with finding a holiday," he added. The site will spider Global’s own product and search offers available e
Despite an economic crisis that has slowed the capital flow throughout the globe, Hilton remains confident about its new lifestyle brand's potential for growth, said Amar Lalvani, global head of luxury and lifestyle brand development.
Opodo has moved to strengthen its senior management team by appointing two consultants from First Choice and Accenture to become its first product and distribution directors. Robin Frewer will join the online travel agent as product director after a short spell advising First Choice’s specialist holidays division. Previously Frewer held a string of senior positions at TUI between 1997 and 2005 including head of strategy and development. Frewer will be responsible for developing products across the OTA’s flights, hotels, packages, cars, insurance and other travel services. Ex-Accenture senior manager Tristan Gadsby will oversee Opodo’s distribution strategy. Commercial and product director Sally Balcombe said: “I am delighted that Robin and Tristan are bringing their commercial acumen and international travel industry knowledge to Opod
