Travel Guides

Dubai is one of the world’s most desirable destinations; it has fast become synonymous with luxury, quality and unrivalled levels of service and hospitality.

Rough Guide To… returns for a second series on Five on Monday 17th November at 7.30pm. The new fifteen-part part series, produced by Lion Television, will be presented by Julia Bradbury, the consumer-champion from BBC1’s Watchdog, and independent film-maker, photographer, DJ and journalist Toby Amies.

Dream about a classic white wedding, a no-fuss ten minute service or a themed extravaganza? Las Vegas can accommodate nearly any option, from an Elvis themed drive-thru chapel, a breathtaking outdoor ceremony at Mt. Charleston or a lavish soirée at one of the world’s premier resorts. With an average of more than 120,000 marriage licenses issued annually (that’s around 238 each day), Las Vegas deserves its reputation as the wedding capital of the world.

Qantas has this month launched the latest addition to qantas.com - Qantas Travel Insider. Qantas Group General Manager Sales and Distribution, Mr Rob Gurney, said Qantas Travel Insider was a unique and comprehensive online resource that would help travellers plan the perfect trip.

Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) has announced the launch of its completely redesigned website – santamonica.com. This is the greatest resource for information on dining, accommodation, shopping, things to do, meetings and convention space and more for the community of Santa Monica and visitors.

Heard the one about the bird of prey and a football game? This puzzling riddle is answered in the new edition of Forest Scene, the twice-yearly newsletter for The National Forest. The winter edition of Forest Scene is packed with news, views, ideas for things to see and do in The National Forest until April 2009, and behind the scenes stories.

2008 has been a memorable year for Singapore, playing host to a number of world-class events and witnessing the launch of a plethora of new and exciting tourism products. But this marks just the beginning of a trend of even more spectacular events, more new development projects and more investment in major enhancements across the city that are all helping to position Singapore as Asia’s ‘must see’ destination.

Gstaad has been awarded the newly created ‘Wellness Destination’ seal by the Swiss Tourism Foundation. Gstaad is one of the six destinations in Switzerland to receive this accolade.

Independent adventure tour operator Tucan Travel took the silver prize in the Best Tour Operator to South and Central America against stiff competition at the prestigious British Travel Awards.

Biosphere Expeditions, a non-profit-making organisation committed to running real wildlife conservation research expeditions, has won a “Best in Sustainable Travel” Award from Islands Magazine.

The Longaberger Golf Club, Ohio, has announced that its award-winning course has garnered distinction in GolfWorld magazine’s inaugural “Readers’ Choice Rankings” in the category “Top 50 Public Courses.”

Best-of awards from international, national and key regional media outlets are what high-quality resorts, golf courses and destinations desire. Garnering them provides instant credibility to discerning consumers and other media. Hence, the state of Mississippi’s golf-and-gaming destination has never been so popular and well-ranked.

A major investment has been announced this week which could transform Yorkshire and Humber’s tourism economy into one of the most powerful sectors in the region. Yorkshire Forward’s £30 million investment will be used as a catalyst to attract new public and private sector funds and better co-ordinate existing investment in tourism, which is expected to result in a £300 million increase in regional visitor spend per annum.

When time is short, South Australia (southaustralia.com) with its vast extraordinary vistas teeming with free roaming native Australian wildlife, can really only be appreciated from the air. This is why luxury operator Chinta Air Tours (chinta.com.au) offers a selection of air safaris that include whale watching at the Head of Bight and wildlife spotting on the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.

One in three parents will be more likely to take their kids out of school in the coming year to save money on the family holiday compared to previous years according to a new survey.

A new marketing campaign aimed at driving visitors to Yorkshire and helping their money go further over the Winter season is being launched by Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) at this year’s World Travel Market, the largest international industry event for tourism operators.

Maintaining its position as an exciting and progressive destination with something for everyone, Dubai continues to enhance its offer with a staggering array of new developments showcased by Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) at this year’s World Travel Market (WTM). The last 12 months have seen a raft of exciting new projects and there are many more in the pipeline for 2009 and beyond.

Despite carrying more than 100ml of poisonous liquids and gels, not to mention various sharp objects and even explosives in his hand luggage, Bond rarely seems to have any problems at security. In his 37 odd years, 007 has travelled to countless exotic locations around the world undertaking important missions on behalf of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Skyscanner (Skyscanner.net) takes a look at some of Bond’s best European spots so you can launch a mission of your own.

The Mediterranean state of Montenegro, formed in 2006, is currently the second fastest growing tourism market in the world, with only China expanding at a quicker rate. World Travel and Tourism Council figures reveal that for the past three years this emerging European destination has experienced a year-on-year growth of 20 per cent per annum.

Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) was quick off the mark offering the world famous Yorkshire welcome to Barack Obama on his announcement as the new President of the United States. A hamper showcasing Yorkshire was sent on its journey from the YTB headquarters in York to the White House by Gary Verity, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Tourist Board. It’s not your traditional hamper – the Yorkshire Hamper will give Barack Obama a flavour of Yorkshire’s tourism, heritage, culture and sporting associations.

Lake Tahoe may be the main attraction and jewel of the Sierra Nevada, but it’s the region’s smaller lakes and reservoirs that are seeing more visitors, as the sport of ice fishing quickly becomes a Sierra staple.

For that special occasion nothing could surpass an exclusive City Break to Copenhagen. If you have a special birthday coming up or think it’s time to treat a special friend, here are some great ideas for you.

The Singapore Tourism Board has announced a 3.2 per cent rise in UK visitors to Singapore during September 2008 compared with the same period last year, the positive result being largely attributed to the 2008 FORMULA 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.

As one of the island’s greatest assets, the heritage and culture of St. Kitts offers visitors a wealth of activities, historical and cultural experiences which range from arts and crafts to its architecture and island attractions such as the popular ‘Sugar Train’, unique to St. Kitts.

Unique fauna and flora found in the Caribbean holiday haven of Aruba are to gain further protection – and showcased more effectively to visitors – under a multi-million pound scheme now underway.

Dubai’s growth continues apace in terms of its stature in the global financial marketplace. The Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) published by the City of London recently announced Dubai as the financial centre most likely to gain in importance in the next few years.

Sri Lanka will be playing a key role in World Responsible Tourism Day on Wednesday 12 November, AT WTM, speaking at the minister's summit.

Leading travel guides and deals website travelconnect.co.uk is calling Brits up and down the country to help turn their town, village or city into a top tourist attraction with the launch of a new initiative to boost local tourism.

In their latest GayGermany campaign, the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) has unveiled a new approach to lesbian and gay travel promotion. The '100% GayGermany' campaign is a first-of-its-kind online interactive promotion featuring individual short video stories of gays and lesbians talking about Germany.