Holiday & Travel

The heatwave has fizzled out, September beckons and with the onset of autumn, chilly thoughts of winter need to be dispelled with plans for holidays in the sun.

Key ingredient for a winter break is, of course, guaranteed sunshine and the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba is a sure-fire winner. And with different styles of accommodation to suit every budget, the island should be a firm favourite on any winter destination shopping list.

Out of approximately 700 islands in the Caribbean, Aruba consistently ranks as having the least rainfall – averaging about 15 inches for the entire year. Temperatures from November to March will average 27°C, meaning Aruba's fabulous white sand beaches, lapped by the azure Caribbean Sea, are a sun-seeker's dream.

Visitors can choose from luxury and all-inclusive beach-side resorts to cosy B&Bs and a wide range of self-catering accommodation, making it an ideal choice whether you are looking for family-friendly stays on a budget or to splurge with a little luxury.

An online search of winter holidays in Aruba will quickly identify plenty of choice for holidays under *£1,000. And with a good choice of scheduled flights to Aruba – KLM Royal Dutch Airlines daily from 17 UK regional airports via Amsterdam, and British Airways and a number of US carriers offering options from London-Heathrow via US gateways, such as New York and Miami – it is easy to tailor-make a holiday with a departure date to suit personal requirements.

Aruba ticks just about all the boxes for winter sun holidays, whether you want to chill or get up and go. It has award-winning beaches close to many of the island's leading hotels, with safe bathing. The island is very popular with snorkelers and divers and it also offers just about every imaginable activity on or under the water. Golf, tennis, mountain biking, hiking, beach volleyball and fishing are just some of the other activities available.

Renowned for its cuisine, Aruba's multi-cultural make-up is reflected in its restaurants, offering local menus, as well as those specialising in dishes from around the world, including French, Italian and South American. Again, the island serves up choices for the budget-conscious or those who want fine-dining.

And for those who like to party on into the night, Aruba has a vibrant after-hours scene. Clubs and discos, dinner cabaret shows and a wide range of casinos will entertain you into the small hours – before you safely make your way back to your hotel by taxi (no fare surcharges at night) or on foot.

And if you are planning a winter stay in February or March, 2019, you could catch Aruba's colourful and extraordinary carnival season. A series of events culminates in the Grand Parade through island capital Oranjestad on Sunday, March 3. This parade is filled with music and luxurious floats and costumes in various designs and decorated with a wide variety of colourful stones and feathers, creating a unique display. Aruba's main event starts at 12 noon in Oranjestad and continues into the evening. This is the largest and longest of all the Aruba carnival parades with the most spectators and participants. The midnight burning of King Momo, a life-size effigy of the spirit of Aruba's carnival, signals the end of the season.

New research by MoneySuperMarket reveals that Brummies are borrowing more than other locations to pay for their holidays, with those from Birmingham taking out over £7.5 million in holiday loans since 2016 - nearly £3,000 on average per person.

The study shows that almost half (48 per cent) of Brits are willing to borrow money in some capacity to go on holiday, with holiday loans now being the third most common way to fund a trip after saved cash and credit cards.

Millennials are most likely to borrow to fund their travels, with over a fifth saying that they would consider a holiday loan. Two in five millennials who said they would take out a holiday loan would be open to using it to upgrade their hotel, compared to only 12 per cent of those aged 35+, while a quarter would use a loan to upgrade to an all-inclusive holiday.

When looking at the length of the loan, 44 per cent of Brits expect to take less than a year to pay off their debt. This figure rises for millennials, with over half (53 per cent) believing that they’ll be able pay off their holiday loan in less than a year. In reality, the average term is nearly two and a half years (29.3 months).

When it comes to those in the Midlands who are considering a holiday loan…

26 per cent would go abroad rather than staycation

14 per cent would upgrade to all-inclusive

13 per cent would go up one or more stars in accommodation

14 per cent would extend the length of their stay

11 per cent would add excursions or activities

Those in the Midlands could be spending nearly three times as much on their holidays than they initially predicted. The research found that on average, Midlanders are willing to borrow £1,100 to fund a holiday. However, the actual average holiday loan amount according to MoneySuperMarket is just over £3,000 – meaning that a large percentage of holidaymakers could be spending more than anticipated.

Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife has taken the pool party concept to a new level with the launch of 'Lagoon Party'; a series of events featuring renowned international DJs, acrobatic performances, live musical entertainment and tropical vibes around its huge man-made lagoon located next to the hotel on the edge of the island's south-west coast.

Set to the rhythm of live music by the likes of Eric Morillo, Harry Romero, Sebastian Gamboa, Rudimental, Nervo and Roger Sánchez, as well as saxophonists and percussionists, each Lagoon Party offers ten hours of non-stop fun on alternate Saturdays throughout the summer until October.

After premiering in style earlier this summer, bringing together an average of 2,500 people who gathered to party to live sets by Eric Morillo, Harry Romero and Rudimental among others, Lagoon Party returns on 18 August with Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill, and promises to keep surprising party-goers with new performances and musical sessions every other Saturday until 27 October.

In addition to the live sets by some of today's hottest DJs, guests can expect dancers, live music, floating bars with refreshing cocktails and delicious food at The Beach Club and Munchies Surf Bar at each event.  For an even more exclusive experience, there are three VIP areas that can be booked in advance, including three private Jacuzzis next to the lagoon and a dedicated space on the Hard Rock beach, where a special food and drinks menu will be offered.

The family run Northern Lights Resort & Spa, located in the picturesque Yukon River Valley, is building three new extravagantly appointed Aurora Glass Chalets for the 2018-19 winter season. The chalets are purposely built with the ultimate Aurora viewing experience in mind, however, they will be available for year-round use.

Aurora viewing packages in the chalets can now be booked for 1 December 2018 onwards and a minimum of a three nights stay is required. The Aurora Glass Chalets can also be booked for Bed & Breakfast accommodation in the summer season from June to August 2019.

The new chalets are a magical way to experience the wintry star-filled sky and the Northern Lights, while lying comfortably in a warm bed. The large floor-to- ceiling wrap-around windows open to the Northern Sky, directly in front of the queen size bed.

All the chalets are designed for double occupancy with a queen bed, cosy recliner chairs behind the floor-to-ceiling windows, in-floor heating and an elegant fireplace, a small kitchenette, and beautifully appointed bathroom with tiled walk-in shower.

Just a few steps away from the chalets are the resort's other services including a spa, an outdoor jacuzzi, lounge, bar and dining room and other catering services. Northern Lights Resort & Spa also has four cosy and traditional log cabins, all with the same comfort and amenities as the new glass chalets.

Kenya’s tourism industry has undergone challenges such as the uncertainty surrounding the political landscape in 2017. Yet, its resilient performance has been impactfully felt on the Kenyan economy, directly contributing Ksh. 294.6 billion (USD 2.9 billion), which is approximately 3.7% of the GDP in 2017. By the end of 2018, the contribution is expected to rise by 5.2% to Ksh. 310.1 billion and to Ksh. 515 billion by 2028. In a hospitality report by Jumia Travel, Kenya earned 1.2 billion US Dollars from tourism expenditures last year, up from approximately 989 million US Dollars in 2016; a 20% increase. This, as international arrivals to Kenya reached 1.4 million as compared to 1.3 million in the previous year, representing an increase of 9.8%.

Some of the economic drivers that highly contributed to the stability included enhanced security in the country, infrastructural developments like The Standard Gauge Railway, a steady macroeconomic environment, improved budgetary allocations by the government, and increased air connectivity within Africa. Serena Hotels’ Regional Sales and Marketing Director Rosemary Mugambi, applauds the government’s strides in enhancing the industry in the areas mentioned below.

More diverse tourism products

Kenya’s core tourism resources are beach and safari products. It can be noted from the National Tourism Blueprint, that the government has identified existing gaps and is now set to do much more in identifying new opportunities that should allow the opening of a wider scale of diverse tourism products, addressing needs within existing products and developing new ones. It should be expected that in addition to market research to identify best practices and products, there will be closer partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders to ensure long term sustainability and alignment of tourism products with market needs.

Tourism Marketing

Recently, countries like Rwanda, and traditionally South Africa have noticeably upped their tourism marketing strategies to maintain and increase market share in the international tourism market. Whilst Kenya’s reputation as a top African tourist destination has always managed to place the country as a leader in the industry, it is imperative that marketing campaigns for destination Kenya be more innovative to capture the imagination of travelers across different segments; from the niche market to the more budget conscious. Adequate marketing funds also need be availed consistently.

Promotion of Domestic Tourism

Domestic tourism has taken off exponentially in the last few years, generating 62% of direct travel & tourism GDP in 2017 as foreign spending contributed 38% according to the hospitality report. Concerted efforts by both government and the private sector to increase the local tourism numbers at times when international tourist figures went down have paid off handsomely; and all players stand to be lauded for the hard work. The unified brand of #TembeaKenya through the Kenya Tourism Board has certainly helped build awareness especially within the counties – a good initiative that must continue to receive the necessary support. Much remains to be done to educate Kenyans on their country as a travel destination, and in continually positioning Nairobi as a regional hub. The resultant benefit is Kenya being a ‘must go to’ destination for both corporate and leisure travel from the region and beyond within the continent.

Protection of Tourism Resources

The conservation of valuable resources like wildlife is paramount. It is commendable that the elephant population in areas like the Tsavo National Park has increased significantly following efforts to contain poaching and management of human-wildlife conflict by the Kenya Wildlife Service. A park which previously had become almost forgotten is now slowly coming back to life as a viable tourism area. This is just one example of success stories that are not told enough for rightful gain.

However, the unfortunate death of 11 rhinos (the eleventh was found dead on the morning of Monday the 6th Aug) during a translocation from Nairobi and Nakuru national parks to Tsavo East; is an example of occurrences that hurt the sector and which should not happen in future. Ultimately, the government must play the role of ensuring that the right policies and regulations are in place and adhered to and provides the enabling environment. The industry must also play by the right rules and procedures in developing the industry to ensure Kenya maintains and grows its slice of the cake in the market. It is all about partnerships.

Birmingham Airport has been named the most family friendly airport in the UK and Ireland. Netflights.com has awarded Birmingham Airport this accolade after working with some expert parenting bloggers to measure 20 airports on their travel experience for families.

Netflights.com polled 2,000 British travellers on their habits and experiences of using airports with children. Birmingham Airport was crowned the most family friendly airport coming out on top with 80% of its flights leaving on time in June 2018, designated baby changing areas, express security lanes, free water fountains and free Wi-Fi all adding up to a positive travel experience for families.

Paul Hopkinson, Marketing Director at Netflights: “We are delighted that Birmingham has ranked so highly against other airports in the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands for its family friendliness. Its central location, free drinking water, free Wi-Fi, play areas and punctual flights meant it scored very highly and is a good option for those travelling with children this summer.”

Stuart Haseley-Neirup, Head of Customer Experience at Birmingham Airport said: “We are delighted at being named the most family-friendly Airport.  We put the passenger at the heart of everything we do, meaning we tailor the airport experience to the needs of all of our 13m passengers that travel through whether they are on business, leisure or as a family.”

As part of the family-friendly brand initiative, Birmingham Airport launched the new look SkyZone area on Monday 23^rd of July to coincide with the start of the school holidays. The Airport’s interactive and educational children’s play area located after security can be found at gate 55. SkyZone is easily accessible for all families bringing a fun and engaging experience for all children pre-flight.

Over the next week Birmingham Airport will be introducing a new child focused initiative at security. Each child will be greeted and awarded with a Zoom sticker. The stickers bearing the Birmingham Airport Mascot, Zoom, will make the security experience for children less daunting and less stress free for the parents too!

To ease travel through the Airport, Birmingham Airport, offers a range of special assistance initiatives, one being for passengers travelling with a hidden disability. If a passenger has a hidden disability and feel they need additional support or recognition in key areas, then the Airport’s special assistance provider will provide passengers with a lanyard which discreetly identifies them to Airport staff.

Birmingham Airport is continually evolving its customer service experience and has recently spent over £14.5m investing in its facilities for passengers.  These new facilities included a new security preparation area which includes a family friendly channel.  The Airport will continue to keep the customer experience for travelling families a priority with a designated Head of Customer Experience on site to ensure the Airport grows and evolves with its passengers.

Dubai welcomed a record 8.10 million international overnight tourists during the first six months of 2018, representing a consistent increase on the same period last year. Figures released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) have confirmed the continued success of the emirate’s tourism sector, which at the end of 2017 was worth AED109 billion a year. A destination of choice for a number of global markets, Dubai is on track for projected growth into the second half of 2018.

The first half of 2018 also witnessed increased contributions from the USA and Germany, standing strong at seventh and eighth positions with 327,000 and 302,000 visitors respectively. This affirmed the successful delivery of a diversified market strategy, activating multi-pronged efforts to prioritise maintenance of continued strong appeal to travellers from key source geographies, and increasing advocacy by focusing on targeted improvements to the tourism pillars that appeal most to these audiences.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, commented: “The first six months of 2018 have both generated and sustained a steady performance, supporting strong growth across our global feeder markets. Attracting 8.10 million visitors during the first half of 2018 stands us in good stead as we accelerate momentum towards our visionary aspiration of becoming the most visited city in the world. The varied offering of Dubai’s tourism proposition has steadily evolved, prudently yet actively responding to market demand, and increasing the emirate’s attractiveness among target visitor segments across our key markets. As such, we have strategically deployed partnerships to ensure we continue to stay relevant and front of mind to both first-time and repeat visitors, while simultaneously creating a steady stream of Dubai ambassadors. Organically expanding the outreach and impact of this authentic advocacy for the city, our integrated networks across digital, social and mobile-led platforms reflect the future-centric mandate of the 10X initiative introduced in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to embrace innovation and ensure Dubai stays 10 years ahead of any global city.”

From a regional perspective, Western Europe contributed 21 per cent of the overnight visitor volumes, maintaining its position from the same period last year as the largest source of visitors. With double digit percentage increases in visitor numbers in three of the top twenty source markets, France, Italy and Germany witnessed strong increases of 18 per cent, 11 per cent and 12 percent respectively; a key indicator of successful destination marketing efforts aimed at driving consideration from a wider yet highly targeted spectrum of European traveller segments.

With Dubai now attracting even more diverse audiences, Dubai Tourism is continuing to innovate and customise marketing-promotions delivery backed by strong insights-driven analytics and most ‘time and audience’ relevant touchpoints within the travel decision ecosystem. This spans a myriad spectrum from the most recent success of the multi-award-winning #BeMyGuest campaign working with celebrity ambassadors to target a diaspora audience which drove over 100 million video views in just 8-weeks; to strategic market specific agreements with leading Chinese digital and technology giants to further penetrate and raise consideration for Dubai as the travel destination of choice for China. Such market and segment specific initiatives supported by strong network of trade partners in-country and amplified through content partnerships in key markets to deliver consistent, credible and relevant messaging has been the focal feature of Dubai’s 360 integrated marketing approach that has continued to yield results through the first half of 2018.

Other levers enabling future growth include the recent introduction of the stopover visa, whereby transit passengers are exempt from all entry fees for the first forty-eight hours of their stay. Additionally, future visa regulation changes will offer an added benefit for travellers to the UAE over summer, exempting dependents aged 18 years or below from visa fees – a move that is expected to boost tourist numbers even further. Additionally, Dubai’s cruise industry continued to play a pivotal role in contributing to the emirate’s tourism sector, with Dubai strengthening its appeal as the favoured destination amongst international cruise lines and cruise tourists, forecasting a season that expects to drive more visitation. To actively support this segment, Dubai has taken critically enabling steps for hassle-free access and egress visas with the recent multi-entry UAE visit visa exclusively for cruise tourists from over 50 countries.

“The resounding support we receive from our government, public and private sector both in Dubai and across the globe, is testament to the confidence that we collectively share in the inherent strength, appeal and long-term sustainability of Dubai’s tourism proposition and our ability to deliver exponentially superior traveller experiences to the widest range of audiences. This collaboration is fundamental to our success, and together we remain dedicated to continuing to drive record numbers of visitors to Dubai, consequently increasing the tourism sector’s impact on the emirate’s economy. Looking ahead to the second half of 2018, and additional areas of growth for the tourism sector, the recent move to implement a value added tax (VAT) refund mechanism for tourists will also ensure the industry’s competitiveness globally and drive further growth in its GDP contribution to Dubai,” concluded Almarri.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on the governments and air navigation service providers of Europe to address the region’s airspace bottlenecks, as new data revealed that delays so far this year have more than doubled compared to 2017.

Data from Eurocontrol shows that in the first half of 2018, Air Traffic Management (ATM) delays more than doubled to 47,000 minutes per day, 133% more than in the same period last year. Most of these delays are caused by staffing and capacity shortages as well as other causes such as weather delays and disruptive events such as strikes. The average delay for flights delayed by air traffic control limitations reached 20 minutes in July, with the longest delay reaching 337 minutes.

Staffing and Infrastructure Investment

As airlines add flights to new destinations and expand their offer to meet the expectations of travelers, air traffic in Europe is on the rise, creating greater demands on the continent’s airspace. Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) manage each State’s airspace and charge overflight fees for the services they provide. As flight numbers have increased, so has their revenue. Eurocontrol calculates that European ANSPs have made an average 9.6% EBIT in recent years.

Unfortunately, key ANSPs in Europe have not made needed investments in their businesses, preferring instead to make super-normal profits. The largest service providers have either under-invested in staff or use outdated employment practices, which don’t deploy staff when and where they’re most needed, resulting in unnecessary delays for passengers. Many European ANSPs have also failed to make planned technology investments intended to increase capacity.

IATA is calling on the European Commission, Member States and ANSPs to take urgent action with the following four-point plan:

Modernize the infrastructure and implement the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) something airlines are already paying for.

Reform outdated work practices so that staff are deployed when they’re required; and, where justified, recruit additional staff.

Empower the European Network Manager to plan and configure the network to meet the demands of air travelers.

Strengthen the Performance and Charging Scheme so that ANSPs not delivering agreed capacity are subject to meaningful penalties.

“The impact of ATC delays ripple throughout the economy. At a time when Europe’s competitiveness urgently needs to be improved, increasing ATM delays is totally unacceptable. Travelers are fed-up. Change must start now,” said de Juniac.

Announcing the welcome return of British Airways (BA), Cologne Bonn Airport has confirmed the UK flag carrier as its newest and 34th carrier to join the gateway’s airline roll call later this year. Flying to London Gatwick on a seasonal basis, the German airport now has direct scheduled flights to seven UK airports.

“We are very proud that British Airways is returning to the airport ‒ an airline that has a high symbolic value for us. With British Airways, we welcome one of the leading airlines in the world, one which also offers our passengers an exciting long-haul network from London Gatwick," says Johan Vanneste, President & CEO, Cologne Bonn Airport.

Adam Carson, BA’s MD at Gatwick said: “We are delighted to be giving our customers the opportunity to fly directly from Cologne to London Gatwick. London has been one of the top destinations for a city break for decades.”

Set to commence a four times weekly connection with its A320 fleet from the UK capital city from 16 November, BA’s new link will be joining Cologne Bonn’s established UK services to Bristol (Ryanair), Edinburgh (Eurowings), London Heathrow (Eurowings), London Southend (Flybe), London Stansted (Eurowings and Ryanair) and Manchester (Ryanair). BA returns to Cologne Bonn after a 12-year hiatus, while easyJet had previously offered flights to Gatwick until March 2016.

As a result of the addition of its latest service by the oneworld member, the airport’s only carrier from this global airline alliance, Cologne Bonn will offer close to 300,000 seats to the UK during W18/19. Based on current schedules, the UK will also jump ahead of Spain to claim its position as the airport’s second largest country market to be served over the winter season.

Cologne Bonn’s H1 traffic has seen healthy growth, with the German gateway handling more than 5.9 million passengers so far in 2018.

Latest tourism figures from the Maldives show that the destination saw an 11.2% increase in the number of UK travelers who visited in the first six months of 2018, when compared with the same period in 2017. In total, 57,535 UK tourists arrived in the Maldives from January – June 2018, compared with 51,737 in 2017.

With regards to total worldwide tourist arrivals, 93,786 travelers visited the Maldives in June 2018 and this represents an increase of 10% when compared with June 2017, which welcomed 85,222. The first six months of 2018 have seen 726,515 global tourists visit the Maldives, an increase of 10.5% when compared with the same period of last year.

This year the Maldives will further confirm its status as one of the most attractive holiday destinations for UK tourists, with the opening of at least 23 new resorts. The island nation was also recently crowned as the ‘Indian Ocean’s Best Spa Destination’ at the World Spa Awards and as the ‘Best Honeymoon Destination’ at the Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Readers’ Travel Awards.

Commenting on the increase of tourist arrivals, the Maldives’ Minister of Tourism, Hon. Moosa Zameer, said, “We are once again very pleased to see a notable increase in the number of UK and worldwide arrivals to the Maldives. The increase is testament to the country’s world-class tourism industry and with several exciting developments planned for the remaining months of 2018 and into 2019, including the opening of a number of resorts, we look forward to welcoming even more UK tourists to our shores.”

Volcano and lava tourism is nothing new. Tourists have been traveling to active volcanoes for literally hundreds of years to see molten lava as up close and personal as possible. Perhaps the fascination lies in seeing the “insides” of our Earth home with our own eyes. The very core of our planet has made its way to the surface and is bubbling, steaming, and sometimes spewing molten rock in all its glory.

Captivating a corner of the news every day around the globe since May 3 of this year, the activity of Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii has had people glued to their electronic devices, while others have made the journey to see the volcanic activity for themselves.

But let’s face it, this is dangerous stuff, this thing called lava. When it breaks through the Earth’s crust, its temperature is anywhere between 1,300 to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Rocks have been turned into melted glowing orange, red, and sometimes even white ooze. And the rocks on the surface when caught in an explosion of lava become searing airborne missiles.

Case in point: The ferry full of tourists on Monday off the Pahoa coast of Hawaii Island who were on a trip conducted by Lava Ocean Tours when they were suddenly pelted with burning rocks with one large rock landing on the roof of the watercraft and crashing through to where the passengers were seated. Twenty-three people were injured on that tour.

While the lure is definitely there for tourism, the responsibility of state government agencies to assure safety in the form of keeping a reasonable distance from the volcanic activity is in essence hampering businesses on the island. Ironically, it is healthy business activity that can help to turn around the damage that has been done by Kilauea. Over 500 homes have been destroyed by the current lava paths on the Big Island along with farms, roads, and infrastructure.

Right now, the only way to see the lava is by boat or by air. Businesses on Hawaii island are pressing for a lava viewing site to keep the tourist flow going, because so many of these businesses are dependent on tourism to keep the economy healthy.

Hawaii County’s Director of Research and Development said they have been working on setting up such a site for the past couple of months. This requires meeting with civil defense and scientists to determine a safe location for such a tourist site. And it isn’t just the lava itself that has to be taken into consideration; it’s also about the sulfuric emissions that can cause health issues that have to be factored into where such a location can be developed. It is likely that air filtration masks would need to be provided at a viewing site for visitor use.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was the Aloha state’s most popular tourist attraction, but the recent lava activity has caused access to the park to be closed indefinitely. This is causing tour guides, store merchants, and restaurants to lose business at the rate of 50 to 90% less than normal.

Mountain gorilla trekking though very fantastic and a favorite to many wildlife lovers, the experience is limited to only three countries which are Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo in the whole world. However, even among these limited three destinations, one needs to choose carefully which country is able to give the exceptional uganda gorilla safari experience that suits the traveler’s curiosity about mountain gorilla tracking. Mountain gorillas are endangered and they only survive in the wild, the only chance you have to see them is by trekking into their native forests. Visiting the silent cold ground of a Ugandan forest for an hour can turn out to be one of your greatest life experiences. There are about 900 mountain gorillas in the world today and embarking on a gorilla trekking safaris presents you an opportunity to interact with these amazing and intelligent primates.

Mountain gorillas are found in only four habitats within the three countries including in the dense vegetation of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and the other three parks share borders are within the Virunga Conservation area comprising of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

The population of mountain gorillas has greatly increased from 254 that were left in the world by 1981 to about 1004 estimated to be in the jungle today. Thanks to the intense international conservation efforts that have been undertaken to help in the increase of these animals. Mountain gorillas cannot survive in captivity and therefore the only way to see them is by trekking to their natural habitat in their misty cloud forests that can reach 14,763 feet altitudes.

Below are some five guiding reasons to make Uganda your perfect mountain gorilla trekking destination

Highest Number of Mountain Gorillas

Uganda has got this number of mountain gorillas within her two gorilla trekking spots of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. When it comes to the mountain gorillas within the parks of the Virunga conservation area, they don’t respect political borders and therefore the populations within the three border-sharing parks are relatively fluid but still Uganda has got an edge given that Bwindi alone has half of the world’s mountain gorillas whose families are permanent in this habitat. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is also known as “The place of darkness” due to its dense canopies with her montane and lowland forests sitting on 128 square miles. Due to its incredible biodiversity and the large number of endangered species, the region was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park may not have the vastness and gorilla variety of Bwindi but boasts full accounts of 13 square miles with three of the major eight Virunga peaks including Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo.

Cheap and Affordable Gorilla Permits

The conservation and protection of the gorillas in Uganda to promote tourism is evidenced right from the price and accessibility regulations. Regulations enforce limited daily accessibility of gorillas in the parks to ensure that gorillas stay wild and healthy in their habitat. The cost of gorilla permits in Uganda is 600 usd for foreign non-residents, 500 usd for foreign residents and 250,000 shs for East Africans paid all year round. This makes Uganda gorilla tours far more affordable when compared to gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda that are being sold at $1,500 throughout the year.

Support local people to prevent Gorilla habitat Destruction

Gorillas are facing a big threat of habitat destruction to human activities mainly farming and settlement de to increased poverty and high population in the adjacent communities. There are various channels through which trekkers can contribute to the communities they visit. One of the most popular one is by hiring a reformed porter who is a local resident and a former poacher. The porter will help you through the difficult and unpredictable landscape in the park and they also guide trekkers through River crossings and the steep, muddy slopes. Another option is to take part in the community-led activities like village walks and cultural tours that are steered by young adults in Bwindi who get trained in hospitality through rigorous classes and practical work experience.

At Mgahinga gorilla national park, the elders of the Batwa tribe take the visitors through a forest tour along the Batwa trail. During this tour, the elders explain to the visitors how their forest-dwelling tribe used the forest plants for food and medicine and exhibiting their former hunting skills.

Enjoy Adventurous Experience

The terrain in Southwestern Uganda is characterized by terraced hills and rolling volcanic slopes that are not for the faint of heart to climb. Taking on such a challenging terrain while on your Uganda gorilla trekking safari can turnout to be an adventure of your lifetime. Reaching the gorillas is very unpredictable and requires hard work since they don’t stay at a particular place for their visitors to find them. You are likely to navigate uphill and downhill and go through thick tangles of vine, thorns and roots. Don’t forget that the impenetrable forest is only accessible by foot with no clear paths, signs and no directions. The park rangers and guides always carry machetes to clear the passages. However after all this hard work, the reward outweighs all the hustles encountered and you quickly realize that the challenge was worthy taking.

Home to More Other Primates

Uganda is one of the favorite destinations for primate-lovers. Mgahinga has not only got gorillas, it is also a home to another endangered species, the golden monkey. High up in the bamboo forests is where you can find these furry, comical monkeys. Unlike gorilla trekking, tracking golden monkey is less challenging though the searching process for these sister primates is very similar. Bwindi has got more primates that include L’hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabays and blue monkeys. Uganda’s other national parks also provide a safe home to a variety of primates like the dominance of chimpanzees at Kibale Forest National Park, Patas monkeys are common at Murchison falls National Park where as Queen Elizabeth National Park has got numerous blue monkeys and red-tailed monkeys. In addition to primates, Ugandan parks have also got a huge number of non-primates like lions, Leopards, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, just to mention a few.

The above lucrative factors are to guide you to a fantastic and unforgettable gorilla tracking experience in Uganda. They are further supported and confirmed by the unfavorable gorilla trekking factors in the neighboring countries like security-entangled Virunga national park of DRC and the unaffordable Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda with highly priced gorilla permits.

New figures from VisitBritain show double-digit growth in visits and spend last year from China, the world’s most valuable outbound market, with visits up 29% on 2016 to a record 337,000 and spending of £694 million, up 35%.

Visits from the US, the UK’s most valuable market for tourism spend, grew 13% to 3.9 million in 2017, the highest since 2000. Visitors from the US spent a record £3.6 billion, up 9%.

Records were set for visits and spend from the GCC and India. There were 562,000 visits from India, up 35% with visitors spending a record £454 million. There were a record 812,000 inbound visits from the GCC in 2017, up 5%, with spend up 55% to a record £2.2 billion.

There were 1.1 million visits from Australia in 2017, up 11%, with spending of £1.2 billion, up 13%.

BRITS’ ideal beach is a constant 25C, bans salesmen flogging local crafts, comes with free Wi-Fi, has parasols fitted with phone chargers and MUST be a location that looks good on Instagram.

New research shows nearly 60% of Brits take a beach holiday abroad once a year with more blokes (70%) loving a beach holiday than women (54%) - and when a quarter of Millennials hit the beach they spend over FIVE HOURS a day updating their social media profiles.

But the reality of a holiday by the sea means Brits have a whole range of beach bugbears, including sand getting in your food and phone, other people invading your territory and having nowhere to store your valuables.

So Travel Republic has provided a guide to combating Brits’ beach nightmares that shows why you should never head to the sea without a nappy, talcum powder and a fitted bedsheet.

The survey shows that 18-24-year-olds spend an average of 1.9 hours per day updating social media on the beach while those aged 35-44 are glued to their phones for 1.6 hours – and a third (35%) of Millennials say free Wi-Fi makes the perfect beach

Men on average spend twice as long as women on social media when on the beach, with blokes spending two hours updating their profile compared to one hour for women.

When comparing men and women’s reasons for going to the beach, more men like that it is family friendly (28%), there are lots of sports activities (27%) and enjoy the atmosphere of people around them (18%). More women like the chance to relax and being able to dip in the cool water (60%) and the guaranteed sun (42%).

Women had more gripes about the beach than men, with the top five complaints being: Litter (61%); nowhere safe to leave belongings (46%); people shaking sandy towels over you (40%); other people sitting right next to you even though there is loads of room (40%) and sand in your food (38%).

Whilst a sandy beach is the ideal location for Brits, the sand is also their biggest pet peeve, with 25% grumbling about sand getting stuck on you when you apply sun cream, sand getting too hot to walk on (27%), people shaking their sandy towels at you (29%) and sand going in their food (33%) as their biggest beach annoyances.

Travel Republic’s beach hacks include storing valuables in a nappy – as nobody would think to look in one - removing excess sand from your feet with talcum powder and staking out your territory on the beach using a fitted bed sheet as well as more tips to make your beach holiday as relaxed as possible

Travel expert Frank Brehany said: “The Travel Republic survey certainly rings a lot of bells, in particular people parking themselves next to you when there are so many spaces nearby, to being able to enjoy different zones on the beach to suit your mood! When I go to the beach I also enjoy being able to log-in to a resort’s wi-fi, but for many people, that either only feeds the addiction of being online, or worse, not being able to disconnect from the office.

“My recent trip to a beach certainly delivered many of the bonuses but also some downsides. I was particularly struck by groups of young people in their 20’s, unable to prise their mobile device from their hands, even when they are in the sea!

“Whilst we were surrounded by sand dunes, an azure sea and acres of pine forests, the silent tapping and squinting was all too evident, which led to me to ask; why?

“Whilst it’s great to be connected, my advice is simple; people at home don’t want to be updated every 10 minutes, break the habit and go digital-free for 4/5 hours because your holiday experience will be all the richer for engaging in those delicious surroundings! Who knows, you might be able to strike off something from that holiday bucket list; then you’ll have something interesting to talk about?”

Brits said that, on average, 25C is the perfect temperature at the beach with a quarter saying traditional fish ‘n’ chips is the ideal beach picnic.

When asked to pick an item that they could not go to the beach without, 26% said a hat and glasses, with 17% going for water or snacks – but seven per cent of Millennials said they would forsake all those for a selfie stick.

Brits are most likely to spend their beach time reading (43%) snoozing (43%), people watching (37%), paddling in the waves (34%) and listening to music (23%).

Vietnam Airlines has been certified with a 4-star airline rating by prestigious international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. This is the third consecutive year that Vietnam Airlines has achieved this accolade as the airline continues to deliver an outstanding flying experience for all its customers.

The Skytrax rating is based on comprehensive evaluation programmes conducted across Vietnam Airlines services. The flag carrier has been undergoing a significant transformation to develop every aspect of the business- from on-ground to inflight services. Achieving Skytrax 4-star international rating places Vietnam Airlines in esteemed company alongside many of the world's premium airlines, including Air France, Air New Zealand, British Airways, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, KLM and Qantas. The thorough Skytrax evaluation provide the airline a foundation to continue to invest and meet customers' expectations throughout every aspect of the business.

This year, Vietnam Airlines is taking great strides to focus on service quality as the core feature of the business, in order to meet the increasing requirements of customers. Vietnam Airlines also prides itself on the cultural touchpoints which are deeply embedded in all the flag carrier's products and services. From the celebrated national dish, “Pho”, to distinctive seasonal fruits such as lychee and longan, Vietnamese cuisine is a hallmark on all Vietnam Airlines flights. Additionally, newly-designed Business Class tableware for Japanese meals on all Japan routes represents a harmonious combination of Japanese and Vietnamese culture, with the familiar “Lotus” brand image and pink Lotus appearing on each piece.

Earlier this year, Vietnam Airlines appointed celebrity chef, Luke Nguyen, as its Global Cuisine Ambassador. Together with Vietnam Airlines' culinary team, Luke will reimagine the in-flight menus, drawing inspiration and influences from the rich Vietnamese culture and cuisine around the world. Luke will create eight regional dishes for the Business Class menu inspired by his travels across Vietnam. This partnership comes from a shared ethos of respecting cultural values by designing, preparing and presenting authentic Vietnamese flavors in harmony with on-board dishes.

Vietnam Airlines also continues to provide enhanced service standards across all cabin types, and dedicated check-in counters for priority passengers. The airline has implemented separate check-in counters for Business Class and Premium Economy passengers and LotuSmiles members. Premium Economy is available on routes between Vietnam and Japan, Australia and Western Europe, while Business Class is offered on international flights to the UK, France, Germany, Australia and Russia, with new pajamas, blankets and bed linen, providing extra comfort and a luxurious experience for long-haul journeys. Enhancements to the airline's duty free shopping have also contributed greatly to improving the customer experience.

Customer satisfaction is Vietnam Airlines' greatest source of pride. The airline's efforts to enable innovation and development have been recognized by international and national communities through a series of prestigious awards. In 2017, Vietnam Airlines was awarded the 'Asia Pacific Airline of the Year' by CAPA; as well as 'World's Leading Airline – Premium Economy Class' and 'World's Leading Cultural Airline' in the World Travel Awards.

Boeing and Goshawk Aviation Limited. announced an order for 20 737 MAX airplanes at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The order, valued at $2.3 billion according to current list prices, marks the first time the aircraft lessor has purchased jets directly from Boeing.

“Placing direct order is a critical part of Goshawk’s overall growth strategy and we are pleased to have finalized our order with Boeing. The 737 MAX family is one of the best-in-class, modern and in-demand narrow-body aircraft with latest technologies which fit well with our focus,” said Brian Cheng, Chairman of Goshawk Aviation Limited and Executive Director of NWS Holdings Limited. “We believe the MAX’s double-digit fuel efficiency improvement, combined with longer range and market-leading reliability, will strengthen our portfolio and help us continue to deliver world-class, tailored solutions to our customers.”

The airplanes, previously listed as unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, are sold to Goshawk Aviation Limited. Goshawk is based in Dublin, Ireland, and is expected to have an owned, managed and committed fleet of over 220 airplanes, including the direct order placed with Boeing.

“We are delighted that Goshawk, with their world-class aircraft leasing team, has selected to expand their portfolio and business model with the 737 MAX. This is a great validation for our Boeing team and the 737 MAX family,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Commercial Sales & Marketing, The Boeing Company. “With rising demand for narrowbody jets, we are confident that the unmatched economics and capabilities of the 737 MAX will position Goshawk for success and growth.”

Goshawk selected the MAX 8 variant. In a standard two-class configuration, the airplane carries 162 to 178 passengers and flies up to 3,550 nautical miles (6,570 kilometers). The airplane provides a 14-percent fuel efficiency gain compared to its predecessor, and 8 percent better than its competition.

The 737 MAX family achieves superior fuel efficiency and range through the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, and other improvements. The jet also features the signature Boeing Sky Interior and large flight deck displays.