Holiday & Travel

Good news for smokers and nonsmokers alike: two more smoking lounges have just been added in the security (transit) zone of Terminal 2 at Frankfurt Airport. These comfortable, modern facilities are ideal for getting away from the hustle and bustle and enjoying a relaxed smoke before continuing one’s journey – after all, smoking is prohibited on all flights and everywhere else inside the terminals as well. Nonsmokers benefit too, because the lounges are equipped with powerful ventilation systems that prevent any smoke from escaping into the rest of the terminal building, including the directly adjacent areas.

Planned and designed in cooperation with Media Frankfurt GmbH, the two new smoking lounges increase the total in Terminal 2 to four. All of them feature a stylish decor and include comfortable seating to ensure a pleasant experience. They are never locked and can be used any time of the day of the night.

There are a total of 14 smoking lounges in Terminals 1 and 2. For more information, go to: www.frankfurt-airport.com

The airport’s operator, Fraport AG, is committed to serving travelers and meeting their individual needs and wishes, in keeping with the slogan “Gute Reise! We make it happen”. It therefore works nonstop to provide new services and facilities to make the already good customer experience at Germany’s largest airport even better.

Start 2018 on a high by seeing in the New Year in the British Airways i360 pod, 450ft above Brighton, singing Auld Lang Syne with a glass of Nyetimber sparkling wine in your hand.

At ground level, the British Airways i360 beach building will be decked in lights, and as you arrive at the start of the night our team will welcome you with a celebratory drink. After mingling for a while, settle down at your beautifully decorated table for an elegant five-course meal. The menu, created by our award-winning partners Heritage Portfolio, includes Braised Featherblade of Beef, delicious vegetarian alternatives and a melt-in-the-mouth Chocolate Globe to finish.

Before taking to the skies, hit the dance floor and celebrate the best of 2017 as our DJ rocks the beach building with current and vintage tunes.

At 11.45pm, you'll be handed a glass of Nyetimber sparkling wine as you board the British Airways i360 pod for an exclusive midnight flight.

Enjoy a moment of reflection as the pod glides gently up to 450ft and the night time views unfold around you. The excitement will build as you reach the top of the tower and start the countdown midnight: Happy New Year!

Back in the beach building, the party will continue with DJ music until 2am and a late bar.

Its slogan is 'Experiences are our Luxury' and encountering the mesmerising and diverse aquatic life as seen on the BBC's Blue Planet II, is within reach at Alphonse Island, Seychelles. Guests of Alphonse Island can experience the fascinating marine environment, as seen on Blue Planet II on a first-hand basis.

Guests can swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean and encounter shoals of assorted, vibrantly coloured fish of varying species, Green and Hawksbill Turtles, Spinner Dolphins and Humpback Whales all in their natural environment. These unique experiences with marine life make Alphonse Island nothing short of spectacular!

Alphonse Island is located 400km from the mainland of Mahe and is considered one of the most pristine and unspoilt outer islands in the Seychelles. Its raw beauty and remote location attract large numbers and sizes of fish and marine mammals, giving guests the opportunity to encounter a fascinating aquatic environment with the island's own marine biologist and partake in their own Blue Planet II experience.

The warm tropical waters of Alphonse Island reveal a vibrant array of coral and fish as far as the eye can see.  Forests of giant gorgonian sea fans, sea whips and black corals can be viewed along the precipitous drop-off and the incredible hard coral formations on the plateau are a magnificent sight to behold! The highlights of diving in the waters surrounding Alphonse Island include the chance to see Manta ray and squadrons of Eagle ray, the 'Wolf Pack' of hundreds of Bluefin trevally and associates patrolling or even attacking prey on the reef. Groups of Bumphead parrotfish, schools of batfish numbering in the hundreds as well as interesting animal behaviour such as nesting triggerfish can be viewed.

“At Alphonse Island, we are passionate about land and marine conservation and protecting the environment. We hope that Blue Planet II will raise awareness of the fascinating and magnificent aquatic life that exists within the oceans and will ultimately lead to people being more mindful with regards to taking significant steps to protect the marine habitat.” Comments Keith Rose Innes, Managing Director of Alphonse Island.

Alphonse Island Dive Centre offers a full suite of PADI courses from Discover Scuba diving to Divemaster.  Advanced divers can develop new skill sets all endorsed by the world leading training agency the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).  These include PADI Underwater Naturalist, PADI Deep Diver, PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy, PADI Digital Underwater Imaging, AWARE Shark Conservation, AWARE Coral Reef Conservation, AWARE Dive Against Debris, AWARE Specialist and AWARE Fish Identification. The Dive Centre offers exclusive dives to families where children from the age of 8 can experience the wonders of scuba diving with their parents. For those who do not wish to dive the depths of the Indian Ocean, Alphonse Island offers guests the opportunity to view the magnificent array of aquatic life with daily snorkelling boat trips.

Green Globe recently recertified Bay Gardens Inn, Bay Gardens Hotel and Bay Gardens Beach Resort situated in Saint Lucia in the West Indies.

Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director at Bay Gardens Resorts, said: “As a locally owned and operated chain of resorts, it’s very important to us to maintain, sustain and achieve key sustainable initiatives that will not only benefit us but our island and our people. We are fully committed to continuing and developing new sustainability initiatives in order to do our part for the environment we all share and benefit from.”

Green efforts at all three properties have concentrated on increased efficiency in resource consumption, and the development of environmental and community initiatives that have resulted in positive outcomes for guests, local residents and staff.

Electricity usage is now managed by a metering system that monitors overall consumption in accommodation, dining areas and departments. With this data, areas of high consumption are pinpointed and energy saving measures put in place to decrease usage. This includes the changeover of refrigerators and other appliances to equipment with energy star ratings. In addition, there has been a substantial reduction in energy usage by 20% as a result of changing incandescent lighting to LED lighting and occupancy sensors to inverter AC units. Energy consumption used for lighting at the property has also dropped from 9w to 5w per LED bulb.

The island properties focus on water conservation and limiting waste volume in order to reduce their footprint and protect their unique geographical location. Showerheads and aerators in all guest rooms and public washrooms have been replaced with low flow water fixtures. The flow rate of showerheads is now 1.5 gallons per minute as compared to 2.5 gallons per minute. Furthermore, in line with waste management strategies, the resorts use biodegradable takeaway boxes instead of styrofoam thereby reducing the amount of garbage transferred to landfill.

Bay Gardens Resorts assist in spearheading connections between local farmers and hotels through the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism’s VACH program. The aim of the Virtual Agricultural Clearing House program is to stimulate economic activity within the region. The VACH operates on a Whatsapp platform to provide information on the availability of local crops to hotels, restaurants and food and beverage distributers.

Bay Gardens Resorts strive to organize meaningful community initiatives that will assist those in need. Over the past year, the properties continued to work with their adopted elementary school. Staff helped with planting a new school garden, assisting with building repairs such as paint touch ups and providing children with a healthy breakfast.

The Green Team have also been busy coordinating various environmental initiatives. On Earth Day this year, the team along with other staff members planted cherry trees, carambola, sugar cane, different varieties of mangoes, oranges and more in the kitchen garden for use in resort restaurants.

Pottermania is back! From its humble beginnings as an idea born on a train journey, and laid to paper in a small café in Edinburgh, the first book in the Harry Potter series sparked a global phenomenon. 20 years on, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone has sold over 450 million copies worldwide, in 79 languages, inspired a major movie franchise, a spellbinding theatre production, and a number of thrilling sightseeing experiences.

Yesterday the British Library has launched a dedicated exhibition called Harry Potter: A History of Magic, and Evan Evans, London's largest sightseeing company, which specialises in city tours and out-of-town excursions, has launched a brand new specially-themed walking tour, Harry Potter Film Locations. So what better way to get your Hogwarts fix than enjoy a wizard-themed day out in London?!

The British Library's ticketed exhibition features rare books, manuscripts and magical objects, capturing the traditions of folklore and magic which are at the heart of the Harry Potter stories. Visitors can marvel at original drafts and drawings by J.K. Rowling and illustrator Jim Kay, both on display for the first time.

Evan Evans' half day tour transports Muggles into the magical world of Harry Potter as they discover the London locations that played starring roles in the film series and inspired the books. Stand in the footsteps of the world's most famous wizard at the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, stroll through the alleyways that inspired Diagon Alley and see the very spot where Death Eaters destroyed the Millennium Bridge. Visitors will then try their luck at getting onto the famous Platform 9¾ as the tour concludes. This two and a half hour morning tour is the perfect way for avid “Potterheads” to explore the capital.

This week the UK's number one holiday company, Thomson, became the world's biggest travel company, TUI, bringing six decades of experience and knowledge to an aligned, global brand with the unique capability to offer unrivalled choice and flexibility.

To mark the transition TUI has unveiled a ground breaking new prototype that reveals how customers could be using their subconscious to choose holidays in just a few years' time.

Developed exclusively by world leaders in the field of facial coding and emotion measurement, Realeyes, the futuristic 'Destination U' prototype is a first of its kind, innovative way for holidaymakers to choose a trip that matches their emotional needs. It uses sophisticated facial coding and emotion measurement technology to trigger imaginations and tap into the subconscious. A unique algorithm computes every subtle facial response to a rapid series of evocative moving images of destinations and experiences, and uses that data to calculate a 'perfect holiday' prescription.

Known as 'la isla bonita' (the pretty island), La Palma is also recognised by UNESCO as an official Starlight Reserve and boasts the highest quality night sky for stargazers to observe the countless stars from its mountainous terrain.

Found on the island at an altitude of 2,420m, The Observatory of El Roque de Los Muchachos, referred to as the 'Balcony to the Stars', is one of the three best observatories on earth, and home to the largest optical telescope in the world. Being above the cloud level for more than 300 days a year enables visitors to experience incomparable astronomy as well as mesmerizing views of the surrounding landscapes.

Visitors to La Palma can take part in a wide range of stargazing activities. From independent hikes from Roque de Los Muchachos (2,426 m) along the rim of the Caldera crater – the ideal place to enjoy sunset, dusk and the night sky - to overnight stays in romantic rural cottages.

Local stargazing companies on the island offer a variety of authentic stargazing activities from astronomical dinners under the stars combining the hypnotizing night sky with traditional Canarian cuisine, to themed nights such as 'Moon and Wine' nights, including guided tours of the Teneguía wine cellar, captivating talks about the process of the night grape harvest under the moonlight and tastings of the best Teneguía wines.

Flights to La Palma are available with EasyJet from London Gatwick and with Thomson from Manchester and London Gatwick.

After damages sustained during Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose in September 2017, the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in Dutch St. Maarten will reopen to commercial flights on October 10, 2017. SXM is a critical airport for much of the Caribbean, and its return to active service will bring much-needed aid and tourism back to St. Maarten as well as neighboring islands.

Delta Airlines, Seaborne, Pawa Dominicana, Insel Air, and Winair will resume service at SXM on Oct. 10. Seaborne will be code sharing with American Airlines, JetBlue, and Delta. Additional airlines will announce their service in the coming days.

“While damages to our airport are extensive, we are incredibly pleased with the progress made to repair it,” said Director of Tourism Rolando Brison. “St. Maarten is both a friendly island and a resilient one, and we are excited to share our island with the world once again.”

The airport will reopen in a phased approach. Employees of SXM and volunteers have worked tirelessly, their dedication resulting in the reopening of the airport’s two smaller terminals. The main terminal is currently under repair, and its reopening anticipated mid-2018.

“My friends, trust in the process,” said Minister of Tourism Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher in an official statement. “Adversity gives birth to opportunity and struggle builds character: St. Maarten will rise again, better and stronger. ”

Additional information about the airport and tourism recovery efforts will be released as soon as it becomes available.

 Brief Encounter, North by Northwest, The Lady Vanishes, Some Like it Hot….. What do all of these films have in common? A thrilling train journey. Ahead of the release of Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express in UK cinemas on 3 November, visitors to Scotland can have a train journey to remember with stunning landscapes to explore every corner of the country.

From overnight journeys deep into the Highlands to quick round trips perfect for all of the family, Scotland's railways offer dozens of options with great service and amazing views. Train fans can also pretend they're on the Orient Express with a journey across Scotland via the ultra-chic Belmond Royal Scotsman, with afternoon tea and elegant cabins.  All aboard!

The Belmond Royal Scotsman The ultra-exclusive Belmond Royal Scotsman train offers a truly glamorous once-in-a-lifetime trip with fine dining and five-star hospitality.  The Royal Scotsman whisks travellers around Scotland on unforgettable luxury breaks, stopping off for day trips along the way. Stops en route from Edinburgh include the Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms, many whisky distilleries and Glamis Castle in Angus, across a variety of bookable excursions.

Borders Railway

Scotland's newest railway is the longest domestic railway to be constructed in Britain for over 100 years. The route runs from the heart of the City of Edinburgh to Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders, travelling through outstanding scenery and giving visitors the opportunity to stop off and explore some of Scotland's off the beaten track but incredibly beautiful urban and rural landscapes. From literature and history to fashion and mountain biking, the one hour journey will intrigue and excite travellers.

The West Highland Line Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest train journeys, the West Highland Line is known to millions as the railway that took Harry Potter from Platform 9 ¾ all the way to Hogwarts. The route leads from Glasgow to Mallaig on the west coast, passing over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct and offering breathtaking views of locations such as Loch Shiel, Loch Eilt and Ben Nevis, many of which can also be seen in the Harry Potter films. For a truly magical day out, hop on the old-fashioned Jacobite steam train at Fort William, pack a picnic to enjoy as you explore the charming Mallaig Bay, or stop off at Arisaig to take a walk along one of the Highlands' best beaches.

Caledonian Sleeper

Visitors travelling from England can catch the Caledonian Sleeper at London Euston and be swept up to the Highlands overnight, waking up to stunning views of Rannoch Moor before arriving in Fort William.  Other options include waking up in Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen or Glasgow before continuing your Scottish adventure.

The 1st International Conference of Religious and Pilgrimage Tourism "Following in the Footsteps of Saint Pope John Paul II” will take place in Krakow between 8th and 12th November 2017. Professor Jacek Majchrowski, the President of Krakow, invites everyone to attend. The City of Krakow has been designated as the official partner of the Conference, His Eminence Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz has confirmed that he will be attending and Mr Jacek Krupa, the Marshal of the Malopolska Region has assumed the honorary patronage over the Conference. We will keep everyone informed about any new partners or honorary patrons, of which there surely will be more.

The city of Krakow and the whole Malopolska Region have great potential as a religious tourism and pilgrimage destination. Each year, millions of pilgrims and religious tourists, visit the area, an example of this is the most recent World Youth Day, which was held here in Krakow in 2016. This influx of visitors has great bearing on the city's and region's income as well as boosting employment in the area.

"We think there is a niche and a need to organise this new event in Krakow, a unique meeting of specialists from the religious and pilgrimage tourism sector", says Ernest Miroslaw, an organizer of the Conference and the owner of a local incoming tour operator Ernesto Travel, a leading agency specialising in religious tourism. "At this time, there is no similar event held in Central or Eastern Europe. I think it will be a perfect preparative event prior to the UNWTO 2018 conference, dedicated to religious tourism, which will also be held in Krakow. We have participated in many similar conventions and conferences but this time hope to welcome several hundred delegates in this field to Krakow and the Malopolska Region which will include specialists, tour operators, travel agents, priests and others that operate in the religious and pilgrimage tourism sector", says Dominika Krzych from Ernesto Travel, a sponsor of the Conference.

The Conference will be opened on 9th November, by both the administrative and the clerical dignitaries of Krakow. The opening Holy Mass will be celebrated at the John Paul II Centre and will be followed by speeches, lectures and a workshop with representatives of local sanctuaries and tourist attractions. The 10th and 11th November will be an opportunity for the guests from around the world to visit locations in Krakow and the Malopolska Region including Krakow Old Town, the John Paul II Centre, the Divine Mercy Sanctuary, the Salt Mine in Wieliczka, the former German Nazi Concentration Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the church and museum in Wadowice (Karol Wojtyla's birthplace), the Basilica in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and, of course, the Black Madonna Sanctuary in Czestochowa.

The Conference aims not just to create the opportunity for tour operators to meet local suppliers but also to promote the city of Krakow and the Malopolska Region as an important religious and pilgrimage tourist destination, not only in Europe but worldwide, and to ultimately strengthen the importance of religious tourism within the tourist marketplace.

The organisers hope to welcome all foreign travel agents and tour operators, bloggers and journalists, bishops and priests as well as other religious and pilgrimage tourism organisers such as diocesan coordinators or the leaders of foundations and congregations.

To avoid possible legal action and meet the demands laid out by the regulator Ryanair has options on offering its passengers affected by planned flight disruption to compensate them by paying for their hotel fees, amongst other forced costs that it caused.

During the budget airline's wave of cancellations it offered affected passengers a £40 voucher per cancelled flight as a way to say sorry.

Ryanair was forced by the CAA to clarify that passengers affected who previously "may have chosen an option that was not suitable for them as a result of any misunderstanding of their EU261 rights" were entitled to change their mind, for example by opting for a flight on another airline instead of a refund.

Ryanair said it had taken on more extra staff to process the expected increase in customer claims. The Civil Aviation Authority said Ryanair had "capitulated."

CAA boss Andrew Haines said that he was "furious" the airline had not been complying with the law by failing to offer to re-route passengers on rival airlines.

He confirmed that Ryanair had contacted the aviation watchdog and said; "Our job is to protect passengers' rights and ensure that all airlines operating in the UK are fully compliant with important consumer laws.”

If no Ryanair flight was available to get customers to their ticketed destination, customers can now opt for a comparable flight on Easyjet, Jet2, Vueling, Cityjet, Aer Lingus, Norwegian or Eurowings, the airline clarified.

Ryanair's Kenny Jacobs said: "We are committed to processing all such claims within 21 days of receipt and hope to have all such claims settled before the end of October."

Ryanair cancelled up to 50 flights a day through to the end of October, affecting 315,000 passengers.

There’s a chill in the air, the trees are about to shed their summer guise and the schools are back. Yes, summer might be over, but Kent has plenty of reasons to swap the end of season blues for the vibrant reds and bright oranges of autumn.

With Kent just a short ride on the train from London with Southeastern Railway, it’s the perfect place to head to for an autumnal adventure. So, grab hold of that pumpkin-spiced latte and read on to discover Visit Kent’s top five reasons to fall head over heels for the Garden of England this season…

1. Hopping Harvest

2. Auburn Autumn

3. Leaf-crunching walks

4. Back to school

5. Coffees and cafes

British Airways has announced that it will be resuming scheduled flights to Seychelles as from March 2018.

The United Kingdom’s flag carrier, also one of the world’s leading scheduled international passenger airlines, will launch direct flights to Seychelles as of March 24, 2018.

British Airways will be resuming flights to Seychelles, after over a decade of not flying to the Indian Ocean island destination. It will operate non-stop twice-weekly flights from the London Heathrow airport to Seychelles from March to October, offering more choice to sun-seeking holidaymakers.

The flights will depart Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on Wednesdays and Saturdays and will be operated by the airline’s newest fleet of aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The return flights to Heathrow will be on Thursdays and Sundays.

The British carrier says the route timetable is perfectly positioned for honeymooners and holidaymakers keen on extending their break in the Seychelles.

“The Seychelles is one of the most beautiful places on earth and we’re delighted to be adding this collection of islands to our extensive route network,” said British Airways’ Director of Network and Alliances, Sean Doyle.

“Customers can now get into ‘holiday mode’ even earlier with British Airways’ direct flights from London taking 10 hours, instead of over 13 hours with a connection in the Middle East. As one of the leading luxury holiday destinations, the Seychelles offers customers a wide range of accommodation and activities in stunning natural surroundings,” he added.

British Airways will become the only airline offering non-stop service between Seychelles and the UK, which is an important market for Seychelles. Visitor arrivals from the UK & Ireland, which is currently the Seychelles’ fifth largest market, stands at 15,427 to-date for 2017, representing a 22 percent increase over last year.

The Seychelles authorities including the Seychelles High Commissioner in the UK, Derick Ally, and the Seychelles Tourism Board through its Chief Executive Sherin Francis and the STB UK office as well as the Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Ministry through Minister Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, have been instrumental in securing British Airways’ engagement to resume flights to Seychelles.

Welcoming Tuesday’s announcement, Minister Loustau-Lalanne said this is the best news for the Seychelles’ tourism industry both for its short term and long-term viability.

“We were all devastated when British Airways pulled out in 2004. The return of British Airways to the Seychelles with two non-stop flights from London Heathrow in 2018 will provide a boost, especially to our 5 Star establishments. It will also help to further develop our USA market and elsewhere,” Minister Loustau-Lalanne added.

For her part, Mrs. Francis said: “We were all delighted to learn a few months ago that Seychelles was finally on the planning chart of British Airways amongst a handful of other destinations that were being considered. Seychelles has in the past years at every given opportunity expressed its interest to see British Airways serving the destination again and the invitation were even extended from the highest office in Seychelles. We are happy that this long-awaited day has arrived. The UK is a very important market for Seychelles and the team at British Airways can count on our support for this route.”