World News

The Ghan train embarked on a record-breaking journey yesterday when it departed Adelaide as Australia's longest passenger train in over a decade. Taking off with 44 carriages and two locomotives, Sunday's Ghan service bound for Darwin stretched a total length of 1096m – more than 200m longer than a standard Ghan service and a staggering 6.5 times the length of Adelaide Oval.

Located at the southern tip of Ari Atoll in the Maldives, Maafushivaru is the idyllic retreat famed for providing peaceful holidays in its beautiful setting, and its inimitable secret; the neighboring private Island, Lonubo.Lonubo invites guests to escape reality and create their own world on the resorts' very own private desert islet (complete with more than a few luxuries).

A hundred thousand caribou face starving bears and wolves, deadly frozen rivers and rugged mountains as they undertake the world's longest land migration - 5,000 kilometres through the frozen Arctic wilderness of Canada and Alaska. Liz Bonnin leads a team of scientists and film-makers using cutting edge technology to follow the herd, providing insights into the individual lives of the animals.

Aruba's expertise in tourism management is being sought by Cuba as it continues to develop internationally. The islands' two governments have signed a memorandum of understanding on tourism and transport, which was ratified during a recent official visit to Cuba by a delegation from Aruba, including its Minister of Tourism, Otmar Oduber.

From May to November the waters along the NSW coastline will become a living, moving spectacle as more than 20,000 whales make their annual migration. This winter follow a do-it-yourself whale trail along 2000km of scenic coastline between the Tweed and Eden offering a multitude of vantage points and experiences to spot these majestic mammals.

Tradition, nature and modernity intersect at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort&Spa in Thailand. Guests can relax amongst tropical landscaped gardens, lagoon shaped pools and beachside restaurants. Outdoor activities range from kite surfing and golf to horseback riding. And visitors can wonder at summer palaces frequented by Thai Royalty, seaside villages and nearby Khao Takiab (Chopsticks Mountain), renowned for its resplendent 20-meter-high statue of Buddha set on rocky headland facing the sea.

Three Caribbean hospitality businesses and one business advisor received excellence awards today in the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s first-ever Hospitality Assured (HA) Caribbean Awards Programme. Awards were presented to Atlantis Submarines of Barbados, Round Hill Hotel & Villas and Tryall Club, both of Jamaica for outstanding service and business excellence in tourism and hospitality.

Cat Island-born artist Ancient Man wowed the crowd at Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival with a spirited performance. His gangly and somewhat awkward dance moves endeared him to the spectators. Andros native Elon Moxey’s melodic voice soothed the crowd, while D-Mac amped up the crowd during an electrifying performance of the Junkanoo Carnival theme song and other Bahamian hits.

With two weeks to go until the world's largest festival of light, music and ideas, Vivid Sydney, illuminates the city, 141 artists from 23 countries are working to create more than 80 light installations and projections that will appear in more than eight Vivid Sydney precincts spread across Sydney.

IBEROSTAR Cancún is dedicated to protecting native Sea Turtles that are in danger of extinction and preserving their ecosystem. The resort has a Conservation and Protection of the Sea Turtle program in place that involves the participation of staff and tourists alike. Business partners of the resort also attend courses conducted by the Department of Ecology about steps they can take to contribute toward the conservation of the turtles.

"Over the years I’ve discovered that not everyone is comfortable with the fact that we are so tourism-dependent," said Hugh Riley, secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization as he addressed the opening of the CTO’s 8^th Tourism Human Resources Conference at the Jolly Beach Resort in Antigua & Barbuda.

The second night of the Malta International Fireworks Festival which took place in Xagħra, Gozo on Saturday was a hit amongst the locals, the travelling Maltese and also foreigners. This was the first time that one of the Fireworks Festival events took place on the sister island. The Gozitan leg of this festival formed part of the International Pyro Musical Competition, with firework factories from Ukraine, Portugal and Malta taking part.

Fresh from Coachella, Berlin based DJ Claptone helped Ocean Club Marbella ring in the start of the 2016 summer season on Friday 29th April. Celebrating its ninth Opening Party, Puerto Banus' premier beach club venue threw a spectacular 'White and Silver' bash, where revellers partied in the open air to a soundtrack of summer anthems before Ocean Club's headline act took to the stage to perform a set of deep house tunes.  

On April 21, Kurumba Maldives proudly hosted fundraising event "Party with a Purpose" for the fifth consecutive year in aid of the 145 orphaned and fostered Maldivian children residing at “Kudakudhinge Hiyaa”. With the immense support from Events Maldives, 9 different Maldivian musical acts, numerous suppliers, partners including 24 resorts and 3 airlines, as well over 55 volunteer team members from Kurumba contributed to raise over US$23,000 for this worthy cause.

Now in its 13th year, the LATA Media Awards recognise innovation and excellence across the British travel media landscape with a specific focus on Latin America. Celebrating and rewarding inspiring Latin America stories and photography, the winners of the Ecoventura LATA Media Awards 2016 were picked from over 140 entries by an esteemed panel of judges, all of whom have helped bring Latin America a little closer to the UK through their respective work.