Today, a ceremony and the inaugural concert marked the official opening of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. The concert hall is the new musical heart of the northern German metropolis. The spectacular venue uses its architecture and its program to combine artistic excellence with the utmost in openness and accessibility. Designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron and perched between the city and the harbor, the Elbphilharmonie unites the former Kaispeicher warehouse with a new glass structure...
Canada will celebrate its 150th birthday this year, making it the perfect time to experience what it means to be Canadian. To mark the occasion, the accommodation experts have compiled a list of seven quintessential Canadian experiences to try in the next 12 months that will take you from the crowded city to the natural wonders that define the nation. To help you further plan your adventures, the Hotel Price Index (HPI) tracks what travelers have paid for hotel rooms in cities across Canada. 1...
Valencia is one of the most vibrant short break destinations in Europe, and with new direct flights from the UK starting in 2017, it will also be more accessible. Easyjet will add direct flights from London Luton from 3 February and Ryanair will start flying to Valencia from Glasgow on 27 March. British visitors can also fly to the Spanish city from London Stansted, London Gatwick, Manchester and East Midlands. Here are the top 10 reasons to visit Valencia in 2017: 1. First Heritage Fallas: The...
The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), strengthens its partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to reach millions of undernourished children in the country. The endeavor is part of the global organization’s Change for Good program which accepts contributions from passengers on board flights of partner airlines. Proceeds contribute to the UN children’s agency’s First 1,000 Days campaign which provides optimal nutrition, from a mother’s pregnancy to a...
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the 279-year-old Maroon community of Accompong is to have pride of place as the first cultural heritage location to be promoted worldwide as part of a new marketing initiative being driven by the Ministry’s Tourism Linkages Network. “We will make Accompong the first destination and we will now place the anniversary festival on the calendar of events and market the community alongside the destination when we go abroad to...
ALICE: “If you don’t know where to go, any road will take you there!” is a famous quotation From Alice In The Wonderland. That what I felt when I stepped into the Art Of Life Atelier in 4 Rue Micheli Du Crest in Geneva that Friday evening. There was a group of mature artists performing the final touches to their paintings. I approached Lisa the Atelier curator and investigated if they were using acrylic colors. It is the only material I am familiar with. I felt a thrill When she whispered: “...
If you do not like to eat, and eat well, then you may want to consider another destination. Since the beginning of time, food has been an important part of the daily life of Romans. Ancient Roman cuisine was influenced by the Greeks and, as the empire expanded, the citizens of Rome were exposed to many new, provincial culinary food opportunities and cooking techniques. In the beginning, social class did not determine what to eat. Disparities developed as the empire grew and by the Renaissance...
Wynn Las Vegas’ world-renowned nightclubs XS, Surrender and Intrigue, and dayclub Encore Beach Club, announce their 2017 resident DJ roster with the introduction of the resort’s We Are Wynn Nightlife brand campaign. On the heels of their successful 2016 residencies, Wynn Nightlife welcomes back Alesso, A-Trak, David Guetta, Dillon Francis, Diplo, DJ Snake, Flosstradamus, Major Lazer, Marshmello, Ookay, RL Grime, Skrillex, Slander, Virgil Abloh, and Yellow Claw. New residents include...
The State of Our Happiness Report for 2017 shows Americans are getting a failing grade. “Happiness in the US is on the decline. Overall, happiness is equivalent to a D+ in school,” said Chuck Bolton, the author of the study who is a reinvention coach for executives and top teams. Fortunately, anyone can program himself or herself to be happy, if they follow the right steps. In a recently released study, “The State of Our Happiness in 2017,” 1,461 people who took an...
Athens- Inspired Voyager is proud to announce and offer their unique Build-a-Church program with dual benefits. The benefits are that not only the traveler to get to visit and study the Bible while exploring a unique destination such as the Holylands, or in following the Steps of the Apostle Paul in their Steps of Paul Cruise, but at the same time, the tourist will raise a generous amount for their own church that can go up to $100,000.00!!! How Build-A-Church program works: The organizer earns...
For those with a strong wanderlust, it’s important to keep up with the latest travel trends, especially if you want to get the most out of your next holiday. So, here are five travel trends to watch in 2017: 5. The Birth Of “Bleisure” Some say to never mix business with leisure, but when it comes to the travel industry, “bleisure” trips are becoming all the rage. The term has been used across the web to describe travelers who are rejecting the notion of all work and no...
The 48th Hong Kong Fashion Week for Fall/Winter, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held from 16 to 19 January at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The show will welcome more than 1,500 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions, showcasing the latest collections and fashion designs from international brands and an assortment of fabrics and accessories. Under the theme “Hall of Games”, this year’s Fashion Week for Fall/Winter will...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member and rock music legend, John Fogerty, marks his debut at Wynn Las Vegas as he brings his acclaimed show, John Fogerty: Fortunate Son In Concert, to the Encore Theater for ten intimate performances from March 3 – 11 and May 19 – 28. With a career spanning more than 50 years, Fogerty will take fans on an electrifying journey through his remarkable catalog that solidified his status as one of the most influential musicians in history. “Hail, hail rock and...
The Islamic Economy has seen a tremendous increase in recent years transcending its traditional geographic boundaries and its entrance into East Africa could giva a major boost to the region’s finance & banking sector, tourism, the hotel sector and fast moving consumer goods. To explore how East Africa can tap into the Islamic Economy, with an estimated global value of $2.3 trillion, Kenya will host the 2nd edition of the East Africa Islamic Economy Summit (EAIES 2017) on the 10th and 11th...
How can we help the millions of people from having conflict and wars with no end in sight? He is a big man from a small nation, from a peaceful nation and he seems to be stunned by both the United States and Russia to restart a nuclear arms race.In the early hours of Sunday morning (New Year’s Day) – I took the time to listen to the Appeal For Peace Address of the new United Nations’ Secretary General António Guterres. These words were from Sir James R Mancham, the founding president of the...
No luxury hotels on the Hilo side of the Island of Hawaii, but all of the 1500 hotel rooms on the Big Islands of Hawaii enjoy 86% occupancy, while the remaining 10500 hotel rooms, including many luxury hotels on the Kona side of the Island only make it to 60% to 65%. The Honolulu Advertiser today in an article predicts a new era in tourism may now be emerging for the entire island. The reason are mostly new flights, specifically a recent international flight on Hawaiian Airlines from Tokyo...
The art and culture of China’s Silk Road was brought into the spotlight on New Year’s Eve in New York City by the Sino-American Friendship Association, (SAFA), as Chinese performances took over the 2017 Times Square New Year’s Eve countdown. This year, SAFA celebrated the Silk Road, which over 2,000 years ago opened the pathway to trade and cultural exchange between China and the western world. Most notably, Marco Polo and others traveled these routes carrying silk and other...
Where are the victims killed at the New Years nightclub attack in Istanbul, Turkey from? The Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) international terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the New Year’s Eve shooting in a crowded Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. IS issued a statement calling the gunman its “soldier,” who attacked Christians for celebrating a holiday the jihadist terrorists deem “apostate.” Fifteen or 16 non-Turkish citizens were killed in a gun attack on an...
While Italians have spent over €3 billion on Christmas gifts this year, many are willing to sell what they got from Santa and buy what they really need, says eBay research. About three million people in Italy are ready to resell their gifts, which vary from tech gadgets to duplicates. The trend rose by 14 percent this year, while in 2015 about half of Italians said they hadn’t received the presents they want. This year, Italians who responded stated that they would sell their unwanted gifts to...
According to the latest reports, Saudi Arabia has invited Iran to discuss the resumption of Hajj pilgrimages by Iranians, a process that has been halted over a litany of Hajj-time disasters. London-based daily al-Hayat reported that Saudi Pilgrimage Minister Mohammed Bentin had opened discussions with more than 80 countries, including Iran, to work out the details of the 2017 Hajj. “Iran’s Hajj delegation was invited to come to the kingdom” for talks, the daily reported. Iranian officials have...
India plans to promote synergy between sports, culture, and tourism. Other thrust areas are Buddhist travel and promotion of travel to the Northeast region of the country. Vinod Zutshi, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Tourism, said at a PATA-Ministry organized meeting on December 26 that tourist arrivals have been growing at the rate of 11 percent in 2016, up from 6 percent in 2015. Domestic traffic has shot up from 1.43 billion in 2015 to 1.65 billion 2016. He said that the popular e-visa...
Toshiba Corporation is, once again, an official sponsor for New York Times Square’s world famous New Year’s Eve celebrations for 2017. The world’s biggest countdown party, with more than one million expected revelers, will feature a series of events and entertainment, which will be shown on the giant TOSHIBA VISION dual LED screen atop One Times Square, below the festive Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. As the clock strikes one minute before midnight on December 31st...
An unexplained death. This is the statement by London police on today’s passing or music legend GeorgeMichael. According to some media report, he suffered under pneumonia. Sony Music Entertainment issued a statement in regards to the passing of Music legend George Michael. He died this morning in London. He was only 53 years old. Sony stated: George Michael was a supremely gifted artist and a true music icon. Sony Music had the privilege to have worked with him over several decades on a...
While there may be challenges for travel to Lebanon, there are no problems in celebrating the wines of a country that has been producing wines since the beginning of time. Prophet Hosea (780-725BC) is noted as urging his followers to return to Yahweh so, “they will blossom as the vine, (and) their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.” The Phoenicians are recognized as promoting wine and viticulture throughout the Mediterranean during this period. When the country became part of the...
The Convocation Ceremony, the last of the International Signature Events to take place as part of World Design Capital (WDC) Taipei 2016, was held this evening. During the ceremony, Taipei officially handed over the designation of World Design Capital to its successor, in preparation for WDC Mexico City 2018. Overseeing the ceremony, the Mayor of Taipei City, Ko Wen-Je, was joined by the Secretary General of Icsid, Dilki de Silva, and Yung-Feng Chung, the recently appointed Commissioner of the...
As of last month’s elections, four more states voted to decriminalize marijuana for both medical and recreational use, bringing the grand total to 8 states that have legalized recreational marijuana (9, including Washington D.C.). The Harris Poll revisited the topic of legalized marijuana this month and found that, even with more states joining the legalization movement, American sentiments have largely remained the same since last observed in February 2015. The recent poll revealed that...
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has assured craft traders in the fast developing resort town of Negril that $80 million has been allocated to construct an artisan village in the area. “I am pleased to announce to you today that we are going to proceed with the development of the infrastructure for the craft entrepreneurs in Negril by way of building out the artisan village here in Negril,” Minister Bartlett told the craft traders when he met with them on the weekend...
What is “service?” What really defines “service?” What does it mean when it comes to serving the billions of local, regional and international travelers of the world? Especially at a time of year when the world’s travelling community seems to be on the move to be able to be with what, and who, is most important to them? Expectations of exceptional service delivery perfectly reflect expectations of Santa showing up exactly at midnight, everywhere, for everyone. The term “service” has become a...
As California prepares to enter the new year, the state’s tourism industry is announcing major openings and special milestones that make 2017 an ideal time to visit The Golden State. “California has long been a magnet for dreamers, inspiring them with our epic landscapes and anything is possible vibe and welcoming their creativity to shape our beautiful state,” said Caroline Beteta, president & CEO of Visit California. “In 2017, visitors will have the opportunity to...
Following the hugely successful Christmas film which celebrates the gift of coming home, Doris and Edward Bair arrived at Heathrow today to be greeted by their family, during the airport’s biggest week for emotional Christmas reunions. The bears travelled from Munich to Heathrow on a British Airways flight into Terminal 5 to be met by warm hugs and smiling faces in arrivals. During their journey they were given the star treatment with a surprise upgrade and complimentary glass of champagne...
