Category: International

The strengthening pound and local price changes makes the Algarve the best value destination in Europe.  Bali is the best value in overall of the 70 destinations surveyed by the Post Office Travel Money Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer.

Spain was the only country to record a significant price increase, with meal costs rising 22% on the Costa del Sol and New Zealand was the most expensive destination surveyed.

Resorts are cheaper in Cyprus, Greece and Italy, the survey found, although Italy remains the most expensive destination in Europe with a basket costing around £81, twice as much as Portugal.

The items surveyed by the Post Office included an evening meal for two, soft drinks, water, a cup of coffee and sun cream.

International congress members regard Lisbon as the best city to hold conferences and recommend the Portuguese capital as a tourist destination according to a survey by the Lisbon Tourism Observatory.  The study was conducted among individuals who attended congresses in the Portuguese capital, of which 45.9% ranked the probability of a return visit as very likely.

The profile of the international Congress member the survey indicates that the Spaniards are the most prominent nationality, the majority of the participants being males (57.8%), primarily in the 36 to 45 years old age group for men and from 26 to 35 years old for women.  In general, the congress members are professionals with university qualifications. Transportation, Congress Registration, Accommodation, Trips and Food are key components in the expenditure incurred by participants who, on average stay in the Portuguese capital for 4.1 days.

The Lisboa Tourism Observatory survey was based on a sample of 912 interviews of international Congress members in the months of May, June and September 2013.

From mid-November to Christmas, Vienna’s prettiest squares transform into magical Christmas markets. The aroma of Christmas bakery items and hot punch creates a pre-Christmas atmosphere.

At the traditional Vienna Magic of Advent, the Rathausplatz becomes a shining fairytale land. The 150 or so sales stands offer Christmas gifts, Christmas tree decorations, sweets and warming drinks. Not far away is the Christmas village on Maria-Theresien-Platz, situated between the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum. 70 stands offering traditional handicrafts and original gift ideas are set up here during Advent. The Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung in the city center is committed to tradition. A Christmas market was held here as early as 1772; today, it is a place to buy handicrafts, glass decorations, traditional cribs and ceramics. Festive Advent music can be heard on the square from 4 pm. Top-quality handicrafts can also be purchased a couple of steps further along at the Am Hof Advent Market. 

The Christmas market in the Ehrenhof in front of Schönbrunn Palace offers romance in front of an imperial backdrop, and is converted into a New Year’s market after Christmas. The Advent market in front of Belvedere Palace is also held in an imperial ambience. Children in particular also really appreciate the Christmas market on Karlsplatz. 

Courtesy of the Vienna Convention Bureau

French designers have created the otherworldly spheres deep in the heart of woodland just ten miles north of Marseille. Guests at this hotel really are living in their own bubble as hotel rooms are contained in huge plastic globes. The Attrap’Rjves family hotel, in the Allauch commune, gives adventurous travellers the chance to spend a night under the stars without resorting to tents. From £100 a night, outdoor lovers can enjoy a stay in a two-person bubble room, made from transparent plastic, and soak up stunning scenery, natural beauty and astronomy.Each room comes with a complimentary telescope for budding stargazers to enjoy the night sky – they even have a chart to log their findings. Visitors can choose from five rooms – Suite Chic, 1001 Nights, Zen, Glamour and Nature – but willing staff will also cater to specialist requests.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2479854/French-bubble-hotel-rooms-plastic.html#ixzz2jK13JCtA

For the third time in five years the Portuguese capital has been voted Best City Break Destination in Europe. This prestigious prize is awarded by the World Travel Awards was given to Turismo de Lisboa for its “commitment to excellence in 2012 “, this award is based on an online poll participated by thousands of professionals in the Tourism and Travel sectors from different continents.  In the WTA category for Best City Break Destination in Europe, Lisboa beat eight other finalist cities, outranking destinations such as London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Venice, Istanbul and Dublin. 

From 26 November 2013, the low cost airline Ryanair will start operating four new routes from Lisbon airport to London, Brussels, Paris and Frankfurt.  Ryanair will now link the Portuguese capital to Stansted Airport (London) with two daily flights, Hahn airport (Frankfurt) with three weekly flights, and the airports of Charleroi (Brussels) and Beauvais (Paris) with four weekly flights.

Opening January 17, 2014, the Sheraton Zurich has 197 guest rooms and suites and 630 square meters of flexible function space of which all 8 rooms are air-conditioned, with daylight, and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The space ranges from the distinguished boardroom for eight people up to our largest space, which can accommodate 240 people. The hotel will have Nuovo Italian restaurant which has an open cooking station, indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a Route Twenty-Six, a café/bistro that doubles as a bar.

The first alpine W Hotel is opening its doors on 1st of December 2013. Located right by the slopes, 123 rooms & suites await guests each with their own fireplace and balcony. The hotel also offers 3 meeting rooms, with the largest room accommodating 200 delegates. W Hotel’s Michelin star Chef Sergi Arola’s has produced modern twist on Swiss cuisine in Restaurant Arola which can be enjoyed while peering out over incredible views of the Swiss Alps.

The Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, one of Austria’s largest congress centres, is exhibitingat the upcoming IMEX America in October 15-17, in Las Vegas, while also flying the flag at 

EIBTM November 18-21, in Barcelona. 

The ultra-modern modular Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center complex with the groundbreaking architecture by the international star architect Gustav Peichl is one of Europe’s most modern event and congress venues. The rooms on site have been planned to be flexible in size and offer four big dividable meeting areas. In total, up to 15 individual rooms can be offered which can host up to 3,320 persons. The rooms can, if required, also be expanded further by integrating the spacious congress foyers.