Chinese holidaymakers lead the charge over Christmas January 13, 2014 Wealthy foreign visitors helped keep Britain’s tills ringing over Christmas with spending up a record 40 per cent on the previous year. Chinese tourists led the charge, with spending up 52 per cent to around £741 per transaction in December, according to figures out today by tax-free shopping specialist Global Blue. While China accounted for [...]
UK to relax visa rules for visitors from Gulf states December 9, 2013 VISA rules for nationals from several Gulf states coming to Britain are being relaxed by the government in a drive to boost visitor numbers and encourage higher tourist spending. The Home Office announced yesterday that short-term visitors from Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will be able to obtain a new electronic visa waiver [...]
Greek economy to miss growth forecast in 2014 November 27, 2013 THE TROUBLED Greek economy will continue to shrink in 2014, despite official forecasts to the contrary, according to international researchers. The Organisation for Co-operation and Development (OECD) released an updated economic survey yesterday, suggesting that the embattled Mediterranean economy will contract by 0.4 per cent next year. However, the Greek government has forecast that growth [...]
Thai visitors among the UK’s big shopper league this Christmas November 18, 2013 WEALTHY foreign visitors are expected to keep Britain’s tills ringing over the crucial Christmas period, with spend from Thai tourists outpacing all other nationalities so far this year. Thai visitors are the fastest growing consumers of luxury goods in the UK this year so far, with spending up 53 per cent compared to the 37 [...]
Culture and shopping in Shanghai and Hong Kong November 10, 2013 When Michelle Filmer went to China, she split her time between its two most vibrant cities. From luxury to history, she selects the top ten highlights of her visit 1. THE BUND The waterfront area in central Shanghai that runs along the west bank of the Huangpu river is known as The Bund. The west [...]
Tale of two cities: Six Bill de Blasio policies November 6, 2013 1 Wants to raise the city’s income tax (which comes on top of federal and state tax) on those earning more than $500,000 a year from 3.9 per cent to 4.4 per cent to fund pre-school education. 2 Wants a so-called living wage of $11.75 an hour for those who work for the city council [...]
Welcome to Miami, the US party capital October 27, 2013 Miami is a hedonist’s paradise. Steve Dinneen discovers the nocturnal delights Florida’s clubbing hotspot has to offer A FRIEND of mine became a YouTube sensation on the eve of President Obama’s 2008 election victory. He drunkenly – and, with the benefit of hindsight, ill-advisedly – resigned from his job live on Dutch TV, complete with [...]
Fastjet expands flights overseas with new Johannesburg route October 14, 2013 FASTJET, the budget African airline backed by EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, yesterday announced long-awaited plans to charter its first international flight service. The London-listed company will start offering flights from Tanzania to South Africa, nearly a year after the company first got off the ground with internal flights in Tanzania to top tourist spots [...]
Cameron puts European rights law on notice September 29, 2013 DAVID Cameron yesterday indicated that he is ready to pledge to abolish the Human Rights Act in the Conservatives’ manifesto for the 2015 general election. The Prime Minister said he would do “whatever that takes” to ensure Britain can deport foreign criminals that the government believes pose a threat to national security, including replacing the [...]
Elephant trekking, luxury and great Thai food September 29, 2013 This luxury beach resort was devastated by the 2005 tsunami. Now it’s back and better than ever THE PERFECT way to end an unforgettable afternoon spent trekking through the jungle trails of Khao Sok National Park in Phuket, Thailand is to give a leathery, old elephant a sunset bath. With Bauthong (lotus flower) repeatedly submerging [...]