Businesses call for VAT cut to boost tourism December 9, 2012 SLASHING VAT on tourist industries could grow the economy without cutting tax revenue, a tourist campaign group claimed yesterday. Using the Treasury’s own economic models, the British Hospitality Association (BHA) found that cutting VAT by 15 percentage points on tourism-related sales would deliver a £2.6bn windfall to the Treasury over 10 years. This is because [...]
Hamleys profits leap as French owner plots further expansion December 6, 2012 HAMLEYS, the country’s most famous toy shop recently snapped up by its larger French rival, yesterday posted bumper sales and profits in the year to March as it continues to keep its little customers happy. Ludendo, the family-owned toy group, bought Hamleys from the failed Icelandic bank Landsbanki for £60m in September. The group, under [...]
Marrakech does luxury — if you know where to look December 2, 2012 MARRAKECH HAS always proved popular with holiday goers: the vibrancy of the markets, its rich cultural heritage, the array of traditional food on offer and its general mystique continues to draw people in. During the 1930s it became a hub for writers and creative folk and by the Seventies, everyone from Yves Saint Laurent to [...]
Boris says Starbucks must do more for UK November 18, 2012 BORIS Johnson has said that multinational firms like Starbucks, who have not paid much UK corporation tax in recent years, need to do more for UK society or change their tax arrangements. Speaking to City A.M. ahead of his speech at the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) annual conference today, the Mayor of London said: [...]
We just need the political will to reduce destructive energy prices October 4, 2012 OUT of all major economies, politicians in the UK have embraced aggressive climate policy in the most starry-eyed and expensive way. No other country has taken on more ambitious targets, done less to protect industry from the consequences or imposed more draconian unilateral regulations. We were the only country to set serious targets in the [...]
MPs urge fast action to beef up air capacity August 29, 2012 MORE MPs have waded into the row over Heathrow’s future, warning in a report yesterday that unless the coalition takes immediate action to expand Britain’s air capacity, the country will miss out on potential growth. The all-party parliamentary aviation group adds to pressure on transport secretary Justine Greening, who has spent the week insisting that [...]
Tourism bosses question Hunt’s China plan August 14, 2012 TOURISM industry leaders have been left unconvinced by government plans to treble to the number of Chinese visitors to the UK, saying yesterday there were still too many barriers to inbound travel that needed to be addressed. In a speech at the Tate Modern, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt set out how the government plans to [...]
Lake Como’s new luxury retreat July 29, 2012 LAKE COMO is not the sort of place you’d imagine having any shortage of luxury. For all that, Casta Diva is supposedly the first luxury hotel to be built there in 100 years. Originally an 18th century villa belonging to the legendary soprano Guiditta Pasta, the hotel has been expanded beyond the singer’s (heavily and [...]
Sun-seeking British passengers put a shine on EasyJet earnings July 25, 2012 EASYJET has raised its profit forecast for the year after seeing a rise in British tourists taking European holidays and a drop in fuel costs. Revenues in the quarter to the end of June rose 10.5 per cent to £1.03bn, and EasyJet now predicts full year pre-tax profit will rise to between £280m and £300m, [...]
After the Muslim Brotherhood won Egypt’s presidency, should liberals be concerned? June 25, 2012 YES Samer Libdeh Although the Muslim Brotherhood stated that it will support and defend civil and minority rights, it remains to be seen whether this will happen in practice. The first test will come over the formation of a new government and whether Freedom and Justice, the Brotherhood’s party, will reach out to all sectors [...]