British Airways – Travel Industry News

Readers of the Daily Telegraph have submitted reviews of their favourite beaches in Scotland.
Scottish beaches recommended by the Telegraph’s readers included Balevullin, a small
natural beach backed by dunes. Balevullin is pristine and litter free, with white sand. It’s an ideal choice for wildlife lovers, as you can often spot whales and basking sharks swimming in the turquoise waters and you’ll see many different species of birds.

“One could lie on the beach and watch the clouds while listening to the sea and the corncrakes in the meadows, or picnic with children, having this piece of heaven to oneself,” said Beryl Armstrong of Cumbria.

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The recently-opened Mint Hotel Amsterdam has been awarded four AA stars, as well as gaining an AA rosette for its ‘City Café’ restaurant. The restaurant is the first hotel in Amsterdam to achieve these accolades.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive Four Stars and one AA Rosette at our latest and first international hotel, Mint Hotel Amsterdam,” said David Orr, Chief Executive and Co-founder of the Mint Hotel.

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Prime Minister David Cameron will be travelling to Italy to holiday in an 18th-century villa in Tuscany with his family this summer.

The Cameron’s will share the villa with three other families, which is located near the town of Mercatale Valdarno in the Chianti region, just south of Florence.

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Last Sunday, Frankfurt played host to the Ironman European Championships for the tenth time. The event took place at the Frankfurt am Main, where some 2,450 athletes took part, including 58 professional triathletes.

The competitors all competed for the main prize of US$100,000. In addition, the winner of the event will also qualify to take part in the Ironman World Championships.

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Visitors to the Italian city of Venice are about to have a ‘tourist tax’ placed on their hotel bills, it was recently announced.

From 24 August, tourists staying five-star hotels in Venice will have €4.50 (£4) put on top of their bill, whereas those staying in less luxurious accommodation will pay the tax according to a sliding scale of fees.

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The Grand Central Terminal in New York is one of the world’s most famous train stations and one of the landmarks of the city along with Times Square and the Empire State Building.

Its main concourse is also home to 28 high street retail outlets, featuring everything from Macy’s and Saks to restaurants and Starbucks.

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Tourism has an important role in getting the world economy back on its feet, according to the organisers of the World Travel Awards. They believe the travel industry can give a real helping hand to those countries suffering real financial problems such as Greece.

Despite economic woes, a heavy debt crisis and bail-outs by the EU, Athens currently enjoys double-digit growth. This is in no small part down to tourism, as it accounts for 18 per cent of the Greek economy and accounts for one in five jobs in the country.

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The travel reviews site TripAdvisor recently celebrated its fifty millionth review after eleven years in operation. American Steve Kaufer, who had become frustrated at the lack of honest information available concerning the places he had visited on a holiday in Mexico, started the site in 2000.

Since then, it has outgrown its origins as an antidote to glossy holiday brochures and become a powerful player in the world tourism industry.

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