Colors: Yellow Color
Colors: Yellow Color

Comfort Suites Paradise Island is offering a "Book Now and Receive a FREE Private Island Excursion for Two" special that gives hotel guests a full-day beach excursion to Sandy Toes private island when they stay at the popular hotel.

This Sandy Toes special enhances the exceptional value of Comfort Suites Paradise Island, a 223-room, all junior suite hotel commonly regarded as "one of the most family friendly and affordable hotels on Paradise Island, Bahamas".

Located on Rose Island, Bahamas, Sandy Toes is a private island excursion just off the shores of Nassau and Paradise Island. The popular attraction is home to a sanctuary of protected wildlife, including royal peacocks, curly tail lizards, ocean reef life and the world-famous swimming pigs (a segment of the operation which attracts additional fees).

The limited-time Sandy Toes offer is available to hotel guests who book stays of four (4) nights minimum in any room category for travel through December 15, 2018. The booking window closes on September 30, 2018.

Comfort Suites Paradise Island offers incredible value-added amenities such as complimentary access to the exclusive features of Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, with access to the water parks and charging privileges at all of Atlantis' restaurants and bars. Also included at Comfort Suites are complimentary full American buffet breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking.

In recent years, this unique Paradise Island property has left no stone unturned as it invested more than $11 million in upgrades. Guests can now experience its newly rejuvenated outdoor facilities, which include the extensive refurbishment of the entire pool deck, pool and surrounding areas. The entire outdoor facilities received a complete "facelift" and as a result were totally transformed.

The extensive refurbishment of these areas included a newly resurfaced pool, pool deck retiling, outdoor patio furniture upgrade and a newly refurbished pool bar, which has been rebranded and re-launched as Splash Pool Bar. The Crusoe's Restaurant veranda also received extensive refurbishments, including the retiling of the floors, new outdoor restaurant and bar furniture, as well as the expansion of its lush surrounding gardens.

All Comfort Suites Paradise Island Tour Operator Partners may participate in the offer by using the booking code CSPISANDYTOES2018 . The excursion redemption date should be requested at the time of booking, and is based on availability.

More than seven million Brits are planning a holiday at home for the August bank holiday weekend, according to a VisitEngland survey released today.

VisitEngland’s August bank holiday Trip-Tracker survey shows that 7.3 million Brits are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this weekend, bringing an estimated £1.75 billion boost to the economy.

The figures show an increase on last year’s results when 6.9 million Brits planned to take an overnight holiday trip during the August bank holiday weekend. In 2016 the figure was 5.1 million. Tourism Minister Michael Ellis said: "It is fantastic that so many people are planning to join the Great British staycation this bank holiday weekend.

"Tourism benefits communities across the country and this weekend will bring a significant boost to businesses and the economy. The UK has world-class attractions, culture and stunning scenery and I am hugely encouraged that domestic tourism is performing so strongly."

VisitEngland Director Patricia Yates said: “It is great to see that more Brits are planning a holiday at home this long weekend and enjoying the outstanding destinations right on our doorstep. From countryside to coastal towns, cool cities and quality attractions, the UK is packed full of experiences that you can’t get anywhere else. 

“We are hearing from many destinations and tourism businesses that they are experiencing a strong summer. The certainty of budgeting for a holiday at home, the ease and convenience, are all contributing to people choosing to take more domestic trips, boosting the economy and spreading the benefits of tourism across the country.” 

The survey also showed that a further 8.4 million people are still undecided about whether to take an overnight holiday trip in the UK during the bank holiday weekend. Of those undecided, 43% said they are waiting to see what the weather is like.

More Brits have been taking holidays at home. From January to December 2017 Brits took 59 million domestic holidays in Great Britain, up 6% on 2016. Brits spent £14.1 billion on domestic holidays in Great Britain last year, also up 6%.

The number of Brits taking short-breaks of one to three nights in England was up 7% in 2017 compared to the previous year. Brits are taking almost six million more short-breaks in England than they were a decade ago.

 Tourism is worth £127 billion to the UK economy.

Blessed with generations of family leadership - and having overcome the challenges of natural disasters as well as underfunded governments and economic instability - the executive management at Le Plaza Hotel know as much about resilience, creativity and the power of networking as they do about hospitality.
Located in the central part of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, the iconic hotel weathered the catastrophic earthquake that wreaked havoc on the Caribbean nation in 2010, but was spared the devastation suffered by much of the capital and surrounding businesses. As a result, the property was able to house relief and recovery workers from many countries.
Under the leadership of the Pierre-Louis family, the Le Plaza team learned many lessons from the earthquake and its aftermath - most notably the importance of strong community partnerships and the need to have back-up plans in place.
"So, we tend to be extremely resilient and have a variety of contingency plans to ensure our staff and guests are well taken care of," noted general manager Marc Pierre-Louis, who assumed the reins of the hotel from his older sister Agnes Pierre-Louis, now a tourism consultant working throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
Pierre-Louis observed that over the years Haitian hoteliers have developed coping mechanisms: "All the hoteliers and basically all the businesses have a culture of extreme self-reliance ... we work with the government, but also rely on each other," he said, adding "you're only as strong as your community network."
Le Plaza has often been described as "an island within an island" because its secure structures and location make it a haven during crises. "In the hurricane season, we put in contingency plans with our staff. Certain members of our staff might not have secure shelter so we'll accommodate them and their families at our hotel. If it's a different kind of disruption, we'll put in plans so that shifts can sleep overnight."
He also recalled being able to fly to the aid of those stricken in other Caribbean islands: "This was kind of ironic. Haiti is usually on the receiving end of aid. But, when a hurricane hit Turks and Caicos last year, a friend and I chartered a small Cessna aircraft to fly in a generator and some tarps. Nothing was working, so within 48 hours of the hurricane hitting we managed to get in and provide some support. And that was probably the first outbound Haitian-aid flight ever!"
To Pierre-Louis, regional conferences such as the Caribbean Hotel Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF), organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) this summer, are opportunities to build relationships that could save lives throughout the Caribbean.
"You really have to cultivate relationships and see where can you find the right help at the right moment. There are different phases to a disaster - there's the immediate action and then there's recovery and rebuilding. So for different phases you need different skill sets and you definitely have to be aware of what are you going to need at different times, what's missing in your Rolodex, in your network, and look actively for people to help you build that out," he said.
"No man is an island. We are strong together and must continue to build partnerships at all levels - local, regional and international," said Pierre-Louis.

LAX may be known for its high-end shopping experiences and eateries. However, there are also plenty of family-friendly activities that are waiting to be discovered to keep your children entertained while you are waiting to board.

LAX has recently gone through a USD $14 billion dollar transformation, which has changed the whole airport experience!  The renovations have seen a range of new openings, including new escalators and walkways to help travellers and their little ones get to their gate quicker, along with a 'Great Hall' for premier dining experiences.

  • LAX Beach Play area - Located in the The Great Hall behind Duty Free shopping in Tom Bradley International Terminal, the play area is the perfect place for kids to run around before a long flight. The space is composed of hand-painted, soft, sculpted foam pieces which resemble beachscapes, along with a slide and equipment for children to climb on and 'ride'. Parents can also relax with adjacent seating to watch their children.
  • Taste the variety of Californian inspired dining options and cuisine. From delicious sandwiches at L.A.'s ink.sack, to tacos at the iconic L.A. restaurant and food truck, Border Grill get a taste of L.A.'s world-renowned cuisine right from LAX. You can even wander down to Terminal 3 to taste the milkshakes and burgers at the newly opened Shake Shack. Vanilla Bake Shop also has the perfect cupcakes and delicious, dainty confectionary for kids too.
  • Flight Path Museum and Learning Center - Depending on how much time you have to spend, located inside the LAX Imperial Terminal is the hands-on museum perfect for a kids “field-trip” to get out those plane jitters. Aussie travellers have the opportunity to check out showcased scaled models of various aircrafts and LAX's aviation history. The Flight Path Museum is free and is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10am to 3pm.
  • Bead Factory (TBIT) - Explore the colourful rings, bracelets, necklaces and headpieces at the Bead Factory. The  perfect shop for children where they can design their own jewellery, or pick out their favourite affordable baubles and costume jewellery.
  • LAX Presents - Children can boogie their plane jitters away at LAX presents, which features live music by local L.A. artists. This years line-up includes six classical performances, a DJ with dancers and a percussionist, a puppet show and an Indian dance troupe.

The Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Mitur) launches promotional campaign "Smile" which focuses on the beauty and hospitality of Dominicans as the main reason why it is an ideal destination. The campaign presents the distinctive factors of the country that incorporate a contagious smile between tourists and locals alike.

Magaly Toribio, Marketing Advisor of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, indicates that "The 'Smiles' campaign offers a new approach to destination advertising promoting one of the most valuable but intangible assets of our country, happiness, which is not it's just a feeling in our country, but a way of life. "

Tiribio also highlights that: "The campaign uses stunning visual images and attractive and eloquent content to capture the true warm and welcoming essence of the Dominican Republic, while extending a personal invitation to visitors from all corners of the world to experience it first-hand, causing an endless and contagious smile "

The campaign includes digital, print, social and traditional public relations tactics that promote the north and east coast of the country. Among the promotions there are two videos that show the wide range of offers, starting in Santo Domingo, the most modern and dynamic metropolis of the Caribbean, to the emblematic white sand coasts of the east coast in Juan Dolio, La Romana and Punta Cana.

The second video invites visitors to explore the north coast and participate in adrenaline pumping activities such as kite surfing in Cabarete, cultural exploration in Puerto Plata, endless natural beauty in Samaná and enjoy the gastronomic delights in Sosúa and Miches.

In addition to the launch of the campaign, the Dominican Republic is proud to share in the first seven months of 2018 more than 4.1 million visitors who entered the Dominican Republic, an increase of 5.9 percent compared to the same time in 2017, according to the Bank. Central.

While the sun and the beach are still the most sought-after attractions in the country, Mitur is dedicated to expanding the knowledge of its diverse offerings, which include golf, culture, gastronomy, sustainability and adventure.

Around the world, popular tourist destinations have reached a tipping point. A growing middle class, improved connectivity, and the desire of people everywhere to see the world means that these destinations are being saturated with visitors in a new phenomenon known as overtourism.

Overcrowding is disrupting daily life, degrading precious natural and historic sites, and impacting the traveler experience. This phenomenon, dubbed “overtourism,” has led to civic protects and residents demanding that tourists go home.

The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) and The George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies is presenting a day-long interactive forum to discuss solutions to the global problem of overtourism on September 27, 2018 at The George Washington University, Jack Morton Auditorium, 805 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052.

The 2018 World Tourism Day Forum will focus on this increasingly important issue. The forum will feature five moderated panel discussions covering historic cities, national parks and protected areas, World Heritage Sites, coastal and beach communities, and national and regional destinations. Speakers will share innovative insights on how to protect these special places.

Page 175 of 309