New figures from VisitBritain show double-digit growth in visits and spend last year from China, the world’s most valuable outbound market, with visits up 29% on 2016 to a record 337,000 and spending of £694 million, up 35%.

Visits from the US, the UK’s most valuable market for tourism spend, grew 13% to 3.9 million in 2017, the highest since 2000. Visitors from the US spent a record £3.6 billion, up 9%.

Records were set for visits and spend from the GCC and India. There were 562,000 visits from India, up 35% with visitors spending a record £454 million. There were a record 812,000 inbound visits from the GCC in 2017, up 5%, with spend up 55% to a record £2.2 billion.

There were 1.1 million visits from Australia in 2017, up 11%, with spending of £1.2 billion, up 13%.

Boeing and Goshawk Aviation Limited. announced an order for 20 737 MAX airplanes at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The order, valued at $2.3 billion according to current list prices, marks the first time the aircraft lessor has purchased jets directly from Boeing.

“Placing direct order is a critical part of Goshawk’s overall growth strategy and we are pleased to have finalized our order with Boeing. The 737 MAX family is one of the best-in-class, modern and in-demand narrow-body aircraft with latest technologies which fit well with our focus,” said Brian Cheng, Chairman of Goshawk Aviation Limited and Executive Director of NWS Holdings Limited. “We believe the MAX’s double-digit fuel efficiency improvement, combined with longer range and market-leading reliability, will strengthen our portfolio and help us continue to deliver world-class, tailored solutions to our customers.”

The airplanes, previously listed as unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, are sold to Goshawk Aviation Limited. Goshawk is based in Dublin, Ireland, and is expected to have an owned, managed and committed fleet of over 220 airplanes, including the direct order placed with Boeing.

“We are delighted that Goshawk, with their world-class aircraft leasing team, has selected to expand their portfolio and business model with the 737 MAX. This is a great validation for our Boeing team and the 737 MAX family,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Commercial Sales & Marketing, The Boeing Company. “With rising demand for narrowbody jets, we are confident that the unmatched economics and capabilities of the 737 MAX will position Goshawk for success and growth.”

Goshawk selected the MAX 8 variant. In a standard two-class configuration, the airplane carries 162 to 178 passengers and flies up to 3,550 nautical miles (6,570 kilometers). The airplane provides a 14-percent fuel efficiency gain compared to its predecessor, and 8 percent better than its competition.

The 737 MAX family achieves superior fuel efficiency and range through the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, and other improvements. The jet also features the signature Boeing Sky Interior and large flight deck displays.

BRITS’ ideal beach is a constant 25C, bans salesmen flogging local crafts, comes with free Wi-Fi, has parasols fitted with phone chargers and MUST be a location that looks good on Instagram.

New research shows nearly 60% of Brits take a beach holiday abroad once a year with more blokes (70%) loving a beach holiday than women (54%) - and when a quarter of Millennials hit the beach they spend over FIVE HOURS a day updating their social media profiles.

But the reality of a holiday by the sea means Brits have a whole range of beach bugbears, including sand getting in your food and phone, other people invading your territory and having nowhere to store your valuables.

So Travel Republic has provided a guide to combating Brits’ beach nightmares that shows why you should never head to the sea without a nappy, talcum powder and a fitted bedsheet.

The survey shows that 18-24-year-olds spend an average of 1.9 hours per day updating social media on the beach while those aged 35-44 are glued to their phones for 1.6 hours – and a third (35%) of Millennials say free Wi-Fi makes the perfect beach

Men on average spend twice as long as women on social media when on the beach, with blokes spending two hours updating their profile compared to one hour for women.

When comparing men and women’s reasons for going to the beach, more men like that it is family friendly (28%), there are lots of sports activities (27%) and enjoy the atmosphere of people around them (18%). More women like the chance to relax and being able to dip in the cool water (60%) and the guaranteed sun (42%).

Women had more gripes about the beach than men, with the top five complaints being: Litter (61%); nowhere safe to leave belongings (46%); people shaking sandy towels over you (40%); other people sitting right next to you even though there is loads of room (40%) and sand in your food (38%).

Whilst a sandy beach is the ideal location for Brits, the sand is also their biggest pet peeve, with 25% grumbling about sand getting stuck on you when you apply sun cream, sand getting too hot to walk on (27%), people shaking their sandy towels at you (29%) and sand going in their food (33%) as their biggest beach annoyances.

Travel Republic’s beach hacks include storing valuables in a nappy – as nobody would think to look in one - removing excess sand from your feet with talcum powder and staking out your territory on the beach using a fitted bed sheet as well as more tips to make your beach holiday as relaxed as possible

Travel expert Frank Brehany said: “The Travel Republic survey certainly rings a lot of bells, in particular people parking themselves next to you when there are so many spaces nearby, to being able to enjoy different zones on the beach to suit your mood! When I go to the beach I also enjoy being able to log-in to a resort’s wi-fi, but for many people, that either only feeds the addiction of being online, or worse, not being able to disconnect from the office.

“My recent trip to a beach certainly delivered many of the bonuses but also some downsides. I was particularly struck by groups of young people in their 20’s, unable to prise their mobile device from their hands, even when they are in the sea!

“Whilst we were surrounded by sand dunes, an azure sea and acres of pine forests, the silent tapping and squinting was all too evident, which led to me to ask; why?

“Whilst it’s great to be connected, my advice is simple; people at home don’t want to be updated every 10 minutes, break the habit and go digital-free for 4/5 hours because your holiday experience will be all the richer for engaging in those delicious surroundings! Who knows, you might be able to strike off something from that holiday bucket list; then you’ll have something interesting to talk about?”

Brits said that, on average, 25C is the perfect temperature at the beach with a quarter saying traditional fish ‘n’ chips is the ideal beach picnic.

When asked to pick an item that they could not go to the beach without, 26% said a hat and glasses, with 17% going for water or snacks – but seven per cent of Millennials said they would forsake all those for a selfie stick.

Brits are most likely to spend their beach time reading (43%) snoozing (43%), people watching (37%), paddling in the waves (34%) and listening to music (23%).

This fall, take a break in Kissimmee where thrills await around every corner, festive traditions take center stage, and home never feels too far away. While the crowds calm and the weather cools, here are all the fear-inducing adventures, family-friendly happenings, and newest additions coming this season to sunny Kissimmee.

Halloween Happenings

Only treats await at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, taking place select nights from Aug. 17 - Oct. 31 at Magic Kingdom Park. This happy haunting is full of special sweets, grinning ghosts, eerie entertainment, and Disney Characters in their spookiest garbs. This year's special-ticket event will feature a few surprises, as special lighting and effects give a new spin to the Mad Tea Party and a new soundtrack and special effects transform Space Mountain. Plus, the Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular show at Cinderella Castle will return— just in time for the film's 25th anniversary.

Scream through scenes from classic horror movies and cringe-worthy TV shows, and even original concepts, at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort. Taking place select nights from Sept. 14 - Nov. 3, the world's premier Halloween event will spotlight horrors of the '80s, including a haunted house inspired by Netflix's sci-fi thriller “Stranger Things.” In its 28th year, the event will feature scare zones, live shows, access to some of the resort's most popular attractions, and 10 haunted houses—more than ever before.

Weekends from Sept. 22 - Oct. 28, enjoy an ocean of Halloween fun for the whole family at SeaWorld Orlando's Halloween Spooktacular. During this daytime event meet everyone's favorite Sesame Street friends and whimsical sea creatures, enjoy spectacularly spooky live shows, and trick-or-treat throughout the park.

For friendly Halloween hijinks head to LEGOLAND Florida Resort for Brick or Treat, select nights Oct. 6-31. This spooky, and a little kooky, event features trick-or-treating, seasonal Halloween shows, giant LEGO models, special meet-and-greets with LEGO Halloween characters, and a special firework spectacular.

A ghoulish good time awaits at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center during Goblins & Giggles Getaway Weekends. During select weekends in October, the resort will offer plenty of Halloween fun and frights for the whole family.

Vietnam Airlines has been certified with a 4-star airline rating by prestigious international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. This is the third consecutive year that Vietnam Airlines has achieved this accolade as the airline continues to deliver an outstanding flying experience for all its customers.

The Skytrax rating is based on comprehensive evaluation programmes conducted across Vietnam Airlines services. The flag carrier has been undergoing a significant transformation to develop every aspect of the business- from on-ground to inflight services. Achieving Skytrax 4-star international rating places Vietnam Airlines in esteemed company alongside many of the world's premium airlines, including Air France, Air New Zealand, British Airways, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, KLM and Qantas. The thorough Skytrax evaluation provide the airline a foundation to continue to invest and meet customers' expectations throughout every aspect of the business.

This year, Vietnam Airlines is taking great strides to focus on service quality as the core feature of the business, in order to meet the increasing requirements of customers. Vietnam Airlines also prides itself on the cultural touchpoints which are deeply embedded in all the flag carrier's products and services. From the celebrated national dish, “Pho”, to distinctive seasonal fruits such as lychee and longan, Vietnamese cuisine is a hallmark on all Vietnam Airlines flights. Additionally, newly-designed Business Class tableware for Japanese meals on all Japan routes represents a harmonious combination of Japanese and Vietnamese culture, with the familiar “Lotus” brand image and pink Lotus appearing on each piece.

Earlier this year, Vietnam Airlines appointed celebrity chef, Luke Nguyen, as its Global Cuisine Ambassador. Together with Vietnam Airlines' culinary team, Luke will reimagine the in-flight menus, drawing inspiration and influences from the rich Vietnamese culture and cuisine around the world. Luke will create eight regional dishes for the Business Class menu inspired by his travels across Vietnam. This partnership comes from a shared ethos of respecting cultural values by designing, preparing and presenting authentic Vietnamese flavors in harmony with on-board dishes.

Vietnam Airlines also continues to provide enhanced service standards across all cabin types, and dedicated check-in counters for priority passengers. The airline has implemented separate check-in counters for Business Class and Premium Economy passengers and LotuSmiles members. Premium Economy is available on routes between Vietnam and Japan, Australia and Western Europe, while Business Class is offered on international flights to the UK, France, Germany, Australia and Russia, with new pajamas, blankets and bed linen, providing extra comfort and a luxurious experience for long-haul journeys. Enhancements to the airline's duty free shopping have also contributed greatly to improving the customer experience.

Customer satisfaction is Vietnam Airlines' greatest source of pride. The airline's efforts to enable innovation and development have been recognized by international and national communities through a series of prestigious awards. In 2017, Vietnam Airlines was awarded the 'Asia Pacific Airline of the Year' by CAPA; as well as 'World's Leading Airline – Premium Economy Class' and 'World's Leading Cultural Airline' in the World Travel Awards.

Brighton's vibrant streets provide a huge range of amazing places to explore.

There are the family friendly arcades, beaches and museums, the Brighton pier, which has been a favourite attraction in the seaside resort since the Victorian era and the towering i360 providing a panoramic view across the county and the hustle and bustle of Brighton city centre.

One great way to uncover the hidden secrets of all these locations and have a lot of fun at the same time is with a self-guided Treasure Trail.

Designed for all ages from six to 106, there are 3 Treasure Trails to choose from in Brighton with exciting locations like 'Brighton Lanes & North Laine', 'Brighton Seafront' and 'Brighton Cultural Quarter'.

Explore the Brighton seafront on the Treasure Hunt Trail taking in the Palace Pier. Solve the whodunit on a Murder Mystery Trail in the Cultural quarter from the Pavilion Gardens and through the Regency heritage sights of the City or crack the code and complete the Spy Mission Trail which takes you through the Lanes – the arty, funky side of Brighton following the bustling grid of streets.