International tourist arrivals continue sustained growth rate reaching 5.6% 610 million international tourist arrivals from January to August 32 million more arrivals already counted for 2007.International tourist arrivals for the first eight months of 2007 point to a continuation of the sustained growth rate experienced over the past years. According ...

The FBI announced the return of two 15th century maps that were stolen from the Spanish National Library in Madrid, Spain, earlier this year. The FBI assisted in the recovery of the maps at the request of the Spanish National Police and Civil Guard. The two maps, from an edition ...

Following the Green Paper on the Review of the Consumer Acquis (COM(2006) 744 Final, the Commission has received more than 300 responses from consumer and business associations, Member States, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and groups of stakeholders. After analysing all the responses, the Health and ...

On Thursday 8th November, the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) will hold a seminar to discuss the application of EU law to escorted tours.Of concern is inter alia the lack of clarity as to which qualifications are needed by tourist guides to carry out their duties in EU member states. ...

The 6th Annual Skål International Ecotourism Awards were presented by the President of Skål International, Litsa Papathanassi and Vice President, Media and Public Relations, Hulya Aslantas in the presence of the Minister of Tourism of Turkey, Mr. Ertugrul Gunay during the Opening Ceremony of the 68th Skål World Congress held ...

Six Iraqi Americans returning to Detroit after training U.S. military personnel contend they were racially profiled when they were pulled off an American Airlines flight in August and accused of being a security risk.In a lawsuit filed Wednesday against the airline, the men say airline employees halted a flight about ...

As reported by Clark Kelly, at the Travel & Tourism News Middle East, "Regional tourism players will be advised at this month's World Travel Market (WTM) to exploit a new category of tourism dubbed Halal Tourism.According to an excerpt from the WTM Global Trends Report being unveiled at the WTM ...

Organized by HospitalityLawyer.com, the 6th Annual Hospitality Law Conference, will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.Full information is available here.

As reported by Nguyen Thu Hang - Vision & Associates, at the Viet Nam News, "Viet Nam attracts more and more international tourists every year, and the number of Vietnamese travelling abroad is also growing, making the tourism industry increasingly attractive to foreign investors.However, the mass media has lately reported ...

PATA Chairman Mr Brian Deeson (right) joined VIPs in opening the Tourism Future & Development - China Forum 2007 in Kunming, China (PRC) today.Managing China's Inbound Growth Stimulating inbound tourism growth is not at issue for China (PRC), rather it is the need to manage and harness the growth, PATA ...

From Arusha, Adam Ihucha reports, at the Guardian, that "The government has won many hearts of local tour operators for introducing legislation to restrict foreigners to involve in tourism transactions.In their comments made separately to this paper, the operators said the proposed new legislation anticipated to be in force by ...

According to the EU Press Room, "Vice President Günter Verheugen awarded the 'European Destinations of Excellence' (EDEN) to the ten best emerging rural destinations at the European Annual Tourism Forum in Portugal on 26th of October. The aim of EDEN is twofold: to draw attention to the value, diversity and ...

Budget airline Lineas Aereas Azteca, grounded six months ago for safety problems, has been fined 4.5 million pesos (US$417,000; €293,000) for failing to correct the problems or refund airfares for canceled flights to consumers. If the company refunds airfares to consumers the fine could be reduced.Azteca is the second low-cost ...

"Two Resolutions agreed by members of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) at last Friday's AGM (19 October 2007) in Athens have highlighted inconsistencies in the European Parliament's law-making procedures. In the first Resolution, concerning the establishment of a European emissions trading regime for air transport, ERA calls upon MEPs ...

As stated by the EU Press Room, "Strategies to make EU tourism destinations competitive by embracing sustainability will be the focal point of discussions at the 6th European Tourism Forum, which takes place tomorrow in Portimao, Algarve in Portugal. At the occasion of this conference, European Commission Vice President Günter ...

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released passenger and freight traffic forecasts projecting that in 2011 the air transport industry will handle 2.75 billion passengers (620 million more passengers than in 2006) and 36 million tonnes of international freight (7.5 million tonnes more than in 2006).International passenger demand is expected ...

"Dubai-based hospitality group Almulla, today launched the world's first Sharia compliant hotel brand portfolio under three core brand names of Cliftonwood, Adham and Wings. The hotel group strategic plan calls for 30 properties by the end of 2008.'There are plenty of individual Sharia compliant hotels throughout the world. However their ...

From Macau, Nickkita Lau reports, at The Standard, that "Hong Kong and Macau have agreed to negotiate with the mainland government on combining into one the current separate visas for mainland tourists visiting the two cities.The aim is for mainland tourists, under the Individual Visit Scheme, to travel to both ...

As reported by Mike Mande, at The EastAfrican, "In a move that confirms the growing resentment of foreign investors in Tanzania's tourism sector, the government plans to introduce legislation to bar foreigners from engaging in tourism related businesses in the country.The new legislation — expected to come into effect as ...

According to the EU Press Room, "As a follow-up to the successful first EU-India Aviation Summit held in New Delhi in November 2006, Mr. Praful Patel, Minister for Civil Aviation of India is visiting several European institutions on 22-23 October 2007. The visit is being hosted by Mr. Jacques Barrot, ...

As stated by the EU Press Room, "The European Commission has invited comments from interested parties on commitments proposed by eight members of the SkyTeam airline alliance, namely Aeromexico, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Air, Northwest Airlines and Air France. These commitments are designed to meet ...

"When the leaders of the European inbound travel industry meet this coming 9th November at The Global European Marketplace at Earls Court, London, they will be considering some questions that could have a dramatic impact on the way the tourism market operates. One of these is the vexed issue of ...

"The International Air Transport Association (IATA) condemned the Dutch Government's plans to impose further taxes on air passengers. The government is planning to tax passengers departing the Netherlands by air as much as € 45 citing environmental reasons.The passenger tax also breaches resolutions of the International Civil Organisation (ICAO) and ...

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the International Center for Air Transportation have created a comprehensive Web collection of airline data.The Airline Data Project features an online databank that provides details and analysis of airline data since 1995. The resource allows users to compare 15 U.S. airlines on a wide ...

"The Africa Travel Association (ATA), a 33-year old global travel trade association promoting tourism to Africa, held its Second Annual Presidential Forum on Tourism in New York City on Friday, September 28 at New York University's Law School in Greenwich Village. Hosted by New York University's Africa House, the theme ...

On another hand, "The International Air Transport Association (IATA) applauded the comprehensive strategy for aviation and climate change agreed at the Triennial Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), subject to confirmation by today's [Friday's] Plenary. At the same time, IATA expressed deep disappointment in Europe's failure to accept ...

As stated by the EU Press Room, "The 36th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ended on Friday without clear agreement on a way forward to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation. Europe pressed for a more ambitious outcome, but safeguarded its ability to introduce an aviation ...

"Goa tourism industry has expressed its reservations over the stringent norms to be implemented by the state against noise created by late night parties.'The norms should not be implemented in letter but spirit,' Travel and Tours Association of Goa (TTAG) president Ralf D'Souza said on Thursday.With the beginning of tourist ...

Today we're publishing the speech delivered by Francesco Frangiali, Secretary General of UNWTO:http://www.youtube.com/get_player

The Daily News publishes a very interesting article of Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne, Coordinator of Air Transport Programmes at the International Civil Aviation Organisation, containing excerpts from a legal lecture of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Montreal Branch, delivered on August 3, 2007 at ICAO Headquarters, Montreal, that is available in full ...