Get one step closer to Sri lanka with new British Airways flights to Colombo
Good news for UK tourists looking to experience Sri Lanka’s tropical climate, 2,000-plus years of culture and amazing wildlife-watching opportunities – British Airways has announced that it will be operating flights to Sri Lanka from Gatwick next year.
IN THE AIR: NEW FLIGHT
From 31st March 2013, British Airways will fly from Gatwick to the capital city of Colombo via Male in the Maldives. These flights, which will be serviced by a three-class Boeing 777, are on sale now, with discounted fares starting at £595 available until 25th of September.
James Jayasundera, founder of Ampersand Travel, is excited about the new route and commented: ‘I welcome this increased competition between the UK and Sri Lanka – the new BA flights will give our customers even greater choice, enabling them to benefit from different flight times and even combine a stop in the Maldives with a stop in Sri Lanka.
In addition to the new flights, there are superb new hotel and villa rentals for travellers too offering tourist an even greater choice of accommodation when visiting this fascinating island…
BY THE BEACH: NEW HOTEL – JUNGLE BEACH RESORT
Located on the beach-blessed east coast of Sri Lanka in the charming hamlet of Kachaveli, lies the recently opened Jungle Beach, just a short drive north of the former naval port of Trincomalee. This charming boutique hotel is the newest addition to the growing portfolio of UGA resorts – the people behind the gorgeous resort UIagalla, in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. Comprised of 48 rustic but well-appointment villas, the accommodation lies between the Indian Ocean on one side and a lagoon on the other. A great spot for either whale-watching or sun-worshipping. http://ampersandtravel.com/accommodation/Jungle-Beach
Brazil looks ahead to 2016 Paralympics
Embratur, the Brazilian Tourist Board, last night organised a panel of officials to discuss accessible travel in Brazil and the Paralympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
The meeting was preceded by a workshop geared to the travel trade, showcasing various destinations in Brazil.
The seminars “Discover Brazil” and “Tourism & Accessibility in Brazil” took place at Casa Brasil (Somerset House), which continues to promote Brazilian destinations and culture for visitors throughout the Paralympic Games in London.
As well as Embratur, the group consisted of the vice president of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, Luiz Cláudio Pereira; president of the NGO “Special Adventure,” Moreira Dada; and superintendent of the department of planning Cabo Frio.
The group discussed strategies to make cities of Brazil accessible to all visitors including those who have a disability, addressing key topics such as the Paralympic route for 2016.
“As the next Olympic host in 2016, this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics in London have created a platform to showcase our unique and diverse country.
“It has also enabled us to actively address the issue of accessible tourism, which is an increasing priority for Brazil and the rest of the world,” said the president of Embratur, Flavio Dino.
Recent developments in accessible tourism around Brazil include the ‘New Directions’ project, pioneered by the ministry of tourism and Brazilian not-for-profit organisation The Very Special Institute.
In 2010 a team of four people with varying disabilities travelled around Brazil to test the accessibility of the infrastructure, focusing on the 12 host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the city of Socorro in São Paulo, considered by the Brazilian ministry of tourism a national example in accessible tourism.
Following the expedition which took two months, the team helped to produce a tourist guide book and website on accessible travel around Brazil.
Their findings from the trip are also contributing to plans for adapting infrastructure and tourist products, including accommodation, restaurants and museums, to help Brazil to gear up to cater for disabled or less-able visitors.
Embratur, the Brazilian Tourist Board, last night organised a panel of officials to discuss accessible travel in Brazil and the Paralympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
The meeting was preceded by a workshop geared to the travel trade, showcasing various destinations in Brazil.
The seminars “Discover Brazil” and “Tourism & Accessibility in Brazil” took place at Casa Brasil (Somerset House), which continues to promote Brazilian destinations and culture for visitors throughout the Paralympic Games in London.
As well as Embratur, the group consisted of the vice president of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, Luiz Cláudio Pereira; president of the NGO “Special Adventure,” Moreira Dada; and superintendent of the department of planning Cabo Frio.
The group discussed strategies to make cities of Brazil accessible to all visitors including those who have a disability, addressing key topics such as the Paralympic route for 2016.
“As the next Olympic host in 2016, this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics in London have created a platform to showcase our unique and diverse country.
“It has also enabled us to actively address the issue of accessible tourism, which is an increasing priority for Brazil and the rest of the world,” said the president of Embratur, Flavio Dino.
Recent developments in accessible tourism around Brazil include the ‘New Directions’ project, pioneered by the ministry of tourism and Brazilian not-for-profit organisation The Very Special Institute.
In 2010 a team of four people with varying disabilities travelled around Brazil to test the accessibility of the infrastructure, focusing on the 12 host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the city of Socorro in São Paulo, considered by the Brazilian ministry of tourism a national example in accessible tourism.
Following the expedition which took two months, the team helped to produce a tourist guide book and website on accessible travel around Brazil.
Their findings from the trip are also contributing to plans for adapting infrastructure and tourist products, including accommodation, restaurants and museums, to help Brazil to gear up to cater for disabled or less-able visitors.
Cristina Fernandez: Tourism 'vital' to Argentina
Argentinean president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has underlined the importance of tourism as a sector able to “generate decent work and wealth across the entire country” on receiving the UNWTO/World Travel & Tourism Council Open Letter on Tourism.
“The tourism industry in Argentina makes an important contribution to the national economy and is a powerful path towards territorial development, given its ability to generate decent work and wealth across the entire country,” she said.
The president pointed to “economic development with social inclusion and the conservation of heritage” as the cornerstone of Argentina’s tourism policy.
“We are driven by the vision of becoming South America’s tourism destination of reference for our diversity and quality of supply, based on the balanced development of the habitats and identities of our people,” she explained.
Meeting with the president on the occasion of the presentation of Argentina’s new Marketing Plan 2012-2015, UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai, and WTTC president David Scowsill presented an Open Letter which calls on global leaders to support tourism as a driver of economic growth and development.
“International tourist arrivals to Argentina have almost doubled over the past decade making the country the most visited destination in South America, with international tourism accounting for over US$5 billion a year in exports,” said Rifai.
“This is due not only to the country’s enviable natural and cultural resources, but also thanks to the correct tourism policies and the political support awarded to the sector at the highest level.
“This was evidenced in 2010 when the President created the first Ministry of Tourism in Argentina, and again today on accepting the Open Letter.”
Scowsill added: “Latin America is a strong engine of growth to the global Travel & Tourism industry.
“The new Marketing Plan for Argentina will ensure that Argentina is one of the leading destinations driving this growth.
“It was an honour to meet with President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Her acceptance of the Open Letter underlines Argentina’s commitment to support the development of the Travel & Tourism industry.”
Marbella resorts evacuated as forest fire sweeps region
Thousands of people in the popular Spanish holiday resort of Marbella have been evacuated as forest fires continue to threaten the region.
A seven-mile wide section of forest surrounding the Mediterranean resort is presently ablaze, with hundreds of firefighters on the scene.
Nine planes and as many helicopters are being used to tackle the blaze.
“We can say there are thousands of people evacuated, mostly as a precautionary measure,” the Malaga provincial government chief Elias Bendodo told the Associated Press.
The flames broke out in the Sierra Negra Mountains Thursday afternoon.
“A relative lack of humidity, strong winds and high temperatures in the afternoon helped the fire to grow quickly,” said a statement by the regional government of southern Andalusia.
A seven-mile wide section of forest surrounding the Mediterranean resort is presently ablaze, with hundreds of firefighters on the scene.
Nine planes and as many helicopters are being used to tackle the blaze.
“We can say there are thousands of people evacuated, mostly as a precautionary measure,” the Malaga provincial government chief Elias Bendodo told the Associated Press.
The flames broke out in the Sierra Negra Mountains Thursday afternoon.
“A relative lack of humidity, strong winds and high temperatures in the afternoon helped the fire to grow quickly,” said a statement by the regional government of southern Andalusia.