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Top 10 Popular Locations To Visit In 2019

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When you are looking to travel in 2019, there are a number of amazing locations for you to visit that cater to a number of needs and wants. Whether you want to soak up the sun on some of the worlds best beaches or you want to spend your time visiting historical landmarks, we have a number of locations for you to look out for before planning your trip. So, before you begin organising your EHIC card renewal and booking flights sit back and allow us to show you 10 popular locations you should visit in 2019.

Zadar, Croatia

Located right on the coast of Croatia is the city of Zadar and the beautiful picturesque locations. With Zadar Cathedral as well as the Monument to the Sun there are a number of amazing locations for you to visit. In addition to this, there are a number of amazing hotels allowing you to enjoy the very best of the sun with some of the best accommodation in Croatia.

Athens, Greece

Whether you choose to visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon or the acropolis temple, you can have the perfect holiday. With the average temperature sitting at about 29 degrees, you can enjoy the sun and see some ancient Greek history throughout the course of your trip. There are a number of amazing hotels, bars and restaurants set in the ancient Greek landscape allowing you to soak up some of the culture and history they have on offer.

Florence, Italy

Another amazing location to visit in Europe is Florence. This stunning location gives you the very best of the ancient history without the crowds that you would find in other parts of Italy such as Rome. This stunning city had a number of fortified castles as well as the Cathedral of Santa Maria, allowing you to explore the ancient city whilst staying in some of the best hotels that Florence has to offer.

Madeira, Portugal            

Similar to that of the Algarve, this stunning location has some of the world’s most picturesque locations as well as a number of amazing locations such as Pico Ruvio, the Botanical Garden and Cabo Girao. All this coupled with amazing sunshine and come of the best nightlife make this one of the best locations for you to visit in 2019.

Disneyland, Paris

Much like its American counterpart, Disneyland Paris is a very popular location with many looking to travel to Europe in the summer. With amazing rides, a family-friendly atmosphere and a resort with a themed hotel, hundreds of families every year spend the money and take their kids away. With a number of themed packages as well as a number of hotels to choose from, this is money well spent when visiting here as you can make memories that will last for a lifetime.

Santorini, Greece

Located in the Aegean Sea, this stunning island is one of the most popular Greek islands to visit. With a number of ancient villagers as well as a number of ruins scattered around the island, you can explore ancient Greece in all its glory whether you are travelling alone or with a group. In addition to this, there are a number of amazing beaches with crystal clear water and warm sand making this your very own paradise.

London, United Kingdom

If you are looking for a city escape with plenty to do in 2019, the city of London is the place for you. This city not only has free attractions but there are also a number of amazing attractions such as Madame Tussauds, The London Eye and M&M world that are amazing for both adults and children. For those that are travelling without children, there are also a number of amazing shows on the west end for you to enjoy such as The Lion King, Wicked and the Cursed Child, you can enjoy an amazing time in London Regardless of the length of your stay.

Barcelona, Spain

If you are looking for amazing food, plenty of cultures and some of the most amazing views, Barcelona has the perfect combination of all three and is only a 2h and 15-minute flight from the UK. This flight time makes it great for travelling with children as they have just enough time to watch a film. When you arrive, you will be met with some of the worlds most beautiful architecture as well as some of the most amazing views allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the landscape and have your very own Spanish adventure.

Venice, Italy

Venice Italy is the ultimate romantic location for you and your other half. With gondola rides down the river and picturesque cobble streets to roam you can get lost in the streets of Venice and find yourself amongst some of the worlds oldest and most beautiful architecture. Whether you are visiting St Marks Square, Rialto Bridge or Saint Mark’s Basilica, you can have the most amazing holiday full of history and amazing locations and scrumptious food.  

Berlin, Germany

Berlin Germany is the final location on this list and is well worth a place on this list as it is home to a number of amazing locations. With Museum Island, the historic Brandenburg Gate and the East Side Gallery, you can visit some amazing locations without having to wait in large queues. In addition to this, the weather in the summer can be anywhere between 20 to 30 degrees allowing you to explore the city comfortably.

Regardless of which location you decide to visit, you can be sure you will have the best possible trip whether you are alone or with your friends and family. Which will you be visiting to first?

Seychelles represented at first Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport in Africa

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The first Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport in Africa was held in Santa Maria, Sal Island in Cabo Verde, from the March 27 to 29, 2019.

The aim of the conference was to find a balance in maximizing the overall benefits of tourism and air transport in the national economy and to identify the best national aviation institutional frameworks and practices that facilitate and promote tourism.

The conference was attended by various high government officials on behalf of the participating countries and saw the presence of the African Union Commissioner responsible for aviation.

Several technical specialists’ representatives from the aviation and tourism sectors and experts from international and regional organisations were also present.

Seychelles was represented by a delegation from the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine and the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority led by Minister Didier Dogley and included Principal Secretary for Tourism Mrs. Anne Lafortune and Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Alan Renaud.

Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Alan Renaud represented Seychelles as a panelist during the first technical session on air transport and tourism policies on March 27, 2019.

During his intervention, PS. Renaud presented the country’s experience in relation to the topic and focused on the positive impacts that the liberation of the local air space has had on the tourism arrival figures.

He also pointed out the benefits of a free and visa upon arrival system as one having greatly facilitated the experience of travelers arriving in Seychelles.

Seychelles was also represented in Cabo Verde through Minister Didier Dogley, who sat on the ministerial panel on March 28, 2019.

Speaking during the session the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine reinforced the points made by Principal Secretary Renaud and further elaborated on the benefits of having in place a set of comprehensive and structured air access policies and a strong institutional framework. He commented on Seychelles as one of the few countries in Africa, where the aviation and tourism departments fall under the same ministry, which greatly enable and facilitate coordination between key authorities and staff.

Minister Dogley also highlighted the importance of direct air access for Small Island Developing states. He explained the dependency of small island nations as Seychelles on an adequate network of airlines serving the country due to their isolation from their tourism markets and trade partners.

In regards to a single African air transport market, he reminded the audience of the need for those responsible for developing regional agreements to take into consideration the special needs of SIDS.

On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Dogley also held talks with the President of the ICAO council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, Secretary General of UNWTO, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili and other African aviation and tourism ministers attending the meeting.

Travel News | eTurboNews

What is the discussion at the UNWTO / ICAO Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport?

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A Panel discussion is ongoing and a packed program are planned today for delegates in Sai Island, Cabo Verde attending the First UNWTO/ ICAO Ministerial Conference Tourism and Air Transport.

Air Transport and Tourism Policies: Regulatory convergence to maximize and balance their benefits

Air Transport and tourism depend heavily on each other and are essential engines of trade and economic growth for both developed and developing countries.

Despite the synergies, there can be conflicts between aviation and tourism policies due to the difficulties of States in balancing the interests of their airlines and the optimum development of their tourism industries. Separate sectorial policies result in a fundamental disconnect, which constitutes a severe deterrent towards the development of both sectors. How do we enhance policy coherence between the two sectors, harmonize the regulatory frameworks, and prevent separate sectoral policies? How can we strike a balance to maximize the overall benefits of tourism and air transport in the national economy?

What is the current status of Africa’s regulatory framework and what is its impact on tourism and air transport (the Lomé Declaration and the related Action plans both for Air Transport and for Tourism?

How can Africa benefit from and implement the joint UNWTO and ICAO Medellín Statement on Tourism and Air Transport for Development? How can the African Governments promote cooperation and compatible decision-making among transport and tourism authorities and other ministries in charge of related portfolios, including finance, economic planning, energy, environment and trade?

What are the challenges encountered by tourism stakeholders in reflecting tourism business interests in national and regional air transport policies?

Connectivity and Seamless Travel: Best practices to serve tourists and passengers

Aviation and tourism are a customer-focused economic sector.

While there is no single definition of air connectivity, it can be viewed as the ability of a network to move passengers involving the minimum of transit points, which makes the trip as short as possible with optimal passenger satisfaction at the minimum price possible. The realization of seamless travel can improve overall travel experience, which in turn fuels tourism demand.

With the recent launching of the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), open skies over Africa may soon be a reality, building the necessary regulatory framework to increase international intra-Africa travel.

How do we optimize the flow of passenger traffic through the air transport system? How can we generate sufficient demand for direct air services between African sub-regions, especially between the East-West coasts?

How well do current air service agreements (ASAs) contribute to connectivity and what are the prospects of air transport liberalization? What constitute the bottlenecks and slowdowns of seamless travel in the air transport system? What regulatory schemes can be used or developed to assure essential air services to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)?

What are the existing best practices and how could they be extended and adapted to other regions? What are the factors influencing airline choices for different market segments (the intercultural dimension)?

Funding and Financing for Development: Pragmatic measures to build a transparent, stable and predictable investment climate

Infrastructure deficiencies in the aviation and tourism sectors have long been an issue in Africa. While plans are in place to develop and modernize aviation infrastructure, relief is years away at best.

In the meantime, there will be lost opportunities for creating jobs and spurring economic growth. Another issue is the proliferation of taxes on tourism and air transport despite the fact that the industry recovers a vast majority of its own infrastructure costs through payments of user charges, rather than being financed through taxation.

Revenue raised by taxes can often be outweighed by the relinquished economic benefits as a result of dampened demand for air travel.

This Session will focus on

a) the creation of good governance and enabling the environment to build business confidence and encourage investments, and

b) the consolidation of planning and development efforts for aviation and tourism infrastructure in multi-modal and urban planning initiatives. What are the challenges of financing development projects related to the tourism and air transport sectors, particularly in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS?

What are the success stories in financing tourism and air transport projects? How do consumers perceive taxes, charges, and others levies and how to ensure transparency of taxes and charges to passengers and tourists?

Why is the limited volume of international public finance and assistance for development currently available for aviation and tourism infrastructure projects?

Travel Facilitation: Advancing visa facilitation in supporting economic growth 

Travel facilitation aims at maximizing the efficiency of border clearance formalities while achieving and maintaining high-quality security and effective law enforcement. Allowing passengers/tourists to cross international borders safely and efficiently contributes significantly to stimulating demand, enhancing the competitiveness of States, creating jobs and fostering international understanding.

In spite of the great strides made in recent decades in facilitating tourist travel in Africa, there is still room for considerable progress. For example, electronic visa processes and delivery could make travel more accessible, convenient, and more efficient without a diminution of national security.

States should also look into increasing cooperation on bilateral, regional and international travel facilitation regimes. How can new technologies be used to make travel more accessible, convenient and efficient? How to define and implement policies which facilitate international travel and tourism while ensuring the security and integrity of traveler identification and border controls?

How well do e-passports, e-visas and other documentation deal with emergent threats to security? How could the African States learn from other effective best practices?

Travel News | eTurboNews