The ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel trade fair, has recovered after a three-year health crisis. Some 10,000 exhibitors and 160,000 visitors - mostly professionals - are expected to attend until Thursday 9th March, determined to do business and turn the page on a crisis that has shaken the tourism market."The travel industry has proven to be resilient and adaptable," said Deborah … [Read more...]
Dengue Fever: As Ibiza health officials issue a warning, should tourists be worried?
Ibiza health chiefs have urged tourists to watch out for symptoms of Dengue fever.The Balearic Island experienced several outbreaks of the nasty mosquito-borne virus between May and November last year.There is a “moderate” risk that tourists could catch it this summer, health authorities have warned.So what are the symptoms to watch out for - and how can you protect yourself?How many tourists got … [Read more...]
Mallorca: Holiday prices to surge by a third as island moves away from 'budget British tourists'
Holidays to Mallorca are about to become a third more expensive, a tourism body has warned, as the island seeks to limit ‘budget tourists from the UK.’The sun-soaked Balearic Isle is a popular destination for budget party tourism.But prices are rising steadily - and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, said Juan Ferrer, President of the Palma Beach Quality Offensive."Holidays will be … [Read more...]
Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral to reopen to the public after devastating fire
France’s Notre Dame Cathedral is expected to reopen for visitors and Catholic masses at the end of 2024.It will be less than six years after a shocking fire tore through the roof of the building.The restoration project is currently on track to meet the reopening deadline of December 2024 set by president Emmanuel Macron just after the blaze. Unfortunately, it won’t quite be ready for the Paris … [Read more...]
Major train strikes in France aimed at "blocking country"
This Tuesday, transport services join an undetermined strike that will see services severely reduced at local, regional and international levels. These will affect France's rail, bus and aviation services, with reduced services, except at peak working hours, and blockades to major cities expected. March 7 will mark the sixth day of industrial action since January over government plans to … [Read more...]
Want to move to Europe? These are the EU countries welcoming the most – and least – new citizens
EU countries granted a record number of citizenships in 2021, new figures show.A total of 827,300 people obtained citizenship in EU member states in 2021 - an increase of 98,300 on 2020.The 14 per cent leap can be partly attributed to a pandemic-era backlog, but also reflects an upward trend on 2019, when 706,400 new citizenships were granted.85 per cent of new citizens were not previously … [Read more...]
Airport currency is 'a real no-no': Follow this travel expert's advice to save your holiday money
Many of us are guilty of booking a holiday and then not thinking about any of the other details until just before we leave.According to a new survey from HolidayExtras.com, our last-minute attitude could be costing us some serious money.Euronews Travel spoke to travel expert Lisa Minot to find out the biggest money mistakes we make when booking a holiday.Book your airport parking in advanceOne of … [Read more...]
‘Tourist saturated’ Lanzarote hints at plan to limit visitors from United Kingdom
The Spanish island of Lanzarote wants fewer British tourists.The popular holiday destination in the Canary Island has declared itself a “tourist-saturated area” and is now considering ways to limit the number of UK visitors it receives.The new strategy is a bid to “reduce dependence on the British market”.More than 50 per cent of visitors to the Island currently come from the United Kingdom. Some … [Read more...]
‘Pain has turned to anger’: Greek rail workers strike over conditions after deadly crash
Greek rail workers are striking as anger grows over a deadly rail crash that killed 43 people on Wednesday.The head-on-crash - which saw a passenger train and freight carrier collide on Greece's busiest line between Athens and Thessaloniki - has sent Greece into a period of national mourning.More than 50 people remained hospitalised, most in the central Greek city of Larissa. Several are in a … [Read more...]
Which country is the most welcoming? It's all down to visas, according to this new index
Which country is the most welcoming?From the friendliness of the locals to the availability of tourist infrastructure, there are plenty of ways to answer this question.It’s a subjective query, too. Pose this puzzle to a dozen expatriates and you’re likely to get a dozen different responses.But according to the Passport Index, there is a way to answer this seemingly impossible question.The most … [Read more...]
Turkey, Thailand, UAE: Where are rich Russian holidaymakers going to avoid travel sanctions?
Travel sanctions didn’t stop rich Russians from going on holiday last year, a new report has revealed.When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union suspended visas for Russian travellers.But wealthy tourists simply decided to holiday elsewhere.According to research from flight data firm ForwardKeys, wealthy Russians returned to travel “with a vengeance”.From the start of the war … [Read more...]
Wizz Air is suspending flights to Moldova for security reasons
Wizz Air is suspending flights to Moldova for security reasons.The Hungarian low-cost airline said on Monday it would pause flights to the Moldovan capital Chisinau from 14 March. This is due to concerns about the safety of the country's airspace.Moldova's civil aviation authority has described the decision as sudden and regrettable.Why is Moldova deemed unsafe?Tensions between Russia and … [Read more...]
P&O Ferries spends €260m on hybrid ships that can’t be charged at key ports
P&O Ferries has splashed out more than €260 million on hybrid ships that can’t be charged at their French or UK ports.The two new superferries are supposed to be “the most sustainable ships ever to sail on the English Channel,” according to bosses.But Dover and Calais electricity grids don't have capacity for the partially-electric boats, so they will run on diesel when they are delivered … [Read more...]
Hundreds of flights cancelled as German airport workers strike over pay
Nearly all flights at Germany's Cologne-Bonn airport and the majority at nearby Duesseldorf have been cancelled or diverted today (27 February) due to strikes.The walkouts are also affecting local transportation, day-care facilities and local administration in Germany's most populous region.At Cologne-Bonn airport, all but two of the day's 136 planned flights are expected to go ahead, German … [Read more...]
New EU border checks delayed until the end of 2023. Why are airlines supportive?
The EU's post-Brexit Entry-Exit System (EES) has been delayed once again.This means non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Area will be spared the anticipated chaos of the new border controls a little longer. It also means there aren't many ways for countries to check whether non-EU travellers have overstayed the 90-day limit currently in place.Originally slated to launch in 2022, the EES was at … [Read more...]
Long queues and scams: Will the new EU entry system cause border chaos?
Entering the European Union is about to get more complicated for non-EU nationals from next year.A new Entry Exit System (EES) is set to come into effect from November 2023.This is part of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) that will be implemented in 2024.It will require visitors from outside the EU to apply and pay for a visa waiver before entering a country in the … [Read more...]
Where are airport and transport strikes happening between now and Easter?
After strikes caused disruption during the February school holidays, more industrial action is planned by transport workers in the run-up to Easter.Travellers could face disruption in Spain, France and the UK between now and the busy holiday period.Where and when are walkouts taking place?Strikes at 17 Spanish airportsSome of Spain’s busiest airports are facing strikes by unionised workers at … [Read more...]
Berlin to Brussels by train: Get ready to cross Europe on this new sleeper service
A brand new sleeper train will link Berlin and Brussels in less than 12 hours.European Sleeper - a new Dutch-Belgian rail company - will launch the service in May.The train will depart Berlin just before 11pm, and arrive in Brussels around 9:30am the next day. En-route, it will stop at Amsterdam and Rotterdam.The return journey will depart from Brussels around 7:30pm and arrive in Berlin just … [Read more...]
Travel chaos: Will flight delays and cancellations return this summer?
This summer is set to be the busiest travel season since 2019.For airlines and airports, passenger numbers are creeping back up close to pre-pandemic levels. Despite the cost of living crisis, Europeans are still booking breaks in the sun and many are hoping for a much smoother experience than they had in 2022.There’s a good chance, however, that the problems passengers faced last summer could … [Read more...]
Shootings, soccer stars and sequins: The agony and the ecstasy inside Rio Carnival's samba schools
Rio de Janeiro carnival is billed as the world’s biggest party. But the annual event is much more than just spectacle. Blood, sweat and tears go into the floats that entertain tourists and locals in the stands of the famous Sambadrome. With one end goal in mind: victory.In Brazil the judges' decision is known as 'the count' - the scores from the parade competition which lead to the year's winner … [Read more...]