All posts by Team TravelAndy
Qatar Airways to fly to Malta from June
December 25 (TravelAndy): Come summer, Qatar Airways will launch direct services to Valletta, Malta – the newest addition among the airline’s European destinations.
The operations will begin on June 4, 2019, making it Qatar Airways’ first entry into the Mediterranean country. The airlines will fly an A320 aircraft to the Maltese capital daily in summer, and four times a week in winter.
Talking about the new route, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive, Qatar Airways, said the airline looked forward to introducing travellers from across the globe to the captivating city of Valletta.
British Airways to fly from London City Airport to Croatia
December 24 (TravelAndy): British Airways has announced a new route from London City Airport to Split in Croatia, which will start operating next year.
The airline has planned to connect the Croatian city to the Docklands airport with three flights a week during the summer months of June through September.
While British Airways already operates flights between Heathrow Airport and Split, flights from London City Airport to Croatia will be introduced for the first time.
Luke Hayhoe, general manager commercial and customer, British Airways, said they have been looking at new route and additional frequency possibilities with the arrival of their new aircraft next year, and that it was a natural addition to the summer leisure schedule.
Continue reading British Airways to fly from London City Airport to Croatia →
India’s first wheelchair taxis to roll out in Goa
December 23 (TravelAndy): In an attempt to make Goa accessible for tourists with mobility challenges, Enable Travel, a travel company serving people with mobility issues, has joined hands with Ezy Mov, India’s first point-to-point wheelchair taxi service provider, to offer guided tours in wheelchair taxis.
Five such vehicles will be run in the first phase in January 2019.
Debolin Sen, head, Enable Travel, said that Goa serves as one of the most popular Indian travel destinations for both domestic and international tourists, but lack of transport facilities for people with mobility issues, including elderly travellers, makes them unable to experience it in its broadest sense.
Continue reading India’s first wheelchair taxis to roll out in Goa →
Etihad Airways to introduce Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Barcelona
December 22 (TravelAndy): Etihad Airways will introduce the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its scheduled services from Abu Dhabi to Barcelona, effective from Feb 22, 2019, replacing the Airbus A330-200 currently operating the recently launched route.
The deployment of the larger 787 Dreamliner to Barcelona has been timed to coincide with the Mobile World Conference taking place in the city from 25-28 February, during which Etihad Airways will provide daily flights. The airline will increase frequency to a permanent daily operation from 31 March.
The service will feature Etihad Airways’ next-generation Business and Economy cabins, configured with 299 seats – 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats – a capacity increase of six seats in Business and 31 in Economy in each direction, and an increase in belly-hold cargo capacity of four tonnes.
Continue reading Etihad Airways to introduce Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Barcelona →
If you love horses, you must visit Chetak Festival
December 21 (TravelAndy): If you have an eye for equestrian beauty, as well as an appetite for adventure, Maharashtra’s Sarangkheda is the perfect destination for you this winter. Sarangkheda village in Nandurbar district, like the past 300 years, will host ‘Chetak Festival’ through January 8, 2019, to celebrate the best horse breeds, and the legacy surrounding them.
Datta Jayanti Festival marks the beginning of the festival on the banks of the Tapi River, that is said to have been visited by the great Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Visitors get a chance to experience over 2,300 magnificent horses of five breeds participate in races, shows, and competitions during the month-long festival, organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. and Sarangkheda Committee.
Continue reading If you love horses, you must visit Chetak Festival →
Look to London for Christmas fun
December 20 (TravelAndy): If you look forward to celebrating the holidays with stunning theatre productions, festive ballets, and Christmas pantomimes with your entire family, London is just the place to be. In addition to the spectacular shows, the city is all set to blow your mind with beautifully adorned Christmas trees, winter adventure, and holiday markets.
Christmas ballet enthusiasts are in for a treat with the Royal Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at the Royal Opera House, through January 15, English National Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at the London Coliseum, through December 30, and ‘Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake’ featuring an all-male cast at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, through January 27.
Pantomime lovers can spend time this holiday season with ‘Snow White’ at the London Palladium, through January 13, or ‘Aladdin’ and his genie at Hackney Empire, through January 6. Fans can also embark on a journey to Neverland with ‘Peter Pan’ at the Richmond Theatre, through January 6. Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Old Vic, through January 19, and the award-winning ‘War Horse’ at the National Theatre, through January 5 are the holiday plays to choose from.
US tour operators name Italy as 2019 ‘hot’ destination
December 19 (NITN): The tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) have named Italy the most popular or “hot” destination for travellers in 2019, a recent survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) revealed.
The top 10 “hot” destinations for the coming year also include Iceland, which ranked second, followed by Japan, Vietnam, Australia, France, Spain, Colombia, Cambodia and Portugal.
USTOA members also identified their top 10 off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2019: Iceland ranked first, Cambodia ranked second, followed by Croatia, Colombia, Vietnam, Portugal, Bhutan, Bolivia, Myanmar, and Ethiopia.
Continue reading US tour operators name Italy as 2019 ‘hot’ destination →
Rann Utsav: A celebration of all things Kutch
December 18 (TravelAndy): The Rann of Kutch we have all read about in geography textbooks comes alive during Rann Utsav, celebrated during the winter months every year, amid fun activities, and cultural extravaganza, in Gujarat’s Kutch region. This year, the Rann Utsav, that kicked off on November 1, will continue through February 20, 2019.
Gujarat’s appeal as a travel destination grows manifolds during the festival, with people from all over the world pouring in to take a peek and be a part of the Kutchi traditions — a profusion of colours, handicrafted jewellery, textiles, food, folk music and dance, all against the magnificent backdrop of an infinite white desert shimmering under the full moon sky. It is a celebration of Gujarati heritage, powered by Gujarat Tourism.
Visitors to the carnival have an array of activities to choose from, including camel safari, yoga, parasailing, paramotoring, dirt biking, traditional dance performances, live music concerts, and kite flying, among several others. Shopping can be satisfying as Kutch is home to some of the finest craftspeople known the world over for their silver work, mirror work embroidery, hand block textile printing, and wood carving.
Continue reading Rann Utsav: A celebration of all things Kutch →
Alaska Airlines: Early boarding for flyers in ugly sweaters
December 17 (TravelAndy): If you are an Alaska Airlines guest with an ugly sweater to wear, you are in for a treat this holiday season.
Alaska Airlines passengers wearing ugly holiday sweaters to the airport on December 21 will be able to board their flight early.
The airlines’ offer is part of National Ugly Holiday Sweater Day promotions, which it will be celebrating for the second consecutive year. It will include all Alaska and Horizon Air flights across Alaska’s 116-city chain, and will be available to all its flyers and employees for one day.
The celebration is intended for spreading joy among flyers during the holiday season. Passengers can tweet their photos and videos enjoying the holidays, with the hashtags #iFlyAlaska and #UglySweaterDay. The airlines is also playing holiday-themed boarding music and films through the month.
Continue reading Alaska Airlines: Early boarding for flyers in ugly sweaters →
Early snow ushers in ski cheer in US
December 16 (TravelAndy): Winter sports enthusiasts all over the world have a reason to cheer as America’s 2018-19 ski season has finally arrived, and the ski resorts are all set to make the most of it.
The mercury dipped below average in November and early December, rendering it conducive for ski resorts to have a good and early start. Numerous winter storms deposited large amounts of snow along the slopes of several resorts, such as Keystone, Breckenridge, and Vail, in Colorado, Snowshoe in Virginia, and Seven Springs and Hidden Valley on Pennsylvania, enabling them to open early. Vail’s Blue Sky Basin opened in the first week of December, making it its earliest opening since 2002.
While the Rockies have had one of the best beginnings in years, thanks to the cold wave it saw a month back, the Northeast too received a considerable portion of snow, with New England standing to benefit from it. In Vermont, Stowe experienced over 60 inches of snow by November-end, preparing vast stretches for the season.
Trace Robert the Bruce sites with interactive map
December 15 (TravelAndy): You have heard the legend of Robert the Bruce and the spider where the king gets inspired by the tiny arachnid’s persistence.
Scotland’s national tourism organisation has launched an online interactive map highlighting the the historic sites linked with Robert the Bruce and the Scottish Wars of Independence.
Robert the Bruce, hailed as one of the greatest monarchs of Scotland, led the country to its independence from the English crown in the early 14th century. The map is an attempt to aid travellers in unravelling the history behind the King of Scots by following in his footsteps. Continue reading Trace Robert the Bruce sites with interactive map →
MP: Stepping into the heart of India this winter
December 14 (TravelAndy): Now is a fascinating time to explore Madhya Pradesh, not just because of the diversity it offers in terms of breathtaking landscapes, forest covers, fauna, heritage, and art and handicrafts, but also because it celebrates all of those through festivals, and other cultural performances, while sharing it with the outside world.
Bhopal, the capital city will host ‘Hriday Drishyam’, a two-day musical event from December 15 to 16, to bring together the finest and most loved Indian classical and jazz musicians on the same platform — Hariprasad Chaurasia on flute, Smita Nagdev on sitar, Shruti and Ninad Adhikari on santoor, and the band Golpe Tierra, among several others. The festival, all set to take place at Minto Hall, Shaurya Smarak, Bharat Bhavan, and Iqbal Maidan, has made entrance free for music lovers.
December 16 will see locals and travellers alike getting ready for the ‘Go Heritage Run’ in the exquisite temple town of Orchha. The annual event, organised in different locations every year, is an effort to delve into the cultural depths of the state. The run, slated to start at 6am from Sheesh Mahal, will take the participants through roads and trails sharing glimpses of ‘chhatris’ and temples from the Bundela era.
Continue reading MP: Stepping into the heart of India this winter →