Jet Airways direct daily service between Mumbai and Paris

The flight will be operated with effect from 14 May 2014, subject to regulatory approvals. Operated with a wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft compromising 18 Premiere and 236 Economy seats, flight 9W124 will depart Mumbai at 1200 and arrive in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at 1750. On the return leg, flight 9W123 will depart Paris at 2110 and touch Mumbai at 0945 the following day. To mark the launch of this service, Jet Airways has announced a special return economy introductory fare of US$736 (INR 45,291) including taxes, and return Premiere introductory fare of US$ 2,478 (INR1,53,315). These fares are available since 14 January 2014 with purchases completed on or before 10 February 2014. In addition, JetPrivilege members can earn double miles on flights booked between 14 May and 13 June, 2014. (Traveldailymedia.com)

 

China Arrivals Fall Again In 2013

International visitor arrivals to China declined in 2013. According to the latest data from China’s National Administration of Tourism (CNTA), the country received 55.69 million overnight visitors last year – 3.5% lower than 2012. Including day visitors, the total was 129m arrivals – 2.5% fewer than the previous year. This follows a 1.5% decline in total tourist arrivals experienced in 2012. A CNTA official, quoted by the China Daily, attributed the downturn to “the weak global economy and the increasing cost of travel in China”. The continued tensions with Japan – one of China’s biggest visitor source markets – are also believed to be having an impact on the inbound figures. China’s domestic tourism industry however, remains buoyant. The country registered 3.26 billion visits in 2012, up 10.3% year-on-year. Outbound tourist numbers surged 18% to 98.19m, making China the world’s biggest tourism source market.  (Traveldailymedia.com)

 

US Sends Travel Alert for Americans Travelling To Sochi  

Americans are being asked to exert caution by the U.S. State Department as they head to Sochi for the winter Olympics after it has been learnt that a “black widow” suicide-bomb plotter is being hunted for by the Russian Government. Russia has been a target for many terrorist attacks. Between October 15 and December 30, 2013, there were three suicide bombings targeting public transportation in the city of Volgograd (600 miles from Sochi), two of which occurred within the same 24-hour period. In early January 2014, media reports emerged about the possible presence of so-called “black widow” suicide bombers in Sochi. These reports have not been corroborated, and the U.S. government continues to seek further information. (Travelandtourworld.com)

 

Tripadvisor Announces World’s Best Accommodations

TripAdvisor has announced the winners of its 2014 Travelers’ Choice awards for hotels. In the 12th year of the awards, the world’s most outstanding properties were identified in the categories of Top Hotels, Bargain, B&Bs and Inns, Family, Luxury, Romance, and Small Hotels. Travelers’ Choice award winners were determined based on the reviews and opinions of millions of TripAdvisor travelers around the globe.  

 

Top 10 Hotels in the World:

1. Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, Switzerland  

2. The Upper House, Hong Kong, China

3. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, Lankanfushi, Maldives 

4. Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica

5. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India

6. Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador 

7. Lindos Blu, Lindos, Greece 

8. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, Punta de Mita, Mexico

9. The Oberoi, Mumbai, Mumbai, India 

10. Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto,  Toronto, Canada

(Traveldailynews.com)