Wine fans could head to South Africa

A leading wine and fruit farm could be the ideal attraction for those wine enthusiants taking flights to South Africa.

Babylonstoren is 240-hectare farm located in the Drakenstein Valley, which is in the centre of the Cape Winelands and it has decided to open its doors to guests, reports Easier.com.

The farm's restaurant, Babel, opened just three weeks ago and many critics are predicting that the establishment is already set to be a major hit, especially as it has a head chef who trained at Quartier Francais.

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Thailand home to world's best hostel

A new survey has concluded that Thailand is home to the world's best hostel. Over 77,000 people took part in the survey conducted by Hostelling International (HI) to find the best hostel of 2010.

The Baan Dinso hostel in Bangkok was named as the top establishment - it is the second year in a row that the Thai hostel has picked up the award, beating off competition from hostels in the US, Japan and Luxembourg.

Baan Dinso was praised for its good levels of service and helpful staff as well as its comfort and cleanliness. The hostel was also named as one of the top ten hotels in Bangkok by Hostelworld in 2009.


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Catch Flights to Goa and Explore the Europe of Orient

Dancing palms, ashen white sands and sparkling blue water - the three major attractions that charm and entice more than 2 million visitors each year to Goa’s beautiful shores.

Goa has been under the Portuguese rule for more than 450 years and the influence of the Portuguese culture is very apparent throughout the region. The colonial mores has permeated through various aspects of Goan life - in the delicate, disintegrating architecture; in the fusion cuisine that blends the essential Goan food with the refined flavours of Lisbon; and in the musical notes of fado that waft on the aromatic breeze. No wonder, Goa is one of the reasons why cheap flights to India are highly sought after.

One has to travel a long way in India to find the carefree languidness of the Goan lifestyle, the charm of locals or the serenity of Goan beaches.

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Virgin Unveils New Strategy

Virgin CEO, John Borghetti revealed a brand new strategy at the annual general meeting of the company. The new strategy will literally change the face of the airline major, which is comprised of Polynesian Blue, Pacific Blue, Virgin Blue, and V Australia. Virgin also has aggressive plans to increase its market share in corporate travel section by 100%. In fact, major developments are taking place within Virgin. For instance, the new Creative Director is none other than Mr Hans Hulsbosch, the brand and identity manager for the widely acclaimed Woolworths logo and the Qantas flying Kangaroo livery.

Media sources quoted Mr John Borghetti as saying ‘Hans is overseeing the Virgin Blue brand identity work with our commercial team to change, reposition and create an identity that can stretch across both the Leisure and Corporate sectors’. Mr Borghetti further said ‘Together with our new agency (Clemenger) you will see re-energised approach to marketing’. Mr Borghetti went on to say that Virgin’s re-branding efforts will be evident as early as this week at the Brisbane Airport.  All these developments may just also spell as an increase in the number of cheap flights to Australia.

Virgin is already a very well-known name in the aviation sector and offers plenty of flights to Australia and other destinations. For instance, someone looking for flights to Brisbane usually considers Virgin Blue as the airline is based in Brisbane and there are fair chances of netting cheap flights.

Speaking about the key segments, Mr Borghetti expressed ‘Our business has been primarily focused on the leisure and SME end of the market. And although we have and will continue to have a strong position in these segments, we are over reliant on them’.

He also observed that ‘Meanwhile the corporate and business end of the market is effectively controlled by one player with a significantly higher cost base’. ‘It is therefore logical for us to diversify our revenue base, reduce our exposure at the lower end of the market and use our cost base as an advantage’.

Qantas Offers Next Generation Check-In

Qantas has officially launched its Next Generation check-in for passengers at the Sydney and Perth Airport. With this step, the premier airline hopes to slash waiting time for domestic travellers.

Keeping the domestic market in focus, Qantas also announced the launch of a new food and wine program for domestic travellers. The offerings in business class on domestic flights will now be almost as good as international business class. That means flights to Sydney from Perth will now feature food and wine that will be aligned to flights to Australia from United Kingdom.

Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO, believes that different enhancements across the domestic network will surpass customers’ expectations.

“Next Generation Check-in has now opened in Sydney and Perth and is already dramatically reducing domestic check-in times for customers allowing them to move through the check-in area with increased speed and ease,” Mr Joyce was quoted in the company’s press release.

“In addition to Next Generation Check-in, Qantas has made changes across the entire domestic experience with the most significant changes to the Business Class offering, both in flight and on the ground,” observed Mr Joyce in the company’s news release.

“Qantas invented Business Class travel in 1974. We have set standards both nationally and internationally and we’re now raising the bar once again,” added Alan Joyce.

Qantas is one of the world’s leading long distance airlines. Qantas is also recognised as one of the biggest brands in the Australian market. The airline, along with its code share partners, operates elite as well as cheap flights to more than 180 destinations in nearly 45 countries. Qantas additionally has a large domestic network that operates cheap flights throughout Australia.

Australia should recreate Dubai, claims expert

Australia could consider developing an attraction similar to Dubai's Atlantis Palm resort to help attract more overseas visitors, claims a conference speaker. Speaking ahead of the Australian Tourism Directions Conference, Professor Ian Harper explained that more investment needs to be made to ensure that holidaymakers continue to be tempted to take flights to Australia.

In particular, he called for the creation of new ambitious projects and infrastructure developments to ensure the country continues to compete with emerging holiday destinations. "We need to be imaginative and think very laterally," explained Professor Harper.

He added: "If we were to keep our share constant we would have to build a whole bunch of new hotels and rebuild our tourism structure."

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Southwest Airlines to Take Over AirTran

Southwest Airlines announced plans to take over AirTran for a consideration of about $1.42 billion. The transaction would bring together two of the largest carriers known for their cheap tickets across the USA. The acquisition would increase Southwest’s market penetration into as many as 37 new cities. The largest in the circuit is Atlanta. In fact, the Hartsfield-Jackson International airport of Atlanta is the busiest in the country and a major business travel hub. In addition, Southwest would get a bigger market share of cities like New York, Boston, Key East Coast – the areas where the airliner has been on an expansion spree.

Passenger Benefits

Besides getting the combined benefits of both the airlines, passengers can look forward to further attractions. For instance, Southwest does not plan to retain AirTran’s bag fees. AirTran charges $20 and $25 for the first and second checked bags of passengers. Charges for the same service by big carriers like American Airlines and United Airlines is about $25 and $35. For Southwest, it translates as the possibility of adding customers of such airlines to its own portfolio. Furthermore, the new airline would be serving more than a 100 airports offering a slew of flights to over a 100 million passengers. The deal also has the potential to further boost the tourism sector as visitors booking flights to USA in the future would get the full advantage of this transaction. In fact, similar path breaking developments in the hotel industry coupled with such major decisions in the aviation sector constantly add value to the US holiday market.

Time frame of the Deal

The takeover requires regulatory as well as shareholder approval and is expected to be over within the first two quarters of 2011. The complete merging of services is expected to take place in 2012

New York is ready to Rock You. Find Out How

The empire state of New York is well worth a visit anytime of the year. Be it lip smacking culinary delights or legendary shopping and a galaxy of amazing sightseeing wonders – there are plenty of reasons to jump aboard flights to New York . The destination counts amongst the most popular hot spots in USA. In case, you are planning to travel in the recent future, there are some additional charms to look forward to.

On 19th September, Harlem’s wide boulevards will play host to the gala annual African American Day Parade. Watching this parade is a very cheap but exhilarating way to while away the time. This colourful spectacle of humanity complete with jazzily attired dancers swaying to heart thudding music snakes its way from 111th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard to 142nd Street and onwards to Fifth Avenue. 

The Catskill Mountain Thunder in East Durham’s Blackthorne Resort is an epic motorcycle festival and will definitely add a thump to your holidays. Bikers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New England, and New York, all converge here to participate in the event. While the bikers are up to their dare devil antics, the onlooker may simply indulge in safe flights of fancy from the sidelines. The festival spells as four days of endless fun and excitement packed with numerous events from 16th to the 19th September. Two of the major highlights are a delectable Sunday pig roast accompanied with free beer and an antique motorcycle display. 

Another forthcoming attraction is the world famous New York Fashion Week from 9th to 16th September, which will see gorgeous models decked up in spring collections setting the catwalk on fire. Menswear dominates the first two days. After that it is an all out time for women’s wear. The venue is Lincoln Center and the top names from the world of fashion would gather in New York. This is also the time to book magnificent deals on hotels in New York. Book your flights to New York right now to enjoy the extraordinary fun and lifetime holiday experience.

United and Continental Airlines Set to Merge

The aviation industry is to reach a major milestone with the merger of the United Airlines and Continental Airlines. The proposed merger received the go ahead from the US Justice Department (DOJ). All antitrust concerns have been addressed by DOJ and the overall review is also complete. Voting by the shareholders remains the final step before the deal falls through. The voting is likely to be carried out on 17th September. After that it would be a matter of receiving the approval of the US Transportation Department. It is expected that the entire event would be wrapped up by 1st October, 2010. Here are some of the major highlights of the merger.

Financial Perspective

The all stock merger is reported to be worth about $US 3 billion and would create the biggest airline in the world. Airline sources indicated that some $1 billion to $1.2 billion is projected to be realised from annual synergies by 2013. It includes about $200 million to $300 million in annual cost synergies.

Scope of the Merger

A look at the current operations of Continental and United reveals the immense dimensions of the merger. Continental handles over 2,700 departures serving about 170 points throughout the world and has about 40,000 employees. United, on the other hand, is the founder of the Star Alliance and employs nearly 40,000 personnel. The company operates some 3,400 flights a day to over 230 destinations. The coming together of these two giant entities clearly spells as the creation of a mammoth in the aviation industry.

Future Leadership

Leadership positions would be filled in from the talent pool of both the companies. Both United and Continental are expected to contribute about the same number of members to the new management team. Other than Glenn Tilton and Jeff Smisek from United and Continental respectively, the new Board of Directors will be comprised of two union directors and an equal number of independent directors of both companies.

Benefits for Customers

The merger blends award winning customer service with industry leading network carrier. The merged company would fly the latest fuel efficient fleet (adjusted for cabin mix) and will also have the finest order book amongst the leading network carriers of the US. Customers will get to access the services of the number one frequent flyer programme in the industry. Earning and redeeming endless miles spread across a plethora of destinations with more and more partners will benefit the passengers immensely. Attractive new features will be added besides combining the features of Mileage and OnePass (the loyalty programmes of Continental and United).

Employee Benefits

A performance oriented incentive programme would be awarded to employees and there would be focus upon goal sharing. Another thrust area would be the creation of cooperative labour relations, which would include negotiating contracts with collective bargaining units that would work both for the employees and the company. Both airlines have stated that frontline employees would hardly be affected. Reductions would come in mainly from retirements, attritions, and voluntary programmes.

Source: Southall Travel News

Etihad Airways to offer discount Australia flights

Etihad Airways is celebrating its recent route expansion by offering cheap flights to Australia. The airline is joining forces with Virgin Blue to offer new flights to key destinations such as Adelaide and Cairns. There will also be a number of additional services to New Zealand as part of the expansion.

To celebrate the new routes, the carrier has announced a number of cheap flights departing from Heathrow Airport. As part of the sale, travellers could find a return from London to Ayres Rock for £947.

Etihad is also launching its new Australia Skypass scheme, which will enable passengers to save on domestic flights within Australia and New Zealand. Tourists will be able to add up to six additional flights for around £36 per sector. The company's chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner explained: "We believe the Australia Skypass will be a boon for domestic tourism in Australia, giving untapped European tourists access to secondary ports such as Tasmania and Far North Queensland."


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Qantas Airline announces profit results

Australian airline Qantas has released its profit result for the year ending June 30th 2010.

The airline enjoyed a "strong performance", it said, and saw an underlying profit before tax of some $377 million (£215.8 million) as well as revenue of $13.8 billion.

Chief executive officer of the group Alan Joyce said: "While global trading conditions remained challenging, they continued to improve, and the Qantas Group has delivered a strong result, more than tripling its full year profit year-on-year."

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Far North Queensland a great destination for cheap flights to Australia

Those jetting off on cheap flights to Australia could find that the far north of Queensland is an ideal place to head to. And to make a holiday even more affordable after bagging cheap flights to Australia, travellers can take advantage of a number of special deals being offered by holiday firms in the area.

In Port Douglas, home of the famous Four Mile Beach, guests can stay at the Best Western Lazy Lizard Motor Inn for a cut price. The inn offers "a tropical haven" and the area around it is filled to the brim with natural sights.

The deal includes a four-night stay in a queen studio unit, a daily continental breakfast, and a number of trips including a Daintree Walkabout Tour. This deal is currently available at $579 (£337) per person.



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New Westin resort opens in Thailand

The first Westin resort has opened in Thailand, which could interest those taking cheap flights to Thailand for a luxury break.

Offering the very best in spa facilities, as well as stunning natural beauty and its own secluded beach, the Westin Siray Bay Resort and Spa Phuket is ideal for a romantic break or even a honeymoon.

The resort is on the east coast of the island and overlooks Siray Bay itself. Siray Island is connected to Phuket by bridge and is easily reachable from the main town of Phuket as well as the airport, making it a convenient choice for those taking cheap flights to Thailand.

While in the area, visitors can enjoy some of the world's most picturesque islands, including Phi Phi and the Maya Islands, which both prove huge draws for all sorts of holidaymakers every year.

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Cheap holidays

Compare and book cheap family holidays packages with hotel deals. Find out luxury holiday deals on hotels packages and travel tour. Offers on Dubai, Singapore, Australia.

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Thailand praised for security and hospitableness

Holidaymakers jetting off on cheap flights to Thailand are likely to enjoy amazing hospitality from the welcoming locals, it has been commented.

Writing about Thailand as a nation, William Heinecke - chief executive officer of the Minor Corporation and long-time resident of the country - said that Thai people are extremely welcoming to overseas guests and have "renowned hospitality". "As a long-term resident of Thailand and now a Thai citizen, I can honestly say that I, like so many visitors to Thailand, feel safer here than in most cities in Europe and North America," he praised.

As well as this wonderful reception, Mr Heinecke noted the incredible natural beauty and "unique culture" that visitors taking cheap flights to Thailand can enjoy.

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Amazing offers on Cairo hotels and flights for UK travelers

Here, you can find numerous discounted flights to Cairo from UK. Several Airlines are operating regular flights on this route. The cheapest fare you can find is available on Alitalia Airline. You can fly to Cairo with this airline just from £ 279 RT. Several hotels packages offers like Zoser Hotel, MS RA I are also listed here.

Southall Travel Bags “Favourite Tour Operator to India” Award

The UK-based Southall Travel does not show any signs of letting up on its marathon award winning spree. The company bagged the prestigious Incredible India Award at the 13th Eastern Eye Annual Asian Business Awards event held in London on 26th March 2010. The accolade which the agency received for being the ‘Favourite Tour Operator to India’ was jointly presented by Rt. Hon. Sadiq Khan (Member Parliament) Minster of State for Transport & Mr. Ramniklal Solanki – CBE, Editor in chief Eastern Eye. The event was attended by over a 700 strong audience.

Eastern Eye, part of Britain’s largest Asian publishing house has been an iconic brand for more than 20 years and provides an extensive coverage on British - Asian business affairs through an admired weekly newspaper in the UK and a highly popular website. The Conservative Party chief executive, Mr Andrew Feldman, was among the numerous dignitaries adorning this star studded event. Mr Feldman also delivered the grace prior to a lavish four course dinner that absolutely befitted this occasion. This award ceremony saw Southall Travel rubbing shoulders with some of the top Asian business initiatives in the United Kingdom. Perceived to be experts in flights, hotels and packages, this UK travel agent has emerged as a piping hot shopping choice especially for people seeking flights to India.

The award holds further significance in the light of the fact that Southall Travel becomes one of those elite Asian businesses that have shown tremendous potential in the face of a depressed economy. Upon receiving the award, Mr. Shuban Kotwal, General Manager – Tour Operations expressed his high appreciation for strong faith that traveller’s repose in the company. “This award is a remarkable achievement and Southall Travel would like to thank all those who trusted us with their travel needs and our company will remain committed to consistently providing the superior quality travel services”, observed Mr. Kotwal.

On a daily basis, Southall Travel aids approximately 1000 people with their travel itineraries. The website of the company, http://www.southalltravel.co.uk is flooded with travel related information, cheap flights offers for holidays to India and rest of Asia, package deals to some of the most sought after Asian destinations.

Southalltravel.co.uk Wins The Best Consolidator Award 2009 by Kenya Airways

In what is seen as another leap forward, the UK based Southall Travel has recently bagged the ‘Best Consolidator’ Award for 2009 from Kenya Airways, one of the most renowned air carriers in Africa. Mr. Bruce Watson, Sales Manager UK and Ireland, Kenya Airways presented the award to Mr. Jaymin Borkhatria, Director of Sales, Southall Travel at an agency-appreciation lunch and awards ceremony organised by the airline at the Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, London. Also present at the event were Ms. Salina Hussein, the Key Account Manager for Southall Travel at Kenya Airways, and the representatives of some of the distinguished travel agencies in the country.

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Tourists to get more hotel choice on holidays to Dubai

People who have booked flights to Dubai later this year could find themselves faced with an even greater choice of places to stay once three new hotels open their doors to guests.

All located on the iconic Palm Jumeirah, which currently only has one hotel, travellers will soon have a few more accommodation options open to them. The first of the new hotels is set to welcome its first guests in the second quarter of this year, boasting more than 400 rooms, as well as 38 residential villas.

Zabeel Saray will also be home to the Middle East's biggest authentic Hammam spa, offering traditional Turkish treatments.

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Enlighten Yourself in the Land of Kamasutra

Famous the world over for its erotic stone sculptures, Khajuraho is a beautiful experience for any traveller. Highlighting the eternal truth that the gratification of worldly desires is the pathway to heaven, these sculptures are nothing short of an epic carved in stone. Attend the evening sound and light show within the temple complex that provides interesting insights about the history of Chandelas who constructed these magnificent temples in an inspired burst of creativity.

Lots of portals on the web offer handy tips on how to get cheap tickets on all flights to India if you plan a rendezvous with the exotic sculptures of Khajuraho. Your trip to India will also give you a chance to explore its vivid cultural landscape that is an amalgam of numerous races, castes and religions.

Tour India’s forts, palaces and places of worship and witness history unfold before you. Visit its splendid temples like the Sun Temple at Konark Birla Mandir, Chattarpur Mandir, Isckon Temple, Lotus Temple, Khir Bhawani that highlight India’s rich cultural heritage. Do visit the Taj Mahal in Agra that is sure to spellbind you with its astounding beauty. This mausoleum in white marble is considered as the epitome of love and continues to enchant visitors even today.

To explore the magical landscape of India in all its glory, select your seat on any cheap flight to India with southalltravel.co.uk for your tour from the October to March season which is the ideal time to travel this enchanting land. You’re sure to return with loads of memories and a resolve to return again.

Ideal Flights To India

All London airports offer a number of flights to travel to different parts of India and the travelers are at times perplexed with numerous options that they have available to them. With a large number of travelers choosing India as one of the preferred destinations, loads of airlines are competing to lure the passengers by offering increasingly lucrative option. What then makes certain options as ideal flights to India? A multitude of carriers are trying to win their passengers with the best in class in-flight services, direct flights, cheapest fares and maximum baggage allowance to leave even the most veteran of travelers baffled.

If flying direct to save time and avoid the inconvenience of a connecting flight are your criteria of an ideal flight then you may consider British Airways or Air India to such destinations as Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai or Amritsar. Those traveling on a shoestring budget and looking for cheap flights to India may check out Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Lufthansa, Austrian Airways to name a few to fly to Delhi. Ideal indirect cheap flights to India are offered by Emirates, Qatar or Lufthansa. Emirates offers its passengers an opportunity to experience the grandeur and luxury of its two pride possessions – Airbus A380 on Heathrow Dubai sector and the majestic, awe-inspiring and marvelous Dubai Airport Terminal 3. Dedicated to Emirates, the terminal offers world class facilities ranging from a multitude of shops in the incredibly enormous duty free shopping zone, up-market restaurants, spas and themed lounges for first and business class passengers.

Flights to India with Qatar Airways ensure a memorable five-star customer-centric travel experience. For those looking for a good baggage allowance, Etihad along with Emirates or Lufthansa could be the right choice. Travel to India has surely been made a lot easier and comfortable with so many options available!

Flights to India

Southall Travel agent from UK has announced latest offers on flights to India from London Heathrow, Birmingham and other popular airports countrywide. You can now save huge amount on booking flights and hotels together. Package deals and offers available for Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore and other cities of India.

Find Cheap Holiday Packages

Find holiday packages special offers at cheap cost. Book a luxurious hotel in Sir Lanka, Dubai, Thailand, Mauritius, Maldives, Malaysia or USA at discount price. Bring your family to a quality and exotic location at an affordable price!


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