Resorts And Lodges

Top travel technology experts will participate in a dedicated digital session that will highlight some of the most important technology trends and innovations that could benefit Travel & Tourism over the next decade and beyond. This informative session will take place during the 11th Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Vegas on 17 – 19 May.

Travellers will book one third of the world’s travel sales online by the end of 2012, according to a new report from PhoCusWright. Online leisure/unmanaged business travel bookings will grow twice as fast as the total market, to surpass US$313 billion by 2012. <

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The number of international tourists visiting Rio de Janeiro increased by 8% in 2010 compared with the previous year, according to a study conducted by Embratur, the Brazilian Tourism Board.

The city received 1.61 million foreign visitors last year, compared with 1.49 million in 2009, an increase of 120,000 people and the highest level of international tourists in the last five years.

Revenues generated by tourism in the city came to over £1.2 billion.

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China Southern Airlines announced the purchase of six Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for its subsidiary, Xiamen Airlines. The carrier has already ordered 10 787-8 Dreamliners for itself.

The six new aircraft are scheduled to land in China between 2014 and 2015. However, delays are possible, given that Boeing has put back delivery of the aircraft to launch customer ANA several times.

The latest announcement from Boeing is for the third quarter of this year, citing a series of technical issues, including a fire onboard a test flight (see story here) as cause for the hold up.

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Busch Gardens most beautiful

JAMES CITY, Va. —Amusement park enthusiasts are touting Busch Gardens in Virginia as the country’s most beautiful amusement park.

Busch Gardens Europe in James City County earned the honor for the 21st consecutive year based on an annual survey by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. The group is dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of amusement parks.

The survey is the oldest of its type and highly regarded within the park industry and enthusiasts’ circle.

Busch Gardens beat out Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for the sixth straight year for the honor. T

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British businessman Shrien Dewani murdered wife confessing that he needed to find a way out of marriage, a court has heard.

The South African authorities are seeking to extradite the businessman. The first day of his extradition hearing begun at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south east London on Tuesday.

The care home owner is accused of arranging the killing of new bride Anni whilst on honeymoon in Cape Town, South Africa.

It has emerged during the hearing that an unnamed witness is prepared to give evidence if Dewani stands trial, claiming Dewani divulged to him his true feelings about his marriage more than six months earlier, the court heard. <

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