SLOVENIA: Adria Airways Goes Bankrupt And Ceases Operations

The collapse of Adria Airways has cost Slovenia connections to dozens of international markets, a study has revealed.

The national airline filed for bankruptcy and cancelled all flights on Monday.

Adria had previously withdrawn virtually all its flights last week.

Bankruptcy proceedings were initiated by the management of the company because of the company’s insolvency, the carrier said in a statement.

A study by ForwardKeys, the travel analytics firm, revealed that the bankruptcy resulted in the loss of direct flight connections with two dozen countries, including Czech Republic, Spain and Switzerland, all important origin markets for the country.

Adria has accounted for 60 per cent of all international seat capacity to Slovenia.

Other key source markets such as Austria, Germany and France will also be impacted, as Adria Airways accounted for 99 per cent, 87 per cent and 51 per cent of seat capacity on flights from these countries.

The full list of countries, which had direct connections to Slovenia in the past 12 months and have now lost them, comprises: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Macedonia, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine.

However, the impact is less dramatic than the list suggests, because some of the routes, such as those from Estonia, Georgia and Greece are seasonal, and others, from Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Romania and Ukraine are irregular.

Olivier Ponti, vice president, insights, ForwardKeys, said: Given the attractiveness of Slovenia as a destination, I expect other airlines to fill the gaps left by Adria Airways but how long it will take to get back to the previous level is anyone´s guess.

Slovenia, and its vibrant capital Ljubljana, remain accessible and well worth a visit; however, if you were counting on Adria Airways to get you there quickly, you must now allow more time.

So following the collapse of Adria Airways this week, Slovenia’s only airport in Ljubljana has lost almost half of all its air traffic.

Most flights by Adria Airways were feeder flights to Star Alliance hubs, so it is no great surprise that Lufthansa Group announced today it will launch an entire network out of Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport within a month.

Simple Flying first reported in June that an Adria Airways bankruptcy was increasingly likely. Adverse circumstances surrounding the Slovenian flag carrier kept growing over the summer and operations officially ceased in full earlier this week.

For years, Adria has been positioned as a feeder to Lufthansa Group hubs, serving Brussels, Frankfurt, Zurich, Vienna and Munich several times daily.

Adria Airways had such a strong relationship with Lufthansa Group that it also had feeder flights to Frankfurt and Munich from the capitals of Albania and Kosovo.

Thus, with the collapse of Adria, Lufthansa Group has been left with a loss of 216 weekly outbound and inbound flights to channel its connecting passengers.

These include 64 weekly flights to Frankfurt, which even for a giant like Lufthansa is not insignificant. 42 of these flights were from Ljubljana, 6 from Tirana and 16 from Pristina.

To fill the acute gap left by Adria in Ljubljana, several Lufthansa Group airlines are stepping in. An entire network is being formed in Ljubljana by Lufthansa’s airlines, despite the Group not having a single route to Slovenia at all at the moment.

Brussels Airlines is launching a six-times-a-week service in November. This will coincide with Wizz Air pulling out of Slovenia and no longer flying the Ljubljana to Brussels route after seven years.

Today, an announcement followed from Lufthansa Group too, that Lufthansa and Swiss will launch their own services.

Lufthansa CityLine will be flying double daily between Frankfurt and Ljubljana with its CRJ900 aircraft. Flights will depart Frankfurt every day at 09.15 am and 4.40 pm, arriving in Ljubljana at 10.30 am and 5.55 pm.

They will then depart Ljubljana at 11.05 am and 6.30 pm, returning to Frankfurt at 12.25 pm and 7.50 pm. Flights are already bookable, from Sunday 27 October, the first day of the winter schedule.

These are clearly timed to coincide with Lufthansa’s morning arrival wave into Frankfurt and evening departure wave out of it. The route is very clearly intended to be a feeder.

From Munich, the German airline will be flying daily starting Friday 1 November. Flights will depart Munich at 10.45 am to arrive at Ljubljana at 11.45 am. They will then depart Ljubljana again at 1.10 pm to return to Munich at 2.10 pm.

Swiss itself will be the first to begin flying, launching five weekly flights in just two weeks’ time. At the start of the winter schedule, on 27 October, the frequency will increase to daily.

Once the frequency increases to daily, the flights will be operated by Swiss’s A220 aircraft. Until then, presumably, because no spare aircraft are available, flights will run as five weekly with a Helvetic Airways E190.

What will be interesting to see is whether Lufthansa Group airlines expand their schedule to Ljubljana to match the capacity that Adria had on these routes.

Adria had three daily flights to Zurich all summer long, while Swiss has only scheduled a single daily rotation.

Austrian Airlines has been absent from this announcement. Adria’s two daily flights to Vienna remain nonexistent and all the feeder traffic to Austrian and Eurowings left unserved.

With Slovenia’s only airport now fully dominated by Lufthansa Group airlines, it will be interesting to see how they adapt their network over time.

It will also be interesting to see which competitors to Lufthansa Group step in to take some of the market share left vacant by Adria.

Meanwhile, bankruptcy proceedings have officially been initiated against Slovenia's Adria Airways following its cessation of operations.

Documentation issued by the district court in the city of Kranj gives creditors three months, until 3 January 2020, to declare claims against the operator.

It names Janez Pustaticnik as the manager.

Adria's latest operating licence, issued in 2011, has been revoked by the Slovenian civil aviation agency and the carrier banned from operating commercial air transport.

Star Alliance has also confirmed, as a matter of formality, that Adria Airways has left the airline group as a result of the bankruptcy.

Adria ceased to be a member of Star on 2 October, the alliance says. It says the situation is a regrettable development, given that Adria has been a member for 15 years.

But Star points out that its links with Slovenia are being maintained by new services from Lufthansa, Swiss and Brussels Airlines

Tourism Observer

USA: Hyatt And Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ To Collaborate In More Than 200 Hotels

Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) today announced the ongoing expansion of Hyatt's and SLH's existing loyalty alliance, celebrating a milestone of over 200 participating SLH hotels around the world for World of Hyatt members to earn and redeem points and enjoy on-property benefits.

This latest expansion has quadrupled the number of participating SLH properties since the alliance launched in November 2018, and its expansion is expected to continue throughout 2019.

We encourage World of Hyatt members to explore these luxurious destinations around the globe, from Croatia to New Zealand, said Amy Weinberg, senior vice president, World of Hyatt.

The rapid growth of this strategic loyalty alliance is a testament to our commitment to delivering unique experiences wherever our members travel and continuing to extend the genuine care they have come to expect from Hyatt to more locations around the world.

World of Hyatt members now have access to more than 200 of SLH's luxury boutique hotels that offer new locations across growth markets for Hyatt, including Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Kenya, Mozambique, New Zealand, Portugal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines and Turks and Caicos and more.

Through this exclusive relationship, World of Hyatt members can explore sought-after destinations like Monkey Island Estate, an 18th century estate turned boutique retreat on a private island on the Thames, Berkshire; Ovolo The Valley Brisbane, a boutique oasis located in the center of Fortitude Valley, Brisbane's ultra-hip entertainment district.

Mykonos Riviera Hotel and Spa, a sun-drenched luxury resort tucked against the rocky backdrop of centuries-old Aegean cliffs; Enso Ango Fuya II, an artful Kyoto escape set across five Zen-inspired buildings; and Hotel Nantipa, a Costa Rican paradise retreat immersed in the surf culture of Santa Teresa.

This alliance has proven to be a perfect match. We are seeing a positive impact on reservations for our hotels from World of Hyatt members, said Jean-François Ferret, chief executive officer, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™.

Exposure to more than 16 million World of Hyatt members has not only helped increase reservations, but also allows us to expand our brand awareness while providing more luxury boutique hotels options for World of Hyatt members to choose from on their travel journey.

Since the World of Hyatt and SLH alliance launched in November 2018, the countries members have most visited include Italy, the UK, France, China and Greece.

World of Hyatt members can take advantage of the following loyalty benefits when booking a participating SLH hotel through a Hyatt channel:

Earning and Redemption

- World of Hyatt members earn five Base Points per $1 USD spent on eligible room revenue

- World of Hyatt members will receive their standard tier Bonus Points on eligible room revenue spend (10% Discoverist, 20% Explorist, 30% Globalist)

- Qualifying nights at participating SLH hotels will count toward earning World of Hyatt elite-tier status

- World of Hyatt members can redeem points to use for free night awards on SLH hotel reservations; each participating SLH property has been categorized into Hyatt's existing hotel award chart.

Member Benefits

Participating SLH properties will provide the following on-property benefits to all World of Hyatt members, regardless of status:

- Complimentary Wi-Fi

- Daily complimentary continental breakfast for two guests

- Room upgrade with one category at check-in if available.

- Early check-in (noon, based upon availability at check-in)

- Late check-out (2:00pm, based upon availability at check-in)
The term "Hyatt" is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) is the most desirable community of independently minded travellers and independently spirited hotels in the world.

We turned the luxury boutique hotel into a phenomenon and selected the distinctive, the diverse and the downright delightful. People, places and experiences with individual character, intimate charm and inherent class.

We've personally visited, vetted and verified over 500 hotels in more than 80 countries. We are envisioning a future where people experience the world with intention, experience its intensity and protect its integrity. Be part of the community and join us at INVITED or visit us at www.slh.com.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 19 premier brands. As of March 31, 2019, the Company's portfolio included more than 850 properties in over 60 countries across six continents.

The Company's purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to attract and retain top colleagues, build relationships with guests and create value for shareholders.

The Company's subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences, vacation ownership properties, and fitness and spa locations, including under the Park Hyatt®, Miraval®, Grand Hyatt®, Alila®, Andaz®.

The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Zilara™, Thompson Hotels®, Hyatt Centric®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Place®, Joie de Vivre®, tommie™, Hyatt Residence Club® and Exhale® brand names, and operates the World of Hyatt® loyalty program that provides distinct benefits and exclusive experiences to its valued members. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Air Arabia Offers Tickets At So Low Cost

Sharjah-based Air Arabia is offering flight tickets from Sharjah to Beirut for as low as Dh450.

The Indian residents can fly to From Sharjah to Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram for Dh530 and Dh560 respectively.

Other Air Arabia flights to destinations to India are as follows

- From Sharjah to Coimbatore for Dh1010

- To Kochi for Dh700

- To Amman in Jordan for Dh830

- To Alexandria in Egypt for Dh658

Just in case you are not planning to take a holiday or visit your family in any of these destinations, then flydubai has fabulous offers to be availed for other destinations.

The airline is offering irresistible ticket prices to fabulous holiday destinations such as Georgia, Italy and Durbovnik.

The ticket prices are as follows

- Dubai to Batuni in Georgia for Dh900

- To Catania in Italy for Dh1,500

- To Durbovnik in Croatia for Dh1,200


Tourism Observer

SPAIN: New Model Airline Volotea Is New Member Of IATA

Volotea, the airline of mid- and small‐sized European cities is a new member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Representing some 280 airlines or 83 percent of total air traffic, IATA is the trade association for the world’s airlines.

It supports many areas of aviation activity and helps formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues.

We are pleased to become an IATA member, as this global association leads the innovation, safety and value creation in the airline industry, supporting the highest industry standards, said Carlos Munoz, Volotea’s founder and CEO.

The airline is expected to benefit from IATA’s know how and resources covering all fields of the industry, including analysis of regulations, development of standards, innovation in distribution, improvements on safety procedures, updates and training for aviation industry professionals, as well as cost reduction.

Volotea is a new model airline with a clever and bold approach, creating demand and connectivity by establishing innovative routes.

We are thrilled to welcome Volotea to the IATA family and to help them grow and excel in this highly competitive European market, said IATA Regional Vice President for Europe Rafael Schvartzman.

Volotea has carried 15 million passengers since its first flight in 2012, and over 4.8 million in 2017 alone.

Since the beginning of 2018, Volotea has launched 58 new flights to serve a lineup of 293 routes.

It currently operates flights to 78 mid- and small-sized European cities in 13 countries including France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Greece, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

The airline is expected to carry 5.7-6 million passengers in 2018.

Its fleet consists of 32 aircraft, Boeing 717s and Airbus A319s.

Volotea currently operates from twelve bases: Venice, Nantes, Bordeaux, Palermo, Strasbourg, Asturias, Verona, Toulouse, Genoa, Bilbao, Marseille that opened on April 19 and Athens, which launched on May 3.

Volotea is a Spanish low-cost airline registered in Asturias, Spain with bases in Spain, Italy, France and Greece.

Volotea was established by Alaeo S.L. from Barcelona, a company created by former Vueling founders, Carlos Munoz and Lazaro Ros.

The name Volotea originates from the Spanish verb revolotear, meaning to fly around.

It commenced operations on 5 April 2012, from Venice Marco Polo Airport.

The company is backed by three private equity funds, two of them from Europe - Axis Participaciones Empresariales and Corpfin Capital and a third from the United States - CCMP Capital, whose chairman, Greg Brenneman, was one-time President and COO of America's Continental Airlines,and also chairs Volotea's board.

The company raised over €50m before operations began.

Boeing announced on 15 February 2012 that it had signed a long-term lease deal with Volotea for an undisclosed number of Boeing 717 aircraft.

In March 2015, it was announced that Volotea will receive a further four 717s from Blue1.

However, in November 2015, Volotea announced plans to phase out their 717 fleet over the next few years and replace it with Airbus A320 family aircraft.

As of January 2018, the Volotea fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Airbus A319-100 - 11

Boeing 717-200 - 17

Total - 28

Orders

Airbus A319-100 - 4


Tourism Observer

SPAIN: Barcelona Was Overcrowded With Tourists Before Attack, What Happens Next?

It is heartbreaking to hear about an attack in Barcelona, one of the most popular tourism destinations of the world.

Thinking about the 13 innocent lives lost, it is a very distressing thought that such an attack can happen at any second anywhere in the world. This is why, in the midst of these terrorist attacks.

Barcelona, where the attack happened, and Venice are increasingly mentioned with anti-tourism protests that recently started and have been gradually increasing as the cities that attract the most tourists in Europe.

The anti-tourism protests by locals to get attention to the business, material damage, and increasing rents continue to spread to popular tourist destinations such as Dubrovnik and Rome.

According to the latest statistics of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the number of tourists going to European cities rose 6 percent from January to April, and it does not seem that it will slow down in the next months.

In 2016, the total number of global foreigner tourists reached 1.23 billion and European cities got 50 percent of this, around 615 million.

The reason for the protests is not complicated. Venice whose local population is 55 thousand hosts 20 million tourists a year.

Spanish cities receive close to 75.6 million tourists in total. When compared, the total number of foreigner tourists that go to Turkey from 2014 to 2016 is just over 30 million, 12 million in the first six months of 2017, and 35 percent of them, close to 4.5 million, go to Istanbul.

The increasing business is putting a strain on the local people in popular European cities.

Especially with applications such as Airbnb that became popular in recent years, rent in the cities has been on the rise because homeowners prefer to rent their houses to tourists, expunging locals from their houses.

Additionally, the fact that historical sites cannot handle the burgeoning tourist numbers harms both the spirits of the city and its standards of living.

The latest agenda of the Italian government who has introduced food and alcohol bans in outdoor venues in previous months is to limit the number of tourists in Venice.

If they find a solution, the number of daily visitors will be closely monitored and the entry of tourists will be delayed or blocked when capacity is exceeded.

In Croatia's most popular city, Dubrovnik, local authorities have started to impose tough monetary penalties with new regulations to fight the deranging tourists. The financial profit brought by tourism next to the distress it causes is at a size that cannot be overlooked.

According to 2016 statistics, the tourism income of Spain was $60 billion. However, Catalans were the force behind the protests that became violent in Barcelona where the most eventful incidents took place.

Even though the protests did not directly influence political decisions, they catalyzed a social setting where being a foreigner is getting more difficult. While the banners used in Barcelona mostly included violence and hatred against tourists, the tone of the protest in Venice where 2000 people marched was calmer.

The focus in the Venice protest where the word "foreigner" was not used was on the pollution and rising rent in the city. The United Nationals World Tourism Organization and similar institutions invite Europe to peace.

While Europe is discontent with excessive tourists, Saudi Arabia has announced that it will lift its ban on bikinis in the new tourism region around the Red Sea.

According to the news on Gulf Insider, the Saudi administration will allow women to wear bikinis in the tourism region of 50 islands that will be finished by 2022 according to plans.

This new tourist area will be governed with "laws similar to international standards" following the decision of the new prince.

Moving forward, Turkey ranks third in the environment award in blue flagged beaches category where the coasts of 49 countries compete, from the Bahamas to Spain and Mexico to New Zealand.

Turkey is also seventh in the race for the title of cleanest marinas in the world.

We must continue highlighting Turkey as one of the most beautiful and cleanest destinations in the world, surely yes.



Tourism Observer

ROMANIA: Romania Among Least Popular Tourist Testinations For Foreign Tourists In The EU

Romania was among the least popular tourist destinations for foreign tourists in the EU, in 2015, along with much smaller countries such as Slovakia, Latvia, and Luxembourg, according to data from EU’s statistical office Eurostat.

The statistics take into consideration the number of nights spent by foreign tourists in local hotels and guest houses.

The four most popular EU destinations for non-residents were Spain (270 million nights), Italy (193 million nights), France (130 million nights), and the United Kingdom (118 million nights), which together accounted for more than half of total nights spent by non-residents in the EU.

Meanwhile, less than 5 million nights were registered in Romanian accommodation units in 2015, the number being over two times lower than the one registered in neighboring Bulgaria (more than 13 million nights), and Hungary (almost 13 million nights).

The only EU Member Countries doing worse than Romania, based on number of nights spent by non-residents, were Slovakia – around 4.38 million nights, Estonia – 3.77 million, Lithuania – 3 million, Latvia – 2.87 million, and Luxembourg – 2.65 million, all being much smaller countries than Romania.

Romania is also last in the EU on tourism intensity, which results from dividing the number of nights spent by both foreign and local tourists in local hotels by the number of inhabitants.

Malta, Croatia, Cyprus, Austria, and Spain are the most tourism intensive countries in the EU.

Moreover, foreign tourists continue to spend less in Romania than Romanian tourists spend abroad, Eurostat statistics show.

In 2015, Romanian tourists spent some EUR 1.85 billion abroad while foreign tourists spent EUR 1.54 billion in Romania.

Spain has the highest positive balance from international tourism, with net receipts of over EUR 35 billion, followed by Italy – EUR 13.5 billion, and Greece – EUR 12 billion.

Meanwhile, Germany is the biggest spender, with net expenditure of EUR 36.6 billion, followed by UK – EUR 16 billion, and Belgium – EUR 6.2 billion.

The Romanian Ministry of Tourism announced last week that the country’s tourism promotion offices abroad, which are the institutions that promote the Romanian tourism abroad and attract foreign tourists to Romania, will shut down and their employees will return to the country.

Foreign tourists spend on average EUR 525 per person in Romania

Tourism minister: Nobody knows for sure how many foreign tourists come to Romania

Number of incoming foreign tourists to Romania up to 2.47 million in 2016

CHINA: Central And Eastern Europe Tourism Exchange Week Event In Ningbo

The official Central And Eastern Europe Tourism Exchange Week will open today, June 7th 2017 in the coastal city of Ningbo.

The event is organized by Ningbo Tourism Administration.

The Central and Eastern Europe exchange is the third Chinese Investment and Trade Expo of its type. Central and Eastern European tourism exchange week is the Chinese government directive to expand mutual cooperation and development in the region.

The exchange week welcomes official representatives from the Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Benin and Romania.

Ningbo is a beautiful coastal city on the East China Sea. It has advanced transportation infrastructure, a developed information & technology industry, and over two thousand years of Chinese history and culture.

Ningbo is a thriving social and business environment, representing modern China's many decades of development, urban management and the unprecedented growth of industry.

Ningbo is an ideal window into understanding the development of China. To host the third China International Investment and Trade Expo at this week's exchange is of great importance to the city of Ningbo.

The representatives and their nation states have expressed their willingness to cooperate fully under the mutually beneficial framework of "One Belt One Road" cooperation.

The framework will aim to increase quantities of Chinese tourists traveling to the participating country within this year. The "One Belt One Road" agreement plans a new era of Chinese tourism and prosperity for all participating countries.

European Parliament Votes To Discontinue Visa Free Travel For Americans

European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania – as part of a reciprocity agreement. US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

The vote urges the revocation of the scheme within two months, meaning Americans will have to apply for extra documents for 12 months after the European Commission implements a “delegated act” to bring the change into effect.

The Commission discovered three years ago that the US was not meeting its obligations under the reciprocity agreement but has not yet taken any legal action. The latest vote, prepared by the civil liberties committee and approved by a plenary session of parliament, gives the Commission two months to act before MEPs can consider action in the European Court of Justice.

Australia, Brunei, Japan and Canada were also failing in their obligations, but all four have lifted, or are soon to lift, any visa restrictions on travel for EU citizens.

The Commission is legally obliged to act to suspend the visa waiver for Americans, but the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union have the chance to object to the “delegated act” it uses to do so.

In December, MEPs pressed for the move in order to “encourage” Washington to play its part, according to a statement by the parliament.

But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of “consequences”, including potential “retaliation” and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continent’s tourism industry.

Just days ago the Council said it would liberalise the visa regime for citizens of Georgia travelling into the EU.

Georgians can now, subject to final approval of the regulation, stay in any EU country for 90 days in any period of 180 days without needing a visa.

Carmelo Abela, Malta’s minister for national security, said: “This agreement will bring the people of Georgia and the EU closer together and will strengthen tourism and business ties. It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Georgia, addressing document security, border management, migration and asylum.”

Last month it was reported that the EU was considering the adoption of a US-style electronic travel permit scheme – a move that could create a new administrative hurdle for British tourists after Brexit.

Immigration minister Robert Goodwill told Parliament the EU was discussing the possibility of introducing a version of America’s Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).

Currently foreign travellers must pay a fee of $14 (£11) when they complete ESTA, an automated online system that determines their eligibility to travel to the US.

“British people are now used to the US ESTA scheme and, therefore, we view with interest how the European scheme might develop and what similarities, and differences, there may be to the US scheme,” Mr Goodwill said.

“This type of scheme is generally there to help enhance security. To get to know as much as possible about the people who are intending to travel.

“It isn’t just flights, it could be people using ferries, or other border crossings into the European Union.”

Alan Brown, an SNP member of the European Scrutiny Committee, pointed out that Leave advocates in the referendum campaign had said there would be no need for visa-like travel schemes after Brexit.

Wizz Air To Fly Direct SarajevoTo Budapest

A direct air route between Budapest and Sarajevo will be established on April 5th, is agreed after signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH and the Ministry of National Development of Hungary.

The Hungarian Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the state secretaries are given authorization to start the talks between BiH, Croatia and Hungary to establish a railway line that will connect Sarajevo via Osijek to Budapest, is announced from the Ministry of Communications and Transport.

Earlier it was announced that the low-cost airline Wizzair is to expand to the Sarajevo airport and open a new Sarajevo-Budapest line.

Previously, the Hungarian government announced that it will subsidize services between Budapest and Sarajevo.

UAE: Fly Dubai Expands To Georgia, Azerbaijan, Montenegro

Flydubai has announced the addition of three new destinations for the upcoming summer season.

Batumi in Georgia, Qabala in Azerbaijan and Tivat in Montenegro are the latest destinations to join flydubai’s growing network and will operate from June to September 2017.

Following the launch of its latest popular destination, Bangkok, at the end of 2016, flydubai continues to diversify its network with the addition of more popular summer destinations for passengers from Dubai and across the region.

Flydubai will be the first carrier to offer direct flights from the UAE to Qabala and Tivat, and the first from Dubai to Batumi. GCC nationals will not need a visa to any of these three new destinations, while UAE residents will receive visa on arrival.

“We would like to thank the authorities in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Montenegro for making it easier for the residents of the UAE and GCC to visit these countries by facilitating their visa requirements,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer at flydubai, commenting on the announcement.

“We continue to look for opportunities to further expand our network and offer our passengers more options to travel especially for the summer holiday season. These popular new routes will complement our existing comprehensive network and will be a gateway to explore this part of the region,” added Al Ghaith.

Supported by new aircraft deliveries in 2017, flydubai continues to widen its network, which comprises 93 destinations in 44 countries spanning from Yekaterinburg in the north, Bangkok in the east, Zanzibar in the south and Prague in the west.

Batumi, which will be served by three flights a week, will be flydubai’s second destination in Georgia following Tbilisi. Qabala, which will be served by two fights a week, is flydubai’s second point in Azerbaijan after Baku. The start of two weekly flights to Tivat will mark flydubai’s first entry to Montenegro following the successful promotional trip that was held in October 2016 in partnership with Porto Montenegro.

“We are confident that the demand for these new summer flights will be strong in both Business and Economy Class. The interest in affordable, popular and off-the-beaten-track holiday destinations continues to grow especially from the GCC markets and these routes offer alternative options for those seeking a beach holiday or city breaks,” said Jeyhun Efendi, senior vice president commercial (UAE, EU, ME, CIS) at flydubai.

Batumi, Georgia
Flydubai will operate three weekly flights between Dubai and Batumi from June 22 to September 30, 2017 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Batumi is the second largest city in Georgia, located on the coast of the Black Sea in the country's southwest region. Tivat, MontenegroBatumi is a popular tourist destination known for its bustling seaside resorts during the warm months of the summer. The city is also an important sea port with thriving shipbuilding, food processing and light manufacturing industries.

Qabala, Azerbaijan
Flydubai will operate two weekly flights between Dubai and Qabala from June 22 to September 17, 2017 on Thursdays and Sundays.

Qabala, also known as Gabala, is the capital of the Gabala District one of the richest archeological and historic regions of Azerbaijan. Qabala is considered a popular tourist destination due to the combination of a mild climate, woods along the mountains, excellent wildlife and recreational resorts.

Tivat, Montenegro
Flydubai will operate two weekly flights between Dubai and Tivat from 23 June to 25 September 2017 on Mondays and Fridays.

Already a popular tourist resort, Tivat is set to become a nautical tourism centre for the southern Adriatic. This coastal town in southwest Montenegro is renowned for its pleasant climate and natural beauty and is conveniently located a short drive away from Dubrovnik in Croatia and Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

SLOVENIA: The Great Museum Of Illusions,

A new museum in Ljubljana promises to be a mind-bending experience. The Museum of Illusions in the Slovenian capital aims to take travellers through a series of optical illusions, holograms and more.

According to its website, visitors will have to have their cameras ready for exhibits that make people look like their head is on a platter, a rotated room where they can walk on the ceiling, an “anti-gravity” room where balls rolls upwards and water flows uphill, and an Ames room that will make visitors shrink and grow like Alice in Wonderland.

There is also the Vortex Tunnel that “will drive you crazy and make you believe you’re heavily struggling just to make a step forward through a rotating cylinder – on a surface so stable and flat”.

But the tricks are intended to do more than just disorient, they are designed to teach visitors about vision, perceptions, the human brain and science. The museum is open every day from 9 am to 10 pm and it located at Congress Square, one of the city’s central squares.

While the museum is new in Ljubljana, it’s not the first of its kind in Europe.

Zadar, Croatia also has a Museum of Illusions, as does Barcelona, Moscow and St Petersburg.

SLOVENIA: Slovenia Enjoying Tourism Growth Home Country Of United States First Lady Melania Trump

The Slovenian tourism industry has been boosted by the fact that it is the home country of new United States First Lady Melania Trump, preliminary figures of the national Statistics Office showed on Tuesday.

The number of overnight stays in Slovenia by American tourists jumped by 15.4 percent in December and 10.2 percent in the whole of 2016.

The total number of tourist overnight stays in Slovenia rose by 7.6 percent to some 11.1 million in 2016 versus a rise of 7.2 percent in 2015.

The overall number of foreign tourist stays was up by 10.3 percent in the whole year with most visitors coming from Italy, Austria, Croatia, Germany and Serbia.

Slovenia's government expects tourism to help towards a further boost to the country's economy which is seen expanding by 2.9 percent this year versus some 2.3 percent in 2016.

CROATIA: Croatia Airlines Starts Flights From Zagreb To Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport

Croatia Airlines has started regular air service from Zagreb (Croatia) to Saint Petersburg (Russia). The route will be launched for the first time in the recent history of Pulkovo airport. The carrier will operate the flights from 2 June to 23 October.

Travelers will be able to fly from the Northern capital of Russia to the capital of Croatia twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. Comfortable Airbus A319s with a capacity of 144 passengers will be operated on the route.

Before 2015, Pulkovo airport only had direct air service with Croatian resorts Pula and Split. In 2010-2014, over 62,000 passengers used direct flights between the two cities and St Petersburg. In addition, more than 21,000 travelers flew from Pulkovo to Zagreb and back via transfers in other airports, in 2010-2014.

“Every year many Russians choose Croatia, the country of rich history, magnificent nature and landscape, as their vacation spot. With the new route opening travelers will now be able to visit other points in Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina using convenient connecting flights via Zagreb. At the same time, St Petersburg remains one of the most visited cities in Europe, with cheap Russian ruble making traveling to Russia even more attractive. It is our strong belief that the new Croatia Airlines service to St Petersburg will be in demand both among Russian and Croatian tourists, say Evgeniy Ilyin, chief commercial officer at Northern Capital Gateway LLC, the operator of Pulkovo Airport.

The tickets are already available with promo rates starting from €199 for the round trip.

Other new routes planned for launching from Pulkovo in the summer season 2016 include Shanghai (China), Corfu, Zakynthos (Greece), and Batumi (Georgia). In addition, flights to Naples (Italy), Brussels (Belgium) and several other European cities will be renewed.

Croatia Airlines is the flag carrier of Croatia and a Star Alliance member. In the summer season 2016 the airline’s route network will include 34 points in 20 European countries.

CROATIA: Dubrovnik Tourism Growing Rapidly

With a lot of sunshine, stunning islands and beaches, Croatia has no problem in attracting large number of tourists over the summer months. But is its most recognisable destination – Dubrovnik – turning into an all year round destination?

According to the latest statistics it could well be. November saw a record number of tourists visit the famous stone-walled city in southern Dalmatia.

According to E-visitor 21,632 tourists visited Dubrovnik in November 2016, which is 32% more tourists than in the same month in 2015. Overnight stays, a key measure in tourism, were also up 27% with 50,842 recorded.

In November it was tourists from Croatia, Albania, USA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Korea, Japan Taiwan, United Kingdom, Germany and Slovenia who made up the majority of 21,632 arrivals.

Dubrovnik is becoming an attractive destination outside the summer months, confirmed by the fact that all year direct flight connections from Frankfurt, Istanbul and London have been established and strengthened.

From 1 January to 30 November 2016 Dubrovnik recorded 1,017,756 arrivals (including nautical tourism numbers), which was 12% more than in the same period last year. Overnight stays (3.6 million) were up 13% from 2015.

The most tourists in 2016 in Dubrovnik came from the UK, followed by Germany, USA, France, Croatia, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Australia and Italy.

GREECE: Drop In Average Tourism Spending

Had tourists’ average per capita expenditure in Greece in July and August been on a par with that at rival destinations, the country’s tourism revenues would not have posted a decline, according to a survey presented on Thursday by the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).

The gap created from the 8.8 percent annual drop in average spending per tourist amounted to 500-550 million euros, while in rival countries (Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Italy, Croatia and Portugal) the average decline amounted to just 1.7 percent.

SETE attributes that drop to the last-minute discounts offered by hoteliers, mainly in August.

CROATIA: Plitvice Lakes National Park

For our late summer vacation we planned a trip to Europe, with the Czech Republic and Croatia as the highlights. Croatia has always been on my World Travel Bucket List, but my knowledge and interest in the country was primarily limited to the gorgeous beaches and beautiful Dubrovnik. But, after a quick internet search on things to do in Croatia, I learned about what is undoubtedly the country’s most stunning place (and certainly its most visited), Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Located in the mountainous central part of Croatia, Plitvice Lakes National Park (the oldest national park in southeast Europe) was founded in 1949 and covers an astonishing 73,350 acres. With its extensive maze of lakes and waterfalls that gleam in brilliant shades of emerald green and sapphire blue, Plitvice can easily be described as the jewel of Croatia, attracting more than 1,000,000 visitors each year.

We drove our rental car from the rocky coast of the Adriatic Sea and wound our way through the countryside, which quickly changed to mountains. The two-lane highway made for a long road trip and, as we neared the park, the RV and car traffic increased exponentially, partially due to extensive road construction. The Plitvice Lakes National Park visitor’s center lay just three miles beyond the standstill traffic, but it took us over an hour to get there.

Once we found a parking spot between two trees in the forest, we walked back to the visitor’s center, which was teeming with people. We spoke to a helpful park employee, who gave us information about campgrounds and directed us to the ticket booth. The cost of a one-day adult ticket is 110 Kuna, or about 19 USD, payable only in Kuna or by credit card. We purchased tickets for the following day and made our way to the campground.

The park offers numerous options for sightseeing, with eight different hiking routes available. Each combines various sections of the park and vary according to length and required physical ability, with buses and electric boats supplementing the trails that crisscross the park. We chose Route H, a 4- to 6-hour hike which hit most of the main waterfalls and lakes. We arrived shortly after the park’s 8am opening time and made our way to the bus stop to begin our adventures.

The bus stop was a mob scene: With buses only running about every 20 minutes, and with no discernable queue, the park’s many visitors were all simply milling about in frustration. When the buses did arrive, a crush of people pushed aboard, claimed all the seats, and then packed the aisles. It wasn’t until the buses were full that a park employee finally approached and loudly declared that standing in the aisles was not permitted. Frustrated people suddenly became angry people as they filed back off the bus.

We waited another 20 minutes, and were able to squeeze onto the next bus for the ten 10-minute ride up the hill. Once we arrived, we let our fellow bus passengers immediately flood the trail while we visited the small cafe at the trailhead for a coffee. A few minutes later, we started down the trail (which consisted of dirt paths mixed with boardwalks), walking over the first of many ponds and lakes filled with such crystal clear water, it took my breath away.

But unfortunately, those breathtaking views were soon obliterated by overwhelming crowds of people lining the narrow pathways. Given the fact that an amazing photo opportunity seemingly waited around every corner, the problem was compounded when those in front of us stopped in an effort to frame the perfect shot. I was also surprised by the numbers of people working their way up the trail toward the trailhead where the bus had dropped us off. Two-way traffic on the trail literally brought everything to a standstill.

Although we were squeezing to find our way between hundreds of people, the hike down the mountain, past a multitude of lakes and waterfalls, was gorgeous. Waterfowl dotted the crystalline surfaces, and the sun glinted brightly at every angle, highlighting the fish that lurked just beneath. We shouldered our way through the crowds in anticipation of boarding one of the boats and exploring a different part of the park.

We made our way across the lake and disembarked with renewed spirits, as the crowds on the trails initially didn’t seem quite so heavy. Unfortunately, you can’t judge a book by its cover. This part of the park featured numerous rock outcroppings and overhangs, which further narrowed the trails as we hiked. The views were even more stunning, but that also meant that more and more people were stopping in the middle of the trail to take photos.

We decided to make our way back towards the park entrance, which meant that we once again boarded one of the Plitvice Lakes National Park boats to make the trip, but we clearly weren’t the only ones with that idea. Even with a capacity of 100 passengers per vessel, there were so few boats making the run that we waited for over an hour to board, and the line behind us just kept growing. Eventually, we made it back to our car, but waited further in the inevitable traffic jam on the highway.

I’m no stranger to crowded national parks. I’ve been to Yellowstone National Park on holiday weekends, which is enough to test any traveler’s nerves. Wherever these parks are in the world, they are made to be enjoyed, and I can’t fault throngs of other people for appreciating the same natural wonders that I do. Perhaps I was naive to think that the situation would be different in Croatia.

Regardless, the incredible scenery of Plitvice Lakes National Park is in no way overrated. It’s simply stunning in its beauty. Just be prepared to catch that beauty while peering over the shoulders of the multitudes in front of you, and make sure you have a cold beer waiting at the end of the day. You’ll need it!

KENYA: African Travel & Tourism Association Says Kenya Tops World In Tourist Bookings

Kenya has in 2016 recorded the largest growth in tourist bookings globally, says American-based luxury travel network Virtuoso.

The agency boasts 390 members and more than 11,400 elite travel advisors in 40 countries across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

Virtuoso said Kenya scored 59 per cent, followed by Iceland (56), Saint Martin (39), China (35), Ecuador (34), Japan (32), South Africa (28), Tanzania (27), Croatia (25) and Jamaica 23 per cent to close the top 10 list.

The firm, which has affiliations with 1,700 hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, said Africa enjoyed a steady rise in tourist arrivals during summer, with a commanding 28 per cent.

In Nairobi, the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) signed a partnership with British Airways that will see clients of the federation enjoy a 13-17 per cent discounted air fare for every online purchase of a ticket between now and end of May 2017.

Acting KTF chief executive Susan Ongalo described the initiative as timely, saying KTF members would now market Kenya abroad and inform their clients of the subsidised rates.

She said tourists would enjoy lower charges as many hotels, tour operators and travel agents had initiated a cost-reduction incentive for repeat clients.

Virtuoso’s findings were announced during the annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas last week on Tuesday evening, attended by travel agency members from the United States and Canada.

Virtuoso commands nearly half of the Sh3.55 trillion tourism revenues.

It said Kenya was among the “hottest” upscale holiday destinations in 2016, owing to its exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access.

Virtuoso added that Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa rank high as investment destinations and stand to experience a 17 per cent rise in tourist arrivals.

“Luxury travellers are seeking out more exotic locales worldwide, including a boom for Africa,” it said.

RUSSIA: Russian Tourism Improves In 2016

Mediterranean destinations and Southeast Asia attracted this year more Russian tourists after the problems in Turkey and Egypt, according to the Director of Russian Tour Operators Association (ATOR) Maya Lomidze.

She revealed that the first data on Russians' holidays abroad this summer indicate an increased demand throughout the entire season for Mediterranean destinations such as Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy along with a slight increase for Croatia and Montenegro.

Southeast Asia made a comeback in the top ten popular destinations after two years of weak demand. Another important finding is the increased demand for Tunisia this year, at a rate of over 200% compared with last year, positioning the destination among the top-3.

Ms. Lomidze added that Russians seek more affordable accommodation and flights this year with the average package cost ranging around $600.

Nevertheless, they are still among the most generous tourists with the average spending per trip reaching as high as 500 euros.

RUSSIA: Russian Domestic Tourism Grows

Travelers from Russia curbed their spending abroad by 30 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Domestic tourism has seen a 20 percent increase.

Russians spent $35 billion on accommodation, food, entertainment, shopping and service last year, making them the sixth highest spenders. In 2014 they spent 50.3 billion.

Chinese tourists still top the list, spending $292 billion last year, 25 percent more than in 2014.

The US was ranked second with American travelers spending $120 billion abroad. Germans spent $76 billion, Britons - $63 billion and French tourists rounded up the top five with $38 billion spend abroad.

The flow of tourists from Russia shrank 31.1 percent last year with 12.1 million departures, according to the Russian statistics bureau Rosstat.

The decline in the number of tourists from Russia is explained by the weakening of the domestic currency as well as the ban on flights to the most popular destinations – Turkey and Egypt.

The number of Russians visiting Turkey has fallen over 90 percent in the first three months of 2016.

“Over the first four months of last year, 126,690 Russian tourists visited Turkey, and this year - only 12,039 people,” the deputy head of Turkey’s Republican People’s Party, Chetin Osman Budak, told in an interview with a Turkish news channel.

Egypt’s tourism earnings have fallen by nearly $1.3 billion since the Russian plane crash last October.

According to the Russian Tourism Industry Union, Indonesia lost 96 percent of its Russian visitors in 2015, Tunisia saw an 83 percent drop, with travel to the Dominican Republic down 82.5 percent compared to the previous year.

The number of Russian visitors to Greece was down nearly 50 percent. Russian tourist numbers to Bulgaria, Spain and Croatia dropped by 41 percent last year, the data says.

Thailand bucked the trend with an increase in Russian tourists of 13 percent.

Meanwhile, domestic tourism in Russia grew by 20 percent in 2015 with inbound tourism up by 5.3 percent. The Russian Federal Agency for Tourism expects the uptrend to continue this year.

CROATIA: Christmas Tourism In Croatia

With an ice sculpture festival, brass band fanfares and a huge skating rink, Croatia's capital is pulling in growing numbers of winter tourists in the hope of cheering its struggling economy.

In a country better known for summer holidays along its pristine coastline, Zagreb is promoting itself as a festive wonderland aiming to rival Europe's traditional Christmas destinations such as Vienna and Prague.

A packed 'Advent in Zagreb' programme offers special flight and hotel offers, themed walking tours, dozens of concerts and illuminated market stalls, where mulled wine, hearty sausages and cinnamon donuts are among the big hits.

The event, now in its sixth year, has propelled Zagreb to win the title of 'Best Christmas Market' this month from a poll of more than 100,000 travellers on the European Best Destinations website.

"This event is something really really important for our economy here in Zagreb," said Luka Benko from the city's tourist board, outlining the "huge promotion" of the Advent programme in domestic, regional and faraway markets.

"Probably you would say Croatia is a country for sea and summer, but then we are a continental country as well, we are very diversified."

Tourism is crucial for the European Union's newest member as it slowly emerges from six years of recession.

The sector was hard-hit by Croatia's 1990s war of independence from Yugoslavia, but it has since gradually recovered and now accounts for about 17 percent of gross domestic product.

Last year, this Adriatic nation drew in more than 13 million tourists -- more than triple its population.

While most headed to the coastline dotted with hundreds of islands, the Advent programme attracted a record 56,000 visitors to Zagreb in December 2014, marking a 21 percent rise from the previous year.

"We are experiencing the same thing this year. We are hoping to achieve at least these numbers but I'm sure we are going to have much much more," said Benko.

Visitors can download a smartphone app to guide them around the attractions on offer from late November until January 10, ranging from children's art workshops to pastry chef demonstrations and tastings.

Zagreb's growing appeal is mirrored by the rise in places to stay: since 2006, the number of hostels has shot up from five to 43, hotels from 38 to 53 and private accommodation options from 42 to more than 900, Benko said.

The range of bars and restaurants has also significantly increased amidst the graceful Habsburg architecture of the capital, which is home to 800,000 people.

Zagreb is a city that is big enough to offer all the highlights of a typical European capital, but small enough to be walkable with a charming neighbourhood vibe.

She said the Advent programme had infused local people with a sense of optimism at a time of economic sluggishness and changed habits in the largely Roman Catholic country, where Christmas has traditionally been celebrated indoors with family.

"The festive spirit has spread out into the streets and everything feels more exciting," Pisac said.

While tourist industry representatives have hailed the Advent programme, they say more investments and efforts are needed to diversify what Croatia can offer and encourage year-round visitors.

Croatian tourism's main challenge is to extend the season, and the issue has been on the agenda for a long time.

Zagreb's example Should inspire other attractions and events beyond the "sun and sea" to lure more visitors.

Most Advent guests currently hail from neighbouring Bosnia and Slovenia as well as Italy, but the ambitious marketing push has targeted further afield, including the United States and Asia.

With a return to national growth of around just 1.0 percent forecast for 2015, a broader tourist base would be welcomed by many but those drawn to Zagreb's relaxed Christmas atmosphere may be hoping that it does not get too popular.

"It's very cosy and it has soul," said first-time Italian visitor Franco Rossi, sipping champagne with his wife as a local folk band struck up in central Zrinjevac Square.