A Travelport GDS senior executive said premium and business class travel to and from African countries increased a marginal 2% in the first six months of the year. Premium and business class travel in other regions dropped 20%. GDS provider executives say the Middle East hospitality industry has fared better than others during the economic slowdown, and they are regionalizing their services to increase their market share.
Travelport Vice President Rabih Saab said “Travelport, like all players in the travel industry, has not been immune to the global economic downturn. But we have also continued to build our business and invest heavily during this recession to ensure we are well positioned once a travel recovery takes hold.” Mr. Saab said Travelport has signed many deals this year and their supplier roster now includes “virtually all carriers of any size or international route network.”
The National Museum of China is at the tail end of a renovation which will modernize the museum and more than triple its exhibition space. The world’s largest collection of Chinese antiquities is housed here. The museum covers Chinese history up until the end of the end of the Qing Dynasty. The oldest item on display is the remains of Yuanmou Man, dating back 1.7 million years. ...
The New York Botanical Garden is located in the Bronx, just across Route 1 from the Bronx Zoo. It sits on 250 acres land once owned by tobacco magnate Pierre Lorillard and opened in 1891. In addition to hosting thousands of species, the New York Botanical Garden is one of the world’s premier research centers into botany and plant genetics. There’s a lot to see while you’re here. ...
The River Thames (pronounced ‘temz’) is the longest river in England, and the second longest in the UK. The river flows alongside the cities and towns of Oxford, Reading, Henley-on-Thames and Windsor. Boat-rides on the Thames are fun, and take place over a variety of routes. Popular places to start your journey are: Westminster Pier, Tower Bridge Pier, London Eye Pier and Greenwi...
The Smart Museum of Art is named for David and Alfred Smart, the founders of Esquire Magazine and the museum's benefactor. It was founded in 1974 and is the art museum of the University of Chicago. There are more than 8,000 works on display, split into four different collections: Asian Art, Contemporary Art, European Art, and Modern Art and Design. The Asian Art collection include...