Saudi airlines and hotels are preparing for a steep fall in tourism revenues. The number of pilgrims travelling to Makkah is expected to fall because of swine flu fears. There will probably be 25% less travel on the kingdom’s airlines for the Umrah and Haj pilgrimage this year. In order to reduce the spread of the H1N1 virus, health officials from the UAE and other Arab countries have decided to ban the Haj and Umrah pilgrimage for vulnerable groups of people.
Saudi Arabia is issuing Haj visas only to pilgrims between the ages of 12 and 65, and its Health Ministry is advising people to delay their pilgrimages if they have any health problems. Tunisia and Iran are not allowing pilgrims to travel to Makkah for Umrah. Senior Vice President at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels said the timing is terrible and “It’s a very interesting case of tourism crisis management for destination marketing authorities.”
Built in 1930, City Hall is a glorious sandstone building that overlooks the sculptures and fountains of King George Sq. Inside you’ll find a marble staircase that’ll draw your eyes upwards to the kaleidoscope roof and the gothic lights. The observation deck at the top of the bell tower offers beautiful views of city but beware of going to the top around noon – the bells are a deafening experience...
While on first look the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon seem to be just one long beach, there are posts along it that subdivide it into sections appropriate for the diverse crowds that come here. Posto 9 is where you’ll find Rio’s coolest and gorgeous people hang out. That area is also called Cemeterio dos Elefantes because of the old leftists, hippies and artists who go there as well. The beach in ...
Beihai is Chinese for “northern sea” and the park is named for the manmade lake that covers most of its 170 acres. It is more than a thousand years old, dating back to the Liao Dynasty in the tenth century. Successive dynasties modified and renovated it into the park we see today. It was part of the Forbidden City until 1925, when the last emperor abdicated. The park has been open to the publi...
Located in a building dating back to 1900 this museum is housed in what was once the residence of the royal family of Sheikh Al Thani. Tourists must stop here and take time to appreciate the beautiful exhibits on display here. This is a great way to enlighten oneself about Qatari history and culture. Exhibits include Islamic architecture, Qatari jewelry, furniture, traditional dress as well as cir...