Along the Silk Road
Travel along the legendary Silk Road could be less hassle in the future now that members of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road countries have vowed to build an integrated tourism market together
Along the Silk Road
Travel along the legendary Silk Road could be less hassle in the future now that members of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road countries have vowed to build an integrated tourism market together. Led by China, the cooperation in Silk Road tourism is outlined in the Xi’an Initiative, which was adopted last Friday at the Tourism Ministerial Meeting of Countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt. The meeting was jointly hosted by World Tourism Organisation, China National Tourism Administration and the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province. The idea is to make travel along the ancient trade route much easier and enjoyable via a unified marketing plan and framework, more airline and high-speed rail connections, and, most importantly, simpler visa policies along the Silk Road. There are more than 500 cultural heritage sites along the route.
Visa relaxation for European tourists
The Vietnamese government has announced it will waive visas for visitors from five European countries from July 1 in an attempt to boost the country’s troubled tourist industry. Under the new rules, visitors holding German, French, British, Italian and Spanish passports will be granted a 15-day stay for each entry. The number of foreign tourists coming to Vietnam dropped 12.6 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. The fall in numbers is mainly due to a dramatic decline in tourists from China amidst a diplomatic dispute, and from Russia, as a result of the fall in the value of the rouble. – DPA
Day out with the Grimms
A hands-on experience is the main principle of a new family-oriented museum dedicated to the Brothers Grimm in Kassel, Germany. Grimm World, the newly built visitor attraction, will have 1,600 metres of indoor exhibition space and is set to open in just over two months. Children will be able to push the wicked witch into her oven, as Hansel and Gretel did, and sit down at a table with the seven dwarves, just like Snow White, as they relive famous fairy tales recorded by the German scholars two centuries ago. Among the exhibits is the manuscript of “Children’s and Household Tales”, the Grimms’ name for their book, which is now inscribed in Unesco’s Memory of the World programme.
Backtracking on bags
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced last week that it will halt the rollout of its “Cabin OK” carry-on luggage. On June 9, IATA revealed a new carry-on size (21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches), which is slightly smaller than the current permitted size. The new carry-on, as suggested by IATA, aimed to give everyone room in the overhead lockers. Travellers protested, with many saying they would be forced to purchase new luggage. IATA released another press release just a few days later clarifying its stance and calling the proposed bag size optimum rather than maximum.
In their element
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced the debut of its eco-conscious Element-brand in Asia Pacific with the opening of Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town in Suzhou, China. Owned by Suzhou Science and Technology Town Kexin Cultural Tourism Development, the new hotel is set to offer healthy, active travellers a smart and sustainable stay and fuel a balanced life while on the road. The hotel features 188 rooms and suites. Each room comes with a well-equipped energy-efficient kitchen and such amenities as the plush signature Heavenly Beds, spa-inspired baths and separate invigorating rain showers and all natural bath amenities. With light-filled public areas and a calming atmosphere, Element hotels employ a natural colour palette, giving each hotel an organic openness that matches the architecture and weightless feeling of the space.
