Travel News Monkey

Abercrombie and Kent is offering its patrons a chance to visit and experience the beauty of Europe in autumn. The 2006/07 World of Excellence brochure gives tourists an idea of what they can expect when visiting the more than 50 properties in the regions of Italy and France. The brochure serves as a guided tour of the historical places in the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The Baltic region is quickly developing as a favored tourist destination with many sites offering grand old castles for viewing, country manors and cathedrals. A tour in autumn also means the chance to absorb the beauties of the season at lower costs as compared to travel in summer. 

The culture, food, and history of the countries that make up Central Europe, such as Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic is a great attraction for those who know that its there and is far cheaper to experience than Western Europe, which is comparatively expensive.

The mountain regions of the Czech Republic are pristine in their beauty. Prague is being touted as the Nouveau Paris of the new century. Poland and Hungary too beckon visitors with their museums, spas, theaters, castles, hiking trails, etc. Read  more.

Even a weak dollar in 2006 could not dampen the enthusiasm of American tourists to Europe. Thirteen million Americans visited Europe in 2006 and this was a 4% increase over the previous year. Short trips to Europe are becoming popular; incredibly US citizens, especially those on the East Coast are heading to Europe. Also, wanderlust driven Americans are venturing away from the main tourist destinations in a bid to discover the real Europe. This has helped to put Eastern Europe on the map for American tourists who have already been to London, Paris, and Madrid. Read more

Travel in Europe through its well-networked roads and rail is a great way to discover the cities.  Air travel costs are at an all-time low thanks to budget airlines. Yet you need to be careful about taxes, payment through credit cards, and the extra cost of food and drinks. Luggage restrictions also apply; for example easyJet allows you 44 pounds of luggage free of charge whereas with British Airways you can carry one piece of luggage of 51 pounds for free.

Bulgaria and Romania expect to see a rise in tourism as a result of their inclusion in the EU this year. Bulgaria hopes to play host to 5.6 million tourists this year and reap the benefits of increased visibility that accompanies the membership of the EU. Romania is set to join the EU in December. Read more

Great value and superb surroundings can be had in places like Montenegro, Lisbon, Riga, etc. You get the best value for money and all that the more expensive destinations in Europe have on offer. Montenegro has miles of beaches, lakes, pine forests, castles, for tourists. Accommodation and food is cheap over here.

Portugal is considered by many experienced travel writers as the best budget travel destination in Europe. Great food, cheap wine, excellent cafes, superb views, cheap accommodation and a lot more can be had Lisbon.

The islands that are present on the Adriatic coast of Croatia are favored by German, American, and North American tourists who have discovered that they can enjoy the Mediterranean experience at much lower costs in these parts. Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is a small city with a young population. It is a city of 20^th century architecture and lots of parks. It also hosts around 10,000 cultural events every year. Affordability on food and tourist activities make Ljubljana a great little niche tucked in the Alps.

Riga, in Latvia, boasts of some of the best art nouveau architecture in Europe. The city offers its tourists excellent transportation and affordable accommodation. The huge central market in the city sells everything imaginable. Bottled water, milk, and beer sell for less than one euro.

Smartertravel.com has come up with an excellent compilation of the best travel destinations in Europe according to their editors. A list of personal favorite destinations that is worth going over. The list covers spots in Paris, Rome, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Florence, etc. Read more

Market analyst Euromonitor International has stated that the Asia-Pacific region could lose out on the lucrative East European tourist trade if it does not take action soon. The outbound traffic originating from East Europe could get diverted to places in the Middle East and Latin America. The number of tourists emanating from East Europe grew to 96 million in 2006, which is a 30% increase over the 1999 figures. The growth in the number of tourists from Eastern Europe is accompanied by an increase in the amount of spending by tourists from this region. Outbound expenditure by tourists from the Eastern European nations has grown a staggering 90% in the period from 1999 and 2006.

If Asian countries are to succeed in attracting tourists from Eastern Europe, they need to overcome issues related to language and price sensitivity of east Europeans as compared to tourists from Western Europe and North America. The way out is to train hotel and travel-related staff in East European languages, print brochures in those languages, and develop more mid-tier travel packages and mid-range accommodation options. This is where places like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia score over places like Singapore and Hong Kong. Read more