Top 10 Worldwide Events in May 2010

What a crazy year it’s been so far with the Travel Industry in Europe! Recession, strikes (BA / Lufthansa), civil unrest in Greece seriously damaging their Tourism prospects for summer 2010 and of course the Icelandic volcanic ash that completely disrupted European air space more than anytime since the second world war.

Two more great European Tourism countries Spain and Portugal are now moving towards the brink of meltdown in the same vein of Greece, which is confirmed by the fact that this week their respective credit ratings were lowered. In Tourism terms, as in the case of Greece, this translates into harsh countrywide austerity measures. In reality this increases the cost of basic and Touristic services through increases in Tax and VAT, which means that the Tourists who do turn up will paying higher Restaurant, Bar, Hotel and leisure services this coming summer in affected countries.

Lets turn our attention now to more positive endeavors, as the summer is coming with the arrival of May. Here below are the Top 10 Events…


KISS, Atahualpa Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England, 1st May

KISS bring their Sonic Boom Over Europe: From the Beginning to the Boom tour to Sheffield Arena. Famed for their face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the band perform both old favourites and new material.
Formed in 1973, KISS rose to prominence thanks largely to their spectacular live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars and pyrotechnics. The mid to late 1970s saw their notoriety soar, and the albums Destroyer, Rock and Roll Over, Love Gun and Dynasty confirmed their status as rock icons.
The band have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, and were voted 10th on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. Latest album Sonic Boom earned them their highest US chart success, debuting at number two.

Further Information: http://www.kissonline.com/


The Empire Strikes Back: Indian Art Today, The Saatchi Gallery, London, England, 7th May

London's Saatchi Gallery continues its exhibition series examining art from vast geographical regions with The Empire Strikes Back: Indian Art Today. Featuring 26 artists from the world's biggest democracy, it is one of the gallery's most ambitious shows to date.
Spread over the entire venue, this exhibition considers the colour and cacophony of India with mixed media art that tackles subjects such as urban expansion, globalisation, tradition and modernisation.

Further Information: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/


Fumettopoli, Atahotel Executive, Milan, Italy, 10th May

With four annual editions at the Atahotel Executive, Fumettopoli is Milan's most popular animation event. Collectors and aficionados congregate to complete their collections, swap, sell or buy material.

Further Information: http://www.fumettopoli.com/


Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour, Pyramids at Giza, Cairo, Egypt, 14th May

International freestyle motocross riders rev it up at the Giza Pyramids for the adrenalin-packed Red Bull X-Fighters! Competitors bring pure speed and breathtaking air flips over from Mexico City before heading onto Moscow, Madrid, London and Rome.

Further Information: http://www.redbullxfighters.com/


Jazz Plus, Bulgaria Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria, 15th – 19th May

Jazz Plus is a five-day festival gathering European artists to perform a series of jazz concerts at Sofia's Bulgaria Hall, also known as Concert Hall. New projects as well as classic compositions are on the bill.
Headlining the 2010 edition is the Tord Gustavsen Trio with their new album Restored, Returned. Other musicians include the Mike Stern Band with special guest Richard Bona and Nik Baertsch and his band Ronin.

Further Information: http://fest.jazz-plus.com/index.php?lang=en


The Baby Show, NEC (National Exhibition Centre), Birmingham, England, 21st May

Are the joys of parenthood looming? Faced with them already? Either way, don't miss The Baby Show at Birmingham's NEC - a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about looking after your little darling. Ear-plugs might be required.

Further Information: http://www.thebabyshow.co.uk/


Green Festival, Navy Pier, Chicago, USA, 22nd – 23rd May

Dubbed "the party with a purpose", Green Festival at Chicago's Navy Pier welcomes green businesses and visionary speakers to cover a range of aspects regarding sustainable living. Highlights include how-to workshops, live music and delicious organic cuisine.
Organised by two non-profit organisations: The Global Exchange and Co-Op America, Green Festival travels to other cities in the US, namely Seattle (March), Denver (May) and San Francisco (November). Popular stands include The Fair Trade Pavilion.

Further Information: http://www.greenfestivals.org/


Gotan Project Saschall, Florence, Italy, 26th May
   
Gotan Project are a Paris-based group consisting of musicians Philippe Cohen Solal, Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H Müller. They bring their brand of Nuevo tango to Florence's Saschall.
Formed in 1999, the band's album La Revancha del Tango brought their electronic-infused tango to the fore, showcasing their inventive use of samples, beats and jazz influences alongside traditional tango elements.
Absorbed by popular culture, the works of Gotan Project have been used frequently in television and film. The song Santa Maria (del Buen Ayre) was used in the movie Shall We Dance?, and songs can be heard in shows such as Nip/Tuck and Sex and the City. The track Epoca has featured on everything from Boots television advertisements to Top Gear.

Further Information: http://www.myspace.com/gotanproject


The Eurovision Song Contest, Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway, 29th May
   
The Eurovision Song Contest, that great European institution in which the world's top musicians battle for patriotism through the power of song, is held in Oslo's Telenor Arena this year. Norway is the host nation following last year's win by Alexander Rybak.
Ranking up there with the Miss World competition in terms of cultural significance, the Eurovision Song Contest was the brainchild of Frenchman Marcel Baison, who hoped that by fighting with music instead of guns the nations of post-war Europe would become united in peace. A nice idea in theory, although viewers of past contests will have noticed the element of bias still present in country-by-country votes (Greece always giving Cyprus ten points and Turkey "nul points", for instance).
The build-up to the contest is watched with some interest and not a little hilarity in much of Europe, but there remains an ardent community of Eurovision fans who continue to take the whole affair a lot more seriously. Expect the hotly contested event to provide extravagance and dramatics, with a hearty dose of patriotic fervour thrown in for good measure.
It's a curious spectacle but, for all the jokes it inspires, this event still pulls in record-breaking TV audiences and is, for some, the highlight of the musical year. Those who are particularly eager to experience Eurovision up close and personal can also apply for tickets to the show's final through its website.

Further Information: http://www.eurovision.tv/page/home


Happy Mosel, Cochem, Germany, 30th May

For one day every year all motorised vehicles are banned from the picturesque Mosel Valley as it holds a recreational cycle day. Happy Mosel sees hundreds of cyclists enjoying the 140km route along the river between Cochem and Schweich.
The Mosel takes curve after curve in this area, creating a stunning landscape, and participants of all ages turn up for leisurely rides during Happy Mosel. Vineyards on steep terraces line the bank, punctuated by quaint villages, so the route provides ample possibilities for a rest and some delicious local food and wine.

Further Information http://www.happy-mosel.com/de/

By: Progress On 12:52

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First tourist accommodation in Cyprus designed to cater for less able-bodied people

Set in one of the most beautiful locations in Cyprus, C & A Tourist apartments in Polis is the first ever tourist accommodation in Cyprus designed to cater for less able-bodied people. The owner been himself a wheelchair user understands very well any need you may have and together with his family, has worked hard to convert this quiet residential property into a first class holiday center for those with a disability.

You can choose from a studio to a 3 bedroom apartment, which all have plenty of space for people in wheelchairs. There is a small kitchen in each apartment but if you like there is a restaurant and a pool bar available which offer meals and light snacks.

All the bathrooms of the apartments have level access roll-in showers with wall-mounted shower seats and drop down rails on both sides of the toilet.

There are many activities for everybody to enjoy there. Chris, the owner has been instrumental in pushing Polis municipality to lay down two beach ramps as well as a beach pathway stretching from Polis to the fishing village of Latchi. If you are a wheelchair user and you want to take a swim this can be arranged. One of Chris’s friends who runs boat excursions around the Akamas bay area has fitted a special hoist to lower people with disabilities in the water.

Polis is a beautiful town in Paphos with many places for everybody to visit. The whole town is wheelchair accessible! The beautiful park with the stunning views of the sea and the mountains is easily accessed by everybody. Most restaurants in the area have ramps and have raised their table’s height to accommodate wheelchair patrons. There are also accessible banks and an internet café in this friendly town. There is even para-sailing on offer to the guests and Chris proudly boasts that he was one of the first to give this rather overly exhilarating activity a try.

The company also rents wheelchairs, power scooters, as well as other equipment needed by the guests so they don’t need to worry about bringing all the paraphernalia with them. They also offer specially adapted minibuses to collect guest from the airport. These buses can also be used on request, for special day trips to different places of interest all over the island.

For Bookings Contact C & A Tourist Apartments:

Tel: (+357) 99647669

Fax (+357) 26322856

Email: chrisneo@cytanet.com.cy 

Maria Andreou
Co Publisher

By: Progress On 23:58

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Hong Kong Airlines eyes up European expansion

Hong Kong Airlines has confirmed an order for six Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which will be used to “expand into the long-haul market”.

In a statement released by Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer says that Hong Kong Airlines now has a total of 23 A330s on order, including six A330-200s originally announced at the Singapore Airshow.
According to Airbus these will be used on “existing routes and later to launch the airline's first services to Europe”.

Commenting on the move Yang Jian Hong, President, Hong Kong Airlines said:
“Low operating costs and high levels of cabin comfort make the A330-200 the perfect choice to expand into the long haul market. We are looking forward to offering passengers a premium service on these routes."

The airline currently plies domestic routes within China, as well as destinations in Vietnam, and a route to Moscow due to commence in June.

Source: Business Traveller

Perpetual Traveller Comment
A new airline on the air space block from Asia to Europe is always welcome especially if they lower costs and provide for more options. We expect the first route to be to the UK.

On the topic of cost the concept of Long Haul Budget travel has not yet delivered on its promise, however at PT we think it is only a matter of time before it becomes a popular reality and this will be the greatest development in the coming decade. Air Asia have successfully been operating low cost flights for around a year from Kuala Lumpur to London Stansted, so who is next?

By: Progress On 14:21

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Malta, honoured as the best place to do business in Europe

 

As Perpetual Travellers go, for good reason we tend to take an integrated approach to the work and life balance. Mixing business with pleasure is often necessary for the small to medium Company owner. Shopping around for the most cost effective corporate structure is always wise, especially considering the current global financial climate. Our research in Europe points to Cyprus and Malta as the best places to set up a Company and declare taxes, which we advise all Perpetual Travellers to do, as the days of NO TAX OFFSHORE have simply gone. Moreover, both Island countries are warm with mild winters, friendly locals, Business and Tourism orientated, pleasant for family visits, feature a rich history and can be trusted as they are fully fledged members of the EU. These islands of opportunity offer the possibility to set-up and manage a Company relatively cheaply in addition to mixing business with pleasure. This week we will focus on Malta…

Malta, Island of opportunity
Malta has been honoured as the best place to do business in Europe and the 5th best place in the world, according to the Forbes Tax Misery Index.

Even though the European Union has harmonized the corporate laws within its members states there are still major differences between the countries and how they have decided to implement the EU Directives according to local requirements.  Maltese corporate law is in principle based on British corporate law flavoured with local adjustments and harmonized with EU Directives. A Malta ltd company is taxable in an EU member state and gives you all the benefits related to the common market and freedom of establishment. Malta offers by far the lowest tax regime within the EU and is a solid platform for anyone involved in international trading business.

The corporate tax rate in Malta is 35%, but the shareholders qualify for a tax credit following a distribution of dividend by the Malta Ltd company. In most cases, the tax credit reduces the total tax suffered by 6/7 of the corporate tax rate. Shareholders may achieve a taxable net effect of down to only 5% where the 6/7 tax credit is applicable.

If you wish to distribute dividends from a Malta based company to a holding company in another EU/EEA state, you can do so tax-free, since the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive will apply between any companies limited by shares within the EU/EEA. Maltese tax incentives leading to a substantial tax savings are available to any size of enterprise.

Tax is obviously a very important matter for many people; however, in some cases Trust and Confidentiality are of a higher value. If you can combine the two you have a winning formula. Regulatory framework in Malta provides for excellent opportunities to meet your offshore expectations onshore.

Malta offers a very stable financial environment. Prudent policies shelter Malta’s insurers and banks from worst of any financial storm. High quality corporate service firms, low wage levels, skilled labour, Freeport and excellent flight connections put Malta on top of any ranking of the best business place in Europe.

For more information about intelligent Maltese structures please contact malta@taxtwister.com

By: Progress On 14:06

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Will your travel insurance cover problems caused by volcanic ash?

If you're among the hundreds of thousands of travellers whose vacation or business trips got covered in ashes by a volcanic eruption in Iceland this week, your travel insurance is likely to bail you out -- at least partly.

As ash continued to spew into the atmosphere from a volcano in southern Iceland on Friday, Europe's air traffic control canceled even more flights, leaving scores of travelers scrambling to make alternate plans. The unprecedented situation forced the closure of Europe's three biggest airports, leaving scores of travelers wondering if their travel insurance would cover long delays, which included unexpected hotel stays and meals out. Travel associations advised passengers to stay home and check with their airline before coming to an airport.

If you bought your policy before April 13 and your trip was delayed by the eruption, you're likely to qualify for travel delay and missed connection coverage if you keep expenses reasonable and hang onto your receipts. Travel insurance experts expect most of the claims filed in connection with the volcanic eruption to fall into these two categories.

So what can you spend on hotels, food and toiletries and still be reimbursed?

"The old issue with insurance is what is reasonable and customary?" said Chris Harvey, chief executive officer of squaremouth.com. "You usually have an amount per person per travel day. The average is $150 per day and how you spend it is usually fine."

Harvey, who founded squaremouth.com in 2001 to help consumers compare major travel insurance plans, said that the 23 U.S. carriers listed on his site all offer 24-hour emergency assistance hotlines that stranded travelers can call toll free for advice.

More and more folks are likely to be buzzing these hotlines for assistance, as Eurocontrol announced it will operate only 42% of its usual number of flights in European air space today as an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajoekull Volcano continued to drift toward the continent. Microscopic ash particles in the cloud can cause jet engines to catastrophically shut down and impede pilots' visibility.

The European travel authority expected the cancellations to last at least through Saturday morning and warned they could go on for several days beyond that.

While travel insurance experts expected that those who experienced trip delays and missed connections would be reimbursed for their troubles, what's less clear is if carriers will cover those who were forced to cancel their trip due to the eruption. Typically, travel insurance does not cover trip cancellations prompted by natural disasters, Harvey said.

But the almost total shutdown of parts of busy European air space brought about by this past week's eruption prompted several of the largest travel insurance providers to classify the situation as a "weather disturbance" rather than a natural disaster. See a list of providers and their latest stand on the matter.

Europeans are more likely to purchase travel insurance than their American counterparts. About 90% of Europeans buy policies when they travel abroad, versus about one in four Americans, Harvey said. Squaremouth.com also has a site in England that caters to Europeans who buy travel insurance.

For those who didn't purchase insurance before April 13 for vacations currently being affected by the eruption, it's unclear whether a mandate by the European Union that requires airlines to reimburse travelers for hotel and food expenses will apply.

"The wording in these proposals may let them get out of it, if it's something that's beyond their control like a meterological issue," Harvey said.

He added that travellers who are worried that the eruption will continue to disrupt worldwide travel in the coming weeks should not consider purchasing insurance now because policies will not cover trip cancellations or disruptions caused by a "foreseen event."

"If you see the news and freak out and buy it right now they are going to sell you insurance, but they are not going to pay a claim on this particular issue," Harvey said. "That's very important that you don't waste your money."

Source: Walletpop

PT Comment
It should be mentioned that the airline Industry covered many of the accommodation claims caused by delays and even Ryanair agreed to do this in the end, however only after their initial negative reaction of rejecting European law by stating that they would not meet claims for Hotel expenses and the like. Michael O'learly (CEO of Ryanair) in fairness did have a point in that some passengers were claiming Hotel expenses in the hundreds of euro for flights that cost just a few euro!

Moving onto the specifics of making a claim through Travel Insurance for the Icelandic volcanic ash issue, at PT we feel this is an opportunity for Insurance Companies to demonstrate their value and gain the trust of the travelling public. Only time will tell however, as to what positive action or otherwise each Insurance Company decides to take.

We have a Tip for all passengers that are entitled to claim. In the event you first get rejected do not give up. Make sure that you provide all the details, demonstrate how many years you have paid Travel Insurance and do not accept NO for an answer. With Insurance "when all else fails, persistence prevails".

By: Progress On 13:23

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Iceland Volcano Could Continue Erupting for More Than a Month, Researcher Says

The airspace over much of northern Europe remains shut and the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, is stranded in New York City because of the threat from a volcanic ash plume being belched out of Iceland. How long will the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano continue and what other kinds of activity can we expect? A volcanologist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) who has worked extensively in Iceland says a month-long eruption would not be out of the question. But the eruption could also continue for a year or more, he says.

Professor Reidar Trønnes, who was a research scientist at the University of Iceland's Nordic Volcano logical Institute from 2000 to 2004, says as eruptions go, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano is not that large. Nevertheless, concerns about the effects of volcanic ash on jet engines led to a range of airport closures in northern Europe on Friday.

Volcanic ash, which is made up of tiny glass shards that are carried aloft in a foamy mix of steam, can damage jet engines by melting right inside them and causing them to seize up. "

Residents from a number of central Norwegian cities reported the smell of sulphur in the air, and some residents in northern Norway reported finding volcanic ash on their automobiles. Trønnes says that the ash gets shot high into the air as magma that was once deep in the Earth comes to the surface and is depressurized. Any water that has dissolved in the magma comes boiling out when the magma is no longer under pressure, much the way that CO2 bubbles out of your selzer water when the cap is removed, he says. The plume coming out of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano also contains a good deal of steam because the intensely hot magma is melting the ice cap that blankets the volcano, he adds.

While the Eyjafjallajokull volcano's eruption is highly dramatic, most volcanologists like Trønnes are watching the volcano's much larger neighbour to the east, Katla. This volcano, buried under the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, Iceland's fourth largest ice sheet, usually erupts twice a century, Trønnes says, but has erupted just once in the last 100 years -- in 1918. "Katla has had two large eruptions every century since Iceland was settled 1,100 years ago," he said. "It is long overdue -- or it could mean that Katla has changed its behaviour."

Trønnes said that a number of large volcanic eruptions over the last several decades may have helped drain the vast magma reservoirs that would feed any eruption of Katla. These include eruptions as far back as one that created the island of Surtsey in 1963-1967 and one that took place on nearby Heimaey in 1973. "The fact that we have had these two large eruptions in the 1960s and 1970s may have relieved the pressure in the Katla reservoir, although this is just speculation," he said.

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano now appears to have released enough pressure that Trønnes does not expect any large-scale explosions, but the melting of the glacier caused by lava flows will continue to pose risks of potentially large and devastating floods, such as one that caused Icelandic officials to evacuate 800 people from their homes on Wednesday, April 14, he said

ScienceDaily (Apr. 18, 2010)

By: Progress On 02:51

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Ryanair eliminates check-in desks - is this wise?

Ryanair recently announced that they have taken the decision to eliminate all of their airport check-in desks as from Friday 2nd October. This move will force all passengers to check-in for flights online and it takes away the element of choice. What is worse, all passengers will be charged a fee of €6 for doing the work of their own check-in, which contradicts the general Internet concept of financially rewarding consumers to do things for themselves online.

There are more negatives to this decision too, as the passengers who forget to check-in on-line (or are simply not able to) will face an emergency check-in fee of €45, otherwise they will not be permitted to board.

This Ryanair anti-passenger move is designed to save the airline €57 million per year in operating costs. However, only time will tell what the real impact to the business will be in terms of lost passengers, especially on the quality consumer side, that is if there are any left!

Many older passengers are not Internet savvy and online check-in may be a bridge too far for them, however it would be true to say that non Internet users tend to avoid Ryanair anyhow. There is also the case of travellers or budget businessmen on the road that may not have an Internet connection to check-in or at least access to a printer when in transit to print the Boarding Card.

In an attempt to Justify the €45 Penalty Tax imposed on those who forget or simply cannot check-in online for one reason or another, an Ryanair spokesman said: 'Hopefully they will only forget once. The high fee is designed to encourage people to remember, and not to be hit again. Technically the fee is to cover re-issuing the ticket.'

The web check-in will be open from 21 days to 4 hours before the scheduled departure time of each flight, so there is no chance to leave things to the last minute either!

Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said: 'This pioneering move will again lower the cost of flying for millions of Ryanair customers. We are confident that all passengers will embrace this improved service which will allow them to forever avoid check-in queues while at the same time it will enable Ryanair to lower our airport and handling costs and pass on these savings to all passengers in the form of even lower air fares next winter.'
At Perpetual Traveller we ask "What Planet are they on?".

Ryanair has long been unashamed to charge for the so called ‘extras', including up to €34 per checked bag, up to €57 for sports equipment or musical instruments, €3.50 for priority boarding and €40 to change a flight. There is even talk of charging people to go to toilet in-flight!

Budget Airlines in general have made a good job in the past decade of offering passengers choice, by de-bundling the flight cost and letting the passenger decide what they pay for, such as food & drink, priority boarding, check-in luggage etc. This latest move of Ryanair effectively eliminates choice by forcing people to check-in online whatever their circumstance and to make them pay for an online check-in also which is a totally new invented fee, which is simply petty and breeds negativity.

In conclusion, before flying with Ryanair, we advise you to add up all the real costs carefully including these new ones along with the potential of negative penalties, as its quite likely you could be paying more to be a loss less comfortable! Moreover, we trust that Easyjet, AirAsia, Air Berlin, Blue Air, Air Arabia and the other Budget lines do not follow this negative move too, as that would be a dark day for international travel.

By: Progress On 02:50

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Northern Europe grounded by Icelandic volcanic ash cloud - it could take weeks to clear!

 

Air traffic across the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark and Sweden) was on closed on Thursday 15th of April 2010, due to an extensive ash cloud originating from an active Volcano in Iceland. 

This unprecedented natural phenomenon has grounded planes on a scale which has never been experienced since the second World War, not even for the 2001 terror attacks in the UK made such an impact to flight travel. Literally thousands of flights were canceled, subsequently causing around 300,000 air passengers in the UK alone to be stranded. 

TIME FRAME

At the time of writing (early Friday morning 16th April 2010) the authorities controlling the airspace in Britain said it was not clear when it would be safe enough to fly again.The earliest possible time given to resume flying is 13:00hrs on Friday 16th of April 2010. However, sobering input from one scientist in Iceland indicated that the ejection of volcanic ash will cause possible disruptions in air travel that could continue for days or even weeks before it fully disperses.

WHY GROUND AIRCRAFT?

Volcanic ash poses a significant threat to aircraft as it could impact on visibility. Moreover,  particles of debris could get sucked into the engines of planes, causing them to jam.

We should remember the Galunggung volcanic event back in 1982, whereby a British Airways Boeing 747 flew through an ash cloud that actually stopped all 4 engines. The plane physically descended from 36,000 feet (11,000m) to 12,000 feet (3,700m) before the crew could manage to restart the engines. 

IRONIC

At a time when tensions are extremely high between the British and Icelandic Governments respectively over unpaid financial commitments, this wholly natural event occurring in Iceland and badly affecting the UK, appears to be incredibly ironic! Listening to TV interviews, featuring members of the general public, it was somewhat shocking to hear people say "first they stole our money and now they cause us to lose money". Certainly there are dark clouds all around Iceland these days in more ways than one!

By: Progress On 09:12

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