New Zealand Voted Number One by Travel Readers

From villages and valleys to castles and cliffs, the planet is chock-full of beautiful places – but which country can lay claim to being the most gorgeous on the planet?

Rough Guidesthe online trip-planning company, asked its readers to vote on where they thought were the world’s most beautiful countries, and the results are in.

Claiming the number one spot is (drum roll, please!) New Zealand. The island nation is loved particularly for ‘the contrast in scenery and beauty to be found in the people and culture’, according to Rough Guide’s readers.

The country is made up of

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Schengen-like visa to travel across all 6 gulf countries

Schengen-like visa to travel across all 6 gulf countries

In a recent announcement at the Arabian Travel Market, Khalid Jasim Al Midfa from the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Authority revealed that the unified GCC tourist visa system will be established by the end of this year by the regional countries. Stressing the importance of e-service, he assured travelers that efforts are being made to ensure simplicity while maintaining security standards. Al Midfa expressed optimism about the positive impact this initiative will have on regional economies during a panel discussion with other tourism officials.

Top 10 biodiverse countries in the world;  India on the list

Top 10 biodiverse countries in the world; India on the list

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Meanwhile, Abdullah

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EU begins action against 20 airlines over greenwashing claims

The European Commission and EU consumer protection authorities have contacted 20 airlines regarding potentially misleading environmental claims, the EU announced this week.

The action follows concerns raised by European consumer organization BEUC and was led by watchdogs in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain, but the 20 airlines were not identified in a statement published earlier this week.

The investigation is focusing on “claims made by the airlines that the CO2 emissions caused by a flight could be offset by climate projects or through the use of sustainable fuels, to which the consumers could contribute by paying additional fees.”

EU

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Traveling with dogs to the US? The new CDC rules you’ll have to follow

All dogs coming into the US from other countries must be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies, according to new government rules published Wednesday.

The new rules require vaccination for dogs that have been in countries where rabies is common. The update applies to dogs brought in by breeders or rescue groups as well as pets traveling with their US owners.

“This new regulation is going to address the current challenges that we’re facing,” said Emily Pieracci, a rabies expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who was involved in

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SAS to join SkyTeam alliance on 1 September

Scandinavian carrier SAS has announced that it will join the SkyTeam airline alliance at the start of September.

SAS revealed earlier this month that it would leave the Star Alliance on 31 August and the airline has now confirmed it will become part of SkyTeam from 1 September.

The switch of alliances is being made after SkyTeam founding member Air France-KLM took a 19.9 per cent stake in SAS in October 2023 after the Scandinavian airline completed a financial restructuring process.

Following the change, members of SAS’s EuroBonus loyalty program will be able to benefit from reciprocal frequent flyer benefits

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Dublin is one of Europe’s most popular city breaks | Travel News | Travel

A new study has lifted the lid on the most popular European city break destinations for Britons in 2024 and while Amsterdam has topped the charts, a second city just a stone’s throw from England has taken second place. The historic city of Dublin, with its stunning, old-world architecture attracts millions of overseas tourists every year.

According to data from the experts at Holidu, Dublin receives an average of 64,000 online searches each month from budding tourists.

“Dublin secures its spot as the second most popular city break location,” commented the experts. “With flights from Liverpool to the Irish capital

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Amex Global Business Travel Sees Big Gains From Tech Customers

A business traveler about to catch a flight.  Pxfuel

A business traveler about to catch a flight. Pxfuel

Much of the discussion about business travel revolves around large corporations that have strict managed-travel policies. They require employees to book trips through sanctioned tools and at hotels and airlines that give corporations volume discounts.

In the first quarter, those corporations delivered significant gains for American Express Global Business Travel, the world’s largest travel-management company.

AmexGBT saw strength in transactions from global multinational corporations — tech companies in particular, with 30% growth. Other sectors turned in double-digit growth too, including pharmaceuticals, mining, energy and utilities.

But there was a downside: Small-

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Brits in Spain could be slapped with €60,000 fines | Travel News | Travel

As the weather heats up in sunny Spain, British tourists planning travel to Spain in the coming months have been warned of some strict restrictions that will “directly affect tourists”. Certain parts of the nation can be prone to droughts during the summer months and local authorities have provisionally approved strict rules if droughts hit a dangerous level.

“Popular holiday destinations in Europe have already begun implementing strict new rules amid ongoing droughts,” explained a water expert from Posh.co.uk.

A drought emergency was declared in Catalonia in February, then its reservoirs fell to 16 percent capacity after almost three years

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