www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no –  Contact us at [email protected]

All photos: www.simpsonbayresort.com

Shopping

Derfor bør du gi bort en opplevelse til jul

The Simpson Bay Resort & Marina in Sint Maarten is taking renovations to the next level. Almost $22 million has been spent to renovate most of the resort, elevating it to a 5 star rating. The marina building is being revamped, scheduled to finish by year’s end. 

And these changes are not just cosmetic. In addition to the roofs and exterior areas, every unit’s kitchen, bathroom, air conditioning, and furniture is brand New, the www.travelpulse.com website reports.

The marina waterfront area is also getting a full makeover with improved sightlines, more accessibility, and more food and entertainment choices for the guests. 

The infrastructure is not being neglected, with new phone lines throughout the resort, Wi-Fi receivers in every room, a new redundant water delivery system, and air conditioning improvements in the villas building.

Simpson Bay is one of the largest resorts on Sint Maarten with 342 suites. There are many different configurations, with studios sleeping two, one and two-bedroom units sleeping four and six respectively and a few three-bedroom units accommodating up to eight people. 

One of more unique setups is an upstairs/downstairs configuration perfect for putting the kids (or mom and dad) to bed while the night owls party away. Almost every suite has a stunning view of  Simpson Bay and the Caribbean.

In addition to the suites, there are also the villas attached to the main building which are right on the waterfront with sunset views. All villas have kitchens or kitchenettes and a private furnished balcony. Simpson Bay wants guests to get a good night’s sleep so there is an additional feature that is very unique to the island and resorts in general. 

Instead of a pull-out couch, the living spaces include two single pull-down Murphy beds. The best part is they have the same memory foam mattresses as all of the full size beds. You will sleep well even if you are relegated to the living room.

Simpson Bay has a perfect location on the shore of its namesake bay, with easy access to beaches, water sports, restaurants, bars, casinos, and shopping.

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten’s capital, is a quick 10-minute drive and Marigot, the capital of the French side of the island, is only 20 minutes away. You can prepare meals yourself or enjoy the “gourmet capital of the Caribbean” with outstanding meals and vibrant nightlife just steps away.

#Beach #By #Casino #Ferie #Frankrike #Hotell #Hovedstad #Karibia #Marigot #Nederland #Philipsburg #Reise #Resort #StMaarten #SintMaarten #StMartin #SaintMartin #Strand #Turisme #WiFi

#Capital #Caribbean #City #France #Holiday #Netherlands #Tourism #Travel 

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no –  Contact us at [email protected]

It is common knowledge that air pollution negatively affects your health, as well as ecosystems and living organisms, however thanks to technological advances, some companies and/or enterprises can contribute to improving the environment by using ecologically friendly machinery, the www.georgiatoday.ge website reports.

Annonsørinnhold

Norge: Topp 10 høyfjellshotell du vil elske

Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi, a 5 star hotel located at Tbilisi Sea, has implemented HVAC, so called absorption chillers, instead of old fashioned electronic ones, which uses heat to drive the refrigeration cycle and produces chilled water while consuming just a small amount of electricity to run the pumps on the unit.

According to Petter Lillvik, the General Manager of the hotel, the primary advantages of absorption chillers are lower electricity costs, higher efficiency, elimination of environmentally harmful CFCs, quiet operation and being vibration free.　

As stated by the 2011 report of GEO-Cities Tbilisi: status and trends, integrated environmental assessment, direct linkages were identified between air pollution and human health effects which called for long-term observations on air quality and specific epidemiological studies, which has not been conducted in Georgia for a long time.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia statistical data of the National Centre of Disease Control and Public Health [2010] suggests that the number of registered diseases which, among other factors, can be associated with poor air quality, such as lung and larynx cancer, respiratory, blood and vascular diseases have been increasing in Georgia and its capital, in particular.

“Eco-friendly hotels have grown in demand in the 21st century all over the world and being such a hotel has given us the chance to protect nature, save costs, prolong the life cycle of the hotel equipment and recover the ozone layer. All these factors are vitally important for contributing to our healthy future,” explains Lillvik adding that being located on the ecologically clean shorelines of Tbilisi Sea, the hotel offers a perfect gateway to fresh air and a calm, relaxing atmosphere.

Built in a modern European contemporary style, the hotel offers 247 guestrooms and suites providing a natural, comfortable and elegant stay. In addition, the hotel comprises a Western restaurant with International cuisine, serving organic food　lounge, authentic Chinese restaurant, recreation center with indoor swimming pool, sauna, gym, yoga and 3D golf simulator.

With its high standards and environmentally oriented management, housekeepers use non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergents for 100% organic sheets, towels and mattresses.

Furthermore, the hotel offers a special selection of pillows for a healthy sleep. All pillows are ecologically clean and healthy and the guest can choose from a variety of buckwheat, rose, bamboo, charcoal, memory foam, antibacterial and neck protection pillows.

The Hotel will be open to guests from July.

#By #Ferie #Georgia #Hotell #Hovedstad #Kaukasus #Miljø #Reise #Tbilisi #Turisme #Øko

#Capital #Caucasus #City #Eco #Environment #Hotel #Tourism #Travel 

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no –  Contact us at [email protected]

Lat Krabang district staff erect banners with a message that puts a “curse” on people littering in the area. Photo: by Ladkrabang district BMA Facebook

Annonsørinnhold

Norge: Topp 10 høyfjellshotell du vil elske

Lat Krabang’s district chief Sin Nititadakul has given people a new incentive not to add more litter to a garbage-strewn local street: Litterbugs will get cursed, www.bangkokpost.com reports. 

White banners erected in the area, featuring a woman’s eyes with a message that puts a “hex” on trash-tossers, are the brainchild of Mr Sin, head of the Bangkok district who has tried to solve long-running garbage problems on Soi Rom Klao 23 near Debsirin Romklao School.

All sorts of rubbish is repeatedly dumped there. The message written on the banner reads, “May heaven put a curse on those who illegally dispose of garbage in this area. Ill fortune will be blessed with luck and prosperity throughout their lives.”

Mr Sin on Thursday led a team of district officials to inspect garbage disposal in the area and erect banners to warn people not to throw trash about.

Lat Krabang authorities received cooperation from Debsirin Romklao school executives, teachers and students who took part in collecting garbage.

#Bangkok #By #Ferie #Hovedstad #Miljø #Reise #Thailand #Turisme 

#Capital #City #Environment #Holiday #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no –  Contact us at [email protected]

Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar joins officials in an impromptu dance after inaugurating the Riyadh Shopping and Entertainment Festival 2015 on Sunday. (SPA)

Riyadh, capital of Saudi-Arabia

Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar on Sunday 8 June opened the Riyadh Shopping and Entertainment Festival 2015, www.arabnews.com reports.

The large attendance at the launch included tourism officials, businessmen, families and the media.

“The festival should be used as a vehicle for promoting good social values and not for only seeking entertainment per se,” the prince said.

“With the expertise of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, and Riyadh Tourism Development Board, the capital should be capable of attracting more tourists not only from the Riyadh region but also from Gulf states,” he added.
Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Chairman Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil also addressed the event.

“We have rich entertainment and shopping activities that we hope will please them – let them have beautiful memories of Riyadh in the summer,” Al-Zamil said.
Speaking to Arab News, he said the idea behind the festival is twofold. First, to keep the capital vibrant during the summer, which is “low season.” – Second, to retain what is left of its population and attract more from surrounding regions.

“The festival will help attract and entertain several million of the estimated 4.5 million visitors to the capital in the summertime.
Though a few million leave the capital for other destinations, whether in the Kingdom or abroad in the summer, they are compensated for by visitors from the surrounding regions,” he said.

“Seventy percent of these home visitors come from within a radius of 500 km of the capital while the remaining come from southern regions of the Kingdom and GCC countries, keeping the population in the capital during the summer at almost 90 percent of its usual population year round,” he pointed out.

#By #Ferie #Festival #Guvernør #Hovedstad #Prins #Reise #Riyadh #SaudiArabia #Shopping #Turisme

#Capital #City #Governor #Holiday #Prince #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no –  Contact us at [email protected]

Pacific Dawn berthed at Kings Wharf, Suva. Photo credit: www.cruisetimetables.com 

Shopping

Derfor bør du gi bort en opplevelse til jul

The berthing of cruise ships into the port of Suva has given the community new life, and creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, www.fijitimes.com reports.

Suva City Council special administrator, Chandu Umaria, said it also established new services and products.

Mr Umaria said discussions had been progressing with a tourist boat company (Princess Yasawa) that had chosen Suva as one of its tourist destinations.

Mr Umaria added they were discussing with Captain Cook Cruises to bring in tourists from Port Denarau to Suva.

The Suva port is expected to receive 53 cruise liners this year with 10 more later in the year.

Mr Umaria confirmed this. He said last year the port hosted 64 cruise liners.

Suva. Photo: Fiji Times

As tourism is a major revenue generator for Fiji, Mr Umaria said everyone must join hands in seeing to it that tourists arrived to Fiji and left with good memories of the country. He said tourism was one of the country’s major revenue generators and people should expect more cruise liners as this was the only way our economy could be boosted.

With tourism being a very large market for the country, Mr Umaria said cruise ships played a major role in contributing greatly to revenue streams within the country.

“For this, the Suva City Council is doing its best to see the city is clean, crime-free and that fair trading is practised by all retailers, taxi operators and all those involved in the tourism industry,” he said.

More than 23 cruise ships were recorded at the Suva port for the first three months of this year. This is approximately eight cruise ships per month.

October will be the busiest month for cruise liners as the council expects to receive 10 tourist ships.

#By #Cruise #Ferie #Fiji #Hovedstad #Oseania #Reise #Stillehavet #Suva #Turisme

#Capital #City #Holiday #Oceania #Pacific #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no –  Contact us at [email protected] 

En av Madrids “høyeste” attraksjoner – det ikoniske tårnet Faro de Moncloa – åpner igjen etter ti år, skriver VG.

Annonsørinnhold

De fineste festkjolene i butikk nå

Det kjente landemerket like ved T-banestasjonen Argüelles rager 100 meter over bakken. Fra den runde utsiktsplattformen på toppen har du 360 grader spektakulær utsikt over den spanske hovedstaden, og kan se alle de kjente byggverkene.

Det er arkitekten Salvador Perez Arroyo som har tegnet omformertårnet, som stod ferdig i 1992. Tårnet ble stengt i 2005 på grunn av mangler ved sikkerheten for besøkende.

Tårnet ligger ved Plaza de Moncloa på Avenida Arco de la Victoria.

Trenger du guide for å finne fram i bybildet, får du det også. Guiden forteller om alle byens severdigheter og om Madrids historie.

#Arkitekt #Attraksjon #By #Ferie #Hovedstad #Madrid #Metro #Reise #Spania #Tbane #Turisme #Tårn #Undergrunnsbane #VG #Victoria

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. Contact us at [email protected] 

On the island of Mallorca, Magaluf is located in the Calvia district, around 15 kilometers from the capital Palma de Mallorca and the Son Sant Joan Airport.

Annonsørinnhold

De fineste festkjolene i butikk nå

This destination is known for its nonstop party atmosphere, and Spanish authorities are gearing up for party-loving tourists coming to find a raucous holiday.

After previous episodes of naked visitors prancing around in the streets, the government of Magaluf is sending out a warning that tourists may be fined from £500 to £2,200 for such acts, including public urination, skinny dipping, and offenses that lead to violence and criminal damage.

Tourism bosses on the island are also augmenting CCTV and police patrols, and have banned drinking in the streets between 10 pm and 8 am, www.eturbonews.com reports.

Shops will stop selling alcohol after midnight.

Last summer, a video surfaced of a young Brit girl performing sex acts on 24 strangers in a bar for free cocktails. Other videos showed girls being encouraged by club promoters and DJs to strip and perform acts of a sexual nature.

This prompted the effort to clean up the destination with Britain’s ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, saying they want British visitors to Magaluf to enjoy themselves, as they do elsewhere in Spain, but to also be safe and show respect for Spain’s laws and customs.

#Ambassadør #Balearene #Britisk #By #Ferie #Flyplass #Hovedstad #Magaluf #Mallorca #Naken #Palma #Reise #Spania #Storbritania #Turisme

#Airport #Ambassador #Baleares #British #Capital #City #Holiday

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. Contact us at [email protected] 

The Republic of San Marino is the-third smallest independent state in Europe. But it hopes to attract big crowds, after signing a a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation with China’s National Tourism Administration. And with the Milan World Expo coming up this summer, officials hope more people will be inspired to learn about the tiny country, the www.cntv.cn website reports.

Annonsørinnhold

De fineste festkjolene i butikk nå

San Marino hopes to attract big crowds, after signing a a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation with China’s National Tourism Administration.

More than 530,000 Chinese tourists spent time in Italy last year, and San Marino, an enclave state surrounded by Italy, has been benefitting from those visitors.

Republic of San Marino

Its territory covers 61.2 square kilometers and the population is only a little more than 30,000. Anyone with a visa to visit Italy can enter the country. 

“I’ve been to China 42 times so far, and we just signed the memorandum of understanding on the tourism cooperation yesterday. As a member of the China-San Marino Friendship Association, I have met many Chinese guests in my country, many of them say they want to travel to all of the European countries when they are there, and San Marino is easy to access,” said Gianfranco Terenzi, one of the two captains-regent (head of state and government) of San Marino.

Mr.Terenzi said he has received a lot of feedback from people who visited the San Marino pavilion at the Shanghai Expo five years ago, and he hopes Chinese visitors to the Milan World Expo will visit the country’s pavilion again.

“The Milan World Expo is a great opportunity for us, because after the Shanghai Expo, I have seen the growing number of Chinese tourists in San Marino. We have just opened a Confucius Institute in my country, I hope people in San Marino can also know more about Chinese culture and learn the language,” he said.

Italy’s Consulate in Shanghai says the country is offering quicker visa service for people visiting the expo, and the visas will be issued within 36 hours.

The capital of the republic is also called San Marino, home to 4130 people, and in fact not the biggest town in the country. Dogana, in the north-eastern corner of the country, is the biggest town – with 7000 inhabitants – and is the main point of entry for travellers arriving from Italy.

City of San Marino. Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Founded on 3 September 301, the Republic of San Marino claims to be the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world  

#By #Ferie #Hovedstad #Italia #Kina #Konsulat #Milano #Reise #SanMarino #Shanghai #Turisme #Visum

#Capital #China #City #Consulate #Holiday #Italy #Milan #Tourism #Travel #Visa

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. Contact us at [email protected] 

The inaugural flight at Port Sudan International Airport was attended by Ms. Askalu Menkerios, Minister of Tourism, and other senior Eritrean Government officials, as well as officials of the Sudanese Red Sea region, the Eritrean shabait.com website reports.

Shopping

Derfor bør du gi bort en opplevelse til jul

The event witnessed the staging of artistic and cultural performances by Eritrean community members in Port Sudan.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Askalu stated that launching of the flight is a continuation of the developing cooperation of partnership between the two countries.

She also noted that the vitality of the flight as regards strengthening the historical ties of Eritrean-Sudanese people and developing the tourism sectors of both countries.

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. Contact us at [email protected] 

På ett år har sigarettbruken økt. I gjennomsnitt røyker hver spanjol 2481 sigaretter i året. Det tilsvarer 6,8 sigaretter om dagen og plasserer Spania på topp 5-listen med land hvor det røykes mye. På den listen topper Hellas, Spania, Bulgaria, Polen og Tsjekkia, skriver www.spaniaavisen.no

Annonsørinnhold

Norge: Topp 10 høyfjellshotell du vil elske

Det røykes mest i provinsene Extremadura, Madrid og Cantabria. Minst penger på tobakk bruker innbyggerne på Kanariøyene, Navarra og Katalonia.

Så får trøsten være at alkoholforbuket har gått ned med 4,27 prosent siden 2013 til 113 liter i året. I snitt bruker hver spanjol 686 euro årlig på alkohol.

Det er en snau prosent mer enn i 2013.

#Alkohol #Bulgaria #By #Cantabria #Extremadura #Ferie #Hellas #Hovedstad #Kanariøyene #Katalonia #Madrid #Navarra #Polen #Reise #Røykelov #Røyking #Spania #Tobakk #Tsjekkia