Taking off Travel blog

Traveling on business to Tokyo? Read guest poster Andrew Black’s tips on unmissable Tokyo experiences.

Tokyo is an amazing destination. A fusion of the old and the new, this high-tech city with its incredible history has something to offer to everyone. Whether it’s the incredible Japanese cuisine or the breathtaking sights, Tokyo is the ultimate Asian experience. A brief list of some of the attractions of Tokyo is listed below.

Tsukiji Fish Market

A trip to Tokyo is incomplete without a visit to the world’s largest fish market. Get ready for some live action at Tsukiji market with auctions of some of the most exotic seafood in the world. There are many stalls selling an incredible variety of delicacies here. If you are in the mood for sushi for breakfast, Tsukiji market is just the place for you.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Read more »

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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) lies south of Atlanta’s central business district. For the last 7 years it has had more passenger traffic and more takeoffs and landings than any other airport in the world, making it the world’s busiest. It handles around 90 million passengers each year.

History of ATL Airport

ATL Airport’s history goes back to 1925, when an airfield was developed on an abandoned car racetrack, renamed Candler Field. The first commercial flight to this field took place a year later. In 1929, the airport was renamed Atlanta Municipal Airport and it got its first control tower in March 1939.

World War II saw the airfield double in size as it was used as a government air base. By 1957 it was the country’s busiest airport. In 1961, the country’s largest terminal was opened there, but capacity was soon exceeded. In 1971, the airport was renamed the William B Hartsfield Atlanta Airport and then to William B Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport , with the launch of services to Mexico and Jamaica.

In 1980, a 2.5m square foot passenger terminal, the world’s largest, was opened. Other major infrastructure improvements followed. The airport gained its current name in 2003 to commemorate Atlanta Mayor Maynard H. Jackson.

The airport serves Delta Airlines (which has the world’s largest airline hub there), AirTran Airways, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, ExpressJet and many more.

ATL Airport Terminals and Services

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Avoid the blahs with these February celebrations

Have you got the January blahs? A bit of post-holiday let down? Don’t be glum, because February offers plenty of reasons to celebrate. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect.

Black History Month

February is African American History Month or Black History Month. Oddly, this is observed at a completely different time of the year (October) in the UK. There will be events for this annual celebration throughout the month.

National Freedom Day – Feb 1

National Freedom Day commemorates the signing of a resolution for the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. This amendment ended slavery and became law in December 1865. This is not a public holiday, but many Americans observe the day and a wreath is usually laid at the Liberty Bell. Other celebrations of this event include Juneteenth and Emancipation Day.

Valentine’s Day – Feb 14

Also not a holiday, but widely observed, is Valentine’s Day, taking place on a Tuesday this year. It was originally named after some Christian martyrs and is a boon for card makers everywhere (not to mention flower shops and candy stores). Here are some fun facts about Valentine’s Day.

President’s Day – Feb 20

Now observed on the 3rd Monday in February, this holiday originally honored George Washington’s birthday. It now also honors Abraham Lincoln (also born in February) and other presidents.

Mardi Gras – Feb 21

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday, is a big celebration just before Lent starts – and a great excuse for a party. One of the biggest of these is in New Orleans, which we mentioned in Carnival Celebrations around the World. We’ll look at it in more detail nearer the time.

Leap Day – Feb 29

It only comes around every four years and this is the year for Leap Day. There are several traditions associated with this day and we’ll be looking at those in more detail closer to the time.

Photo: SanFranAnnie

Want discount airport parking ? Find out about our airport parking coupon here.

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This week’s featured travel blogger is Federico Arrizabalaga of MaiTravelSite. Fede has been a world traveler since childhood and continues to explore to find places that are different and far away.

Fede, what’s your travel background?

By the age of 10 I had lived in 3 countries in two different continents and 5 cities, so I guess it was only natural that I developed a thirst to explore and learn more about our world. As a surfer I first began to explore destinations where to ride waves, and from there I moved on to explore others as well, usually as different and a far away as possible from where I was.

What’s different about your site?

I like to tell about my experiences but I also like to provide facts and information that provide value to the reader. Very soon I will be releasing a completely new version of MaiTravelSite which will be much more user friendly and provide lots of information on how to travel the world on a budget, find accommodation, choose appropriate gear, dealing with cultural differences and all aspects involved in international travel.

What’s the most unexpected thing that has ever happened to you when you traveled and how did you handle it? Read more »

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Travel Strategy

The big news in travel in the past week was the announcement of initiatives to improve travel and tourism in the US. The industry accounted for 7.5 million jobs in 2010 and 2.7% of GDP.  Among the measures announced were the easing of restrictions for regular travelers who pass a background check, resulting in lower waiting times at airports, an increase in the number of countries from which visitors can enter without a visa and quicker processing for visitors from countries like China and Brazil. There will also be an interagency task force to develop a National Travel and Tourism Strategy. See the video below for more info:

Response from the industry has been largely positive, as a snapshot from Travel Market Report reveals. In particular, many felt that the industry was at last being respected as a major force in the US economy.

Sustainable Travel Finalists

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced the finalists in the 2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, which recognize sustainable travel initiatives industry wide.  There are four categories: destination stewardship, global tourism business, conservation and community benefit. The finalists are

Destination Stewardship

• Destination Røros, Norway

• Misool Eco Resort, Indonesia

• Tanabe City, Japan

Global Tourism Business

• Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore

• REI Adventures, USA
• Wilderness, South Africa

Conservation

• Cheli & Peacock, Kenya

• Inkaterra Peru, Peru

• NamibRand Safaris: Wolwedans Collection, Namibia

Community Benefit

• Saunders Hotel Group, USA

• Soria Moria Boutique Hotel, Cambodia

• The Thailand Community Tourism Based Institute, Thailand

The next stage of the 3-stage judging process includes on-site visits to the finalists. The winners will be recognized at WTTC’s global summit in Tokyo, Japan, to be held from 16-19 April.

No More Hidden Travel Fees

In other news, new protections for air passengers are about to come into force. These mean that when you book and pay for a ticket, that’s the price you should pay. Airlines will have to include fees and taxes in the price they are advertising (only the mandatory ones), and to disclose the costs of the optional extras. Once a flight is purchased, the price stays the same. (Full story on NewsNet5.)

Want discount airport parking ? Find out about our airport parking coupon here.

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