World tourism market could suffer from US recession

If the US economy falls into a deep recession, the entire world tourism market could be affected, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

However, Francesco Frangialli, WTO’s secretary general, added he remained optimistic that the number of international tourist arrivals would rise for the fifth consecutive year, although at a slower rate than last year.

Experts last year were already warning that the growth of international tourist arrivals would slow to around 4 per cent this year from 6 per cent in 2007 and 5.4 per cent in 2006 caused by economic uncertainties sparked by the US sub-prime mortgage crisis.

"The best prediction we can give today is that we do not predict negative growth for 2008, except if the American economy falls into a deep recession followed by the rest of the world," Mr Frangialli told a news conference.

“We are cautiously optimistic for 2008, though we don't think it will be as good a year as 2007," he added.

France was the world's most popular tourist destination in 2007, followed by Spain, although in terms of tourist receipts, the US took the top spot with Spain again second.

2008 Formula 1 Calendar

In the new Formula One season, there will be 18 races with the competition starting on the 16th of March in Australia and ending on the 2nd of November in Brazil. Grand Prix in Valencia and Singapore have been added while the US Grand Prix has been dropped. Most events will be held around their usual time except for the Turkish Grand Prix which has been moved to May from August. Here are the dates of the F1 races in 2008:

16th March - Melbourne, Australia
23rd March - Sepang, Malaysia
06th April - Sakhir, Bahrain
27th April - Barcelona, Spain
11th May - Istanbul, Turkey
25th May - Monaco, Monaco
08th June - Montreal, Canada
22nd June - Magny-Cours, France
06th July - Silverstone, Great-Britain
20th July - Hockenheim, Germany
03rd Aaugust - Hungaroring, Hungary
24th Aaugust - Valencia, Spain
07th September - Spa-Franc, Belgium
14th September - Monza, Italy
28th September - Singapore, Singapore
12th October - Fuji Speedway, Japan
19th October - Shanghai, China
01st November - Interlagos, Brazil

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Liverpool: European Capital of Culture 2008

2008 will be the year of Liverpool. Tens of thousands gathered on St George's Plateau for the Grand Opening on Friday night and the sell-out concert, Liverpool - The Musical, the following evening. The show heralded the start of 12 months of music, art and cultural events expected to boost tourism and generate around £100m for the North West regional economy.

You can see the full programme of events here (PDF).

Open Skies Agreement: airline mergers and competitive prices

The new US-European open skies rules, due to take effect in March, will create a major storm for American and worldwide carriers, analyst say. That's the case in part because only a few European airlines and handful US carriers have long dominated transatlantic routes. The agreement will allow any European or US airline to fly any route between any city in the EU and any city in the United States. US airlines will also be given the right to fly between European cities, and EU airlines will be allowed to operate direct flights between the United States and non-EU countries.

Air France-KLM and Delta Airlines have already signed a deal to share costs and revenues on North Atlantic routes. Under the agreement, Air France will give slots at London's Heathrow airport to Delta to use for flights to Atlanta and New York. The French carrier also will start a new service between London and Los Angeles.

Airline experts figure the arrangement would also start a wave of similar consolidation and joint ventures among other carriers looking to expand on the newly deregulated market. That should increase competition on transatlantic routes and help reduce costs. Although no radical effect on fares is expected, some believe ticket prices might tend to go down.

In April 2007, Ryanair confirmed it was planning to start a new airline that would operate long-haul flights between Europe and the United States. The carrier intends to start flying in 2010 to 5-6 US cities, and unlike traditional low-cost airlines, would sell both economy and premium-class tickets.

Event calendar 2008

The new year is abundant in cultural and sports events and gives you the chance to experience unforgettable moments by visiting different countries and cities. Here’s a list of some of the major events in 2008:

11th January - during the whole year
European Capital of Culture 2008 Liverpool.

16th March
The 2008 Formula 1 World Championship begins in Melbourne, Australia.

14th May
The UEFA Cup Final: City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester.

21st May
The UEFA Champions League Final: Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

07th June – 29th June
UEFA Euro 2008 Championship tournament in Austria and Switzerland: Zurich, Geneva, Berne, Basel, Klagenfurt, Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Vienna.

14th June – 14th September
Expo 2008 Zaragoza, Spain - under the theme: “Water and Sustainable Development”.

08th August – 24th August
The 2008 Summer Olympics: Beijing, China

30th December
The Burj Dubai expected to be completed. It will be the world's tallest building.