Croatian trips in 2010 for Hartera6

Image source:croatia-travel-agency.com/tailor.html


The sixth staging of the Hartera festival could be a worthy addition to the itineraries of Croatian trips in 2010.

Hartera6 is due to commence at 20:00 local time on Friday, June 11th 2010, with tickets priced at 120 kune (£15) from booking service Eventim Croatia.

Those keen to book Croatian trips in readiness for the festivities may want to secure Croatian villas in the Rijeka region in order to minimise their travel needs.

Hartera5, held in June 2009, saw a variety of acts take to the stage for a long weekend of partying.

Thursday, June 11th got the festival off to a start, with free entry to the Hartera Hotel night and a warm-up party lasting until 03:00 the next morning.

On Friday, the main stage played hosts to acts including Simian Mobile Disco, while System Devine and Sleepy appeared on the Tuborg Happy Stage.

With a further two days of acts in this year's line-up, the 2010 itinerary is bound to have something to please music tastes of all kinds.

Croatian Villas offering villas, apartments and waterside properties from the people who really know Croatia.

Source:croatianvillas.com

Croatian holiday could be answer for culture seekers

A stay in a Croatian villa could be the ideal holiday for the growing number of Britons who say they are seeking a more authentic destination for their next overseas break.

Research by responsibletravel.com has found that more than a third of holidaymakers would be interested in a cultural break - possibly instead of a beach-based trip.

Justin Francis, co-founder of the website, said: "Travellers are looking for a more authentic and real travel experience and one way to do that is to choose a holiday which is rooted in local communities, cultures and environments."

Croatia could be the perfect solution for such travellers - with its remote rural locations in the mountains to historic and intimate seaside fishing ports potential tourist traps.

The country's biggest cities - Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik - all also offer visitors a wealth of culture and tradition.

In particular, the ancient walls which surround Dubrovnik could be attractive to Britons searching for a slightly more refined trip abroad.

Earlier this year online lifestyle magazine In2Town labelled Dubrovnik one of the "most beautiful" places in Europe.

Croatian Villas offering villas, apartments and waterside properties from the people who really know Croatia.

Source:croatianvillas.com

eu accession now looks inevitable for croatia to boost property investment

Croatia's EU accession now looks almost certain to go ahead, after both Slovenian and Croatian governments signal their backing for the agreement reached on their decade long border-dispute. This will almost certainly boost property investment in Croatia.

Croatia became popular with investors when it first began the process of joining the EU, because investors had seen the positive effect EU membership has on an economy and property market when the likes of Slovakia, Bulgaria and Estonia became members.

However, Croatia's accession was stalled when EU member Slovenia vetoed the negotiating process on the grounds that documents prepared by Croatia as part of the accession process would be prejudicial in their bilateral dispute over borders.

This was solved and their veto removed several weeks ago, when Croatia signed a declaration that it would not prejudge the border row in any documents prepared for its EU negotiations. This allowed the EU accession process to move forward, but the border row itself would have stopped Croatia's accession to the EU on the grounds that EU members must have good relations with their neighbours.

An agreement has recently been reached on the border dispute, the Slovenian government has announced that they are in support of the deal, and the Croatian government has recently ratified the deal.

This looks to be the removal of the final stumbling block to Croatia's EU accession, meaning free travel to and from Croatia for all EU members. This will undoubtedly boost rental demand for Croatian properties, and the economic boost will also be good for property values in the short-mid term. Investors who have been waiting on the sidelines to pounce when EU accession became inevitable will be starting their search for Croatia properties now.

Source:property-abroad.com

Doha Thrilled With Its World Travel Awards

The city of Doha has just emerged from the 16th Annual World Travel Awards with the title of World’s Leading Emerging Business Destination.

The ceremony was hosted at the Grosvenor House in London and presented one day before the kick-off of the World Travel Market, one of the most important global business-to-business travel and tourism industry events.

Qatar Tourism Authority Chairman Ahmed Al Nuaimi said his organisation was thrilled to have been recognised as the leading emerging business destination in the world.

Mr Al Nuaimi said the industry has noticed Doha’s commitment to transform Qatar into a world-class destination where high-quality services can be found.

He added that The World’s Leading Emerging Business Destination title is awarded to the destination which has proven itself as the new outstanding business spot in the world, having used marketing, promotion, development, positioning and planning to achieve its goals.

Doha was competing for the award with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Astana in Kazakhstan, Kiev in Ukraine, Sao Paolo in Brazil, Santiago in Chile; and Zagreb in Croatia. The winners were chosen through a voting process whith travel agents across the world participating.

World Travel Awards is now one of the respected competitions in the travel and tourism industry.

World Travel Awards aims to promote world-class competition, encourage creativity and innovation plus ensure that visitors are offered exceptional service and value. A World Travel Award contributes to inform travellers of the quality of services they can expect.

Other notable recipients at the World Travel Awards were the Sandals Resorts which received a staggering nine prizes, including the award for best family all-inclusive in the Caribbean as well as the leading hotel brand in the region.

This year’s World Travel Awards had 3,000 different travel companies being nominated in 200 categories. 750 travel industry bosses and employees show-up at the awards ceremony.

According to Graham Cooke, president and founder of the World Travel Awards, the awards have played a key role during an unpredictable economic period. He added that a prize at this event represents one of the highest accolades an individual or entity in the industry could hope to receive.

Source:self-catering-breaks.com

Package holiday could be best way to budget for trip to Croatia

Holidaymakers planning a trip to Croatia may want to book a package deal in order to allow them to budget more effectively. Travellers are returning to package holidays in an effort to drive down the risk of incurring extra costs while abroad, according to Euromonitor International. Caroline Bremner, global travel and tourism manager at Euromonitor International, said: "There has been a growth in interest in package holidays and online travel agents are boosting product development." Booking a package deal to head to Croatia this winter means tourists know exactly what they are paying prior to departure, instead of allowing numerous costs to accumulate before, during and after their stay. A favourable exchange rate - which currently rewards travellers with around eight Croatian kuna for one pound - could also be a factor in people deciding to visit Croatia. Last month aviation consultants Ascend revealed that it believes the greatest value for money in the coming months will be found in short-haul flights, such as those to Croatia. Source:croatianvillas.com

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Forbes Travel Guide, Formerly Mobil Travel Guide, Announces 52nd Annual List of Four- and Five-Star Award Winners

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The new Four and Five star award winners for the 2010 Forbes Travel Guide were unveiled today, the first edition of the former Mobil Travel Guide awards since the brand transfer from Mobil to Forbes was announced this fall. The list has defined the industry's highest standard for excellence in hospitality for over 50 years. The Broadmoor, located in Colorado Springs, CO, continues to make history, achieving this elite level of excellence for the 50th consecutive year. Its restaurant, The Penrose Room, and spa, The Spa at The Broadmoor, also earned Five Star status for the first time this year. In 2010 there are five Five Star hotels, two Five Star Restaurants and seven Five Star Spas added to this prestigious list. The complete list of Forbes Travel Guide Star award winners and updated comprehensive reviews written by Forbes Travel Guide's experts are available at www.forbestravelguide.com.

"We're thrilled to have our brand join Forbes. The 2010 edition is the first under the Forbes Travel Guide banner and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with Forbes," said Shane O'Flaherty, President and CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, who noted that while the hospitality industry has been challenged this year, it has risen to the occasion. "With an unprecedented downturn in the economy this year, properties have taken steps to refine their processes to become more efficient. Yet, it is important to note that the employees of these same properties have remained as engaged and passionate as ever about providing the best guest experience that they can."

Forbes President of Television and Licensing Miguel Forbes commented, "It is a privilege to have these esteemed rankings under the Forbes umbrella. We are excited to honor these outstanding properties, and look forward to being a part of these influential awards."

Forbes Travel Guide's ratings, the most comprehensive in the industry, are based on objective evaluations of more than 500 attributes. New to the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel list are five exceptional properties situated in destinations around the world. This year's additions bring the total number of Forbes Five-Star hotels to 54. New Forbes Five-Star Hotels include: Altira Macau, Macau, China; Montage Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, CA; Four Seasons Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu, Kailua-Kona, HI; Tower Suites at Encore, Las Vegas, NV; The Peninsula New York, New York, NY. New York City's latest addition brings its total number of Five Star hotels to six, maintaining the city's title as the leading Forbes Five-Star hotel city in the world.

Two new restaurants have been added to the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant list, bringing the total number of Forbes Five-Star restaurants in the United States and Canada to 21. New Forbes Five-Star restaurants include: The Penrose Room, Colorado Springs, CO and Fountain Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA.

Forbes' first Star announcement features an expansion of the Mobil Five Star spa list, increasing the number of Award winners from eight to 18 around the globe. New Forbes Five-Star spas include: Altira Spa, Macau, China; The Oriental Spa at Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, China; Spa at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast, CA; Spa at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO; Spa at Mandarin Oriental Boston, Boston, MA; Spa at Encore, Las Vegas, NV; and ESPA at Peninsula New York, New York, NY.

For a detailed explanation of how Forbes Travel Guide compiles its Star ratings, visit www.forbestravelguide.com. Follow Forbes Travel Guide on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ForbesInspector.

ABOUT FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE

Forbes Travel Guide, formerly Mobil Travel Guide, originator of the prestigious Mobil Star ratings and certifications, has provided the most comprehensive ratings and reviews of hotels, restaurants and spas since 1958. In October 2009, Mobil Travel Guide announced a strategic partnership with Forbes Media LLC. This exclusive licensing agreement between two industry leaders with more than 140 years of combined experience transfers the hospitality industry's premier star rating and travel guide brand from ExxonMobil to Forbes. Forbes Travel Guide has a team of expert inspectors who anonymously evaluate properties against rigorous and objective proprietary standards, providing consumers the insight to make better-informed travel and leisure decisions.

ABOUT FORBES MEDIA LLC

Forbes Media encompasses Forbes and Forbes.com, the number 1 business site on the Web that reaches 18.6 million people monthly. The company publishes Forbes and Forbes Asia, which together reach a worldwide audience of more than 5.4 million readers. It also publishes ForbesLife and ForbesWoman magazines, in addition to local licensee editions in China, Croatia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey and India. Other Forbes Media sites are: ForbesTraveler.com; Investopedia.com; RealClearPolitics.com; RealClearMarkets.com; RealClearSports.com; and the Forbes.com Business and Finance Blog Network. Together with Forbes.com, these sites reach nearly 40 million business decision makers each month.

Source:prnewswire.com

Slovenia gives Russia final piece of South Stream puzzle

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won Slovenia's approval on 14 November for the South Stream pipeline, undermining European Union efforts to reduce dependency on Russian gas supplies.
The seal of approval is the latest victory for the Kremlin as it seeks to counter the long delayed Nabucco pipeline which is backed by the European Union as a way to curb dependency on Russia by pumping gas from the Caspian and the Middle East.

Slovenia's approval brings the South Stream pipeline a step closer to being built, though its backers - Russian gas behemoth Gazprom and Italy's Eni SpA - still have to raise billions of dollars to finance the project. "We have now signed deals with all the European partners needed for this project to be completed," Putin told reporters at his Novo-Ogaryovo residency outside Moscow after signing the cooperation deal with Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor.

Slovenia is the fifth country to sign such an agreement with Russia on the South Sea pipeline, which will skirt Ukraine and cross Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia to Italy. With a capacity of 63 billion cubic metres a year, the pipeline is expected to cost between 19 billion and 24 billion euros ($28 billion to $36 billion). It is due to become operational in 2015. "Thanks to Slovenia's participation, Russian natural gas will reach the Italian border, the main target market for the [South Stream] project," a Russian government source, who requested anonymity, told reporters.
Gas politics
Leaders in the European Union, which imports more than a quarter of its gas from Russia, were dismayed in January when a row between Ukraine and Moscow left European Union customers without gas in the dead of winter. That dispute provoked calls for the European Union to diversify away from Russian gas supplies, though officials at Gazprom forecast EU dependency on Russian supplies will increase over the next decade.

Russia has been trying to persuade major European powers that support for alternative supply routes - such as South Stream and another project known as Nord Stream - will ensure smooth supplies. Both projects bypass Ukraine. Putin, who said Russia will cut gas deliveries to Europe again this year if Ukraine siphons off transit supplies crossing its territory, will travel to Ukraine next week to discuss energy with his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko.

Nord Stream, which will pipe gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany, recently received approvals from Denmark, Sweden and Finland, a sign that construction work may start next year. Approval for the pipelines is a coup for Putin, Russia's powerful prime minister who takes a keen interest in energy politics, and a blow for Nabucco, which has been plagued by a lack of supply agreements.
But Gazprom is facing an unprecedented fall in demand as some of its European customers switch to cheaper, liquefied natural gas and has yet to secure billions of dollars in financing for South Stream.
Slovenia had said in the past it also supports Nabucco, which if built would transport 31 billion cubic metres of gas a year from the Caspian region to an Austrian gas hub via Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Hungary. (EurActiv with Reuters)

Source:actmedia.eu

Holiday in Croatia could be ideal for birdwatchers

Birdwatchers may want to book a holiday in Croatia in order to catch a glimpse of the extremely endangered griffon vulture.

Eight of the birds were nurtured back to health at a sanctuary on the northern Croatian island of Cres - the last of which was released back into the wild last week, reports the Telegraph.

As the vultures are extinct in most European countries, a trip to Croatia could be one of few ways to enjoy the predatory creature in its natural environment.

Goran Susic, manager of the sanctuary, said: "When I saw them flying for the first time, I was fascinated."

At first the birds had to be kept in cramped conditions, but earlier this year a large enclosure was finished at Mr Susic's complex and the griffon vultures' accommodation was upgraded.

Bird fans heading to Cres could be pleased to know that, largely thanks to the work of the sanctuary, the number of vultures on the island has increased from 20 pairs to 70.

Last week Tom Hall, editor of travel guide Lonely Planet, said that a number of destinations are perfect for a winter getaway because of their favourable exchange rates - and Croatia, where travellers can swap one pound for around eight kunas, could be one of them.

Croatian Villas offering villas, apartments and waterside properties from the people who really know Croatia.

Source:Birdwatchers may want to book a holiday in Croatia in order to catch a glimpse of the extremely endangered griffon vulture.

Eight of the birds were nurtured back to health at a sanctuary on the northern Croatian island of Cres - the last of which was released back into the wild last week, reports the Telegraph.

As the vultures are extinct in most European countries, a trip to Croatia could be one of few ways to enjoy the predatory creature in its natural environment.

Goran Susic, manager of the sanctuary, said: "When I saw them flying for the first time, I was fascinated."

At first the birds had to be kept in cramped conditions, but earlier this year a large enclosure was finished at Mr Susic's complex and the griffon vultures' accommodation was upgraded.

Bird fans heading to Cres could be pleased to know that, largely thanks to the work of the sanctuary, the number of vultures on the island has increased from 20 pairs to 70.

Last week Tom Hall, editor of travel guide Lonely Planet, said that a number of destinations are perfect for a winter getaway because of their favourable exchange rates - and Croatia, where travellers can swap one pound for around eight kunas, could be one of them.

Croatian Villas offering villas, apartments and waterside properties from the people who really know Croatia.

Birdwatchers may want to book a holiday in Croatia in order to catch a glimpse of the extremely endangered griffon vulture.

Eight of the birds were nurtured back to health at a sanctuary on the northern Croatian island of Cres - the last of which was released back into the wild last week, reports the Telegraph.

As the vultures are extinct in most European countries, a trip to Croatia could be one of few ways to enjoy the predatory creature in its natural environment.

Goran Susic, manager of the sanctuary, said: "When I saw them flying for the first time, I was fascinated."

At first the birds had to be kept in cramped conditions, but earlier this year a large enclosure was finished at Mr Susic's complex and the griffon vultures' accommodation was upgraded.

Bird fans heading to Cres could be pleased to know that, largely thanks to the work of the sanctuary, the number of vultures on the island has increased from 20 pairs to 70.

Last week Tom Hall, editor of travel guide Lonely Planet, said that a number of destinations are perfect for a winter getaway because of their favourable exchange rates - and Croatia, where travellers can swap one pound for around eight kunas, could be one of them.

Croatian Villas offering villas, apartments and waterside properties from the people who really know Croatia.

Source:croatianvillas.com

Vacations in Croatia 'show rising interest'

A report from the Post Office shows rising interest in vacations in Croatia, based on the amounts of foreign currency being exchanged.

The Croatian kuna is among the currencies identified by the organisation's travel services department as being involved in an increasing number of foreign exchange transactions.

However, Post Office Travel Services does not state whether this is indicative that Britons are taking more vacations in Croatia, or whether travellers are each taking a greater amount of money away with them.

Sarah Munro, head of Post Office Travel Services, suggests that effective management of money can help to stretch holiday budgets anywhere in the world.

This means avoiding using credit cards that charge a transaction fee or incur an additional cost due to commission.

Steering clear of airports when exchanging currency is also suggested, in order to avoid unfavourable exchange rates.

Banking group Santander Cards also recently recommended that holidaymakers budget carefully, after its research found £1.78 billion of foreign currency was brought back by Britons last year from their travels.

Croatian Villas offering villas, apartments and waterside properties from the people who really know Croatia.

Source:croatianvillas.com