United Kingdom Most Popular Travel Destination in 2011

2011 is over and 2012 has begun! The old year went out with a bang, the same way the new year started, but just because 2011 is over doesn't mean that it is forgotten. Citizens of Planet Earth did a lot of traveling last year to places all over the world but only one place could top the list as the most popular travel destination of 2011. While you may think that places like the Caribbean, the Bahamas or some other tropical place would be the most popular, it seems most travelers disagree because the most popular travel destination of 2011 was Britain, according to a study done by Expedia.

Travel to Britain saw a 10% increase in 2011 over 2010 and it appears as if the trend of domestic breaks is poised to continue strong in 2012 as well. Lots of new things to do in the region, like local culinary tours and cooking classes, as well as the increase in local bicycle shops, like Boris Bikes in London, are encouraging people to explore the country in new and exciting ways.

Andy Washington, Managing Director of Expedia UK and Ireland, stated, "It has been an eventful year for the travel industry and a tough year for certain popular travel destinations, but we've noticed time and time again that people tend to forego their annual holiday. It's encouraging to see that Brits are taking advantage of the multitude of attractions closer to home in the UK and embracing 'staycations'. 2011 has highlighted the mixed approach to holidaying taken by Brits in troubled times."

Washington also added, "As some are drawn to holidaying at home, others simply look for alternative destinations - with Spain and Turkey particularly growing in popularity during the Arab Spring. The other notable trend was deal hunting - with savvy travelers taking advantage of the great deals to be had in destinations like Egypt and Japan as these destinations recover. Yet what's absolutely clear is our determination to keep our holidays."

Expedia's study listed the top 10 traveling destinations for 2011 as:

1. Southern UK regions


2. London


3. New York


4. Paris


5. Las Vegas


6. Rome


7. Amsterdam


8. Barcelona


9. Regional Northern France


10. Edinburgh

Trends are supposed to continue strong into 2012, maybe because a vast majority of the population believes that the world is going to "end" this year. It seems that all these doomsdayers are trying to accomplish what they can before the Mayan calendar wipes us all out.

Source: Travel News - The UK topped most popular destination for travelers in 2011

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Hotel Tax in Rome Takes Effect

Planning on visiting Rome any time soon? Well, why not? It is only one of the most beautiful and most visited cities in the world! While it is true that the city of Rome is truly a wonderful place to visit, there are some things you might want to know about before you pack up the family and book a tour of The Colosseum. Visitors to the historic city are going to be hit by a new tax on tourism this year.

Starting yesterday, January 1, 2011, all visitors to Rome are expected to pay a per-person per-night tax on the first ten nights of their vacation. The rates vary on what type of hotel you are staying in. Guests staying in a one to three star hotel will be expected to pay 2 Euros per night whereas people in four and five star hotels will be asked for 3 Euros per night.

This tax will be collected at the end of your stay in Rome and funds generated by the tax will be used to financially assist city authorities in efforts to organize urban services. According to officials, authorities wish to ensure that the standard of your stay is highly efficient and of the best possible quality. Visitors to youth hostels will not have to pay the fee, but there is a 1 Euro fee for a maximum of five days if you decide to stay at a campsite inside the city boundaries.

Bed and breakfast accommodations and farm inns will require a 2 Euro payment for a maximum of ten days. There is also a fee asked from anyone who has booked or paid for a trip through a travel agency or tour operator. You then have to pay by presenting a voucher at the reception desk.

It remains to be seen how this will affect the travel industry in Rome. With money being tight, at least in America, these extra fees may cause people to take their travels elsewhere.

Source: Breaking Travel News

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