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Japan, Austria downgrade Iran travel warning

TEHRAN – Japan and Austria have significantly downgraded their travel warnings on Iran, a caution they, amongst some other countries, issued following the deadly crash of a Ukrainian plane near Tehran last month. The jetliner, with 176 people onboard, was mistakenly downed on January 8 by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) air defense system, a few hours after Iran fired dozens of missiles at a U.S. airbase inside Iraq in retaliation to the assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on January 3. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has eliminated its travel warning on Iran [asking its citizens to avoid ‘non-essential’ travel to the country] and it has also terminated depicting Iran’s security map with a warning sign,” ISNA reported on Tuesday. An advisory, which warned about traveling to Iran, is now deleted from the website of the ministry, the report added. Austrian ambassador to Tehran Stefan Scholz on Monday wrote on his Instagram account that his country has lowered its travel warning for Iran. “Austria has downgraded its travel warning for Iran, repealing its general advice against non-essential travels following a thorough reassessment of the security situation.” “We believe that the risk to Austrian nationals except for some specific border areas has changed. This decision will also further contribute to civil society contacts and commerce,” the envoy added. Late in January, the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved that European airlines can return to parts of Iranian and Iraqi airspace. Germany’s Lufthansa was among airlines that canceled flights over the affected airspace. Inbound tours started to severely drop following the crash, triggering a major setback to Iran’s budding tourism industry. The blow, however, is being hoped to be amended as soon as possible by a comprehensive action plan Iran’s tourism ministry has put into practice since January 25. In the same time, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ali-Asghar Mounesan issued a statement, inviting all travelers and holidaymakers to visit the ancient land, saying that the country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world. The official emphasized that the Iranian government is trying its best to host incoming tourists by improving tourism infrastructure, offering attractive and pocket-friendly packages, as well as incentives such as visa waivers or 90-day visas on arrival. The 2019 Travel Risk Map, which shows the risk level around the world, put Iran among countries with “insignificant risk”, a category where the UK, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, and Finland are placed in.

Create: Feb 19, 2020 Edit: Feb 19, 2020 Regional News

The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali Opens

Westin Hotels & Resorts yesterday announced the opening of its latest Bali Resort, The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali. The Westin Resort & Spa Ubud, Bali features 120 contemporary guestrooms, suites and villas, each equipped with the brand's signature Heavenly® Bed and Heavenly® Bath that deliver total relaxation. Additionally, there are two private Pool Villas that offer an intimate experience for larger groups and families with prime views overlooking the entire resort. The resort also has numerous dining options, including the all-day dining venue Tabia - featuring hand-painted murals by local artists, this restaurant offers international cuisine, local specialties, and healthy dishes from Westin's Eat Well menu. Tall Trees offers a splendid dining experience complemented with a view of the river and tropical forest, highlighting flavors inspired by ancient recipes in which fresh ingredients are cooked.

Create: Feb 19, 2020 Edit: Feb 19, 2020 International News

‘Country-size guesthouse of Iran wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists’

Iran’s tourism minister on Saturday issued a statement, inviting all travelers and holidaymakers to visit the ancient land, saying that the country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world. Ali-Asghar Mounesan emphasized that the Iranian government is trying its best to host incoming tourists by improving tourism infrastructure, offering attractive and pocket-friendly packages, as well as incentives such as visa waivers or 90-day visas on arrival. Mounesan’s statement comes weeks after the country’s tourism suffered losses in the wake of recent tensions in the region by mistakenly downing of a Ukrainian airliner, with 176 people aboard, by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) air defense system in Tehran airspace. “Nowadays, the world is even more involved in fast and surprising upheavals and ups and downs as a result of unprecedented progress in technology and industry. As such, the modern human is also influenced by the urban, mechanical life and his soul needs some refinement and relief,” the statement reads. “In such a situation, only travel and tourism can give us relief, joy, and sympathy and provide us with unforgettable experiences and memorable coexistence. In fact, tourism can be thought of as a familial or friendly gathering, the pivotal contents of which are kindness, cooperation, and synergy. In this chaotic era, tourists are like a delightful breeze endearing our souls and uniting all the people from around the world, regardless of their race, country, language, and beliefs.” Referring to the advantages of visiting the country, the minister explained, “With a deep and practical faith in this attitude, the Iranian government is trying its best to pave the way for incoming tourists and this is why there is a significant growth in tourism infrastructure in our country. In this regard, some incentives such as visa waiver, 90-day visa on arrival, standard residence services, attractive tourism routes and packages, and cheapest and most secure tours to Iran along with the last international tourism standards have enabled us to experience a 53% growth in our inbound tourism, winning the first place in the world in this regard. In addition, when it comes to the prices, Iran has the most competitive prices for tourism in the world and has emerged as a new phenomenon in the world of tourism, attracting the attention of many countries.” “Even if we disregard all that has been said, the unique tourist attractions of Iran are a good reason to have a journey to the land of history, civilization, and nature. With 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 34,000 nationally registered heritage sites and 600 active museums, Iran has a huge capacity to receive international tourists. In addition, high security, cheap tours, premium travel facilities, hospitable people, numerous historic and natural treasures, unique ecotourism facilities, diverse tourism packages (historic-cultural tourism, sport tourism, marine tourism, food tourism, medical tourism, etc.), interesting rituals, and diverse handicrafts and traditional arts provide enough reasons to visit Iran.” Pointing to unique and unparalleled beauties of Iran, Mounesan said, “The rich history and civilization of this land, the numerous and spectacular tourist attractions, four-season weather, and high cultural and ethnic diversity have made an invaluable treasure of Iran and put this country in the top 10 tourist destinations in terms of tourism, cultural and natural attractions. Astonishing mountains, breathtaking glaciers, beautiful volcanos, pristine forests, green foothills, delightful lakes, springs and waterfalls, picturesque beaches and wonderful islands, historical sites and distinct architecture, globally registered cities and villages, diverse and colorful handicrafts, delicious traditional cuisine and organic, healing drinks, etc. are only a small part of the beauties you can visit while staying in Iran.” “With such advantages, each day the beautiful and safe cities of Iran are hosting thousands of tourists from different countries, having enjoyed the unique experience, most of whom decide to return and bring new fellow travelers with them.” “Hereby I invite all the tourists from around the world to visit Iran during these last months of the Persian year, as well as the spring, and experience a distinct journey to the land of history and civilization,” the minister concluded. Mounesan said earlier this month that the country’s tourism sector has suffered a major setback but it will certainly return to “normal”. On Thursday, he unveiled an action plan, aiming to increase and improve [international] interactions for introducing Iran and clarifying its safety conditions to the target countries. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

Create: Jan 26, 2020 Edit: Jan 27, 2020 Regional News

Croatian hotel and spa opens its doors

Described as "a new ultraluxe hospitality project created by renowned Croatian entrepreneur Pavo Zubak" the spa element has been created by international spa consultants Illyria Wellness. "Two thousand years ago, a water springs goddess named Ika was revered all along this coastline. Today, Ika's springs still rise up through the salty Adriatic in the place that bears her name," said Liz Ugrin, co-founder of Illyria Wellness. "The Amber Road of the ancients also passed through this place, so as I set out to define the spa concept and develop wellness rituals, the stories began pouring out from the abundance of antiquity - just like Ika's springs." Pavo Zubak, founder of Zubak Grupa, said: "The Opatija Riviera has long been a place of inspiration for musicians, intellectuals, and writers. But at Ikalia Spa, we are tapping into why so many artists - from Puccini to Isadora Duncan - felt called here for renewal. There is a mystery in Ika, just below the surface, that has attracted seekers not just for hundreds of years, but thousands." Ikalia Spa sources artisan natural ingredients for its treatments, such as pure Baltic Amber powder, local olive crush, organic distilled plant oils, and premium plant-based skin care featuring Croatian spring waters.

Create: May 6, 2019 Edit: May 6, 2019 International News

Luxor Las Vegas is a 30-story hotel and casino situated on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada.

The hotel is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International and has a 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) casino with over 2,000 slot machines and 87 table games. After the 2008–2009 renovation work, the hotel's management modernized the property in its design to contain a total of 4,407 rooms (including 442 suites). The hotel's rooms line the interior walls of the main tower, which has a pyramid shape, and other recent 22-story twin ziggurat towers. The hotel is named for the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes) in Egypt. As of 2010, the Luxor was designated as a 4 Key rating from the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, which evaluates what is known as "sustainable hotel operations." The hotel features inclined elevators. Facilities Luxor Las Vegas includes 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) of convention space, four swimming pools and whirlpools, a wedding chapel, Nurture Spa and Salon, and 29 retail stores Luxor Las Vegas has the largest atrium in the world (by volume) at 29 million cubic feet (820,000 m3). At 42.3 billion candela, the Luxor Sky Beam is the strongest beam of light in the world, using curved mirrors to collect the light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam. On a clear night, the Sky Beam is visible up to 275 miles (443 km) away by aircraft at cruising altitude, such as over Los Angeles. Each of the 39 lamps is a 7,000 watt[33] Xenotech fixture costing about $1,200. When at full power, the system costs $51 an hour to operate, with $20 per hour of that just for its 315,000 watts of electricity. The beam has operated reliably since first enabled on October 15, 1993. The lamp room is about 50 feet (15 m) below the top of the building and serviced by a staff of two workers during the day. The room's temperature is about 300 °F (150 °C) while the lights are operating. Since 2008, only half the lamps are lit as a cost and energy saving measure.

Create: Apr 14, 2019 Edit: Apr 17, 2019 International News