Latest news with #tourOperators
National Post
16 hours ago
- General
- National Post
Jamie Sarkonak: COVID attitudes live on in Nova Scotia's inconsistent forest ban
Article content Permits are obtainable, of course, but the usefulness of this system depends on the sensibility of the bureaucrats tasked with reviewing applications. A spokesperson for Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources told the Post that the number of permits issued so far couldn't be pinpointed, as the work is ongoing. Permits are not being issued for recreational purposes, however. Article content Private property considerations aside, the ban is undermined by its many exceptions: not everyone is being kept out, and not all igneous activities are being banned. Nova Scotia is still open to commercial activity, like forestry and mining, with permits, and applications by tour operators will be considered, too. In other words, the sawdust-spewing tree harvest may very well continue, and perhaps some guided hikes, even though walking your dog to a blueberry patch on a friend's land is an absolute no-go, as is horseback riding, as is cycling to work on a trail system. Article content At the same time, multiple fireworks displays have been greenlit across the province: Halifax will be having a fireworks show on Saturday, as will the town of Digby on Sunday. In an X post, the province explained that professional firework companies can still operate with local approval. Article content Whether First Nations can still use provincial and private forests for traditional reasons, the Department of Natural Resources wouldn't say by press time. That might take a dispute between a bold Indigenous trapper and enforcement officers to find out. Article content The province could defend this by stating that commercial operations are required to have some degree of fire suppression capability on remote sites, and that pyrotechnics companies are trained to ensure that their miniature rockets don't accidentally light the place on fire. The exemptions, they might say, allow for a healthy balance between human activity and risk reduction. But if the conditions are so dire that mere birdwatchers must be barred from the woods, well, why take the risk with Caterpillars and John Deeres? Article content Article content Of course, Nova Scotia's forest bans predate the COVID years, but the similarities are clear, and that's probably why so many onlookers have their hackles up. During the pandemic, the public was put under extreme restrictions on movement to control the spread of what turned out to be a not very dangerous virus. Authorities erred on the side of control and risk reduction, likely because they lacked the competency to properly assess risk, and because the health care system was on thin ice. Article content The rules were enforced with intensity — but officials looked the other way for politically correct causes: in 2020, back when the entire population was unvaccinated, thousands of people packed Halifax streets in a George Floyd demonstration with no government fuss; in 2021, as the vaccine rollout began, Nova Scotian authorities banned vaccine-mandate protests. The inconsistent virus response mirrors the irregular caution now being taken in the woods: rather than using regional and activity-based restrictions, pushing for stronger and swifter punishments for firestarters and bolstering firefighting capacity, the province is simply locking out the public. Article content
Gizmodo
01-08-2025
- Gizmodo
Download GetYourGuide (free) for Android, APK, iOS and Web App
GetYourGuide is a travel platform where you can discover and book tours, activities, and attractions in various worldwide destinations. It works as a service that connects travelers with local tour operators, museums, and venues so that you can explore a vast selection of options. The listings cover a wide range of attractions, like skip-the-line tickets for iconic places, sightseeing tours, or culinary classes. Using GetYourGuide is really simple. You only need to type in what you're looking for and choose the listing that you find attractive from the results. You can then book it in advance or look for something fun to do when you're already traveling and want to do something spontaneous. GetYourGuide aggregates different travel experiences into one, searchable hub that shows you photos, reviews, descriptions, duration, pricing, and the real-time availability of the listing you're looking at. In the catalog, you can find over 150,000 activities in over 10,000 destinations around the world, and they include VIP and private premium options as well as more accessible attractions. GetYourGuide has extensive support and refund policies, which make it a reliable portal for booking your tours. You can use it through the website or download GetYourGuide on iOS and Android. Any traveler should get acquainted with GetYourGuide, as it simplifies planning trips and exploring the different things you can do at your destination. The platform has a broad and diverse selection of activities in its catalog and also makes it easy for you to access tens of thousands of attractions in over 10,000 destinations worldwide. Pick from options such as a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, or a cooking class in Thailand, to name a few. It also helps with more basic needs, such as booking a transfer to or from the airport, etc. It's a marketplace that saves you time, as you don't need to look on your own for local operator websites online. On GetYourGuide, you can filter listings not only by destination but also by your interests, like history, adventure, food, and art, making it easy to find an option suitable for you and your group. There are also additional filters like duration, group size, mobility accessibility, or language. The platform is known for offering authentic local experiences while at the same time giving you reliable options. For each listing, you get a real-time availability calendar, confirmation from the vendor after booking, online tickets, and even free cancellation up to 24 hours before the event starts (for most places). This makes GetYourGuide a great and safe option to explore the country you're traveling to safely and without a language barrier. For each attraction on GetYourGuide, you can check customer reviews and ratings, see photos from real people, and check for any hidden costs to make an informed decision. Once you book your activity, you'll get all the information regarding what's included in the ticket price, where the meeting points are, how long the activity takes, and if there are additional language options. GetYourGuide handles all payments, so you're sure it's processed safely. Once processed, you get tickets that you can use offline in the app or download as files to your email. GetYourGuide also has a built-in Wishlist feature and a trip planner, so you can save activities you find interesting, plan a day-by-day itinerary, and check if there are any events during your free time. GetYourGuide is free to use, so you only pay for the bookings you make. You can download GetYourGuide on iOS and Android or use it through its website. Yes, using all the features of GetYourGuide, as well as their mobile apps, is completely free of charge. You can browse activities, check reviews, prices, availability, and access your itinerary and tickets without any cost. However, the activities you can find on GetYourGuide are usually paid, and the prices can vary depending on the location and the attraction. However, the platform doesn't add any subscription fees. You just pay for the activities you book, and the prices include taxes. For most listings, you can also cancel for free 24 hours or more in advance. You can access GetYourGuide through its website on any mobile or desktop browser like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. It also offers mobile apps so that you can download GetYourGuide for iOS 16.0 or newer and Android 10 or higher. The apps can also work offline, so you don't lose access to your tickets and booking details when you don't have an internet connection. Tripomatic is a travel planning tool you can access through its website or iOS/Android mobile apps, where you can build a complete day-by-day itinerary with ease. All you need to do is pick a destination, and the app will generate your travel plan according to your interests and the duration of your trip. You can check restaurants, venues, and activities on a map to check your routes or find something nearby. You can use Tripomatic in a free or paid version, where the latter unlocks offline access to maps and turn-by-turn navigation and removes limits on how many trips you can plan. Tripadvisor is the most popular travel platform in the world, with a massive amount of content generated by users who leave reviews, ratings, and photos of their experiences. You can use it to verify a number of different options, venues, and activities, like hotels, restaurants, attractions, and airlines. Tripadvisor also helps you book your tours, tables, hotels, and other activities. Tripadvisor is a free service, and you can use it on the web or download apps dedicated to mobile devices. Google Maps is still mostly considered a navigation app, but it also offers specific features that help you plan trips and routes, check how to get to a place, and check its opening hours, prices, menus, and user reviews. You can check attractions in your current area or plan ahead. It seamlessly integrates planning and navigation, making it a great hub for travelers, where you can also download maps of entire regions for offline navigation. You can use Google Maps through any web browser, or download it as an app for iOS and Android to get more detailed navigation.
South China Morning Post
15-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Group tour prices from Hong Kong drop 10% as tourists opt for alternatives to Japan
Hong Kong travel agencies have launched cheaper outbound group tours this summer, driven by increased flight capacity amid a shift in tourists' preference away from Japan due to increased earthquake concerns. Several tour operators have reported that prices for their summer group tours are either lower or have remained stable, adding that popular destinations include South Korea, Vietnam and cities in western mainland China. 'Compared to last year, we see more than a 10 per cent drop in prices of group tours this summer holiday,' Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said. 'It is due to the increased flight availability and transport capacity.' He added that the popularity of tours to Vietnam had increased by 30 to 40 per cent compared with previous years, while tours to Xinjiang and the Silk Road on the mainland had maintained strong popularity over the past six months. On the EGL Tours website, a five-day group trip to Nha Trang, Vietnam, including five-star hotel stays, was priced at about HK$2,900 (US$369) in June. The price for a similar itinerary in July and August increased by HK$200 to HK$800, ranging from HK$3,100 to HK$3,700. However, Huen noted that this year's price for the Vietnam trip was about 10 per cent less than last summer, when it ranged from HK$3,500 to HK$4,100.
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hongkongers visiting Japan in April rise by more than 40%
The number of Hong Kong tourists travelling to Japan last month has increased by more than 40 per cent compared with last year, reversing the downward trend after two months. But tour operators on Monday were hesitant to link the increase to more Hongkongers wanting to visit the country ahead of a rumoured mega-earthquake in July, with one operator being 'cautiously optimistic' about tour demand in the coming summer peak season. The country welcomed 263,600 Hong Kong residents in April, a 42.9 per cent jump from the 184,460 visitors last year, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) released on Friday. Hong Kong residents visiting Japan in February and March dropped by 5 and 9.9 per cent year-on-year, respectively, which the organisation attributed to major holidays such as Lunar New Year and Easter falling on different months this year. From January to April, the cumulative total of Hong Kong visitors reached 911,200, a 12.8 per cent increase from the same period last year. The JNTO attributed the rise in visitor numbers to the new route from Hong Kong to Komatsu in Ishikawa prefecture and the resumption of flights to Ishigaki in Okinawa prefecture.
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- Irish Times
Anyone not coupled up gets the message – no dogs or singletons welcome
It's that time of year again. The sun is shining and it's raining 'per-person-sharing' offers. Hotels up and down the country are showering twosomes with invitations to come and stay at a rate of two for the price of one. 'Spring sale: 20% off – €179 pps', chirrup the ads on the back pages of newspapers. 'Weekend madness, bubbles on arrival – per couple'. Anyone not coupled up gets the message – no dogs or singletons need apply. Not wishing to begrudge happy pairs but it is blatant discrimination to charge Bridget Jones or a man called Ove double the sum just because they do not have a significant other. Hotel owners have been demanding that the public foot the bill to cut the VAT rate on their business while they continue to penalise tens of thousands of them for the social crime of being unattached. A well-known hotel is promoting a 'summer special' of two nights B&B plus dinner on one night at €299 pps for those over 65, while singletons the same age must pay €498 each. At the time of the 2022 census, 189,574 people in that age bracket were living alone. Hoteliers are not the only culprits. Tour operators and travel agents are at it too. Fancy a seven-night escorted tour of northern Spain in the autumn? Sounds enticing – return flights with check-in luggage, four-star accommodation, wine tasting, excursions to museums and vineyards – except, if you're a singleton, you pay €425 extra for the pleasure. That's €60-plus added for each day. Perhaps a cruise would be preferable. Forget it – you'll pay a singles supplement for that too. Why don't the unattached just go and buy a tent and pitch it somewhere out of everyone's sight? It is understandable that hotels want to maximise their revenue by having two paying customers in a room instead of only one but their rebuff of solo guests makes Scrooge look altruistic by comparison with the so-called hospitality sector. The government has indicated it intends to lower the VAT rate to 9 per cent again, at least for the food and catering elements of the sector, which include hotel diningrooms. If it ploughs ahead with the plan, it should impose an obligation on hotels to provide an adequate proportion of their bedrooms for single person occupancy. READ MORE [ Opens in new window ] But that would be like expecting Donald Trump to have your baby. The State itself is so biased against single people as to be biologically incapable of playing fair. Even if singletons aged 66 to 70 do find someone with whom to share a hotel room, they are expected to travel alone should they wish to use their free travel pass to get there. Unlike the coupled-up whose spouses automatically go free too, the unattached must prove they are incapable of travelling alone to be deemed eligible for a travelling companion. You could take the car but, there again, you will be punished for living alone. Insurance companies offer a price discount if the customer can conjure up a named driver to add to the policy. And, no, your great uncle Joe who emigrated to Cincinnati will not suffice. Singlism is the great unacknowledged survivor of the war on -isms Then there is the tax system. Married couples can minimise their income tax bill by opting to be jointly assessed while the singleton has no choice but to pay the full whack. The discrimination is even more pronounced when it comes to gift and inheritance tax. Better-off parents can lessen their offspring's future inheritance tax bill by availing of the €3,000 annual gift tax exemption. Fiona Reddan did the sums in Tuesday's edition of this newspaper when she calculated that a child could have a €140,000 nest egg by the age of 18 if both parents deposited the full yearly tax-free amount from birth in an account growing at a rate of three per cent annually. A child in the country's 219,996 one-parent families could not hope for even half that amount. Prejudice against single people pervades society. Anecdotes abound about how those minus a ready-made plus one get invited to fewer dinner parties because they unbalance the seating arrangement or, worse, they might run off with someone's spouse after the port and stilton. 'You don't fit in', goes the message. Ours is a matrimanic culture where the married-two-kids family rules. That culture was bolstered last year when more than a million voters rejected the referendum proposing to expand the constitutional definition of family beyond the married kind. Singlism is the great unacknowledged survivor of the war on -isms. In the last census, 23 per cent of Irish households comprised a sole occupant and yet they remain invisible in the realm of public policies and practices. [ The joys of solo travelling: 'You're exploring a new place and exploring yourself as well' Opens in new window ] Residential property prices are so high that young people need two incomes to afford a home in many parts of Dublin or, for that matter, Cork and Galway. Just ask the 522,486 adults still living with their parents why they're not coupled up in their own love nests. Singletons fortunate enough to have a home of their own need only venture as far as the supermarket for the next belt of a baton from the how-dare-you-live-alone police. The shelves are stacked with the extra bill for the one-person household. See the packet of five plain bagels with a best before date in two days' time. That special offer of three packets of pork medallions for €9 looks tasty, except there are four fillets in each packet. Pigs will fly before you get to eat all 12 of them. On a recent shopping expedition, the only free-range chicken breasts available were in packs of three. The courgettes came in pairs. It would be courgette for breakfast, dinner and tea in the one-person home. If businesses and governments won't think of the singletons, they might at least think of the planet. Food waste depletes resources and degrades the soil. According to it accounts for one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The total number of people living alone when the 2022 census was taken (425,974) had risen by seven per cent since the 2016 census. The signs are that the number will continue to rise. It's past time for the establishment to drop its JD Vance-esque 'childless cat ladies' derision of those who live alone and start planning for the future of shrinking households.
