Exotic Vacations

Taiwan is keen on attracting more direct flights to the US and Europe. To meet rising demand and potential growth, the airport is also investing substantially in its facilities to increase total capacity to 45 million.

Taiwans Taoyuan International Airport has come to The Route Shop this week, proposing six new routes:

The airport handled over 25 million passengers in 2010 – an increase of 16% over 2009. For the foreseeable future, a similar growth is forecast due to increasing demand from tourism and business alike. The signing of the Economic Free Trade Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China, combined with the significant promotion of the charms of visiting Taiwan, has quickly resulted in an increase of trade, cultural and leisure-related travel across the Taiwan Strait. T

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If you looked at the flood of daily e-mails in my inbox under “cruising,” you would find that most are related to Europe or the Caribbean, and why not? That’s where the majority of cruisers will spend their dollars over the next few years.

That’s why it’s refreshing to see that Princess Cruise Lines – while focusing on Europe – is devoting at least part of its attention to the West Coast.

Generally, West Coast cruises mean re-positioning. S

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PZimm

Peter Zimmerman of Webster Groves won first prize in the 2010 Post-Dispatch Photo Contest with this shot of passengers viewing the Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, from Princess Cruise Line’s Golden Princess in September 2010.

Did all you wanderers keep your trigger fingers busy over the last 12 months?

Let’s hope so, because the Post-Dispatch Travel Photo Contest is back, and we want to see what you shot.

The judging for the contest will be done by travel editor Amy Bertrand; features photo editor Hillary Levin; at least one other photo editor and photographer; and yours truly (for the Life Sherpa is nothing if not judgmental).

Winners will be awarded free feature photography books — the large, gorgeous coffee-table kind with massive amounts of beautiful photos. W

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Some people are squeamish about traveling in summertime. Unless you can afford to travel only in air conditioned cars or airplanes, being on the road in the summer heat is hardly a very pleasant experience. This is why many people prefer to travel in autumn, when you can still enjoy sunlight but the weather is considerably milder. And theres another pro to autumn travel the foliage. Taking a trip to the countryside or to small, peaceful towns surrounded by a sea of red and gold leaves doesnt compare to anything else in the world. So here are some of the best small towns in the world for autumn travel.

Douro Valley is famous for its magnificent vineyards sprawled on gently rolling hills, and picturesque cities like the colorful Porto.

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Passengers flying bmi between London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh will have less choice from the start of the winter timetable.

According to flybmi.com the cuts start on October 30.  That is when the loss making bmi will reduce the number of Edinburgh services from a maximum of eight to six a day between Monday and Friday.

The Saturday frequency drops from six to four while on Sundays bmi will operate five flights to Edinburgh as against seven at present.

A sharper axe is wielded in the case of Manchester.

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