Ghana Is Ready To Host The Rest Of The World: Ghana Tourism Authority On Christmas Concerts

BY  Abdul Aziz Dec 27, 2023

The holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's are all about happiness, family, and celebration. This entails engaging in festive customs and spending time with loved ones for the majority of people. However, these holidays have a whole new significance for cosmonauts and astronauts in space. Vacations in space were uncommon in the early years of space exploration. The first Christmas spent in space by astronauts was during the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968. Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, and William A. Anders read passages from the Bible's Book of Genesis while in orbit around the moon, broadcasting the scenes to an estimated billion viewers worldwide. Vacations in space increased in frequency and length as missions went on. Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue observed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's in space during the 1973–1974 Skylab 4 mission. They watched a comet pass by, made a homemade Christmas tree out of food containers, and had a festive dinner that included fruitcake. For cosmonauts, the New Year's holiday was particularly important. Yuri V. Romanenko and Georgi M. Grechko were the first people to celebrate the new year while in orbit on the Salyut-6 space station in 1977 and 1978. In a broadcast on television, they raised a glass to the occasion. Astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman observed Hanukkah in 1993 while on the STS-61 mission aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. To celebrate the Festival of Lights, he spun a dreidel and carried a traveling menorah. Holidays were not only observed in space, but astronauts went above and beyond to make the occasion joyful. The 1999 STS-103 crew, who were entrusted with fixing the Hubble Space Telescope, celebrated Christmas with a special meal that included French specialties. Twelve Mir expedition crews, including NASA astronauts, spent their vacations on board the Russian space station between 1987 and 1998. Messages were exchanged and customs, like lighting Hanukkah candles and sending Christmas greetings, were demonstrated during these festivities. On board the International Space Station, holiday celebrations are still customarily observed. Whether it's through live broadcasts, symbolic decorations, or special food items, astronauts and cosmonauts find inventive ways to bring the joy of these festivities to the cosmic realm. Though they may be different, people who celebrate the holidays far above Earth still find great meaning and significance in them. Read Also: 6 Things Locals Wish Tourists Wouldn’t Do When In Iceland Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area Is Expecting Big Changes Bora Bora Is Shifting Its Tourism Policy, Aims To Double Tourists By 2033

BY  Abdul Aziz Oct 11, 2023

Officials have issued a statement that Thailand is bent on restoring the confidence of tourists in the tourism sector. The statement follows closely on the heels of a mass shooting at a luxury mall. Two foreigners have been killed, and it has made hopes of attracting overseas visitors a distant dream. On Tuesday, the police arrested a 14-year-old boy suspected of having unleashed a barrage of gunfire at the Siam Paragon Mall. The location being the center of Bangkok’s commercial zone has raised all too many eyebrows. The incident caused the death of two women- one of them from China and the other from Myanmar, injuring five people. Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, has said that the agencies have vowed to do their best to restore confidence. "We need to improve security in all areas for Thai and foreign tourists," she said without explaining any necessary steps being taken. Somsong Sachaphimukh, Vice President of the Tourism Council of Thailand industry group, has remarked, "This will impact tourism confidence and will affect our reputation. In the past, there were complaints about safety from China but this was something unthinkable." Chinese tourists have accounted for 11 million of the 39.9 million foreign visitors in Thailand in 2019. Tourism so far has been pretty slow, and it has prompted the government to decide on the visa waiver ahead of the peak season. Thai Examiner issued a report on the fee situation so far. The visa waiver will be collected from foreign travelers to provide “emergency medical health insurance cover and other benefits for 30 days from the point of entry.” The report explained that the fee needs “to be paid on arrival at kiosks at Immigration Bureau points of entry, including at airports after landing. The fee will also be delivered via a website or smartphone app.” It further added that “The tourism fee is supported broadly by the tourism industry as its tourist insurance fund is considered an essential step forward given the repeated stories of tragedies, accidents, and personal disasters which occur every year.” Read Also: Israel Government Declares War: Multiple Flights Cancelled National Taco Day: How To Celebrate If You Are From Chicago Columbus Day And Indigenous People’s Day: What IS Open And What Is Closed?

BY  Ankita Dec 11, 2023

Get ready for the much-anticipated SGFE (Skift Global Forum East). It is the ultimate travel conference by Skift. This year, it joins forces with the annual summit of Dubai Tourism organized by the DET (the Department of Economy and Tourism). Save the dates – December 12-14, 2023, at the luxurious Atlantis The Royal. Forget about the things to do in Dubai. This three-part extravaganza includes the Skift Global Forum East, a MENA extension of the renowned Skift Global Forum. Brace yourself for deep dives into the future of travel, exploring innovations in marketing, strategy, and technology. Meanwhile, DET's bi-annual 'City Briefing' is the pulse of industry stakeholders coming together to share ideas and strategies. The Dubai Tourism Summit, born during last year's Skift Global Forum East, is a world-class thought leadership program for networking among industry stakeholders. The 'City Briefing' event gathers DET’s aviation, travel, hospitality, and retail partners to discuss the latest industry developments. Expect a powerhouse lineup at Skift Global Forum East 2023, featuring CEOs, thought leaders, and innovators from Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Global Hotel Alliance, Dubai Airports, Emirates, Google, Accor, Emaar Hospitality Group, and more. Dive into discussions covering the future of travel, challenges of air capacity, post-pandemic trends for Chinese travelers, destination marketing through filmmaking, and the role of AI in shaping travel's future – with a focus on the dynamic Middle East region. Be part of conversations on global consumer shifts, building destination capacity, demographic trends, sustainability, and macroeconomic impacts on the industry. The Forum starts with a dazzling opening night reception at Cloud 22, Atlantis The Royal, on December 12, 2023 – an opportunity for networking and connecting with industry leaders. Ready to join the conversation? Register for detailed event information at https://live.skift.com/skift-global-forum-east-2023, the official Skift Global Forum East 2023 site. Don't miss this chance to be at the forefront of the travel industry's future. Read Also: Crime Rate In Florida Trending Down While California Skyrockets: Report Thailand Becomes Most Preferred Destination For Tourists: Agoda Reports