China is likely to replace the United States as the world’s third most popular tourism destination next year, a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) official said. At present, China ranks fourth, after France, Spain and the United States.

Last year, China accounted for 5.8 percent of the global tourism market, a growth of 0.3 percent compared with two years ago.

Twenty-nine percent of tourists who traveled to Asia and the Pacific last year also visited China.

Xu Jing, regional representative for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO, said the market share percentages of China and the U.S. last year were very close.

“I am confident China will overtake the US next year,” he said at the 2007 China (Qingdao) International Olympics & Tourism Forum, which concluded on Friday.

Source:ChinaDaily

Interesting. Now, THIS is really fascinating – it’s rather dazzling to see it presented this way.

I certainly thought this was enlightening. beyond our sun … It’s a big universe.

Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky. It is more than 1000 light years away.

Now how big are you? And how big are the things that upset you day to day? Or for that matter, the things that are important? Keep life in prospective..!

LIFE’S BATTLE NEVER GOES TO A STRONGER OR FASTER MAN. BUT SOONER OR LATER, THE MAN WHO WINS IS THE MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN. SO WIN AND KEEP WINNING!!!

Once when people were asked – IS IT POSSIBLE TO BITE YOUR NOSE?

Every body thought it was impossible.. ……..
Until this guy came along, just watch how he makes the impossible possible…

According to BITKOM, 35.1 million vacations were booked online by Germans. That’s nearly one vacation booked online for every two Germans. The country’s total population was 82.4 million in July 2006, according to the US Census Bureau. Germans average 35 vacation days per year, compared with 13 in the US, according to the World Tourism Organization.

eMarketer Senior Analyst Jeffrey Grau said, “German leisure travelers are booking vacations online at strong rates that are allowing this market to close in on second place, behind the UK, in European online travel sales.”

Traditional travel agencies and tour operators have done well online in the UK. In Germany and France, however, travelers tend to go straight to online travel suppliers, according to Euromonitor International.

Did you know that you can also travel with extra oxygen? I am sure majority would say a big “No”. Till last midnight, I was also on the same page. But, now I can say it is indeed possible. I came across a website “Oxygen Freedom“. They deal in portable oxygen concentrators.

The use of oxygen concentrators began in July 2005 when FAA approved portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) for use during flight.

What is Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

A Portable Oxygen Concentrator is a lightweight unit that can run on AC, DC and battery power. This allows users to remain away from home for indefinite periods of time while using a portable oxygen concentrator. The development of the portable oxygen concentrator has opened endless possibilities for oxygen dependent people. Oxygen patients are free to travel like never before.

Currently, the following airlines allow the use of the portable oxygen concentrators onboard their aircraft:

• Air France
• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• Aloha Airlines
• American Airlines
• America West
• ATA Airlines
• Avianca Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• Delta
• Frontier
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Horizon Air
• Lufthansa
• Mango
• Mesa Airlines
• Midwest Airlines
• Northwest Airlines
• Qantas
• SAS Airlines
• Sky West
• South African Airways
• Southwest
• Sun Country
• US Airways
• WestJet Airlines

You are out of luck if you’re hoping for a change to Transportation Security Administration’s ban taking liquids and gels past security in your carry-on luggage. Those restrictions are “here for the foreseeable future,” Kathy Kraninger, director of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Office of Screening Coordination, says to Travel Weekly (free registration). The TSA first put the liquid and gel restrictions on carry-on luggage in August after a British authorities uncovered a terrorist plot to use liquid explosives on trans-Atlantic aircraft.

Those rules were somewhat relaxed in September when fliers got the OK to carry liquids and gels such as toothpaste and contact solution past security in containers of three ounces or less. Even then, liquids were still required to be placed in a single quart-sized, clear plastic zip-top bags to clear security. Despite the relaxation, the ban has remained unpopular with many fliers. Travel Weekly says Kraninger made her comments in “responding to a delegate’s question following her speech to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ conference [in Miami.] Kraninger said the DHS has not identified technology up to the task of identifying liquid explosive materials.”

May is National Bike Month, a great time for a family ride. Michael Frank, executive editor of Mountain Bike, shares his recommendations for car-free, scenic and relatively flat trails with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY

Forest Park -Portland, Ore.

Forest Park is true to its name — and at 5,161 acres, it’s the largest fully forested natural inner city park in the USA. “Enter and you’d swear you’re very far from civilization,” Frank says. “The niftiest way to see the park is via Leif Erikson Drive, an 11.2-mile, relatively flat dirt road that bisects the greenbelt and is shared by joggers, hikers, and cyclists.” 503-823-2223; www.portlandparks.org

Burke-Gilman Trail – Seattle

“The 27-mile Burke-Gilman Trail goes along scenic Lake Washington, and rolls by wineries (Columbia, Chateau Ste. Michelle) and excellent restaurants such as the Herbfarm in Woodinville, ultimately linking up to the East Lake Sammamish River Trail,” Frank says. “The newly opened 11-mile addition offers stunning views of Mount Rainier.” 206-684-4075.

Griffith Park – Los Angeles

This urban park in the heart of the city, home to the L.A. Zoo and the Griffith Observatory, is also rugged enough to harbor wildlife like foxes and deer. “While this isn’t a cyclist’s paradise, it’s a great place for families to ride from attraction to attraction, including several playgrounds, a bird sanctuary, and a merry-go-round,” Frank says. “The best loop runs along Crystal Springs Drive and Zoo Drive, then rolls back along the Los Angeles River and ends on Los Feliz Boulevard near the main entrance.” 323-913-4688.

Lost Prospector Trail – Park City, Utah

Known as a skier’s paradise and home of the Sundance Film Festival, Park City is also a mountain biker’s nirvana. “On the 7-mile route called Lost Prospector, you can spy natural attractions, including lovely stands of aspen and frequent views of the epic Wasatch Crest peaks and a bird’s-eye view of Park City,” Frank says. Want completely flat? Hit the less-taxing 28-mile Union Pacific Rail Trail, he advises. 435-649-6839; mountaintrails.org

Charles River Bike Path – Boston

“Beantown’s bike scene is vibrant, and its path network is huge,” Frank says. “One of the friendliest places to ride is along the 17-mile paved Charles River Bike Path, rolling by Harvard, the Museum of Science and the Charles River Esplanade. Watch crew teams practicing, sailors racing and kayakers enjoying the water.” Rent a boat and join the fun, he suggests, or stop for a family picnic by the riverside and watch. 617-626-4973.

Summit County Recreational Path – Colorado

Summit County is interconnected with a 55-mile network of asphalt, non-motorized pathways that link towns and resorts such as Breckenridge, Dillon and Copper. “Most climb and descend gently,” Frank says, “and the Breckenridge area has an entire network of new, family-friendly, single-track dirt trails that use pre-existing mining paths that date to the Colorado gold rush.” 877-864-0868; gobreck.com

Mohonk Preserve – New Paltz, N.Y.

This 6,500-acre nature preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains is about 90 miles hours north of New York City. “Miles of rolling carriage roads weave throughout the beautiful woodland and link to those at the adjacent Minnewaska State Park Preserve,” Frank says. “Enjoy the mountain air and cliff views, and if you head out at dawn or dusk, you might be lucky enough to spot wildlife, including porcupines and owls.” 845-255-0919; mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?bike

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail – Key Largo

Old railways make perfect bicycle routes because they never climb or descend too steeply. “In Florida, which already is relatively flat, Henry Flagler’s rail line, which linked the Keys to the mainland at the end of the 19th century, is being converted into a 106-mile path connecting the islands,” Frank says. “Some of the existing sections go through Key Largo, Tavernier, Long Key Big Pine and Stock Island, and side trips on county road shoulders make for beautiful riding.” 305-853-3571.

Battle Creek Regional Park – St. Paul

This large county park, with nearly 8 miles of single track, arcs along its namesake tributary of the Mississippi River. “The riding can be challenging, but there are also mellower, wide dirt paths, and you can even ride from downtown St. Paul along a paved bike path that runs directly to the park,” Frank says. 651-748-2500.

Cape Fear River Trail – Fayetteville, N.C.

The largest of all bike paths in the nation will be the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile-long, car-free route that will stretch from northern Maine to southern Florida when it’s completed decades from now. About 20% of the city-to-city system has been opened, and perhaps no segment is more typical than the Cape Fear River Trail, Frank says. The 3.7-mile paved path features wooden walkways and bluebird houses. 910-433-1547.

The 166-room St. Regis Resort Fort Lauderdale has opened on Florida’s Gold Coast. Located on the beachfront promenade, the resort features a 5,000-bottle wine room with a separate cellar that can be reserved for private events. Each room and suite offers a view of either the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway and features leather furnishings, 1940s-era black and white photographs on the walls, wi-fi, DVD players, second TVs in the bathrooms, silk robes, Pratesi linens and Remede bath amenities.

The property is offering several specials to celebrate its grand opening. With the Luxury Has a New Address package, guests will receive a complimentary upgrade to a higher room category, a Remede Complete Treatment Spa Gift and a $50 food and beverage credit. The Magic of Four package offers guests who stay three nights a fourth night for free.

Do you plan to visit the St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale? When you get back, review it for us!

According to the Devner Post, “if thunderstorms hit this summer, airline travel could be a string of hassles and delays” all over again. Many airlines are leaner and operating fuller flights, while some carriers’ pilots and other employees are butting heads with management over executive compensation and labor contracts. Meanwhile, federal officials are trying to work with an aging air-traffic-control system,” the paper writes.

“We’re very concerned about this summer’s airline schedule,” John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, says to the Post. “I believe it’s going to be as bad as the summer of 2000.” Prater points out that many airlines have replaced bigger planes with more-frequent flights on smaller aircraft. That, he says, makes problems more likely. “You’ve got more business jets in the air, and you’ve got an air-traffic-control system that has not been modernized. There’s not any more runways. … That combination is not good for our industry,” he says.

Airlines, on the other hand, say they’re staffed to handle the always-busy summer travel season. At United, which set its record in March by filling 85% of its seats for the month, spokeswoman Jean Medina tells the Post that the carrier is “staffed to meet the travel needs of our customers.” Linda Rawlings, owner of Denver travel agency Travel Advocate, isn’t so sure. She’s going as far as to recommend customers pad itineraries with several extra days to guard against the possibility of flight disruptions. “There really isn’t any give in the system,” Rawlings tells the Post. “If a flight cancels out, you used to be able to say, ‘Oh, well, it’s no problem. We’ll just move you to the next one.’ Well, the next one is full. And none of the carriers want to move you to a different airline.”

Citysearch has just posted its editorial round-up of the Best Hotels Nationwide 2007. You’ll find winners for major cities around the U.S. in the following categories:

* Best Airport Hotel

* Best Bed and Breakfast Hotel

* Best Boutique Hotel

* Best Budget Hotel

* Best Business Hotel

* Best Family-Friendly Hotel

* Best Dining Hotel

* Best Luxury Hotel

* Best Pet-Friendly Hotel

* Best Romantic Hotel

* Best Tourist Hotel

* Best Weekend Getaway Hotel

A lot of web site come up with top ten lists, but Citysearch bases its winners on votes from its site visitors – and over here at TravelPost.com, we love travel advice generated by real people. Check ‘em out before you check in…