Having recently returned from a delegate boosting trip to St Petersburg, Russia for the CIC Conservation and Hunting Congress - scheduled to take place in Johannesburg in 2012 - the Johannesburg Tourism Company’s Convention & Events Bureau (CEB) has announced a string of successful bids awarded, with estimated economic benefit to the city of more than R200 million.

Package holidays abroad are fine, but being cooped up in a toothpaste tube for several hours as you fly abroad, then enduring crowds, fights for sunbeds during the day and listening to the tourists fighting at night is simply not for everyone.

Speakers and moderators of the highest calibre are set to take part in WTTC’s 11th Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Las Vegas. Highlights include Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Expedia; media mogul Ted Turner; Christopher Rodrigues of Visit Britain; Jeff Clarke, President & CEO, Travelport; Mark Frissora, Chairman & CEO, Hertz; Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman, Jumeirah Group The theme of this year’s event will be “Programme for Powering Global Growth” and includes a top line-up of speakers drawn from around the world and from many different industries and sectors.

Abu Dhabi’s expanding cruise industry received an out-of-season boost with the maiden arrival of the 755 passenger capacity Ocean Princess at Mina Zayed Port earlier this week. But it just the tip of a burgeoning sector. Breaking Travel News investigates.

The May Fair Hotel, London is considered to be one of the most prestigious luxury hotels in the British capital with five star rooms, suites, health spa and gym. All this is located in a prized location on Hyde Park in central London – which has just been voted the “World’s Leading Destination” by the World Travel Awards. Here Breaking Travel News catches up with general manager Antony Lee to discover what separates the property from its many competitors.

Acknowledged as the leading travel show in Africa, Breaking Travel News has today been reporting from Indaba during the second day of the event in Durban. Here we meet some of the key players in the regional tourism sector and get their thoughts on developments in 2011 and what the future holds.