Tripadvisor the world’s largest travel site,  announced the winners of its Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations on the Rise. The awards highlight 52 spots around the world that have seen the greatest increase in positive feedback and interest from the TripAdvisor community, year-over-year.

This year two Indian destinations have made it to the coveted list, Leh (Rank # 7) and Rishikesh (Rank #10) as opposed to just one last year. In addition to Asia and world, Travellers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise lists were also unveiled for the U.S, Europe, South America, and the South Pacific.

Award-winners were determined using an algorithm that primarily measured the year-over-year increase in positive TripAdvisor traveller review ratings on accommodations, restaurants, and attractions, across destinations worldwide.

“The TripAdvisor community has helped surface some unheralded destinations across the globe that are receiving rave reviews from travellers worldwide,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “From the boardwalks of the Jersey Shore to the temples of Vietnam, these award-winners offer highly-rated options for accommodations, restaurants and activities to inspire those planning their vacations for the new year.”

Travellers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise – ASIA

1. Da Nang, Vietnam – 122 Hotels, 203 Restaurants, 74 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate1: $51.04)

Located between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, this destination is known for its tranquil beaches, culinary tours, and Buddhist sanctuaries. TripAdvisor reviewers suggest a visit to the historic Marble Mountains where the “panoramic scenery is breathtaking.” For an authentic Vietnamese meal, travellers should not miss Lam Vien Restaurant.

2. Sihanoukville, Cambodia – 53 Hotels, 197 Restaurants, 61 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $99.35)

Surrounded by the Bay of Thailand, Sihanoukville is a spectacular beach town that offers premier snorkelling and diving. TripAdvisor reviewers describe Ream National Park as “a true tropical forest.” After exploring, travellers should check out Martini Beach, a great place to eat and marvel at the sunset.

3. Ao Nang, Thailand – 87 Hotels, 157 Restaurants, 78 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $68.40)

Beloved by travellers for its world class beaches and water sports, Ao Nang in Krabi is quickly growing in popularity. One TripAdvisor reviewer described Phra Nang Beach as “beautiful, clean and pristine.” In between swimming and sun bathing, travellers are invited to dine on incredible Thai food at Tom Ma Yom, which offers succulent prawns, papaya salad, and more.

4. Naha, Japan – 102 Hotels, 1,059 Restaurants, 82 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $84.38)

Located on the southern coast of Okinawa Island, Naha is known for its historic monuments and majestic gardens. One traveller noted that Shurijo Castle has been rebuilt to give visitors a “real feel” for ancient castles. TripAdvisor reviewers also rave about the traditional Okinawan cuisine at Yunangi noting, “It’s well worth the wait.”

5. Malé, Maldives – 38 Hotels, 89 Restaurants, 24 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $275.20)

As the island capital of Maldives, Male has its own distinctive character where travellers can have a taste of true Maldivian culture before heading out to the archipelago of islands. TripAdvisor reviewers describe the Old Friday Mosque as containing “one of the most important woodcarvings and laquerwork in the country”. Hungry travellers can drop by Sala Thai Restaurant for “one of the best restaurants in Male.”

6. Baku, Azerbaijan – 92 Hotels, 51 Restaurants, 213 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $162.64)

From its time as a Persian capital to its Soviet occupation, Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, is steeped in heritage. Visit Old City Baku to explore its “maze of little cobble-stoned streets, caravansaries, palaces, churches and mosques”, as well as the Maiden’s Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is also “one of the most noted landmarks and Azerbaijan’s most distinctive national symbol.”

7. Leh, India – 51 Hotels, 53 Restaurants, 52 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $85.21)

Surrounded by mountains, Leh is a picturesque city that used to be the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. With monasteries such as Thiksey Monastery in close proximity for travellers looking for a spiritual retreat and “peace and positivity”, the landscape of Leh also provides of numerous adventure activities.

8. Kandy, Sri Lanka – 50 Hotels, 73 Restaurants, 75 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: 107.27)

Kandy was the last capital of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka before becoming a British colony in 1815. The city still retains much of the Sinhalese tradition, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. Travellers looking for a place to rest can visit Slightly Chilled Lounge Bar for the “excellent view of Kandy lake and the surrounding city.”

9. Yerevan, Armenia – 50 Hotels, 279 Restaurants, 73 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $125.97)

Yerevan has been the capital of Armenia since 1918. The city is immensely rich in history, having been under Arab, Ottoman, Persian and Soviet rule in the past. TripAdvisor reviewers recommend a visit to The Museum of Ancient Manuscripts for “excellent display of many Armenian documents going back over a thousand years.” For a taste of Armenian cuisine with a French twist, travellers should not miss The Club Yerevan.

10. Rishikesh, India – 40 Hotels, 68 Restaurants, 66 Attractions (Average nightly hotel rate: $59.62)

Rishikesh, located at the base of the Himalayas, is also famously known as the World Capital of Yoga, drawing visitors from all around the world including The Beatles in the 1960s. The Beatles Ashram is the exact site that the Beatles visited almost 50 years ago which TripAdvisor reviewers describe as having “a great and powerful energy”. For an eatery with a similar relaxing ambience, travellers can visit Bistro Nirvana for a meal.

Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise – World 1. Da Nang, Vietnam – 122 Hotels, 203 Restaurants, 74 Attractions 2. Sihanoukville, Cambodia – 53 Hotels, 197 Restaurants, 61 Attractions 3. Limassol, Cyprus – 60 Hotels, 337 Restaurants, 83 Attractions 4. Ao Nang, Thailand – 87 Hotels, 157 Restaurants, 78 Attractions 5. Bodrum City, Turkey – 115 Hotels, 385 Restaurants, 101 Attractions 6. Naha, Japan – 102 Hotels, 1,059 Restaurants, 82 Attractions 7. Hurghada, Egypt – 182 Hotels, 229 Restaurants, 162 Attractions 8. Kazan, Russia – 44 Hotels, 1,081 Restaurants, 217 Attractions 9. Manaus, Brazil – 40 Hotels, 935 Restaurants, 141 Attractions 10. Eilat, Israel – 65 Hotels, 88 Restaurants, 65 Attractions.

Norwegian has once again been voted “Europe’s best low-cost airline” – this time by AirlineRatings.com. The jury praises Norwegian’s ability to offer its passengers an innovative quality product and new routes at low fares. This is the second year running that Norwegian is awarded this international title by AirlineRatings.com.

AirlineRatings.com recently announced the winners of its “Airline Excellence Awards”. For the second year running, Norwegian is named “Europe’s best low-cost airline” by the jury. Winners from the other continents are: JetBlue (The Americas), Scoot (Asia / Pacific) and Kulula (Middle East / Africa). Norwegian is the only Nordic airline to receive a title. Last summer, Norwegian was also voted “Europe’s best low-cost airline” by the renowned Skytrax World Airline Awards for the second year running.

The four airlines are standouts in their respective markets with very clever innovations and they consistently delivery an excellent value proposition. These airlines may not always offer the lowest fare but what they always do is deliver the best value. And these airlines open new routes and make travel fun for millions who could previously not afford to fly,” said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas.

“This recognition means a lot and yet again confirms that customers appreciate Norwegian. We have new aircraft, free WiFi, low fares and many direct flights, but most importantly; we have skilled employees who every day ensure that our passengers enjoy their experience on board. Norwegian has won numerous international awards where the customers themselves have voted for us to become the best low-cost carrier. We will do our utmost and continue to work hard so that everyone has a good journey with us,” says Norwegian’s CEO Bjørn Kjos.

Flights were checked as cancelled’ on a flight information display near Christmas decoration sat the airport in Hanover,Germany, on three days, amid a pilot strike.

German carrier Lufthansa is facing yet another debilitating strike by its pilots, who said they’d walk off the job on Thursday. The strike, which has forced about three-dozen U.S. cancellations beginning Wednesday evening, is the pilots’ second strike this week and the 10th in 2014.

Pilots are upset over Lufthansa’s plans to make changes to its early retirement options. Currently, pilots can retire at age 55 and receive as much as 60% of their pay until they turn 65, when standard retirement benefits begin. German news network Deutsche Welle says Lufthansa “does not want new hires to fall under the plan (and) wishes to increase the early retirement age to 61.” The union wants no changes to the current program.

In fact, the announcement of the new strike comes as pilots already are involved in an ongoing strike that’s scheduled to wind down by the end of Tuesday. That disruption had forced Lufthansa to cancel half of its scheduled flights for Monday and Tuesday, grounding 1,350 flights — nearly half its schedule — and disrupting travel plans of about 150,000 passengers.

The Vereinigung Cockpit union said its latest walk-off would target Lufthansa’s long-haul and cargo flights on Thursday. The union said short- and medium-length flights would be unaffected.

The strike will affect numerous flights to North America. Lufthansa has already released a list of flights that would be grounded by the action. Among its U.S. destinations hit with cancellations for Wednesday evening and Thursday are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington.

In a statement Lufthansa said it could not afford the current scheme as it faces increased competition from both low-cost rivals in Europe and massive expanding Middle East airlines.

Best Western International announced today that the Hotel Mäster Johan in Malmö, Sweden is the first independent hotel to join the BW Premier CollectionSM, Best Western’s new soft brand. Launched in October, the BW Premier Collection continues Best Western’s rich history of providing guests with unique and local hotel experiences around the world.

The Hotel Mäster Johan is a first-class hotel in the heart of Malmö, a city in the southern part of Sweden. The 68-room boutique hotel has been carefully renovated to keep its modern, classic Nordic style with light colors, natural materials and beautiful art. The Hotel Mäster Johan is a recipient of the prestigious 2014 TripAdvisor Travelers Choice award.

“We are thrilled to be able to sign an international hotel as the first property in the BW Premier Collection portfolio. The Hotel Mäster Johan is a terrific example of the types of hotels that we expect will join the BW Premier Collection; upscale and luxury properties in primary and destination markets that share our commitment to delivering an exceptional and unique travel experience,” said Best Western International President and CEO David Kong.

“Our pay-for-performance fee structure combined with our powerful distribution channels and industry leading services provide a compelling opportunity for hoteliers to have the support of our global brand, reduce their reliance on online travel agencies and improve profitability while maintaining their independence,” added Kong.

“As a successful boutique hotel it is important for us to maintain our own brand. In an increasingly competitive market, joining the BW Premier Collection allows us to do that while benefiting from the support and services Best Western provides,” said Nina Nilsson Ulvinen, Hotel Mäster Johan owner and CEO.

The BW Premier Collection affords hoteliers with independent, upscale hotels access to Best Western’s $4.1 billion global reservation system, award-winning and fast-growing loyalty program, Best Western Rewards®, a global sales and marketing team and the power of its industry-leading mobile, eCommerce and technology resources, all while retaining their local identity and individuality.

“The Hotel Mäster Johan is one of the most popular hotels in Sweden which makes signing them as the first property in the BW Premier Collection very gratifying. We believe that the BW Premier Collection hotels will not only benefit from their relationship with Best Western, but Best Western Rewards members also win with a greater variety of hotels at which to redeem their points,” said Best Western Sweden CEO Johan Kukacka.

Over 1, 50,000 passengers were affected as 1350 Lufthansa flights were cancelled in the last two days. The strike was initiated by pilots of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, leading to the cancellation of short-haul and intercontinental flights.
Retirement benefit policy of the airline seems to be the issue of regular disagreement between the pilots and the management. This is the ninth consecutive strike this year. The German pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) representing nearly 5,400 pilots is opposing Lufthansa’s attempt to do away with a retirement plan that allows pilots to retire at 55, but continue receiving 60 % of their normal salary until the standard retirement age of 65 years.
Lufthansa announced that travelers who were affected by the strike can re-book their flights free of charge. Lufthansa, despite being Germany’s largest airline had to cut its profit projections for 2015 for the second time this year, thanks to rising costs and intense competition.
The airline is also expanding its low-cost service to counter tough competition from other carriers. Lufthansa however reveals that thanks to increase in demand and their “flexible demand-based capacity management,” the company has achieved acceptable traffic revenue by the third quarter of 2014.

Over the past few years there has been an increasing amount of Chinese money pouring into overseas real estate markets. With more than 40,000 new millionaires created in 2013 alone, China’s wealthy classes are on the rise.

But why are they not investing in domestic markets, favouring instead the prime real estate markets of New York, London and continental Europe?

Juwai, a portal website that helps Chinese investors find properties in 58 countries says it has helped to facilitate the sale of about 2.5 million properties, sending brokers leads of over €20bn.

Chinese seek safe haven for accumulated capital

Ultra-wealthy Chinese investors have been acquiring everything from overseas companies to foreign commercial and residential real estate. Their motivation is fairly straightforward: They feel their assets are much better protected overseas.

Michael Godin, vice president of Real Estate Global Partners who specialise in pairing Chinese investors with property brokers overseas said: “There is much more trust felt for other governments and that those assets will be protected by the government, compared to the assets here in China which could be taken away tomorrow.”

Investors get creative to take money out of China

However, Chinese money is only safe if it actually makes it overseas due to Chinese law prohibiting more than €40,000 leaving the country per person per year. As a result, Chinese investors and companies are getting increasingly creative when it comes to getting their money out of China and into overseas property.

Although this rule is not heavily enforced, it is pushing some Chinese investors to resort to methods such as going to the Chinese city of Shenzhen on the border of Hong Kong and transferring money in the millions from China to Hong Kong, where there are different outbound currency limits.

Some Chinese companies use international banks that have branches in both China and overseas. They deposit assets in China and then take out loans against them in the overseas branch.

Another attraction to Chinese investors are the visa opportunities in the US, UK, Spain and Portugal where qualifying investments entitle investors to residency visas, providing greater freedom of travel and overseas banking opportunities amongst other benefits.

There are however, rising concerns that Chinese investors are pricing the wealthier classes out of certain markets overseas, especially when it comes to housing. Bill Seto, president of the US China Real Estate Association provided some valuable insight into how Chinese buyers tick when he said:

“They don’t like to haggle. Reputation is very important; they like to pay high prices so they could outbid the other competitor and that’s the way it is.”

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One of the most influential businesswomen in the Middle East, Olayan, 58, runs Saudi Arabia’s Olayan Financing. The Middle East arm of the sprawling Olayan Group, it operates 40-plus companies across the region and is one of the biggest investors in local stock markets. Long a trailblazer, Olayan has pushed progressive business practices in the area; she joined the family business in 1983 when few corporate positions in Saudi were held by women. She was the first woman elected to a board position in the Kingdom, joining the Saudi Hollandi Bank in 2004, and became the first woman to deliver a keynote address at a major Saudi conference that same year. A member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, she is also on the Arab Business Council’s executive committee.