Category: United Kingdom (UK) 🇬🇧 (Page 3 of 4)

UNESCO designates 15 new Geoparks

2020.07.17 / Robert

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) on July 10, 2020 at it’s meeting in Paris, designated 15 new Geoparks. There are now 162 designated sites across 44 countries.

UNESCO said »

These sites of exceptional geological and cultural significance showcase the beauty and diversity of planet Earth. Today 162 sites across the world document our planet’s evolution over 4.6 billion years, unlocking our history preserved in the rock record to learn from the past and support local communities.

Cliffs of Fundy UNESCO Global Geopark in Nova Scotia, Canada (Twitter)
Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark, Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador (Twitter)
Xiangxi UNESCO Global Geopark, in Hunan Province, China
Zhangye UNESCO Global Geopark, in Zhangye City, Gansu Province, China
Lauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark in Finland (Twitter)
Toba Caldera UNESCO Global Geopark, on Sumatra Island, Indonesia
Rio Coco UNESCO Global Geopark, in Nicaragua
Estrela UNESCO Global Geopark, in Portugal (Twitter)
Hantangang UNESCO Global Geopark, in Korea
Yangan-Tau UNESCO Global Geopark, in Republic of Bashkortostan, Russian Federation
Djerdap UNESCO Global Geopark, in Serbia
Granada UNESCO Global Geopark, in Spain (Twitter)
Maestrazgo UNESCO Global Geopark, in Spain
The Black Country UNESCO Global Geopark, in England, UK (Twitter)
Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, in Dak Nong Province, Viet Nam
Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark, in the Aegean Region of Turkey (Twitter)

More » UNESCO

More » Wikipedia entry for UNESCO Global Geoparks

Switzerland remains the best country in the world » Canada has moved up to the second spot » U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings

2020.01.15 / Robert

For Switzerland, the 2020 ranking is the the fourth consecutive yearhas been judged No. 1 by residents of 36 countries. Canada was chosen second, overtaking Japan in the U.S. News’ fifth annual survey.

The Best Countries report, produced from an annual global survey of more than 20,000 people in 36 countries including the United States, reflects increasingly negative views of the world and within countries. Nearly half of survey respondents say conditions around the world have worsened in the past year. Likewise, an increased percentage of people say the gap between the rich and poor has grown and that nationalism is increasing.

According to the ranking, here are the Top 25 Countries in the World

Switzerland
Canada
Japan
Germany
Australia
United Kingdom
United States
Sweden
Netherlands
Norway
New Zealand
France
Denmark
Finland
China
Singapore
Italy
Austria
Spain
South Korea
Luxembourg
United Arab Emirates
Russia
Portugal
India

The Bottom 5 of the U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings are

Lebanon
Serbia
Oman
Belarus
Tunisia

See the full report.

LGBT travel index puts Sweden, Canada, and Norway at the top

2019.11.22 / Robert

The LGBTQ+ Danger Index lists the 25 safest countries for LGBTQ+ travellers »

1. 🇸🇪 Sweden
2. 🇨🇦 Canada
3. 🇳🇴 Norway
4. 🇵🇹 Portugal
5. 🇧🇪 Belgium
6. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
7. 🇫🇮 Finland
8. 🇫🇷 France
9. 🇮🇸 Iceland
10. 🇪🇸 Spain
11. 🇲🇹 Malta
12. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
13. 🇳🇱 Netherlands
14. 🇩🇰 Denmark
15. 🇿🇦 South Africa
16. 🇮🇪 Ireland
17. 🇦🇺 Australia
18. 🇺🇾 Uruguay
19. 🇨🇴 Colombia
20. 🇦🇹 Austria
21. 🇩🇪 Germany
22. 🇸🇮 Slovenia
23. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
24. 🇺🇸 United States
25. 🇬🇺 Guam

Antonia Wilson, writing in the Guardian »

Sweden has been named the most LGBT-friendly country in the world for travellers according to new research into gay rights in 150 countries.

The LGBTQ+ Danger Index was created by ranking the 150 most-visited countries using eight factors, including legalised same-sex marriage, worker protection and whether, based on Gallup poll findings, it is a good place to live.

Canada ranked second-safest, followed by Norway, Portugal and Belgium. The UK is sixth safest on the list, but the US does not make the top 20. The researchers, American couple Asher and Lyric Fergusson, who blog about staying safe while travelling, said one reason the US is only at number 24 is because gay rights vary from state to state.

Read the whole article in The Guardian »

Japan and Singapore top 2019 list of world’s most powerful passports

2019.10.01 / Robert

Euan McKirdy and Maureen O’Hare at CNN write »

Japan and Singapore have held onto their position as the world’s most travel-friendly passports.

That’s the view of the Henley Passport Index, which periodically measures the access each country’s travel document affords.

Singapore and Japan’s passports have topped the rankings thanks to both documents offering access to 190 countries each.

South Korea rubs shoulders with Finland and Germany in second place, with citizens of all three countries able to access 188 jurisdictions around the world without a prior visa.

Finland has benefited from recent changes to Pakistan‘s formerly highly restrictive visa policy. Pakistan now offers an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) to citizens of 50 countries, including Finland, Japan, Spain, Malta, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates — but not, notably, the United States or the UK.

The best passports in 2019 are:

1. Japan, Singapore (190 destinations)
2. Finland, Germany, South Korea (188)
3. Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg (187)
4. France, Spain, Sweden (186)
5. Austria, Netherlands, Portugal (185)
6. Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland (184)
7. Malta, Czech Republic (183)
8. New Zealand (182)
9. Australia, Lithuania, Slovakia (181)
10. Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Slovenia (180)
More at the Henley Passport Index

Notes

» Canada has been ranked 6th four years in a row. They were ranked 2nd in 2014, then dropped to 4th in 2015, and have been holding steady in 6th since 2016.

» The USA been on a steady decline since 2014 when they were ranked 1st. They dropped to 2nd in 2015, 4th in 2016, 5th in 2017 and 2018, and to 6th this year.

» The UK has been on a steady decline in the rankings, dropping from 1st in 2015, to 3rd in 2016, to 4th in 2017, to 5th in 2018, to 6th this year.

World’s Most Powerful Passports as of Q3 2019

2019.07.05 / Robert

The Henley Passport Index has released its third quarter ranking of the world’s most powerful passports in 2019.

The index is compiled from data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and measures global mobility based on visa-free access to destinations. It also uses data from the index’s 14-year history, “to show how travel mobility has changed over the past decade, looking at which passports have gained in strength and which have fallen behind.”

Japan and Singapore hold the world’s strongest passports, with Visa-free access to 189 destinations. South Korea dropped to second place, joining Germany and Finland with Visa-free access to 187 destinations.

The United Arab Emirates entered the top 20 index for the first time in the list’s 14-year-history, moving up an astonishing 41 spots. Other countries that climbed standings include Taiwan, which climbed 24 places over the past ten years and ranks 30th.

The USA and the UK each dropped to the lowest position they’ve held since 2010, sharing the sixth spot with Canada, Greece, Norway, Belgium and Ireland.

Pakistan now offers an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) to citizens of 50 countries, including Finland, Japan, Malta, Spain, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates — but not, notably, the USA or the UK.

Afghanistan is once again at the other end of the rankings, with its citizens needing a prior visa for all but 25 destinations worldwide.

Most Powerful Passports of Q3 2019:
1. Japan, Singapore (189 Destinations)
2. South Korea, Germany, Finland (187)
3. Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg (186)
4. France, Sweden, Spain (185)
5. Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland (184)
6. Canada, Norway, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, UK, US (183)
7. Malta (182)
8. Czechia (181)
9. Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Lithuania (180)
10. Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (179)

The Least Powerful Passports of Q3 2019:

101. Bangladesh, Eritrea, Iran, Lebanon, North Korea (39 Destinations)
102. Nepal (38)
103. Libya, Palestinian, Sudan (37)
104. Yemen (33)
105. Somalia (31)
106. Pakistan (30)
107. Syria (29)
108. Iraq (27)
109. Afghanistan (25)

Source: Henley Passport Index

Best Countries for Quality of Life

2019.04.12 / Robert

Through all phases of life, Canada and Scandinavian countries treat their citizens well, according to US News.

Canada
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
Switzerland
Finland
Australia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Germany
Belgium
United Kingdom
Japan
Luxemburg
Ireland
France
USA
Singapore
Portugal
China
Spain
Italy
South Korea
Poland
Czech Republic

More info at US News

The Worlds Most Powerful Passports, as of January 2019

2019.01.09 / Robert

Japan (190 countries can be visited without a visa)
Singapore, South Korea (189)
Germany, France (188)
Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden (187)
Luxembourg, Spain (186)
Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, U.K., U.S. (185)
Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland (184)
Czech Republic (183)
Malta (182)
Australia, Iceland, New Zealand (181)

London-based consulting firm Henley & Partners, using data from the International Air Transport Association, compiles this index of passports that allow visa-free travel.

In the past, this was an annual list, released every January. The list is now being updated every few months.

Since January 2018, Germany has been knocked out of top spot, while both the U,K. and U.S. passports have dropped one place in the rankings.

More at Lonely Planet, Traveller, CNN

China will be the world’s top tourist destination by 2030

2018.11.23 / Robert

Chinese authorities have recognized that tourism is a key pillar of their economy, and they continue to invest heavily to improve infrastructure and standards, in addition to opening up the country with increasingly tourism-friendly policies and initiatives.

At the World Travel Market in London, Euromonitor International’s Head of Travel Caroline Bremner said: “Destinations like China are poised for a successful performance in inbound tourism, with China set to overtake France as the leading destination worldwide by 2030.”

The report estimates there will be 127 million arrivals in China each year by the end of the next decade, compared to 126 million in France and 116 million in the US.

And as household incomes and standards of living continue to rise, more Chinese are predicted to be travelling overseas in the coming decade than any other nationality.

These passports offer the most travel freedom

2018.10.09 / Robert

The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without first obtaining a visa.

Henley & Partners released this press release today:

Japan has overtaken Singapore to claim the top spot on the 2018 Henley Passport Index, having gained visa-free access to Myanmar this month. Japan now enjoys visa-free/visa-on-arrival access to 190 destinations, compared to Singapore’s total of 189. The countries have been neck and neck since they both climbed to 1st place in February, pushing Germany down to 2nd place for the first time since 2014.

Germany has now fallen further to 3rd place, which it shares with South Korea and France. Their nationals enjoy visa-free access to 188 countries. France moved up a place last Friday when it gained visa-free access to Uzbekistan. Iraq and Afghanistan continues to sit at the bottom (106th) of the Henley Passport Index — based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association(IATA).

The US and the UK, both with 186 destinations, have slid down yet another spot — from 4th to 5th place — with neither having gained access to any new jurisdictions since the start of 2018. With stagnant outbound visa activity compared to Asian high-performers, it seems unlikely they will regain the number 1 spot they jointly held in 2015 any time soon.

In general, the UAE has made the most remarkable ascent on the Henley Passport Index, from 62nd place in 2006 to 21st place worldwide currently, and looking ahead, the most dramatic climb might come from Kosovo, which officially met all the criteria for visa-liberalization with the EU in July and is now in discussions with the European Council.

Russia received a boost in September when Taiwan announced a visa-waiver, but the country has nonetheless fallen from 46th to 47th place due to movements higher up the ranking. The same is true of China: Chinese nationals obtained access to two new jurisdictions (St. Lucia and Myanmar), but the Chinese passport fell two places, to 71st overall.

Dr. Christian H. Kälin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners, says countries with citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programs all fall within the top 50 of the Henley Passport Index. Newcomer Moldova, which is due to launch its CBI program in November, has climbed 20 places since 2008. “The travel freedom that comes with a second passport is significant, while the economic and societal value that CBI programs generate for host countries can be transformative,” says Dr. Kälin.

The top countries are:

1. Japan (190 countries)

2. Singapore (189 countries)

3. Germany (188 countries)

4. (Tied) France, South Korea, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Spain (187 countries)

5. (Tied) Norway, United Kingdom, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, USA (186 countries)

6. (Tied) Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland (185 countries)

7. (Tied) Australia, Greece, Malta (183 countries)

8. (Tied) New Zealand, Czech Republic (182 countries)

9. Iceland (181 countries)

10. (Tied) Hungary, Slovenia, Malaysia (180 countries)

New Michelin star restaurants in the UK and Ireland

2018.10.03 / Robert

The Michelin Guide has announced the new winners for 2019. 21 new restaurants in Great Britain and Ireland received their first Michelin star and three more received a second. None reached a third.

The first ever Michelin Guide was produced for French motorists 118 years ago, in 1900. One star meant a restaurant was good and worthy of a stop; two that it mérite un détour (justified a detour); and three that it was so exceptional that it warranted a special journey.

Restaurants to received two Michelin stars:

1. Clare Smyth’s Core in Notting Hill, London
2. James Knappett’s Bubbledogs Kitchen Table in Fitzrovia, London
3. Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in Lancashire

Restaurants to receive their first Michelin star:

1. Tomos Parry’s Brat in Hackney, London
2. Jeremy Chan’s Ikoyi in Westminster, London
3. Nieves Barragán Mohacho and José Etura’s Sabor in Westminster, London
4. Ollie Dabbous’ Hide in Mayfair, London
5. Sam Kamienko, Ed Thaw and Jack Lewens’ Leroy in Hackney, London
6. Simon Rogan’s Roganic in Westminster, London
7. Simon Rogan’s Rogan & Co, Cartmel, Cumbria
8. Chris Simpson’s Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon
9. Steve Drake’s Sorrel, Dorking, Surrey
10. Tim Allen’s Flitch of Bacon, Dunmow, Essex
11. Chris Cleghorn’s Olive Tree, Bath, Somerset
12. Colin McGurran’s Winteringham Fields, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire
13. Paul Foster’s Salt, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
14. Paul Welburn’s Oxford Kitchen, Oxford, Oxfordshire
15. Daniel Smith’s Fordwich Arms, Canterbury, Kent
16. Tom Parker’s White Swan, Fence, Lancashire
17. Dom Robinson’s Blackbird, Bagnor Berkshire
18. George Livesey’s Bulrush, Bristol
19. Ahmet Dede’s Mews, Baltimore, County Cork
20. Takashi Miyazaki’s Ichigo Ichie, Cork
21. Rob Krawczyk’s Chestnut, Ballydehob, County Cork

There are now a total of 155 one-Michelin-star establishments, 20 two-star and five three-star in the UK and Ireland.

If chasing the most remote Michelin star restaurant is what you are after, then check out Koks, the worlds most remote foodie destination. (The New Yorker)

The Michelin Guide

More at Conde Nast Traveller