The Western Australia Tourism Board presents a wild flower travel package available for purchase at four travel agencies: Mode Tour, Very Good Tour, Hanjin Travel and Lotte JTB. Western Australia boasts about 15,000 flower species and a dazzling landscape with lush scents and colors from September to November, attracting tourists, photographers and flower experts every year to see the spectacular scenes. The eight-day travel package which starts at 3.2 million won includes round-trip airline tic

DAMASCUS (AFP) ― Tourism in Syria has been decimated by more than 17 months of deadly conflict, with hotel rooms once let to foreigners now often occupied by people who are refugees in their own country, official figures show.Revenue from tourism has plummeted 75.4 percent since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule erupted, the prime minister’s office was quoted as saying by the government daily Tishrin on Wednesday.A government study showed that tourism generated just 12.8 bill

English schoolboy Charlie Naysmith, 8, found a 600-gram chunk of ambergris, the official name for whale vomit, while walking along the beach near Bournemouth, England, according to news reports. Ambergris is yellowish beige, feels waxy, and exudes a sweet perfume. Years of floating and exposure to the sun and salt turns the vomit into what looks like smooth rock. Perfume makers highly sought ambergris years ago because it helps prolong the scent of perfumes. Nowadays, perfume makers substitute t

Sheraton Macao Hotel will open on Sept. 20 in Macau’s new resort complex, Sands Cotai Central, the Starwood Hotels and Resorts said.The company said the 3,863-room Sheraton Macau Hotel will be both the largest hotel in Macau and Starwood’s largest hotel.The hotel features an extensive selection of guest room categories, all offering the hotel’s signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper queen- and king-sized beds, 42-inch LCD TV, a refreshment center and spacious bathrooms. Restaurants offer a diverse arr

One of the Asia’s biggest sports and entertainment festivals “Grand Prix Season Singapore” will be held during the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix from Sept. 21-23. Singapore is one of the 20 cities where Formula One Grand Prix is held this year. Various events are planned along with the Grand Prix event including concerts featuring top singers such as American rock band Maroon 5, American singer Katy Perry and Chinese actor Jay Chou. For more information, visit www.singaporegp.sg.

Hard Rock Hotel in the resort city of Cancun, Mexico, opened in August, following the rebranding of Cancun Palace Hotel. The hotel with 601 rooms features a luxurious interior themed around rock ‘n’ roll and a beautiful view of Cancun’s famous white-sand beaches. The hotel offers all-inclusive services featuring convention centers, a bar and lounge, an outdoor swimming pool and five restaurants including its newly opened Brazilian steak house. For more information, visit www.hardrockhotels.com/a

The Alaska Tourism Board launched its official Korean website this week to introduce famous tourist destinations, transportation and accommodation information as well as offer detailed information on travel spots frequently visited by Korean tourists. Korean visitors to the website can order a copy of the Alaska guide book in Korean for free. Travel agencies and media can also download free online newsletter and images after going through a simple registration process. For more information, visi

HOBOKEN, New Jersey (AP) ― Google is buying the Frommer’s brand of travel guides.Google Inc., which bought the Zagat restaurant review service in September, plans to use Frommer’s guides to hotels and destinations around the world to complement the Zagat listings.Google is buying Frommer’s from publisher John Wiley & Sons Inc. in a deal that includes John Wiley’s other travel-related businesses. Financial terms were not disclosed in Monday’s announcement.Frommer’s got its start in 1957 with the

The luxury resort in Thailand will hold the annual World Gourmet Festival on Sept. 10 with award-winning American celebrity chef Michael Mina.Mina will present a special dinner course to the selected 25 customers. The dinner course will consist of modern American cuisine paired with top wines. The resort also offers a special accommodation package at the luxury villa with a private pool, breakfast for two and two tickets to Mina’s special dinner for tourists coming for the gourmet festival. For

The Korea Tourism Organization has published a traditional market guide book for Chinese tourists as part of its efforts to revitalize tourist visits to traditional markets in Seoul.The guide book focuses on Gwangjang market, Tongin market and Gongdeok market and suggests interesting experiences available there through a format based on SBS’ famous entertainment show “Running Man.” The book consists of different missions that can be completed by visiting food vendors or different stores.

Korea Railroad Corporation will hold a vacation package contest for college students to come up with creative vacation packages and a better way to promote the rail company. University students can apply for three categories ― vacation packages ideas, video promotion for KORAIL and poster promotion. Entries for the contest are open till Sept. 2 at www.korail.com.Winners will be announced on Sept. 12 on the website. Winners will receive awards of 1 million won, 500,000 won and 300,000 won in the