First plans for the plot diagonally opposite of Bahnhof Zoo and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin were already made in the early 90s by British architect Richard Rogers on behalf of beverage manufacturer Brau und Brunnen. The plans were replaced, however, by a project of Frankfurt-based architect Christoph Mäckler for a 118 meter, 37-storied building. The first step was taken in 1995 with the demolition of the old buildings. In summer 2001, the lot was sold to the Dr. Ebertz & Partner group, which was planning a luxury hotel for the Hilton group.

However, this project, too, was put on hold at the time, and the district office used the empty lot as advertising space in late 2004. In May 2007, the lot was sold to three Spanish groups of investors in Malaga who aimed to use it for a mix of hotel, shops and offices. This project crashed as well, though.

Baku, Azerbaijan. Tourism is proving to be one of the most resilient sectors and can be a strategic vector in the way forward, as global economic conditions continue to deteriorate. This is among the main conclusions of UNWTO’s European member states meeting held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on the occasion of the 49th UNWTO Commission for Europe.

European destinations are already taking measures to mitigate the negative impact of the economic situation on tourism, which is expected to last until 2010. Demand driving measures already implemented range from reinforced promotion, to fiscal incentives and credit facilitation.

The building is located on Friedrichstraße, known as an entertainment strip since around 1900. The “New Friedrichstadtpalast“ was built to replace the “Old Friedrichstadtpalast“, the former Great Theater, closed in 1980 due to its state of disrepair.

The location to serve as the spot for the new building was a plot that used to be occupied by a barracks in the 18th century, later to be replaced by a finance office. The barracks was destroyed in the bombings at the end of World War II, its foundation then used for the circus arena of the former Circus Barlay from 1949 to 1960.

Tourism represents some 5% of GDP and 6% of jobs in G20 countries. Global tourism services exports amount to US$ 3 billion per day. Tourism is the main growth & trade driver for the world’s poorest countries. The travel sector can be a leader in the response to climate change.

London, UK / Madrid, Spain, 31 March 2009 – As a result of the challenges posed by the global economic crisis and the upcoming G20 meeting in London, UNWTO stresses that tourism and travel can play an integral role in any stimulus package and the shift towards a green economy. Tourism is a massive creator of jobs, as well as being a leading services export for developing economies.

TUI Travel PLC and Air Berlin PLC will form a long-term strategic partnership for their German flight operations. A respective agreement was signed yesterday, March 28, 2009. It stipulates an interlocking participation, where TUI Travel PLC takes a holding of 19.9 percent in Air Berlin PLC via a subsidiary and, vice versa, Air Berlin PLC acquires 19.9 percent of Hapag-Lloyd Fluggesellschaft mbH/TUIfly. The plan has already been agreed on by the supervisory committees of TUI AG and TUI Travel PLC. The plan, provided its sanction by the cartel authorities, is set to be put into action by October 1.

Crossing the southern and eastern parts of the Black Continent in style on board the Rovos Rail: The Berlin tour operator “Lernidee Erlebnisreisen” has exclusively chartered the most beautiful train in Africa for two dates in the early summer. The first trip will lead from Cape Town across the various landscapes of the southern African steppes, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia up to the tropical coast of Tanzania, and the second trip will head in the other direction back to the Cape.