I recently attended a New York event hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) announcing their link with Faberge. I think the message was… if you are into luxury this is your cruise line. Faberge Brand is Provocative The House of Faberge is controversial. In 1885 the brand’s name was equated with both opulence and scandal. While the […]
Sparkling Wines from Spain Challenge “The Other Guys”
The French have spent many marketing dollars conditioning us to equate Champagne with good times, simultaneously encouraging us to believe that all sparkling wines are French. Results? Champagne has become a word that is ubiquitous. If we have an urge for a glass of sparkling wine our brain immediately latches onto the word Champagne, and […]
Only in France: Champagne with Romantic Happy Bubbles
Oscar Wilde said, “Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking champagne.” The production of Champagne dates back hundreds of years, and the accumulated know-how and substantial public relations have made France and French products one of the most emblematic “wine countries” on the planet. France is the only place in the […]
Is Medical Tourism Safe?
At first blush, Medical tourism seems like a good idea. Travel to Thailand, UAE, or Germany – and while exploring the culture, food, wines and shops, make a stop at a local hospital for a tummy tuck, a kidney transplant or a hip replacement. What is Medical Tourism? Medical tourism (also known as health tourism, medical […]
Is Tourism open or closed? Your fault or their failure?
Is Recovery Doable? The elected and appointed men and women working in Washington, DC, spend most of their time pointing fingers at each other, creating mayhem, dissention, confusion and ultimately disasters, wrecking (perhaps destroying) the world economy. One of the biggest losers in this “He said. She said” fiasco is the tourism industry and its […]
Why Tourism is part of the COVID-19 Problem?
VID-19 appeared first on the Chinese radar screen at the end of December 2019 and became part of the global dialogue at the beginning of 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus a pandemic on March 12, 2020, and since then the virus has touched every aspect of the world economy including but […]
No more International Flights on South African Airways
Travel to South Africa may be impossible at this time. The COVID-19 pandemic and attendant travel restrictions resulted in a substantial decline in demand for air travel. The situation caused many airlines across the world to ground aircraft, release their employees, and to cancel flights. In the case of SAA, this decision means that SAA […]
One Woman. Many Wines
Lia Tolaini Banville and her father, Pier Luigi Tolaini, started importing wines from Italy 16 years ago (2004), expanding the operation in 2016 to include wines from France, Germany and the UK. In 2011, Banville added Italian spirits to her portfolio, introduced a wholesale division and, a few years later, extended her reach to include Washington, DC […]
From Cape Town to Stellenbosch in under 1 hour
Cape Town is South Africa’s second largest city, with 4 million people and 10+ million tourists (2017). As an international hub, it attracts visitors from Russia, France, and Germany as well as the UK, New Zealand, Nigeria, and China. Located between the ocean and the mountains, with a national part in the center, this “Mother […]
Experience Tili: Enjoy wines from Umbria, Italy
The Tili Winery is the perfect template for a winery experience as it provides the authenticity visitors to the region expect in this green heart of Italy. The family directed tours of the Tili vineyards and the winery combined with gourmet dining makes the visit memorable. The winery is located on the hillsides of Mount […]