???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?The taxiways are cracked, the terminal has leaks and some airlines even wonder whether it’s safe to fly into Thailand’s new international airport. Bangkok’s sleek and modern Suvarnabhumi Airport, which opened to great fanfare in September, was supposed to transform the Thai capital into Southeast Asia’s leading air hub. To say it has had a…

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?World tourism set a record in 2006 despite fears of terrorism, bird flu and rising oil prices, the United Nations tourism watchdog reported Monday. A total of 842 million international tourist arrivals were recorded last year, an increase of about 4.5 percent, the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said, citing preliminary data.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://edition.cnn.com

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?There is only one count in this remote Transylvanian village of 512 souls nestling in the wilds of the Carpathian Mountains — and it isn’t Count Dracula. Meet Count Tibor Kalnoky, a dashing 40-year-old entrepreneur and son of Transylvania descended from a noble family which settled in these misty lands in the 13th century and…

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?The plunging waterfalls and soaring crags chiseled by the Merced River draw millions of visitors each year, but the crowds are precisely what threatens the waterway and the park. Efforts to safeguard the Merced have spawned a court battle over the future of development in Yosemite National Park’s most popular stretch.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://edition.cnn.com

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Needle-nosed ballyhoo fish leap from the water, lured by the wake as Capt. Bobby Halliday motors off Ambergris Caye. The turquoise waters here are so clear you can see blades of sea grass and lobster traps more than 20 feet below the surface. Halliday has been guiding fishing trips through these waters for years, making…

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Bride-to-be Megan Ziemba was weighing two Caribbean destinations for her winter wedding when the U.S. government stepped in and tipped the balance. nZiemba, a New Yorker, chose a colonial mansion in Puerto Rico, where her 100 guests won’t have to worry about a new passport requirement that has given the U.S. territory an edge in…

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Americans flying to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean made sure to bring their passports Monday because of a new rule going into effect Tuesday that requires them to show one to get back into the country.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://edition.cnn.com

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Cambodia should not rely on its famous Angkor Wat temple complex to sustain its tourism industry, and should be looking to develop other destinations as well, officials said Monday.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://edition.cnn.com

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Malaysia has launched its biggest tourism drive since independence under its famous slogan ‘Malaysia: Truly Asia,???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? but it may as well read ???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?truly bizarre.’???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://edition.cnn.com

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Spokesman for Easyjet, Toby Nicol, has reacted to criticism from Environment Minister Ian Pearson. Mr Pearson told The Guardian that the attitude of several airlines was ???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?a disgrace.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://news.sky.com/

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Recently announced increases in airline taxes aimed at helping reduce greenhouse gases should be repealed, according to Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://www.accountancyage.com

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?The head of Europe’s biggest budget airline Ryanair urged Britain to adopt a fresh approach to taxing air travel which would target fuel-guzzling old planes and business class travellers.???¢?¢?€š?¬?‚?? Link: http://www.planetark.com/

???¢?¢?€š?¬?…?€?Planes, ships, automobiles — they’re all great ways to travel. But if you really want to understand where you are, rather than materialize in your destination with brain slightly befuddled, take a train. Watching the scenery unfold as you move from Point A to Point B allows you to experience new places in real time,…

“Ryanair has lost its claim against a website which helps customers of the airline complain about the service they receive.” Link: http://www.theregister.co.uk