Just in time for Christmas Eve, when Rome's Jubilee Year will kick off, the Trevi Fountain will reopen to travellers. In the UAE, tourists are heading overseas for the festive season with Moscow and London the most searched winter destinations. Plus, new tourist experiences are coming to Ajman, and Turkish Airlines has been recognised for flying to the most countries in the world this year.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Rome’s Trevi Fountain reopens to travellers
One of Rome’s most visited attractions has reopened to the public after three months of renovations.
The Trevi Fountain is welcoming tourists again, but with some new rules in place, designed to preserve the 18th-century monument.
The works, which included removing limescale and pollution from the ancient attraction, cost more than €300,000 ($312,505) and are part of renovations taking place across the Eternal City ahead of the jubilee of the Roman Catholic Church, which begins on Christmas Eve.
Visitor numbers to the fountain are now limited to 400 at a time to avoid overcrowding. Tourists are once again able to throw coins directly into the baroque fountain. During the renovations, visitors could only toss coins into a makeshift pool. The tradition supposedly brings good luck.
The jubilee year in Rome is expected to draw millions of visitors. Authorities are putting plans in place to restrict access to the fountain during the celebrations by introducing online booking systems and timed visits.
Ajman's Emirati experiences in Masfout
Ajman has unveiled two new experiences, designed to give travellers a taste of the emirate's cultural heritage.
Taking place in Masfout, an area of Ajman located 120km south-east of the city, the new experiences include spending two days in the township with the opportunity to take part in a host of activities, including hiking, mediation and local farm visits.
A visit to an aflaj, a traditional water channel that has been an essential part of the region's water management system for centuries, is also part of the programme.
Known for its natural beauty and Hajar Mountains backdrop, Masfout boasts an interactive museum, and travellers can also visit the museum to find out more about the history of the region and its people. Visitors will also have the opportunity to spend the day with a local family to gain more understanding about their daily lives and traditions.
Announced by the Ajman Department of Tourism Development, the experiences are part of ongoing plans to boost the emirate's adventure and culture tourism.
Moscow tops UAE travellers' wish lists this festive season
Moscow has topped searches for travel from the UAE over the festive season.
That’s according to online travel company Wego, which has released its trending destinations for end-of-year trips. Reflecting the rise of the number of Russians living and working in the UAE, the city is a hub for travellers returning home this winter.
London is the second most-searched for destination for UAE travellers as residents from the UK also head home. The bright lights of places such as Oxford Street and Covent Garden at this time of year also attract tourists, as do the multitude of festively adorned hotels in the capital.
Azerbaijan's capital of Baku is the third most-searched for winter destination according to Wego. The city hosts an annual winter event at Fountain Square that typically attracts visitors from around the world. Georgia's Tbilisi is another strong performer, ranking as the fourth most-searched for destination for UAE travellers in December.
Other destinations ranking in Wego's top 10 list include Prague, Vienna, Paris, Yerevan, Milan, Sarajevo and Munich.
Travellers flying out of the UAE have had busy airports to contend with over the festive season. Dubai Airports is expecting 5.2 million travellers between December 13 and 31. December 27 to December 29 is also set to be one of the busiest periods for travel at Dubai Airport as people head overseas in the lead up to New Year. In Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways is having a bumper season and marked its busiest day on December 22.
Turkish Airlines earns Guinness World Records title for most number of destinations
Turkish Airlines officially flies to more countries than any other airline in the world.
The national airline of Turkey was recognised by Guinness World Records for operating to the most destinations globally. It received the title at a certification ceremony in Chile on Saturday.
The award coincided with the launch of the airline's newest route to Santiago, its 26th destination in America.
According to Guinness World Records, Turkish Airlines flies to 120 countries globally.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this historic achievement in Santiago, our newest destination,” said Bilal Eksi, chief executive of Turkish Airlines. “This Guinness World Records title solidifies our position as a truly global airline, connecting travellers to more corners of the world than any other.”
The airline is now officially recognised as the most globally connected, but Turkish Airlines has unofficially billed itself as the airline flying to the to the most countries in the world since 2012.
Including its newest route to Chile and some temporarily suspended routes, the airline says it has 131 countries on its network. The Istanbul-headquartered airline says this gives it a 30-country lead on its nearest competitor.
However, the airline could face some competition for the title next year. United Airlines has announced new routes for next year, with expansion plans including non-stop flights from the US to Greenland, Senegal and Madeira Island. This will see the Chicago-headquartered airline officially operating to 147 international destinations by summer 2025.
