Where is hip and happening for Asian travellers?

Couples around Asia have Tokyo as their prime travel destination right now. 

Digital travel platform Agoda had unveiled the top destinations couples are looking to visit this month, based on accommodation searches made on Agoda.

The ranking highlights a strong preference for city destinations over beach resorts with Tokyo, Seoul, and Bangkok leading the list.

Other popular cities include Osaka, Taipei, and Hong Kong, indicating a trend towards vibrant cityscapes and cultural hubs.

The full list is: Tokyo,  Seoul, Bangkok, Osaka, Taipei, Bali, Hong Kong, Fukuoka, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore. 

When analyzed at a market level, the data reveals that Bangkok is the favorite for couples from Malaysia and Vietnam, while Tokyo is the top choice for those from Thailand, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Andrew Smith, senior vice-president for supply at Agoda, said: “One might associate romantic getaways with a retreat in Maldives, Santorini, or Bali, but it's clear from Agoda's insights that city trips are a favorite among modern couples. 

“These destinations offer something different each time and cater to shorter getaways. Great for couples unable to take long vacations but still looking to spend some quality time together away from home. At Agoda, we're excited to assist couples in discovering the perfect destination to celebrate their love."

For more info visit agoda.com 

Can you guess which city has just been named the best cultural destination in Europe?

Looking for a cultural destination in Europe? 

Hoping to go beyond The Vatican, The Albert Hall and The Louvre? 

Well the people at USwitch, a mortgage company no less, say that they have done your homework for you, and decided that Prague (above), in the Czech Republic, is the best European destination for culture vultures.

USwitch notes that "Europe has always been renowned for its deep artistic roots, but with an abundance of attractions and limited time, culture lovers will inevitably have to make some tough choices when deciding which locations to prioritise".

So it undertook a survey based on the total number of theatres, museums, landmarks and cultural tours across each city in Europe to calculate a cultural score. 

The study then considered additional factors such as reviews and population size, to determine the most cultural cities in Europe.

Which is fine in theory. 

But any listing that does not include Paris among the the top 10 cultural destinations in Europe has to be hugely suspect. Flawed methodology or weighting, perhaps. 

Just think. The Louvre, the Pompidou Centre, the Musée des Arts et Métiers, the Musée du Quai Branly, the Musee d'Orsay, the Musée Rodin, the Paris Opera and the Opera Bastille. And I have barely started. 

So, with a big question mark, I can advise that this survey says that with a cultural score of 9.85 out of a possible 10, Prague is the most cultured city in Europe. 

It apparently has has 14.46 landmarks for every 100,000 residents and the most monuments of any city in Europe. It also benefits from having the most theatres (1.89 per 100,000), 28.6% more than the number of theatres in London. 

Prague is a delightful city, certainly, with great history and immense allure. It has a delightful location on the River Danube and attractions including Prague Castle, the Astronomical Clock and the Charles Bridge among others. But...

With cultural hotspots such as the Rijkmuseum, Amsterdam (9.81/10) has the most museums per 100,000 people in Europe (7.66), and is the second most-cultured city in the continent, the survey says. Maybe they have been bonging on.  

Dublin is the third most cultural city in Europe, with a score of 9.48/10, apparently boosted by the Irish Whiskey Museum. 

Stop laughing out loud at the back! 

Then come Rome, Munich, Copenhagen, Budapest, London and Berlin in equal eighth, then Milan and Vienna. Poor Paris must be mortified.     

For full details of the survey visit https://www.uswitch.com/mortgages/guides/most-cultured-spots-Europe/

Roads less travelled: There is more to England than London

There is more to England than tourist hot spots like London, Stonehenge and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Many visitors to England don't get as far as the Lake District, Dartmoor and other country regions; let alone visiting cities like Liverpool, York or Norwich.

And that is equally true of domestic tourists, who rarely venture off their well-beaten paths.

VisitEngland has this week launched a new Escape the Everyday campaign, hoping to encourage more short-breaks stays in English cities this northern spring and early summer.

The Enjoy an English city break this spring campaign is putting the spotlight on the destinations, visitor attractions and experiences on offer across England’s cities, to build back demand for domestic breaks.

The campaign also aims to support cities, city attractions and regional gateways, hit hard by the lack of international visitors.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: "Our cities have attractions, tours and experiences to suit all interests.

"Businesses are eager to see visitors and we want everyone to get involved, book a short-break to our cities and kick-start the tourism season."

Cities involved in the campaign include Bath, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Coventry, Exeter, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich (the River Wensum is pictured top), Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield and York.

The campaign will run across the partners’ digital channels, including Instagram and Facebook, with city-focused content ranging from short films and articles to interactive city guides, city ‘show reels’ and city story quizzes.

City-inspired content is also running across VisitEngland’s digital channels highlighting sustainability, connecting with loved ones and looking ahead to 2022 events.

A dedicated Escape the Everyday hub on www.VisitEngland.com is also featuring ideas, experiences and activities on what to see and do across England’s cities.