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Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Ryanair's profit more than doubled in April
Ryanair's net profit more than doubled in its April-June quarter on higher-than-expected last-minute fares and the timing of the Easter holidays, while bookings for rest of the summer are 'robust', Europe's largest low-cost carrier said on Monday. The Irish airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, said it was not seeing a negative trend of later-than-normal bookings reported by some rivals. 'Across the piece, bookings are good,' Chief Financial Officer Neil Sorahan said, describing consumer confidence as 'very strong.' Shares in the airline were up 6.5 per cent at 24.58 euros at 0725 GMT, just below the all-time high of 24.98 recorded on July 8. Ryanair reported a net profit of 820 million euros ($953 million) for its first quarter, which ended on June 30, up from 360 million euros in the same period last year when Easter was in March - and up from 663 million in the same period of 2023, the last time Easter was in April. A Ryanair poll of analysts had expected 716 million euros. Average fares rose 21% in the quarter, more than recovering the 15% fall recorded in the period last year. In the July-September quarter, when European airlines make most of their profit, Ryanair expects to recover 'almost all' of the 7 per cent fare decline seen last year, when it was hit by weak consumer sentiment and a dispute with some online travel agents. In June, Ryanair forecast that 'some of' the 7 per cent would be recovered. Asked about recent commentary from British low-cost rivals EasyJet and Jet2 that customers were booking later, Sorahan said: 'We're not seeing those kind of trends at all.' Rivals are likely seeing a negative impact from the resolution of Ryanair's dispute with online travel agents, he said. Reuters


Sharjah 24
3 days ago
- Sharjah 24
China's first Legoland opens to tourists in Shanghai
The Chinese branch of the British-owned theme park franchise is the biggest Legoland in the world. It drew in early customers who flocked to attractions including a miniature train ride and a dragon-themed rollercoaster. "I personally love to play with Lego blocks and we have many sets at home... so I wanted to come to Legoland at the earliest opportunity," said Shi, a 35-year-old resident of nearby city Hangzhou, who was visiting the park with his wife and child. Despite the Chinese economy's sluggish growth in recent years, domestic tourist spending grew 18.6 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous year, according to statistics. "Ever since the pandemic, I've made very few trips abroad," said Shi, adding his family now travels to theme parks around China "many times a year". Eager Lego fans rushed into the park as soon as it opened, wearing themed shirts and waving branded flags as they enjoyed the 318,000-square-metre (78.5-acre) compound in scorching temperatures. Beijing has announced subsidies intended to make travelling within the country more affordable for Chinese citizens, and is pushing local governments to heavily market their attractions on social media. Companies have taken note of the wider local tourism boom and stepped up their plans in China. A new "Spider-Man" attraction at Shanghai Disneyland broke ground in May, while Warner Brothers is set to open a Harry Potter experience in Shanghai by 2027. Toy giant Hasbro said this week its giant Peppa Pig park in the city was now "in the phase of creative design". Chinese collectable toy maker Pop Mart has also opened an attraction in Beijing featuring life-sized versions of its popular Labubu toys. "The various provinces are putting a lot of effort into expanding their tourism industries, and all of them have special attractions," said Xu, a 34-year-old parent visiting Legoland on Saturday with his children. But profitability remains a problem, especially for local companies with less brand recognition. As of late 2024, around 40 percent of parks were still failing to turn a profit, according to state media reports. Yet analysts point to a growing population of retirees and job market changes as key factors pushing more locals to visit domestic attractions. "The labour market is turning more flexible," said Ernan Cui, China consumer analyst at Gavekal Research. "More people have leisure time to travel around."


What's On
5 days ago
- What's On
8 luxury safari stays around the world to check out in 2025
In the world of experiential stays, safaris are perhaps the first choice for the discerning traveller. They come in with built-in storytelling, and immerse you into nature's gifts in that sort of salt-of-the-earth way that no other landscape can. You see it all unfolding in real time – the wildlife, the vegetation, the roots, all breathing collectively. If this year, you're looking to explore the safari experience, this list of luxury safari stays will start you off. Happy spotting! Jack's Camp in Botswana Jack's Camp is located in the Makgadikgadi salt pans of Bostwana, a time caspule ironically tucked away in a land so vast and open and somehow still hidden. This 1940s camp is all about the safari life, and every feature so personal and individual, it's unlike anything you'll experience. Founded by Ralph Bousfield in the '90s in honor of his father, Jack, the camp drips a mix of colonial style and archaeological treasures with the bare-earth, exhilarating air of pure, unadulterated nature. Each of the nine canvas tents come with campaign desks and hand-carved beds and, on the outside, broad wood decks, swings, and plunge pools. You spend the day bouncing along on safari jeeps and quad bikes and horseback, exploring the great (truly) outdoors of the surroundings, interacting with the wildlife, and evenings at a communal 36-seater table with guests and guides to sample fine local cuisine. It's a desert dream. @jackscampbotswana The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp in Kenya Steeped deeply in the air of Masai Mara, this is The Ritz Carlton's first foray into luxury safari stays, and in the Sub-Saharn African region, set to open in August of this year. The treetop safari camp gives guests a real chance to fully immerse themselves in the surrounding nature, escaping to a different way of life and living in the savannah. The hotel features 20 luxurious tented suites (including a four-bedroom Presidential suite) and will be elevated amongst the trees on a secluded island surrounded by the famous Sand River near the Tanzanian border, and a breathtaking window into the majesty of the Great Migration. Each tent comes with a separate living area, private sunken lounge, infinity plunge pool, and indoor and outdoor showers. Guests will also get a chance to experience exclusively curated game drives as well as other bespoke cultural experiences. @ritzcarltonmasaimara Suján in India Sujan, a property of Relais & Châteaux, has a beautiful story of origin, dating back more than 40 years and centered around a unifying love for the big cat – the tiger – and it's home, Ranthambore. A long history of family entrepreneurship and a love affair with the great outdoors birthed the Sujan chain of hotels in 2000, and they've been showcasing the best of Indian safari life since. Sujan Sher Bagh was the first, and features 12 beautiful tents, designed to evoke the feeling of a life on safari. The Serai will take you into the heart of the Indian desert, on a 100-acre expanse of indigenous desert scrub. This is where you'll find peace, quiet, an expected oasis, and it's a true taste of desert life. There is also the Jawai, set in a spectacular, sprawling dramatic wilderness and fusing luxury with the great outdoors. @thesujanlife Our Habitas in Namibia Set within a private reserve just 45 minutes from Windhoek Airport, at Habitas Namibia you can get up close and personal with The Kalahari desert, one of the largest in Africa, sprawling into Botswana and South Africa with expansive sand dunes, salt pans, and diverse wildlife. The star? The black-maned Kalahiri lion. With 40 luxurious tented suites spread across the savannah, the lodge offers a sense of barefoot luxury in the bush. Think handwoven textiles, outdoor showers, and private decks that open onto vast views. Evenings bring storytelling around the fire and stargazing under Namibia's famously clear skies. The desert is also the spiritual and physical home of the San/Bushmen, who have lived here for approximately 20,000 years and can be visited during specially-curated excursions arranged by locals. @habitasnamibia Wild Coast Tented Lodge in Sri Lanka Yala National Park, known for it's dense leopard population, sits on the Southern coast of Sri Lanka, where the land meets the Indian Ocean. Made up of 28 cocoon-like tents with four-poster beds, freestanding copper bathtubs, luxurious amenities, air conditioning, and private pools, this is luxury personified. Game drives into Yala, led by the lodge's expert rangers twice daily, reveal the park's teeming wildlife: elephants, spotted deer, mongoose, water buffalo, rare birds, and much more. Drinking and dining unfold in the breezy open-air restaurant, where an eclectic selection of Sri Lankan and international dishes is served. Swimming and lounging take place at the stunning infinity pool, which flows down the middle of the bar and restaurant, while sun loungers spill down the sand dunes overlooking the sea. @wildcoastlodge Londolozi Private Game Reserve in South Africa Londolozi Private Game Reserve is located in the heart of South Africa's Sabi Sand. Family-run for five generations, the property began as a hunting camp in 1926 and has transformed into one of Africa's most pioneering luxury safari experiences, guided not just by conservation, but by connection and consciousness. Spanning 35,000 acres of unspoiled wilderness, Londolozi is part of the Greater Kruger National Park ecosystem, where leopards roam free, lions prowl at dusk, and elephants wander through ancient riverbeds. Much attention is put to detail, from the locally inspired cuisine to the hand-carved furnishings. Days begin with dawn game drives led by expert rangers and Shangaan trackers, followed by bush walks, meditative moments in the Healing House, and evenings filled with fireside stories under star-strewn skies. @londolozi Tierra Attacama in Chile A desert safari, for a change, and one set in the otherwordly magic of the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth. Perched on the edge of the small town of San Pedro de Atacama, this surreal retreat is designed to immerse guests in the dramatic contrasts of the high-altitude plateau: salt flats that shimmer under the sun, jagged volcanoes on the horizon, and lunar landscapes carved by wind and time. Built on the site of a former cattle corral, the lodge was envisioned with sustainability and authenticity at its core. Local materials, traditional adobe techniques, and indigenous details come together in each of the 32 rooms and suites, all offering sweeping views of the Licancabur Volcano and desert beyond. Guests can choose from guided hikes through rainbow-hued valleys, sunrise visits to geysers bubbling with geothermal energy, horseback rides across salt plains, or soaks in natural thermal springs. @baillielodges Longitude 131° in Australia Longitude 131° is Australia's most iconic outback retreat, set at the edge of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This lodge offers front-row views of the sacred red monolith, Uluru, rising from the desert floor. Here, you get a deep immersion into the cultural and natural heartbeat of the Red Centre, rooted in Indigenous heritage, storytelling, and a powerful sense of place. Sixteen luxury tents, each featuring floor-to-ceiling glass, private decks with daybeds and fireplaces, and uninterrupted views of Uluru that shift with the light. Inside, curated artworks and artefacts honour the Anangu people, the land's Traditional Owners. For experiences, think guided walks through Walpa Gorge and private viewings of Bruce Munro's Field of Light. Meals are a celebration of native ingredients, paired with fine Australian wines and served under starlit skies at the Dune Top or around a flickering campfire. @longitude131 Images: Socials