PHOTO: Edinburgh Castle (Photo by Barry Kaufman)

Ireland’s Tourism Boom Leads to High Hotel Occupancy Buoyed by an increase in visitors to Ireland, hotel occupancy rates around the nation are hovering around 70 percent. Tim Fenn, chief executive of the Irish Hotels Federation, said the sector benefited from an 11 percent increase in overseas visitors. ADVERTISING

Alien Tourism Boom? Now this is a case for Mulder and Scully: Members of the alien and UFO communities are speculating that an increase in UFO activity recently is due to alien tour operators who are operating guided tours of earth for “little green men.”

Promoting Responsible Tourism a Must To avoid overcrowding and the destruction of sacred sights due to the effect of mass tourism, many countries are putting in place long-term plans for creating sustainable tourism and working with tour operators to perpetuate these ideas.

What is Scotland’s Top Tourist Attraction? Edinburgh Castle topped the list of these seven popular Scottish attractions. The castle saw more than 1.3 million visitors last year and was the only attraction on the list that visitors had to pay for.

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Adventure tours to Datanla Falls, a popular location for canyoning, have been suspended after three Britons were killed while exploring the area. Tourism officials are investigating the situation and are concerned about the safety of tour operations.

It’s not just Ireland scoring big in the tourism sector with the new “Star Wars” film. A quiet corner of England is also beginning to see an influx of visitors. The ancient woodlands of Puzzlewood, in the Forest of Dean, have now been center stage in a fair share of blockbusters. 

West Virginia has just taken traveling with your pets to the next level. The West FURginia Fridays campaign is targeted to those who love their furry friends. Share a photo of yourself exploring West Virginia with your pet for a chance to win. 

Saudi Arabia is looking to boost its tourism sector and is now encouraging investment in 66 of its islands. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage says that the uninhabited islands are a breeding ground for wildlife such as Arabian gazelles and also offer opportunities for diving.

Will Henderson County, Texas, be the next big wine region? Local wine lovers already recognize Athens as a wine-tasting hub. There are three wineries already in the area and vineyard owners are supportive of having more. 

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