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Discuss this article (0 Comments)Glasgow gets going
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Saturday, 09 August 2008
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For those wanting to explore more of Scotland, Glasgow is a great stepping stone to get to the highlands, west coast and a number of other places very easily says Madisson.
Its Queen Street station is also the main line to Edinburgh, as well as including services to Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and the Western Highlands.
Shopping and culture
The direct flight [to Glasgow] has provided another channel for trade and an alternative to travelling via London.
Glasgow is second only to London as Britain's most important shopping destination, which has a diverse range of art-deco brasseries, stylish boutiques and market stalls.
Specialist tour planner Adams and Butler's a visit to some of the understated elements of Glasgow city is always a highlight for visitors.
"We often take clients to the Barras Market - Glasgow's flea market - and also stop for lunch in the food hall of Princes Square, where the ordinary working people of Glasgow eat," explains director of sales John Colclough.
Known as Scotland's style capital, Glasgow also has a budding art and fashion scene to keep the style savvy tourists busy for days according to Lee: "Glasgow has a very different take on art, fashion and crafts, which is attracting a lot of young designers and contemporary kilt makers to the region to showcase the latest fashions," she says.
From the city, visitors can take the Clyde Waterbus or a paddle steamer leading into the outer estuary from Greenock, she adds.
Further into the Clyde Valley is the town of Paisley, which gave its name to the distinctive pattern of the Paisley shawl, and is home to the magnificent 12th century Abbey.
With the number of Middle Eastern travellers to Scotland slowly rising, companies are starting to adapt their hospitality services to accommodate their particular needs, according to Lee.
"At the high-end concierge level there is a company called Dream Escape, which works with Middle Eastern visitors to tailor the finer details of travel such as food and service requests," she notes.
Madisson adds that the Balmoral Hotel in nearby Edinburgh - which is part of the top-end hotel group Rocco Forte Collection - works closely with its London properties to incorporate Middle Eastern options into its offerings.
"As Glasgow becomes a more popular destination for Middle Eastern guests it's important that companies understand the needs of Arab travellers," she says.
Glasgow's attractions are many and varied, from The Tall Ship moored at Glasgow harbour to the Gallery of Modern Art, The Roslyn Chapel and the river Clyde walk.
This Scottish city certainly has lots to offer.
The sales pitch
Getting there
• Emirates Airline: From Dubai to Glasgow, daily.
• British Airways: From Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Beirut, Doha, Muscat, Kuwait and Tehran to London Heathrow, daily; from Amman, six weekly, from Dubai, double daily (triple daily from October 28).
• Etihad Airways: From Abu Dhabi to Heathrow, five daily; to Gatwick, three daily; to Manchester and Birmingham, double daily; to Glasgow and Newcastle, daily.
• Gulf Air: from Bahrain to Heathrow, three daily.
• Iran Air: from Tehran to Heathrow, four weekly.
• Kuwait Airways: from Kuwait, four weekly.
• Middle Eastern Airways: from Beirut, daily.
• Qatar Airways: to Heathrow, four times daily; to Manchester, daily.
• Royal Brunei: from Dubai to London, six weekly.
• Saudi Arabian Airlines: from Riyadh to Heathrow, five weekly; to Manchester, two weekly.
Connection options to Glasgow from London
• Bmi: from Heathrow to Glasgow, four daily.
• British Airways: from Heathrow to Glasgow, one daily.
• Easy Jet: from Luton, three weekly; from Stansted, three times weekly.
Currency: GDP 1 = US $2
Visas: GCC nationals and others need to acquire a visa before traveling to Scotland. Visit: www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa. All applicants aged five years and over need to attend in person to enroll their fingerprints electronically at one of our Visa Appilcation Centres in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and throughout the GCC. For details of the VAC locations in the UAE and how to apply, including online application system visit: www.vfs-uk-ae.com
Getting around: The city has an extensive rail and bus service; with the most extensive urban rail network in the UK outside of London with rail services travelling to a large part of the West of Scotland, so getting around is fairly easy.
For those wanting to explore more of Scotland, Glasgow's Queen Street station is the main line to Edinburgh, plus services to Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and the Western Highlands.
Car rental is another option. Holiday Autos prices start from US $71 per day for a small vehicle and $111 for an intermediate family-size vehicle, which pick-up and drop-off from Glasgow airport. Visit: www.holidayautos.co.uk
Avis car rental offers vehicles from $71 per day for small class vehicles and $91 for intermediate vehicles. Visit: www.avis.co.uk
Packages
• Emirates Holidays: Is offering packages including accommodation at the four-star Hilton Glasgow with prices starting from $1400 per person on twin-sharing basis.
The package includes return economy class airfare from Dubai to Glasgow, three nights' accommodation with American breakfast, room tax and service charges.
• Adams & Butler: Prices for six days start at $1400 per person, based on a family of four staying in three-star accommodation and go up to $3000 per person for a couple staying in deluxe rooms or suites in five-star accommodation. The package includes accommodation, breakfast, tax, visits and a private driver guide.
Each trip is tailored and can be scheduled any time during the year. Highlights include Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, a trip to a highland distillery, The Roslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle and a ghostly walk around Edinburgh.
Trips also have some privileged access elements such as a visit to the private home of a Scottish laird, afternoon tea in an exclusive Edinburgh club with a local celebrity and tee-times on any of Scotland's velvet green golf courses, or a rod on one of the salmon rich rivers, can always be arranged.
Where to stay
From world famous luxury retreats to small and intimate family-run establishments, Glasgow offers a wide choice of hotels to its visitors.
Visit: www.visitscotland.com/accommodation
Eating out: Glasgow offers a huge diversity in both style of cuisine and price, with something to suit all palates and budgets. A wealth of individual and locally owned bistros and brasseries of character have appeared in recent years.
Some of the best restaurants such as the venerable Ubiquitous Chip and Rogano - an Art Deco gem and Glasgow legend - have been joined by more than a dozen excellent establishments, such as Gamba, Air Organic and Rococo.
Getting there
• Emirates Airline: From Dubai to Glasgow, daily.
• British Airways: From Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Beirut, Doha, Muscat, Kuwait and Tehran to London Heathrow, daily; from Amman, six weekly, from Dubai, double daily (triple daily from October 28).
• Etihad Airways: From Abu Dhabi to Heathrow, five daily; to Gatwick, three daily; to Manchester and Birmingham, double daily; to Glasgow and Newcastle, daily.
• Gulf Air: from Bahrain to Heathrow, three daily.
• Iran Air: from Tehran to Heathrow, four weekly.
• Kuwait Airways: from Kuwait, four weekly.
• Middle Eastern Airways: from Beirut, daily.
• Qatar Airways: to Heathrow, four times daily; to Manchester, daily.
• Royal Brunei: from Dubai to London, six weekly.
• Saudi Arabian Airlines: from Riyadh to Heathrow, five weekly; to Manchester, two weekly.
Connection options to Glasgow from London
• Bmi: from Heathrow to Glasgow, four daily.
• British Airways: from Heathrow to Glasgow, one daily.
• Easy Jet: from Luton, three weekly; from Stansted, three times weekly.
Currency: GDP 1 = US $2
Visas: GCC nationals and others need to acquire a visa before traveling to Scotland. Visit: www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa. All applicants aged five years and over need to attend in person to enroll their fingerprints electronically at one of our Visa Appilcation Centres in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and throughout the GCC. For details of the VAC locations in the UAE and how to apply, including online application system visit: www.vfs-uk-ae.com
Getting around: The city has an extensive rail and bus service; with the most extensive urban rail network in the UK outside of London with rail services travelling to a large part of the West of Scotland, so getting around is fairly easy.
For those wanting to explore more of Scotland, Glasgow's Queen Street station is the main line to Edinburgh, plus services to Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and the Western Highlands.
Car rental is another option. Holiday Autos prices start from US $71 per day for a small vehicle and $111 for an intermediate family-size vehicle, which pick-up and drop-off from Glasgow airport. Visit: www.holidayautos.co.uk
Avis car rental offers vehicles from $71 per day for small class vehicles and $91 for intermediate vehicles. Visit: www.avis.co.uk
Packages
• Emirates Holidays: Is offering packages including accommodation at the four-star Hilton Glasgow with prices starting from $1400 per person on twin-sharing basis.
The package includes return economy class airfare from Dubai to Glasgow, three nights' accommodation with American breakfast, room tax and service charges.
• Adams & Butler: Prices for six days start at $1400 per person, based on a family of four staying in three-star accommodation and go up to $3000 per person for a couple staying in deluxe rooms or suites in five-star accommodation. The package includes accommodation, breakfast, tax, visits and a private driver guide.
Each trip is tailored and can be scheduled any time during the year. Highlights include Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, a trip to a highland distillery, The Roslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle and a ghostly walk around Edinburgh.
Trips also have some privileged access elements such as a visit to the private home of a Scottish laird, afternoon tea in an exclusive Edinburgh club with a local celebrity and tee-times on any of Scotland's velvet green golf courses, or a rod on one of the salmon rich rivers, can always be arranged.
Where to stay
From world famous luxury retreats to small and intimate family-run establishments, Glasgow offers a wide choice of hotels to its visitors.
Visit: www.visitscotland.com/accommodation
Eating out: Glasgow offers a huge diversity in both style of cuisine and price, with something to suit all palates and budgets. A wealth of individual and locally owned bistros and brasseries of character have appeared in recent years.
Some of the best restaurants such as the venerable Ubiquitous Chip and Rogano - an Art Deco gem and Glasgow legend - have been joined by more than a dozen excellent establishments, such as Gamba, Air Organic and Rococo.
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