Hotels in Abu Dhabi are literally fit for a King and Queen, but you certainly don’t need to be royalty to get the five-star treatment over here. You don’t need even need a princely sum of cash either.

In fact, bets are that you’d be pretty surprised at the incredible value and standard of four and five-star hotels are in Abu Dhabi. What we’d consider “luxury” back here in Australia is actually pretty close to standard in this coastal gem of a city in the UAE.

But decide to travel in the low/shoulder season (their summer) and hey, you won’t have to just dream about having that luxury holiday or stopover anymore – you’ll be able to take advantage of some outstanding offers, making all your friends and family back home insanely jealous!

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Ireland isn’t just a destination, it’s a feeling. It can simultaneously fill you with cheer, tug at your heartstrings and inspire adventure.

And although Ireland’s most famous cities, landmarks and attractions will certainly fill all your emotional needs, it pays to explore in search of hidden gems. Because, in truth, even just a few steps off the beaten track promises to enrich your soul beyond your wildest Irish dreams.

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Forward-thinking and technologically advanced, it’s Japan’s traditional underbelly and rich cultural landscape that sets it apart on the world stage. 

But it’s easy to miss this traditional character whilst exploring the neon-lit streets of Tokyo and Osaka or riding on a speedy bullet train. Even in Kyoto, it can be hard finding serenity and authentic Japanese experiences amongst the crowds…

But fret not, because authentic Japanese experiences are everywhere in Japan, and all you need to do to find a slice of Japan relatively untouched by the hand of time is take the tiniest step outside the urban sprawl of the cities.

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Eat your way around Asia, India and Europe under the guidance of Australia's culinary experts on an unforgettable gourmet journey that includes exclusive foodie experiences you'll remember forever.

In a delicious partnership that’s guaranteed to get your mouth drooling and stomach gurgling, APT has once again joined forces with Gourmet Traveller – Australia’s leading food, wine and travel magazine – and designed five tailor-made tours for 2018.

These exclusive new tours contain everything APT is already famous for (e.g., fully-inclusive touring with all sightseeing, most meals, and unforgettable APT experiences) with a special focus on uncovering a destination’s culinary highlights.

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Japan is like an onion, and the more times you visit this fascinating land of dynamic metropolises, imperial palaces, and thousands of shrines and temples, the more layers you can peel back, uncovering another side to the Land of the Rising Sun that few other tourists see.

Sure, first-timers to Japan should definitely make a beeline for the main tourist hot spots, such as Mount Fuji in Tokyo, a traditional Sumo tournament, the temples of Kyoto and the delicious street food in Osaka.

But scratch beneath the surface of Japan’s major cities, and what you’ll find is a whole new world, steeped in centuries of culture and rich heritage.

Here are seven off-the-beaten-track experiences you’ll find in some of Japan’s bigger cities which are guaranteed to give you – or your clients – a different taste of Japan.

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We all know how important it is to stay in touch with friends and family back home, but this Irish chap took things to the nth degree – he Skyped his parents whilst skydiving 14,000 feet above Sydney!

Roger is just like any old Irishman.

He loves the odd pint of Guinness, loves to chat, and he loves his parents.

He loves his folks so much, in fact, that he just couldn’t ditch his phone call catch-up with them – even though he was about to throw himself off a plane.

In fact, he loved his parents so much, that he decided to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with them.

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The new Text It Get It (TiGi) initiative launched by Aloft Hotels allows guests to order room service using just emojis – that's right: no phone calls, not even a text with words, but just a simple icon.

The new service began rolling out across Aloft Hotels (of the Starwood Hotels group) in the US and the UK just before Christmas last year.

Designed for the “hyper-connected” global traveller, guests can request a toiletry kit, snacks, and, vitally, a phone charger, amongst other items by sending the relevant emoji in a message to a dedicated customer service from their mobile device.

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Up, up, up and away! Airbus and Uber have struck a deal that will see them taking on-demand transportation in the sky.

Airbus, you provide the helicopters – and we’ll do the rest.

That’s the basic agreement behind a new partnership between Uber, the ride-sharing giant, and Airbus, the French aerospace manufacturer.

The new and exciting initiative will launch at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah beginning on the January 22 and ending on February 1. During the film festival, attendees will be able to hail helicopters to get around the event – because god forbid, celebrities can’t actually use their legs…

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