In brief:

Mobylines ferry cruises will operate 4 weekly rotations between Toulon and Bastia as of April 1st. www.mobylines.fr

A flying hotel… in 2020!

A flying hotel... A dream that could become a reality, thanks to French designer Jean-Marie Massaud. This 213 metre long «airship-hotel» is environment friendly and can accommodate up to travellers for round-the-world cruise. Design plans call for 20 rooms, a restaurant, library, bar, gymnasium room and even terraces with panoramic windows, along with a spa and café... The Manned Cloud is expected to open in 2020, so start saving up for it right away!

A «romantic» tour operator…

For all the Romeos and Juliets out there lacking a little inspiration, this website is for you: www.romantiqua.com is teeming with loads of romantic suggestions, magical moments and other romantic escapades for love birds. From the most beautiful luxury hotels to the very best restaurants for intimate dining experiences, this on-line tour operator specialising in romantic escapades provides a collection of exceptional travel packages in France, Belgium, Spain and Morocco. Whether it's a jaunt in a limo, flying in a helicopter, an escapades in a private jet or a spa in two... the site offers over 120 specially bargained deals with little perks and extras added in, all very romantic: chocolates, a cascade of rose petals and champagne... www.romantiqua.com

Framed: Accor Hotels on your iPhone

Accorhotels.com has just launched an application that allows users to book a room in one of its 3000 hotels directly from an iPhone (the group includes Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Mercure, Novotel…etc). Visit www.itunes.com/app/accorhotels to download the application.

Etihad Airlines and Qatar Airways chosen «the world's best airline company» and «world's best business class»

At the 16th World Travel Awards, Etihad Airways was voted «the world's best airline company». The first Middle-Eastern airliner to receive this honour, Etihad Airways stands out for its luxurious airport lounges and on-board service. For its part, Qatar Airways was awarded the title of “world's best business class,” thanks to its Doha Premium Terminal (dedicated to First Class and Business passengers), the peerless service provided by its crew, and a personalised entertainment system.

SOS billionaires in distress!

Thanks to a rather unusual website, indebted billionaires who have been hit hard by the recession will finally be able to discretely sell off their yachts, luxury automobiles and other gems without having to resort to a pawnbroker. The auction site www.billionairexchange.com declares it has already transacted over 180 million dollars in assets over the first ten months of its test phase. Whew, now that's a relief!

And elsewhere…

Historic monuments driving force behind global tourism!

According to a survey conducted by the website Hotels.com, historic monuments remain an essential driving force behind global tourism. When French travellers were asked whether they consider a destination solely on the basis of the monuments they'll visit, 54% responded that in fact they did. This proportion might appear enormous, but tourists from other countries are even more enthusiastic about visiting famous sites: Australians responded 67% in favour, and for the Japanese a whopping 73%, once again confirming their reputation in terms of tourism… Only the Dutch appear to play down historic monuments, with just 20% of travellers leaving Holland solely to check out a monumental site. In terms of favourites, the French and Spanish cite the Taj Mahal as their preferred historic destination, with the Eiffel Tower coming in only second! Just as surprisingly, the Statue of Liberty comes in behind San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and New York's Empire State Building in the standings for French travellers. Rather chauvinistically, Americans chose the Statue of Liberty, the Italians opted for the Vatican…and the Japanese strangely enough get carried away by the Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. As for France's Eiffel Tower, it remains THE monument to visit for the Australians, Dutch, Norwegians, Swedes, Irish, Canadians and Brits. No wonder the 'Iron Lady' is still the world's most visited monument!

The first all-French website on California is finally on-line

California is a preferred tourism destination for the French. Of course, there's L.A., sunny weather, the Pacific, surfing and Hollywood stars… but that's not all! California is also deserts, mountains, vineyards and a wealth of ecotourism options. To find out more on California, from weather news to state formalities and the best sights to visit, access the first official French website, now on-line. It was about time! www.visitcalifornia.fr

Let's all visit World Expo 2010 in Shanghai!

From 1 May to 31 October 2010, this global event will bring together no less than 192 countries around one central theme in tune with the times: «Better city, better life.» Never has a world fair brought together so many participants, and it promises to be even more spectacular than Seville in 1992. Organisers have announced over than one hundred shows each day in 32 sites, for a total of 20,000! The «who's who» of the world's artistic community is expected to be staged in Shanghai, and much is being made of the Music Festival to be held on 21 June, whose organisation has been entrusted to France.

Dubai inaugurates the world's tallest structure

Launched in 2004, this mega project has in the end drummed up an overall cost of over 1.5 billion dollars, et mobilizing no less than 12,000 workers, 330,000 cubic metres of cement and 31,400 tons of iron... The result? The Burj Dubai Tower, rising 160 stories and 828 metres in height, comprising over 1000 apartments and offices, as well as the very first Armani hotel, situated on the lower floors. The observation deck on the 124th floor will offer visitors a spectacular view of the surroundings. With this latest tower, which is visible from a distance of 95 kilometres, Dubai has added yet another new record to an already long list of achievements. Architectural wonder or outrageous excess by an ostentatious country, each of us is entitled to his own opinion.