Except for an occasional volcano, Iceland is perhaps one of the best places on the planet to live, work, climb mountains, scale glaciers, ride bikes, and get rid of pesky acne (in the geothermal baths). National pastimes include swimming in one of the 130-heated pools after an 8-mile hike up and down mountains to experience awesome waterfalls, cooling volcanic lava, and endless pollution-free blue sky.

Affluence
Iceland is wealthy and ranked among the top 10 countries in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. One notable measure used to determine a country’s quality of life is the Human Development Index (HDI) compiled by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The HDI combines several indicators which measure a country’s achievements in three main areas of human development: Longevity, knowledge, education and the economic standard of living. In a recent ranking of 177 countries, the HDI placed Iceland in first place. With a 300,000 population that is extremely homogeneous (mostly descendents of Norwegian and Celtic settlers), residents speak English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, making it an excellent destination for a combination of leisure and business adventures.

Financial Wobbles Then Back to Stability
Iceland maintained its high standard of living until the financial collapse in 2008, when external debt reached 550 percent of GDP leaving the country vulnerable to the global financial crises. The miscalculations of bankers and investors precipitated the collapse of Iceland’s three main banks, or 85 percent of the banking system. During this period key asset prices sank, the onshore foreign exchange market dried up and the krona depreciated more than 70 percent in the offshore market.

The government quickly stepped in to restore confidence and stabilized the economy while the IMF (International Monetary Fund) approved a two-year Stand-by-Arrangement (SBA) for US$2.1 billion to support the government’s program. The intervention focused on: preventing further krona depreciation, developing a strategy for bank restructuring, and ensuring medium term fiscal sustainability. The quick resolve of the Iceland government and global financial partners made the recession less severe than expected, and the financial sector has stabilized while fiscal policies have helped to hold up consumption.

Iceland is considered an ideal place to invest because of highly skilled workers, an open and transparent democracy and endless supplies of renewable energy. Geothermal sources are used to drive turbines and create electricity. While many things in Iceland are considered “expensive” (the prices are comparable with major US cities such as New York and Chicago), energy is cheap and over the past 10 years, the price of electricity, compared with a broad measure of inflation, has fallen 75 percent. As a result, the Icelanders use an abundance of energy for their SUVs, electricity to power de-icing systems for driveways and city streets and to heat swimming pools. In 2004 per capita electricity use in Iceland was nearly twice the amount of the US; however, the extravagance does not tax the economy or the environment because of its geothermal sources.

Iceland is Different
Encouraging people to visit Iceland must be one of the easiest jobs ever. With limited crime, a positive business environment, an abundance of geothermal steam to power factories, homes, hotels, and busses, an educated and employed workforce and excellent medical services, Sif Gustavsson, the Area Manager, North America, has a position that other tourism executives must envy.

Educated in New York (Long Island University, Brookville, NY) and the University of Iceland (Reykjavik), Gustavsson brings years of marketing and sales expertise to her new position. Although Iceland has terrific hotels, a reliable public transportation system, and an airline (Icelandair) that encourages travelers to Europe to see Iceland first, Gustavsson does not believe that the cuisine of the destination has received its fair share of applause and is currently working with TV stations and tour operators to promote Tastesational Iceland for visitors who would rather explore the country with a fork and knife rather than a new pair of hiking boots and a walking stick.

Back to Life
In Iceland, nature is the most important segment of the tourist industry. Combine volcanoes, landscapes formed during the Ice Age, and limited industrialization, the landscape is unique to most of the foreign visitors who come from Scandinavia (25.7 percent), Great Britain (16.9 percent), the USA (14.0 percent), and Germany (9.7 percent). In 2006 visitors totaled approximately 400,000, well over the total population of 300,000.

Getting In
Visitors to Iceland planning to spend less than 90 days do not need a visa; however, a passport with at least three months available prior to departure is required. At immigration, travelers may be asked to show sufficient funds for their holiday and a return airline ticket.

According to the US State Advisories, petty crimes against Americans have been recorded, and travelers are encouraged to keep a watchful eye on luggage, cameras, and electronics. Valuables should not be left in unattended cars, even if they are locked.

Signage Void
The good news is there is an abundance of natural attractions including glaciers, volcanic craters, ice caves, hot springs, boiling mud pots, geysers, waterfalls and glacial rivers to explore. The bad news: there are very few warning signs or barriers providing a heads-up for potential harm.

According to the US State Department, many tourists are scalded each year because they strolled too close to an erupting geyser or stepped too eagerly into a hot spring or boiling mud pot. High winds and icy conditions increase the opportunity for accidents to occur. Because weather conditions change very quickly, backpackers/hikers should stick to established paths, travel with a buddy, and leave a copy of the itinerary with a local friend or relative. To insure safety, travelers are encouraged to work with local guides as they explore the more remote areas of the country.

Accessibility
Icelandic law prohibits discrimination of people based on disabilities so public accommodations, buildings and elevators are accessible. Most museums, and shopping centers located in the capital of Reykjavik are barrier – free and the public bus system and taxis have transport available for people with disabilities. As open as the country is, there are still areas that are not accessible – so it is best to check in advance of travel to determine the current situation.

While the health care system is very modern, nonresidents are expected to pay their own medical costs and to close the bill in full before leaving the hospital or clinic. Travelers should never assume that their home/office based insurance will cover emergencies that occur outside their own country. It is advisable to check with personal insurance carriers to determine limitations on current policies and supplement the plan based on activities and current medical conditions.

Less than one-third of Iceland roads are paved and many roads outside the capital are gravel or dirt tracks. Even paved roads can be narrow and lack a shoulder or margin. Bridges may be only one lane wide, requiring drivers to be alert to oncoming traffic. Because of snow melt and other weather-related conditions, there may be times when roads are impassable. Before driving outside the capital, an itinerary should be left with hotel security or friends, and the Public Roads Administration contacted for updated information (1777).

Go-to Information
Iceland is an interesting destination that is best experienced from the top – down. Go out and buy a pair of hiking boots and walking sticks, check out the latest fashions for outdoor adventures, stow your all-weather gear in a back-pack, contact a local hiking / adventure tour operator, and put the destination at the top of the “to do” list for a spring/summer holiday.

In the Florida Keys, things happen a bit differently than they do in the rest of the world and that includes music festivals. Surrounded by the sea, the 120-mile island chain has staged one of its signature musical events underwater since 1985. The 27th annual Underwater Music Festival is set for 9 July 2011 at Looe Key Reef, an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary located approximately six miles south of Big Pine Key.
Each year, the subsea songfest draws as many as 600 divers and snorkelers to explore the colourful diversity of marine life that characterises the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef. The marine musical event is staged by Keys radio station WWUS 104.1 FM, locally called US 1, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Music is broadcast und...

Koh Kood is emerging as Thailand’s latest destination for those who want the tropical island lifestyle without the crowds, offering mountains, waterfalls, and perfect white beaches along with minimal development and only a limited number of quality resort hotels.
Situated on the eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand, one hour by speedboat from the coast of Trat Province, Kood is the kingdom’s fourth largest island. There are many islands in the vicinity that can be explored, including Koh Chang, the second largest island in the country.
Koh Kood, therefore, is a popular destination for those who love nature and adventure,and will be one of the choices for the coming summer season for family holidays and groups of friends.
Away Koh Kood, which is part of the Centara Bo...

You love a craic, right…who doesn't. Bet you enjoy a pint? Here are the best Irish pubs around the world to welcome in St Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17. Slainte! (that means health by the way).
1. Guinness Storehouse (Dublin, Ireland) – If you happen to be in Dublin this St Paddy's Day, a visit here is a must. The Guinness Storehouse will host a festival in honour of the Irish patron saint, and probably the most famous beer in the world. There is live music and entertainment, dance troops, complimentary local seafood, Guinness tastings (naturally) and much more. It's a great excuse to be Irish for the day, not that you ever need one.
2. Galway Arms (Chicago, Illinois) – The Galway Arms combines tradition (no gimmicks here) and Gaelic cheer to create a perfect comple...

Zimbabwe is a country of contrasts, and it comes as no surprise that its climate was voted “the best climate on Earth” alongside that of Malta in International Living magazine’s 2011 Quality of Life Index, published this January. Every year, the magazine rates and ranks 192 countries for this index, and Zimbabwe scored 100% on climate, one of the nine categories voted upon.
Alas, a month later its capital city, Harare, was reported to be the “worst livable city in the world,” placed in last at 140 behind even the dubious cities of Dhaka in Bangladesh, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, and Lagos in Nigeria. Harare had particularly poor scores for stability, economy, health care, and infrastructure, according to this annual ranking compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit�...

On Feb. 20, 2011, hosted by the Fujian Provincial Tourism Administration and Longyan Municipal Government, produced by JSB Destination Marketing Co. Ltd., the "Fujian Tulou Hakka Yongding" destination promotion conference and global marketing campaign launch ceremony was held in Beijing.
Fujian Hakka Tulou is "the most extraordinary type of Chinese rural dwelling" of the Hakka and others in the mountainous areas of western Fujian, China. They were mostly built between the 12th and the 20th centuries.
A tulou is usually a large, enclosed, and fortified earth building, rectangular or circular in configuration, with very thick load-bearing rammed earth walls between three and five stories high, and can house up to 80 families. Smaller interior buildings are often enclosed by these...

While Dubai is definitely the capital city of leisure for the Gulf, both Abu Dhabi and Doha (Qatar) compete to turn themselves into cultural destinations for travelers. Abu Dhabi’s strategy to achieve this target is in some ways quite similar to the Dubai approach: prestigious mega projects created to turn the Emirate into a destination out of the ordinary. Saadiyat Island, 500 m from Abu Dhabi Coast, will be turned into a cultural icon destination, welcoming five prestigious museums. The Louvre Abu Dhabi will open its doors in 2013 – with works from French museums leased for a ten-year period - the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is due also to open in 2013. Both museums have been designed by prestigious architects - the Louvre by Jean Nouvel and the Guggenheim with Frank Gehry. There is also a ...

From growing families to space concerns to parking, these are all things to consider when making the decision between renting a house and an apartment. For a breakdown of the benefits and disadvantages of both rental arrangements, keep reading.
The Benefits of Renting a House:
1. More space, including outdoor space. Typically, a house is going to provide you with more room inside as well as outdoor space like a yard. If you’ve got pets, children or a lot of stuff, this could be a huge incentive.
2. Parking. While many apartments come with a parking spot, a large number of urban apartments, particularly older buildings, don’t. If you have a vehicle or two, you may want to look at renting a home with parking.
3. Privacy. Typically, a house is going to afford you a...

The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced its 2011 list of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations. For 12 years the National Trust has annually selected communities across America that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical vacation destination. From dynamic downtowns and stunning architecture to cultural diversity and lively entertainment, the selected destinations boast a richness of character and exude an authentic sense of place.
This year's destinations range from a waterfront city that George Washington called home and an Old West town that was once the unofficial capital of Indian Territory to a laid-back wine country destination and a charming seaport town with a rich seafaring tradition.
"This year's Dozen Distinctive Dest...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has a well-deserved reputation as host of the biggest carnival celebration in the world. Nowhere else on Earth is this gloriously wanton Christian holiday of feasting before fasting quite as grand in scale. In fact, all over Brazil, wild and massive celebrations compete for the carnival spotlight. This makes it easy to forget that carnival is celebrated with the same passion and gusto in many other parts of the world as well!
Here is the selection of five great places for a carnival carouse outside of Brazil.
MALTA AND GOZO
Costumes are key in the carnival celebration on the Maltese island of Gozo. Some take the disguise aspect so seriously that they will conceal their identities completely by remaining silent.
The central Mediterranean islan...