Dubai to launch world’s first Hover-Hotel
DUBAI – Dubai Update, the online newsletter of the Dubai Department of Commerce and Tourism in the UK, yesterday revealed that the emirate had announced plans for the new Hover-Hotel, which would be suspended 1000m above the city.
According to the newsletter, “Visitors will check-in on terra firma at one of five hubs around the city, from where they’ll be flown to their Hover-Hotel by helicopter for a stay where they’ll be quite literally on top of the world.â€
And there was more…
“The first Hover-Hotel will be a 20-room boutique ‘pod’; if it proves to be a success then plans for expansion are already in place including a family-friendly version.â€
Being Dubai, where anything is possible, the story seemed almost feasible.
Except that it was published on April 1.
Good try, guys.
There were other notable April Fool’s Day efforts.
Our own TravelMole UK reported that due to the financial situation and fears about climate change, more and more customers were buying the trappings of holidays rather than the holidays themselves.
Pilar Lofo, of the clandestine Grande Luxe Holiday Company, said: “It’s quite simple, we put together tailor made holiday packages of evidence that include everything you get from a holiday – postcards, sunburn, souvenirs, hotel brochures, pictures, luggage labels – we’ve even been asked for evidence of holiday romances and divorces.
“We help our clients lay a false holiday trail. The benefit to them is that, not only is it much cheaper than a real holiday, but there’s very little carbon footprint, and totally no holiday anxiety.â€
Ms Lofo continued: “The market is increasing dramatically, you simply wouldn’t believe the number of people who want to say that they’re on holiday in the Bahamas whereas, in fact, they’re sitting at home behind their curtains saving money.â€
Pilar Lofo? Hmm…
Elsewhere. Virgin announced new flights to Santiago in Chile offering Spanish speaking crew, a “dedicated South American menu…with after dinner mints to soothe after the spicy meal†and a statement from Virgin’s new manager for Chile – ‘Hal Apeno’.
And Thomson held a “midnight press conference†at which managing director Chris Browne announced the launch of Thomson’s new ‘Spaircraft’ – “the world’s first commercial airliner – a rival to Virgin Galactic – that will take holidaymakers into space and to their destination in record time.â€
Yeah, yeah….see you again on April 1 next year.
Ian Jarrett
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