Significant restoration work begins at Pompeii
by Jessica Tasman-Jones | 08 Feb 2013
Work has been launched to save Italian UNESCO heritage site Pompeii from further damage, with 41.8m euro (US$55.94m, £35.42m) of European Union funds contributing to the 105m euro (US$140.51m, £88.97m) restoration project.
The purpose of the project is to preserve the site as a long-term tourist attraction, by consolidating structures on the archaeological site, introducing drainage and improving the training of on site staff.
The attraction currently attracts 2.3m visitors a year but its hoped this will increase by at least 300,000 when the restoration is complete in 2013.
Violent storms in 2010 caused the collapse of the Gladiators House and torrential rain in late 2011 caused further serious damage, leaving the number of individual sites open at any one time to just five - down from 64 last century.
EU regional affairs commissioner Johannes Hahn said: "Here is a chance not just to help save something which is part of Europe's cultural identity but to revitalise Campania's economy by attracting more visitors and creating new jobs."
The project will take a variety of measures to protect itself from organised crime group Camorra - which infects many parts of the region.
Work has been launched to save Italian UNESCO heritage site Pompeii from further damage, with 41.8m euro (US$55.94m, £35.42m) of European Union funds contributing to the 105m euro (US$140.51m, £88.97m) restoration project. The purpose of the project is to preserve the site as a long-term tourist attraction, by consolidating structures on the archaeological site, introducing drainage and improving the training of on site staff. The attraction currently attracts 2.3m visitors
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Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
by Liz Terry | 19 May 2026
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First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
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Miraval The Red Sea has opened on Shura Island in Saudi Arabia as part of The Red Sea Project. The development is the first Miraval-branded property outside the US. This site is the fourth Miraval resort in the world – following US-based properties in Arizona, Texas and Massachusetts. Hyatt bought Miraval from previous owners Steve Case and investor KSL in 2017 and has also started putting its Life in Balance
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by Helen Andrews | 06 May 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 30 Apr 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 02 May 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 21 Apr 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 21 Apr 2026
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New venue The Lands by Capella includes a longevity centre to complement sister hotel Capella Sydney
by Helen Andrews | 20 Apr 2026
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by Magali Robathan | 16 Apr 2026
World of Frozen has opened at Disney Adventure World in Disneyland Paris with new offerings across the entire park. The expansion almost doubles the size of Disneyland Paris, immersing guests in a life-size recreation of the Kingdom of Arendel. The World of Frozen features a Tangled -inspired attraction, 14 new dining locations and a large lake debuting a new night-time spectacular. It also features a daytime celebration, themed shopping, and
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
by Helen Andrews | 14 Apr 2026
The €200m (US$221.3 million, £169.7 million) Pical Resort, Valamar Collection has opened in Croatia with the country’s first ESPA spa. Valamar Riviera, a Croatian tourism company and hotel operator has revealed the 514-key property in Poreč, Istria. The development of the Pical Resort represents Valamar’s largest investment to date. The accommodation is split into the following options: the Pical Hotel, the luxury all-inclusive Pical Family Hotel, the exclusive Pical Suites
Mandarin Oriental creates end-to-end Egyptian journey with two new hotels and first-ever luxury river cruise
by Helen Andrews | 13 Apr 2026
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has revealed plans to expand its presence in Egypt with the renovation and operation of two historic hotel properties and the brand’s first-ever luxury river cruise. In 2022, Mandarin Oriental announced it would open its first Egyptian property, Mandarin Oriental Shepheard in Cairo. The hotel is undergoing a comprehensive renovation and is due to open in 2027. Ownership and development The river cruise, Old Cataract
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
by Helen Andrews | 27 Mar 2026
Holistic design and architecture practice Mendil + Meyer, based in Arizona in the US, has introduced a new division called Lām Concepts to integrate and align wellness goals for projects before they reach the design stage. Ben Meyer, architect and co-founder of Mendil + Meyer, told Spa Business exclusively about the new division: “Lām comes from the word loam, meaning fertile ground – the place where conditions are right for
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
by Helen Andrews | 05 Mar 2026
Wilderness, an operator of 60 safari camps across eight African countries, has unveiled the second spa under its new concept called The Sanctuary, at Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda. The Sanctuary is a concept that pairs design and wellness with raw, restorative landscapes. The offering at the Rwandan property follows the opening of a different interpretation of The Sanctuary’s concept at Wilderness Mombo in Botswana. Read more about that property here.
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
Design firm 4a Architekten has shared details of the recently-completed extension to the wellness facilities at destination spa park Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa in Germany. The upgrades to the leisure pool facility, which has been in operation since 1984, included the addition of a thermal spa and sauna in a new building that integrated sensitively into the landscape. Commissioned by the facility’s operator, utility company Stadtwerke Bad Dürkheim, the
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by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
Andrew Barnard, CEO of BodyHoliday, has exclusively shared plans with Spa Business to be involved in the development of 10-15 BodyHoliday properties around the world over the next 15 years, with its upcoming Portuguese resort as its proof-of-concept “showroom”. In the latest edition of Spa Busines s, Barnard says he has his eye on locations in Europe, the Middle East, Costa Rica and Belize for future BodyHoliday developments. He and
Floating wellbeing destination planned for London’s Royal Docks
by Helen Andrews | 03 Mar 2026
A new floating wellbeing destination with a public park, residential and wellness facility is planned for a 12-hectare stretch of water within London’s Royal Docks, in the UK. The development is part of a wider regeneration of the Royal Docks to create a diverse waterfront, backed by £5 billion (US$6.35 billion, €5.85 billion) of investment over the next 20 years. The aim is to make the area a mixed-use development
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