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Amid all the excitement in the UK about next year’s royal wedding, there’s already speculation about where Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton, will spend their honeymoon.

Traditionally, newlyweds from the House of Windsor take off to a Scottish location and stay in a royal residence, but this trendy couple are likely to break with the custom.

Where, then? William proposed marriage while on safari in East Africa, so a return there is certainly on the cards – indeed, Kenya is the bookmakers’ favourite at 3-1, with Tanzania at 4-1.

New Zealand is also holding out strong hopes, particularly as the rugby World Cup is being held there in September. Prince William is a keen rugby fan and has cheered on England at the last two World Cups. “It would be fantastic if Prince William and his bride came,” said Rugby NZ 2011 Chief Executive, Martin Snedden.

Among the other front-runners in the betting stakes are the Caribbean (5-1), Australia and South Africa (both 10-1).

by Andy Moreton

What’s the difference between a beach in Thailand and one in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland?

Quite a lot you might say, but that didn’t stop Thai tourist officials from promoting Kai Bae Beach by using a picture of the Isle of Berneray. The give-away is the picturesque range of the Harris Hills in the background.

The subterfuge was first spotted by the British writer Ian McNamara, who runs a small guest house on Koh Chang island where Kai Bae Beach is located. It seems the Thais lifted the picture from the website www.isleofberneray.com.

Photographer John Kirriemuir took the shot four years ago. He said: “True, there are some similarities – great sand, unpolluted sea. But also some differences: if you swam off both beaches, you would very quickly realise what one of them is.”

A VisitScotland spokeswoman said: “Here in the Outer Hebrides we are fortunate to have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world right on our doorstep.”

“They do say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, so although the use of the photo of a beach on the Isle of Berneray to represent a Thai beach is somewhat misleading, I’m sure it’s a compliment in disguise.”

by Andy Moreton

Luxique offers the best rates at 27 luxury hotels in Thailand.

The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is to promote itself as a must-see cruise destination.

A £35,000 ($55,000) marketing campaign and dedicated website will attempt to cash in on the growing popularity of the Northern European cruise liner business and achieve for the city a 40 per cent rise in passenger numbers by 2013. It’s estimated that 55,000 passengers came to Edinburgh during this year’s season.

Edinburgh’s specific aim is to increase its presence on the itineraries of the Norwegian and Baltic cruise operators.

Because cruise liner passengers spend more on average than other tourists, they are being seen as an important means of achieving the target of increasing Scotland’s tourism revenues by 50 per cent by 2015.

Peter Lederer, the chairman of the national tourism agency, VisitScotland, said: “Growing tourism is critical to the future of Scotland … in the current economic climate, it’s crucial we work together to get tourism growth back on track.”

The city authorities have a long-term ambition to have a new dedicated cruise liner terminal at Leith docks.

by Andy Moreton

Dubbed by some ‘the Athens of the North’, Edinburgh is one of Europe’s most picturesque capitals. At Luxique we’ve come up with eleven hand-picked luxury hotels in Edinburgh, from the classic Balmoral to the chic Malmaison Edinburgh.

Hard on the heels of London’s tourism drive, the Scots are using the 250th birthday of their most famous poet, Robert Burns, to put out the welcome mat for overseas visitors.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 is a £5 million ($7 million) campaign the tourist industry hopes will attract an extra 100,000 visitors with Scottish roots, as well as those who simply want to sample Scottish hospitality for the first time.

Famous Scots, Sir Sean Connery and triple Olympic gold-winning cyclist Chris Hoy, are among those who have been hired to help push the message. There will be a country-wide programme of events and activities. Expect Burns, whisky and golf to figure prominently!

The tourist board, Visit Scotland, says about 16 million tourists come to Scotland each year, most from other parts of Britain but a fifth from overseas. The number includes 350,000 American visitors.

“The Scots around the world are passionate about their roots and origins,” said Roddy Martine, author of the book ‘Scottish Clan and Family Names.’ “I’ve found that the further away you are, the more you care.”

A personal invitation has gone out to Barack Obama, who’s said to be the latest in a long line of US Presidents with Scottish roots. His ancestors apparently include William the Lion, who ruled Scotland between 1165 and 1214.

by Andy Moreton

If you’re thinking of joining the homecoming, Luxique can offer luxury and boutique hotels throughout Scotland, including some of the finest luxury hotels in Edinburgh.

Donald Trump, the New York-based billionaire, has won his battle to be allowed to build an exclusive £1 billion ($1.58 billion) golf resort on an area of outstanding beauty on the Aberdeenshire coast in Scotland.

The local planning committee originally turned down the scheme, but the Scottish government, led by the Scottish National Party (SNP), has now overturned that decision.

The First Minister, Alex Salmond of the SNP, said the project would create 6,000 jobs – including 1,400 permanent positions. “In tough economic times, substantial investment of this kind is at a premium,” he said.

Detailed proposals will be drawn up over the next few months for what’s been dubbed a ‘golfopolis’ featuring two championship courses, 500 exclusive homes, 950 holiday apartments and a 450-bedroom ‘modern gothic’ hotel.

Environmentalists, who fought against the development, are dismayed. Part of the course will be on an area of shifting sand dunes which have been declared a site of Special Scientific Interest under European Union habitat regulations.

The planning inspectors ruled that the damage to the dunes would be outweighed by the resort’s substantial value to the economy - a judgment challenged by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), among others.

“It appears that the desires of one high profile overseas developer - who refused to compromise one inch - have been allowed to override the legal protection of this important site,” said Aedan Smith, head of planning for RSPB Scotland.

The development will, however, be subject to a series of environmental checks and controls to ensure that remaining plant species and wildlife are fully protected.

Trump said he was honoured and promised the scheme would be ‘a tremendous asset and source of pride over many generations for both Aberdeenshire and Scotland.’

by Andy Moreton

If you’re thinking of visiting this part of Scotland, check out the Marcliffe At Pitfodels, a five-star luxury hotel and spa set in 11 acres of woodland and with a bar boasting more than 100 malt whiskies.