Britain’s tourist body www.VisitBritain.com has compiled a handy list of tips on how to extend an even warmer welcome to visitors coming to the UK for the 2012 Olympics.

The guidelines are tailored to various nationalities, whose customs and etiquette may vary, or even contrast with, the British way of doing things and the idea is to create an even more efficient and helpful customer service that takes account of cultural needs.

Britain rates quite highly on the “warm welcome” front compared to other countries. It ranks 14th out of 50 in the Nation Brands Index for the quality of the welcome would-be visitors believe they will get when they come here, although we’re not as good as Canada, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands apparently.

Presidents, CEOs and Marketing Directors from the world’s top cruise lines will be brainstorming in the south of France this winter to discuss the future of the cruise industry in the Mediterranean region.

Cruise holidays have held up very well in the last year for a number of reasons, including perceived value for money, the attraction of the cruise experience as something new and recommended by friends, effective marketing campaigns and a fleet of sleek new ships that seem to have been launching almost every other month, such as P&O’s magnificent new liner Azura.

Interval International has just announced the affiliation of Multiresidence de l’Elysee in Paris, France. The property occupies a six-storey building in the 8th arrondissement on the right bank of the River Seine, close to the Champs-Élysées and right between the world famous Parisian landmarks the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde.

“The prime location of this resort, on the stylish Rue de Colisee in the heart of Paris, makes it an ideal base for exploring one of the world’s most beautiful cities,” said Darren Ettridge, Interval International’s vice president of resort sales and service for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. “Each residence is equipped with all the comforts of home, so guests will feel more like residents than tourists.”

Aer Lingus has posted an operating loss of €19 million in the six months to the end of June, that’s a reduction of 80% on its operating losses during the first half of 2009.

The airline has resisted two takeover bids by Ryanair Holdings and according to chief executive Christoph Mueller, the improvements in performance are significant considering it’s been a tough year with unexpected losses due to the Icelandic volcanic ash crisis which hit Ireland and many of the regions the airline flies in and out of.