British Tourism Taps Into Chinese Market

The China Mission will take in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, where a series of business to business appointments will help capture business from the rapidly growing urban middle class and the estimated 535,000 High Net Worth individuals. It is the largest mission to be taken to China by VisitBritain.

The delegation will include 32 organisations, including national and regional tourist boards, city and tourist attraction organisations, hotel groups and specialist tour operators. Emphasising the importance of our Chinese visitors to the retail sector, six major retail groups, including department stores Selfridge and Harrods, Westfield London, Bicester Village, McArthur Glen and the Bloomsbury Group (owner of luxury boutiques such as House of Hanover and House of Cashmere) are taking part in the mission.

The average Chinese visitor to Britain spends around £1,700 more than three times the global average (£567). We can also see strong growth from the Chinese market visitor numbers increased by 23% last year and by a further 23% in the first nine months of this year. Forecasts suggest that by 2020 Britain could be welcoming almost 300,000 visitors a year.

Egypt: The Book Of Chaos by Nick Drake

Egypt: The Book Of Chaos is the final installment of Nick Drake's acclaimed Ancient Egyptian trilogy, following "Nefertiti" and "Tutankhamun".

The future of Egypt lies in the hands of chief detective Rahotep in this final installment of Nick Drake’s acclaimed ancient Egyptian trilogy. King Tutankhamun has died without an heir, and his young widow, Queen Ankhesenamun, last of her dynasty, struggles to maintain power and order. To defeat her enemies, she has but one hope: to forge an alliance with the Hittites, a powerful, militant new empire that threatens Egypt’s supremacy.

The loyal Rahotep, chief detective of the Thebes Medjay, the ancient capital’s elite police force and his friend, the royal envoy Nakht, are sent on a clandestine mission to the Hittite homeland, to persuade the king to agree to a marriage between one of his sons and Ankhesenamun, a union that would bring peace to the region and consolidate the queen’s power.

The book is based on a true story and meticulously researched, Egypt: The Book of Chaos brings to life the ancient world and the cradle of civilization in a riveting, suspenseful finale to Nick Drake’s acclaimed trilogy.

Versace for H&M Lines, Not Available in U.S.

When Donatella Versace's collection for H&M launched in the U.S. last Saturday, shoppers were lined up outside stores overnight, but it seems such eagerness is not quite enough for the two collaborating labels, which have elected not to stock a follow-up line in American stores.

According to the New York Daily News, the Cruise range, which will go on sale on January 19 next year, will be carried in H&M stores across the world, with the exception of the U.S.

Drake Tops Billboard Chart

On wednesday, the Canadian singer Drake jumped straight to No. 1 with his album "Take Care" on the Billboard Top 200 album chart.

Take Care is the second No. 1 album for 25 year old Drake, who debuted at No. 1 with his first studio album "Thank Me Later" in 2010. The album was released on November 15, that pushed over 631,000 copies. It was forecasted that the Young Money soldier would sell as many as 700,000 copies, but he fell just south of that, not that he or anyone at his label is sweating over sales. YM CEO Lil Wayne told that he was more concerned with how Take Care is received critically.

"I can't even find the words to express my appreciation.... 'Thank you and I owe you' is all that comes to mind... truly", said Drake.

HUGO 3D: A Boy's Story

Martin Scorsese released a beautiful 3D film on November 23, that is both his best directorial effort since (at least) The Departed and the best use of the 3D medium for immersing the audience in the story of the film since.. well, probably since the flying scenes in How To Train Your Dragon.

The story, following the young orphan Hugo's (Asa Butterfield) adventures in a 1930s Parisian metro station, his battles with the station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his friendship with a girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) also living in the station who is being raised by film pioneer Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley), chugs forward too slowly before finally springing to life.

According to Manohla Dargis, The New York Times, " 'Hugo' is the tale of a boy, one of fiction's sentimental orphans, and the world he invents, yet, unsurprisingly, its most heartfelt passages are about Melies. The old filmmaker is as broken and in need of revival as the automaton, and while you can guess what happens, it's the getting there — how the clock is wound — that surprises and often delights. Waves of melancholy wash over the story and keep the treacle at bay, as do the spasms of broad comedy, much of it nimbly executed by Mr. Baron Cohen."

Saeed Ajmal becomes #1 bowler in the world

Saeed Ajmal move to the number one slot in the One Day International bowler rankings by International Cricket Council.

The 34-year-old off-spinner claimed 11 wickets to help his side to a 4-1 series win over Srilanka.

Bowlers Shahid Afiridi and Muhammad Hafeez went to the seventh and eight positions respectively. Umar Akmal has gained 6th place in ICC Player Rankings.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka to take the series 4-1

Umar Akmal inspired Pakistan to the victory

Abu Dhabi, November 23: Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal hit half centuries successfully chase a target of 219 runs to take series 4-1
Sohail Tanveer claimed four wickets as Pakistan restrict Srilanka to 218-9 in 50 overs. A 5th-wicket partnership of 118 runs between Sangakara (78) and Mathews (61) helped Srilanka score a defend able target after they were disintegrated to 46-4.
Misbah (66) made a 3rd-wicket partnership of 62 runs with Younis Khan. Younis and Shoaib Malik departed on successive deliveries of Jeevan Mendis but the captain continued the struggle, adding 84 runs with Akmal.
It was Akmal (61) who guided Pakistan to the end as Pakistan win with 3 wickets remaining and 16 balls to spare.

Score Board:

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS

Batsman		Runs	6s	4s	Balls
W U Tharanga	c Akmal b Tanvir	3	0	0	10
T Dilshan	c Akmal b Gul	12	0	1	14
L D Chandimal	c Khan b Tanvir	7	0	1	14
K C Sangakkara	c Misbah-ul-Haq b Hafeez	78	0	8	100
L P C Silva	c Misbah-ul-Haq b Khan	1	0	0	6
A D Mathews	b Ajmal	61	2	2	101
B M A J Mendis	s Akmal b Afridi	2	0	0	12
N L T C Perera	b Tanvir	25	1	0	18
S Prasanna	not out	8	0	0	23
S L Malinga	c Misbah-ul-Haq b Tanvir	4	0	1	2
Extras		17
Total	9 wkts, 50 overs	218
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-20, 3-32, 4-46, 5-164, 6-176, 7-180, 8-214, 9-218

Bowler	O	M	R	W
Gul	7	1	34	1
Tanvir	7	0	34	4
Khan	3	0	18	1
Ajmal	10	2	26	1
Afridi	10	0	60	1
Hafeez	10	1	29	1
Malik	3	0	11	0

PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS

Batsman		Runs	6s	4s	Balls
Mohammad Hafeez	c Sangakkara b Fernando	14	0	2	28
AS Shafiq	lbw b Mathews	26	0	3	38
Y K Khan	lbw b Mendis	34	0	2	48
Misbah-ul-Haq	c Perera b Mendis	66	0	5	99
S Malik	lbw b Mendis	0	0	0	1
Umar Akmal	not out	61	0	8	60
S Afridi	c Sangakkara b Malinga	4	0	0	4
S Tanvir	c Chandimal b Fernando	1	0	0	6
S Ajmal	not out	0	0	0	0
Extras		13
Total	7 wkts, 47.2 overs	219
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-51, 3-113, 4-113, 5-197, 6-202, 7-215

Bowler	O	M	R	W
Malinga	9	2	28	1
Perera	7	1	32	0
Prasanna	8	0	48	0
Fernando	9.2	0	47	2
Mathews	5	1	11	1
Mendis	7	0	36	3
Dilshan	2	0	12	0