Tourism news in Philippines, Japan, Cuba and U.S.

Kissing destination

The Philippines seems to have the look of love, as an increasing number of young Chinese couples, including some celebrities, see the romantic islands of Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Bohol as ideal places to spend their honeymoon. The Philippine Department of Tourism recently organized a wedding and honeymoon fashion show and musical production in Beijing. "Romantic Philippines" featured the wedding gowns and resort wear of internationally-acclaimed Filipino fashion designer Renee Salud, set against a backdrop of Philippine wedding and honeymoon destinations. Beijing tour operators CTS Southeast Asia View, Jiedajiaqi (JITS), and Beijing Longway Int'l Travel Service are promoting the Southeast Asian country as a gateway to Happily Ever After.

Bonding with Japan

Now through July 15, visitors to Japan can take advantage of special offers for accommodation. The Preferred Hotel Group in Japan is celebrating the Kizuna 10-day sale by offering special nightly rates for 10 Japanese hotels for 10,000 ($123) per room. In addition, those staying at Sterling Hotels will be eligible for room upgrades and free breakfast. While the offers are valid only till July 15, reservations are valid till the last day of the year. The sale is a celebration of the bond, or kizuna, that Japanese hotels and resorts share with those who come to visit. See www.phgoffers.com/ for more details.

Savor Hemingway

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the July 2 death of Nobel Prize-winning American novelist Ernest Hemmingway, Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba is offering tourists an inside look of where the writer spent the first months of his 21-year stay in Cuba. According to USA Today, many important mementos will be on display, including the writer's glasses, a drawing pencil, a fishermen's vest and a bullfighter's jacket. After the tour, guests are encouraged to sample a mojito, the writer's drink of choice during his time in Cuba.

Even though Hemmingway was American, he spent a lot of time in Havana, and remains important to Cuban history.

Getting there fast

The good news: Unveiled at last week's Paris Air Show, the British firm HyperMach has revealed a new super jet that it said will reach speeds beyond Mach 3.1 - so flights between London and New York City will only last two hours, half the time the Concorde took. From New York to Sydney, it will only take five hours, slashing the time by 75 percent.

Officials said the 20-seat plane will be able to reach a speed of Mach 3.6, which no one has ever traveled at, they said, made possible by the S-MAGET hybrid gas turbine engine technology.

Now the bad news: You have to wait a while yet - the plane itself may not be completed until 2025.

The super jet effort is a green initiative, too. HyperMach officials said the key is the 'relatively low' fuel consumption of the jet.

New phone app

Ensure you're getting the best travel deals around with the FlightLover App for mobile phones. In the iTunes store for only $2.99, it lets you monitor airfares either by best deal or in alphabetical order. Flights and prices can also be compared so you know you're getting the best deal out there. You can book tickets right from the app.