
A China Eastern plane at Manchester Airport
This is quite unlike another English airport, Manchester, which was able to announce that it has signed up a Chinese partner, Beijing Construction Engineering Group, (BCEG) to help develop the airport area into what is called an ‘Airport City’ project. Apparently this means that they will be building those things that you would expect to see at an airport like offices, hotels, manufacturing firms, logistics and warehouses. The airport hopes that by attracting international businesses some 16,000 jobs could be created. It probably also means that some Chinese airlines will start linking Manchester with important Chinese cities in the near future. If that also brings Chinese tourism to the north west that will be big benefit as well.

Sanit Peter; an island off southern Sardinia © Robin Nowacki
Still on wildlife, Melbourne Airport had to be partially closed when a kangaroo appeared on the tarmac. For years the tourism authorities have been trying to tell us that you don’t really see kangaroos hopping down the main streets of big cities and then this happens. It had been injured by a car and somehow, it had managed to get through security and become a potential hazard to planes. What does this say about the security at the airport? At least the kangaroo is making a good recovery from its injuries unlike the injured pride of the security officials.
Back in our countries I was surprised to find out just how many sources of revenue are available to heritage sites for maintenance. In the House of Commons, Ed Vaizey from the Culture and everything else department said that there were 135 maintenance funds in existence if your local tourist attraction is in need of a bob or two.

G-Force at Drayton Manor © Sam Bagnall. The legacy of the Bryan's.
Finally one of a married partnership of entrepreneurs responsible for setting up Drayton Manor Theme Park has died. Just a few weeks after her husband and co-founder, Colin, died, Vera Bryan passed away. Between them they took a site filled with rubbish, brambles and junk and developed an attraction from out of nothing that draws over a million people annually.