London commuters were given a taste of holiday cheer without leaving the city, thanks to Virgin Atlantic’s multi-sensory experience at Southbank’s Observation Point. The event offered an invigorating boost complete with pre-flight beverages, destination-inspired fragrances, and a rejuvenating session of red-light therapy.

This unique blend was designed to evoke the same emotional and physiological reactions associated with going on holiday, such as excitement, elevated mood, reduced stress, and enhanced emotional wellbeing. Guests were greeted by cabin crew and invited to relax in a Clubhouse-style bar before settling into a luxurious Premium seat for a 10-minute light therapy session.

The treatment, which uses red light wavelengths between 630 and 700 nanometres, is designed to replicate the mood-enhancing, glow-inducing, and sleep-improving effects of a holiday. It has been scientifically proven to leave individuals glowing from within.

The soothing hum of jet engines added to the atmosphere, triggering a strong sense of wanderlust among guests. Scent also played a significant role, with the comforting aroma of sweet Caribbean coconut, warming saffron from Mumbai’s street food stalls, and roasted coffee beans from a New York deli permeating the air.

Lifestyle coach Adrienne Adhami, who helped design the experience, said: “Modern life is fast and busy, our calendars are packed, our minds are overloaded, and we’re constantly on the go. We all need moments to reset, and that’s exactly what the Red Spirit Retreat offers.

“This experience gives people a chance to recharge, and to feel that spark of excitement we associate with travel. From mood-boosting red-light therapy to the sensory details that tap into positive memories, it’s a reminder of how important travel is to our wellbeing.”

The retreat comes at an opportune time as research involving 2,000 adults revealed that 49% have yet to plan their 2025 holidays. Many are yearning for the thrill of new experiences (57%), meeting new people (20%), and immersing in different cultures (44%).

A spokesperson from Virgin Atlantic, which is also offering its red-light therapy experiences at its stores in Merry Hill, Trafford Centre, Bluewater, Meadowhall, Lakeside, and Liverpool, stated: “Travelling with us is an exciting and energising experience – from our charismatic cabin crew to the unique touches we offer onboard.

“The Red Spirit Retreat gives Londoners a mood boosting experience and a taste of how it feels to fly with us before experiencing the real thing on their next holiday.”

Theme parks holidays are a great way to bring the whole family together, with plenty of activities suitable for all ages to enjoy. While there are some destinations renowned for being home to some of the most famous theme parks in the world, this one destination might just be the ultimate place for an amusement holiday. The incredible country is home to some of the biggest names in the amusement industry, including a brand new one that is set to open this summer. 

China‘s amusement park industry is entering its peak, drawing in billions of pounds every year. In 2023, the industry brought 60 billion yuan (approximately £6 billion) into China’s economy, and with the opening of the country’s new Legoland theme park, set to welcome visitors from July 5, the industry is only going to continue growing.

In fact, by 2028, the figure is expected to skyrocket to over 110 billion yuan, equivalent to more than £11 billion. That sort of increase will solidify China as a leading destination for global theme park investments.

At present, China has around 385 theme parks, including two Disneylands – one in the global financial hub, Shanghai and another in Hong Kong.

In 2023, around 14 million adventure-seeking visitors made their way to the theme park, making it one of the top five visited theme parks in the world, and international companies are already seeking to expand it.

Shanghai Disneyland revealed plans for the amusement park’s first Marvel-themed attraction and is constructing a third themed hotel. Whilst in Hong Kong, the park will also expand its Marvel area and is set to open a new Pixar entertainment experience.

Over in Beijing, the Universal Studios theme park, which opened in 2021, is on course for its second phase of development. It is set to expand by over double its current size and include up to five new hotels.

More than 50 new theme parks across China are in development or set to launch this year. “China offers an excellent business environment,” says Siegfried Boerst, managing director of Legoland Resorts China.

He added: “Legoland Shanghai Resort has a series of world’s first to fulfill the growing demand. All this will help boost the regional economy and enhance Shanghai’s competitiveness in the international tourism market.”

China is currently developing a Harry Potter Studio Tour and building the world’s largest Peppa Pig outdoor theme park. Both will be located in Shanghai and open to visitors in 2027.

A flight attendant has revealed which clothes she would ‘never wear’ on a plane.

There’s nothing that beats the feeling of boarding a flight, knowing you’re on your way to a new destination. Lots of people like to travel and go on holiday in different countries.

Some travellers enjoy flights and look at them as part of the experience, while others feel nervous about flying and want the journey to go as quickly as possible so they can reach their destination. No matter how you feel, something important for everyone to consider is what to wear while travelling.

People want to feel comfortable on a plane, especially on a long-haul or international flight so your choice of clothing can make a difference, as pointed out by Cher Dallas, who has been a flight attendant for six years. Those who work on planes and assist passengers will be aware of what kind of clothes are not a good idea to wear.

As well as not being the most comfortable, certain types of clothing can also cause health or safety risks on a plane. Speaking in a video on TikTok, Cher said: “Clothes that I’d never wear while travelling, coming from a six-year flight attendant.”

1) Rompers/playsuits

She began by discussing playsuits as she explained: “This is a double no-no. I would never, never, never wear a romper. Going to the bathroom, that thing is going to end up on the floor, which is soaked with pee and doesn’t get mopped often.”

Cher added that she would “love to know” an average measurement of how much urine ends up on the floor of a toilet of a plane every hour of a flight, claiming it’s “probably a lot more than you think.”

According to Conde Nast Traveller, every surface of an airport toilet is “supposed to be cleaned with disinfectants and deodorizers after each arrival and during overnight layovers” but there “aren’t actually any laws governing how airlines need to maintain lavatories on board your flight.”

The travel source further shared that bathroom cleanliness in-flight is handled by flight attendants who check that toilets are stocked and tidy. It revealed that there’s “generally a 30-minute protocol” so flight attendants attend to the toilets regularly, making sure there’s enough toilet paper and guaranteeing that no one is “idling in the bathroom.”

2) Shorts

Next, Cher remarked: “I’d also never wear shorts. The amount of times that dirty diapers get changed on the seats is astonishing, not to mention people vomit, people are dirty themselves and are sitting in the seat.”

3) Flip flops

The flight attendant then spoke about Havaiana sandals from Revolve. These shoes are essentially flip flops.

She admitted that the Havainas are “really cute” but highlighted that she would “never travel in sandals ever.” Cher claimed that the carpet on planes is “filthy dirty”, people “vomit on it”, have pets on it and “rub their bare feet on it.”

Because of this, the plane staff member explained that she “would not want my toes anywhere near an open exposure to that.” Airline crew told Which? that a team of cleaners can be given “as little as eight minutes to wipe-down a 180-seat plane between flights” and with a typical team of eight cleaners, two work their way down the aisle, while others clean the gallery and toilets, giving cleaners “around six seconds to clean each seat.”

4) Tank tops

Cher then shared that she would never wear a tank top or tube top by itself, because you will likely be very cold and she thinks it is “always better to err on the side of modesty when it comes to travelling.” Tank tops might also not be very comfortable to wear on a flight as they don’t offer as much movement as other types of tops.

5) Jumpers on their own

Ending her TikTok video, the experienced flight attendant said: “Lastly, I would never wear a sweater or sweatshirt by itself without something under it. I’ve had actual medical emergencies because somebody has overheated and we’ve had to take her top off and she was just having to sit in her bra in the cabin.”

Cher mentioned that layers are “so important when flying”. According to Rosen Aviation, aircraft cabins are “notoriously cold” and cabin temperatures are usually around 71 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (21.7 to 23.9 degrees celsius) to “counteract the freezing atmospheric conditions that impact the cabin as the plane ascends.”