Munich  - Indonesia

Yokohama, Japan  - Much of the world was tuned in to Yokohama for a little over 90 minutes in 2002, when it hosted the final of the football World Cup. Brazil's Ronaldo scored two goals to give his team victory over Germany. The city then fell back into the shadow of nearby Tokyo.

But Yokohama will be back in the spotlight in 2009 as it marks an important anniversary - 150 years ago, it opened its port to world trade and thus ushered in a fundamental modernization of Japan. The events dedicated to the anniversary are a good opportunity for tourists to visit the city.

Kathmandu  - Nepal's tourism industry recorded strong growth in 2008, making it the most successful year for the industry in eight years, tourism officials said Friday.

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said preliminary figures for the year showed total tourist arrivals for 2008 were around 550,000, but added that full report was still being prepared.

"The total number of tourists arriving by air in 2008 was 4 per cent higher than in 2007," the NTB said. "374,661 visitors arrived in Nepal through Kathmandu airport, the highest since 2000."

Tourism authorities said the figure does not include those arriving in Nepal overland from Tibet and India.

San Jose, Costa Rica  - The Costa Rican government has declared the Los Quetzales region the country's 28th National Park.

The 4,000 hectares of reserve were first created in 2005 in one of the rainiest parts of the Central American country, 122 kilometres from the capital San Jose.

According to officials, the park owes its rich biodiversity to the seven different levels of altitude which house 25 different local species, 116 types of mammals and wetlands such as seasonal lagoons from the glacial era.

Marrakesh  - Marrakesh in Morocco is not only one of the most exhilarating cities in Africa - for many it is the most attractive place in the entire continent.

The Atlantic Ocean may be 150 kilometres away, but the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains are less than 50 kilometres distant. For the "caravanserai" or caravans which once halted here after an arduous trek across the Sahara, the sight of this settlement after weeks of privation must have been a revelation.

Modern tourists who approach Marrakesh from the barren south of Morocco can appreciate what it was must have felt like to be confronted with such a city of contrasts. They will also find themselves captivated by the atmosphere of Oriental magic, especially in the historic medina.

Neu-Isenburg, Germany  - Thanks to soaring demand, the Italian cruise company Costa Crociere is increasing its programme for the Persian Gulf from winter 2009/10.

As part of that expansion, Costa plans to send its latest vessel, the Costa Luminosa, to Dubai.

The Luminosa is due to be christened in June 2009 and will have space for 2,828 passengers making it the largest ship the cruise company will base in Dubai, said the company's office in Neu-Isenburg.