500million

A HUGE water attraction launching in the UK for the first time has revealed plans for five more attractions across the country.

Therme Manchester – a giant water attraction with pools, saunas and beaches – is currently under construction and now new plans have been revealed to build more Therme attractions in the UK.

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According to Spa Business, David Russell, CEO of Therme UK explained that new locations under consideration include Glasgow in Scotland; Cardiff in Wales,Bristol; London and possibly Birmingham.

The first of these to open would be Glasgow, where the site would be around the same size as Therme’s attraction in Bucharest, Romania, spanning 2,787sqm.

The site would be between the Kelvin and Clyde rivers, opposite Glasgow’s Transport Museum.

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The site is only in the early stages with Therme currently working on the lease for the location.

The plans are part of Therme’s ’90:90′ aim – 90 per cent of the UK public being within 90 minutes of a Therme attraction.

Therme also has a number of other attractions planned for the rest of the world, such as in Toronto, Canada; Washington and Dallas, America; Seoul, Korea; Singapore; Dubai, UAE and Frankfurt, Germany.

It comes as more details have been revealed about Therme Manchester which is currently under construction and is set to open in late 2028.

The £500million attraction is set to host up to 2.8million people each year, with a maximum of 6,500 to 7,000 at the attraction at any one time.

Inside visitors can expect a large-scale waterpark split into three zones (Play, Relax and Restore) heated to 33C, with numerous spa and wellness facilities.

In the Play zone, visitors will find ‘next-generation’ water slides, as well as a wave pool, warm water pool, steam rooms, saunas and lounging and family dining experiences.

This zone will boast an outdoor beach too.

In the Relax zone – which will be adults-only – there will be a “focus on premium wellbeing experiences”, which includes indoor and outdoor pools, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms, saunas and casual dining.

In the Restore Zone – which is also an adults-only area – there will be “industry leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies”, “sauna rituals”, experience showers, wellbeing consultations and dining.

Therme Manchester will also have some of the latest technology including robots that will take guests’ belongings and store them away.

Guests will get a wristband which they scan each time they want paid-for experiences inside Therme, as well as food.

Russell even shared that visitors will be able to get a discount if they arrive at Therme by public transport.

Visiting the new attraction is set to cost £48 per person.

Russell said: “There won’t be anywhere in this country that has the facilities we have in terms of slides, pools, thermal pools, cryotherapy, snow rooms, heat rooms – like 30 saunas.

“We want to do it through volume and that’s brave because it’s a challenge. But it’s a leap of faith.”

A HUGE new airport could soon make it easier to travel to one of the iconic Wonders of the World.

Chinchero International Airport was first announced nearly 30 year ago, in a bid to increase tourism to Peru.

The new airport would be on the outskirt of Chinchero, which would mean getting to the historic Machu Picchu much easier as well.

Currently, tourists take days travelling from Lima and Cusco, usually via plane and bus, followed by a hike.

But the new airport – first announced back in 1978 – could make it much easier.

It has run into a number of problems over the years, including internal conflicts across Peru, the Covid pandemic and complaints from locals.

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However, it now hopes to be able to be finished by 2027, with plans to open to the public by 2028.

Predicted to cost $682milliom (£500million), as many as eight million tourists per year could travel through.

This would increase tourism by 200 per cent to the region.

One local told the BBC: “I’ve been hearing about the airport for about 30 years.

“And if I had been here for 50 years, I would have been hearing about it for 50 years.”

It is unlikely to have flights from Europe, as experts have said that “transoceanic flights” wouldn’t be possible due to the altitude.

Currently, most Brits fly to the airport in Lima, Jorge Chávez International Airport, which opened a new passenger terminal last year.

It is likely that instead there would be direct flights from Lima to the new airport.

However, there are fears that the new airport could make the already over-touristy region even worse.

Others have said the new airport would harm the local wildlife, as well as bring too many tourists to the already-busy attraction.

In the mean time, some of the other Wonders of the World are much easier to visit.

The Colosseum in Rome is one of them, which is a short flight from the UK. There is also Petra in Jordan, with direct flights to Amman followed by a car ride or guided tour.

The others are slightly more difficult – the Taj Mahal in India is a long flight from the UK, as is the Great Wall of China , Mexico‘s Chichen Itza and Christ the Redeemer in Brazil.

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SPIRIT Airlines has confirmed it has officially shut down after all last-minutes attempts to save the company fell through.

Donald Trump on Friday had said he had offered a final proposal for a federal bailout.

But a deal was not made after talks hit a wall over a $500million rescue package.

American, United and Frontier Airlines have all offered to support any passengers left stranded by the closure.

It comes after the airline filed for bankruptcy for a second time.

“It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately,” the airline said in a statement on Saturday.

“All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport.

“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come.”

Spirit, like many other airlines, has been plagued with skyrocketing fuel costs as the Iran war continues, with some carriers raising fares and increasing checked bag fees.

“Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” it said.

Some other budget-friendly airlines have asked the government for help as they face jet fuel price spikes.

Spirit’s collapse just a day after it was still selling tickets to travelers has left thousands stranded as all flights have been canceled.

In addition to this, 17,000 workers are now out of work including 14,000 airline employees and thousands of contractors.

Passengers with Spirit tickets will be getting automatic refunds if they booked directly with the airline using a debit or credit card.

Those who have tickets from travel agents must “contact the travel agent directly to request a refund.”

The airline added that it will not be able to help passengers re-book their flights with another airline.

However, rival carriers have offered help, with JetBlue offering passengers $99 one-way fares for those who have proof of a Spirit itinerary for the same route of travel until May 6.

The airline has urged stranded passengers to call 1-800-JETBLUE for help getting where they need to go.

In addition to this, JetBlue has capped basic fares at $299 or less on certain non-stop routes.

Similar moves are being made by United, Delta, and Southewest, the Department of Transportation confirmed.

“The Trump Administration is committed to taking care of you and your family when you fly,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

“In a matter of hours, we’ve activated our airline partners to ensure passengers are not stranded, communities maintain route access, fares do not skyrocket, and Spirit’s workforce is connected to new job opportunities.”

The department has outlined the ways that it and fellow airlines are assisting those affected by Spirit’s collapse from capped and reduced fares to refund advice and employee support.

Duffy has largely blamed former President Joe Biden for the airline’s collapse.

This is because a proposed merger between Spirit and JetBlue was blocked under the Biden administration in 2024 which Duffy called “a massive mistake” in a press conference on Saturday morning.

He added that President Trump was “like a dog with a bone” trying to find a deal to keep Spirit afloat but noted that the airline “was in dire straights long before the war in Iran.”

And it’s not just Spirit struggling financially, with The Association of Value Airlines seeking $2.5billion in federal help to keep discount airlines like Breeze and Frontier running amid high fuel prices.

Duffy has already rejected this level of funding and in his press conference, accused low-budget airlines of trying to piggyback on the generosity the Trump administration showed to save Spirit in trying to save it.

FOR those waterpark fans amongst you, there are some exciting plans in the works with five more potentially coming to the UK.

From massive indoor resorts with beaches, to surfing lagoons, here’s everything you need to know.

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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Chessington is known for its rides, zoo and aquarium, but is hoping to add waterpark fun to its offerings.

Back in 2024, the theme park submitted plans to build an African-themed waterpark with six water slides, two lazy rivers and rapids.

If given the go-ahead, it will have a kids wave pool, splash pad, spa pool, a safari beach, cafe and outdoor restaurants.

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The plans are for it to be built opposite the Safari Hotel.

First-look images reveal a huge indoor waterpark with outdoor waterfalls and greenery surrounding the pool areas.

Little else is known about it right now, with the last update back in 2024.

Therme Manchester

When Therme Manchester opens, it will be the “largest water-based wellbeing destination in Europe“.

It’s set to cost £500million, and could welcome three million people a year to its indoor resort.

It will be every waterpark’s fan dream with spa and wellness facilities that will be split into three distinct zones – Play, Relax and Restore.

The Play zone will focus on ‘next-generation’ water slides, along with a wave pool, warm water pool, steam rooms, saunas and lounging and family dining experiences.

This zone will have an outdoor beach too.

The Relax zone will be adults-only and there will be a “focus on premium wellbeing experiences”, as well as indoor and outdoor pools, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms, saunas and dining.

The last area is the Restore Zone and is also adults-only.

Here will be “industry leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies”, “sauna rituals”, experience showers, wellbeing consultations and dining.

Therme is due to open next to the Trafford Centre in late 2028.

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Blue Bay Beach Resort, Rhodes

The four-star Blue Bay Beach Resort sits a stone’s throw away from this beach, and has its own pools, splash park and water slides. Here you’re only a 15-minute drive away from Rhodes Old Town, where UNESCO-listed medieval streets wind through castle-like architecture. Make sure to check out the Street of the Knights, one of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe.

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Gouves Bay Hotel, Crete

Gouves Bay Hotel keeps things simple on a sunny Greek island location right by the sea. This hotel has a relaxed, family-friendly feel with two pools, a kids’ club and easy all-inclusive dining. And if you fancy a change of atmosphere, Gouves’ bars and tavernas are just a short walk away for your choice of evening drinks with a view.

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Aegean View Aqua Resort, Kos

The picturesque hotel is perched up high and surrounded by lush greenery in the historic harbour town of Kos. Here you’ll find a huge swimming pool and a waterpark, as well as activities like darts, tennis, football and more. There’s evening entertainment six days a week, and an on-site spa with a hot tub and sauna to unwind.

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TUI Blue Lagoon Queen, Halkidiki

This mega resort with six pools and its own waterpark is rated five stars by TUI. In the main restaurant, you’ll see show cooking displays as you take your pick from an extensive international buffet. Plus, Kalives beach is on the doorstep of this hotel, with its strikingly blue water and soft golden sands.

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Great Wolf Lodge

Great Wolf Lodge might not mean much to Brits, but it has 23 resorts across North America and Canada, and wants to to open its very first UK site.

The company has submitted plans to built on the current site of Basingstoke Golf Centre on Worting Road in Hampshire.

The plans are for it to be transformed into a 50,000m² complex.

It will consist of three interconnected buildings – one will be a hotel, another an adventure park and the last, an indoor waterpark.

It will be lots of family-friendly pools, slides, rides and splash pads.

Planned activities inside the adventure park will be a children’s haven with a rope course, mini bowling, mini golf and a games arcade.

Seahive

While not a waterpark per se, Seahive is set to be a huge new water attraction near Deal in Kent.

If it gets the go-ahead, Seahive would be the world’s first surfing wellness resort with a dedicated surf lagoon for every skill level with waves ranging in size from 50cm to 2m.

The site will also have a relaxing wellness area, spa and gym.

There’s room for on-land activities too like a skate park for skateboards, bikes and scooters.

Also proposed for the site are 15 holiday lodges and a clubhouse with restaurants.

The Cove Resort

Similar to Seahive, in Southport there will soon be Cove Resort which is a £75million new attraction with incredible views across the Irish Sea.

Visitors will be able to experience leisure activities like an outdoor lagoon with opportunities for surfing.

Other proposed facilities include a thermal spa – the resort will focus primarily on health and wellbeing.

The plans include the building of large 4-star hotel on site too.

For more on waterparks, here are all the ones in the UK mapped – with lazy rivers and wave pools.

And here’s where you will find the waterpark capital of the UK.