9/14/2011 11:13:00 am | 
Posted by
Jemma Marke and Sue Arscott
With plenty of offers about and operators adding luxurious new hotels, Cyprus looks set for a solid season. Jeannine Williamson reports
Cyprus ticks all the boxes as a winter-sun destination. The sea is warm enough for swimming in November, the average temperature on the coast is 20C in December and the island enjoys an average six hours of sunshine a day.
Sales are hotting up too, with the Cyprus Tourism Organisation reporting that winter 2011-12 bookings are up 29% on last year, despite fierce competition from other winter-sun hotspots.
Cyprus remains Olympic Holidays’ leading winter-sun destination and commercial director Photis Lambrianides expects winter bookings to benefit from the fallout of the recent unrest in North Africa and the Middle East.
Winter prospects
“There’s every likelihood people will turn to a traditional favourite like Cyprus for their winter-sun break this year,” he says. “Cyprus is a long-established and steady destination and I expect it to perform well in 2011-12, with good initiatives by hoteliers continuing from summer and prices being pegged.”
Cosmos product manager Gemma Carroll is also positive about Cyprus bookings, even though she believes it can struggle against other winter-sun destinations such as the Canaries on account of its slightly lower temperatures for some of the winter months.
“The winter market is definitely up on the same time last year, although with people now tending to book much closer to departure it’s too early to predict how it will end up,” she says.
“In general, we expect the majority of bookings to come in the shoulder periods, such as October, November and March, and anticipate it will be driven by the couples market more than the family market.”
One challenge, notes Alexis Josephides, Sunvil’s programme director, is that reduced airlift, particularly to Paphos, has led to fewer hotels remaining open. The majority of Sunvil’s available beds in the winter are in small family-owned hotels, inns and villas.
“For years the CTO has tried to market Cyprus as a winter-sun destination but with limited success,” he adds. “It’s worth noting, though, that Cyprus has a long summer season compared with the likes of Greece, Spain and Portugal, with many properties still counting September and the first half of October as peak months.”
Operator news
Prestige Holidays has added the all-suite, adults-only Asimina Suites in Paphos for the winter. Facilities include three pools, spa, tennis, gym and restaurants, and Prestige offers include complimentary half-board for arrivals between October 15-31.
Guests can take the plunge at the five-star Columbia Beach Resort and sister property Columbia Beachotel in Pissouri Bay on the southwest coast. This winter the two hotels are launching packages featuring the new onsite diving centre, Kembali Diving, due to open in November 2011.
Guests, including children aged 10 and above, will be able to take part in a range of diving activities suitable for complete beginners to experienced divers, gain Padi certification and go on wreck dives. Half-day introduction courses start at £48 and there are preferential room rates for guests booking three or four-day diving packages.
With bad weather highly unlikely to stop play, Cyprus is a golfer’s paradise where players can tee off throughout the winter. New for this year is Elea Golf Club, a 71-par course just outside Paphos that was designed by Nick Faldo.
Visitors can pit their wits against Faldo’s ‘Mediterranean Masterpiece’ on the new winter golfing packages on offer from the five-star Almyra hotel in Paphos. The packages include two rounds of golf at Elea, two rounds at the well-established InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort, taxi transfer to the courses, packed lunches and a restorative massage in the hotel spa. The package leads in at £530, excluding accommodation. For golfing widows, or non-players, there are spa packages from £140.
The Elea course and Minthis Hills Golf Club are both new to Cyplon’s winter programme and the operator is also offering reduced green fees, a free spa treatment and 14 nights for the price of 10 at Aphrodite Hills.
Cyplon has introduced several properties this winter including the rural Avalon Village House outside Limassol, leading in at £428, and the boutique-style Library Hotel Wellness Retreat in Kalavassos village from £752.
Moreover, golfers flying with Aegean Airlines on its twice-daily Heathrow-Larnaca service can check in one golf bag for free on top of their 20kg bag allowance.
Flight news
Monarch this summer started scheduled flights to Paphos from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester, with up to 11 flights a week, in addition to existing services to Larnaca from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester. Flights to Larnaca also operate during the winter. All flights are available to book until October 2012.
Price check
Cyprus is not the cheapest of destinations, and some agents report that selling the destination can be a tough call with consumers keeping a close eye on their holiday spending.
“I have been there and I love it, but when you have places like Egypt, Turkey and Greece going so cheap it’s very hard to push as people are price conscious at the moment and the prices are quite high,” says Kimberley Marshall, assistant manager at The Co-operative Travel in Eastleigh.
“I would say the quality in Cyprus is far higher than the likes of Greece and Spain but you do pay for it.”
Neil Jones, senior travel consultant at Westgate Travel in Mid-Glamorgan, says: “People are worried that it’s a lot more expensive than places like Greece and Turkey.” However, he points to the market for long-stay winter holidays as one area where the island has long excelled.
“The year-round sunshine is a massive bonus and hotels offer great rates for long stays from November to March,” he adds.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
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The UK has suffered a 'negligible' number of tourist cancellations despite images of rioting and looting being screened around the world, according to the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).
ETOA reported its members had received 330 cancellations for the coming week by yesterday, out of more than 38,000 people booked to stay in London hotels on Wednesday.
An ETOA spokesman said: "On the basis that these people would have stayed two nights, this represents 660 missing bed-nights throughout the week or barely 95 cancellations per night." This represents a cancellation rate of 0.17%.
"Some of the individual cancellations are now rebooking," the spokesman added. "People cancel for a myriad of reasons: the disturbances have, for now, proved as significant a factor as having a sick dog or flooding the bathroom."
The association suggested the fact that media coverage of the riots had shown "comparatively anonymous locations" had contributed to the low level of cancellations.
"No major landmarks and no significant numbers of tourists have been caught up in the trouble," said ETOA.
However, the organisation, which has 500 inbound tour operator members, said: "The significance lies in how a country is seen to deal with the trouble. The images have been of the police trying to contain the trouble. They have not violently confronted it.
"Images of property being damaged are very different from those of people being hurt. So the story of the last few nights, played out on television sets throughout the world, has been of an unarmed police establishing order.
"The story of the next few nights will be of the due process of law bringing suspects to account. London remains safe for tourists, and tourists understand that London remains safe."
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Joanna Booth visited California’s sunniest city ahead of BA’s direct service from Heathrow, launching in June…
“Paddle, paddle, paddle,” says Whitney. “That’s great. Now press up on your hands and toes, and pop up on to your feet.” I leap forward, and land left-foot first in the middle of my surfboard. Perfect.
If only it was that easy once you’re actually in the sea. What seemed relatively simple on the beach’s firm golden sand is another matter when the board is scudding over the waves. Most of my attempts to “pop up” end with a faceful of foam. But the sun is shining brightly and the ocean is warm, so it’s all part of the fun. And on the few occasions that I do make it upright, the sensation is exhilarating – and I have my own one-woman cheerleading squad in the shape of Whitney, whooping in support.
Surf Diva’s motto is that the best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun, and this easy, breezy attitude means the surf school’s lessons are wildly popular with children and adults.
The school is based on the long, sandy beach at La Jolla, a well-heeled coastal resort 20 minutes from Downtown, and the Surf Diva motto translates rather well for the whole of San Diego. This sunny, laid-back city just wants its visitors to have fun. There’s no pressure to see an exhausting list of sights, but there’s a whole host of things to do, whether you’re on the lookout for family fun, beachside pursuits or city slicking.
San Diego is set to welcome a greater influx of visitors from the UK when British Airways relaunches a daily direct flight from Heathrow in June. The flight will last 11 hours and the Boeing 777 offers Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins.
Previously, many Brits have tended to explore the stretch of California between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but now they will have the chance to easily extend their reach down to San Diego. It’s California’s most southerly city, sitting 120 miles down the coast from LA, but only 15 miles north of Tijuana, and Mexican influences can be seen in cuisine and architecture.
It’s a destination of districts, with each area offering something different, from the world-class museums and exhibitions of Balboa Park, to the buzzing bars of the Gaslamp Quarter.
Downtown
The centre of San Diego is manageably sized and easy to navigate once you get a handle on the usual US grid system. An easy way to get around is the Old Town Trolley, which loops around the main hotspots, allowing tourists to jump on and off as they please.
The Gaslamp Quarter is the dining and nightlife centre – a strip a couple of blocks wide and 16 long is home to more than 100 restaurants and 40 nightclubs and bars. There are plenty of grand Victorian buildings, in keeping with the old-style street lights that give the area its name.
If the Padres are playing in Petco Park, the baseball stadium at the Gaslamp’s southern end, clients without tickets should head for the rooftop bars of the Hotel Indigo and the Marriott Gaslamp Quarter, which have views over the field.
At the north end of Gaslamp, Horton Plaza is a five-storey shopping centre with 130 stores, including Stateside favourites such as Macy’s, Nordstrom and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego
East of Gaslamp is the up-and-coming East Village. Visitors will find trendy bars and restaurants, including the charming Cafe Chloe, which serves a Californian take on French bistro eating.
West of Gaslamp is the waterfront, with the cruise ship terminal, a large convention centre, and two museums providing the main focus for tourists. The city has a massive naval presence, and the USS Midway Museum is the quickest way to get a military flavour. Once aboard the hulking aircraft carrier, visitors can get up close to jet fighters, visit the bridge and the engine room and even loop the loop on the Strike Fighter flight simulator.
North of Gaslamp is Balboa Park, one of the most important addresses for tourists to remember. Rather conveniently, San Diego has taken many of its headline sights and museums, and built them all together within a large landscaped park. These include the brilliant San Diego Zoo – one of the world’s best – a number of art museums, a natural history museum, a space and science centre, a car museum and a sports museum. Pick a couple and spend the day there.
Further north is Old Town, the site of the first Spanish settlement on the West Coast and the city’s Hispanic heart between 1821 and 1872, when Mexico gained independence from Spain and took over the area. The five-hectare site is slightly cartoonish in nature, with Mexican restaurants, margarita bars and themed gift shops in among the museums and original wood and adobe buildings.
The beaches
San Diego’s most beautiful city beach is on the peninsula of Coronado. Always referred to as an island, Coronado sits across the bay from Downtown and can be reached over the huge, arching bridge, or by ferry. It’s a quiet spot, with some quaint old houses. Recommend clients visit for a day and start with brunch at the delicious cafe-bakery Tartine and spend some time on the wide, white, family-friendly expanse of sand.
Behind the beach is the Hotel Del Coronado, one of America’s earliest and best known resort hotels. Clients may recognise the white clapperboard and pointed roofs of the hotel from the Marilyn Monroe film Some Like It Hot, which was filmed here in 1959. If clients don’t have time to stay in the famous Hotel Del, book them in for a treatment at the spa. The therapists are excellent, and there’s a private seafront pool with comfortable loungers and great amenities.
Moving north up the coast, Ocean Beach is known as San Diego’s hippy beach, with family-owned and independent shops rather than chain stores. Above this, Pacific Beach and Mission Beach are where the party is to be found, popular with students and young sun-worshippers. Mission Beach is home to SeaWorld San Diego, where guests can watch trained killer whales, manatees, seals, dolphins and penguins perform, and enjoy behind-the-scenes animal encounters and water rides.
North again is La Jolla. This upscale neighbourhood really is stunning, with picture-perfect beaches suiting families and surfers and a central village of upmarket shops, destination restaurants and a fine Contemporary Art Museum.
- Find out more at sandiego.org
Tried and tested: San Diego hotels
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
There’s a pool, gym, and 12 tennis courts, plus two restaurants. The Marine Room is renowned for its exquisite seafood and amazing location – the waves break right over the glazed front of the restaurant. It’s worth a visit, even if clients are staying elsewhere.
Borrego Valley Inn
It’s the ultimate place to relax, sunbathing in the day and stargazing at night. The owners, Rich and Gwenn, are welcoming hosts who will help and advise with any activities, from desert tours, golf or cycling to spa treatments or restaurant recommendations. Buffet breakfasts are home-made and delicious. 
The Indigo is a funky design hotel located on the outskirts of the Gaslamp Quarter, so it’s really convenient for downtown sightseeing. The 210 rooms have hardwood floors, bright bedspreads and large-scale graphic prints on the walls.
The open-plan lobby is home to the lounge, bar, and dining area for breakfast, but in the evenings head for the bar on ninth floor, which overlooks the nearby Petco Park baseball stadium.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Cyprus is widening its appeal, with short breaks, golf trips and cultural tours luring back the Brits.
News that the number of UK tourists fell by 6.8% in 2010 cast a small grey cloud over the 300-plus days of annual sunshine enjoyed in Cyprus. As Brits make up nearly half of the inbound market any dip is noticeable.
However, with operators reporting buoyant sales, and the island having seen a 5% year-on-year increase in bookings for summer 2011, it looks like the sun has come out again.
Gary Boyer, head of purchasing at Classic Collection Holidays, says the operator’s bookings for Cyprus finished 4% up for winter 2010-11, with summer 2011 sales showing a 35% increase. Generally speaking, walking and activity holidays are on the up, and figures also show that 20% of sales are for three to five-night breaks, bucking the perception that Cyprus caters solely for traditional seven and 14-night stays.
Cyplon managing director Harry Hajipapas also reports an increase in the number of people travelling to Cyprus for shorter breaks of about four nights.
“Having said that, the most popular duration among our customers is now for between seven and 10 nights compared to the 14-night duration that used to be the most booked,” he adds.
This feedback is music to the ears of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, whose recent marketing activity, including the Cyprus in Your Heart branding, is geared to show the diverse appeal of the Mediterranean’s third largest island beyond the obvious attraction of year-round sun.
“The philosophy behind the new brand is that Cyprus is an island of contrasts, offering countless possibilities and choices, whether it is the beautiful sandy beaches, exciting historical sites, mouth-watering cuisine, wonderful scenery or the genuine hospitality of the locals,” says Orestis Rossides, the CTO’s director for the UK and Ireland.
Short breaks
With a flight time of four-and-a-half hours, increased airlift, daily flights from Manchester, Heathrow and Gatwick, and weekly flights from regional airports, it’s easy to see the appeal of Cyprus as a destination for long weekends and short breaks.
What’s more, sun is virtually guaranteed, making winter and shoulder-season stays a good-value choice, either for relaxing on the beach or taking in Unesco-listed cultural attractions such as Kourion and the Tombs of the Kings.
A top short-break destination is Larnaca. The island’s third-largest city is only 10 minutes from the airport and there’s plenty to see and do on Larnaca’s lively mile-long promenade, which is lined with shops, restaurants, bars and pubs, so clients don’t have to venture far afield.
Golfers’ paradise
Cyprus is an emerging golfers’ paradise where players can tee off year-round in an ideal Mediterranean climate. In the absence of wind and rain the only things likely to put golfers off their stroke are the breathtaking views from the greens. Mainly located in the Paphos region, courses are away from the bustle of the main resorts but easily accessible.
New for 2011 is Elea Golf Club, dubbed Nick Faldo’s Mediterranean masterpiece. The 71-par course is centrepiece of the Elea Estate where an on-site boutique hotel and spa is due for completion in summer 2012.
Already well established on the Cyprus golf scene is Aphrodite Hills, the five-star resort complex with plenty on offer for golfing widows and for non-golfers travelling with players.
Golf at Aphrodite Hills, Cyprus
Family favourite
A former British colony until 1960, Cyprus’s historical links have always made it popular with the mature market, with many repeat visitors and a large number of ex-pats living on the island.
But it also has plenty to offer families, with safe beaches, a relaxed lifestyle, tavernas and restaurants that actively welcome youngsters, and accommodation ranging from self-catering to all-inclusive hotels with kids’ clubs and excellent family facilities. Recent developments include a new children’s activity centre, Pirates Village, at Aphrodite Hills.
An added bonus is that everyone speaks English and it’s easy for families to hire a car and get around as Cypriots drive on the left.
Budget options
While Cyprus doesn’t immediately spring to mind as a budget destination there are good deals to be found. Sales of Sunvil’s core product, self-catering villas, remain steady and the operator reports plenty of interest in the rural boutique hotels recently introduced to the programme. These properties, plus village rooms, are excellent for clients seeking a really authentic experience.
Olympic Holidays has seen a swing towards Paphos, which has a good choice in the three and four-star bracket for clients who don’t want to stay in the resort’s five-star hotels.
New to Olympic’s 2011 budget Smart Choice brochure are the four-star Crown Resorts Horizon at Coral Bay and a trio of three-star hotels – the Agapinor in Paphos, Nissiana in Ayia Napa and Crown Resorts Henipa in Larnaca.
Sample product
Sunvil Holidays has seven nights’ B&B at Antony’s Garden House, a 19th-century village inn at Episkopi, from £681 in August, including British Airways flights from Gatwick and car hire.
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Olympic Holidays offers seven nights’ self-catering at Stavrolia Hotel Apartments on the outskirts of Ayia Napa from £505 per adult and £355 per child for travel in August, based on two adults and two children sharing a one-bedroom apartment that sleeps four. Price includes Fly Hellas flights from Manchester.
Prestige Holidays offers seven nights’ B&B in a junior suite at the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort from £4,437 for two adults and two children (aged under six) for travel in August, including Monarch flights from Gatwick.
Abu Dhabi is cementing its position as the Middle East’s rising star for tourism. Kerry Baggott reports
Abu Dhabi's recent figures speak for themselves. Last year 117,836 Brits visited, up 22% against 2009 and the biggest international increase. Overall, 1.81 million guests stayed in the emirate with guest nights rising to 5.13 million – a 19% increase on 2009.
Notably, the average length of stay in January increased to 3.10 nights, compared with 2.68 nights in January 2010.
Lawrence Franklin, strategy and policy director at Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta) sees this as an indication that the market is shifting: “The extended length of stay suggests we are making inroads into our goal of attracting an increasing number of leisure guests who spend more time here than those staying on business.”
Much of this increase can be attributed to the opening of headline-grabbing hotels and attractions. First to really hit the news was the completion of Yas Hotel and the Yas Marina Circuit in time for the Formula One in November 2009 and more recently, in October 2010, the opening of Ferrari World – the world’s largest indoor theme park. Add to this the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the biggest – and undeniably one of the most beautiful – mosques in the world.
Still newsworthy into its third year is the island retreat of Sir Bani Yas Island – not only renowned for its exclusivity but also for showcasing sustainable nature-based tourism in the Middle East.
And, for just over a year now, the emirate has offered the chance for everyday folk (with deep pockets) to experience the one of the largest deserts in the world with the opening of the five-star Arabian fortress of the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara.
Marketing drive
Of course, these attractions have provided real ammunition to the concerted marketing efforts of the Adta team. In the past year, the Authority has participated in 20 trade fairs and in November 2010 it launched a 44-page brochure entitled Opportunity Abu Dhabi: the Travel Trade’s Guide to a Great New Destination.
As well as information about accommodation, attractions and tours, the guide features sample itineraries and essential travellers’ tips. And this year Adta embarks on the second phase of its global marketing campaign – all in mind of hitting its ambitious target of 2.3 million hotel guests by the end of 2012.
The fact that Etihad Airways is doubling its flight frequency between Manchester and Abu Dhabi from seven to 14 flights each week should help meet this goal. The twice-daily service will commence in August, adding to the 21 flights a week it currently offers from Heathrow to its base in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Airways is further promoting the growth in leisure traffic with its Essential Abu Dhabi marketing campaign. The programme encourages the airline’s passengers to stay in the UAE capital by offering a range of deals on production of the passenger’s boarding pass.
Eyes are also looking expectantly on the cruise market. From October, Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed Port will serve as the primary embarkation and disembarkation point for MSC Lirica, with the Italian operator’s maiden regional itinerary sailing 19 eight-day cruises covering five destinations including Dubai, Muscat in Oman and Al Fujairah. It is hoped other cruiselines will follow suit.
In terms of visitor numbers this translates to a potential 39,000 cruise arrivals and strengthens the proposal for a fully-fledged cruise terminal – the feasibility studies of which are currently underway.
Rocco Forte Hotel, Abu Dhabi
More in the pipeline
However, in the meantime, construction of additional attractions continues at a phenomenal pace, and judging by what has preceded it, these groundbreaking projects are going to be equally impressive.
Saadiyat Island is a prime example. It will be the future home of the Zayed National Museum, and of Abu Dhabi branches of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums by 2013. Park Hyatt, St Regis and Mandarin Oriental are some of the luxury hotel names set to open properties there.
On the mainland, new hotels include the imminent opening of Rocco Forte’s 281-room property with extensive spa facilities, while Westin plans to unveil its hotel and spa at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club in the second quarter of 2011. Another eco-tourism project is being developed in the form of Eastern Mangroves, Angsana Resort and Spa, due to open by the end of the year.
Of course, Abu Dhabi has tough competition, namely its glitzy neighbour Dubai. In December 2010, Funway Holidays launched its first brochure for this region, combining Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman. Product manager Malcolm Davies says: “Bookings for Abu Dhabi remain small but high value. The majority of clients who visit Abu Dhabi fly there direct with Etihad Airways, but many stop over on their way to Asia or Australasia.
“Abu Dhabi is a quieter alternative to Dubai, but still has the same impressive architecture, exciting new attractions and some unique hotel locations perfect for adventures travellers,”
Sample product
Seven nights at the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, in November starts from £1,429 with Kuoni. This is on a bed-and-breakfast basis and includes flights with Etihad Airways and private transfers.
Seven nights at the five-star Fairmont, Bab al Bahr, in November starts from £1,319 with Funway Holidays. This is on a bed-and-breakfast basis and includes flights
with British Airways and private transfers.
An eight-day cruise in November on MSC Lirica, starting from Abu Dhabi and taking in Muscat, Al Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai, plus a two night, pre-cruise stay in a four-star Abu Dhabi city hotel on a B&B basis, starts from £999. The price includes transfer and flights from London or Manchester with Eithad Airways.
sourse: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Barely 10 miles of sparkling Mediterranean waters separate the islands of Corsica and Sardinia but despite the proximity, the two offer distinct, unique holiday experiences. One is Italian and the other is French, for a start, but the differences don’t end there.
It’s not for nothing that Corsica is known as the Island of Beauty. It’s home to a wild coastline, mountainous national parks, pine forests, fishing villages and ancient walled towns such as Calvi.
Sun seekers head south to Porte Vecchio, its hillside location overlooks a picturesque bay, and during spring and early summer, the island’s famous blanket of shrubs, maquis, is in full bloom. Corsica’s railway is another draw, covering 180 miles from lively Bastia on the east coast to seaside town Ajaccio on the west. Hikers often stop at Vizzavona village for the GR20, one of Europe’s best walking routes.
Beaches are what Sardinia does best, and holidaymakers attracted to the high-end accommodation and restaurants of the famous Costa Smeralda in the northeast find respite in the resort of Santa Teresa di Gallura. The northwest coast around Alghero offers equally alluring family-friendly white sand beaches and beyond the coast lie traditional villages, forest-covered hillsides, fine cuisine and the lively capital, Cagliari.
Other sights include Sardinia’s mystical stone fortresses, or nuraghi, which dot the island; the archaeological gems at Nuoro; medieval Bosa and the archipelago of La Maddalena.
Choosing between the two islands can be hard. Amandine Blanchard, product manager at Corsican Places and Sardinian Places, says: “Corsica is more unspoilt, greener and more mountainous, which makes it more spectacular. It’s full of character, authentic seaside resorts and has better walking opportunities.
“Sardinia has more beaches – about 240. There are more festivals on the island, a welcoming Italian feel and it’s richer in archaeological sites.” If you’re still in doubt, a number of operators offer both as part of a twin-centre break.
What’s new in Corsica?
Corsica is offered by several operators including Thomson, First Choice and Mark Warner. Specialist operator Corsican Places offers the largest accommodation options to the UK market and its collection features more than 130 products, many exclusive to them.
The majority are self-catering properties near the coast, but they also offer rural properties and hotels, with 25 new ones selected for 2011. They initially specialised in northern Corsica, but they have now expanded to the south of the island and the new brochure includes handy Beach and Family Guides.
New properties include the Bergerie Olivella (pictured above) and Bergerie Murtetu, part of the operator’s Premium Collection in Olmeto on the west coast. There are also family-friendly properties such as the traditional Casa Monica villa in Palavesa, outside Porto Vecchio, and Marina Serena, which consists of five modern villas, and is a short drive from Palombaggia and Porto Vecchio. New hotels include the three-star Hotel Costa Salina near Porto Vecchio’s lively harbour.
Rail specialist Ffestiniog Travel has added Corsica to its escorted programme this year with a rail tour through the island’s verdant interior, passing dramatic gorges and waterfalls. Corsica’s single-track railway, which climbs to its highest point at Vizzavona from sea level, is one of Europe’s most picturesque.
General manager Gina Warren says: “It’s an unusual way to see Corsica, offering amazing scenery, especially between Corte and Bocognano, which is part of the tour.” The operator also offers tailor-made rail journeys in Corsica.
What’s new in Sardinia?
Hilton made its Sardinian debut last year with the opening of the Doubletree by Hilton Olbia-Sardini in the northeastern Gallura region, close to Olbia’s historic port. Its leisure amenities include a heated outdoor pool, spa and links to the Robert Trent Jones-designed Pevero Golf Club. Opening in April, La Maddalena Hotel & Yacht Club is in the national park archipelago between Sardinia and Corsica.
This summer will also see the return of the Austin Healey and Will Greenwood Rugby Academy at the family-friendly Forte Village Resort after it launched last year. This complements the Chelsea Soccer School and Five-Star Tennis Academy.
Specialist operator Sardinian Places, specialising in northeast/northwest Sardinia, launched its new brochure in January, featuring nine new properties. While the focus remains on detached countryside villas with private grounds and a pool within easy driving distance of the coast, it is expanding to seafront properties. New this year is the Residence Riva Azzurra, a 21-apartment beachside complex in Cannigione. Plus, for the first time, the brochure features package prices alongside accommodation-only prices.
In addition to these, the operator added two more properties in late February. Both Villa Pineta, a three-bedroom property sleeping six, and Villa Le Saline, a converted three-bedroom traditional-style Sardinian farm-house with a pool, sleeping six, are located in the northeast.
Cresta Holidays has also expanded its Sardinian portfolio, adding five new hotels near the resorts of Palau and Isola Rossa in the north, in addition to those in Baia Sardinia and Porto Cervo. The selection includes self-catering Lantana Residence, Forte Village Resort, and resort and spa properties such as the Pullman Timi Ama, and Valle dell’Erica Resort Thalasso & Spa.
Family specialist Mark Warner has added the traditional, family-run Hotel Perdepera, where half of the 120 rooms are now reserved for Mark Warner guests. New properties in Sardinian specialist Sardatur’s latest, 100-page brochure include the re-opened Monteturri Resort Relais on the east coast and the new Casai Resort on the southwest’s ‘island within the island’ Sant’Antioco.
Managing director Gianni Bonuglia says: “With more flights and accommodation available, Sardinia is ideal for a family holiday; romantic getaway; culinary, historical or cultural tour; or to relax.” The lead-in brochure price is £430 for a seven-night stay at Riviera Hotel in San Pietro in May including return flights to Cagliari, bed-and-breakfast accommodation and transfers.
Other companies featuring the island include Just Sardinia, which sells about 10%-15% of its product through the trade. New this year is the Residence Riva Azzurra. Kirker Holidays, whose options includes the Superior Su Gologone near Gennargentu National Park. Kirker can also arrange tailor-made holidays to both Sardinia and Corsica.
Getting there
With more low-cost airlines flying to Corsica, access has become easier. Last summer Corsican Places launched a new weekly charter flight from Stansted to Calvi, with Ryanair adding a service from Stansted to Figari, on the southern tip of Corsica and Bmibaby adding summer-only flights to Bastia from East Midlands.
Low-cost and charter flights have also been key to Sardinia’s success. Ryanair’s routes to Alghero and Cagliari are well established and in May 2010 Bmibaby launched summer-only flights to Alghero from East Midlands airport, with easyJet launching a Stansted-Cagliari service.
Having enjoyed great success with its British Airways chartered flights from Heathrow, Edinburgh and Manchester to Cagliari, Sardatur is launching a new weekly Heathrow-Olbia flight for the summer starting on May 21. Sardatur’s Gianni Bonuglia says: “This will considerably open up the market to the north/northeast region, making it more accessible and affordable to the British market.”
Ahead of the move, Sardatur has added 12 new properties, ranging from self-catering villas to five-star deluxe hotels.
Sample product
Corsican Places offers seven nights at Casa Anna, a two-bedroom apartment in Calvi Citadel from £349, based on four sharing. Price includes return flights from Stansted to Calvi, taxes and transfers, an early booking offer discount of £50 per person and is based on May 22 departures.
Cresta Holidays has a seven-night half-board package based on two sharing at the Resort Le Dune & Spa at Badesi Mare near Isola Rossa, Sardinia from £539. Price includes flights from Gatwick to Olbia with easyJet, an early booking discount and is based on departures from May 14-June 17.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
The ancient Greek Mycenaeans knew a thing or two when they landed in Cyprus in the Bronze Age and built the settlement of Paleokastro on the northwest headland of Coral Bay.
Thousands of years on it’s still waiting to be discovered by many tourists heading for the larger and better-known resorts on the south and west Cypriot coastline. But with one of the island’s best beaches, and situated just 30 minutes from Paphos airport, Coral Bay is as accessible as it is attractive.
In 2009, a new airport link bus was launched, making it cheaper for visitors without transfers to reach Coral Bay. The eight-mile drive north of bustling Paphos on the south-western coastline takes visitors through banana plantations and vineyards, setting the scene for Coral Bay’s laid-back charms.
With its safe bathing and nightlife more suited to mature types than party animals, it’s a good choice for families. The flagship Coral Beach Hotel & Resort is the first and only five-star property on the island to offer a family plan. There are a selection of rooms, some inter-connecting, to accommodate two adults and up to three youngsters on an all-inclusive basis, plus a children’s restaurant with optional early meals and daytime entertainment programme.
While it doesn’t have the historic interest of nearby Paphos, Coral Bay is an ideal base to explore the rest of Cyprus and there are plenty of attractions and activities nearby served by a regular bus service.
For clients needing some rest and relaxation the beach is an obvious draw and there are some excellent spa hotels. Coral Bay also has a good selection of restaurants and local shops making it an attractive option for self-caterers who want to go it alone in a villa.
Families
The classic horseshoe-shaped beach is set in the natural bay protected by two headlands and is widely considered 
The beach has earned a European Blue Flag for its facilities, water quality and cleanliness and there are lifeguards on duty during the main season. Pedaloes, banana boats, water skis, jet skis and windsurfing provide fun for all age groups.
A popular family attraction close to Coral Bay is the Pafos Bird and Animal Park, the only one of its kind on the island. Open year-round, it’s home to a large collection of birds and there are daily parrot and owl shows in the 350-seat air-conditioned amphitheatre.
The Coral Beach Hotel & Resort (pictured) operates a crèche and children’s club for hotel guests and the facilities are also open to non-residents on a chargeable basis.
Active
One of the major attractions of Coral Bay is its diving. There are several dive compani
First-timers can take the plunge with a dive around the Coral Bay harbour wall and Manijin Island, with its spectacular cave, which is just a 10-minute boat ride away. The entrance to Akamas National Park offers fantastic underwater scenery and experienced divers can go on a day trip to the wreck of Zenobia, one of the world’s largest wreck dive sites.
Back on dry land the Akamas peninsula is a beautiful part of the island to swim, cycle and walk. For clients who want to move up a gear, Coral Bay Karting has adult and kiddy karts and horse riding is available near Coral Bay.
Spa
For couples and spa enthusiasts the area has some notable boutique properties. Anagenisis, the spa at the 
On the road to Coral Bay is the Azia Resort and Spa, a three-in-one boutique hotel featuring three properties with distinctive characteristics on the same site. One is the Club and Spa, which is perfect for privacy and pampering.
This hotel also boasts another first for the island, a butler allocated to every suite from a superior suite upwards. And at Esthisis, the spa at Coral Beach Hotel & Resort, there’s a new romantic candlelit body massage for two in the outdoor Roman tent.
Excursions
Just outside Coral Bay are the Adonis Baths, a natural pool beside a waterfall and restored watermill. According to Greek mythology, this is where the goddess of love Aphrodite frolicked in the waters with Adonis. It’s worth the climb to reach the baths and many visitors go for a dip as legend has it that swimming in the baths makes women beautiful and men stronger.
A top attraction is the Unesco-listed Kato-Paphos Archaeological Park at Paphos, famous for its Roman mosaics and the Tombs of the Kings burial site. Coral Bay is also a good base for exploring the northern coastline, with its coves and isolated beaches, and protected turtle nesting ground at Cape Lara.
Other day trips can take in the mountain monasteries of Ayios Neophytos and Chrysoroyiatissa and hillside villages of Peyia and Yeroskipou with their traditional tavernas and panoramic views.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
This lush, laid-back island provides the perfect Caribbean hideaway.
Whoever coined the phrase ‘looks aren’t everything’ obviously hadn’t been to Saint Lucia. My first view of the Pitons was so breathtaking it was a good thing I was lying down.
We’d arrived as the sun set the night before, so my first glimpse came as I opened my eyes in a four-poster bed at Jade Mountain, a luxury hotel where the fourth wall of every room is missing. Instead of the wall, you get a panoramic vista of the iconic twin mountains. Oh, and your own private, in-room infinity pool.
The island’s five-star hotels are amazing, but five-star views can be found all over the place. There can be few islands more beautiful than this one, famed for its volcanic peaks, green jungles and clear waters. Saint Lucia is nicknamed ‘the Helen of the West Indies’, after Helen of Troy, the beautiful queen whose face launched a thousand war ships. Saint Lucia’s has launched a few too; the British and French fought over the island for more than 150 years, with each nation possessing it at least seven times before being ceded to Britain in 1814.
Britain still loves Saint Lucia, with British lovers particularly fond of it. The island’s gorgeous views have given it the reputation as a romantic idyll for honeymooners and couples, and there are certainly more than enough stunning vistas to give them an alternative to staring into each other’s eyes.
But Saint Lucia is no shallow dolly bird. Beneath the beauty there’s plenty of substance too, from jungle trekking and zip-lining to historical sights and jumping street parties. The island’s winding roads can make driving around picturesque but not speedy, so a twin centre holiday staying in both the north and south gives the opportunity to explore each end of the island without long car journeys.
Accommodation
Many of Saint Lucia’s hotels are located in one of two areas, with by far the largest concentration in the northwest. There are good three-stars such as the Village Inn and Spa, and St Lucian by Rex Resorts, which is located right on Reduit Beach, one of the island’s best stretches of sand.
The three Sandals resorts are dotted around this area, plus other all-inclusives such as the newly refurbished Rendezvous, Smugglers Cove and Almond Morgan Bay. Right up at the very tip of the island you’ll find the wellness-focused BodyHoliday at LeSport and the deluxe Cap Maison.
There’s a second clutch of hotels in the southwest around Soufriere, near the soaring Piton mountains. Perched on a hillside between the two peaks, Ladera is a luxury, secluded boutique property. Below this, The Jalousie Plantation nestles beneath the peaks, on a lovely stretch of beach.
It’s undergoing a $100 million redevelopment in preparation to rebrand as The Tides, Sugar Beach at the end of this year, and has new villas and spa facilities. Further north, on a stretch of coast looking back at the iconic Pitons, sits Anse Chastanet and its super-luxury sister, Jade Mountain.
The most notable hotels outside these two areas are Cotton Bay Village, a luxury villa resort on the island’s undeveloped east coast, and Coconut Bay. This popular all-inclusive is only minutes from the international airport on the southeast coast. There’s an adults-only side, and a family area with a water park.
Excursions
The wide range of activities on offer in Saint Lucia means there will be something to suit all but the laziest of tourists.
Most clients will stay on the coast, so an option that takes them to the interior of the island provides a nice contrast. There are two zip-lining centres, and whizzing through the jungle suspended on a wire makes for a fun-packed day.
At Rainforest Adventure in Chassin, the helmets and a triple-locking harness system made us feel really safe, and you need only a very basic level of fitness and an average head for heights to love the thrill. There’s a gondola ride for those who prefer something more sedate, plus nature trails and birdwatching hikes. rainforestadventure.com
Plantation tours get clients right into the rainforest. Fond Doux cocoa plantation runs a lovely short tour, where visitors are shown the chocolate making process and see local fruits and flora growing among the plantation’s residential cottages, from grapefruit trees to huge, colourful lilies. The restaurant serves up fantastic Caribbean food. fonddouxestate.com
A visit to the bubbling clay of Sulphur Springs to see (and smell) evidence of Saint Lucia’s volcanic make-up is easily combined with a side-trip to nearby Diamond Falls and Botanical Gardens, where clients can visit the waterfall and swim in the mineral baths. diamondstlucia.com
At the island’s northern tip, Pigeon Island is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Beyond the lovely beach, visitors can see the remains of a pirate cave and a naval base, and visit a mini-museum for an overview of the history.
Foodies will enjoy a visit to Castries Market, where there are stalls selling fruit and vegetables, spices and fish hauled from the sea the same day. We visited with Nico, the sous-chef from Cap Maison, which made it extra special, as he knew all the traders and took us for breakfast at his favourite cafe first, where we ate bakes, smoked herring and black pudding, and drank coconut water and sweet cocoa tea.
Über-fit travellers can mountain bike through the rainforests and even climb the Pitons – though many tourists may feel they look lovely enough from a distance.
Saint Lucia’s west coast is lapped by the calm, clear Caribbean Sea, and many hotels offer a wide range of water sports including kayaking and sailing trips – Soufriere and Marigot Bay are particularly popular spots to head for, and it’s a quick way to see the other end of the island if clients are sticking to one hotel for their whole stay.
The area around Soufriere has particularly good coral reefs, with dive school Scuba Saint Lucia sitting on Anse Chastanet Beach. scubastlucia.com
Nightlife
Rodney Bay, home to the island’s yacht marina, is a centre of tourist nightlife. There are cocktail bars and restaurants of many shapes and sizes, from steakhouses to Thai eateries.
For a taste of the Caribbean, many guests head out of their hotels for a street party.
The Friday night fish fry at Anse La Ray is famous, but there’s also – conveniently located for the large number of hotels in the Rodney Bay area – the Friday night jump-up at Gros Islet.
With street stalls selling food and drink and a large sound system, it’s a great night out, with both tourists and locals mingling on the streets.
Sample product
Caribtours offers seven nights from £2,566, combining four nights at Cap Maison in a Garden View room and three nights at Jade Mountain in a Sky Jacuzzi Suite including breakfast. The price includes return scheduled flights with British Airways and private transfers.
Virgin Holidays offers seven nights’ room-only in a Deluxe Garden View room at Saint Lucian by Rex from £699 including Virgin Atlantic flights and transfers.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
When a gooey-eyed couple sits down in front of me and utters the word ‘honeymoon’ the pressure is on to come up with something special.
The good news is that if my lovebirds are looking for luxury and pampering but lack the five-star budget, they may still be in luck thanks to the abundance of special offers and great value deals currently on offer.
Hit the Med
According to Mathilde Robert, managing director of Planet Holidays, some short-haul options such as Greece can offer just as much romance and luxury as long-haul escapes. Moreover, she points to the fact that many Greek hoteliers haven’t increased their prices for 2011. “One of our top-selling honeymoon destinations is Crete, which has many five-star resorts,” says Robert.
Couples can pay as little as £1,499 to stay in a Royal Villa in the grounds of Aldemar’s Knossos Royal hotel, in Hersonissos. Loved up guests can choose to have a massage in the comfort of their own space, and dinner on their 
Another good-value destination that appeals to all age groups is Cyprus. “My personal favourite is the Four Seasons in Limassol,” says Robert. “Even the standard double rooms have a Jacuzzi bath big enough for two.” Seven nights’ half board costs from £937.
For something smaller and more boutique she recommends the Londa Beach Hotel, also in Limassol, where the honeymoon suite boasts a round bed. Prices for March departures start from £614.
Turkey and Egypt
Turkey offers particularly great value and Turkey specialist Anatolian Sky offers a selection of chic hotels in traditional towns beyond the large-scale tourist hubs.
“This year we have some exciting new properties in our portfolio that have particular appeal for honeymooners, such as the 29-room Kanuni Kervansaray – a newly renovated former Ottoman travellers’ inn in Cesme,” says Akin Koc, owner and managing director. A seven-night stay starts from £585.
Egypt is another good bet for honeymooners. One of Planet Holidays’ most popular itineraries combines Cairo and El Soukhna on the Red Sea. Seven nights in June start from £997.
Morocco
For those seeking something different from a classic beach escape, Prestige Holidays is championing Morocco.
“Marrakech is a really vibrant and exciting city; eating out is very reasonable compared to many European destinations and there’s a fantastic range of high quality accommodation,” says David Nash, Prestige’s director of group travel.
“I’d recommend honeymooners stay in Maison Arabe, a delightful riad hidden in a quiet street on the edge of the medina. The property’s beautiful suites include two with Jacuzzis on their large terraces and super views.”
A week in June costs from £726 including British Airways flights, transfers, breakfast and a free hammam at the hotel spa.
Asia
Andrews singles out the luxurious Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo as being especially romantic. “It’s set in 400 lush, tropical acres beside the exquisite Pantai Dalit beach and adjacent to an interactive orang-utan education centre,” she says. Seven nights cost from £1,375 from May until July, with honeymooners receiving a 20% discount on spa treatments.
“Koh Lanta island in Thailand is an up and coming honeymoon destination,” adds Andrews. “The island has wonderful beaches, magical sunsets, great diving and verdant jungle.” A seven-night stay costs from £1,375 for travel between May and June at the Cha-Da Beach Resort & Spa. Honeymooners will receive a free Thai massage.
Indian Ocean
Virgin, Cosmos and Kuoni are all tipping the Indian Ocean as the honeymoon hotspot for 2011.
“As the area has become more developed, competition for customers has increased and hoteliers have lowered prices,” says Hayat Bourner a weddings supervisor at Virgin.
“I’d suggest the Chaaya Lagoon Hakuraa Huraa in the Maldives. It has water villas and costs from £1,465 all-inclusive for seven nights. It’s fantastic value for money.”
With the launch of its new Maldives and Indian Ocean brochure, Cosmos Distant Dreams is aiming to increase its share of this market. “The brochure features lots of value-added offers for honeymooners,” says product manager David Fraser. “For many, this is the deciding factor when making the all-important decision about where to stay.”
Hoteliers in Mauritius are offering some particularly great deals. Twelve nights’ half-board at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa in May costs from £1,629. Honeymooners receive a 50% discount for the bride, room upgrade (subject to availability) and a candlelit dinner.
Kuoni is tipping Sri Lanka with its ancient cities, jungle and palm-fringed beaches. Top picks include The Fortress, a five-star boutique hotel that boasts a beautiful ocean-front setting. Five nights start from £1,383, and newlyweds are offered extras such as a private four-course dinner, complimentary room up-grade and Champagne cocktail.
Agent tips
“Bali is a romantic destination we’re recommending for honeymoons in 2011. It has superb hotels with fantastic customer service available at great prices. With rich history, stunning scenery, powder-white sandy beaches and amazing sunsets. This mystical island is a true tropical paradise and will enchant honeymooners.”
Bob Martindale, Perfect Weddings & Honeymoons, Staffordshire
“My top tip for great value honeymoons in 2011 is Caribbean cruises as there are so many great offers. Last year the Maldives and the Sandals resorts were our most requested honeymoon destinations. I can’t see this changing for 2011, however I think Dubai is going to give them a close run.”
Ian Inglis, Weddings4u
“For short haul, Cyprus is a top value destination for 2011. Many low-cost carriers fly there so you can keep costs down and accommodation options are varied from intimate boutique-style hotels to private villas and grand five-star luxury, meaning there is something special to suit every couple’s budget.”
Melanie Salt, Wedding & Honeymoon Specialist, Gates Travel, Cumbria
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Every bride wants to feel that her special day really is special. And as getting married abroad has become almost commonplace, traditional favourites like beach weddings and ceremonies at local town halls may feel a little pedestrian for some clients.
Celebrities are leading the trend, with Russell Brand and Katy Perry tying the knot at the luxurious safari camp Aman-i-Khas in Rajasthan, and Devil Wears Prada star Emily Blunt getting hitched at Villa D’Este on Lake Como.
Happily, there’s a world of thrilling options out there offering couples something a little bit different. Check out our rundown for some inspiration.
1. Flying high
Where else but in Las Vegas? The bride and groom can soar above the lights of the Strip in a helicopter, make their vows midair and return to earth as a married couple.
Ceremonies start as dusk falls, and the chopper cruises past icons such as the Bellagio, the Venetian, Stratosphere Tower and the space beam of Luxor Pyramid.
Sample package: Virgin Holidays offers a Cupid Night Flight from £549, including ceremony in a private helicopter with up to three guests, a wedding cake and champagne, rose cascade bouquet, rose buttonhole, and limo transfers for the bride and groom.
2. Sleigh bells ring
For a real contrast to a beach wedding, Thomas Cook will introduce wedding packages in Lapland from this December.
Its Traditional Lappish Wedding package starts with a reindeer sleigh ride through the snow to the Kota, a tepee in the heart of the forest. Couples exchange vows by a glowing fire, surrounded by up to 25 guests, who’ll toast their union with mulled wine.
Sample package: Thomas Cook offers the Traditional Lappish Kota Wedding from £1,859, including civil ceremony and fees, marriage certificate, admin and handling fees, decorated venue, one-tier wedding cake, return transfers for the wedding couple to the venue and a wedding coordinator.
3. Mamma mia
Couples can head to Skiathos, location for the filming of the movie Mamma Mia, and have a civil ceremony onboard the Planitis, a 72-foot traditional Greek wooden sailing boat.
After vows are made in the harbour, the newlyweds and up to 38 guests can cruise off to see idyllic views of Skopelos, the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the deserted island of Kyra Panagia.
Sample package: Olympic Holidays can arrange hire of the Planitis for £2,500 per day, including the ceremony. The vessel is operated by Santikos Hotels, which owns the Skiathos Princess Hotel.
4. Falling in love
For a wedding to really get their pulses racing,why not a ceremony on the edge of Victoria Falls, the
Sample package: Bridge & Wickers offers a wedding ceremony on Livingstone Island with an African choir, sparkling wine, flowers, wedding cake and boat transfers to the island, plus four nights’ all-inclusive in a house at Tongabezi Lodge and flights from London to Livingstone via Johannesburg. This package costs from £3,745 per person.
5. Choo choo I do
The lavishly restored historic carriages of the Napa Valley Wine Train run through one of the world’s most famous wine areas. Couples can make their vows on the observation deck as they chug through the stunning vineyard scenery, and then enjoy a gourmet meal with up to six guests.
Sample package: Virgin Holidays offers a Napa Valley Wine Train wedding package from £1,289, including a minister, 90 minutes of photography, lunch or dinner and a welcome glass of sparkling wine for the couple. Each additional guest costs from $150.
6. Keralan calm
The luxurious Zuri Kumarakom resort holds wedding ceremonies in a temple overlooking the Vembanad Lake, and the couple can spend their wedding night on a Honeymoon Houseboat accompanied by their own butler, chef and captain.
Sample package: The basic wedding package starts from £568, including marriage registration, services of a minister, legal fees and a marriage licence. A night in a honeymoon houseboat starts from £213 plus taxes and rooms in the hotel from £156 per night.
7. Islands in the stream
A private island might seem beyond the budget of many couples, but at Secrets Sanctuary in the Dominican Republic they can get married on one for just $500.
Just off the main resort, the private island is surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Caribbean and a wedding gazebo is set up beneath the swaying palms.
Sample package: Caribtours offer seven nights in a Castle Suite oceanfront room from £1,811 per person, including British Airways flights and private transfers, plus a complimentary wedding package including the ceremony, a wedding organiser, bouquet, buttonhole, and cake and sparkling wine for up to 10 guests. Legal fees are extra and the private island location costs $500.
8. Take it to the bridge
The perfect wedding for adrenaline junkies – and a no-no for those with vertigo – is a Sydney Harbour Bridge wedding.
After a private bridge climb for the couple and guests, the ceremony takes place on a specially designed sundeck at the very summit of the bridge.
Sample package: Kuoni offers seven nights’ room-only at the Park Hyatt Sydney, Qantas flights, transfers and the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb Wedding from £4,700 per person. The wedding package includes private climb, minister fees, marriage licence, group photo at the summit, certificate, sparkling wine toast, chauffeur-driven wedding car, cake and, if required, witnesses.
9. Saddle up
Couples can literally ride off into the sunset together in Jamaica, where they can marry on horseback at Prospect Plantation in Ocho Rios.
The bride and groom can clip-clop among the lush grounds of banana, cassava, sugar cane and allspice, and the bride needn’t ruin her hair with a riding hat, as the horses will be held in place during the ceremony.
Sample package: Thomson offers this wedding package from £1,465 including all legal documents, transfers to and from the wedding location, cake, champagne, a bouquet and a buttonhole, and a wedding coordinator.
10. Top table
Married couples should feel on top of the world, and getting hitched at the summit of Table Mountain can only help enhance their special moment. After riding to the top in the 360-degree rotating cable car, the bride and groom say ‘I do’ while looking out over Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean.
Sample package: Virgin Holidays offers a Table Mountain Wedding from £1,049 including the services of a wedding coordinator, bridal bouquet and groom’s buttonhole, one bottle of sparkling wine, entrance fees to Table Mountain and limousine transfers from hotel
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
P&O Cruises’ 15 year old ship Oriana is to switch to offer cruises exclusively to adults only. The change will come after the 1,818-passenger vessel returns from a regular refit in a year’s time.
From November 30, 2011, the British cruise market leader will operate child-free ships – Oriana, Arcadia and Adonia, which joins the fleet next May as a replacement for Artemis.
P&O Cruises will then have four family-friendly vessels – Azura, Ventura, Oceana and Aurora.
The company is contacting passengers explaining the changes to Oriana. Those booked with children on five cruises on sale which run after the change to Oriana will be offered alternative voyages or full refunds.
“We are totally committed to satisfying the holiday needs of both families and those travelling without children,” the line said in a note to agents.
A company spokeswoman said: “When Artemis leaves the fleet next May the number of holidays exclusively for adults available within the P&O Cruises programme will be effectively reduced as Adonia, her replacement, is a smaller ship.
“We therefore wish to add a third ship to offer this type of holiday. We feel we can do this as Azura, the most recent ship to be added to our fleet provides additional holidays for families.”
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Good evening everyone,
I thought I would update my blog this evening to advise those who are travelling within the next couple of days to make sure that their flights are departing as planned from their UK airport as at the moment there is threat from strike action of the French Air Traffic Controllers…
“French Air Traffic Control Strike: Due to industrial action in France, some flights are subject to flight delay or cancellation. Passengers are advised to check with their airline directly, prior to making their way to your airport. If your flight is operating, please attend the airport and check-in as normal.
If any of my clients needs assistance please contact me,
Sue x
At least 1.8 million people are expected to travel abroad over the August Bank Holiday weekend, according to estimates released by Abta.
While tomorrow (Friday) will be the busiest day, over the whole bank holiday weekend more than 420,000 will fly out from Heathrow, 250,000 from Gatwick,136,000 from Stansted and 65,000 from Luton airport.
Hundreds of thousands will leave through regional airports, including 145,000 from Manchester, 25,000 from Leeds/Bradford, 12,000 from Southampton, 36,000 from Newcastle and 65,000 from Birmingham.
In Scotland 116,000 will be flying out from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Additionally, 60,000 will use the Eurostar for trips to the continent and 500,000 people will head overseas by ferry or Eurotunnel.
The Balearic Islands, mainland Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus and the Greek islands are the top holiday spots.
The US is also proving to be popular with Orlando and New York the top destinations, while for European cities, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice and Dublin lead the way, Abta said.
Traditional beach resorts on England's south coast, Devon and Cornwall are also expected to be busy despite the recent wet weather.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Heathrow recorded its busiest-ever month in July and its busiest-ever day on Sunday July 18 when 232,000 passengers passed through the airport.
Monthly traffic at Heathrow was up 3.5% on July 2009 to 6.7 million passengers, although numbers for the year to date remain 2.3% down on last year. The figures mean Heathrow is operating close to capacity again following last year’s downturn.
Total traffic across operator BAA’s six UK airports rose marginally despite Stansted seeing a further marked decline – down 7.2% on last year in line with a reduction in seats available, chiefly on Ryanair.
Aberdeen (-4.1%), Glasgow (-3.6%) and Southampton (-1.4%) also saw falling passenger numbers, with only Edinburgh (+0.6%) joining Heathrow in a move in the opposite direction.
The figures are the first indicators of UK passenger numbers since February to exclude disruption due to British Airways strikes or volcanic ash. Domestic traffic across the airports was down 4.6%.
The big surge at Heathrow came in traffic to and from Europe, which rose 9.5% year on year in July.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
The total fee for travellers visiting the US has been set at $14.
The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (Esta) has been a mandatory condition of travel to the US since January 2009 but the full charge comes in from September 8.
Online completion of Esta, and its approval, is mandatory head of travel for Britons and all other travellers who qualify under the Visa Waiver Programme.
Of the $14, $10 will be ring-fenced to promote tourism to the US through fam trips and marketing among other things, while $4 will pay for administration costs.
All payments must be made by credit or debit card when applying for or renewing an Esta at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
The Esta system currently accepts the following credit/debit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover. Applications will not be submitted for processing until all payment information is received.
Applications can be submitted at any time prior to travel. Once approved, authorisations are generally valid for multiple entries into the US for up to two years or until the applicant’s passport expires.
Under the new interim final rule, travellers with an approved Esta will not need to pay the Esta fees when updating an Esta application.
However, travellers with new passports and reapplying for an Esta will need to pay the Esta fee.
The US’s Tourism Promotion Corporation will decide how the revenue will be spent.
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
More than 250,000 new tourism-related jobs are expected to be created in the UK over the next decade, a new study has predicted.
The jobs boost - from 2.63 million now to 2.89 million - will come on the back of growing value of the tourism sector by 2020.
The total value of tourism to the UK is set to rise by more than 60% to £188 billion over the next decade, according to the independent report commissioned by VisitBritain.
The total economic contribution that domestic and overseas visitors make to the UK is currently £115 billion a year. The study predicted that “if all goes well” the figure is set to rise to £188 billion a year in 2020.
Spending by overseas visitors will almost double from £16 billion to £31 billion by 2020. This will make tourism Britain’s fifth biggest industry and third largest foreign exchange earner.
The report by Deloitte and Oxford Economics suggested that a further 10% depreciation in the pound relative to other international currencies could attract an extra one million international visitors to the UK in 2011 and 2012. These visitors would be expected to spend an extra £300 million in both years.
The favourable exchange rate, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London and the appeal of world-renowned attractions, should ensure the sector grows at an above-average 3.5% a year between now and 2020, the research forecast.
The total economic contribution of the ‘visitor economy’ – covering firms directly and indirectly involved in tourism - is poised to expand faster than retail, chemicals, transport, gas and electricity utilities and manufacturing.
Only construction and financial and business services look more promising, the 102-page report suggested. But it warned that Government intervention will be the ‘key’ to success because a range of market failures needed to be tackled.
These included:
• Co-ordinating marketing to help small and medium sized tourist businesses which cannot afford to do it themselves;
• Enabling rural firms which face higher costs of operating to adopt innovative technology;
• Supporting many districts across the UK that rely disproportionately on tourism as an important source of jobs for low skilled and part time workers.
The industry also needs help to improve its ability to predict what tourist facilities will be needed, to ensure the modernisation of hotels and venues is carried out in a way that retains their original appeal and authenticity and to adapt more swiftly to new trends such as the growth in older ‘grey pound’ tourists.
The report revealed that tourism is disproportionately important in rural areas and for part time female workers.
VisitBritain chairman Christopher Rodrigues said the research demonstrated that the industry has the power to deliver a “huge amount” of extra wealth and jobs in the coming decade.
“This makes it clear that tourism, already Britain’s fifth largest industry and third biggest earner of foreign exchange, is going to be central to the health of the British economy for years to come,” he said.
“The continuing low level of the pound and the approaching Olympics in 2012 give us a tremendous opportunity to promote Britain’s attractiveness as a destination to the rest of the world.’’
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has called on easyJet to improve its performance within 90 days or risk losing the use of the 'easy' brand name.
Stepping up the row over how the carrier is run, Sir Stelios, who has waged a high-profile war of words against former easyJet chief executive Any Harrison, instructed lawyers to write to the airline with the warning.
The letter gives the airline 90 days to bring its on-time performance in line with the highest standards in the industry or risk losing its license to use the easy brand.
Sir Stelios attacked Harrison in a statement issued on the easyGroup website.
He said: “It is regrettable that the obvious mismanagement by Harrison in the last six months of his tenure as CEO has led to such deterioration to the customer service
“I have been receiving many unsolicited complaints from members of the public and even easyJet pilots about the degree that the airline is short of crew to operate the flights it sold to its customers.
“Unless (chairman) Mike Rake and (new chief executive) Carolyn McCall do something to improve the situation for the sake of the travelling public, I am left with no option but to terminate the brand licence."
His anger has been sparked by weekend reports of poor punctuality of easyJet flights from Gatwick and its refusal to publish on-time statistics.
The solicitor’s letter said the current punctuality rates are “completely unreasonable and contrary to the brand values which easyJet and easyGroup companies have built their reputation”.
This was causing “serious damage” to both the easyJet and other ‘easy’ brands and the goodwill associated with them built up over many years.
The letter said: “The goodwill associated with the ‘easy’ brand will be damaged in the minds of customers that experience such bad punctuality.”
source: www.travelweekly.co.uk
Black Pearl Investments (BPI) has called for the Civil Aviation Authority to disclose what it knows about the collapse of Goldtrail Holidays.
The private equity fund has a minority share in Viking Airlines, which had sold around 30,000 Greece-bound seats to Goldtrail for the forthcoming summer season. The airline had also reviewed the company’s finances before striking the deal.
Now, following the operator’s collapse with around 16,000 customers stranded overseas and a further 50,000 forward bookings, the private equity fund is urging the CAA to start providing answer’s to the company’s failure.
The staement reads: “It appeared then that Goldtrail was a robust and well-established business, and it paid for its flying on the dot. Its failure just as we enter the peak season, when passengers’ final balances would have been paid, makes no sense.
“Presumably the CAA monitors ATOL-protected businesses on a monthly basis, too. BPI would welcome the CAA’s views on how and why Goldtrail’s failure has occurred at this time of the year.”
The statement also seeks to distance two former XL Leisure Group employees from the collapse of Goldtrail. It notes that Abhi Dighe worked for Kosmar Holidays when it was acquired by XL before then moving to Goldtrail.
However, he has not worked there since August last year.
“He (Dighe) is patently not linked in any way to Goldtrail’s collapse,” it reads.
The statement also adds that former XL chief executive Phil Wyatt is a shareholder in BPI which is only linked to Goldtrail through the contract for 30,000 seats this summer.
“Linking Phil Wyatt’s name with the Goldtrail failure is pure mischief-making and total misrepresentation of the facts,” the statement adds.
source: www.travel.co.uk
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