Full steam ahead for cruisers

Cruise outfit Celebrity cruises has announced the launching of four new ships despite the current uncertain economic conditions. The ships are set to come online sometime in the next three years when hopefully the economy might look a little healthier. Royal Caribbean say that their financing can withstand the market changes and their liquidity will not be affected, pointing out that the new acquisitions will make them more efficient and profitable as a company.

Wales has it all

My favourite destination within Wales is the Pembrokeshire area with it's beaches, wonderful landscapes and many tourist attractions.
There are all sorts of activities and attractions concentrated in the area around Tenby, Manorbier, Saundersfoot and Pembroke Dock. The Geographical setting offers beaches at Saundersfoot and Tenby as well as more secluded beaches further up the coast. Also this area offers the islands of Skomer and Ramsey for the birdwatchers and Caldey Island for the tourists, trips to any of these islands are available at normal vacation times.
The next category of activities available to the holiday-maker are the historical buildings of the area. Manorbier, Pembroke, Haverfordwest, Carew, Cilgerran, Llawhaden and Picton are some of the castles that you might like to visit. There are museums at Tenby, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest amongst many others.
These historical and geographical features are complemented by attractions such as Folly Farm, Pembertons Chocolate Farm and many of the outdoor activities that can be pursued in the area. Whether you are interested in Short Break Wales or a longer stay, rest assured Pembrokeshire has something to offer the whole family. Take it from someone who actually lives in Wales and has visited Pembroke on many occasions.

Weak pound affects European Travel

There has already been a drop in travel and flights as a result of economic downturn, the strong Euro is going to add to the cost of European travel for UK holiday makers. In contrast, the home travel industry could well reap the benefits as the Euro and the dollar are now going further in the UK.

Currency changes always have the capacity to cause panic in various quarters, but there are always sectors that benefit from the changes whether they be a weakening or strengthening of the currency in question.

There is every likelihood that the currencies will level out in time, but there has been speculation about taking the opportunity to adopt the Euro when parity with the £UK is reached. However you would have to question the sense of accepting parity with the pound which would make European goods more expensive than they have ever been on a permanent basis.

Getting away for Christmas

There is nothing like leaving all the trappings of home behind you and heading off to a hotel to be waited on hand and foot over Christmas – Let the hotel take the strain of getting everything trimmed up properly, getting the meals made on time and entertaining the family whilst you put your feet up and have that relaxing break that you so thoroughly deserve.
Not everyone wants to get away at Christmas, but even those who are family-oriented can assemble all their far-flung family members at one hotel and all be relaxed together instead of squashed into one house, getting under one another's feet and then dispersing off to various hotels at different points in the evening.
This type of service is becoming more and more popular and is available all over the country in places like East Sussex Hotels amongst others.
These hotels offer the chance to not only relax but to treat your loved ones to a well-catered Christmas with no cooking and washing-up duties to be argued over and no unwanted callers or phone-calls to disturb your family time. You can be as far away from the distractions of the mobile, the house phone and the computer as you really want to and not feel guilty about turning your back on the technology that calls us away from the family at Christmas.
Many hotels offer great deals over Christmas to keep their rooms full and it may be no where near as expensive as you might at first imagine. I am using a hotel close to my family on Christmas day so that we are able to have our own space whilst still being close to family and friends – we can even entertain there if we want to, but the biggest advantage is that we can get the little one to sleep at a reasonable time in peace and quiet.

Ryanair pull out of Fuerteventura

Ryanair are stopping their flights to Fuerteventura after January 2009. The reasons cited are centred around non-fullfilment of agreements with local businesses, but some in the trade believe that it could be due to plummeting sales since Ryanair stopped using agents to sell seats.
UK travellers will be limited to booking with Thomas cook or Thomson for flights to Fuerteventura after next month.
In other news, Thomas Cook are getting ready to complete a deal to buy 'Medhotels' from Lastminute.com. This deal is likely to allow lastminute.com to sell Thomas Cook products, a portfolio it has not previously had access to.

Thomas Cook extend deals with Premiership

Thomas Cook has exclusive travel deals with all Premier League Football Clubs apart from Manchester United who have a partnership with Co-operative Travel, and they have recently closed a new £7m deal with Chelsea. The deal includes travel for players, officials and supporters and grew out of a shirt sponsorship with Manchester City which began about six years ago. Manchester City, with their new owners and recent investment have developed into a 'must watch' side which helps bring more exposure to the Thomas Cook brand.
Thomas Cook see this deal affiliating themselves with the top football league in the world, as a move that breathes new life into a brand that has been around for a good number of years. They will be looking to extend their involvement with UK sporting events through cricket, rugby and other disciplines.

America stays at home for Thanksgiving

Economic factors are perceived to be at the root of a tendency not to travel this year compared to previous years for the same period, roads rail and airports normally busy at his time are showing few signs of holiday traffic despite fuel prices coming down and some tempting last minute deals being offered.
Travelers were not greeted with the usual queues and hold-up and were able to freely move through even the busiest of airports. there were security concerns in New York following the belief that an Al Qaida plot might be in the offing timed to coincide with Thanksgiving.
Air travel was hit hardest with a drop of around 7% compared with last year, road travel has dropped by just 1%. Many people are counting the cost of these trips and deciding to stay at home and keep the extra cash in their pockets or bank account.

Aldi joins the travel marketplace

This is not a new venture for the German-owned supermarket chain, they already have travel divisions in other countries. They have combined forces with 'On Holiday' and 'Eurotours' International to provide around 150 well-priced deals on a new website: alditravel.co.uk.
The website launches in January 2009, in the meantime, work is going on behind the scenes to prepare the portfolio.
The Aldi brand was launched in Germany by the Albrecht brothers when they took over their mother's grocery store in 1946. Though they are now retired, they remain in fact, the richest men in Germany.

QE2 runs aground

The world-famous liner named after Queen Elizabeth, the QE2 ran aground outside her home port of Southampton on what is to be her penultimate voyage before finding rest in Dubai.

Several tugs were sent to aid her and freed her just after 6am this morning. She was returning after a 15-night Mediterranean cruise to take part in a Remembrance Day ceremony before her final voyage. The liner will set sail for Dubai this evening after a final leaving party, arriving in her resting place on Nov 26th. She will become the property of the Nakheel company, the creators of the Palm Jumeirah, the largest man-made island in the world, taking up a permanent docking after extensive refurbishment.

Regarding the incident this morning, a spokesman has reported: "No-one on board has been injured. A lot of people will have been in bed when it happened and not have noticed."

Skiing in Norway

Although I have never actually tried skiing, of all the places that you can ski, Norway offers resorts that often have snow for six months of the year. Of course skiing holidays are almost always located in breath-taking locations and Ski Holidays Norway are a great example of stunning landscapes and a rich culture.
Resorts like Voss have been accommodating visitors for two hundred years and have a charm that is second to none. It is just over an hours drive from Bergen Airport and offers all sorts of activities to complement your skiing vacation. Not only are there mountain-related activities like snow-boarding and hiking, but the more adventurous holiday-makers might want to try kayaking, para-sailing, rafting and horse-riding.
The Norwegian resorts can truly offer a complete package of relaxing off-piste activities as well as some more exhilarating activities both on and off the snow. Resorts of this type are experts at catering for the entire family and have something to offer all age groups regardless of how competent they are on their skis.
Your days off from the slopes could find you visiting Bergen - a city of rich history and culture dating back one thousand years, or visiting the Hardanger and Sogn fjords, amongst the most well-known and impressive sights in Scandanavia.

North Africa gains popularity

North Africa has benefited from investments in recent years, and coupled with lower air fares this area is expecting growth which could see visitors from the UK double compared with figures from three or four years ago. Morocco will be the main benefactor of these 'travel dollars' and has proven to be popular, with destinations like Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakesh on offer, the lure of the African continent is now affordable whilst remaining exotic.

Morocco is only one geographical step on from Southern Europe and can be reached in only three hours, it offers cultural delights, fantastic architecture and landscapes. All good places have their down-sides however, and a note of caution needs to be injected as last year tourists were targeted by suicide bombers in Casablanca.

Lufhansa grows ever larger

The German national airline Lufthansa is building it's portfolio in order to raise it's profile at Heathrow as a competitor to BA. Lufthansa has acquired BMI giving it a combined portion of around 15% of Heathrow slots, but the ambition doesn't stop there.
Not content with playing distant second to the dominance of BA, Lufthansa have their eyes on:

• Austrian Airlines
• SAS
• Alitalia

These three companies or at least stakes in them are in Lufthansa's sights to add to their growing business, industry commentators are concerned that this could reduce competition and drive up fares.

Insurance industry remains nervous

The problems with XL have made the insurance industry wary of the travel sector, of course XL were insured by AIG, itself under threat of collapse even without the increased pressure of the XL failure.
In a shock move, Insurance company Euler Hermes, a travel insurance specialist has seen fit to withdraw cover from one of it's clients leaving them potentially exposed despite assurances from the travel company that holidays that have been sold will not be affected in any way.
This development compounds some of the current problems such as the struggling travel industry and the struggling financial houses, neither of which will becoming stable any time soon in the current economic climate. One can't help but feel that there will be more travel industry heads to roll before the next holiday season is over.

Co-op won't sell a KISS

Directors from XL's Freedom Flights left to form a new 'seat-only' company KISS just months before the collapse of XL. Some observers have taken the view that making deals with KISS is a betrayal of the travel industry and the boss of Co-operative travel Mike Greenacre has come out to declare that he will never work with KISS.

Greenacre clearly lays the blame for the millions paid out by the travel industry for the collapse of XL at the feet of the same directors that are now running KISS. Other companies have not taken such a bold stance and have said that Greenacre's reaction reflects personal emotions and that they make use of the services offered by the new company.
As a company, Co-operative are known for their moral stance on all sorts of issues from fair trade retailing to their stance on bank lending. Now it's the turn of the travel arm of the co-op to allow moral judgments take precedence over trading advantage.

Liverpool fans plight

Eufa have temporarily lifted a ban on Athletico Madrid playing their home games at their home stadium much to the relief of travelling Liverpool fans who had already made their travel plans for today's Champions League match before the ban came into effect.
Athletico Madrid incurred the ban after racist behaviour towards players from Marseille and violent behaviour after the match on 1st October. Athletico deny the charge of racism claiming that Eufa observers were mistaken. Liverpool fans have been up in arms since finding out about the ban which should have meant today's match would have to be played at least 200 miles from Madrid, as many of them had already booked their flights and accommodation.
The FA have intervened pointing out to Eufa that this would cause he travelling fans as much if not more inconvenience that the home fans they sought to punish, meanwhile Athletico hope to be able to produce video evidence to support their claim of innocence. Plenty of tour operators are breathing a sigh of relief as many were facing a logistical nightmare arranging extra transport to get their clients to the match.

Panama City Beach condo rentals for fun in the sun

If you want sun, you can do little better than a holiday in Florida and the advantages of Florida don't stop there. Florida offers not only great weather, but a ready-made holiday destination with great beaches, Miami, Walt Disney World, Universal studios and Kennedy Space Center.
The problem is with a destination that is packed with so much to see, getting around all these places can cost a fortune, so how can you get to do Florida on the cheap?

Well avoid expensive package deals and look into Panama City Beach condo rentals offering a high standard of accommodation for a fraction of the cost of a hotel. Rentals have all the advantages of home, the security and privacy along with the ability to really relax and do your own thing. Rentals in larger accommodation also allow you to go on holiday with family and friends in fact the more of you going the more cost-effective it becomes.

A rental home provides the perfect base to get around all the sights in Florida, and also affords you a space of your own to relax in the sun. Coupled with a rented car, you can have complete autonomy in the complete holiday destination. Rental homes often include added facilities such as private pools and a games room along with a fully-stocked kitchen
How about this place for $175 a night with a totally private pool and fantastic views over Miami beach. This apartment is actually in a hotel, and the private owners offer it out at half of the price that the hotel charges. Discounts available for a weeks rental.

How will the economy effect travel?

With the UK on the verge of recession, and the credit crunch impacting around the world, will the travel trade be decimated?
There is little doubt that the average family will be cutting expenditure on package holidays. At the same time, it is likely that the top-end holidays in more exotic locations and cruises will be as well subscribed as ever. The other end of the spectrum will also remain pretty much unaffected and may even get a bit of a boost, this end of the market would include holidays within the UK in general and specifically camping and caravaning holidays.
This is because those with the money to afford top-end holidays will probably retain their appetite for their expensive vacations, and those who take less costly holidays will remain equally unaffected and may well find their numbers swelled by those wishing to go on holiday on a budget.
With the news that globally there will be less and less flights, there is no doubt that the travel industry will have less money to go around over the next few years and there will most likely be more casualties like XL. The likelihood is that it will be the more competitive budget holiday companies at higher risk.

BA take stock....

In a sign of the times, BA have stepped back from their plans to take over Iberia airlines as BA's own share-price has been dropping on the stock exchange. The official view at the moment is that this proposed merger will go ahead at a later date, but with no prospect of steeply rising stock market prices any time soon, one wonders whether it will actually go ahead at all.

With flights set to be cut back across Europe and world-wide, and the global economy in decline, not to mention environmental issues with air travel - the travel industry is in for some turbulence over the next couple of years.

New York getaway

If you are thinking of a trip to New York state, but you are put off by the hotel prices why not consider Hamptons house rental as an alternative?
New York is legendary for many things, the classic Manhattan sights; Liberty, Wall street, Central Park and Times square to name but a few. It is famous for the yellow cabs, bagel vendors on the street-corners, but also the price of accommodation. In contrast to the value offered by much of New York (breakfast for about three dollars if you look around...), the cost of staying in a hotel makes it the sort of place that many people visit for a very short break, meaning that it is difficult to get a proper flavour of the City and State.

There are rental properties available for New York City and around New York state, you can rent a brownstone in Brooklyn or a palatial pad in the Hamptons. Homeaway Rentals have 1800 individual homes available in New York alone. Share your rental with family and friends to get the best possible value for money (you can't fill your hotel room up with guests now can you?).

For a quick comparison, how about this Easthampton manor house at $16,000 a week:
You will be the envy of everyone you know when you invite them to come and stay with you. There is plenty of room as it sleeps 18 (!!) and there are six bathrooms (actually 6 and a half...).
This place has absolutely everything you could ask for, and I guess you could expect quite a lot from a three million dollar mansion.

In contrast for more down to earth living in fashionable Brooklyn, on a tighter budget of just $900 a week:
You will have all the advantages of an extremely well-decorated modern-styled apartment in Stuyvessant Heights. If you are not planning to invite 17 friends and family, then this 5-berth apartment might suit you down to the ground, and will allow you the luxury of pleasing yourself. You won't have to leave a 'do-not-disturb' sign on your bedroom to prevent a maid coming in to clean up at some un-earthly hour - you're on holiday after all.

ABTA bonding under threat

There are more calls for scrapping of the ABTA fund for bailing out stranded passengers such as in the XL failure, and replacing the bond with individual travel insurances. As ever, BA opposed the idea claiming that it meant that it's clients would effectively be subsidising less financially stable companies. This has been countered with the idea that established operators culd charge a lower levy that newer companies.
At the end of the day, the money for repatriating stranded holiday makers has to be met by some mechanism, and it is always going to be some form of 'tax' on the traveller. Individual insurance is as good a way as any in theory, but the idea of a central fund means that there is one body taking responsibility for repatriation rather then twenty different insurance companies. The management of the fund is under question with it currently being in the red, this is a state that cannot continue and there is no doubt that travellers should be the ones to foot the bill in the end.

Flights in Europe will decline

Travel industry experts have warned that the number of flights throughout Europe is likely to drop in the next 3 months by around 5%. Previous calculations had placed the drop at more like 2.5%, this figure has been revised now that more flight schedules have been published.
Globally, the fall-off had been predicted at about 7%, but new figures now indicate an improvement of a percentage point on that figure meaning that overall there will be something like 450,000 fewer flights in the final quarter of 2008 - that should please environmentalists at least...
The warnings to those expecting late deals are clear - book now because the late deals could well not be available. Forward booking for 2009 has meant that much of he capacity has alreaby been allocated, most being in the popular school holiday months.

Self-catering in Tenby

With our purse strings being severely pulled in several different directions lately, the last holiday we had was in a Tenby Self Catering Cottage, well strictly speaking we were closer to Saundersfoot as that was the closest we could get to Tenby.
Now Tenby and the surrounding area has a lot to offer from Folly Farm to Pembertons Chocolate factory, the beaches, Caldey Island, plenty of castles and wonderful walks. Whether you are looking for a relaxing time, or are taking the family, every sort of holiday is catered for from karting and horse-riding to adventure parks and pretty gardens.

Of all the places in the UK that I have visited, Tenby and the Pembroke coast remains an absolute firm favourite not just with me, but with the whole family. And having experienced a few breaks in this area, I can say that without a doubt having a place of your own is definitely very relaxing, and being able to self-cater certainly makes the stay reasonably affordable.
Not that there are not plenty of places to eat out especially in Tenby itself, the Plantagenet remains a firm favourite though we can't afford to eat there on a daily basis (!) the Bay Tree is a nice place for a lunch-time meal, or how about a picnic on Caldey Island?
You will not lack for things to do in this most beautiful and rewarding corner of Wales.

All-inclusive deals

All-inclusive holidays have been around for a while - but do they offer good value for money compared with for example; half-board or bed and breakfast? The quick answer is that some deals are more likely to be cost-effective, but you will need to look carefully at exactly what is included.
At the top-end of the scale resorts like Sandals can save you a lot of money as they often include such pursuits as scuba-diving and water-skiing, the sort of add-on which can otherwise turn your holiday into a very expensive indulgence. Kuoni have a resort in Mauritius which includes free golf, diving and even spa treatments.
At the other end of the scale, the apparent 'all' inclusive is somewhat limited, often only including local alcoholic drinks with imported drinks carrying a premium price. Time limits are common, meaning that you can only take advantage of pre-paid food and drinks during specific times of the day.
In short paying for all-inclusive can work really well if the deal is truly inclusive and you want to stick to an overall budget for the holiday. Before deciding on a deal, it is worthwhile comparing the added cost to typical meal costs in your chosen destination. Compare the quality of the meals on offer with the cost of similar meals available locally that might offer a wider range or better value. For example, Cyprus is one of those destinations where you can pay over £2 for local beer, and £3.50 for imported beer, and consequently all-inclusive is fairly popular here.
In the days of uncertain exchange rates, all-inclusive can also insulate you against currency fluctuations which might otherwise send you looking for ATM's half-way through your holiday.

Homestay holidays on the rise

Bed and Breakfast holidays have been with us for decades if not longer, but the new 'homestay' holidays offer B&B with a difference. In your traditional B&B, you are supposed to eat your breakfast and clear off for the day, a homestay holiday-maker can expect to hang around and chat to their hosts and even take a part in their daily routine, absorbing the local culture is a intrinsic part of the experience.
These holidays are available in all sorts of places including New Zealand, India, Peru, Vietnam and Bolivia to name a few. You cannot always be sure of readily available hot water, and many of the destinations may include outside toilet facilities, but these breaks are proving more and more popular. Prices vary from about £40 a night upwards and offer varying degrees of comfort, all however are guaranteed to be interesting even if they don't offer all mod-cons.
In more remote areas you may be expected to rise with the sun and retire for the night when it becomes dark, and there is no guarantee that your own native language will be readily understood. You are guaranteed however, a unique experience and the chance to build friendships that you would never before have thought possible.

Top-flight travel

Despite the decline in some sectors of the industry, specialist travel services are still proving popular and profitable. New business Jet Republic has just purchased over 100 Learjets at a cost of £750m and offers an interesting range of products to it's clients.

Travellers can buy a stake in one of the jets beginning at a minimum stake of 25 flying hours. This scheme can give clients the advantages of private travel at a reasonable cost, but don't even think about it if you don't have at least £100,000 to spend...
Apparently there is high demand in the top-end of the travel market whatever is happening to the global financial markets.

Big Response Email Marketing

Click to expand:

The best interactive tool to be introduced to Australia since the boomerang… each message sent using this system does not return without having hit it’s precise target with your specific message.

This Email marketing system is geared towards smaller businesses and specifically aimed at the Australian market. Big Response emails offer more than just a way to send your message to your clients, you can do that yourself, what they offer is a service that can tell you what your clients’ response is to your email…

• Did they just open it and discard it?
• Did they open it several times in a day?
• Did they click on links within your email?
• Which products were they clicking on?

All of this data can be collected from your emails that you send via Big response – if you’re not one of the 10,000 small businesses already doing this type of targeted emailing, then you are missing out…
The system works by collecting clicks from emails and recording the actions before re-directing them to the specific pages of your website – If you have a website, the you should think about using a service like Big response.

Older holiday-makers curb spending

Whilst the family holiday remains a necessity for younger holiday-makers, the older generation can remember a time when travel was a luxury and are proving more cautious. The travel industry predicts a decline in spending in this particular demographic. Younger families may still put the yearly vacation abroad in a higher priority position than for example, new furniture and fittings.

This trend will have an impact on the various travel sectors with there being a greater drop-off in holidays that suit the older person, and less of an impact in the traditional family holiday sector. Presumably though, if the current financial crisis continues unabated, eventually this lack of consumer confidence will filter thorough to the younger generations.

Camping in France

I have experienced a few holidays in France and I have stayed in quite a few different types of accommodation on the various trips that I have taken. I have 'enjoyed' some low budget hotels, some higher-end hotels, some delightful and extraordinary Bed and Breakfast places and have enjoyed Camping france holidays too.
I have been a fan of camping since childhood and it still offers a freedom not afforded by more formal accommodation. There are few restrictions on your coming and going, you can dress exactly as you want and the whole atmosphere offers more a more relaxing experience in my opinion.
Camping in France is very well organised and is well-established, there are places where you can take your own tent, caravan or motor-home as well as those places that offer ready-pitched tents for hire or mobile homes which offer facilities to rival a small hotel (often offering two bathrooms in the bigger units!).
Without exception, holidays in the great outdoors offer more relaxation and are particularly ideal for those who want to go home with some great photography of the flora and fauna of France. French camping venues are naturally in quiet rural spots which will also have some fantastic places to eat and drink at a fraction of the prices you would pay in a hotel or in a busy resort. There is no doubt that the French really know a thing or two about how to have a good evening out with good food and wine. A rural setting will give you great value for money when it comes to eating out, and if you want to cook for yourself (another advantage offered by a camping holiday), the local supermarche will be able to provide you with great food and an abundance of wine at reasonable prices. You can even seek yourself out a local 'cave' to experience local wine actually purchased from the vineyard.
Worth noting that often this local wine does not travel well, so unfortunately you will be better off drinking it all while you are still enjoying your holiday to avoid disappointment!!

XL failure consequences

XL air failed a few months ago at the height of the holiday season leaving many of it's clients stranded abroad without a flight home. This has not gone unnoticed by the holidaying public who are now understandably nervous about shopping for their own flights on the internet. Up until this incident, the internet was squeezing the gap between airline and client, and it was the agents who were being squeezed out. What the internet-browsing holiday makers had failed to appreciate is that an agency brings with it safeguards and insurances that a direct customer does not get...
This Summer's collapse has helped to fully illustrate the dangers of holidaying without the safeguards of an ABTA/ ATOL membership, or without adequate holiday insurance offering a rescue package to stranded clients.
A surge in agency holiday take-up is now expected along with a decline in direct client-ordering from airlines via the internet. This is an understandable reaction, but internet shopping with the right safeguards can still get you a good 'safe' deal.

Travel Advertising

It's difficult not to be drawn to Travel Advertising like a moth to a flame... It only takes a picture of clear blue skies, silver sands, the open ocean, or a busy metropolis for us to be scrabbling for our passports and credit cards.

Brits I feel are particularly susceptible to this type of imagery; exotic locations, fascinating foodstuffs, romantic scenery and the promise of unlimited shopping take us right out of our normal environment and persuade us that it is our destiny to be permanent travellers in search of warmer climes, better food and bargain purchases. We only need to open a travel brochure and we are there, on the veranda of a Spanish hideaway, sunning ourselves on a deserted beach or strolling through downtown Manhatten.

In days gone by, the need to save up for a holiday would lessen the immediate impact of travel imagery, but in the age of the credit card and internet purchasing the thought process from advert to purchase can be shortened to minutes rather then months. It is certainly true that the credit card has opened up foreign travel to a far wider client base. Even in these days of belt-tightening and credit-crunching, the family holiday is still an absolute necessity, we are still suckers for travel advertising.

Airlines suffer oil-price volatility

This summer has been a nightmare for airline fuel pricing with prices reaching $150 a barrel. Many operators chose to fix prices with their suppliers and 'hedging' has become the sport of the season for airlines. For example Ryanair hedged at $124 and would have been pleased to see the market price at $130, not quite so pleased to see it then decline to the $100 mark. This combined with the strengthening dollar price has created mayhem for those reponsible for airline cashflows. British Airways has done better with it's hedging having secured a price of $96 per barrel for 80% of it's fuel requirement for the third quarter of 2008. The drop of sterling against the dollar however threatens to negate any gains made through shrewd fuel trading.

Travel resources within the UK

I thought I would provide some links to some of the valuable travel resources that I regularly use when travelling within the UK:

Multimap - finds a map location from a post-code or partial address - also offers aerial views and map overlay for most parts of the UK. A handy route planner is also available on the same site.

AA Roadwatch - offers up to the minute traffic news and reports for all major routes throughout the UK. The AA site also has a section for finding all sorts of accommodation ranging from small B&B's to top hotels wherever you travel within the UK.

The good old BBC also offers a site with all the latest traffic problems and hold-ups in case you need a second opinion, and the BBC is a site that is constantly updated.

London Credit Cards

New London credit cards have just been launched by HSBC and Barclaycard. These cards have been specifically designed to enable quick payments and easy travel within the City of London.
The barclaycards feature 'touchless' payment, incoporating the Oystercard system into two credit cards, one with cashback, one with balance transfer. The HSBC card offers the same facility on a standard credit card.

As well as being a touchless system, the deal offered on the Barclaycard OnePulse with Cashback credit card includes a huge 5%(!) cashback on London Travel and 0.5% on purchases everywhere else. You can use the touchless Oystercard system on many of the buses, tube, and trams within London.

When it comes to credit card comparison, bear in mind the added value of these new cards launched and make sure you take advantage of the facilities offered to enable quick and easy traveling through one of the busiest capital cities in the world today.

XL fallout

The CAA says that XL was able to retain it's licence (ATOL) simply because they (the CAA) did not have the resources to investigate XL's financial statements thoroughly. XL had a £42m bond under the terms of it's licence, but it's collapse will cost more and throw the Air Travel Trust Fund deeper into the red. The fund now stands less chance of being replenished any time soon, running at a deficit of £20m with a further £20m in addition to the bond needed to put right the problems caused by the collapse of XL.
The CAA will not be making a claim against it's insurer AIG which itself has only recently been pulled back from the brink of collapse.
Naturally agents who apply for new and renewal licences will be bearing the brunt of the costs. Travellers who bought their travel packages from non-ATOL agents rather then directly contracted to XL could well have their claims referred back to those individual (unlicenced) agents, no doubt this will come of something of a shock!
This should ring alarm bells about buying from agents that may not have adequate cover themselves, and encourage travellers to make certain that they are covered against all eventualities on their individual travel insurance.

Car Loans made easy

If you are worried about whether you can afford a holiday and a new car, then you could consider a Car Loan from a fast and easy service like BasicCarLoans.com - make sure you get yourself the best deal you can in the current financial market.
No fees and no obligation, BasicCarLoans are specialists in the field of auto loans and can process your application in no time at all. They can even offer a service to those needing a Bad Credit Car Loan through their special financing packages, even helping you to re-build your credit record along the way. You can also have them refinance your current high-interest loan with a better rate of interest.

Ecuador stakes a claim

The Latin American Travel Association (LATA) recently announced a new system for grading the Health & Safety standards of the hotels used by it's members. Following on from that news, Ecuador has declared that it will be attempting to become one of the leading destinations in South America.
The Ecuadorian government has unveiled plans to increase it's annual investment in tourism from the $7m spent in 2007 to $23m in 2008, with more increases promised in subsequent years.
Offering the Andes, the Pacific Ocean, a rich ancient history and heritage, Ecuador could soon become one of the hot spots of the travel market over the next few years. Much of the country is wild and rugged scattered with hidden architectural treasures, the simple towns and villages in stark contrast with the modern developed cities.

Just a quid campaign revitalised

The UK Government is being lobbied by various groups including ABTA and the Liberal Democrats to bring in a £1 levy on all flights to help to protect customers who may get stranded in similar circumstances to the XL customers recently.
The previous attempt failed to progress through a House of Commons vote in 2005, defeated by just three votes.
This money would be used to form a fund that could be used to support stranded holiday makers in the future. Most lobbyists see this as a small price to pay for the security offered, but resistance appears to be mainly from the scheduled airline operators who do not want to be subsidising what the see as their smaller, less well-financed rivals.

Looking for holiday gear

When I go on a vacation I like to do the sights, travel on local transport, hang out on the beach and do the sort of things for which multi-purpose clothing is required.
I like to pack good utility clothes for my holidays, the type of clothing that can withstand the rugged outdoors and is smart enough to be acceptable in a restaurant. Fewer clothes ranges come more rugged than the 5.11 Tactical range on the 511tactical outdoors website.
They have some great combats which are my favourite type of clothing of all time, and can be worn in pretty much any type of environment. I might stop short of actually taking a holster with me on vacation as I am not sure I would get through the airport with that, but the rest of the tactical clothing range is a perfect addition to your suitcase wherever you are bound.

Home exchangers make use of their London home

Well-travelled home exchange holiday-makers Sheila and David Hoffman have exchanged homes 25 times in just 8 years. The vacations have varied in duration from a week to two months and they have found that not only do they get a cheap holiday, but they are also able to have better access to the heart of the community that they are visiting.
Visiting many different homes persuaded them that they should sell their own large three-bedroom house and downsize to apartment-living having tried it and enjoyed it whilst on their many holidays. They are located near central London, hence their apartment is always in demand and they have managed to swap homes with people in New York, San Francisco, Australia, Denmark, Holland, Italy and France.

Read the whole story here...

Infrared Sauna for pain relief...

We all know the benefits experienced from holidaying in warmer climes, apart from the relaxed atmosphere created by leaving your worries behind you, there are the benefits of climate.
Anyone suffering from either mild or chronic arthritis will know that even a short stay in a sunny climate can offer relief for painful symptoms, but the list of ailments does not stop there.
Now you can get this kind of experience in you own back yard by having an Infrared Sauna installed. Mid West Saunas say that their far infrared saunas can also offer relief from the symptoms of blood pressure problems, joint stiffness, asthma, sore throats and menstruation pain along with a whole host of other ailments.
You can even invite your fellow-sufferers over to enjoy the pain-relieving effects of your new sauna in your own garden, they even say that saunas can help you lose weight.

BAA puts Gatwick up for sale

After being ordered to lose it's stranglehold on London airports, BAA has put Gatwick on the market. In the background they are preparing to fight the requirement to also sell Stansted airport, leaving them only Heathrow left from the London three... They will also be required to sell a Scottish airport after the Competition Commissions' ruling.
Prospective purchasers who have thrown their hat into the ring include:

• A consortium led by Richard Branson
• Manchester Airport
• German construction company, Hochteif.

Gatwick is valued at around £1.7bn, but BAA will be hoping to realise more from the sale. BAA maintain the view that they will be able to successfully oppose the Competition Commission's ruling, but have nonetheless taken the step to sell Gatwick now in the hope that this will strengthen the arguments for keeping Stansted.

Complete Loan Source

Should you require a Cash Advance for a special occasion a trip or vacation, Complete Loan Source aims to provide a single-point source for all your financial needs. Whether you need money for a car, or just to see you through to pay day, there is something on this site which may well meet your needs.
Borrowing should never be undertaken lightly, and whilst caution should be exercised, in the right circumstances, a short-term low-cost solution can be the answer to an unexpected expense.
Complete Loan Source is your single source for all your cash advance, Consolidation Debt loan or requirements

Which Airlines?

I am always on the lookout for useful resources for holidays and airline travel and one of the things I have felt the need for, is a site that can tell you which airlines are likely to run flights between your preferred start and end points of your trip.
Once you have decided which airports you can fly from, and which your preferred destinations are, you still need to find the airline before you can start comparing prices. If you find an airline that runs your chosen route, how do you find out if there is a cheaper alternative or one offering a better service?
This handy web-page should identify the airlines that run your specific route on the date that you want to fly. The only downside is that you must choose a day, if you are flexible about your flight days, you will have to do several searches to ensure that there are not other airlines running the same route on different days.

Joint effort to rescue XL clients

In the days following the collapse of XL Leisure group, representatives from Thomas Cook, Tui Travel and Virgin Holidays put their heads and resources together to bring back stranded XL customers. This included additional efforts from right across the companies, from logistical support right through to the reps at the resorts.
Many independent agents as well as the larger concerns were caught out by the collapse and had to work through the weekend to ensure that all clients were contacted and kept informed.
The fallout from the collapse may benefit agents who have shown that they are in a position to aid clients in this kind of event. The holiday makers who were most isolated were those that had booked online and had no agent to call to sort out the mess. Having an agent means that you have some sort of protection and assurance that there is a larger mechanism backing you through the agencies membership of trade associations and insurance arrangements. The picture shown, illustrates the logistical lengths taken to get the stranded passengers back home.

Security updates

August 2008 update.
The latest security bulletin concerns the loosening of guidelines which were concerned with the number of bags allowed as hand luggage. The department of transport has relaxed it's guidelines however some airports may still operate under their own policies. This is a list of the UK airports that have adopted the DoT ruling to drop the one bag restriction:

Aberdeen, Belfast International, Benbecula, Biggin Hill, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Blackpool, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, City of Derry, Coventry, Dundee, Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Farnborough, Filton, Gatwick, George Best Belfast City airport, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, Guernsey, Hawarden airport, Heathrow, Humberside, Inverness, Islay, Isle of Man, Jersey, Kent International, Kirkwall, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay Corwall , Norwich, Plymouth, Prestwick, Robin Hood, Southampton, Southend, Stansted, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree, Warton , Wick.

Using credit cards overseas

One of those annoying little habits that credit cards employ is the charges they apply when you use your credit card abroad, even though it costs them nothing in reality to account for this foreign expenditure, you are charged as if you used a bureau de change to exchange your money for local currency.
Did you know that some credit cards do not charge foreign transaction fees when you use them abroad? It's one of those things you take for granted nowadays, but some cards such as the Post Office credit card and Nationwide have now waived transaction fees. Other providers such as The Co-operative Bank and Abbey have decided to follow suit, no doubt any others may join in this particular trend.
There are web sites available which will help you to Compare credit cards to make sure you are getting the best deals. Remember to not only consider the interest rate, the minimum payments and the transfer deals, but also to consider the charges that may be applied when you use your card abroad or for transactions in a foreign currency on the internet for instance.

End of the line for cheap flights?

Cheap flights are not a stand-alone product in the same way that ‘buy one get one free’ (or ‘BOGOF’) is not a stand-alone product, it is an add-on. Cheap flights can only exist alongside a healthy travel industry that is selling plenty of prime-priced products.
The decline of the travel industry, reduced profitability and rocketing fuel prices will no doubt put severe strain on cheap flight availability. Ryanair have already announced an 85% drop in profits and is predicting a loss or at best a break-even scenario at the end of the year. The blame is being firmly put at the feet of rising fuel costs, but is probably also attributable to a lack of spending and other credit crunch issues affecting people’s decisions to buy flights.

CheapOair website review

Really Traveling is committed to bringing you travel resources from around the world and the best of the web. CheapOair is a service with a great Low Fare Guarantee:

We guarantee that this fare is the lowest available price on the web for this airline, on the date and times chosen. If you find a lower fare on the web, will pay you $15.00 USD per traveler.

CheapOair offer a complete package solution for your vacation needs from hotel and destination guides to air fare and car hire, they can offer a wealth of information and choice in every case. Whether you are just after Cheap Flights to Kansas City or a complete package to any destination worldwide, you can take advantage of their Low Fare Guarantee.

Car Hire all over the world

If you need car hire anywhere in the world, try this site for a competitive quote. From a small car to a people-carrier, Carhiredirect.co.uk can search all the major hire companies to find you the best deal whether you are in the UK, Spain, Italy USA any many more destinations. Combine cost-effective car hire with cheap flights to get a reasonably-priced holiday without having to go through a travel agent

Calgary, Alberta

If you thought Toronto was the only Canadian City with a famous tower, then think again. Among the many fine attractions of Calgary including the Zoo, the 'Stampede', the Aerospace Museum and the many other quality museums, Calgary has it's own viewing tower. The Calgary Tower brings you all the rich landscape and scenery of Alberta in a full 360 degree vista.
This city and the surrounding area offers attractions for all the family including the Historical Village, TELUS World of Science, the Olympic Park and Forth Calgary with it's history of the Mounties. Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta and is most renowned for being the first Canadian city to host the Winter Olympics.
The Calgary Hotels in Alberta offer excellent accommodation at very reasonable rates for you to enjoy your stay in comfort only 50 miles away from the Canadian Rockies.
Situated in Mid-West Canada, the main economic activity in this area has been historically centered on the Oil industry, but since hosting the Olympics twenty years ago, the region has embraced the tourism industry too.

LawMax lawsuit advance

Many people are put off from pursuing legitimate legal cases in the courts due to the costs involved and the out of pocket expenses incurred whilst waiting for a case to reach it’s conclusion. A new lawsuit advance service offered by LawMax Legal Finance enables you to receive a cash advance before a judgment is made based on an evaluation of your case. This is a no-win, no payback service so if you don’t receive compensation you will have nothing to repay. The risk of not getting a payout is taken away and in return LawMax will be entitled to a ‘risk premium’ payment out of your eventual award.
This might not be suitable for every case, but it seems like a good way to help those who have a good case and yet might not normally be in a position to pursue the lawsuit due to financial restraints.

Cyprus Getaways - website review

One of the aims of the ReallyTraveling blog is to bring together all sorts of resources for travel, whether they be my own views of destinations, travel advice or an internet travel resource.
One such resource is Cyprus Getaway who offer a range of rental apartments in various regions of Cyprus. This site also offers information on weather and general travel advice for those planning to visit the Island. Check out their deals for off-season rentals – four weeks at £100 per week per apartment….
Cyprus getaways is a UK-based business so you can conduct all your business with them locally in the UK before heading out to your apartment - They would like to hear from you if you are looking for rental accommodation short-term or long-term in Cyprus, and also if you have a property that you would like to rent out.

Ontario

We wandered around Ontario (in a sense literally as we gradually circumnavigated Lake Ontario) taking in some French-Canadian towns as we went. It was surprising to be greeted firstly with 'Bonjour'' in shops before being addressed in English as a second choice. Natural of course if this is your natural habitat, but slightly odd for a Brit who left France far behind to travel to the North Americas.One thing you can say about Canada is that is as diverse as it is vast, and it IS VAST... Only a few miles away from the cool European sophistication of Montreal are the reserves of Native American Indians with there own issues and problems. A stones throw from them is the busy metropolis of Toronto with it's ethnic diversity and city sleeze. Further West are the wild borders of British Columbia, Canada has it all and has it in abundance.
We relunctantly left this world behind us as we headed back to New York to the remaining few days with our friends in Brooklyn.

Medical Precautions

When travelling, there are plenty of things to be thinking about as well as your tickets, passport and flights. If you have a specific medical condition or allergy, then you will have to think about medical provision at your destination. Medical ID tags are a sensible precaution when travelling in a place where you are outside your normal circle of acquaintances. A medical alert bracelet is now available as an attractive bracelet in lots of different styles ranging from attractive jewelery styles to funky webbing styles. If you don’t like the traditional functional type of ID, then these are a great alternative. You should make sure that your have supplies of drugs that you may need providing that you are allowed to carry it through customs and on your flight. It is always wise to get as much information as you can from your doctor and travel company before setting out.

The clean air of Canada

There was an immediate change of tempo as soon as we crossed the border into Canada from the US, the roads were as big, the cars were as huge, the buildings were similar as were many of the road signs, but the atmosphere seemed immediately different, somehow a little more homely.

We struck out for Toronto and arrived at around mid-day on a Sunday, the town was quiet, but we were at least able to gain entrance to the CN tower and take in the spectacular views (we were used to spectacular views by this time...). The vastness of Toronto as viewed from the tower is almost indescribable, the city sprawls out for miles around as it's various districts mix and mingle to make up a busy vibrant city - Not so busy and vibrant on a Sunday afternoon though, so we grabbed some lunch and headed out towards our destination Lake Huron. Easier said than done on freeways that snake around this vast city willing you to go the wrong way (or so it seems). Nonetheless we eventually broke out of the grip of Toronto and were on our way to Southampton and one of the finest resaurants in the world.

Friends of ours Jackie and Paul Johnson have a restaurant in a renovated railway station in Southampton that is worth travelling across the globe to visit. Fine Dining at it's best in a friendly atmosphere is what sets this place apart from the rest, if you are ever in the area you won't be disappointed if you eat at Grosvenor's. We were made so welcome and hung around for a few days enjoying the pace of Canadian life. No wonder Jackie is happy here despite being up-rooted from the small channel island of Jersey.

North of New York

When we visited New York last (quite a few years ago now) I decided that we would hire a car and drive North to see friends in Canada. Bearing in mind that I had not driven in the 'States before, they drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, and I was not used to an automatic...it may not have been sensible to hire a car straight out of a busy Manhatten street.
However, I quickly got over the initial problems with a kind of 'do or die' resolve and we nosed our way into East side traffic still trying to work out what all the levers and knobs in this car were for...We headed due North on our way to Buffalo, the Niagara falls and the Canadian border. The main attraction for me heading North was the Green Mountain State, Vermont and it's stunning scenery especially for the latter part of the year when we were there... We learned that it is better to book a motel when on the road if you can as one dark evening in one very busy spot, we stumbled from one resting place to another looking for a room in vain. We ended up in a smoking room which was very unpleasant. The following day we were able to blow the stale smoke from our hair as we saw the spectacular Niagara Falls from the US side and trundled over the border into Canada to head for Toronto.

Car Hire abroad

In the days of cheap flights, it is becoming increasingly cost-effective to fly-drive to most destinations world-wide, not necessarily with a fly-drive package, but by locating your own cheap flight and finding your own car hire. I recently had to price up a trip to Mid-France and it actually turned out to be cheaper to get a flight to a nearby airport AND a hire car than it would have been to get a direct flight to the NEAREST airport. With today's fuel prices, driving to the continent is not just time-consuming, but extremely expensive - once again a good reason to go with the fly-drive option.
Admittedly fuel prices vary across the continent, but even driving to the ferry or train itself can be costly, and all but Eastern European countries have suffered from dramatically rising fuel costs as far as I know.The availability of all types of travel services via the internet is changing the face of travel and making it all the more accessible and less costly for everybody. I have been on several trips where there has been no travel agent involvement and have thoroughly enjoyed making my own itinerary and arrangements. I have used well-known chains for motel services and a bed and breakfast guide to take me off the beaten track, add that to a cheap flight and cheap car hire and you can create the perfect custom made package without leaving your seat...

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is well worth a visit if you get a chance, made more attractive by the fact that there are some bargain flights to be had from other UK airports.
Edinburgh is a lively city with it's fair share of entertainment and sights of all types. There is Holyrood house (Edinburgh residence of HM the Queen) bang right next-door to the Scottish parliament buildings. Close by, just a few minutes walk outside the city, you can go walking over Arthur's seat, a surprisingly wild landscape set only about a mile from the very centre of the city.
Scotland's first city is brim full of culture with museums, a castle, galleries and fascinating architecture.
You are guaranteed an excellent stay in Edinburgh as the city is cosmopolitan and really geared up for visitors, and ideal destination for a short break.

Tenby

One of my favourite Welsh haunts is Tenby and it's surrounding area. There is so much to do, it makes for a perfect family holiday - even if you don't get beach weather every day. Tenby itself has plenty of facilities for the traveller and plenty of room on it's beaches. There is an array of places to eat with fresh fish being the speciality along with a variety of Welsh lamb dishes.
Venture into the surrounding countryside for attractions such as Folly Farm (for the kids), Pembertons Chocolate Farm (for yourself), there are castles, gardens and outdoor pursuits of all kinds within easy reach of Tenby. The rest of the Pembroke coast offers alternative beaches if Tenby gets too busy. A relaxing time can also be had on Caldey Island, boats run from Tenby beach at regular intervals (£10 per head for adults) over to the Island populated by monks.
There are a lot of caravan parks around this area mostly populated with fixed site caravans, many of which are available for hire. Holiday lets in cottages and flats around the region are also widely available. If you are anywhere near the 'M4 corridor' travelling to Pembroke is a cinch as long as you are aware that there is a short stretch of the M4 through Swansea limited to 50mph.