UAE, Barbados ‘most expensive’ for Brits

THE United Arab Emirates and #Barbados have been flagged up as the most expensive destinations for British holidaymakers in a survey by Santander.

According to the report, the two destinations cost Brits more than £100 per day in spending money. By comparison, Poland and India are the cheapest destinations, costing just £30 per day on average.

The calculations do not include the cost of hotel accommodation or flights.

With a direct flight to Barbados costing an average of £3,136 during the peak summer season – a couple going away for two weeks could expect to pay approximately £12,900 for their holiday after accommodation is included, the report stated.

Close behind as the second most expensive place is the #UnitedArabEmirates (UAE), where British tourists can expect to pay £101 a day – on top of return flights costing an average of £617. 

Since 2010, the daily costs of visiting Barbados and the UAE have risen by an average of 36.5%.

Country / Daily spend

Barbados - £109
United Arab Emirates - £101
Austria - £92
Czech Republic - £92
Switzerland - £91
Belgium - £88
USA - £87
Luxembourg - £87
Netherlands - £81
Hong Kong - £78

Source: Santander analysis of ONS Travel Trends 2014

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Top tucker Down Under

THE so-called godfather of modern cooking, Marco Pierre White, will be taking the helm alongside #RickStein at this year's Margaret River Gourmet Escape (November 20-22) a three-day #foodandwine festival, held by the white sand beaches of Western Australia's #MargaretRiver wine region.

The festival – sponsored by Audi – will have a full programme of events led by more than 40 of the world's top chefs and wine experts.

Marco says: ‘The Australian food scene fascinates me, so I am especially excited to return and be part of this extraordinary festival and explore the diversity of produce and wine from this beautiful region. Joining me is an impressive line-up of international talent who feel the same way.’ 

Festival tickets are on sale www.ticketek.com.au

www.gourmetescape.com.au
www.westernaustralia.com





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Travel Quotes . . .

“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain

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Luxury in Suffolk

THE latest holiday property at the Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk is The Farmhouse, a luxury six-bedroom (all en-suite) house with 17th century origins.

Extended and transformed using local materials and traditional construction methods, it has been re-thatched using locally cut long-straw and reed, and the timber frame meticulously repaired. Its drawing room has an open hearth, and a large country kitchen has seating for 14.

Bay windows open onto a replanted orchard and out to the Wilderness Reserve’s Arcadian pleasure grounds including a tennis court, a naturally-filtered swimming pool, and a lake.

Rates for the Farmhouse start from £695 a night.

The Wilderness Reserve comprises a manor house and luxury cottages for holiday lets – on an exclusive-use basis – in a 4,500-acre estate a short drive from Southwold and Aldeburgh.

The manor house – Sibton Park – is a Grade II* listed, 5-star Georgian country house in hundreds of acres of parkland, woodland rides, lakes, and pleasure grounds. The house can be rented with a chef, butler, waiting staff, and daily housekeeping.

www.wildernessreserve.com

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Tourism study finds positive effect on destinations

TOURISM’S impact on destinations far outweighs its negative effects, a Travel Foundation study has found.

The findings are a first for the industry that until now has seen travel and tourism measured chiefly in arrivals and their estimated impact on value – or otherwise – to the economy.

The Travel Foundation study – conducted with Tui Group and business services and consultancy firm PwC in Cyprus –used a method known as TIMM (Total Impact Measurement and Management) for quantifying impacts not only on the economy and taxation but also on the environment and destination communities.

The study took in eight mainstream hotels catering to 60,000 visitors, or 2.5% of the annual total to #Cyprus. The purpose was to assess the full impact of tourism and to enable comparisons between impacts in different areas, so that decision-makers could compare ‘alternative strategies’.

It calculated the total economic impact of visitors to the hotels at an average €59 (£42) per customer per night. The tax impact was an additional €25 (£18) per night – about one-third of this in direct taxation.

By contrast, the environmental cost was €4 (£2.86) per customer per night, with greenhouse gas emissions accounting for €2.50 (£1.80), despite flights being excluded from the study.

Waste was the second-biggest environmental cost, with hotels producing 1.8kg (3.96lbs) of waste per customer a night, compared with 1.4kg (3lbs) for the average Cyprus resident – despite the hotels recycling more than domestic residents.

However, the suppliers to hotels and businesses serving tourists outside the hotels were found to generate 14 times as much waste – an average of 25kg (55lbs) per customer every day.

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From snowy Chicago to sunny St. Lucia

WITH visitors arriving at a record pace from the US – showing a year-to-date increase of nine percent over 2014 – Saint Lucia will see additional winter season flights as United Airlines launches a non-stop, weekly service from Chicago in December.

‘The expanded partnership with United signifies the first non-stop regularly scheduled service between the two destinations, making Saint Lucia even more accessible for travellers,’ says Louis Lewis at #SaintLucia Tourist Board. ‘The new flights connect major gateways in the Midwestern United States and provide added convenience for connections with a number of new markets.’

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Eurostar launch ski season ticket sales

SKI enthusiasts looking to travel to the slopes by rail can celebrate as #Eurostar offers passengers more routes to the French Alps than ever before. It has opened sales for its direct ski service from London St Pancras and Ashford International. 

For the first #skiseason ever, Brits can board the train at London St Pancras or Ashford and be in Lyon – the gateway to the French Alps – in just over four-and-a-half hours.

For those wishing to ski in the Swiss Alps, Eurostar’s connecting service to Geneva via Lille is another way to reach the heart of Switzerland and then onto popular resorts. 

The 2015/2016 seasonal ski services will run weekly from December 19 until April 9.

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Get beach smart!

BECAUSE many sea rescues involve young swimmers and bodyboarders, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has produced a safety pack to help keep children safe when they’re out having fun in the surf.

The Get Beach Smart for summer pack – which can be downloaded from www.beachsmart.org.uk – includes tips for parents, a wave guide for the children, and stickers that can be attached to bodyboards and beach bags.

#RNLI lifeguards went to the aid of more than 7,900 children on Britain’s beaches last year, and this year will have lifeguards on 220 beaches.

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Heathrow tops in Europe for delays and cancellations

HEATHROW suffers from the highest percentage of delayed and cancelled flights over its main rival airports in Europe, says flight data company EUclaim.

It found that #Heathrow had the highest number of delays or cancellations over 30 minutes between 2012 and 2014.

Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt – both of which deal with a similar number of flights to Heathrow every year but have more runways – had a much better record.

The company’s UK manager, Adeline Noorderhaven, issued the statistics as the Airports Commission recommended Heathrow be expanded with a third runway.

‘Heathrow is currently running at 99% capacity,’ she said. ‘The reason London Heathrow has such a high percentage of delays compared to its European counterparts is because it’s functioning with two runways while Frankfurt and Amsterdam have four and five respectively.

‘The proposed third runway will make a huge difference to passengers, lessening the chance of delay and the need to claim flight delay compensation.’

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Wolsey Lodges adds to its collection

NINE B&B properties – from Scotland to Cornwall – have been added to the Wolsey Lodge collection this year, with more in the pipeline. 

The properties include: two manor houses; a former residence of the 9th Duke of Athol; an original Somerset Long House; a former bakery; a rectory and a Victorian keeper's cottage; a Georgian Grade II listed townhouse; and an Edwardian country house. All have either en suite or private bathrooms.

‘Wolsey Lodges is the forerunner in terms of luxury B&B,’ says Robin Clough, chairman of the not-for-profit marketing organization. ‘We were founded almost 35 years ago and have long been one of the best-kept secrets of the travelling cognoscenti. We have always had the strong ethos that the welcome received by guests is one that a friend would receive, and a stay that charms and exceeds expectations.’

The group’s B&Bs are vetted and inspected carefully to ensure they meet exacting standards, says Mr Clough. ‘There has always been something rather special about the type of guest who enjoys staying at Wolsey Lodges and this takes Wolsey Lodges into a different league from most B&B organizations.

 www.wolseylodges.com

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Bumper weekend of events set for Sydney

#SYDNEY is set for a bumper weekend of events in August when the #BledisloeCup clash, the #NetballWorldCup, and The Good Food and Wine Show take place (August 7-9) at the city’s Olympic Park. 

In the ultimate trans-Tasman battle, the Qantas Wallabies meet against arch rivals the New Zealand All Blacks at the ANZ Stadium on August 8 to try to win back the Bledisloe Cup after a 13-year drought.

The rivalry continues on August 9 when the Aussies and Kiwis battle it out at the Allphones Arena in the round robin stage of The Netball World Cup, which returns to Sydney for the first time in more than two decades.

Food and wine lovers can look in at the #GoodFoodandWine Show at the Sydney Showground (August 7-9), when local and international exhibitors show their wares.

Destination New South Wales chief executive Sandra Chipchase says: ‘Major sporting events and festivals continue to attract visitors to our state. There's no better way to spend a weekend than taking in a fixture and seeing what the city has to offer.’ 

www.sydney.com/events

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All aboard for the tall ships

TWO world-famous #TallShips will be heading to Greenwich, #London, over the #AugustBankHoliday, and MBNA Thames Clippers (www.thamesclippers.com) is offering tickets for a trip along the Thames to see the ships.

Visitors will be able to explore the decks and rigging of the Santa Maria Manuela from Portugal and the Dar Mlodziezy from Poland. 

Guides will be stationed around the walking route to talk about history of the ships, which will be moored near the Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Naval College.

The package includes return travel from either Greenwich or London Bridge City pier, with one hour to explore the ships. £10 for children, £20 for adults.

www.thamesclippers.com

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Malta joins fight to keep jellyfish out

A NET to keep out jellyfish has been installed in Pretty Bay, Birzebbuga, in the first trial of its kind in #Malta. 

The net covers an area of 747 sq. yards, with each side measuring 82ft and reaching a depth of eight feet.

It has been installed by the Physical Oceanography Unit of the University of Malta, in conjunction with the four-nation Med-Jellyrisk project, the first-ever international attempt (led by Italy, Malta, Spain, and Tunisia) to assess the socio-economic impacts of jellyfish proliferation and implement counter-measures.

Similar nets have been installed on Elba, Lipari, and Lampedusa.

Every summer, two million bathers are stung by jellyfish.

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easyJet launches UNICEF campaign

EASYJET has launched its Change for Good summer collection, aiming to raise funds for UNICEF’s fight against polio.

The collection – which runs until September 13 – gives passengers the opportunity to donate spare change and unwanted foreign currency to UNICEF.

Carolyn McCall, easyJet’s chief executive said: ‘Our passengers have given so generously to date and we are sure that our campaign to help UNICEF vaccinate more children against polio will inspire them once again to donate to this worthy cause.’

There is no cure for polio, but three doses of polio vaccine can give a lifetime of immunity at a cost of 27p.

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Does this float your boat?

BERT’S BARGES has opened its first ‘hotel’ on the Regent’s Canal in Hackney, East London.

It offers guests a floating one-bedroom, luxury suite with Scandinavian vintage interiors. There’s a living room/dining area, fully-fitted kitchen, flat screen TV, underfloor heating, wood burning stove, and a large bathroom.

There are a number of design features including hidden electrical sockets in the marble kitchen work surface and a spacious roof terrace that has a hot box BBQ and deck chairs.

The location allows easy access to the East End’s creative art and design scene, from studios and galleries to restaurants and cinemas.

Prices start from £250 a night (for bookings of two nights or more), based on two sharing the barge suite including a welcome box containing beer, wine, soft drinks and nibbles, as well as breakfast items such as pastries, juice, muesli and yoghurt. Up to two additional guests can stay on board at a cost of £50 per person. One night stays can be booked at £300 per night (for two).

The boat comes with the free use of Brompton Bikes, two Oyster travel cards and a 4G-enabled dongle. A vintage rowing boat for guests to use is planned.

The barge is not suitable for children under the age of 10.

Further #barges will be added to the #Regent’sCanal mooring over the coming year, and there are plans to expand to other cities, such as Bristol, Edinburgh, and York.

www.bertsbarges.com

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Virginia welcomes music lovers …

EVERY style of music is represented with a variety festivals across the Commonwealth of #Virginia. Lovers of #Bluegrass and classic #Countrymusic can attend events such as the Richmond Folk Festival or the Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, the largest and oldest of its kind in the world, while fans of slightly more modern music can attend events such as the Bristol Rhythm and Roots to see the big names.

‘We have so many great music festivals in our own backyard, from the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival to the Richmond Jazz Festival,’ says Virginia Tourism president Rita Clenny. ‘Virginia is so rich in music history, but it also attracts mainstream artists.’  

Music festivals in Virginia this year:

• American Roots Music Series (Bluegrass), Staunton – August 2, 16 & 30
• Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, Galax – August 3-8
• Richmond Jazz Festival, Richmond – August 7-9
• Patsy Cline Music Festival, Winchester – September 3-6
• Lockn’, Arrington – September 10-13
• Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Bristol – September 18-20
• Richmond Folk Festival, Richmond – October 9-11

www.virginia.org/directory/events/music

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Michelin updates German guidebook

MICHELIN Green Guide Germany has been revised as a resource for travelers seeking the full range of the country’s cultural experiences. 

Its ninth edition of the guide is now on sale at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon.com.

The guide has driving tours that include illustrated sections on modern #Germany, its history, architecture, and cultures. 

There are also detailed walk-throughs of museums, galleries, and churches.

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Flight booking data reveals impact of Tunisia terrorist attack

THE full extent of the slump in flight bookings and cancellations to #Tunisia after two major terrorist attacks this year is revealed in data published by ForwardKeys, which monitors #travel patterns by analyzing 14 million reservation transactions each day. 

The analysis shows that weekly international bookings fell by 44.7% compared with the same period in 2014 following the museum attack in Tunis on March 18. Bookings fell by 42.2% after the beach massacre near Sousse on June 26, which killed 38 tourists including 30 British holidaymakers. 

The attacks prompted a fall in bookings across a range of countries. The most marked slumps were seen in Switzerland, which recorded more cancellations than bookings.

ForwardKeys co-founder and chief executive Olivier Jager, said: ‘Our data shows that international bookings to Tunisia have been under-performing since mid-2014. Obviously the two terrorist attacks in the first half of 2015 have made the situation considerably worse.’

Major operators cancelled programmes to Tunisia for the rest of this year and summer 2016 after the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned against all but essential travel to Tunisia in the wake of the Sousse attack.

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Join the dance in Bath

VISITORS to the Jane Austen's Bath exhibition (to October 4) at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath will be able to see a display of Georgian and Regency dancing – and learn a few steps themselves – this August. 

The Bath Minuet and Jane Austen Dancers will be dancing in period costume at late openings of the exhibition on Thursdays during August. They will also be talking to visitors about the dances, music, and their Georgian and Regency costumes. The Thursday evening openings have been made possible by funding from Arts Council England to the Bath Museums Partnership.

The Bath Minuet Dancers will be in the gallery from 5-7pm on August 6 and 13; and the Jane Austen Dancers on August 20 and 27, also 5-7pm. The groups will perform twice each evening.

The standard entry charge is £3.50 with concessions available, and no booking is required.

The Jane Austen's Bath exhibition features some of the gallery's best watercolours and prints, so visitors can see the city as she saw it on her visits, and as she depicted it in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey.

There is also a programme of talks, tours, and walks.

www.victoriagal.org.uk

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'Magaluf effect' warning for Canary Islands

THE CANARY ISLANDS could succumb to the ‘Magaluf effect’ unless they move away from mass tourism. The warning came from the islands’ new president, Fernando Clavijo. 

He has suggested limiting the number of tourists to #Tenerife and #Lanzarote to preserve its environment and halt the rising number of all-inclusive holidays.

Clavijo told The Times: ‘The pursuit of the largest number of tourists is killing quality in Spain. It is the Magaluf effect. Lots of people come from Britain and what they need is a quality resort. We may need to put limits.’

Of the 11 million tourists who visited the #CanaryIslands last year, almost four million were from the UK, the largest group by nationality. The total number of tourists rose by eight percent from 2013.

Pedro Quevedo, head of tourism in Las Palmas, in Gran Canaria, told the newspaper: ‘We should limit the growth of the industry, ban building in some areas and protect the environment.’

Authorities in the islands have already banned 50,000 private flats being rented to holidaymakers in a bid to control the sector.

Tourism accounts for 30 percent of the islands’ gross domestic product.

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Ofsted chief calls for increased term time holiday fines

ENGLAND’S Chief Inspector of Schools says parents who take their children out of school to save money on a family holiday should face higher fines.

The current fixed penalty of £60 per parent is not high enough and is much less than the sum a family can save by booking an off-peak holiday during the school year, says Ofsted’s chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw.

The fine rises to £120 if not paid within 28 days of the notice being issued. If the penalty is still not paid, parents can be prosecuted and face a higher fine.

‘I would like to see the fines raised,’ Sir Michael told The Sunday Times. ‘We have too many parents taking their children out in term time. I think schools should adopt a hard line and not allow the youngsters out. If parents are behaving irresponsibly, then the state is right to say: “This is wrong and you are being a bad parent.” ’

The penalty was raised from £50 to £60 in September 2013 as former education secretary Michael Gove tightened the rules on term-time holidays. The tougher rules have produced a stream of complaints, chiefly from parents’ groups who have launched online petitions against the fines.

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Boom ahead for Cuba tourism

CUBA has received two million foreign tourists so far this year, an increase of 16 percent over the same period in 2014, says the country’s Tourism ministry.

#Cuba received a record-setting inflow of three million foreign holidaymakers last year, since when numbers have increased markedly following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the island and the US.

Tourism is the island country’s second largest source of foreign revenues – $2.6 billion (£1.6 billion) – after the export of medical services.

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From the Ministry of Strange Events …

WE all know about Glastonbury, but have you heard of …

The World Bog Snorkelling Championships, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, Wales – August 30: Most festival-goers hope to keep their wellies clean this summer, but some relishing the muddier side of festival season. 

This sport – if it is a sport – consists of jumping into a water-filled trench in a bog and swimming two lengths as fast as possible. It attracts competitors from all over the world, some from as far away as New Zealand.

Tar Barrels, Ottery St. Mary, East Devon – November 5: A tradition which has continued for hundreds of years and sees locals holding flaming barrels of tar running through the crowds. Seventeen barrels are carried through the streets. 

British Lawn Mowing Championships, Coneyhurst West Sussex – September 26-27: Like many potty ideas, lawn mower racing was dreamt up over a pint in a pub in 1973 … can you tell? The British Lawn Mower Racing Association organizes races all over the UK, enabling grown men and women enjoy the sheer thrill of racing modified lawn mowers. It’s not as expensive as motor racing. 

To enter, your mower has to be approved for use in a particular class of racing, stamped, and given a log book and race number. 

Up Helly Aa, Lerwick, Scotland – January 26: Dating back to the 1840s Europe’s biggest fire festival lights up a dark winter’s day in January. Celebrating Shetland’s Viking heritage, one of the biggest draws is the Jarl Squad, a band of modern-day Viking warriors who make various appearances throughout the day.

Dunmow Flitch Trials, Great Dunmow, Essex – July 9, 2016: Originating, it’s believed, in the 12th century, the trials exist to award a flitch of bacon to married couples if they can satisfy a judge and jury of six maidens and six bachelors that in the previous year and a day they have not – not even once – ‘wisht themselves unmarried again'. The winning couple get the bacon and are carried through the village on the shoulders of local men. Do you fancy your chances?  You’ve got a year in which to work out a way of convincing the jury. Oh, and that flitch word: It’s a side, or a steak cut from the side, of an animal or fish.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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Picture Credit: RUD 2880 by Rud-gr - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons,