Try a break in the woods

WOODLAND-BASED lodge breaks for those looking to make the most of the great outdoors has been introduced by domestic holiday specialist Hoseasons.

Available to book now - www.hoseasons.co.uk/lodges - for the start of next year, Wanderwood offers nature escapes at six locations in England and Scotland: Norfolk, Surrey, Somerset, Shropshire, the Lake District, and the Northern Highlands.

The lodges are pet-friendly and come with complimentary binoculars, and umbrellas WiFi is also included, and hot tubs feature at all locations.

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Kent – England’s garden of delights

HEAD just a little way south-east of London to discover castles, moated manors, and perfect gardens and villages. 

The county of Kent acquired the nickname of the Garden of England, a provider of fruit, flowers, and hops. Here are five of its must-see highlights: 

• The Boleyn family home of Hever Castle played its part as the backdrop of Henry VIII’s romance with Anne Boleyn, one of the greatest love affairs in history. See Anne’s bedroom, and take a boat on the lake. 

• Whitstable is known for its oysters and maritime history. Sup a local ale at the Old Neptune pub on the beach and see how the building has stood up to many a storm with its wonky window frames and sloping floor. 

One of Britain’s most striking beaches, Botany Bay is recognized for its tall chalk stacks and stretching sandy shores that Turner captured on canvas. 

Then head to Margate, where you can watch those famous Turner sunsets. 

• Lovers are powerless to resist the romantic allure of Leeds Castle, surrounded by its own reflections in the moat. The interior is an art deco dream. 

•  The 14^th century Scotney Castle (pictured) has acres of woodland to explore, complete with a secluded picnic area. 

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Picture Credit: "Hever Castle & cottages over moat". Licenced under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons; "Cliffs at Botany Bay, Kent 3" by Nilfanion - Own work. Licenced under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons; "Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent" by Brian - originally posted to Flickr as Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent. Licenced under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

WIN a Canon camera ...

And put Cotswolds in the frame.

Amateur photographers of all ages are being offered the opportunity to capture what they feel best sums up the beauty and unique qualities of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year.

There are two categories; adults and under-16s. The adult winner will get a Canon EOS 700D (plus 18mm-55mm lens) worth £539, and the under-16 winner receives a full day’s photography tuition with Cotswolds-based photographer/filmmaker Nick Turner.

How to enter …

Entrants can submit up to three digital images (taken recently) which in their opinion reflects the beauty and uniqueness of the Cotswolds AONB. 

The photos must be taken within the Cotswolds AONB and should be submitted in electronic format either by e-mail (max 1 MB per image) or on a disc, along with the entrant’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and, if entering the under-16s category, date of birth.

Entries should be e-mailed to: competition@cotswoldsaonb.org.uk or sent on a disc by post to: Cotswolds Photography Competition, Cotswolds Conservation Board, The Old Prison, Fosse Way, Northleach GL54 3JH. 

Go to www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/explore-and-enjoy/cotswolds-photography-competition for a copy of the entry form, which must be completed and sent in with submissions.

Entrants must be UK residents.

The original high resolution jpeg for the winning entries will be requested to ensure quality reproduction in publications. 

THE closing date for entries in the Cotswolds Photography competition is November 30. 

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Picture Credit: cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/explore-and-enjoy/cotswolds-photography-competition 

Self-catering sector worth £1.9 billion to Spain’s economy

A STUDY of the vacation rentals industry in Spain by the ESADE Business School in Barcelona found that in 2014, more than 27 million tourists visited Madrid, the coastal areas of Majorca and Calpe, San Sebastian, Granada, and Barcelona – the areas that account for almost half of tourism in Spain. Of the 27 million, 3.7 million stayed in holiday rentals.

Gerard Costa, professor of Marketing Management at ESADE says: ‘We were able to verify for the first time in Spain that holiday rentals have been the vanguard of a form of tourism that is becoming a great global trend: foreign families seeking a convenient and comfortable house, consuming local commerce, valuing the deal with the owner as well as the fact that the money goes to an individual rather than a corporate chain, and recommending the experience.’

The study’s main findings:

•  Approximately 79% of the 3.7 million people who visited the key tourism areas and stayed in self-catering accommodation were foreign.

• The average number of nights they spent in rented accommodation was 7.4

• This type of tourism contributed almost €2.7 billion (£1.9 billion) to the Spanish economy in 2014

•   The average expenditure was €726 (£510) per tourist, of which €249 (£175) was spent on accommodation and €477 (£335) on activities, transport, and meals

•  Despite the growth of this holiday option in Spain, 73% of accommodation owners believed that current national and regional laws and regulations did not make renting out property to tourists an easy option.

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Luxury in Normandy

A COLLECTION of luxury holiday villas has been opened in Normandy, a few miles from Honfleur and Deauville and 90-minutes from Paris.

Surrounded by parkland and gardens, they can be hired for just a weekend or a longer holiday via www.domainedablon.com.  

Services include concierge, a personal chef, seminars, walking tours and cooking and painting classes. High season daily rates range from €350 to €650 (£252/£470).

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Picture Credit: domainedablon

Brits lead flight claims league

FLIGHT delay compensation claims processed by refund.me, the passenger rights legal services provider, reached record levels during for the peak summer holiday travel season June through September. 

The four-month period saw refund.me process claims for flight delays and cancellations against 151 airlines. UK passengers sought compensation from more airlines than other European passengers, lodging claims against 96 different airlines.

While the number of claims lodged against individual airlines differed from country to country, aggregate numbers show that of complaints against all airlines, 13 percent of compensation claims were directed against Spanish low-cost airline Vueling. easyJet received eight percent of all claims, followed by Ryanair (5%), Air France (3.5%), and British Airways (3%).

Vueling also attracted the highest percentage of complaints from UK passengers during the study period. Of the 96 airlines, Vueling accounted for 11 percent of all claims presented for compensation. EasyJet followed at seven percent, Ryanair at six percent, and British Airways and Norwegian tied at 5 percent.

Eve Buchner, founder and CEO of refund.me, says: ‘Our study confirms the trend for an increase in complaints over travel-intensive holiday seasons. While the data is a snapshot from the UK and selected European countries, it highlights that overall, charter and low-cost airlines consistently under-perform in comparison to scheduled carriers. Passengers endure more travel disruption and we are seeing a significant upsurge in passengers asserting their rights to compensation under EU law.’

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Tasmania tees off for golf tourism

TASMANIA has been named the ‘undiscovered golf destination of the year’ by International Association Of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). 

Chief executive of Tourism Tasmania, John Fitzgerald, said the accolade acknowledged the island state’s growing world-class golf offering.

‘Recent developments have certainly raised awareness of Tasmania as a golfing destination. However, I believe it is our incredible natural features, heritage, world-class produce, wines, beers and whiskies, and the welcoming and engaging nature of our people, that have elevated our island’s status as a golfing destination that surpasses every serious golfer’s expectations.’

IAGTO’s chief executive Peter Walton added: ‘Tasmania richly deserves being named Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year in the 2016 IAGTO Awards. To earn such an accolade is no mean feat. The winner is voted for by members of the International Golf Travel Writers Association, which is administered by IAGTO. There are more than 200 members in 36 countries around the world, and these are journalists who are at the cutting edge of golf tourism trends. Where they go, golf travellers follow, spurred on by the prospect of discovering a new gem after reading about it in respected golf publications or online.

‘Tasmania is now well and truly on the global golfing map thanks to this award and I am sure it will result in an increase in golfers from other parts of the world wanting to play the lush fairways and greens of this pristine island.’ he said.

Tasmania’s windswept King Island is also positioning itself as a world-class golfing destination with the opening this month (October) of the Cape Wickham Golf Course.  The Ratho Links Course – laid out by Scottish emigrants in 1822 – is another drawcard for Tasmania. 

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Picture Credit: "Blick ueber Great Oyster Bay zur Freycinet Peninsula". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Staycation choices

THIS month (October) saw the launch of Staycation Holidays, which has a collection of 30+ self-catering properties in popular locations across the UK.

The agency plans to have more than 60 by the end of this year and to double the size of its portfolio during 2016, including international locations.

The properties are hand-picked to suit a wide range of holiday types and budgets. 

Properties start from £22 per person per night for a two-night stay in a one -bed cottage. www.staycationholidays.co.uk

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Picture Credit: staycationholidays

And it was said ....

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.

Susan Sontag

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Why light up the Taj Mahal?

HERITAGE experts have raised objections to the illumination of the Taj Mahal in India, saying it’s ‘not a monument to experiment with’. Officials at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) believe illuminating the 17^th century mausoleum jeopardizes its marble surface.  

Sources at the ASI said that there was ‘pressure’ from the tourism ministry to install the lights, even though previous studies have argued against it.

Low-level security lighting posts have been installed at the World Heritage Site, says the ASI, with the aim of lighting it up at night and making it more attractive for tourists.

‘However, the direct illumination of the marble monument has brought with it a big problem – insects,’ says archaeologist M. K. Bhatnagar. ‘These are grass-sapping insects sit on the floors and walls of the illuminated part and discharge their excreta on the surface, leaving a coloured pigment on it, thus spoiling the flawless beauty of the architectural icon.’

 
Says a former ASI director-general, Mr B. R. Mani: ‘The Taj Mahal does not need lighting at all. It is a marble structure and can be seen in all its glory in natural light. On full moon night, one can see it in all of its splendor.’

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Picture Credit: "TajMahalbyAmalMongia" by amaldla from san francisco - taj mahal. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

At risk – England’s history

HISTORIC ENGLAND has published its annual Heritage at Risk Register, its detailed account of the health – or otherwise – of the country’s historic environment. It lists not only sites that are at risk, but also those that thanks to conservation work are no longer in danger.

England's barrows – ancient burial mounds, many of which are in the Cotswolds – are the most at risk of all types of heritage, according to the 2015 register. The most common threat to barrows is farming through growing crops and ploughing the land they sit in. Overgrown plants and shrubs and animal burrowing can also cause problems. Since 2014, 150 barrows have been rescued and taken off the register.

Residential buildings – from Roman villas and Georgian town houses to individual pre-historic huts and roundhouses – is the second-most at risk category.

Sites added to the register this year include:

•        Naze Tower, Essex, Grade II* - a look-out post during both the Napoleonic and First World Wars, and used as a radar station during WW2.
• 
  
•        Hidden in bushes on the side of the M40, the National Filling Factory in Northamptonshire, originally built to fill shells with high explosive, and by 1918 converted to produce poison gas.
• 
  
•        The Church of St Thomas More, Birmingham, Grade II - a 1968 Roman Catholic church built entirely from concrete, by architect Richard Gilbert Scott.
• 
  
•        The White Lion in Wandsworth, London, Grade II - a sprawling Victorian pub that was a live music venue in late 1970s and 80s. Punk bands played there regularly.
• 
  
•        The Mausoleum of Joseph Hudson, Grade II - one of Kensal Green cemeteries' most ornate tombs. Joseph Hudson fought in one of the decisive naval battles of the Napoleonic war with France.
• 
  
•        Old Pier lighthouse, Roker, Sunderland, Grade II -  built around 1856 and used until 1903. It was moved in 1983 to a nearby park.

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive, said: ‘This year's register gives us the most complete assessment of the state of our nation's heritage yet. It shows that we are making progress, but also that the challenge is still significant. We are committed to working with local authorities, civic societies, and everyone who is passionate about and values our heritage across England. The very things that make our regions special, are the things most at risk. If they're lost, then a sense of that region is lost too.’

https://historicengland.org.uk

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Foreign spend in Britain booms

INTERNATIONAL visitors have spent an extra £2.5 billion in Britain during the last four years, says VisitBritain. 

This beats the target set for it by the UK Government in 2011 by more than half a billion pounds, and means that every £1 invested in VisitBritain’s activities has resulted in an overseas visitor spending £21. 

VisitBritain has delivered an additional £630 million, thanks to its role as a partner in the cross-UK Government GREAT campaign.

Overall inbound tourism, Britain’s third largest service export and one of its fastest-growing, was worth more than £26 billion to the UK economy in 2013. The industry is also a major job creator; every 22 additional Chinese visitors create an additional job in the sector.

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Hidden beaches

DISCOVER #CARMARTHENSHIRE has published a free online guide to some of the county’s lesser-known beaches, just right for brisk autumn walks and rockpool exploration.   

Each location has where-to-stay tips and detailed instructions on how to access each beach, complete with Ordinance Survey co-ordinates.

The county has two of #Wales’ longest #beaches, at Pendine and Cefn Sidan, but the guide focuses on more hidden shores … a handful of secluded coves and blissful bays for holidaymakers in search of a tranquil escape.

The beaches are: Morfa Bychan, Nr Pendine; Scott’s Bay, Llansteffan; Telpyn Beach, Amroth; Ferryside Beach, Ferryside.

The guide can be downloaded as a PDF from the Discover Carmarthenshire website … www.discovercarmarthenshire.com/beaches

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45767493@N00/7715835088">Beach Walkers</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

From Italy with love … and 007

TO celebrate – or try to cash in on – the latest Bond movie, ‘Spectre’, #Citalia has compiled its list of holiday destinations featured in the #007 series over the decades since 1963. The travel company can recommend and arrange hotel accommodation in all of these locations.

Rome – Spectre (2015): The Eternal City plays a starring role in Bond’s new adventure. The cast and crew were spotted filming around the River Tiber, near the Colosseum, and around the streets of Vatican City.

Venice – From Russia with Love (1963); Moonraker (1979); and Casino Royale (2006): As with most who visit the floating city, Bond is not immune to its charms having spent time in Venice on three occasions. His first visit occurred in From Russia with Love back in 1963, where he wooed Tatiana Romanova on a gondola along the Grand Canal. He returned 16 years later in Moonraker, where he once again takes a gondola along the Grand Canal – although this time, he’s being chased by assassins in a speedboat. Bond’s last trip to Venice was in Casino Royale, when he and Vesper Lynd moor their yacht outside the Belmond Hotel Cipriani.

 Siena - Quantum of Solace (2008): #JamesBond travels to Siena at the start of Quantum of Solace, where he chases a member of the secretive Quantum organization over the rooftops and through the crowds at the Palio horse race in the Piazza del Campo. For a piece of the action, Citalia’s concierge team in Siena can arrange tickets to the Palio race.

Dolomites - For Your Eyes Only (1981): 007 heads to Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites to track down a Belgian assassin. The action here features a chase scene involving a ski jump, a downhill ski slope, and a bobsleigh run. Bolzano is the perfect place to explore hiking and cycling trails and for soaking-up Alpine scenery. 

Lake Como - Casino Royale (2006): Lake Como makes two appearances in Casino Royale. The first is at the hospital where 007 recovers after being tortured, which was shot at Villa del Balbianello. The second time you’ll spot the lake is right at the end of the film, when Bond surprises the mysterious Mr White at his lakeside villa. This scene was shot at Villa la Gaeta, close to the resorts of San Siro and Menaggio on Lake Como’s western shore. For film location buffs, Citalia offers a pre-bookable tour of Villa del Balbianello, accessible via private boat, à la 007.

www.citalia.com

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Take tea at Blenheim

#BLENHEIMPALACE, Oxfordshire, will be the venue for what it calls a Royal Festive #Tea #Workshop on December 7, when visitors can join Princess Katarina of what used to be known as Yugoslavia and Grant Harrold – described as a household and etiquette consultant, and event facilitator – for an opportunity to enjoy a high tea and learn about the business of hosting one.

The workshop comprises a tour of the palace (decorated for Christmas), a talk on hosting a festive afternoon tea, and a flower-arranging demonstration.

HRH Princess Katarina is a member – it says here – of two royal dynasties; the British one and the Serbian royal family. Mr Harrold has worked as a butler, valet, PA and house manager in stately homes across the UK. Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall were among his employers.

Booking is necessary, and the price per person is a right royal £175.

www.blenheimpalace.com

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Guernsey wins cruise industry award

#GUERNSEY has been named Best UK Port of Call in the Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards. 

Taking the title from Liverpool, which won it last year, Guernsey was selected for its ‘substantial on-island developments to cater for cruise passengers and its rapidly increasing popularity as a port of call’.

Guernsey’s #cruise industry has seen strong growth in recent years, with a 74% increase in cruises over a four-year period from 2012 to 2015. While 62 liners tendered docked there in 2012, the total so far this year is 105.

The judges highlighted the port’s re-sited arrivals area – which now has free Wi-Fi and a welcome team for disembarking passengers – and a widening range of on- shore excursions.

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Gatwick prepares to open new North Terminal departures level

THE first phase of a new departures level at Gatwick’s North Terminal opens this month (October) as part of a £1 billion investment in the airport.

Construction work started a year ago on the £36 million North Terminal project which will see the world’s largest self-service bag drop zone start a phased opening from October 20. Two weeks of operational testing will take place prior to this date, with a one-month trial coming to an end on November 18.

The check-in hall will open in two phases between October and April next year to improve the lay-out and give more space. This will increase peak check-in capacity from 3,000 to 4,350 passengers an hour, according to the airport’s managers.

The development follows trials of a self-service bag drop at the South Terminal.

Self-service bag drop enables passengers who have checked in online to take their bags straight to a machine upon arrival at the airport, where they can print their luggage tag, apply it to their bag and load it straight onto the baggage sorting system.

Gatwick will have 60 check-in points with 48 of these being self-service bag drop units and 28 of these will be open for the October date. This means the check-in process can be completed in less than two minutes, the airport claims.

Chief executive Stewart Wingate, said: ‘Gatwick has added eight million passengers since we came into private ownership in 2009, and we are about to reach the 40 million mark. This is a decade ahead of industry predictions and we will continue to grow. While we wait for a decision on building a new runway, we are investing billions to ensure we can grow from our existing infrastructure, but this will only take us so far. Gatwick remains the best and most deliverable option for expansion – we can go from the world’s most efficient single runway airport to the world’s most efficient two-runway airport while limiting the impact on the environment.’

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Dad who refused to pay school attendance fine wins court case

MAGISTRATES in England have thrown out a case against a father who was taken to court after refusing to pay a £120 fine for taking his six-year-old daughter out of school to travel to Florida. 

Jon Platt, from the Isle of Wight, argued that UK law required only that children attended school regularly. Isle of Wight Council said it was following government guidance and was reviewing the outcome of the case.

Mr Platt took his daughter out of school to go to Florida in April with 15 other family members, despite an absence request being rejected by the school.

‘I cannot allow a local education authority to tell me what is right for my kids; I know what is best for my kids,’ he said. He insisted his children got ‘great value and great experiences’ from the trip, with ‘no detrimental impact whatsoever’ on their education.

Having refused to pay a £120 penalty, he successfully argued that Section 444 of the Education Act required parents to ensure their children attended school ‘regularly’, and did not put restrictions on taking them on vacations in term time.

His daughter had a 93.8% attendance record in the previous academic year.

Mr Platt told the BBC: ‘There is no complex loophole. Parents have nothing to fear from local education authorities (LEAs) if their children have attended school regularly. LEAs are trying to use the legislation intended to stop truancy to stop parents taking their kids on holiday.’

The council said it took legal action based on ‘appropriate legislation, Department for Education regulations, and guidance’.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16784359@N07/2516799136">Beachcombers, Hafan Y Mor, Wales</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Island offers

WIGHTLINK FERRIES is inviting families to beat the queues and save up to 30% on entrance to the Isle of Wight’s top attractions with bundled ferry and attraction tickets.

Wightlink’s top autumn escapes for families with young children, include:

Dinosaur Isle – open year-round. Book family tickets (two adults and three children) in conjunction with Wightlink ferry travel for a 20% discount.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway – Book family tickets (two adults and two children) for a 30% discount.

Osborne House - Fully open until November 2, and has limited opening (at a reduced price) year round. Book family tickets (two adults and three children) in conjunction with ferry travel for a 20% discount.

Amazon World Zoo – Open year round. Book family tickets (two adults and two children) in conjunction with ferry travel for a 15% discount.

Wightlink’s car passenger services operate from Portsmouth and Lymington, getting families over to the #IsleofWight in just 40-45 minutes. Foot passengers board the catamaran service at Portsmouth Station (the ferry terminal is just a few steps from the platform), which takes just 22 minutes to cross the Solent and arrive at Ryde pier. Adult tickets from £12.20 return and child tickets from £8.90 return.

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UK’s visitor attractions drive £3.8 billion domestic spend

BRITAIN’S visitor attractions generate annual domestic spend worth £3.8 billion according to research by VisitEngland. It means attractions such as theme parks are one of the main reasons for Brits choosing to holiday at home. 

The second highest revenue-generating domestic activity is the live sport event, (they ploughs £3.2 billion a year into the UK economy), while spend on live music events and festivals comes a close third at £3.1 billion annually.

‘This research is welcome news, confirming the huge contribution that the variety of leisure activities in this country make to the economy,” said VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford. 

Long walks and hikes generate £1.8 billion spend annually and cycling and mountain biking contributes £520 million.
Other domestic revenue generators include visiting historic buildings (£2.2 billion), city sightseeing (£2 billion), visiting art galleries and museums (£1.9 billion), attending the theatre (£1.8 billion), and visiting zoos and aquariums (£1.4 billion). 

The domestic tourism industry has seen a record-breaking January to June period this year, with the number of trips taken in England up 14% year on year and spending up 13%.

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News from … Malta

RYANAIR is to increase the number of flights between Malta and Edinburgh from three to five a week from next March, CEO Michael O’Leary has announced. 

MALTA has become a Mediterranean hub for movie directors, says the country’s tourism minister. By the end of 2015, the movie industry would have contributed €100 million (£73.5 million) to the economy, as against €5 million (£3.67 million) in 2013.

THE number of tourists visiting Malta from January to August this year was 1,216,569, up by 5.1 percent over the same period in 2014.

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Picture Credit: Malta - Marsaskala - Triq ix-Xatt+Marsaskala Bay 01 by Frank Vincentz - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

VisitBritain and Turkish Airlines in tourism partnership

VISITBRITAIN and Turkish Airlines have partnered in a global marketing campaign to attract more international visitors to the UK. The campaign will focus initially on India, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states.

Turkish Airlines serves seven cities in Saudi Arabia, providing even more connectivity to UK regions via its Istanbul hub.

A digital campaign will be launched in India early next year. Turkish Airlines is also supporting VisitBritain’s ‘Bollywood is GREAT campaign’, focusing on promoting Britain’s culture and countryside.

Longer-terms plans could include more promotional activity in Turkey.

#VisitBritain chief executive, Sally Balcombe, said: ‘We are very pleased to be the first national tourist body to develop a global partnership marketing campaign with Turkish Airlines. There are significant growth opportunities in the markets served by Turkish Airlines, including the emerging market of Saudi Arabia, using the airline’s global connectivity and rapidly expanding network.

‘This partnership will also allow us to target our marketing to inspire more international visitors to come and explore all the nations and regions of Britain, so we can continue to create jobs and deliver our ambitious plans for growth.’ 

Turkish Airlines chief marketing officer, Ahmet Olmustur, adds: ‘The travel market in the UK continues to go from strength-to-strength and therefore we strongly believe this partnership will further enhance visitor numbers in the UK in the coming year. Turkish Airlines is always investing in the UK and, along with partnerships such as this, we hope to see big inroads being made in terms of visitor numbers.’

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