Brits flock to Greece

UK arrivals to #Greece increase in 2015 … Arrivals in Greece from the UK grew by 14.6% year-on-year between January and November in 2015, according to the Bank of Greece. Total arrivals from all countries to Greece increased by 7.5%. 

Overall tourism spend in the period increased by 6% compared to the year before, with an increase of 31% in spending by UK visitors.

Corfu tops for UK tourists … #Corfu has shown year-on-year price falls in the Post Office Travel Money's Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer and features in the top 10 best value destinations for UK holidaymakers. Corfu is a new entry, rising to 10th place from 14th last year on the strength of lower restaurant prices, which have helped to make the Greek island more than 19% cheaper than a year ago.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43302776@N00/4135165082">Santorini, Greece</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/62722383@N00/14914118665">Cold waters!</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Greece is the word for BA

BRITISH AIRWAYS has added two destinations to its 2016 summer schedule: Chania on #Crete and Kalamata, Mainland #Greece. The flights start on April 30. 

BA will also be increasing its frequency to Corfu for the summer 2016 season, bringing the total number of flights to the island to six per week, and Santorini flights will also increase from three to four per week.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10629535@N00/8071593741">Temple of Apollo</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license)

Take a break ... with Bond

ANOTHER 007 movie … and another opportunity for holiday companies and exhibition venues, among others, to try to cash in on Bondmania.

UltraVilla has three privately-owned holiday homes that have been seen – perhaps only briefly – in #Bond movies: Roaring Pavilion (Jamaica) was glimpsed when Ursula Andress emerged from the sea in  ‘Dr No’;  Corfu 1D (Greece) made an appearance in ‘For Your Eyes Only’; and Torre di Talaminaccio (Tuscany) was in ‘Quantum of Solace’.

Corfu 1D was also the summer house of the last king of Greece, and the birthplace of Prince Philip, (also known as the Duke of Edinburgh). On eight acres of gardens and woodland in Kanoni, the villa is 80-feet above the Ionian Sea. With a sea-water swimming pool, it sleeps 12 in the main house, four in the guest house, and two in ‘The Nest’. Eight full-time staff are on hand to shake and stir cocktails.

 Set on the beach where Ursula Andress walked from the sea to meet Sean Connery in the first James Bond film, Dr. No, the Roaring Pavilion has more than 8,000 square feet of living space to accommodate up to 10 guests in four king-size bedrooms and one additional bedroom with a twin bunk.  The villa has a home theatre and games room. Celeb guests have included Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Jack Nicholson.

 Filmed as Mathis’ house in Quantum of Solace, Torre di Talamonaccio was originally a medieval watch tower. It sleeps 12 in six bedrooms, and has a swimming pool and a walkway down to a rocky beach.

 www.ultravilla.com

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Picture Credit: www.ultravilla.com

Ryanair plans Birmingham- Corfu flights

RYANAIR has announced a weekly service from Birmingham to Corfu, starting next April.

The airline has also announced the launch its summer 2016 Newcastle schedule with two new routes to Alicante and Malaga, expected to deliver 270,000 customers a year and support 200 on-site jobs at Newcastle Airport.

With the existing Dublin route (nine weekly), Ryanair will serve a total of three routes from Newcastle in summer 2016, operating 18 weekly flights.

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Coroner fears future carbon monoxide deaths in holiday homes

FRESH action is being demanded to protect holidaymakers from carbon monoxide poisoning – including a new ‘central register’ to compel tour operators to keep up-to-date information on gas and appliances at all hotels and holiday homes.

The government is being urged to back European Union (EU) controls on gas boilers by the coroner – David Hinchliff – who investigated how two British children died from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu in 2006. He found that the deaths were caused by a faulty boiler. Thomas Cook was also found to have breached its duty of care.

Mr Hinchliff raised fears of ‘future deaths’ unless radical steps were taken. His call comes a year after the government rejected Europe-wide safety rules on holiday accommodation, warning it would impose ‘an unnecessary cost on tourism firms in England’.

In an official report – seen by the Mail on Sunday – the coroner called on ministers to ‘draft, instigate and implement EU legislation on gas installations and carbon monoxide safety’. Mr Hinchliff also called on Thomas Cook to be ‘at the forefront’ of the industry’s drive to improve standards.

The coroner also called for:

• Safety checks to be carried out by qualified health and safety specialists – not ‘often inexperienced and overworked’ tour reps 

• Publicity campaigns to encourage tourists to take portable carbon monoxide detectors on holiday 

• All brochures to contain ‘clear and easy-to-understand’ warnings about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Regulations that have been accepted by the British government come into force this month (October) and require owners of rented properties to install and maintain carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, but they apply only to rented properties that have solid fuel burning devices – not gas or oil – and they are silent on holiday accommodation.

Says Frank Brehany, consumer director at HolidayTravelWatch: ‘This is extremely disappointing. We have been engaged for several years with campaigners, in arguing for a better regulatory environment to protect consumers and homeowners. I regret to say that, with some notable exceptions, that the political will in Westminster is weak. In the UK, across a wide variety of accommodation types, holidaymakers will continue to be at risk of being exposed to the effects of carbon monoxide, simply because of a desire not to over-regulate.’

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Brits flock to Greece despite economic warnings

WITH overall sales to #Greece up 40 percent on the same time last year across its 400-plus contingent of independent travel agents, The Global Travel Group reports that bookings show no signs of slowing down.

The average sales value of package holidays has risen by more than £300, with Rhodes, Crete, and Corfu topping the list as the most booked destinations, the company says.

The Global Travel Group’s managing director, Andy Stark, commented: ‘It’s encouraging to hear that the ongoing economic turmoil in Greece is not deterring British holidaymakers from booking trips to the country. Enquiries and bookings are on the up, showcasing once again that we Brits are savvy when it comes to a good deal, informed, and will travel this summer regardless of the country’s economic problems.

‘Our agents are reporting some stand-out deals to Greece and its islands. I would encourage people travelling to Greece to keep abreast of the situation and ensure they take the relevant measures with cash to ensure they are well prepared, but I firmly believe that a holiday to Greece right now is a good idea all round.’

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Picture Credit: "Oia in Santorini, Greece 003" by Moonik - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Greek Islands last-minute bookings surge

GREEK euro crisis or no Greek euro crisis, online travel agent On The Beach reports a sharp rise in last-minute bookings for holidays on the country’s most popular islands. 

#Zante (also known as Zakynthos) leads the way, with sales up 115% on the previous year. Other islands performing particularly well include Crete (+62%), Corfu (+47%), Kos, (+42%), and Rhodes (+30%). 

Last-minute holiday bookings to #Spain are also performing well, up 54% on the previous year. The Costa Brava region looks like being the overall Spanish winner, with bookings up by almost 200% on 2014. 

Other destinations proving popular for #last-minuteholidays include the Turkish resort of Bodrum, the Balearic island of Menorca, and Paphos in Cyprus.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/105314487@N06/10527292125">Patmos bells</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Mine’s a pint on Corfu!

THE Corfu Beer Festival (October 8-12) offers five evenings of entertainment – plus exceptional beers and food from both Greece and Britain – in Arillas in the north-west of the island.

There’ll be tours of a Corfu micro-brewery, cookery demonstrations, dancing, and live music.

www.corfubeerfest.gr

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Picture Credit: via Wikimedia Commons