To go or not to go . . .

TRAVEL is more than movement, greater than sightseeing. It opens our minds and keeps us alive – through the good and the bad. The transformative power of travel is the main theme of the 2019 Go List and No List unveiled today by Fodor's Travel, the leading name in travel recommendations for over 80 years.

Together, the lists provide comprehensive expert travel guidance for 2019, highlighting can't-miss spots that should be on every traveler's radar while identifying places to skip in the upcoming year.

This year's Go List includes destinations to suit every taste, trip length and budget – from the natural peaks of Bears Ears National Monument to the manmade peaks of Kuala Lumpur; from the bustling metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria, to the quiet refuge of Japan's Seto Inland Sea. This year, Fodor's editors paid special attention to those destinations recovering from the hardship of hurricanes: Puerto Rico, Key West, and St. Martin.

Last year, Fodor's editors expanded the Go List to 52 destinations from its traditional list of 25 destinations. The change proved so popular with the Fodor's audience that Fodor's editors have made the change permanent, meaning the 2019 Go List again comprises 52 destinations – one for each week of the year. www.fodors.com/GoList2019 

The highly cited Fodor's Travel No List enters its third year of surfacing destinations that should be avoided due to political, environmental, or social concerns. Seven locations make up this year's 2019 No List, including Acapulco, Ibiza, and Thailand's Maya Beach. 

Subsets of this year's No List include "Places That Don't Want You To Visit," which includes destinations that are overwhelmed by their own tourism industry and hoping tourists stay away. www.fodors.com/NoList2019


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Party in paradise

THE party is just getting started in paradise. W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, today announced plans to debut its newest hotel in #Spain with the opening of W Ibiza in Summer 2019. 

W #Ibiza will be located in Santa Eulalia del Río, a buzzing beachside neighborhood centrally located to Ibiza's famous beaches, nightclubs and rural-chic inland attractions. Scheduled to open in 2019, the hotel's beachfront location will provide guests with direct access to the sparkling Mediterranean Sea.

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Ibiza for a BBQ?

CHIC IBIZA VILLAS manages 40 hand-picked, luxury rental properties in #Ibiza, ranging from three- to twelve- bedroom. All have the added attraction of a free guest concierge service.

The luxury villa rental firm currently has an exclusive offer, of a free three-course BBQ, with every week-long Ibiza villa booking made from now until the end of the season.

No ordinary burgers in buns, the Chic BBQs are a sumptuous array of seafood, meats and vegetarian dishes, for your whole party cooked outdoors in your own villa by a team of two experienced private chefs.

September and October availability can be found in the following #villas:

• Villa Celeste sleeps 14

• Hacienda el Cielo sleeps 18

• Panorama sleeps 12

• Skyfall sleeps 8 

• Mariposa sleeps 10

• Can Blay sleeps 4

• Moonraker sleeps 10

To book go to info@chicibiza.com

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Luxury get-away

CHIC #IBIZA #VILLAS and PrivateFly have unveiled what they call the Ultimate Ibiza Get-away … priced at €100,000* (or €12,500** per person based on eight travelling together) in September.

The package includes:

• Private jet travel from London Luton 
• Seven-night stay in a luxury villa 
• Premium Range Rover island transfers all week 
• Day rental of an 89ft Leopard yacht 
• VIP table one of Ibiza's most exclusive dayclubs 
• €5,000 drinks spend at a club 
• Three-course in-villa banquet prepared by private chefs 
• Personal hair and make-up artists each night at the villa
• Massage for all guests from a therapist at the villa 
• In-villa clubbing night with a DJ 
• Private DJ lessons 
• On-call concierge 
• Outdoor pop-up cinema evening at the villa 
• Private yoga lesson 

*£84,000 

**£10,000

www.chicibiza.com

www.privatefly.com/inspirational-jet-flights/the-ultimate-ibiza-getaway-by-private-jet

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Ibiza named Europe's most LGBT friendly beach destination

#IBIZA has been named as the most LGBT friendly beach destination in Europe, followed by the Costa del Sol, Corfu, and Costa Brava. 

Mykonos, often considered the gay capital of Europe, was named only the fifth most LGBT friendly destination, according to a survey by On the Beach.

On the Beach marketing officer, Alistair Daly, said: ‘Spain has always been a very popular destination for the LGBT community and with so many Pride events held throughout the year, it’s easy to see why.

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Picture Credit: 86829008@N03/26541724575 Veduta Ibiza Citt Castello via photopin.com

Play the generation game on Ibiza

TIME with the family is a high priority for many travellers when making holiday plans, often with three generations of the same #family to be considered. Dynamic Lives, luxury #villa specialist agency, can provide large houses on #Ibiza.

It has a range of villas, from a laid-back five-bedroom traditional farmhouse in the hills to a sprawling seven-bedroom modern house near the town centre. The agency can also ensure that grandparents are catered for, with accessible villas that are close to amenities.

The company also offers a free concierge service, from yoga sessions and personal training to massage and holistic therapies.

www.dynamiclives.com/ibiza/m-luxury-ibiza-villa-rentals

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Balearics tourist tax public consultation starts

PUBLIC consultation has begun on a planned #tourist #tax for Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. 

#Balearics tourism officials say the tax, which is due to come into force on July 1, will add up to 1% to the price of holidays to the islands. The Association of British Travel Agents has already condemned the plans for the tax and pointed to the fact that the islands tried to impose an eco-tax of €1 (78p) a day back in 2002, but dropped it just a year later. The UK travel industry had hoped the tax would be dropped this time too, but plans are pressing ahead.

Biel Barcelo, vice-president of the Balearics and minister for tourism, said the tax was 'far less than the near 6% the hoteliers have increased their rates by on average this year'. Speaking to the Majorca news website, Majorca Daily Bulletin, he said the tax would fund the 'preservation and protection' of tourism in Balearics. He said the islands were simply following the lead of scores of European countries which already charge a tourist tax.

The tax applies to anyone staying overnight in a hotel, holiday home, or cruise ship and depends on the category of accommodation. It's €2 (£1.56) a night for four and five-star hotels and apartments, €1 (78p) for cruise ships and 50 cents (39p) for campsites and hostels. Children under 16 are exempt and the tax will be halved on the ninth day of any stay.

Officials expect the tax will raise approximately €60 million (£46.9 million) each year and say it will all be re-invested in the industry. It plans to develop a website on which visitors can see how the money is being spent. The islands are also tightening up on regulations for holiday rentals, giving more power to local councils to control standards. 

Approximately 3.4 million UK tourists visit the Balearic Islands each year, mostly to Majorca.

An ABTA spokeswoman said: ‘We are in regular contact with the authorities and we have written to the Balearic authorities for clarification on where money raised by the sustainable tourism tax will be spent, and which sustainability projects will benefit from it.’


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Mr & Mrs Smith reveals portfolio of luxury villas

BOUTIQUE hotel booking service #Mr&MrsSmith is expanding its range to include what it calls “seriously seductive” villas.

Launching with a selection of privately-owned #luxury properties, the initial collection features villas in Ibiza and Majorca. They can be viewed online at mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-villas.

The 100 homes range from a farmhouse in Ibiza to family beachside bolthole.

‘The hotels we work with have their own serviced luxury #villas,’ says James Lohan founder of Mr & Mrs Smith, ‘so we know our customers have an appetite for the flexibility and facilities they provide. We want to continue to offer the absolute best when it comes to stylish stays, so this new collection of independently-owned villas in Ibiza and Majorca, where we have such high demand, means we can find the perfect retreats for an even bigger pool of sun-seekers – be it a love-struck pair looking for total tranquillity or a family looking for room to be rowdy.’

A specialist Smith team of on-island consultants are on hand to support customers during their stay.

A seven-night stay in a Mr & Mrs Smith villa costs from £3,473.

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Travel Matters . . .

EUROWINGS will fly from Hamburg to Ibiza three times a week (Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays).

EASYJET is to launch flights between Luton and Dubrovnik, Croatia, for the summer, and from Gatwick to Tivat in Montenegro. The service to Dubrovnik, which starts on May 24, will operate twice a week. Flights to Tivat, also twice-weekly, start on June 16.

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Simpson Travel expands its Secrets portfolio

SPECIALIST villa and boutique hotel operator Simpson Travel has expanded its Simpson Secrets portfolio, offering a range of hidden gems across the Mediterranean. 

Company chairman Graham Simpson says: 'Over the last two years, we have seen a definite increase in demand for off-the-beaten-track properties, or as we like to say, those on 'the road less travelled'.  All our Simpson Secrets properties are somewhere you can really escape to, get away from daily routine, switch off and unwind.  We call it the Simpson Secrets state of mind. 

‘Traditionally, our Simpson Secrets properties were smaller and more suitable for couples, so we're delighted to now be able to offer the same type of properties to larger groups – be these families or friends travelling together.'

New destinations with Simpson Secrets include Andalucia, France, Italy, and Ibiza, with additional larger properties also being added across the portfolio in Greece, Turkey, and Corsica.  The collection, which was initially launched in 2011, now comprises a range of properties, from one-bedroom hide-aways to grander houses and even a French chateau.

Highlights include:

El Castillo (Andalucia): Set in tranquil countryside close to the village of Gaucín, this house blends traditional Moorish styling with modern-day comfort, plus added extras from cooks and childcare to yoga, guided walks and massage. Sleeping up to 14 people, the house has a private pool and a grand piano.

Villa delle Favole (Tuscany): This former monastery – first inhabited over 1,000 years ago by Camaldolesi Monks – is in a private forest of olive, oak, and beach trees.  Translating as 'Villa of Fairytales', it's a base from which to discover the natural and cultural treasures of both Tuscany and Umbria.

Montpalach (France): This manor house, dating from 1750, is in the peaceful hamlet of the same name. The villa's pool is a gem and the entire garden is enclosed, creating a wonderful retreat.

Villa Lygia (Epirus, Greece): The Epirus coast has been described as one of Greece's hidden secrets, and this house makes the most of it, having been designed to maximize views, light, and the sound of the sea. One of its joys is a path that descends to a sand and pebble beach 98ft below the terrace. It’s possible to hire a boat and moor it here.

http://www.simpsontravel.com/simpson-secrets

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British Airways to fly from Stansted

BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) says it will begin flying from Stansted Airport, establishing a presence at London's third airport for the first time and bringing it into direct competition with budget carrier Ryanair on leisure routes. 

Starting in May, BA will fly to Faro in Portugal, Ibiza, Malaga, and Majorca from £49 one way.

The full-service operator, which provides complimentary refreshments on flights, will compete directly on those routes with no-frills Ryanair, whose cheapest flights in May cost approximately £25 one way.

BA's move into secondary airport Stansted enters traditional budget carrier territory, a change from a wider trend of low cost airlines increasingly flying from a city's main airport and stealing market share from full-service airlines.

Stansted, 35 miles north of London, will become BA's fourth airport in the south east of England. It already flies from Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City airports.

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Detox on Ibiza

LUXURY villa specialist and concierge experts Dynamic Lives has ways of helping you to keep those must-get-fit New Year resolutions. 

Its #Ibiza #villa deals can include a DIY detox service provided by a ‘wellness’ team that will create a schedule of relaxation, body therapy, beauty treatments, and devise healthy menus.  

Says the company: ‘Our list of partners includes meditation gurus, facialists, massage therapists, vegan and clean-diet trained private chefs, private yoga and pilates instructors, swimming teachers, and personal trainers.’

Dynamic Lives – which also has holiday properties in Sri Lanka, Chamonix, and Verbier – has a portfolio of properties across Ibiza, from rustic fincas and 1,000-acre olive estates to modern villas with pools.

www.dynamiclives.com

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Brits to get high-end holiday choices

PARISIAN company Le Collectionist has launched in the UK, providing British holidaymakers with access to a curated selection of private properties in sought-after destinations across the globe. 

The company says it bridges the gap between a #five-star #hotel stay and a home rental break, offering tailor-made #villa get-aways with hotel-like services. Destinations include the French Riviera and Provence, Sardinia and Sicily, Andalucia and Ibiza, Zermatt and Verbier, plus Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, Thailand, the Maldives and the Caribbean.

Rentals range from Chateau Beynaguet in Languedoc, a 17th century palace once stayed in by Louis XIII, to the award-winning Villa Chaweng Noi, a contemporary home in southern Thailand.

Hotel services include housekeeping, a butler, a chef, a nanny, and a concierge team. 

www.lecollectionist.com
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Balearics eco-tax faces challenge

UK TOURISM and travel bodies say they will fight plans to introduce an #eco-tax on visitors to Spain’s #BalearicIslands. Tourists staying at five-star hotels on the islands or on cruise ships moored in ports will be charged €2 (£1.44) a day in high season under new proposals.

A reduced levy would also apply to holidaymakers staying in hostels, campsites, holiday homes, and lower-grade hotels.

The proposal includes halving the tax in low season, and children under 14 would be exempt.

Cruise association CLIA UK & Ireland plans to meet with Balearic government officials to warn that some cruise lines could alter their itineraries and reduce their visits to the islands if the tax is introduced. A spokeswoman said: ‘This could have a negative impact on cruising’s economic contribution in this region.’

The Association of British Travel Agents will also use its influence to try to reverse the decision. Nikki White, head of destination and sustainability, said: ‘We will be writing this week to the Balearic government urging them to rethink their decision. We will also be seeking clarification of the amounts that will be charged, the mechanisms for collection, and the rationale behind the tax. Fifteen years ago a similar tax was introduced which had the unintended consequence of drastically reducing visitor numbers to the islands.”

Mr Biel Barcelo, the islands’ vice-president and tourism minister, said the revenues would help ‘maintain and improve the quality of tourism services in the islands’.

The Balearic government is expected to make a decision about the proposed tax in the second quarter of 2016.

Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: £1.44 (at current exchange rates) a day for an eco-tax or, let’s call it what it really is, a tourism tax. It isn’t far off what a tourist would tip a waiter in an average café or bar, and it’s certainly less than what holidaymakers with more money than sense spend when buying tacky souvenirs in gift shops and markets. Is it really asking too much of tourists? Is it really going to make sun-starved northern Europeans think twice about choosing Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera for a holiday? I don’t think so.

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They’re winners!

Best festival … Camp Bestival – Best day out … Warwick Castle 

FAMILY TRAVELLER magazine and familytraveller.com have announced the winners of its inaugural awards, recognizing what their judges – and votes registered by consumers – rate as the best in the #familytravel and #holiday business.

The winners include:

Best …

• UK Day Out for Families: Warwick Castle 
• Festival: Camp Bestival 
• Ferry Operator: Brittany Ferries
• Cruise Line: P&O Cruises 
• Airline: Virgin Atlantic 
• Eco Holiday: Reef and Rainforest Tours 
• Educational Holiday: Wilderness Safaris 
• Ski Operator: Peak Retreats 
• Tour Operator: Family Adventure Company 
• UK Accommodation for Families: Bedruthan Steps Hotel, Cornwall 
• Short-Haul Accommodation for Families: Martinhal, Algarve 
• Long-Haul Accommodation for Families: Soneva Fushi, Maldives 
• European City Break for Families: Rome 
• City Break for Families – Outside of Europe: New York City 
• Destination for Families – Domestic: Scilly Isles 
• Destination for Families – Short Haul: Ibiza 
• Destination for Families – Long Haul: Mauritius

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50616401@N07/4690524425">Main Field, Camp Bestival 2008</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Balearics tax will 'drive off tourists'

TOURISTS will be ‘driven away’ from the #BalearicIslands if the destination’s government reintroduces a tax on visitors, says Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser.

The proposed #eco-tax, which would cost €1-€2 per person per night from next year, is intended to help preserve the islands’ environment. If introduced, it could add £80 to the cost of a two-week holiday for a family of four.

The islands, which attract almost 3.5 million visitors from the UK each year, scrapped a similar tax in 2003 just one year after it was introduced, because it was deterring holidaymakers.

But last week the islands’ vice-president and tourism minister, Biel Barceló, told a parliamentary hearing that it would apply a tourist tax in 2016 ‘with or without the help of the state’ because it is ‘absolutely necessary’.

Mr Fankhauser said in a statement that the tax could lead to families, in particular, turning to cheaper destinations.

A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents said that should the association receive official confirmation of the levy, it would write to the Balearics government ‘reminding it that the tax would have only the unintended consequence of driving tourists away from the islands’.

The proposed tax is under discussion and a limit on the number of nights charged is being considered. There would be an exemption for young children and it is ‘very likely’ that it would be reduced out of season.

A spokesman for the Balearics government said: ‘The aim is to preserve this paradise, which so many Britons visit year after year.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/41801776@N05/20455516836">Ciutadella, Menorca</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Spin those discs!

LUXURY rental firm Chic Ibiza Villas has introduced an optional extra for wannabe DJs.

When booking a villa, guests can add-on a DJ masterclass on the basics of mixing, spinning, fading, and all the other stuff DJs do. Lessons are held in one of Ibiza’s underground clubs, the late-night Experience Bar.

Over each two-hour tutorial, guests will learn to spin with one of the club’s resident DJs.

Co-Founder of Chic Ibiza Villas, Nick Reid says: ‘Where better to learn DJ techniques than #Ibiza, the world’s home to house, dance, and techno.’

Chic Ibiza Villas manages 40 rental properties, from three- to 12-bedrooms.

www.chicibiza.com

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Bobbies on the beat … in Magaluf & Ibiza

TWO UK police officers have been sent to #Magaluf, Majorca, to help their Spanish counterparts deal with troublesome British holidaymakers.

The UK's ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, says their presence ‘will help to remind British holidaymakers of the importance of respecting local laws and custom’.

The officers will be in Magaluf for one week before moving on to spend a week in San Antonio, #Ibiza.

They will initially act as a liaison between Spanish police and young Brits. Magaluf, visited by an estimated one million UK tourists every year, has been dubbed ‘Shagaluf" because of the antics of young holidaymakers.

The town has been trying to improve its image by cracking down on drunkenness and debauchery with new rules that went into effect in June, but the new regulations – which include a ban on drinking alcohol on the street between 10pm and 8am and restrictions on bar crawls – have been ignored by British visitors.

Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: If two officers can be found for this absurd exercise in futility, is it possible to believe British constabularies when they say do not have sufficient manpower to police the streets of Birmingham, Bolton or Bristol? Call me old fashioned, but other questions this example of Anglo-Spanish co-operation raises are: If the law in Magaluf and on Ibiza is being ignored, is it not the responsibility of the Spanish police and courts to see that it’s enforced? How do our two boys in blue plan to tackle the drunk British louts? Reason with them?

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Picture Credit: Bora Bora, Platja DEmbossa (Ibiza) by Eduardo Pitt from Madrid, Spain - Bora Bora, Platja D'Embossa (Ibiza). Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Spain tops for last-minute get-aways

RESEARCH by On the Beach points to Spain as the top choice for Brits planning last-minute getaways this summer.

#Spain and its islands dominate the top five most popular destinations, with Majorca, #Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Ibiza making up the top four spots. The Turkish resort of Dalaman is the fifth most popular destination.

While Spain dominates overall, #Cyprus has seen the biggest increase in last-minute bookings, up 44% on the previous year, followed by Egypt, up 22%. Other destinations showing a significant increase in last-minute bookings include Turkey (up 19%), and Greece (up 17%).

Resorts in Turkey are offering the cheapest deals compared to last year, with last-minute holidays on average 15% cheaper.

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Ryanair widens booze ban on Ibiza flights

RYANAIR is banning ‘duty-free’ alcohol on flights from all UK airports to #Ibiza, to improve the ‘comfort and safety’ of passengers and crew.

Alcohol purchased after security checks would now have to be placed in hold luggage or disposed of at the departure gate, says the airline. Previously, it had banned alcohol only on flights to Ibiza from Scotland.

The airline said: ‘Any alcohol purchased in airport shops or elsewhere must be packed carefully in a suitable item of cabin baggage, which will be tagged at the gate and then placed in the aircraft hold free of charge. If the alcohol is unsuitable for placing in the hold, customers will be required to dispose of the alcohol in the bins provided.

‘Boarding gates will be carefully monitored and customers showing any signs of anti-social behaviour or attempting to conceal alcohol will be denied travel without refund or compensation.’

#Ryanair operates flights to Ibiza from Bristol, East Midlands, Stansted, Birmingham, Liverpool, Prestwick, Manchester and Leeds-Bradford airports.

The Civil Aviation Authority says it backs attempts to deal with drink-related problems on flights. 

‘It is a specific criminal offence to be drunk on board an aircraft, and also to refuse to comply with instructions from the captain,’ the regulator said. ‘We support UK airlines' efforts to deal with disruptive passengers to ensure the safety of all those on board, and welcome criminal prosecutions where appropriate.’

Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: Congratulations to Ryanair on this sensible – and overdue – move, but why do so many newspapers and writers continue to talk about ‘duty free’ sales in the context of flights within the European Union? Duty free was abolished on these flights many years ago … another of the many disadvantages of British membership of the EU.

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