Lufthansa offers six new destinations from Frankfurt and Munich

IF you want to escape the foul weather in autumn and winter, you can now book additional and attractive winter destinations with Lufthansa. Because Europe’s leading airline is expanding its offers from Frankfurt and Munich to include six new tourist destinations. 

Lufthansa now flies from Frankfurt and Munich to Eilat (Ovda), the attractive holiday resort on the Red Sea in the south of Israel. 

Starting this winter, Lufthansa will fly to Agadir (Morocco) located on the southern Atlantic coast of Morocco, in the foothills of the Anti-Atlas mountains. The capital of the province of Agadir Ida-Ou Tanane is a popular holiday destination featuring golf courses and endless beaches. 

Trieste (Italy), the capital of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the north-east of Italy, is considered one of the literary capitals of Europe, and its many ethnic and religious groups have earned it the moniker of ‘early New York’. 

From winter 2018, Lufthansa once again offers flights to Thessaloniki (Greece) from Frankfurt. The town is the ideal starting point for hikes and explorations of the north of Greece, and it is the transit airport for onward travel to Chalkidiki in the south east. 

Edinburgh (United Kingdom) is the new European destination from Munich. From December 2018, Lufthansa will fly to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh not only has an interesting old town, it is also the perfect starting point for visiting the Highlands. 

Munich is also the starting point for another new destination, Tromsø (Norway). The city is an important cultural centre north of the Arctic Circle and is regarded as an ideal starting point for experiencing the Northern Lights.
Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Indians Seek Experiential Travel in 2018

THE Indian millennial traveler is willing to spend more for enriching trips. The year 2017 also saw an increase in Indians who want staycations, preferring the local interactions that such stays offer. More and more Indians are taking to experiential travel with a focus on offbeat destinations. Using Trippin Traveller’s data based on its customers, more Indian millennials are choosing experiences over packaged sightseeing tours.

The most popular destinations for 2017 included Cambodia and Vietnam internationally and Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Uttarakhand in #India. For 2018, upcoming travel interests include Laos, which has a vibrant backpacker scene, Israel, which has a fascinating combination of history and modernity, and Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland in India.

Among other interesting statistics, rural travel is fast gaining popularity with substantial development expected in rural tourism in 2018 and beyond. Trippin Traveller’s data found that Indians in the age group of 30-45 years were most likely to ask for and undertake rural travel to offbeat places in India.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

New museum opens at Ammunition Hill, Jerusalem

A new museum has been inaugurated at Ammunition Hill, Jerusalem, presenting insight from the Six-Day War, Battle of Jerusalem, in 1967. This includes information about the Israeli Air Force, the Jerusalem Brigade, the Harel Brigade and the Paratroopers Brigade who took major parts in the war. 

The museum covers the events surrounding the battle depicted through personal accounts both from local Israelis and visitors from abroad. The displays include items from the battle, such as illustrations by fighters, the prayer book of Rabbi Goren and other personal objects as well as 40 multimedia projector displays, showing animation films, music and a new of performance of the song ‘Jerusalem of Gold.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Jordan and Israel by pedal power

SPICEROADS Cycling, one of the world’s leading #bicycle adventure tour operators, has announced that #Jordan and #Israel will be the latest additions to a range of itineraries now covering 32 destinations.

These tours mark the first launched under the new segments "Road" and "Trails," introduced as part of the rebrand which SpiceRoads Cycling underwent earlier in 2017. "By clearly segmenting our tour types, we can make sure that we cater to the specific needs of different kinds of bikers in today's cycling culture," says Maria Deevoy, Marketing Manager at SpiceRoads Cycling.

The Road Biking tour also marks the 7th and 8th destinations in which SpiceRoads has launched road cycling, having branched out from their road cycling base, Thailand in 2015, the company followed with Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Japan and Malaysia; often combining with multi country tours.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Under the sea

THE Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium Jerusalem are now running preview tours of the new aquarium before it is officially open to the general public on a daily basis. The preview tours are suitable for adults and children aged 5 and older and last for around 90 minutes. The tours are available multiple times a week in English, Hebrew and Arabic.

These tours offer participants not only a chance to see the fish already inhabiting the pools at the aquarium but also a “behind-the-scenes” look at running of the aquarium that will not be available to the general public without an additional cost once the aquarium is fully operational.

The 6,000 square-meter aquarium will feature dozens of tanks of varying sizes, showcasing thousands of Israel’s fish and marine creatures from the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Sea of Galilee. The Israel Aquarium is the world’s only aquarium dealing with the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and one of the main goals is to bring awareness to the urgent need for maintaining and protecting the sea fish, coral, mammals and other animals in the surrounding waters.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Five star luxury in Tel Aviv

A new luxury hotel is due to open in #Israel in early 2018 and will be located at site of historic 13th century structure.

The Setai, Tel Aviv, a new five-star deluxe hotel joins The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd's prestigious collection of independent luxury hotels, will be located in the historic old Jaffa area of Tel Aviv. This will be the hospitality group's second Setai in Israel, following the recent opening of the Sea of Galilee property in May 2017, and third globally, joining The Setai, Miami Beach.

The hotel is located in the heart of the city, steps from the famous Clock Square and the city's coastline, at the historic site known as the "Kishle." It was originally constructed by the Turkish Empire to be a prison on the site of a historic Crusader fortress.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Music at Masada

THE legendary electronic music artist Jean Michel Jarre will perform at Masada, Dead Sea, #Israel, this coming April. The concert is part of a big-scale campaign to bring awareness to the environmental issues that the Dead Sea is facing

The French musician, considered one of the pioneers of electronic music genres such as synth pop, new age and ambient, will perform at Masada on April 6.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: nuc_gr 67747296@N00/4660851822 via photopin

Finding your way

THE Jesus Trail is a 65-kilometer #hiking trail in the Galilee region of #Israel which connects important sites from the life of Jesus as well as other historical and religious sites. Offering an alternative for travelers and pilgrims to experience the steps of Jesus by hiking through the rugged and beautiful landscape of the Galilee in Israel. 

The trail is about 60 km (40 miles) to Capernaum. For the average hiker it should take from 3 to 5 days, the return route looping to the south adds an additional 3-5 days, and is more difficult if hiking from the Sea of Galilee back to Nazareth.

The guidebook Hiking the Jesus Trail and Other Biblical Walks in the Galilee provides a welcome addition to Jesus Trail resources, including detailed full-color maps in English, expert advice on backpacking in Israel, thorough information about historical sites, along with hundreds of full-color photos and diagrams.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Mussi Katz 52775988@N00/15355251359 Arbel via photopin.com

Airport security: Ben Gurion knows how to do it

BEN GURION AIRPORT is one of the world’s most secure air travel hubs. No one has been killed or injured as a result of terrorism at the Tel Aviv airport for the past 44 years. Nor has any departing plane been attacked during that time. 

With the latest spate of terror attacks in Europe and Africa, other airports, including London Heathrow, are considering copying some of the practices that have led to the Israeli terminal's stellar security record. Ben Gurion will reportedly share some of its security expertise with other airports this summer, and Heathrow is interested in applying some of the practices used in Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv has multiple layers or ‘rings’ of security. Cars entering the airport have to pass through checkpoints manned by armed guards who ask questions and perform searches if deemed necessary. At check-in, each passenger is questioned by a security official who is trained to look for certain behaviours that arouse suspicion. Some travellers are subject to additional questioning and searches based on what these behavior detection specialists find. The airport has plain-clothes agents who circulate the terminals looking for suspicious behaviour.

Ben Gurion’s director, Shmuel Zakay, says that it is not luck that his airport has escaped terror attacks or the past four decades plus. The high level of security is a matter of necessity, not just for passenger safety, but for the country’s connection with the outside world. ‘This airport is under constant threat. All terrorist organizations know the consequences of hitting Ben Gurion airport. The consequence would be to place the entire state of Israel under an air blockade.’

Heathrow is reportedly considering using plain clothes agents to circulate in the terminals to watch out for suspicious behaviour. Other airports in Europe, meanwhile, are trying to keep a Brussels style-attack from happening again by checking passengers’ travel documents before they enter the terminal. Many airports in Africa, Asia and the Middle East already do this. Unfortunately, some of the other security measure used at Ben Gurion would be more difficult to employ in Europe.

Despite being the only major international hub in Israel, the Tel Aviv airport is relatively small. It has 16 million passengers a year. Heathrow, meanwhile, has more than 70 million. Creating a less-open set-up with multiple document checks and questioning could lead to gridlock. Some people contend that assigning a level of risk to passengers in the way Israel’s security agents do, could lead to racial profiling because of the diverse ethnicities of passengers at major European airports.

The ‘big picture’ ideas used at Ben Gurion, however, could prove helpful at European and US airports however. Adding extra layers of security in the form of plain clothes patrols and document checks to enter the departure hall could go a long way towards making these hubs safer. Also, European airports could adopt the idea of trying to single out passengers who are more likely to pose a threat.

It is probably impossible to have the same level of security that Ben Gurion has, but major hubs such as Heathrow and those in Europe can do a lot to improve the current state of their security.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit:Israel Tel Aviv airport and lounge</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com

‘No Israelis’ airline to axe London to New York service

KUWAIT AIRWAYS has closed its London-New York service ... to avoid having to sell tickets to Israeli citizens. 

The airline had been ordered by the US Department of Transportation to stop banning Israeli passengers on flights between the US and any third country after an Israeli passport holder was refused a seat on a flight in October.

The airline has responded by announcing its intention to 'eliminate’ services between JFK and Heathrow. It is continuing to operate – until February – flights for passengers who are already booked and ticketed, but it is not accepting new reservations.

Kuwait Airways claims that it is prevented from carrying Israeli passengers on any flights by Kuwaiti law, which does not permit contracts from ‘agreements with entities or persons residing in Israel or with Israeli citizenship'.

The airline argues that policy isn't discriminatory because it will sell tickets to passengers ‘regardless of race, national origin, or religion, as long as they hold a passport valid in Kuwait’.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58161623@N08/14306670983">Kuwait Airways A340 9K-ANC</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)

Is this the Holy Grail of Stag and Hen parties?

UK's stag and hen industry company Last Night of Freedom has announced an unlikely destination. Packed with history and tradition – not to mention conflict –#Bethlehem in #Israel might be one of the last places to be considered as a setting in which to mark the end of singledom, but the company thinks it could be the perfect choice for #stagandhenparties looking for something a little different. 

It’s offering a five-night trip to Bethlehem and Tel Aviv, in which there will be a two-day cultural tour comprising visits to Manger Square and the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, Masada, and the Dead Sea.

Says the company’s managing director, Matt Mavir: ‘While the more traditional destinations such as Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, and Tallinn remain popular choices, we're enjoying offering locations that may never have been considered previously.’

‘Just as you're (hopefully) only going to get married once, you'll only have one stag do. Now people are starting to take the opportunity to spend their last night (or week) of freedom in once-in-a-lifetime destinations. The nightlife in Tel Aviv is sensational. Things don't get going until around 11pm, and there's no last orders policy; so you'll be able to watch biblical sunrises in the early hours.’

www.lastnightoffreedom.co.uk

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Bethlehem by night by Sengaska - Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons 

Israel bids for winter sun & city break tourists

THE LAUNCH of direct flights to Eilat and Tel Aviv next month will help to re-position #Israel as a #wintersun and #citybreak destination for the UK market, says the country’s tourism chief.

Monarch will begin weekly services from Luton to Eilat every Thursday, and three times a week to Tel Aviv, from December 3 until April 2016.

Says Amir Halevi, director general of the Israel Ministry of Tourism: ‘The city break is becoming very popular now with the rise of low-cost airlines, but this year we have more than six times the number of weekly flights to Eilat from around Europe, so it’s becoming better known as a winter sun destination.’

Israel has seen an 8% rise in visitor numbers from the UK so far this year, and is investing in a new international airport for Eilat, due to open in 2016, as well as hotel development and plans for a casino to be built on the site of the current airport.

The Dead Sea will also see a significant increase in the number of hotels, with 5,000 rooms to be added over the next five years.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7559746@N05/5149016776">Panorâmica 13</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Pegasus expands Israel flights

PEGASUS AIRLINES has added Israel’s Eilat (Ovda) Airport to its expanding network, bringing its total number of destinations to 101.

Pegasus flights to Eilat, its second destination in #Israel after #Tel Aviv, are scheduled to start on December 1, with three weekly flights between London Gatwick and Stansted Airports and Ovda via Istanbul.

Fares including taxes and charges for the Ovda Airport route from London Stansted via Istanbul start from £72, and £74.66 from London Gatwick.

The route is now open for bookings via the airline’s website … 

www.flypgs.com/en

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/95672737@N00/4261494801">Israel - Jerusalem - The Old City - 199</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Monarch Airlines launches two routes to Israel

MONARCH AIRLINES has announced two new scheduled routes to #Israel from Luton Airport. The airline will start flying to Tel Aviv and Ovda (the gateway to Eilat) in December. 

The #directflights will operate three times a week to Tel Aviv (Monday, Thursday and Sunday) and once a week, on a Thursday, to Ovda. The flight time is five hours.

The airline previously operated flights to Israel as part of its charter service.

Andrew Swaffield, chief executive, Monarch Group, says: ‘These two new scheduled routes are the result of the ongoing work we are doing to develop our winter programme which showcases a number of winter sun and ski destinations.

‘Tel Aviv and Ovda are growing in popularity once more with tourists, and with the diverse offerings of both these destinations we are sure they will be a very popular choice for winter short breaks and holidays. We are also looking forward to welcoming visitors from Israel to the UK.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20849923@N00/3396071661">Airbus A321-231, Monarch Airlines, Manchester - Int. (Ringway) (MAN / EGCC) 29.03.09</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Heritage list updated

THESE are some of the world’s historic or significant cultural sites given UNESCO World Heritage status this year:

• Christiansfeld, Moravian Church Settlement (Denmark)

• Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars (France)

• Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus district, Hamburg (Germany)

• Cultural landscape of Maymand (Iran)

• Necropolis of Beth She’arim—a landmark of Jewish Revival (Israel)

• Arab-Norman Palermo and the cathedral churches of Cefalú and Monreale (Italy)

• Sites of Japan’s Meiji industrial revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining

• Rjukan-Notodden industrial heritage site (Norway)

• Singapore Botanical Gardens (Singapore)

• Ephesus (Turkey)

• Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial landscape (Uruguay)

• The Forth Bridge (Scotland)

• San Antonio Missions (US)

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22490717@N02/2217167582">Turkey-2776</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Israel sees foreign tourism slump

#ISRAEL is seeing a drop in its tourism flow in the first half of 2015. Just over 4.1 million foreign tourists made overnight stays, a drop of 25 percent on the first half of 2014.

#Eilat saw a drop of 46 percent. Other affected tourist spots include the #DeadSea, Jerusalem, and the Galilee, with falls of 34%, 27% and 29% respectively. Haifa and Tel Aviv were least affected by the decline, but still saw drops of 17% and 14%.

Domestic tourism, however, increased, with overnight hotel stays – mostly in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv – rising by eight percent.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40294282@N07/5348685401">IMG_7279</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/59838910@N06/5933129208">Dead Sea</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Ryanair takes off for Israel flights

RYANAIR has announced its first Israeli flights, with three new routes to Eilat Ovda from Budapest (Hungary), Kaunas (Lithuania), and Krakow (Poland) to start in November. 

The flights are on sale at the Ryanair.com website at fares from €29.99/£21.63 for travel in November and December. 

Ryanair said that it will negotiate with the Israeli authorities over future routes and looks forward to growing Israeli tourism, traffic, and jobs.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: OldCityJerusalem by by Ester Inbar, available from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:ST.. Licensed under Attribution via Wikimedia Commons 

Israel offers cash incentives for Red Sea resort flights

ISRAEL’S government is offering airlines financial incentives to fly holidaymakers to Eilat, its Red Sea holiday resort. 

From October to April next year, airline operators will be paid €45 (£32.47) for every passenger they fly to Eilat’s Ovda airport, up to a maximum of €1 million (£721,640) per annum per airline. To qualify for the total sum, airlines must perform a minimum of 16 rotations during the winter period.

The Israeli government’s tourist office has begun discussions with several British and European airlines.

Naama Oryan-Kaplan at Israel’s tourist office said: ‘Eilat is the perfect winter sun destination for British and Irish holidaymakers. We know that direct flights will encourage Brits to visit Eilat and experience the wealth of activities it has to offer. We hope to offer new services to Southern Israel later this year.’

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Eilat IMG 2097 by deror_avi - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons,PikiWiki Israel 17156 Wildlife and Plants of Israel by ורדה שושארי. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons