Up in the air . . .

SPANISH airline AlbaStar has launched twice-weekly flights between Birmingham and Palma de Mallorca. The route will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

William Pearson, Birmingham Airport’s aviation director, said: ‘We are very pleased to be welcoming Alba Star, our twelfth new airline in the space of just over a year, to Birmingham Airport. 

Birmingham Airport recently reported that it handled more than one million passengers in May.

EASYJET will operate three additional routes from London Luton this winter … to Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Toulouse. It will operate twice a week to Lanzarote and Tenerife and four times a week to Toulouse.

PASSENGERS travelling to Melbourne, Australia, from the UK will have another direct option with Emirates announcing that flights EK408 and EK409 will begin operating as non-stop services from Dubai in October.  

The current service from Dubai to Melbourne operates via Kuala Lumpur in both directions. The flight changes will save passengers approximately two-and-half hours in travel time in each direction.

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Take a dive into the museum

EUROPE'S first underwater museum has started to become a reality with the installation of several sets of sculptures by international artist Jason deCaires Taylor on the seafloor in Las Coloradas Bay in #Lanzarote. They will be accessible to divers and snorkelers of all levels. The project is designed to increase marine biomass and to act as a breeding site for local species in an area declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

The project is part of the Atlantic Museum and will create a large artificial reef comprising art installations made from high-density concrete that doesn't affect the marine ecosystem or flora and fauna. No corrosive metals and materials are used.

The sculptures, submerged at a depth of between 40ft and 49ft, recreate scenes from everyday life.

The artist – who has done underwater sculpture installations The Bahamas, Mexico and the Antilles – uses his work to highlight ‘the defence of the oceans and to transmit a level of critical thinking about the commercialization of natural resources’.

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5 million Brits plan Xmas escape

AN ESTIMATED five million Britons are planning to #escape the weather and family politics this #Christmas by jetting off to sunnier climes, based on a survey of 10,000 UK holidaymakers. 

Research by insurance and travel specialist Staysure reveals that more than two thirds (68%) of people put the weather at the top of their list of reasons for the great festive get-away, followed by avoiding having to cook Christmas dinner (30%). One in five is keen to skip the stress of hosting family and friends (20%), and steer clear of family politics (13%).

The Canary Islands remain a firm favourite for short haul winter sun, while Florida, Sydney and New York top the list for long haul #destinations.

For those staying home during the festive period – one in five cannot get away due to family obligations, while one in ten feel they must stay home to look after their pets.

Top 10 Christmas/New Year destinations

1. Lanzarote
2. Gran Canaria
3. Algarve
4. Fuerteventura
5. Florida
6. Sydney
7. Malta
8. Barcelona
9. New York
10. Majorca

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Island escape

THERE’S more to Spain’s Canary Islands than Tenerife and Lanzarote. Described as a boutique isle – at 142 square miles, it’s the second-smallest in the Canaries chain – #LaGomera has black sand beaches, bars, and shops, but it also majors on peace and quiet, plus hiking, diving, snorkelling, whale- and dolphin-watching, biking, and craft activities such as pottery and weaving.

An almost circular island, it has a large national park, plus 16 protected natural areas including volcanic mountains criss-crossed with hiking trails, and forests. Accommodation choices include hotels, apartments, and farmhouses.

It could be just the spot for a stress-free, out-of-season break.

Getting there: Flights from the UK to Tenerife South, from where visitors take a 50-minute ferry ride to the island. Alternatively, fly to Tenerife North, and get a 30-minute connecting flight.

www.lagomera.travel/canary-islands/la-gomera/en

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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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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44669717@N00/90164401">fancy a seat?</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

'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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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/63086259@N00/2527962912">Vista Punta Brava</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)