Tunisia continues its comeback

#TUNISIA continues its comeback, recording strong growth at the world’s leading tourism group TUI, in particular from the German-speaking markets and France. Moreover, the country is among the destinations with the highest customer satisfaction levels. TUI Blue, TUI Group’s new lifestyle hotel brand, has now opened its first hotel in #Djerba and provides authentic holiday experiences in the island.

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

Thomas Cook resumes flights to Tunisia

THOMAS Cook has resumed its holiday and flight operations to #Tunisia for UK customers from today February 13. The programme will start with three weekly flights to Enfidha, from Manchester, London Gatwick and Birmingham, expanding to include Glasgow from April and Newcastle and London Stansted from May.

The decision was taken to put the #destination back on sale after the UK government changed its advice for Tunisia meaning that British holidaymakers can now travel to the majority of the country.

Re-launching holidays to the North African country also reflects customer demand – since going on sale in August 2017 Tunisia has proven popular with the first three flights selling out.

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

Up in the air . . .

UK authorities last week issued new rules that ban passengers on flights from Queen Alia International Airport and other airports in the region departing to London from carrying laptops and tablets in the aircraft cabin, in addition to the phones that are larger than, Length: 16.0cm, Width: 9.3cm, Depth: 1.5cm. These devices can be placed in the checked baggage. 

The decision of the UK authorities included the flights from Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport and flights departing to the UK from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia and Lebanon. The ban excludes the flights departing from the UK to Jordan and the mentioned countries.

This followed on from the the US authorities who issued new rules that ban passengers on flights to the US from carrying electronic and electrical devices in the aircraft cabin, but have them in their checked baggage.

The decision of the US authorities included the flights from Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport to the US, besides the departing flights from nine other airports in the Middle East, the Arab Gulf and North Africa.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Ryanair unveils new route from Liverpool

#Ryanair has announced an expansion to its Liverpool winter 2016 schedule with the addition of a service to #Marrakesh, #Morocco, which will operate twice-weekly from October. 

This is in addition to a new route to Sofia announced earlier. Ryanair’s Liverpool winter 2016 schedule will now deliver two new routes to Sofia and Marrakesh, both twice-weekly, and five new winter services, including twice-weekly services to Bergerac, Pisa, Porto, Szczecin, and a weekly flight to Gran Canaria. The airline will also operate more flights to Alicante (five-weekly) and Malaga (four-weekly).

With the expansion move, the airline will operate 25 winter routes in total, with 95 weekly flights.

Seats for Marrakesh are on sale from £24.99.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Banyan Tree to open villa resort in Morocco

BANYAN TREE will open Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay, #Morocco’s first all-inclusive villa resort in September. The resort will have 92 luxury villas.

Each villa will have a garden and a private pool, while some will have direct access to the beach.

Facilities at the resort will include spa treatment rooms, a hydro and vitality pool, a hammam, and a yoga room. Sports activities include scuba diving, wakeboarding, and jet-skiing, while golfers will have two superb courses nearby.

Guests will be able to visit Tetouan, a UNESCO World Heritage site 20 minutes from the resort, and Tangier, drive away.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Egypt to beef up security in bid to lure Brits back

IN an attempt to assure British tourists about the safety of #Sharm el-Sheikh as a holiday destination, #Egypt has employed a British firm to deliver an aviation security programme covering the country’s airports. 

Restrata, which has experience of working with airports across the world, will advise Egyptian private security firm, Falcon Group International, which have been tasked by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to provide security at the country’s airports.

Using its experience of working with airports across the world, including London Heathrow, Restrata and Falcon will train 7,000 security staff over the next six months.

The announcement follows the recent decision by the German government to lift its ban on flights to Sharm el-Sheikh.

The partnership was commended by the British Ambassador to Egypt and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, as further progress in re-building travel between Britain and Egypt.

Britain’s ambassador in Cairo, John Casson, said: ‘Nothing is more important than the safety of British and Egyptian people as they travel between our countries. I’m proud that Britain is Egypt’s leading and most active partner on the road to a world -class airport security system that could be a model for the world.’


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Thomas Cook cancels Tunisian summer bookings

THOMAS COOK has cancelled all bookings to #Tunisia up to and including October 31 following the decision by the government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office not to revise the current travel warnings about the country.

In a statement, the company said: ‘We appreciate that this may be frustrating for our customers who have been looking forward to their holiday and we would like to assure them that we are doing our upmost to ensure they are still able to enjoy a Thomas Cook holiday by offering the following options:

• Customers who are due to travel up to and including October 31 2016 are able to cancel or amend their holiday to another destination free of charge. 

• Customers who wish to re-book an alternative summer 2016 holiday are being offered free amendments to an alternative Thomas Cook holiday of their choice, paying only any difference in price. 

• Customers booking a new holiday departing before October 31 will be offered a £30 per person discount regardless of whether the alternative is cheaper or more expensive.’ 

Thomas Cook said it was individually contacting customers whose bookings are affected, prioritizing those due to travel soonest.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Thomson scraps Tunisia summer programme

THOMSON has confirmed the cancellation of all of its Tunisian holidays for summer 2016. The operator is offering refunds to people with bookings to the North African country.

Thirty three of parent company Tui Group’s holidaymakers were killed in the beach terrorist attack near Sousse in June last year.

Thomson said: ‘As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) continues to advise against all but essential travel to #Tunisia, Thomson Airways can confirm the cancellation of further outbound flights from the UK to Tunisia, up to and including October 31. Customers affected by this will be able to change their holiday to any of our destinations currently on sale, without incurring an amendment fee, or receive a full refund.’

The operator is offering a £30 discount if the new holiday departs on or before October 31 provided it is booked by February 29.

The discount will apply regardless of whether the alternative holiday is cheaper or more expensive, the company said.

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/88475677@N00/11399706034">Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">(license)

Morocco tourism push, but FCO has terrorism warning

A NEW website is spearheading a campaign designed to boost tourism to #Morocco. The site at visitmorocco.com has been unveiled as part of a tourism promotion push by the North African country which also involves print and online display advertising, events, and social media.

The #MuchMorocco campaign is targeting the UK, Ireland, US, and Canada. The website includes information on where to stay, attractions, the best places to eat, and links to practical details such as flights.

Amine Boughaleb, director of the Moroccan National Tourist Office in London, said: ‘Our aim with this campaign is to bring the essence of Morocco to holidaymakers. It is warm, vibrant, friendly, accessible, stylish … all qualities shared by Morocco as a country.

Britain’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office, however, warns currently of a ‘high threat from terrorism in Morocco’.

‘Attacks’ it says in its travel advisory, ‘could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. In April 2011, 17 people were killed and 25 injured in a large explosion in Marrakech. Protective security measures are in place at many Moroccan hotels and sites popular with tourists. Security measures, including security personnel, may be visible in certain areas.

‘The Moroccan authorities have warned of an increased threat linked to the growing number of Moroccans sympathetic or belonging to international terrorist organisations operating in Syria, Iraq, and Libya, and regularly report the disruption of terrorist cells.’

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/14228046@N03/8607596584">Behind the walls</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license)

Tunisia sees 1 million fall in tourist numbers

TUNISIA’S foreign visitor numbers from the start of this year to September 10 are down from the same period last year by one million – from five million to four million – says the country’s tourism minister, Mr Salma Loumi. 

The North African country, where #tourism accounts for approximately seven per cent of its gross domestic product – has been under a state of emergency since June, when 38 people, including 30 Britons, were murdered by a gunman at a hotel in Sousse, three months after 21 tourists were attacked by terrorists at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis.

The UK’s Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Tunisia amid fears that it is “highly likely” Britons will be targeted in a fresh terror attack.

Tour operators TUI and Thomas Cook have cancelled their Tunisia programmes from Britain until next year, while tour operators across Europe have shifted some of their routes to other destinations. Some hotels have closed.

Mr Loumi hopes #Tunisia can use the country’s current difficult period to work on reform, including diversifying the country’s tourism options.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Picture Credit: People with camels 2 by Abir tb - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Morocco – FCO raises terror threat level

BRITISH travellers to #Morocco have been warned of a ‘high threat’ of terrorism in the North African country. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has changed its terrorism threat level in amended travel advice.

The revised travel advisory said: ‘Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners.Protective security measures are in place at many Moroccan hotels and sites popular with tourists. Security measures, including security personnel, may be visible in certain areas.’

The FCO added: ‘The Moroccan authorities have warned of an increased threat linked to the growing number of Moroccans sympathetic or belonging to international terrorist organizations operating in Syria, Iraq, and Libya, and regularly report the disruption of terrorist cells.

‘There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria.You should be vigilant at this time.”

Seventeen people were killed and 25 injured in an explosion at a restaurant in Marrakech in April 2011.

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/19143855@N04/4438190512">Source de vie.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Morocco steps up security after Tunisia massacre

HOLIDAY resorts in #Morocco are reportedly being swamped with armed police as the country goes on high alert after last month’s beach massacre in Tunisia. The North African country’s security services have also stepped up surveillance of domestic militant cells, The Times reports.

A recent anti-terror raid was directed at a nine-member Isis cell operating in northern cities, the interior ministry said. The group had allegedly been recruiting fighters to Syria and made explosives and chemical materials for attacks on home soil.

‘No organized networks can develop here in Morocco because we dismantle them before they can get anywhere,’ said Mustapha El Khalfi, a government official. ‘Last summer, authorities launched the Vigilance programme, which means we have posted many more military police at main tourist places and in front of airports. It follows a comprehensive plan we have developed since 2004 of religious reform, security measures, and fighting extremist ideas.”

Tourism has increased by at least 8% since 2010 and accounts for 9% of Morocco’s gross domestic product. More than 500,000 British tourists visit the country every year, the second largest group of visitors after the French.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

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

Picture Credit: Maroc Essaouira Luc Viatour 4 by I, Luc Viatour. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Tunisia searches plunge after terrorist attack

SEARCHES for Tunisia made by UK travellers have fallen by 22 percent following the terrorist attack on March 18, according to the hotel search website trivago.co.uk.

While travel interest in Tunisia as a whole fell by 22 percent, searches for Hammamet (a beach resort popular among UK holidaymakers) fell by 34 percent.

Although the British government has not advised against travel to Tunis and the surrounding areas, cruise companies have removed the city from their itinerary.

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

Operators monitor Tunisia and admit 'tourists will think twice'

TOUR operators are closely monitoring the situation in Tunisia following Wednesday’s terrorist attack. 

One has admitted that some tourists would now ‘think twice’ about going to Tunisia.

At least 23 people were killed in the shooting at the Bardo Museum in the capital Tunis, including at least 17 tourists. One British woman was among the dead, which also included tourists from Japan, Italy, Colombia, Australia, France, Poland, and Spain.

Thomson has cancelled excursions to Tunis for holidaymakers currently in the country, while Thomas Cook said it was monitoring the situation.

The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice has not changed following the attack.


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

Egypt targets 20% growth in tourist numbers

SECURITY problems in North Africa do not appear to be curbing the optimism of Egypt’s tourism minister, Hisham Zaazou. He is targeting a 20% growth in tourist numbers this year.

‘We have a plan to contract with major advertising companies to promote Egyptian tourist resorts,’ he says.

He conceded that a recent attack by Islamic terrorists on an Egyptian army base in North Sinai would have an impact, but added that the Egyptian government was fighting terrorism and would ‘lead Egypt to safety’.

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

Morocco to push Rabat & Casablanca

OFFICIALS at the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development have plans to make Rabat and Casablanca must-go destinations for holidaymakers around the world.

The plans will see the government spend $2 billion (£1.3 billion) in the development of tourism in the destinations. 

The aim is for Rabat and Casablanca, the political and commercial capitals of Morocco respectively, to join Marrakech on the world stage.

It is hoped the resorts will become world leaders for recreation and culture through the creation of museums, theatres, libraries, interpretation centres, marinas, restaurants, cafes, and shopping malls.



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

Picture Credit: courtesy of Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development; "Casablanca fountain night" by (WT-shared) Radouane at wts wikivoyage - Own work. via Wikimedia Commons

UK Foreign Office warns on potential Tunisia danger

THE British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has warned visitors to Tunisia to exercise caution ahead of government elections in the country.

It warns that Tunisia remains in a period of political transition following the 2011 revolution, with danger heightened during the build-up to the second round of voting in the presidential election, due to take place on December 21.

‘You should be vigilant on election day, and avoid political rallies and areas where large crowds may gather,’ said the FCO.

The FCO continues to advise against all travel to the Chaambi Mountain National Park area, the Tunisia-Algeria border crossing points at Ghardinaou, Nefta and El Kef, the militarized zone south of, but not including, the towns of El Borma and Dhehiba and all areas within three miles of the Libya border area from north of Dhehiba up to but not including the Ras Ajdir border crossing.

There have been a number of protests in the post-revolutionary period. These are not normally aimed at foreigners, but international events can trigger anti-Western demonstrations, and further protests could occur.

An exit tax of 30 dinars per person (£11) has recently been applied to all departing, non-resident foreigners.

Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Tunisian National Tourist Office (TNTO) have shown a strong end to a year of record-breaking visitor growth. October saw the country welcome 46,249 UK visitors, an increase of 13.3 percent on the same month in 2013. November saw an even greater year-on-year increase of 29.7 percent from 20,116 UK arrivals.

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

Picture Credit: "Flag of Tunisia" by entraîneur: BEN KHALIFA WISSAM  via Wikimedia Commons