Euro slide boost for British holidaymakers

THE CURRENT slide in the value of the euro has created the cheapest UK holiday-booking season since the financial crisis, say experts. 

People booking holidays in eurozone countries this summer can expect to save between five and 15 percent on the cost of travel and accommodation, and save almost 20 percent less on holiday expenses such as such as eating out.

Sterling is trading more than seven percent higher against the euro in comparison with last spring and close to the highest level against the single currency for more than six years. A euro is currently worth just over 78 pence, compared with almost 84 pence in March last year.

In the past two weeks, the change has sliced more than £100 off the cost of renting a self-catering villa in Italy. 

Post Office statistics show that costs such as a meal for two have fallen by almost 20 percent on Crete in the last year alone and 11 percent in Croatia.

Sterling has also made gains against European currencies outside the Eurozone, especially in Norway, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money, said: ‘Holidaymakers travelling to Europe can look forward to better value-for-money, although they should still do their homework to ensure they don’t miss out on the best deals. There is currently little difference in resort costs between the Algarve, Bulgaria and the Costa del Sol, which are cheapest in Europe, but keep an eye on Crete and Cyprus where falls in the cost of eating out make these islands better value than ever before.’


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Picture Credit: via Wikimedia Commons.

EU wastes millions on under-used regional airports, says report

MILLIONS of pounds of European Union (EU) money has been wasted on under-used and over-sized regional airports, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors. £200 million has been spent on infrastructure deemed ‘unnecessarily large’.

The report called it ‘poor value for money’, as it revealed that many of the aviation hubs were built in sparsely populated areas where there were not enough passengers to keep them afloat, The Times reported.

An airport in Kastoria, northern Greece, cost more than £6 million to run but brought in less than £140,000 between 2005 and 2012. 

Another in Córdoba, southern Spain, was predicted to cater for 179,000 passengers but handled less than 7,000 last year. 

Fewer than 10% of the 306,000 passengers expected at Crotone, in southern Italy, materialized. 

The EU has given Poland almost £80 million since 2007 to build three “ghost” airports in sparsely populated areas that that do not merit hubs.

The audit showed that only half of the 20 airports, which were given £530 million, deserved EU funding.

Jonathan Isaby, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance in the UK, said: ‘Even by the unique standards of EU spending, this is a shocking waste of hard-pressed taxpayers’ money.’


Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: The EU wastes money? What’s new?

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easyJet adds 20 new summer routes

TWENTY new routes for summer 2015 are being introduced by easyJet from a range of UK airports.

Newcastle gains flights to Split, Corfu, and Rhodes, while the airline’s Bristol network is further expanded with links to Bilbao, the Isle of Man, and Zante.

These are in addition to previously announced new routes to Gibraltar, Porto, Lanzarote, and Catania from Bristol, bringing the number of destinations served up to 53 for summer 2015. Southend gains a service to Mahon on Menorca, while others are added from Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, and Glasgow.

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What’s new in Lisbon?

Tagus cruise: A new way to see Lisbon is by taking a river tour along the Tagus, the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. The Belém Tower (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the Parque das Naçoes (the most modern parish of the city, characterized by its futuristic buildings), and the Christ the King statue are some of the monuments visitors will be able to enjoy on the two different routes available. www.transtejo.pt

Helicopter tours: Get a bird's eye view of Lisbon with new helicopter tours. Lisbon Helicopters offers two different flight routes above the city centre, and another above the towns of Estoril and Cascais. www.lisbonhelicopters.com

Direct flights to Lisbon operate from London, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Bristol with TAP Portugal, BA, easyJet and Ryanair.

www.visitlisboa.com


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Picture Credit: From top: "Tagus-sun down" by Jorge from Portugal via Wikimedia Commons; "Lisboa (7097370663)" by Ravi Sarma via Wikimedia Commons

How not to behave …. on planes

EXPEDIA.COM has published the results of its second Airplane Etiquette study, which asked 1,000 Americans to rank the most annoying on-board behaviours of fellow passengers.

Last year, Inattentive Parents topped the list of most aggravating airplane passengers.

This year, Rear Seat Kickers are flagged up as the most annoying passengers.

‘The study is a lighthearted reminder that few places require more attention to etiquette than the inside of an airplane,’ said John Morrey, vice president and general manager, Expedia.com. ‘You're in a tight space at 30,000 feet with hundreds of fellow travellers, so even the small things – helping your neighbour stow a bag or switching seats to put a mother next to her child – can make a huge difference.’

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Upstairs, downstairs at Holkham Hall

A SHOW of photographs recording a year in the life of an English country estate will be the main exhibition at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, in 2015.

Behind Closed Doors: A Year in the Life of a Working Estate features the work of Magnum photographer Chris Steele-Perkins, who visited Holkham during a 12-month period. 

The portfolio includes informal pictures of the owners – Viscount and Viscountess Coke – gamekeepers, gardeners, and housekeepers.

The exhibition will be open to visitors from March 29 to October 31.

www.holkham.co.uk

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Picture Credit: 'Deer in the park, Holkham Hall, Norfolk' by chris cox via Wikimedia Commons

Crete in focus

CRETE’S tourism chiefs have launched the island's latest tourist campaign … 

Crete – The Island Inside You. 

The campaign comprises six short films that showcase aspects and experiences that make Crete an ideal tourist destination. It features the stories of tourists who have made Crete their home away from home. 

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Picture Credit: "Crete Heraklion" by Tango7174 - Own work via Wikimedia Commons