Turkey set for golf boom?

GOLF resort developments in Turkey have the second strongest mid- to long-term growth potential of all countries in the European Mediterranean region, according to the accountancy firm, KPMG.

While Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France have higher levels of supply, Turkey has led the way within emerging markets and now accounts for seven per cent of the pan-regional supply, with the fifth highest number of coastal integrated golf resorts in the region.

‘The vast majority of the golf resorts in Turkey feature hotels only,’ says Julian Walker at Spot Blue International Property. ‘Most privately-owned golf property is not actually on the fairway but in residential developments near to one or more golf courses. But, as the KPMG report states, Turkey is capitalizing on strong tourism demand, aided by competitive pricing, so further growth and new resort projects can be expected in the future. This will reinforce the diversity of the Turkish real estate market.’

The KPMG report said that across the European Mediterranean region, golf resorts that offer accommodation in rented villas or apartments, often alongside a hotel, now account for more than 15 per cent of the market and continue to grow in numbers.

In an attempt to grow its share of global golf tourism, Turkey’s Western Mediterranean Development Agency and Turkish Airlines this year launched a scheme to attract more French golfers to the Antalya region, home to the country’s golfing hub, Belek. It is hoped that many of the million-plus golfers in France, some of whom travel to Morocco and Tunisia to play, will consider Turkey as a new destination.

‘The knock-on effect of more golfers, whichever nationality, is a good thing for the local property market,’ said Mr Walker. ‘Belek’s reputation as an international golf hub is snowballing, and more visitors mean more demand for accommodation, which increases demand for lettable property.’

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Picture Credit: Belek (22) by R-E-AL (talk | contribs | Gallery)  (German Wikipedia) - English:  This Photo has been taken with a HP PhotoSmart 612 camera.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

How not to rough it at Glasto

WANT to go to this year’s #Glastonbury Festival (June 24-28), but don’t fancy roughing it in a tent and, perhaps, the mud?

As well as self-catering cottages in that part of Somerset, here are five hotels – recommended by LateRooms.com – not too far from Glasto:

Charlton House, Shepton Mallet: A country house hotel, a 20-minute drive from Glastonbury. From £140 a night.

The Bothy at Manor Farm, Glastonbury: The Bothy at Manor Farm is a 10-minute walk from the festival site. From £85 a night.

Beryl, Wells: In the Mendip hills, one mile from Wells, Beryl is set in 13 acres of parkland. From £130 a night.

Red Lion Inn, Babcary: A thatched country pub a 25-minute drive from Glastonbury. From £110 a night.

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Picture Credit: Glastonbury Festival 2011 by jaswooduk from UK - Glastonbury 2011. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Gatwick bus for early birds

GATWICK AIRPORT has partnered with Metrobus to provide two early morning bus services so that passengers and workers can get to the airport from the south coast before rail services have started.

The two new routes will run daily from Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Goring and Worthing to Gatwick, and from Hastings and Bexhill to Gatwick.

Both services are scheduled to arrive at the airport (North and South terminals) at 4am and 6am.

Gatwick has also negotiated a dual ticket arrangement which allows passengers to travel to the airport by bus and return by train.

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Southampton cruise terminal re-opens following make-over

SOUTHAMPTON’S Mayflower Cruise Terminal has re-opened following a multi-million pound refurbishment. The terminal now has an open plan interior, with expanded security, check-in and passenger reception areas. Other improvements include additional passenger and baggage x-ray machines and a redesign of the drop-off and pick-up areas.

Port operator ABP Southampton said the project was critical to ensure Southampton retains its title as Europe's leading cruise turnaround port.

An increased number of cruise ships visiting Southampton, coupled with the rising capacity of new ships, means P&O Cruises, Cunard, and other lines are expecting passenger volume to increase by 25% at Southampton over the next two years.

The terminal is one of four in Southampton, and handles calls by ships such as Queen Mary 2, Ventura and newly-launched Britannia.

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Picture Credit: MS Independence of the Seas in Southampton by Aztec06 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Anyone for underwater tennis?

FROM the You-Couldn’t-Make-It-Up-But-Somebody-Has Department comes a proposal for an underwater tennis stadium in Dubai.

The idea has been served up by Krysztof Kotala, a Polish architect, who says a good spot for an underwater tennis complex would be offshore in the Persian Gulf between Burj al Arab and the Palm Jumeirah islands.

His plan is for a sports arena covered by a rooftop coral reef enabling, presumably, spectators to watch the fish when the tennis gets boring. A single piece of glass large enough to cover the structure and strong enough to withstand the water pressure would be required … along with vast amounts of cash and optimism.

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Picture Credit: Palm Jumeirah on 19 January 2008 by Imre Solt - Dubai Construction Update Part 10 Page 15 at Post 281.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Bulgaria ‘best value’ for in-resort costs

RESORT prices in Bulgaria are among the cheapest across Europe, while costs in Italy and inflation-hit Turkey have soared, a study by Post Office Travel Money has shown.

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria emerges as the best value of 14 European resorts surveyed. Prices there have fallen for the second year running and at £37.39 the barometer basket of tourist staples – lunch and evening meals, drinks, suncream, insect repellent and a daily newspaper – now costs 28% less than two years ago.

But the biggest price falls over the past year have been in the Algarve, Portugal. This has been helped by continuing strength of the pound against the euro. A fall in the cost of eating out contributed to a 22% drop in the price of typical tourist purchases, making the Algarve 8% cheaper than third-placed Costa del Sol.

Prices remain high in Italy, with Sorrento being the most expensive of the 14 resorts surveyed. Rising prices have offset the benefit of the powerful pound.

Successive Post Office reports have noted price cuts in Cyrus, and the latest barometer reveals a fall of 12.1% since last spring in Paphos and more than 30% compared with 2013. As a result, Cyprus is the fourth best value destination overall and best value in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Greek Islands are also offering good value with Crete and Corfu showing price falls of 14.1% and 19.7% respectively.

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Picture Credit: Bulgaria-Sunny Beach- by www.vacacionesbulgaria.com - Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons

Car hire complication as code requirement set to be enforced

BRITISH holidaymakers renting cars abroad face having to take a special code with them to show convictions for offences such as speeding.

The paper counterpart of British driving licences – which records endorsements and fines – is being computerized from June 8. As a consequence, anyone wanting to hire a car abroad will need to get a code by logging on to the DVLA website in advance. To complicate matters, the code is valid only for 72 hours, so anyone wanting to hire a car more than three days into their trip will need to generate a new code while they are abroad.

For those who do not have internet access, a phone number will also be made available, the BBC reported.

But the code is not an official requirement; it will depend on the individual hire company's terms whether or not it is required.

The RAC said many drivers were unaware of the changes. ‘Our research shows that with just over a month to go before the paper counterpart to the photo-card licence disappears, 55% of drivers are not aware of the planned change,’ RAC spokesman Simon Williams said.

The AA said some car rental companies were unaware of the new arrangements. ‘Not all car rental companies, or indeed traffic police abroad, will be aware of the changes, so a belt and braces approach of also taking the counterpart might help,’ said AA president Edmund King.

But the AA also said that hiring a car abroad without a paper counterpart is not always a problem. Just as some car hire companies do not currently ask for a counterpart, not all will ask for a code after June 8.

The old-style paper licences issued before the photo card was introduced in 1998 will remain valid, but holders will still need a code to fully validate them.

To view a record of their convictions, motorists can log on to the View My Driving licence page of the government website. They will need their driving licence number, their national insurance number, and their postcode.

The changes do not apply to driving licences issued in Northern Ireland.


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Picture Credit: Car Hire Centre At Luton Airport - geograph.org.uk by Mary and Angus Hogg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons