Tuesday 20 April 2010

NATS welcomes new CAA guidance and reopens airspace

NATS are delighted to report that most restrictions on UK airspace began to be lifted at 2134 (local time) this evening, following new guidance from the UK’s safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority on restrictions to UK airspace as a result of the volcanic eruption.


Air traffic control services have resumed in the UK with the exception of an area over the north west of Scotland which continues to be affected by a dense concentration of volcanic ash. Based on current information this situation is not expected to change overnight. The situation continues to be dynamic as a result of changing weather conditions and the prediction of dense areas of volcanic ash. NATS will continue to monitor the latest Met Office and VAAC information and the CAA’s updates on the availability of UK airspace.

This brings to an end a period of disruption and uncertainty for air passengers, Due to the scale of the disruption, it will take some time for flights to resume normal operations and passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest information about flights.

Sunday 4 April 2010

Brits opt for holidays over home improvements

Despite promises of the 'don't move, improve' trend boosting DIY sales, UK homeowners would rather spend their money on travel and clothing, according to recent survey by Mintel.


Recent research from Mintel has revealed that a growing number of Brits are losing interest in the home. In fact two million of us have stopped doing our own home improvements over the past couple of years.

Leisure and fashion are now people's top priorities, with 41% saying they planned to travel and take more holidays, 17% opted to eat and drink out and 16% planned to spend on new clothing and footwear.

Whether you are an independent traveller, looking for a family holiday, or planning a quick city break, Holidays Online puts real travel purchasing power in your hands. find out more at http://www.ukholidaysonlineonline.co.uk/

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Madeira floods: tourists urged not to cancel holidays

Tourism chiefs have urged holidaymakers not to abandon Madeira as a tourist destination following flash floods and mudslides at the weekend that left at 42 dead and hundreds homeless.



Many people had been put off coming to Madeira, because of the dramatic images of the devastation there have been cancellations, In reality it is a very small area that has been affected and the authorities are working incredibly hard to restore the infrastructure and ensure a return to normality.

Of course it will take time to rebuild some of the infrastructure and that won't happen overnight but there is absolutely no reason for people not to go to Maderia.

Almost 1 million foreign tourists visit Madeira each year by air and a further 400,000 arrive on cruise ships. British holidaymakers account for around 20 per cent of visitors on the island where tourism directly accounts for 20 per cent of GDP.

Find out more about holidays in Maderia with Holidays Online.

Tuesday 23 February 2010

Travel industry 'failing to cater for disabled'

New research suggests that travel companies are failing to cater properly for the needs of disabled travellers.

The study, carried out by Tourism for All, a British-based charity that specialises in travel for the disabled, found that 85 per cent of respondents did not believe travel agents understand the needs of disabled travellers, and 78 per cent did not feel they were catered for by high street agents. The survey also found that 35 per cent would not consider booking with a mainstream travel agent.

There are approximately 10 million adults and 750,000 children in the UK who suffer from some form of disability. It is estimated that a quarter of these regularly travel abroad.

This week Expedia, the online travel agent, launched new search tools designed to help disabled travellers find accessible accommodation. The move follows a court case in the US last year that resulted in Expedia being instructed to add content and search features to its websites that would allow people with disabilities to reserve rooms. The service however is currently only available on the US website.

Leonard Cheshire, a British charity that supports disabled people, has given warning that many airports still fail to meet the needs of disabled passengers, despite EU laws introduced in 2008 that make it the responsibility of airports to provide assistance to disabled travellers. The Civil Aviation Authority is close to completing its own report on how these laws have been implemented.

Monday 22 February 2010

SPAIN NO LONGER FOREIGN ENOUGH FOR BRITS

Sunny Spain is no longer growing in popularity, whilst the USA and Egypt should be preparing for more and more tourists, according to new statistics from sunshine.co.uk the UK’s fastest growing online independent travel agent. Tourist’s reasons for their destination likes and dislikes are also revealed.

When looking at the reasons behind the popularity of certain resorts, the survey found that found that 59% of people didn’t find Spain as appealing because of the high density of English tourists and bars, claiming it was not foreign enough. USA, on the other hand, has seen bookings almost double and 48% said they would cross the pond just to try and meet a celebrity.

When asked if and why they would be put off visiting Tunisia on holiday, 2 respondents claimed they would prefer not to go because they were scared of camels. One person commented that they were less likely to holiday in the Canaries because they were afraid of birds, but Turkey was a hit with 11 people who said they’d go for the kebabs.

The top five destinations that have seen the biggest growth in popularity on sunshine.co.uk are;

1. Egypt
2. Greece
3. USA
4. Turkey
5. Portugal

The bottom five destinations that have seen the least growth in popularity on sunshine.co.uk are;

1. Malta
2. Canaries
3. Italy
4. Tunisia
5. Spain

At Holidays Online we believe in giving you the choice to compare all of the Holiday options including Spain to find your perfect Holiday destination visit our holiday index.

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Bucket and spade breaks flourish

The traditional British bucket and spade summer holiday is experiencing a resurgence in popularity as middle class families shun their usual trips abroad.

Butlins and Pontins have seen a 22 per cent increase in bookings in response to upgrading accommodation and food as well as benefiting from holidaymakers's reduced budgets following the recession.

New facilities include health spas and luxury rooms to attract the middle classes who traditionally travel overseas.

Entertainment now includes performances from X Factor and Britain's Got Talent stars such as Stacey Soloman, Danyl Johnson, Stavros Flatley and George Sampson along with popular nostalgic acts of the 1980s from the likes of Paul Young, Carol Decker of T'Pau and Bucks Fizz.

Pontins said its sales in January for summer breaks were up by 22 per cent on the same month last year while Butlins said its bookings for the current February half-term are 15 per cent ahead of 2009.

Foreign package holiday companies can increase prices by as much as 80 per cent over the school holidays.

Butlins has spent around £100 million since 2003, improving the perception of its three beach-side resorts with two hotels, one with a £2 million spa, being built at Bognor Regis, a spa at Skegness and BlueSkies Vacation Club at Minehead.

A one week holiday for a family of four at the Butlins in Bognor Regis at Easter starts at £764 for a basic room. Staying at the resort's Ocean Hotel with dinner, bed and breakfast, takes the figure up to £1,496.

A Pontins spokesman said: "Given the recent weather conditions the UK has experienced and the economic climate, we believe the significant increase is down to families wanting to have something to look forward to and booking holidays and mini breaks.

"Although officially the UK is out of the recession, many people in the UK remain concerned by the cost increases in utilities and the security of their jobs."

Find out more about Holidays and Short Breaks in the UK with the british holidays booking office www.britishholidaysbookingoffice.co.uk

Thursday 11 February 2010

UK’s appetite for travel not been dimmed by recession

British travellers have had to cope with currency devaluation on top of the recession, and both have driven significant changes in travel patterns.

Over the past year the credit crunch has seen the UK tighten its belt and feel the squeeze. The prosperous era of ‘splashing out’ has come to an abrupt end and given way to feelings of thrift and frugality that have led us all to keep a beady eye on the balance sheet.

Fewer people are expected to travel this year but us Brits love a bargain and, rather than giving up our travels entirely, most of us are on the lookout for good value and special deals.

So although we are unwilling to forgo our precious annual holiday(s), we are nonetheless looking to travel in cheaper, more cost effective ways. Through the internet we are able compare and contrast vast quantities of information to find the best deals. For this reason the online travel market has grown steadily over the past five years.

Package holidays have also been popular during the economic crisis as people are looking for security and prefer to know exactly how much their holiday is going to cost from the outset.