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More people taking self drive holidays in Iceland

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

More and more Brits are taking advantage of the favorable exchange rate with Iceland and are scheduling self drive tours of the country. It’s the perfect time to hire a car since the price of petrol is cheaper in Iceland and car rental rates are down as well.

Ever since Iceland was picked by the post office as the Best Value Holiday Destination, it has seen a marked increase in British holidaymakers.  As a result of the recent surge in popularity, Iceland’s airlines will offer more flights to and from the UK in September.

The flight only takes three hours from London to Reykjavik and there are also fights in and out of Manchester as well. As fall approaches flights well begin from Glasgow.

Eli Masson, of Iceland Pro Travel, said: “We recommend to our clients that they go to Iceland this summer and autumn because of the favourable exchange rate. On our self drive tours we find that all our clients this summer have over budgeted their spending money. One pound will get you 209 krona now, but 18 months ago you would only get 130.

Iceland, Hungary, and Poland all have favorable exchange rates for British tourists.

Most of the tourism is centered in Reykjavik especially since there is a marathon there every August, but Iceland Pro Travel recommends that more people explore the car rental option in order to fully appreciate the entire country while driving around at one’s own pace.

Thanks to www.webwire.com for the above quote. For more information visit their web site.

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Schools may have to extend holidays

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Schoolchildren across the UK are happy to learn that they may be getting an extended holiday thanks to swine flu. The DCSF is indicating that should the swine flu outbreak get any worse, they might keep schools closed for longer than expected.

So far, 29 deaths are attributed to the pandemic in the UK. More than 1000 schools were affected last school year with outbreaks of the disease. In spite of the problem, most schools remained open at that time. The DCSF is considering closing them down instead and is monitoring the situation daily.

A DCSF spokesman described the situation as follows: “We expect that schools and early-years and childcare settings will reopen as usual, but at this time, we cannot be certain what the situation will be then; we will need to monitor developments over the summer, and take decisions based on the best advice available shortly before the start of term”

Cases of swine flu are on the increase worldwide as well as in the UK. Fifty two schoolchildren were recently quarantined in China after having contracted the disease in the UK. Airlines have instituted policies to prevent people suspected of having the disease from flying. There is hardly a segment of the population that has not been affected in someway by the disease.

According to the Department of Health, if cases continue rising at the same rate as today, by September the pandemic will reach its peak and approximately 30% of the entire population will have some form of the disease.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote.  For more information on this story please visit their website.

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British Airways refuses to rebook passengers with swine flu

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

In a move further angering prospective passengers, British Airways says they will not rebook passengers that are refused boarding of planes because of swine flu risk.

The airline says that this is just standard ticketing procedure and doesn’t involve any new policy.  Passengers with flexible first-class tickets will be rebooked but travelers in the cheap seats will have to turn to their travel insurance for reimbursement.

The Air Transport Users Council, a passenger advocacy group, is angered by BA’s attitude. “It is unworkable to expect travel insurance to cover it. We would have hoped there would have been a facility to rebook.” said a spokesperson for the group.

The Association of British Insurers is reportedly worried that the British Airways policy could open the floodgates for claims in the coming months as the incidence of swine flu increases.  They are currently engaged in discussions with the Department of Health over what to do about the situation.

British Airways intends to have medical staff available at boarding gates and is training staff on how to prevent passengers from boarding.  The system is arbitrary because a positive diagnosis of swine flu can actually take several days to confirm.

This raises concerns about whether or not travel insurance would actually cover a refused boarding if the passenger later failed to contract the disease.  Medical experts have said that of all the people who exhibit the symptoms of swine flu, only about 30% of them actually have the disease. The rest simply have severe colds.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote.  For more information about this article please visit their web site.

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Celebrity Equinox cruise ship inaugurated

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

The Celebrity Equinox cruise ship sailed into Southampton this week in preparation for the ship’s inaugural celebrations.  The cruise ship is the first and only such vessel launching out of the UK this year amidst the worldwide economic downturn.  Royal Caribbean, the owners of the ship, spent more than £700 million constructing the ship.

“For the UK to be hosting the inaugural celebrations of Celebrity Equinox demonstrates the importance of the British and Irish markets. The reaction of UK consumers in terms of bookings is strong with sailings during all peak holiday periods sold out.” said Royal Caribbean spokesperson, Robin Shaw.

The ship has an opulent layout highlighted by an actual grass lawn on the upper deck, where passengers can enjoy bocce and croquet.  The lawn is immense and can also be used for viewing outdoor concerts.  The ship is the first of its kind to feature such a lawn.

In addition to the lawn, the ship has numerous restaurants and bars, swimming pools, and a fully staffed gambling casino, where passengers can enjoy blackjack, roulette, slot machines, and other forms of gaming.

The ship is also innovative in that it uses solar power to operate the onboard passenger elevators.

The maiden voyage is scheduled for July 31st when the ship heads to Norway for an eight-day cruise through the fjords.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote.  For more information about this article, visit their web site.

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British holidaymaker struck by lightning

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

A British teenager on holiday in Cancun Mexico, was struck by lightning last week while jet skiing in a thunderstorm. The victim, Amy Brislen, was immediately taken to the hospital in critical condition.  The hospital has indicated that her condition has now stabilized, but she is not allowed to travel as yet. Physicians are closely monitoring her condition.

Upon learning of the incident, her concerned parents flew to Mexico to be at her side.  There has been an outpouring of sympathy and support from Amy’s friends and coworkers.

Shortly after the incident, the Foreign Office was informed of the situation and immediately became involved in assisting the family.
“We are currently providing consular assistance to a British national who is in the hospital in Cancun. We were notified about the accident on Saturday. We have since been in regular contact with her family and the hospital,” commented a spokesperson.

Lightning strikes increase throughout the Caribbean region during the summer months.  This time of year is the hurricane season and runs from June through November. Visitors to the beach are constantly being warned of the risk of lightning strike.  Travelers are advised to seek shelter as soon as any storm approaches the area.

Thanks to www.thesun.co.uk for the above quote. For more information on this article please visit their website

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Europcar car rental and Nissan announce partnership

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Europcar, and Nissan have announced a partnership to make electric vehicles available to the car rental market by 2010 as part of Nissan’s zero-emission mobility program.

The partnership is unique in the car rental market, and reinforces Europcar’s dedication to raising customer awareness of environmental issues and maintaining a greener environment. This is the first such electric car rental venture in the world involving major players in the automotive industry.

“This signature fits perfectly with the principles of our Green charter and our action policy intended to offer our customers a fleet with as limited an impact as possible on the environment,” explained Europcar’s CEO Rafael Girona.

Pursuant to the partnership’s plans, electric vehicles will be introduced throughout Europe in Portugal among Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and France as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

Europcar has been making news for years with its environmental philosophy of promoting eco-friendly car hire. It was this forward thinking attribute that prompted Nissan to approach them about forming the partnership.

In June 2008 Europcar made the decision to go green by establishing a Green Charter that was later certified by Bureau Veritas.  Since then, they have firmly established themselves as the world’s leader in environmentally friendly car rental.

Thanks to www.autorentalnews.com for the above quote. For more information on this article please visit their website.

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British Virgin Islands voted best destination

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Travel and Leisure magazine has just released the results of their annual “best of” survey and the British Virgin Islands is the winner of the Best Caribbean Destination award.

Winners are chosen through a poll of the magazines readership.  This year, the readers chose the BVI as the best overall destination, because it won in the subcategories of natural attractions, restaurant food, value, and natural attractions.

“On behalf of the many talented professionals throughout the British Virgin Islands who strive to provide our visitors with exquisite and unforgettable holiday experiences, we are privileged to be named the best destination in the Caribbean by Travel and Leisure’s readers. This recognition is especially meaningful to us because it comes directly from the readers of a widely esteemed travel publication,” said BVI Tourist Board member, Hadassah Ward.

The British Virgin Islands, is one of the premier locations in the world for yachting and charter boat renting.  The close proximity of the islands provides an ideal setting for boating enthusiasts to sail from one island to the other in a short period of time.

Tourist’s enjoy crisscrossing Sir Francis Drake Channel and visiting popular tourist destinations including Sandy Key, Yost Van Dyke, and the Bitter End. The Bristish Virgin Islands is the home of Pusser’s Rum, a favorite with holidaymakers.  It is also one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.

Thanks to www.traveldailynews.com for the above quote, for more information on this story please visit their website.

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Nissan to build battery plant in UK

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Nissan Motor Europe announced plans yesterday to build a lithium-ion battery plant in Sunderland, UK.

Sunderland is also the home of Nissan’s main assembly plant for European passenger cars, which is why they decided to build the battery plant there as well.  Nissan officials plan to make the location the focal point of their zero emission program.  It will be the main manufacturing facility for batteries distributed throughout the European market.

The UK is a key electric vehicle market in part because of the cooperation and enthusiasm of London officials who have been keen to establish infrastructure partnerships. London officials recently announced a car club joint venture with Zipcar for the first electric vehicle car rental operation in the country. They have also constructed a series of charging stations throughout the London area and offer financial incentives to drivers of electric vehicles.

“Nissan’s investment in a new battery plant and its hope to start producing electric vehicles in Sunderland is great news for the local economy, creating up to 350 direct jobs and creating and safeguarding hundreds more in the associated supply chain. Sunderland could now be a strong contender to produce electric vehicles for Nissan in Europe, and we will continue to work with Nissan to ensure this happens.” said Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

The government is planning to build a new training center near the Nissan plant in the Low Carbon Economic Area which was recently established in order to promote new technologies.  In addition to the training center, a technology park is also planned as well as a test track for low emission vehicles.

Thanks to www.just-auto.com for the above quote.  For more information about this article visit their website.

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Tourism in Wales increases

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Despite the economic downturn, Wales is experiencing an increase in the number of tourists visiting the region.  Wales defied the gloomy travel industry trend by seeing approximately 113,000 more visitors last year than it did in 2007.  In so doing, it became the only part of the UK to experience rising numbers.

A spokesman for Visit Wales commented, “Holidays are changing, and more people are waking up to the fact that holidays in Wales can offer a real alternative to the formulaic packaged holiday. People are now looking for real value and authentic quality. Wales can offer a truer, richer, deeper, experience where people can get involved in the local history and culture and landscape.”

The cultural center of Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is becoming one of the most popular destinations in the country and recently was added to the list of Britain’s top 10 tourism cities supplanting Brighton and Hove.

Visitors are also attracted to Wales by the 641 castles scattered throughout the countryside, the most famous being Harlech, Caerphilly, and Caernarfon, which receive thousands of holidaymakers every year. Other attractions include the national parks of Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast, and Snowdonia.

While Wales was busy increasing tourism, Scotland on the other hand, saw a marked decrease in visitor numbers.  Scotland lost more than 300,000 visitors last year.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote. For more information on this story please visit their website.

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Morocco accepts best African destination award

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Morocco, a popular destination for UK holidaymakers, recently accepted the prestigious award of “African Tourism Destination of the Year”. They were presented with the honor by the Commonwealth Business Council at the African Business Awards dinner, an annual event hosted by African Business magazine.

“We are delighted to have won such an accolade. Morocco offers a quality product and a cultural destination full of energy, mysticism and spice,” commented Mr Ali El Kasmi on behalf of the Moroccan National Tourist Office in the UK.

The African nation has been well-known for its innovative ideas in developing the tourism market within its borders.  Morocco serves as an example for other African nations seeking to build their own economies through tourism.

The Vision 2010 Tourism Strategy is an example of the Moroccan government’s forward thinking attitude.  This ambitious undertaking is known as the Plan Azur and is designed to bring in 10 million visitors to the country in the next year.  The intention of the plan is to build six brand new luxury mega-resorts containing an overall guest capacity of more than 120,000 beds.

One of the resorts, the Mediterrania-Saidia, just opened last month.  The resort is luxurious and is drawing comments from around the world.  A second opulent resort is scheduled to open in October.

Morocco provides a good value for UK holidaymakers since it’s located outside of the Eurozone.  It’s only a short three-hour flight from London and has excellent weather year round.

Thanks to www.traveldailynews.com for the above quote.  For more information about this article, visit their web site.

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