Are you one of many people who work out how much you’re going to need for a holiday, think you’ve got everything covered - and then halfway through your trip realised your financial planning was out?

You’re not alone.

Many people have found the amount of money they thought they would need for a trip overseas hasn’t been enough. And with airlines and holiday companies adding extra on to a lot of items that used to come as standard it’s not a problem that’s going to go away.

In their defence it’s not surprising that airlines and holiday companies do this - the recession has hit the travel industry hard, and they need to increase the amount of revenue per passenger they are carrying on the airlines, and hotels for each guest they accommodate.

But putting the full price on advertised rates could affect their business, as it’s the headline price that catches many people’s attention - and with travel portals searching for the lowest price more popular than ever travel companies have to get around the low prices offered by making money elsewhere.

As an example we looked for a holiday to Ibiza for next summer, June 2011, to see what the holiday companies were offering, based on 2 adults with a reasonable hotel for 7 nights and Ibiza flights included.

Thomson Holidays, one of the UK’s leading tour operators, have available return flights and a choice of two different Ibiza hotels for 320 a person, and they also include getting to and from the airport to either of the Ibiza hotels.

Their main competitor, Thomas Cook, are doing even better with flights, hotel and breakfast from 285 a person for 7 nights. Their main competitor, Thomas Cook, are doing even better with flights, hotel and breakfast from 285 a person for 7 nights.

Great deals from Britain’s two leading holiday companies - but extras available include choosing a seat on the flight, a meal and travel insurance. The first two can be missed for the budget conscious, but travel insurance should never be cut out and can be taken either with the holiday company when booking, or independently.

In some ways the hidden costs that only become apparent when booking a trip, in the above example Ibiza holidays, aren’t surprising given that the cost is often the first feature considered, and many holidaymakers expecting to have 5 star flights, hotels and holidays at 2 star prices - the most reliable companies have to compete at the headline prices offered by others.

Away from the booking itself, once people are on their Ibiza holidays or elsewhere, the cost of mobile phone calls are the biggest cause of complaint, despite the EU having ordered charges to come down in recent years.

Other charges that holidaymakers deemed to be excessive included the cost of a taxi - most commonly used to get from the airport to the Ibiza hotels where most people would be staying.

To keep costs down it’s possible to book a taxi online with an agreed price and a driver waiting for you rather than taking pot luck upon arrival. Keeping luggage weights within the airlines allowance will ensure no surcharges, and some airlines offer half price luggage costs when it’s booked online instead of doing it at the airport.

For more details about 2011 Ibiza holidays with news and articles visit youribiza.net

Crete Blog

If you’re considering a holiday on one of the Greek islands for this year or next, Paxos might be worth considering for a family holiday, or for a romantic getaway for couples.

According to Greek legendy, the island was created by Poseidon when he struck Corfu with his trident in effort to gain peace and quiet. The pebble beaches of Paxos are surrounded by sheer, precipitous cliffs that create scenery that is both breathtaking and expressive.

The sea around Paxos has vivid colours; it is pleasantly clean, clear, and cool. Dramatic fauna and flora are abundant, especially in spring. Ancient olive trees line the hillsides allowing the mind and senses escape to the treasure of comfort and beauty that awaits holidaymakers.

Seeing The Island

Paxos is charming and quaint and can be seen easily in a couple of days by motorbike or car. The three main towns on the island are Logos, Laka, and Gaios. All of which exhibit the classiul ac Hellenic Ionian style with bright and colourful homes lining the promenades.

The rural area environment has a landscape that features low stone homes surrounded by bountifnd lush gardens. There is always something beautiful to see and many photo opportunities while you’re sightseeing or walking. For those who like Crete holidays it’s familiar but at the same time unique enough to enjoy.

The three main resorts all have natural harbours - Gaios being the biggest and busiest.

Travelling further inland there are old churches and buildings and many hiking or biking trails if you seek to further explore the island’s rich history.

Hotels In Paxos And Things To Do

Travel around the entire island on a day or half day cruise. Picturesque wind-carved limestone cliffs, sculptural rock formations, and caverns line the way. Crystal clear, calm waters surrounding the island only add to the exquisite beauty. The weather and climate on Paxos is similar to the weather in Crete.

A bit of history from World War II is just off the island. Inside the cave called Papanikolis, a Greek submarine found refuge and hid during the war.

There is plenty of opportunity to swim, snorkel and relax. This island is wonderful for holidaymakers seeking relaxation and to get away from the rest of the world. The locals are all very friendly and happily greet visitors. A spectacular sunset can be seen by traveling to Erimitis, a bar which sits above the cliffs of the west coast.

Paxos is a worthwhile day trip if you don’t have a lot of time, but want to escape for a bit. There are many hiking and biking paths that go around the island via trails, coves, and beaches. There’s a few travel sites that have a map, often the same ones that have a Crete map.

You can easily take in the unhurried, traditional, and tranquil Greek lifestyle. Many people visit this wonderful island because of the miles of pathways that lead to unspoiled, secluded beaches and coves.

Hotels in Paxos fill quickly during peak travel season. Villa holidays are popular. Many villas have private pools and various villa companies include Paxos in their brochures, James Villas for example.

The island also has two hotels that often receive rave reviews from happy guests. The island of Paxos might be small compared to some islands like Kefalonia, but it offers an intimate charm and beauty for those who crave quiet, peaceful relaxation. Retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday modern living and escape from it all.

More information about the Greek islands are available on social media like reddit

Tenerife Blog

The best advertising is recommendations from previous users, and to win an award that comes about as a direct result of your guests saying you provide great service is one worth winning - and that’s what’s happened for twenty of Tenerife’s hotels.

Organised by Thomas Cook Holidays, the awards recognise excellence, and it’s judged by actual guests at hotels who share their experience with the company via a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire.

As well as awarding the best hotels it allows the company to keep on top of which hotels they use are perhaps not performing as well as others, and being able to make sure the hotels in Tenerife they offer are the best in the travel industry.

Some of the hotels that won awards are already well known to tourists, and in Playa de las Americas for example include the Bitacora and the Hotel Sol.

Los Cristianos is another well known resort popular for Tenerife holidays, and winners include the Paradise Park, Arona Gran and the Los Alisios apartments, while the Barcelo Santiago picked up honours from their hotel in Puerto de Santiago.

The Iberostar’s two hotels in Tenerife’s Costa Adeje both were among the winners, along with the Gran, ensuring all the popular areas for tourists from the UK and further afield were well represented and showing that the island is capable of providing great accommodation in different locations and it’s not just the Tenerife weather that attracts tourists.

Thomas Cook Holidays whose clients made the nominations are one of the UK’s best known travel companies, along with First Choice and Thomson.

For those who haven’t been before, the Tenerife weather is often near perfect on the southern half of the island for a holiday, while the northern half offers lush greenery and beautiful vistas. The cities are always full of life, and the glorious view of Mount Tiede, Spain’s highest point, is one many tourists remember from past visits.

For specific areas, Thomas Cook Holidays offer good information on their travel site about each one, but some of the less known areas are:

Icod de los Vinos (just Icod to the locals) is Tenerife’s premier wine-growing region. Daily life in Icod moves at a more relaxed pace than some other places on the island. If you visit Icod, be sure to visit the Dragon Tree that the locals say is thousands of years old. The beautiful Playa San Marcos with its inviting black sand can be found nearby.

La Laguna is a good place to stay if you enjoy art and architecture, and is more suited for adults than family holidays. The Cathedral dates back to 1515, and there are many interesting churches to explore. The city was once the capital of the island and still bears the regal air of an important place.

Los Gigantes is a city at the foot of massive cliffs which bears the same name. The picturesque marina offers boat trips for dolphin and whale watching, while the town has a good choice of bars, restaurants and shops while out and about.

For more information including press releases visit yourtenerife.net

Holiday islands such as Cyprus welcome holidaymakers with open arms, but with increasing environmental awareness many of them are hoping to address any damage done while people visit.

The campaign to get Cyprus greener has started in Paphos, and aimed initially at those taking self catering holidays with Thomas Cook Holidays, who with the Travel Foundation launched the initiative.

A press release recently explained what they were doing and why:

A campaign to reduce plastic waste and help keep Paphos green has been launched by Thomas Cook UK & Ireland in collaboration with sustainable tourism charity, the Travel Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative. This summer, self-caterers enjoying Cyprus holidays with Thomas Cook will be given reusable cloth bags to use instead of plastic bags. Local hotels will also receive advice and guidance on how to minimise plastic waste.

The scheme has been designed to reduce the 2,000-plus tonnes of plastic bags that are used in Cyprus every year. Many of these bags and other plastic items end up in land-fill, where they slowly break down into smaller particles that can then contaminate the soil and waterways. The organisations hope to help protect the environment by reducing the amount of plastic used in the resort. To promote the initiative, those who use the bags when shopping will have the opportunity to enter a draw to win a voucher for £200 off their next Thomas Cook holidays.

Hotel staff and guests will also receive advice on how to reduce plastic waste. The organisations have developed an in-depth plastic waste reduction programme, which will involve approximately eight Cyprus hotels.

Andy Cooper, Director of Government and External Affairs at Thomas Cook, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Travel Foundation on a great cause which will go some way to protect the island’s environment. With the support and involvement of customers, resort representatives, hoteliers and local businesses, we’re hoping that this campaign will be a huge success.”

Julie Middleton, the Travel Foundation’s Industry Programmes Manager, said: ‘By taking simple actions such as using cloth bags for shopping and reusing plastic bottles holiday makers can help keep Cyprus clean and green. With over 2 million tourists travelling to Cyprus every year, small changes made by individuals can have a significant impact on the environment. Selected supermarkets, hotels and self-catering properties in Paphos are supporting the campaign and we hope that local people will get involved too.’

All very encouraging for those who believe in global warming and want to do their bit for the environment.

For more news and travel information about Cyprus visit yourcyprus.info Independent comments from holidaymakers who are on the island now are available with social media like facebook and myspace

Reuters recently ran an article about how climate change could affect Cyprus. Here’s an extract:

“Climate change is going to affect this region in a relatively strong way, and differently than northern Europe,” said Jos Lelieveld, a professor in atmospheric sciences at the Energy, Environment and Water Research Center at the non-profit Cyprus Institute.

Cyprus has a tourism intake of more than two million each year, attracted by its almost year-round sunshine and stunning beaches. The sector represents about 11 percent of its economy. But its key selling point, the sun, could be a malady if forecasts on changing weather patterns prove to be correct.

“For the tourist sector the summer seasons may become less attractive,” said Lelieveld, who is also a director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany.

To read the full article click here

For a Cyprus weather forecast and holidays in Cyprus visit yourcyprus.info

Unlike some islands in the Mediterranean Cyprus doesn’t rely almost exclusively on tourism to fuel its economy. Luckily with the downturn in the world economy only about 11 percent of the country’s revenue comes from tourism.

 

Year-to-Year Comparison

 

January and February saw a combined 11.1 percent drop in the number of people taking holidays in Cyprus, and it hasn’t been getting better since then. The first half of 2009 saw a fall in British visitors of about 20 to 30 percent who ecided that the lure of the weather in Cyprus wasn’t enough.

 

Monetary Issues

 

Some say monetary exchange rates are the principle cause of the reduction of visitors from Britain. The current exchange rate from euro to sterling is far lower than it was in 2008.

 

Many tourists look for low rates and great deals on travel packages. More than 50 percent of European holidaymakers choose to spend their vacation time in more traditional spots. Either way, money-aware travelers are looking for the best value for their money.

 

Only about 25 percent of European vacationers prefer to visit less-known places. They prefer vacation destinations that are more quiet and remote. Some are in search of quiet, outdoor activities while others simply like to visit alternative locations from year to year.

 

A lot of people chose to stay home this summer. Three percent of those polled said they could not vacation this year without going in debt. The world-wide economic issues have caused many well-known holiday destinations to become less crowded during the 2009 season. Most residents of Greece for example chose to vacation within the country this year instead of travelling abroad.

 

Most Popular Holiday Destinations

 

Some of the most popular destinations are the Balearic Islands, Rome, London and Paris. The United States, Turkey and Croatia are also popular destinations for Europeans this year.

 

The Balearic Islands are comprised of a group of 5 islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the main ones being Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The primary languages spoken are Spanish and Catalan but many natives have learned English to accommodate English-speaking visitors. Ibiza is well known as both a party and family destination. Crystal blue waters and sandy beaches await visitors to the islands.

 

Though fewer people are visiting Cyprus this year, next year may prove to be a different story. The economy is starting a slow climb upward and people are learning to save for things they enjoy. Tourism in 2010 will likely see tourists and international travellers going back to their favourite destinations, including Cyprus of course.

 

For more travel articles and up to date news visit twitter

Cyprus is a popular holiday location for tourists in Europe and beyond - with annual visitors surpassing 2.4 million per year, it enjoys the company of holidaymakers who have visited several times before, and make the trip again and again.

Cyprus is the third largest of the Mediterranean group. The island is favoured not only for its fabulous climatic conditions, but also her rich history.

Historically, Cyprus has one of the most intriguing pasts of most Mediterranean countries. This historic past is in many ways still very evident in the architect and sites. The historic intermingling of Egyptians and Byzantine cultures provides a unique mix hard to find anywhere else. Signs and relics of the various conquerors who set foot in Cyprus at one time or another still remain today. 

Recently released figures for 2009 holidays in Cyprus have started alarm bells ringing in the island’s tourist industry as the recession has stopped many people taking an overseas holiday.

And it’s disappointing news for the hotels and Cyprus tourist related businesses that have developed over the years to make holidays in Cyprus so popular, and with many businesses assuming continued popularity it could mean some facing closure, or laying some staff off for the 2009 season.

Official figures show that Cyprus started the year off as it is set to continue in 2009 - poorly. A 7 per cent drop in tourist arrivals compared to the previous January.

The biggest drop in holidaymakers was from the traditionally good source of the UK - down over 8 per cent, reflecting the anxiety in the UK over their economy and the reluctance of many consumers to buy big ticket items like cars and holidays just after Christmas at a time of economic uncertainty.

But Cyprus will remain one of the most popular holiday destinations for British holidaymakers this year, unless the Euro strengthens even further against the pound over the summer months and stops people booking last minute Cyprus holidays, and go outside the Eurozone or maybe even take a holiday at home.

But what will new visitors to Cyprus find when they arrive, apart of course from the superb Cyprus weather?

Cyprus has long been known as an excellent destination for holidaymakers. Her golf courses are renowned in Europe as first class, and its beaches are too for those who prefer their holidays in Cyprus to be more beach based than sport.

Cyprus is currently home to three golf courses, with plans to create some more. The Aphrodite Hills Golf Club is a short drive from the Paphos-Limassol motorway and overlooks the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite. The Secret Valley Golf Club is also located near the birthplace of Aphrodite, Petra tou Romiou. The valley’s beautifully landscaped gardens help bring out the beauty of the natural rock formations. The Tsada Golf Club is on the grounds of a magnificent 12th century monastery near Tsada village.

For younger tourists taking their first trip abroad Ayia Napa with its famous club scene is a magnet. About a mile east of Ayia Napa, Konnos Bay and Cape Greco await those who want a little quieter environment. The sunsets are breathtaking, and the water is astonishingly clear. You won’t need snorkeling equipment to see some fascinating sea life, especially the starfish that abound. Cape Greco is has many sea caves. Any one of the many boat tours are worth the trip for a close up experience. If water sports are your thing, you’ll find them all at Konnos Bay and Cape Greco. You can also rent a speedboat to do your own sightseeing. For the more adventurous, jet skis are also available.

For those who want to see some of traditional Cyprus, the hiking trails winding through the rugged terrain are worth the trip. The rural areas that tour guides generally do not put on their schedule brings visitors in touch with traditional Cypriot life in remote villages along the way. Cyprus, since its earliest history, has been inhabited by Romans, Egyptians, Persians, Venetians, Ottomans and Brits. Each of them imparted cultural values that remain a part of the island today. Cultural artifacts from these civilizations can be found throughout the island. Castles and abbey ruins among other things are found particularly in the north. It is this diversity that fascinates tourists and makes Cyprus such an attractive destination, along with the Cyprus weather.

But whatever the reason for visiting Cyprus, with less people visiting, the welcome you receive this year might be even warmer than their usual warm hospitality.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s unlikely that you will find Limassol listed with cities like London, Madrid, New York or Hong Kong. Cyprus’ port city may not be known worldwide for clubs or commerce or international flair. Nonetheless, it is a city worth visiting. Its clear blue Mediterranean waters and cultural wealth surprise thousands of tourists every year.

Limassol is the second largest populated city in Cyprus. It is the largest in geographical size. Its population of 176,000 is, by many city standards, barely a blip on the radar. But its relatively small population is perhaps its most alluring attribute. It is large enough to be considered an urban destination, but small and close knit enough to provide a warm welcome to visitors.

Limassol has a great deal to offer the holidaymaker. It is most widely known as a port city. It is, in fact, the biggest port in the Mediterranean trade route. A world class marina is currently in progress, in keeping with Limassol’s close ties to the sea, travel and trade. It is hoped that the new marina will attract boating enthusiasts from around Europe. It will be a centre not just for sailing and yachting, but for playing, eating and holidays too.

Tourists who don’t necessarily appreciate the city’s marine history will certainly find other things to do. Limassol is also known for its colourful festivals. The annual Limassol Festival is a ten day affair dating back to ancient paganism. The modern version has lost some of its pagan religious connotations and has become more of a celebration of culture. The event is characterized by colourful costumes, masks and parades. It might be compared to the Mardi Gras festival of New Orleans.

Limassol’s other famous festival is the annual Wine Festival. Some of its origins have faded with time, becoming largely a mix of history and lore. Some Cyprus historians regard it as a modern version of lively celebrations of worship for the ancient god of wine, Dionysus. The Wine Festival also pays a nod to Aphrodite, the well known and regarded goddess of love. The Wine Festival of the 21st century embraces appreciation for fine Mediterranean wine. It’s also a chance to enjoy merrymaking just for the fun of it.

Visitors to Limassol who prefer sightseeing to revelry can enjoy any number of historical and cultural sites. The city’s coastal front is a sight to behold, with tree-lined walkways for a stroll along the ocean - wonderful when the weather in Cyprus is at its best. It’s dotted with shops and a mix of modern and ancient architectured buildings.

The medieval castle of Limassol dates back to 1000 A.D. It was built during the Byzantine era. The castle now houses a museum full of artifacts. Knowledgeable docents give tourists a full picture of the castle’s history and its contribution to ancient society.

Limassol is also home to the Cyprus University of Technology. CUT is a relative newcomer to the city. It was established in 2004, but accepted its first group of students just in the 2007-2008 school year. Its primary focus is trades and technology. Its founders envisioned an institution that would complement the University of Cyprus, located in the capital city of Nicosia.

The new university was a much anticipated addition to Limassol. Students have been warmly welcomed by locals. It draws pupils from all over the Mediterranean and even further afield international locations.

Limassol boasts accommodation from four and five star Cyprus hotels to economy bungalows. Tourists don’t necessarily have to break the bank account to enjoy all that Cyprus’ prominent port city has to offer, and even a day trip will ensure holidaymakers get to know a bit of Limassol.