The Spring edition of Lanzarote Guidebook, the in-depth island information guide, is out now.  And to mark the occasion readers can enter a competition to win a villa holiday on Lanzarote, worth over £650, courtesy of the island holiday specialists www.lanzarote1.com.

 Lanzarote Guidebook is the comprehensive guide to the popular holiday island of Lanzarote.  The small Canary Island that is a hot favourite with British and Irish tourists.  Who last year collectively accounted for over 50% of the islands 1.37 million foreign tourist arrivals

 The Spring 2010 edition is packed with all of the information tourists need to make the most of their holiday on the Island of Fire. Encompassing in depth guides to all of Lanzarote´s resorts, beaches, museums and attractions, island maps, an introduction to the work of the famous local artist César Manrique and a handy Essentials section covering all of the holiday basics, such as shop and bank opening hours and emergency telephone numbers.

 Copies of the Spring edition of Lanzarote Guidebook can be downloaded free of charge by visiting www.lanzaroteguidebook.com.  Whilst a further 10,000 copies are distributed direct to holidaymakers on the island entirely free of charge via car hire companies, private villas, hotels and official tourist information offices.

 This indispensable, 96 guide is published quarterly so all of the information is up to date and is researched and written by locals, so providing tourists with the inside track to the real Lanzarote.  Featuring some fantastic pictures of the islands dramatic scenery courtesy of photographer James Mitchell.

 The Spring edition also offers readers the chance to win a fantastic holiday at Villa Mirador in Matagorda.  A prize provided by the island villa specialists Lanzarote1, who offer a range of top quality rental properties in key locations across the island, such as the most popular resort of Puerto del Carmen. 

 The competition can also be entered online by visiting the Lanzarote Guidebook website.  Where visitors will find a wealth of information about the island, interactive maps, the latest weather reports and a wide array of flight, car hire and accommodation options.

Global Holidays is the online travel agent for package holidays to Lanzarote. Call them on 0845 299 4450

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How a Day at the English seaside put me off having a holiday in the UK

Many people, if we are to believe surveys, intend to spend their summer holidays in the UK. These people believe that they will save money and have a better time than they would do if they travelled abroad to a place where the sun always shines and you can be guaranteed to have a BBQ summer!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think that the UK has much to offer, in fact I love the UK. But if you must spend a holiday in the UK please choose your destination wisely and don’t expect to have a cheap holiday. The reason I say this is because I have just been reminded why I prefer to spend my holidays somewhere warm and where I can get good food.

I needed to go to Cleethorpes to see my daughter who is working there for six months so I decided to spend a few hours there as I can’t remember having been there before. Cleethorpes is on the east coast, just south of the Humber Estuary. My first impression was that it was quite nice, even though it is a traditional English seaside town. I parked my car near to the derelict pier and walked along the reasonably pleasant promenade. I looked out across the Humber and I could see tankers heading out to sea and what appeared to be a gas platform so it wasn’t the best of sights.

Just at that point 2 boy racers in clapped out cars with loud exhausts raced by as though they were F1 racers. I walked onto the pier but soon retreated as the wooden boards looked a bit suspect and I didn’t fancy an unexpected swim in the North Sea.

Finding somewhere decent to eat in Cleethorpes is nigh on impossible. I walked around Cleethorpes town centre but all I came across were fish and chip shops. If you like fish and chips then you will not be disappointed with Cleethorpes as there are many of them. I noticed that one in particular had queues out of the door so I am guessing that that particular one was special! There was a KFC and a kebab takeaway but I was struggling to find anything that looked even half decent. In the end we settled for an Italian restaurant which was one of two right next door to each other. It looked pleasant enough but I began to get a bit suspicious by the small size of the tables and the fact that there were only two tables occupied.

Nevertheless the menu looked ok and when we were told that there was a special offer of 3 courses for £5.95 I thought I had found the bargain of the century. In the back of my mind though was the fact that you always get what you pay for. It is something that I have learnt from life. Whether its a cheap holiday abroad or an electrical item there is always a catch if the item appears too cheap and so this meal turned out to be just that!

The Minestrone soup was just about ok but then things deteriorated quickly as my next course arrived. The pizza was the only pizza that I have ever had in an Italian restaurant that had cheddar cheese or something similar rather than mozzarella and it had no taste but was more or less just a lump of saturated fat on a plate. The Tiramisu sounded good but it came on a plate smaller than a saucer. I feel sorry for the people of Cleethorpes if this is the best they have, but maybe I have been spoilt because Leeds has some of the best Italian restaurants you could wish for.

So, if you are considering a staycation in the UK this summer rather than taking a holiday in the sun please think twice. I know there are plenty of seaside resorts like Cleethorpes but I also know there are much better places in the UK to visit too. My advice is to visit places in the UK for a short break but when it comes to your annual holiday book a holiday to Spain or Greece instead. You will spend less, you will have hot sun and cloudless skies and you will have decent food too without spending a fortune.

It’s not too late to book your holiday in the sun. Call Global Holidays, the travel agent for cheap holidays on 0845 299 4450

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Online Holiday Booking Trends

Online shopping in the UK has taken off in the last few years and most of us now purchase items on the Internet. The most popular items to buy online are probably books and CD’s as they are fairly cheap, easy to browse online, and can easily be posted. Holidays and flights are things that also can be bought easily online but just how easy is it and is it safe to use your credit card for probably what is a high value  purchase ?

Global Holidays set up its website way back in 1997 and we were probably one of the first travel agents to see the opportunity that the Internet could bring. We could see that the web offered us the opportunity to display to the world what we had on offer and we could also see that it offered us a chance to advertise our services at a lower cost. Since 1996 we had been a Teletext TV advertiser but we could see that its days were numbered because it wasn’t interactive enough and travel agents were killing it by offering holidays where prices were often out of date or even possibly deliberately under-priced.

What Independent Travel Agents can Offer

Independent travel agents have much to offer the purchaser of a holiday. They have access to a wider number of travel services. For example, we can use the services of hundreds of niche and general tour operators. More importantly, good independent travel agents are passionate about what they do and genuinely do want to find you the best holiday to suit your needs and at the best price. By not using a travel agent you may well miss out on the best deals as they have the technology to help you match your holiday requirements and in a fraction of the time it will take most other people.

What the Large Online Companies Can’t Offer

Whilst the large companies have a big online presence they don’t offer the same range of holidays and they are large impersonal organisations that struggle to offer good customer service. These companies might be ok to deal with if all you want is a simple cheap holiday and you know where you want to go, but if you want some personal advice then you will need to speak to a good travel agent.

What’s Best for Complicated Holiday Itineraries

As more of us want to travel to evermore exotic destinations and have a holiday in 2 or 3 destinations at the same time then this is where booking a holiday online become virtually impossible. This is when a good travel agent can save you hours of time and offer advice on exactly where to stay. Bear in mind that travel agents often know where the best place to stay is and have been using these same hotels for years. They are tried and tested and it beats taking a punt yourself based on any unreliable online reviews you may have read.

Package Holiday Versus DIY Packages

Surveys have suggested that 30% of people still feel safer booking a package holiday online rather than booking a flight and separate accommodation. With the demise of several airlines over the last 12 months or so consumers are right to be wary of booking separate components of a holiday. Remember that if anythings goes wrong with the flight like the flight being cancelled then you might be left with a hotel or apartment that you have paid for but can’t use. If this happens with a package holiday then you won’t be left in this situation as you will be entitled to a full refund.

Our Advice When Booking an Online Holiday

If you are looking for a cheap holiday which is a single centre holiday then use the website of an independent travel agent like Global Holidays or a specialist company if it’s something like a Nile cruise that you are looking for.

If you are looking for a more complicated holiday itinerary then do some research to get an idea of what might be feasible and then call to speak to an experienced travel agent who will offer you advice and work out the best price for you.

Prices on the Internet

Cheapest is not always best ! You need to weigh up how much good service is worth to you. Some large online travel companies are very difficult to get through to on the telephone. If you have a problem or a query then you could find yourself in a long telephone queue on a premium rate telephone number. This is where the smaller independent agents score higher because they will provide a better telephone service. It may be worth paying just a few pounds more to get the better service.

ATOL Financial Protection

Finally, remember that if you book a package holiday with an ATOL holder or an agent for an ATOL holder then you will be financially protected should anything go wrong before you travel or whilst you are on holiday.

Should you want to speak to a good travel agent call Global Holidays on 0845 299 4450

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Montréal, 14th March 2010 – Proving that St Patrick’s Day is not just celebrated on this side of the Atlantic, Montréal will play home to its 186th annual St. Patrick’s Parade, the longest-established event of its type in North America.

Attracting more than 600,000 on-lookers, 4,000 emerald-clad participants, 40 floats and marching bands, the parade will be led by a giant replica of St. Patrick himself kicking the celebrations off in style.

The Parade, founded by prominent Montréalers of Irish heritage, has run consecutively since its inauguration on St. Patrick’s Day in 1824. A time-honoured tradition, it’s far from being just a series of jaw-dropping visual displays – the event is also a celebration of spirit, music and the love of all things Irish.

To further celebrate Montréal’s Irish heritage and connections, city visitors can check out the ‘Being Irish O’ Quebec’ exhibit at the McCord Museum, where they can share their own “Irishness” regardless of their actual roots, by adding a message to the exhibition’s digital guest book.

So, rather than spending hard-earned cash on copious amounts of obligatory St Patrick’s Day Guinness at a local pub, why not venture further afield this year and see how Montréal’s Irish contingent like to party.

For further details or more information on Montréal, please visit the Tourisme Montréal website http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/

Click here if you are looking for a Canada holiday

Travel News Canda holidays, Montreal St Patricks Day parade

Here at Global Holidays we sell holidays ! But not just any old holidays. We use all our expertise to find our customers the holiday that they really want and make the time to meet all our customers needs. We do this because booking a holiday is an important matter and we want to make sure that our customers get value for money. This sort of customer service is achieved through caring about our customers and through knowledge of holiday destinations and knowing how to obtain the best prices.

To help us achieve our goal we have an annual conference and I have just returned from 2 days in Manchester after attending the Global Travel Group conference. With nearly 200 travel agents and an equal number of tour operators we spent 2 days listening and talking about things that matter in the travel industry all with the sole aim of improving ourselves as travel agents.

The highlights of this years event were a talk by Dr Frank Dick O.B.E. He has a history of sporting excellence coaching the likes of Daly Thompson and Boris Becker. Frank had the audience mesmerised as he explained the links between achieving sporting excellence and achieving your goals in life and in business.

Also, we had a speech by Sahar Hashemi who is the founder of Coffee Republicand she gave a fascinating talk about how she built up her Coffee Republic chain of coffee shops.

As well as the excellent speeches I met the bosses of Virgin Holidays, Cosmos Holidays, Kuoni Holidays,  Jet2holidays as well as many important travel industry figures.

The important thing that came out of the conference for me was that whilst economic times are tough most people still want to go on holiday somewhere warm and sunny but they are looking for excellent value for money. For us in the travel industry we need to be constantly innovating so that we can provide the best holidays at the lowest price and at the same time we need to strive to provide exceptional customer service. To do that we need to listen to what our customers want and provide them with a service that they can’t provide themselves.

People need reminding that a good travel agent can help them find a holiday that suits their needs far quicker than they can do it themselves by spending hours or even days searching the internet. People also need reminding that booking through a travel agent provides them with ATOL financial protection and that if anything goes wrong with their holiday their travel agent is there to help them. People need reminding that if they book their own flights through Easyjet or Ryanair and the airline cancels their flight they could end up with no holiday and a large financial loss for a hotel or apartment that they can’t get to.

By attending our annual conference we get to talk to the tour operators that provide the holidays we sell and tell them what our customers want. Here at Global Holidays this is important in helping us be the best we can be !

Travel News Global conference 2010, Global Travel Group conference, travel agents conference

If you are thinking about a holiday to Goa and you have never been before then it is a good idea to obtain as much information about the destination from people who have visited that place. Also, even if you have been to Goa before and you have fallen in love with the place it is good to read where other visitors go, what they can receommend you do when you are there and where the best places to eat are.

One of our regular customers has recently returned from Goa and she has written a diary about her 3 week holiday. We have obtained her permission to publish it on our travel blog, so, if you are interested in Goa then …read on !

3 week diary

 I know it is well over 2 months since we returned but unfortunately life takes over but I am going to make an attempt to do my report now.  Like a lot of other people when I look back perhaps we didn’t do much but lay around even though we were full of good intentions and we did read lots of books.  Hope its not too boring for you!

I did try to take the rose coloured spectacles off this time and look at things with an open mind.  We did have problems with taxi drivers wanting to rip us off this year although in a way it was a good thing as it got us into using the bus, something we will definitely do in the future. 

Anyway I will now attempt the report on more or less day by day basis.

Read more…

India Diary of a holiday to Goa

Larnaca in Cyprus opened its new airport in November 2009 and the capacity of the airport is now four times bigger than it was before. The new airport at Larnaca can now handle 7.5 million passengers, a massive increase of over 4 million people. If the airlines start to use the new capacity at Larnaca then you can expect far more cheap seats to be available to this holiday island.

With a flying time from the UK of 4.5 hours Cyprus has long been a holiday favourite because of its warm year round climate and upmarket hotels. During January and February you can expect day time temperatures of about 18C which is very pleasant for exploring what Cyprus has to offer. In the summer you can expect hot and sunny days.

Flying into Larnaca is convenient for the popular holiday resorts of Protarus and Limassol as well as the lively summer destination of Ayia Napa, however Larnaca itself has plenty to offer the visitor and it is well worth staying longer. Larnaca has been a weekend break destination of locals for quite some time due to its 80 plus hotels and apartments, and its mix of old and new in the town centre.

The main tourist areas outside Larnaca town centre are Mackenzie Beach and Dhekelia Road. Larnaca also has a mile long palm tree lined sea front promenade. There are also museums, galleries and pretty squares where there are plenty of pavement cafes and restaurants. Larnaca also has its modern side like its designer shops, internet cafes. You can take a cruise around the bay or go on one of the officially organised walking tours. This is a good way to explore the rich history of Larnaca as the city is built on the remains of the ancient city of Kition and there is an impressive 17th century fort and archaeological sites.

Larnaca makes a good base from which to explore the rest of Cyprus. The resorts of Protaruas and Ayia Napa are only a half-hour drive away, as is Nocosia, while it takes 40 minutes to drive to Limassol or the amazing Trudos Mountains. Paphos takes about an hour and a half to drive to from Larnaca and the road is mostly dual carriageway.

Where to Stay in Larnaca

With over 80 hotels and apartments in Larnaca you won’t be short of somewhere to stay. However, if you are looking for a luxury hotel in Larnaca then look no further than the stunning Sandy Beach Mediterranean Senses Hotel. This eight storey, 195 room beachfront hotel is located at the far end of Larnaca Bay and is described on Gazetteers.com as “an unforgetable, stunning property that exceeds its four-star rating”. Call Global Holidays for a price on this hotel which offers sea views, a stylish interior creating a sophisticated and opulent ambience.

Global Holidays can offer cheap flights to Larnaca as well as last minute cheap holidays to Cyprus. Call us on 0845 299 4450

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Cyprus holiday to Cyprus, Holiday to Protaras, Larnaca airport

Goa in India is a very popular winter holiday destination and the destination has some excellent 4 and 5 star hotels which offer luxury holiday accommodation in stunning surroundings and near to excellent beaches.

The Taj Group of hotels have some fantastic hotels in Goa and they are well worth considering if you are looking for luxury and outstanding service and attention to detail.

The Taj Group have several hotels to choose from in Goa and Kerala including:

The Taj Exotica is a 5 star hotel Set amidst 56 acres of tropical gardens on Benaulim Beach in south Goa.

The Fort Aguada Beach Resort is  built on the ramparts of a 16th century Portuguese fortress, the resort is part of a large 73-acre complex overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Taj Aguada Hermitage, north Goa. Situated in the grounds of the Fort Aguada Beach Resort, on the slopes of a headland, this deluxe resort was especially built as a ‘Retreat’ for the Commonwealth Heads of Government. Perched above the Fort Aguada, there are breathtaking views of the Arabian sea and endless miles of the golden Calangute beach.

Taj Holiday Village. This 5 star hotel is located in Northern Goa on acres of palm-fringed landscaped gardens, approximately 1 hour from Goa airport, adjacent to the Fort Aguada Beach Resort, overlooking Sinquerim Beach.

Taj Green Cove Resort, Kerala.  Located on one of India’s most popular beaches, this first class property enjoys an elevated position offering breathtaking views of the backwaters and unspoiled beaches. The resort is spread over 10 acres of lush tropical
landscape on the golden beach of Kovalam. With its exotic tropical beauty and warm hospitality, this getaway is the perfect place to enjoy relaxation and rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul.

CLICK THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD OUR GOA AND KERALA HOLIDAY BROCHURE

Goa and Kerala with Taj Hotels

Luxury beach resorts in glorious Goa and Kerala

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India Goa holiday, Holidays to Goa and Kerala, kerala, Taj Exotica hotel, Taj Green Cove Kerala, Taj Holiday Village, Taj Hotels

New research about the cost of taking a holiday to Turkey has shown that holidays to the country may not be as cheap as you had hoped.

Following on from our recent blog article “Holidays to Turkey may not be as cheap as you think” new findings published by the Post Office have shown that Turkey could be becoming the most expensive in europe rather than the cheapest. The annual Holiday Money Report claims holidaymakers to Turkey face a 44% hike in the price of meals, drinks and other holiday items in 2010.

Shopping Basket Prices Comparison

Bulgaria £39.12

Spain £44.84

Egypt £60.76

Croatia £62.44

Greece £63.42

Portugal £64.21

Malta £64.95

Cyprus £72.42

Turkey £75.21

Source: Post Office. Prices are for a “basket” of eight tourist items and based on exchange rates in January 2010.

Turkey Prices

Cup of coffee £2.24

Heineken £2.24

Coca Cola £2.24

Mineral Water £0.51

Suncream £5.59

Insect Repellent £1.79

Cigarettes £2.46

Three course meal for two, with wine £58.14

Thinking of a holiday to Turkey ? Call Global Holidays on 0845 299 4450 for cheap holidays to Turkey

Turkey cheap holidays to Turkey, holiday prices in Turkey

Over half of all life changing decisions are made on holiday and put into action once home

Kuoni, the luxury travel operator, has published a report on what really happens in the hearts and minds of the British public when on holiday.  The report shows over 50% of all life changing decisions are put into action following a decision made on a holiday, proving that holidays can change your life.

Says Joanna Edmunds, Managing Director, Kuoni UK: “Kuoni has been at the forefront of producing travel trend reports for decades.  This year we wanted to better understand the emotional journey of holiday-makers and we examined the role of holidays in this new context.  We looked at the personal discussions and decisions that take place on holidays and how these shape peoples future. The results are exciting.  They prove that holidays are more than a break from the daily routine: they can be truly life changing.”

The lifestyle report has been examined by leading psychotherapist and health writer, Christine Webber.  Commenting on the findings Christine says: “This report shows that having a holiday is not just about sun and leisure and visiting new and exotic locations. It demonstrates that we use the vacation to great effect in order to plan improvements in our day-to-day lives.

Many people feel that they just don’t have the time in their normal busy and pressurised schedules to reappraise their lifestyles, or to talk to their partner about relationship issues that worry them. Once away from the daily grind, such individuals often feel that they are able to get a more healthy perspective on their lives, and they can then set about planning to change those aspects of them that they’re not happy with.” 

Report highlights

The 24-page report reveals that the hottest topics to talk about while on holiday are work/life balance (41%) and getting fitter/healthier (39%).  Interestingly the more one earns the more these percentages rise: 70% and 58% respectively.

36% talk about their love life with 34% actually deciding to take action and spice it up when they get home!  It seems the younger generations talk about this subject even more at 57%.  

74% of Brits surveyed said a romantic getaway can make or break their relationships. This is especially true when it comes to women with over a quarter believing that a holiday might help them re-ignite the flames of love and over a third said a break helped them get re-acquainted with their partner.

70% of people surveyed said their primary reason for a holiday was to escape from work and again, this figure rises to 80% for higher earners. And 72% of Brits agreed that it was “even more important to have a holiday during a recession”

Questioned more closely as to why they thought a break from normality was the best time for serious discussions the majority quoted the hectic nature of homelife: “We are so exhausted when we get home”; “juggling family life leaves little time to discuss matters”; “we are too mentally jaded for any serious discussion.”

Bosses should also be prepared in case their employees come back with more than just a tan. The report found that 28% of people returning from a break actually decide to take action on changing their job.

Europe was the key destination for these life-changing holidays for both men and women (33%), with Australia coming a close second for men (32%).  The Caribbean/Mexico holding sway for 20-24 year olds at 40% and a respectable 45% for people considering marriage.

Anticipation was the key driver for booking a holiday early at 52%, and once on a holiday 32% of men have to check out the news and sport compared to only 15% of women.

Future financial planning saw 39% wishing to save for home renovations and retirement (39% for both) while saving for the next holiday came in second at 30%.

Kuoni, founded in 1906, is one of the world’s leading tour operators.  It is ABTA and ATOL protected, giving customers’ financial protection and ensuring they won’t be stranded abroad.

Global Holidays sells discounted Kuoni Holidays. Call them on 0845 299 4450

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